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lordofthemoon's review
4.0
This anthology from the members of the Glasgow SF Writers' Circle was put together quickly after the start of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, in aid of various charities. All the authors donated their stories, so all the money (minus PayPal fees) went to the chosen charities. Given the cause, how could I refuse?
There's quite a variety of stories here, light and dark, and of varying lengths. The opener, Of Gods and Monsters was strong, with a modern take on a fantasy Quest, where the princess gets pregnant with the Chosen One's child and the Mighty Wizard storms off in a huff, so they have to find another solution. Sweet and funny, a fun way to start the collection.
Other highlights included The Map, or a Pocketful of Dog's Teeth about a carny and their con trick against a punter; Amaranth, a metaphor for depression wrapped in a superhero story and The Snow Baby about a boy and his younger brother who's been hidden from the rest of the village for fear they'll kill him, which turned out better than I was expecting.
Some stories are short but pack quite a punch, such as The Anniversary by Ruth EJ Booth. Christopher Napier's The Sea Calls its Own is longer, but has father-son feelings going on, and an end that punched me in the guts.
There are some well known names in here, such as Hal Duncan, with Threnody. I'm sorry to say that having read several pieces by Duncan in different collections, I've never entirely clicked with his style. Neil Williamson also contributed a story: Rare as a Harpy's Tear, which is lyrical and melancholy.
I'm saving my favourite story for the end though. I must proclaim an interest here, in that I know Brian Milton personally and he's a lovely chap, but I always perk up when I see a new story by him. His style is whimsical and light, but always full of heart. Here, he contributed Some of the Great Old Ones are on the Pitch, a story in broad Scots about a kerfuffle at a Partick Thistle football game. And, because some people apparently found this difficult to interpret, he's provided a translation into the Queen's English on his website. Heartily recommended if you need a smile today.
This is a good collection, with many of its stories based in Glasgow or Scotland, and for a good cause. Definitely worth your money and your time.
There's quite a variety of stories here, light and dark, and of varying lengths. The opener, Of Gods and Monsters was strong, with a modern take on a fantasy Quest, where the princess gets pregnant with the Chosen One's child and the Mighty Wizard storms off in a huff, so they have to find another solution. Sweet and funny, a fun way to start the collection.
Other highlights included The Map, or a Pocketful of Dog's Teeth about a carny and their con trick against a punter; Amaranth, a metaphor for depression wrapped in a superhero story and The Snow Baby about a boy and his younger brother who's been hidden from the rest of the village for fear they'll kill him, which turned out better than I was expecting.
Some stories are short but pack quite a punch, such as The Anniversary by Ruth EJ Booth. Christopher Napier's The Sea Calls its Own is longer, but has father-son feelings going on, and an end that punched me in the guts.
There are some well known names in here, such as Hal Duncan, with Threnody. I'm sorry to say that having read several pieces by Duncan in different collections, I've never entirely clicked with his style. Neil Williamson also contributed a story: Rare as a Harpy's Tear, which is lyrical and melancholy.
I'm saving my favourite story for the end though. I must proclaim an interest here, in that I know Brian Milton personally and he's a lovely chap, but I always perk up when I see a new story by him. His style is whimsical and light, but always full of heart. Here, he contributed Some of the Great Old Ones are on the Pitch, a story in broad Scots about a kerfuffle at a Partick Thistle football game. And, because some people apparently found this difficult to interpret, he's provided a translation into the Queen's English on his website. Heartily recommended if you need a smile today.
This is a good collection, with many of its stories based in Glasgow or Scotland, and for a good cause. Definitely worth your money and your time.
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