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standback's review
Of the stories I've read so far:
Watching the Cow, by Alex Irvine
Great relationships in this one. There's been a catastrophe affecting scores of children; our protagonist is right at the crux of matters - his two children have been struck blind, and his sister is the person responsible for the entire debacle.
There's a lot of great interaction here, which carries the story very nicely. I was less impressed with the SF-nal details; the actual business with "watching the cow" didn't really strike a chord with me. Nonetheless, a very enjoyable read.
Night Train to Paris, by David Gerrold
A typical horror buildup - something creepy is happening, creepiness thickens, creepiness mounts, OMG CREEPY! Simple and familiar, but I like these when they're well-executed. This one is.
Devil or Angel, by Matthew Hughes
Oh. My. God.
This story was brilliant.
You know the advice about a short story only having room for 2, 3 characters? About introducing your cast clearly, so the reader knows who's who? "Screw that," says Hughes. The story starts off with a madcap tour of more than half a dozen characters, with little sense of connection or plot - just zany energy, and lots of shoes waiting to drop.
And one by one, they start dropping - and they keep dropping until there's a veritable downpour. There's a twist every page, and the story dashes from big-business drama to love story to metaphisical adventures to... more and more and more. And, god damn Hughes, every single bit of it works. It's incredible, and a joy to read.
This is How You Disappear, by Dale Bailey
I feel like this must be some sort of literary staple - the person whose feelings of insignificance and alienation mirror a process of literally fading out of other's existence. (You know, I think there were even some Buffy episodes that did this.) If so, this story could be an exemplar for the type - creepingly mearelancholy, well-observed, and perfectly paced. I was depressed all day after reading this one.
Among Us, by Robert Reed
Great concept - a covert investigation of alien beings who have blended in so well, it becomes increasingly difficult to say whether they're alien at all. Great concept, great writing, and refreshingly positive.
A Brief History of the Trans-Pacific Tunnel, by Ken Liu
Another of Liu's brilliant premises that grabs you right away. Equally characteristic of Liu's work is the unsubtle social critique/condemnation that flows throughout - although he gives it a neat twist, since the premise is presented as having successfully prevented World War II.
Ten Lights and Ten Darks is a humor story about psychic communication with pets - light reading. Cowdrey's A Haunting in Love City is humor as well, a paranormal investigation where all the characters are exaggerated characters - it clearly wasn't to my taste, and I only read a few pages in.
Still need to read The Blue Celeb.
Watching the Cow, by Alex Irvine
Great relationships in this one. There's been a catastrophe affecting scores of children; our protagonist is right at the crux of matters - his two children have been struck blind, and his sister is the person responsible for the entire debacle.
There's a lot of great interaction here, which carries the story very nicely. I was less impressed with the SF-nal details; the actual business with "watching the cow" didn't really strike a chord with me. Nonetheless, a very enjoyable read.
Night Train to Paris, by David Gerrold
A typical horror buildup - something creepy is happening, creepiness thickens, creepiness mounts, OMG CREEPY! Simple and familiar, but I like these when they're well-executed. This one is.
Devil or Angel, by Matthew Hughes
Oh. My. God.
This story was brilliant.
You know the advice about a short story only having room for 2, 3 characters? About introducing your cast clearly, so the reader knows who's who? "Screw that," says Hughes. The story starts off with a madcap tour of more than half a dozen characters, with little sense of connection or plot - just zany energy, and lots of shoes waiting to drop.
And one by one, they start dropping - and they keep dropping until there's a veritable downpour. There's a twist every page, and the story dashes from big-business drama to love story to metaphisical adventures to... more and more and more. And, god damn Hughes, every single bit of it works. It's incredible, and a joy to read.
This is How You Disappear, by Dale Bailey
I feel like this must be some sort of literary staple - the person whose feelings of insignificance and alienation mirror a process of literally fading out of other's existence. (You know, I think there were even some Buffy episodes that did this.) If so, this story could be an exemplar for the type - creepingly mearelancholy, well-observed, and perfectly paced. I was depressed all day after reading this one.
Among Us, by Robert Reed
Great concept - a covert investigation of alien beings who have blended in so well, it becomes increasingly difficult to say whether they're alien at all. Great concept, great writing, and refreshingly positive.
A Brief History of the Trans-Pacific Tunnel, by Ken Liu
Another of Liu's brilliant premises that grabs you right away. Equally characteristic of Liu's work is the unsubtle social critique/condemnation that flows throughout - although he gives it a neat twist, since the premise is presented as having successfully prevented World War II.
Ten Lights and Ten Darks is a humor story about psychic communication with pets - light reading. Cowdrey's A Haunting in Love City is humor as well, a paranormal investigation where all the characters are exaggerated characters - it clearly wasn't to my taste, and I only read a few pages in.
Still need to read The Blue Celeb.
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