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olde_fortran's review against another edition
4.0
Each story was wonderful, but taken as a collection they borded on the repetitive.
alexctelander's review against another edition
3.0
Do not be dissuaded by the title, Assorted Fire Events is not a bunch of stories about vaguely interesting fire events; no, it’s much more than the latter. David Means brings us thirteen new stories, all different and unique, making a very interesting read.
“The piece he stepped on, from an old malt liquor bottle, was as jagged as the French Alps, the round base of the bottle forming a perfect support for the protrusion . . . it went into his heel cleanly, cutting firmly into the hard pad, opening a wound that sent him falling sideways.” So reads the opening story of the collection, entitled “Railroad Incident, August 1995.” This is a story about a man who has been cheated on by his wife with one of his dependable friends. A common story you might say, except this betrayal drives him to insanity, where he begins walking aimlessly into the ghettoes of New York. There he is attacked by a group of hoodlums, leading to his ultimate demise. But on this doomed journey he recounts his supposedly happy married life and how things often aren’t what they appear to be.
The second story, “Coitus,” is unlike any other I have read, and that’s really what makes a writer good at his job. The story opens with a couple beginning with the early stages of foreplay, leading to their inevitable lovemaking. But as the main character thrusts away in waves of pleasure, he begins recounting past instances of his life, like the tragic death of his brother, hoe he feel guilty about certain aspects of it. The story is brought to any amusing conclusion with his partner questioning what that ‘far-away look in his eyes” is.
“Arno listened, half concerned for what Roy was plotting and half concerned for the split in his lip which had opened up and seemed to carry within a chasm of pain too wide for such a small crack in his flesh.” “The Interruption” is a story about a hobo dared on by his friend to gatecrash a wedding, shocking all within with his shocking presence. In “The Widow Predicament” a widow must decide what to so with the video of the honeymoon lovemaking. In the Pushcart Prize-winning story, “What They Did,” suburban sprawl forces people to make drastic decisions that they may later regret.
“The light throb of the pump going; the faint pulse of the device in his chest cavity opening up with air and deflating next to his heart like a bird nesting between his ribs.” “Tahorah” – where a man suffers a devastating accident and must deal with the consequences, along with analyzing the events and repercussions of his life.
The backdrop for most of these stories is suburban and downtown New York, the current residence of the author, which helps bring a certain kind of perspective to each individual story; the surroundings dark and bleak, remnants of the past that cannot be changed, and of a future that cannot be stopped or averted. In Assorted Fire Events one is transported into a type of fantasy world, except the events within all all-too-possible, and either have occurred or quite possibly could occur to any one of us.
Originally published on March 5 2001 ©Alex C. Telander.
For over 500 book reviews, and over 40 exclusive author interviews (both audio and written), visit BookBanter.
“The piece he stepped on, from an old malt liquor bottle, was as jagged as the French Alps, the round base of the bottle forming a perfect support for the protrusion . . . it went into his heel cleanly, cutting firmly into the hard pad, opening a wound that sent him falling sideways.” So reads the opening story of the collection, entitled “Railroad Incident, August 1995.” This is a story about a man who has been cheated on by his wife with one of his dependable friends. A common story you might say, except this betrayal drives him to insanity, where he begins walking aimlessly into the ghettoes of New York. There he is attacked by a group of hoodlums, leading to his ultimate demise. But on this doomed journey he recounts his supposedly happy married life and how things often aren’t what they appear to be.
The second story, “Coitus,” is unlike any other I have read, and that’s really what makes a writer good at his job. The story opens with a couple beginning with the early stages of foreplay, leading to their inevitable lovemaking. But as the main character thrusts away in waves of pleasure, he begins recounting past instances of his life, like the tragic death of his brother, hoe he feel guilty about certain aspects of it. The story is brought to any amusing conclusion with his partner questioning what that ‘far-away look in his eyes” is.
“Arno listened, half concerned for what Roy was plotting and half concerned for the split in his lip which had opened up and seemed to carry within a chasm of pain too wide for such a small crack in his flesh.” “The Interruption” is a story about a hobo dared on by his friend to gatecrash a wedding, shocking all within with his shocking presence. In “The Widow Predicament” a widow must decide what to so with the video of the honeymoon lovemaking. In the Pushcart Prize-winning story, “What They Did,” suburban sprawl forces people to make drastic decisions that they may later regret.
“The light throb of the pump going; the faint pulse of the device in his chest cavity opening up with air and deflating next to his heart like a bird nesting between his ribs.” “Tahorah” – where a man suffers a devastating accident and must deal with the consequences, along with analyzing the events and repercussions of his life.
The backdrop for most of these stories is suburban and downtown New York, the current residence of the author, which helps bring a certain kind of perspective to each individual story; the surroundings dark and bleak, remnants of the past that cannot be changed, and of a future that cannot be stopped or averted. In Assorted Fire Events one is transported into a type of fantasy world, except the events within all all-too-possible, and either have occurred or quite possibly could occur to any one of us.
Originally published on March 5 2001 ©Alex C. Telander.
For over 500 book reviews, and over 40 exclusive author interviews (both audio and written), visit BookBanter.
alexctelander's review
3.0
Do not be dissuaded by the title, Assorted Fire Events is not a bunch of stories about vaguely interesting fire events; no, it’s much more than the latter. David Means brings us thirteen new stories, all different and unique, making a very interesting read.
“The piece he stepped on, from an old malt liquor bottle, was as jagged as the French Alps, the round base of the bottle forming a perfect support for the protrusion . . . it went into his heel cleanly, cutting firmly into the hard pad, opening a wound that sent him falling sideways.” So reads the opening story of the collection, entitled “Railroad Incident, August 1995.” This is a story about a man who has been cheated on by his wife with one of his dependable friends. A common story you might say, except this betrayal drives him to insanity, where he begins walking aimlessly into the ghettoes of New York. There he is attacked by a group of hoodlums, leading to his ultimate demise. But on this doomed journey he recounts his supposedly happy married life and how things often aren’t what they appear to be.
The second story, “Coitus,” is unlike any other I have read, and that’s really what makes a writer good at his job. The story opens with a couple beginning with the early stages of foreplay, leading to their inevitable lovemaking. But as the main character thrusts away in waves of pleasure, he begins recounting past instances of his life, like the tragic death of his brother, hoe he feel guilty about certain aspects of it. The story is brought to any amusing conclusion with his partner questioning what that ‘far-away look in his eyes” is.
“Arno listened, half concerned for what Roy was plotting and half concerned for the split in his lip which had opened up and seemed to carry within a chasm of pain too wide for such a small crack in his flesh.” “The Interruption” is a story about a hobo dared on by his friend to gatecrash a wedding, shocking all within with his shocking presence. In “The Widow Predicament” a widow must decide what to so with the video of the honeymoon lovemaking. In the Pushcart Prize-winning story, “What They Did,” suburban sprawl forces people to make drastic decisions that they may later regret.
“The light throb of the pump going; the faint pulse of the device in his chest cavity opening up with air and deflating next to his heart like a bird nesting between his ribs.” “Tahorah” – where a man suffers a devastating accident and must deal with the consequences, along with analyzing the events and repercussions of his life.
The backdrop for most of these stories is suburban and downtown New York, the current residence of the author, which helps bring a certain kind of perspective to each individual story; the surroundings dark and bleak, remnants of the past that cannot be changed, and of a future that cannot be stopped or averted. In Assorted Fire Events one is transported into a type of fantasy world, except the events within all all-too-possible, and either have occurred or quite possibly could occur to any one of us.
Originally published on March 5 2001 ©Alex C. Telander.
For over 500 book reviews, and over 40 exclusive author interviews (both audio and written), visit BookBanter.
“The piece he stepped on, from an old malt liquor bottle, was as jagged as the French Alps, the round base of the bottle forming a perfect support for the protrusion . . . it went into his heel cleanly, cutting firmly into the hard pad, opening a wound that sent him falling sideways.” So reads the opening story of the collection, entitled “Railroad Incident, August 1995.” This is a story about a man who has been cheated on by his wife with one of his dependable friends. A common story you might say, except this betrayal drives him to insanity, where he begins walking aimlessly into the ghettoes of New York. There he is attacked by a group of hoodlums, leading to his ultimate demise. But on this doomed journey he recounts his supposedly happy married life and how things often aren’t what they appear to be.
The second story, “Coitus,” is unlike any other I have read, and that’s really what makes a writer good at his job. The story opens with a couple beginning with the early stages of foreplay, leading to their inevitable lovemaking. But as the main character thrusts away in waves of pleasure, he begins recounting past instances of his life, like the tragic death of his brother, hoe he feel guilty about certain aspects of it. The story is brought to any amusing conclusion with his partner questioning what that ‘far-away look in his eyes” is.
“Arno listened, half concerned for what Roy was plotting and half concerned for the split in his lip which had opened up and seemed to carry within a chasm of pain too wide for such a small crack in his flesh.” “The Interruption” is a story about a hobo dared on by his friend to gatecrash a wedding, shocking all within with his shocking presence. In “The Widow Predicament” a widow must decide what to so with the video of the honeymoon lovemaking. In the Pushcart Prize-winning story, “What They Did,” suburban sprawl forces people to make drastic decisions that they may later regret.
“The light throb of the pump going; the faint pulse of the device in his chest cavity opening up with air and deflating next to his heart like a bird nesting between his ribs.” “Tahorah” – where a man suffers a devastating accident and must deal with the consequences, along with analyzing the events and repercussions of his life.
The backdrop for most of these stories is suburban and downtown New York, the current residence of the author, which helps bring a certain kind of perspective to each individual story; the surroundings dark and bleak, remnants of the past that cannot be changed, and of a future that cannot be stopped or averted. In Assorted Fire Events one is transported into a type of fantasy world, except the events within all all-too-possible, and either have occurred or quite possibly could occur to any one of us.
Originally published on March 5 2001 ©Alex C. Telander.
For over 500 book reviews, and over 40 exclusive author interviews (both audio and written), visit BookBanter.
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