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A review by brinestone
Monsters & Mormons by Bridgette Day Tuckfield, Adam Greenwood, Davin Abegg, C. Douglas Birkhead, Bryton Sampson, Dan Wells, Katherine Woodbury, Terryl L. Givens, Theric Jepson, Terrance V. McArthur, D. Michael Martindale, Galen Dara, David J. West, Moriah Jovan, Brian Gibson, W.H. Pugmire, Jake Parker, Jaleta Clegg, Wm Henry Morris, Matt Page, Will Bishop, Lee Allred, Danny Nelson, Scott M. Roberts, Steve Morrison, James Paul Crockett, Steven L. Peck, Eric James Stone, John Nakamura Remy, S.P. Bailey, Nathan Shumate, Graham Bradley, Erik Peterson, E.C. Buck, George Washington Hill, B.C. Sterrett, Emily Milner
4.0
I bought this partly because I know so many people involved in it, at least at an acquaintance level. I started by reading the stories/poems by people I at least somewhat know (Scott Roberts, Dan Wells, Emily Milner, Eric James Stone, Danny Nelson, Will Bishop, and the two interesting editorials at the beginning by Wm Morris and Theric Jepson, not to mention the cover artist). Then I started reading anything else that caught my eye. Thing is, apparently my friends are really talented writers because I liked all of their stories quite a bit better than any of the others I've read. So, you know, way to go, y'all. Also, did I miss the dews from heaven that were apparently distilling at BYU among all of you that turned you into great writers? I think it's time to make my New Year's resolution to write a short story.
Anyway, this isn't much of a review, but I do have to say I really enjoyed some of the stories in the anthology. Eric James Stone's "Leviathan Wakes" is outstanding; Dan Wells's "Mountain of the Lord" is fun and makes a great point; Emily Milner's "The Living Wife" was disconcerting but ultimately sweet; Danny Nelson's "The World" was strange but charming and hilarious; and because I have to list one NOT by a friend of mine, "Fangs of the Dragon" by David J. West was my second favorite in the anthology, just for the pure glee I got reading about a Porter Rockwell with superpowers solving mysteries surrounding the Bear Lake Monster. This wasn't my favorite Scott Roberts story, but "Out of the Deep I Have Called unto Thee" was solid and engaging as well.
I haven't finished the anthology yet, and honestly, there are some stories in it that don't interest me at all. I'm sure this isn't for everyone, but if LDS speculative fiction sounds interesting to you, you'll probably like this.
One thing I'm realizing, though, is that a lot of latter-day saints are offended or at least weirded out by the idea of aliens joining the church or by magic incorporated into stories told in church history settings. There are a couple of synopses that even cross the comfort line for me (Joseph Smith creating a Porter Rockwell golem, for one). I'm interested to figure out what exactly is going on there and why.
Anyway, this isn't much of a review, but I do have to say I really enjoyed some of the stories in the anthology. Eric James Stone's "Leviathan Wakes" is outstanding; Dan Wells's "Mountain of the Lord" is fun and makes a great point; Emily Milner's "The Living Wife" was disconcerting but ultimately sweet; Danny Nelson's "The World" was strange but charming and hilarious; and because I have to list one NOT by a friend of mine, "Fangs of the Dragon" by David J. West was my second favorite in the anthology, just for the pure glee I got reading about a Porter Rockwell with superpowers solving mysteries surrounding the Bear Lake Monster. This wasn't my favorite Scott Roberts story, but "Out of the Deep I Have Called unto Thee" was solid and engaging as well.
I haven't finished the anthology yet, and honestly, there are some stories in it that don't interest me at all. I'm sure this isn't for everyone, but if LDS speculative fiction sounds interesting to you, you'll probably like this.
One thing I'm realizing, though, is that a lot of latter-day saints are offended or at least weirded out by the idea of aliens joining the church or by magic incorporated into stories told in church history settings. There are a couple of synopses that even cross the comfort line for me (Joseph Smith creating a Porter Rockwell golem, for one). I'm interested to figure out what exactly is going on there and why.