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A review by erikbergstrom
Behold the Void by Philip Fracassi
4.0
In Behold the Void, Philip Fracassi blends some well-honed literary style with frightening ideas for a crisp, enjoyable collection of weird fiction. When he follows his instincts, like in the stories "The Horse Thief", "Coffin", and "Fail-Safe", he's on fire, delivering frightening imagery alongside bold prose.
In the final, novelette-length story, "Mandala", it doesn't all quite come together, however. There's some choices made where it seems like a different writer entirely—the gaps aren't tightened up, and simple plot ideas aren't explored further (like how the father knows his son is in trouble via his dreams, but this ability isn't explored as an interesting character trait).
Still, I was engaged enough with the story that I never had the inclination to skim, and I'm ready to 'Behold' a new collection or story from Fracassi any time!
*I read the original Journalstone edition via the library, however the newest edition looks enticing enough to put on my shelf for a re-read!
In the final, novelette-length story, "Mandala", it doesn't all quite come together, however. There's some choices made where it seems like a different writer entirely—the gaps aren't tightened up, and simple plot ideas aren't explored further (like how the father knows his son is in trouble via his dreams, but this ability isn't explored as an interesting character trait).
Still, I was engaged enough with the story that I never had the inclination to skim, and I'm ready to 'Behold' a new collection or story from Fracassi any time!
*I read the original Journalstone edition via the library, however the newest edition looks enticing enough to put on my shelf for a re-read!