This is an anthology of nine short stories created for the Red Adept Reviews Twists contest. The simple rule was that entries were to be short stories with a twist a la O'Henry or Bruce Willis' Sixth Sense. These stories are the best of the crop, with one by Lynn O'Dell - the force behind Red Adept. Their quality is really the only common thread, albeit a very good one. The stories span a range of genres, including sci-fi, fantasy and crime, and vary in length. What struck me most was how different they all were in style and form too. The stories and authors are:
Building God by Jessica Billings
Should Have Seen It Coming by Brendan Carroll
Granny Theft Auto by T L Haddix
Fired by Lynn O'Dell
The Unbroken Mirror by C S Marks
42jorie by John Philpin
Leo's Wife by Patricia Sierra
Traditions by Michael Sullivan
A Long, Lonely Time by J R Tomlin
I'm not sure I would have come up with the same top 3 as the judges, which either indicates the strength of the entries or how subjective taste is. Traditions, A Long, Lonely Time and Granny Theft Auto really made me think, Fired, 42jorie and Leo's Wife all had the sort of twist that packs a punch right at the end, and Building God lead me down one path to then hit me with a clever and unforeseen conclusion. The only story that didn' grab me was The Unbroken Mirror, which was an elven fantasy, outside my comfort zone, although still with a nice twist.
As a short story fan I really enjoyed this varied collection, especially because of the Twist theme. It was a bit like a selection pack of chocs, with plenty of tasty goodies to suit all palates.
Format: Kindle, review copy
My Rating: 4*
No comments:
Post a Comment