May 29, 2008
E-zine Review: Flashing Swords #9
An e-zine for fans of swashbuckling adventure and sword and sorcery, Flashing Swords is in its Renaissance. Several years ago, this little quarterly e-zine was spearheaded by Howard Andrew Jones, now an editor at the critically acclaimed Black Gate, but through a series of unfortunate circumstances, was forced to shut down. When a new editor (who goes by the name Crystalwizard) stepped up to the plate, Flashing Swords was able to see a small revival, even top the point of spawning its own small press, Flashing Swords Press, whose first anthology The Return of the Sword I reviewed recently.
(In the interest of full disclosure, Flashing Swords republishes some of the material from this blog on its homepage.)
Flashing Swords Issue #9 is a wonderful collection of stories. Purchasable either as a print-on-demand title, or at a much cheaper rate in e-book format, ($9.97 for a print version, $7.00 for a pdf) this issue demonstrates why sword and sorcery can be much more than Conan style stories (although it is that too). The collection contains 12 stories, 4 poems, 2 interviews, and one nonfiction piece about the British in Zululand. (See a complete list at the end of this review.)
Although due to time constraints I was unable to read the entire zine, I did pick out a few of the most interesting stories, which I review below.
First is Wesley Lambert’s poem “The Reluctant Viking” a funny little poem, one could almost see the wolves of the sea chanting this tale in their mead halls during long winters.
“The Plague Ship” by Liane Whittier is a pirate story with ghostly elements, this tale borrows heavily from The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Even so, Whittier writes well, and her story is able to have its own unique twist. This story does not have a lot of action, but rather relies on the reader’s desire to know what happens next to keep the story moving. Although the ending is anticlimactic, Whittier does create enough sense of danger throughout the story to keep the reader’s attention.
Joseph A McCullough V writes a historical fantasy tale called “Death’s Head”. It is a story about the narrow line between demons and angels. While not answering the question, it wonders at why God would allow demons to exist. It is a different take on demonology stories, and for that it is worth reading. It has lots of action at its ending, and its sharp shooting protagonist makes for an interesting character.
“Tyler’s Bed and Breakfast”, by Lyn Perry is ghost story set in our own time. Its action comes from a retelling of past events, but in The Sixth Sense style, it has a spooky ending. It is a good ghost story for reading aloud around a campfire.
As you can see from the stories I’ve spotlighted, Flashing Swords e-zine is more than what is generally considered sword and sorcery. And they do that as well, as well as publish longer novellas in serialized form. The stories are illustrated with excellent black and white art throughout, by several talented artists and they add panache to the story.
The editors might need to be more careful about ensuring the stories are spell-checked, as I saw several instances of homonyms or homophones being were their counterpart should be, but for the most part the stories are very well laid out and edited. Flashing Swords doesn’t publish just anything that is submitted, and it is obvious they are careful to weed through their slushpile for short story gems.
If you enjoy action/adventure stories, sword and sorcery, or enjoy stories like those found in Black Gate here is a regular way to get those tales. Flashing Swords' Renaissance is a in full swing, and I suggest that all fans of adventure fiction get on board.
What follows is the Table of Contents for Flashing Swords #9:
"The Shores of Limbo" by SC Bryce
"The Reluctant Viking" by Wesley Lambert
"Mightier Than the Sword" by Bill Ward
"The Plague Ship" by Liane Whittier
"And the Wind Sang" by Bradley H Sinor
"An Eyrieman Foresees His Death" by Elizabeth Barrette
"Offering" by Aurelio Rico Lopez III
"Will, the Maniac" by Washington Allston
"Zeerembuk" by Steve Goble
"Duel Song: Ahrzhuna Lux" by David M Pitchford
"The Porvov Switch" by Seth Skorkowsky
"Death’s Head" by Joseph A McCullough V
"Tyler’s Bed & Breakfast" by Lyn Perry
"Interview with Janrae Frank"
"Cold Fire" by Brian Dolton
"Like Ink in Rain" by Elizabeth Barrette
"The British Redcoat in Zululand" by Joseph A McCullough
"Interview with Bruce Durham"
"The Night of the Meld" by Bruce Durham
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May 16, 2008
Book Review: Misspelled edited by Julie E. Czerneda
* Genre: Short Fiction, Fantasy
* ISBN: 0756404754
* ISBN-13: 9780756404758
* Format: Mass Market Paperback, 48pp
* Publisher: Penguin Group (DAW)
* Pub. Date: April 2008
I like themed anthologies. I like it when and editor takes a topic or notion and collects a series of stories around it. It allows me as a reader to have general background on the tale, and provides for easier reading of short fiction. In Misspelled, Julie E. Czerneda has collected 17 humorous tales about what happens when a spell goes wrong. The collection has some creative tales, as well as several brand new voices who have never been published before. It is an entertaining collection.
Lesley D. Livingston takes the title of the anthology literally and writes a story that is both about a spell going wrong and Freudian slips of the tongue. “Trippingly Off the Tongue” works out well in the end for the protagonist, although its ending is a surprise. Livingston’s tale is probably not the one I would have chosen to lead the anthology off with. The plot is a little difficult to follow (it’s a bit like trying to listen to that Micro Machines guy back in the early nineties) due to its speedy dialogue. Too many ideas are introduced all at once, and I was a bit overwhelmed.
Kristine Smith writes a tale about preparing a house for sale in “8rms, full bsmt.” Some houses just happen to have doors to hell, and that’s where wizards come into play. Smith’s tale is appropriately humorous in this day of the subprime crisis, but I’m not really sure where the spell goes awry in this tale.
“Eye of the Beholder” by Kevin G. Maclean is a cautionary tale about getting what you ask for. Sometimes, you see, beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. Maclean has written a fairy tale turned on its head. I can honestly say, I didn’t see his ending coming (though I should have).
“Cybermancer” by Janet Elizabeth Chase mixes together the worlds of technology and witchcraft. An interesting combo, as in there are so many ways both can go wrong. Chase’s protagonist is not the most likable character, but she does do the right thing when her poor sister is dragged into Hell. I like this one for its particular creativity, and it is one of the few to incorporate technology in this anthology.
Marc Mackay writes a schoolyard tale about messing with things you know nothing about. “Eye of Newt” shows how two young girls learn that sometimes just because something is traditional, doesn’t mean it is useless. This story had a superfluous (implied) lesbian relationship that was unnecessary to the story and ultimately distracting. Had Mackay left it out, his story would have been stronger.
“Chafing the Bogey Man” by Kristen Britain is a hilarious take on the sport of golf. Britain’s poor protagonist makes a huge gaff in his struggle for retaining lost glory, with hilarious results, including the appearance of a rather strange garden gnome.
“A Perfect Circle” by Kent Pollard is another story that incorporates technology. This one does poke a little fun at the MMORPG culture. Having played more than one of them myself, I smiled at Pollard’s good-hearted jabs. His story takes the meaning in misspell literally, with the problem of the story being caused by a spelling error.
First time author Kell Brown’s “Reading, Writing, Plagues” suffers a bit from his lack of explanation. I understood the action as he related it, but I’m still not sure exactly how the misspell took place, even if I am able to identify its results. Brown would do well to work on setting the stage a little better in his tale. Still, it is a classic wizard’s spell gone awry tale, and I’m sure readers will like it.
John Zakour’s “bubblegum for the brain” style of writing holds true in his story “Totally Devoted 2 U” in which a love spell gives the conjurer more (or less, depending on your take) than she bargained for. Like Maclean’s tale above, Zakour’s is a cautionary one. I have liked Zakour’s writing for some time, and he is an excellent humor writer. This one does not disappoint in any respect.
“The Mysterious Case of Spell Zero” is a Sherlock Holmes style mystery tale. Except in this case, the two protagonists solve mysteries involving spells. I found Rob St. Martin’s tale to simple for the genre it is emulating, lacking in any real mystery. The solution is arrived at almost as soon as the problem exists, and so lacks any drama.
“Crosscut” is a story about a fantasy writer who is down on her luck. Demons and writing don’t always mix well, but for the writer protagonist in this tale, the misspell ends up much improving her life. S. W. Mayse’s tale finds laughter in the joy of relief from worry. This is one of my favorites of the collection.
“Bitch Bewitched” tells its entire story from the perspective of a dog. Doranna Durgin’s story is cute, and has puppies and babies in it, so it plucks a little at one’s heart strings. The ending leaves room for more of the story to be explored, and I wonder of Durgin plans to write more stories about the magical border hounds. I'd be sure to read them.
Morgan S. Brilliant’s tale of young adults and their parents is apropos. Relationships are quirky little things as “The Witch of Westmoreland Avenue” knows all too well. For a first-timer, Brilliant writes a solidly entertaining tale.
Being a Quality Assurance Mage isn’t all it’s cracked to be as Kate Paulk makes painfully clear in “A Spell of Quality”. Sometimes Mages call up forces they just can’t handle, and it isn’t even their fault. This story is a bit on the gruesome side to be truly funny, but is still an enjoyable tale.
“Demon in the Cupboard” reminded me too much of my own life. I’ve been told more than once to leave my wife’s kitchen alone and suffered to consequences for not listening. Imagine how much worse it might be if your wife was a which. Nathan Azinger’s protagonist doesn’t listen to his wife, and trouble ensues.
Jim C. Hines should be a familiar name to many of you by now. “Untrained Melody” is another of his humorous tales. I had never thought that a bard could be an accordion player too. Worse yet, his heroine is an untrained bard. It takes the help of a flute playing dwarf to undo the evil the heroine has done. As always, Hines stories bring a smile to my face.
The concluding tale, “Yours for only $19.99”, was another favorite in the anthology. Shannan Palma tells a story about what happens when doing magic without first reading the instructions. Fortunately, it all works out for the young girl who wanted a fairy tale life. Sometimes, reality is better than any story.
Misspelled was an enjoyable and entertaining collection of stories. Even those tales that I had trouble with were still creative enough to entertain. The stories cover a wide spectrum of thoughts on the topic of spells gone awry. I recommend Misspelled as excellent escapism.
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May 13, 2008
Book Review: Breach the Hull by Mike McPhail
* Genre: Military Science Fiction. Short Stories
* ISBN: 1892669439
* ISBN-13: 9781892669438
* Format: Paperback, 232pp
* Publisher: Marietta Publishing
* Pub. Date: November 2007
Since the publication of Robert Heinlein’s Starship Troopers, stories about the soldiers who fight the wars in space have had an enduring popularity among science fiction fans. Of late, though, its popularity has waned with the rise of fantasy, steampunk, and urban fantasy novels. Editor Mike McPhail has attempted to revive this sub-genre with the publication of his collection entitled Breach the Hull. Collecting 16 tales of military SF, Breach the Hull does a good job of covering the spectrum of military style SF, while only including three previously published tales.
There are two stories by veteran writer Jack McDevitt, “Cryptic” and “Black to Move”. “Cryptic” tells a modern story of the SETI project and the need to question just what we might encounter out there if we are not careful. Continuing in that vein, “Black to Move” mixes chess and war, and left a cold feeling in my heart with its chilling ending. Both stories are very well-written and their inclusion makes this anthology extremely strong. Even though both have been previously published, they are hard to find, and are an excellent introduction to an SF writer everyone should read.
John C. Wright, another excellent SF author has two stories in this anthology. The first, “Peter Power Armor” is a new story for this anthology. “Peter Power Armor” is about a child’s toy in a man’s war, and the salvation it can bring. This story was heartwrenching. “Forgotten Causes” is a story about a weapon and a man, but a planet destroying weapon of an unusual nature. I would vey much like to read more stories of Marshall Lamech. Wright’s stories had well integrated themes of heroism and revenge and would make anyone want to find more stories by Wright.
Mike McPhail’s own contribution to the anthology, “Wayward Child”, is actually the one least liked. It was disconnected and vague. It tried to tell the story of a soldier on the ground, and the sacrifice one makes for a comrade. McPhail’s protagonist simply did not generate empathy, and the final conclusion of “change” was too vague to be of use in defining the character’s future.
“Not One Word” by James Daniel Ross is a spy story. The protagonist is on the run with some sensitive information, and the reader will experience the thrill of the chase as he runs from his pursuers. Ross’s story brings the thrill of excitement by telling an action packed tale. It is actually part of lager world he has developed, so you I recommend you visit his website to learn more.
“In the Dying Light” by Danielle Ackley-McPhail was one of my favorite stories of Breach the Hull. An Alien style horror tale, it is about the dangers of the strange uncharted regions of space. Ackley-McPhail builds tension well, and by the end you may find yourself gripped in the cold sweats of fear.
James Chambers' “Killer Eye” explores the reasons that some go to war. For his protagonist, it is revenge for a family killed. Bringing to mind the close confines of spaceships and the sometimes lonely life on would expect in such situations, Chambers' story find enemies both within and without in a wartime situation. Well-conceived, “Killer Eye” shows why and us-versus-them mentality can bring about solidarity.
“Compartment Alpha”, by Jeffrey Lyman, is an epic space battle. Each ship fires on another, and eventually one is destroyed, but the true heroes never stop fighting. Lyman brings the bravery of soldiers to the forefront, and envisions what happens to the survivors of those huge spaceships after they go silent.
John Hemry’s “Dead End” looks at the diplomatic side of military SF. Sometimes our understanding of the enemy is too clouded by our own perceptions. Hemry’s tale really drives that point home, and you will look at our own conflicts a bit differently after reading “Dead End”.
Bud Sparhawk’s “Broadside” wants to point out the colossal waste in life and potential in war. By describing a battle instigated for reasons of trade, Sparhawk makes allusions to the Gulf War and the current conflict in Iraq. Although the story was politicized, it’s still worth a read. Sparhawk’s second story “Alliances” is a pirate tale, a story of rebellion against a ruling empire. And sometimes rebellion makes for strange bedfellows.
Making allusions to Shakespeare throughout, Lawrence M. Schoen’s “Thresher” is another pirate tale. Although not really a military SF story, I can see why the editor included it in this anthology. Schoen’s paean to Shakespeare in this tale piques the interest. Schoen’s story is a worthwhile addition.
“Dereliction of Duty” is an admixture of zombie fantasy and military SF. Sometimes fear can overrule even the best of soldiers, but if one person stands up and does what is right, many innocents can be spared. Patrick Thomas adds urban fantasy elements to an older genre, and out pops an inventive little story.
“Perspective” by Tony Ruggiero is another urban fantasy/military SF mix, and gives a sci-fi explanation to our own myths about vampiric beings. I truly was surprised by its ending. Sometimes our change in perspective makes us see things in a whole new light.
C. J. Henderson closes out the collection with a humorous tale called “Shore Leave”. As you can imagine, the story is about a couple of gregarious soldiers who do the right thing when an unusual situation presents itself. The story was a good one to end with, as it allows the anthology to end on a high note.
McPhail’s editing is superb. Breach the Hull is full of excellent stories, no two of which are the same. While similar themes crop up throughout, each writer has managed to take the subgenre and make it his own. McPhail, a graphic designer as well as editor, has given each story an opening illustration that heightened the sense of military splendor and pageantry. I highly recommend this little known anthology for all SF enthusiasts.
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May 08, 2008
Book Review: Return of the Sword edited by Jason M. Waltz
* Genre: Sword and Sorcery, Short Fiction
* ISBN: 097957885X
* ISBN-13: 9780979578854
* Format: Paperback, 344pp
* Publisher: Flashing Swords Press, an imprint of Cyberwizard Productions
* Pub. Date: March 2008
The Return of the Sword is the first anthology published by the newly minted Flashing Swords Press, itself the publishing arm of the formerly defunct and recently revitalized Flashing Swords e-zine. Giving itself the byline “An Anthology of Heroic Adventure” Return of the Sword is editor Jason M. Waltz’s collection of 19 new stories, one classic reprint, and one article that look at the character of the hero, particularly as he appears in the sword and sorcery subgenre of fantasy. In Waltz’s introduction to the anthology, he writes that “heroes continue to do the ordinary in extraordinary times and do the extraordinary in ordinary times.”
The stories contained in Return of the Sword manage to show that truth in many ways, with varied success.
The anthology begins with a female protagonist in “Altar of the Moon” a story by Stacey Berg that thinks about the problems inherent in the magical weapons that heroes use. What this hero is forced to do to quell the magic in her sword may surprise you. Berg’s writing is fluid, and this very short story is an interesting take on the magical weapon trope.
“The Wyrd of War” by Bill Ward is a graphic battle story. It is sad for its protagonist and the ending will wrench you heart. Ward has his protagonist make a fearsome decision, one I hope no one in this modern age must face, although I fear that in some ways it is more common than you think. The story has repercussions in the euthanasia debate. (Likely this is something the author did not foresee, but I came away thinking about it.)
“The Last Scream of Carnage” by Phil Emery uses strange word placement, replacement of quotes with italics, and a sense of raw emotion to tell the story of a heroes sacrifice. Waltz’s “editors choice” it is the most groundbreaking story in the anthology. Although groundbreaking in style, I found its narrative difficult to follow and I did not enjoy this story, for all its creativity.
I also disagree with Waltz’s decision to have an “editor’s choice” since in reality, he chose all of the stories contained in the anthology, and to elevate one above all the rest is unnecessary and distracting. His job as editor is to choose stories readers will enjoy, not tell us which one we should like best, as our tastes are not necessarily going to conform to his. His “editor’s choice” decision led to this story being the only one that is illustrated and I’d like to say I feel slighted on behalf of the other writer’s who contributed work to this anthology.
“The Battle of Raven Kill” by Jeff Draper is a story of self-sacrifice. The story is one man’s last stand against a horde of barbarians. Draper weaves an elegant and protracted fight scene that is thrilling to read.
Nicholas Ian Hawkins’ “What Heroes Leave Behind” is about an aged warrior. Tolasun is a hero who has lived longer than his legend. Hawkins writes a believable tale about a warrior who comes full circle, and how when heroes die, there are those who will pick up the mantle. The “shadow” that is part of the story is nicely woven in, and Hawkins makes that spectre an interesting and unique foe.
“Fatefist at Torkas Nahl” is an alright tale. David Pitchford pits the leaders of three opposing armies against each other, a unique type of battle, but it was overly complex, and the Fatefist himself was inexplicably obtuse. This story was neat to read, but I turned its final page not feeling that I had really been told much of a story, just a sequence of events.
Ty Johnston delves into the hero versus fate story with “Deep in the Land of Ice and Snow”. It is a story that has some of the feel of legend. Ultimately though, this story would have better served as a prologue to a larger novel or novella.
“Mountain Scarab” looks into the “knight in shining armor” story. Although in this case, the knight is less than shining, and his reasons for saving the fair damsel are unknown even to him. Jeff Stewart is reprising a character that he has used before, but he story is enjoyable and the way the protagonist wins his battle is quite different if a little too much deus ex machina.
Angeline Hawkes “Lair of the Cherufe” was the least likable story of the anthology. There are glaring plot holes in her story (such as the need for the blood of royal virgins to satiate the monster’s desire. If this were true, it is unlikely the king would ever have let his daughter near the man who worshiped the monster!) It is also is two stories crammed together into one. One is about the search for a sword and the other the killing of the monster. The sword is necessary for the second to be completed, but the tale of its finding either needed to be expanded to hold more interest or done away with altogether. Hawkes also throws in new confrontations with no foreshadowing. (The guardians of the lava monster.) The story ended up being poorly written even in a subgenre that is deeply tolerant of such things as I have mentioned.
“To Be a Man” by Robert Rhodes is a little crude in its content, but it is an interesting flip-flop of the barbarian chases damsel tale. The laughs Rhodes gets for his tale are more likely ones of discomfort that true laughter. Still, it is unique and there are many men who would not have done as the protagonist did for the entire world.
A collection and expansion of some of his blog posts, “Storytelling” is a nonfiction article by E. E. Knight which has a lots of very specific tips and tricks for the budding writer. With several novels to his credit, Knight’s advice is worth reading for any aspiring writer.
James Enge gives readers of Black Gate a new Morlock Ambrosius story in “”The Red Worm’s Way”. Though not as strong a story as those in Black Gate is still true to form and continues to entertain. New readers of Morlock should go back and read the first stories in Black Gate.
“To Destroy all Flesh” by Michael Ehart is another story with female heroes. Though this story is not particular exciting, it serves as an excellent introduction to Ehart’s characters, stories if whom have recently been collected into a single volume. I was intrigued enough that I might want to read Ehart’s other stories. His writing is fluid and his characters heroic with a twist.
Thomas M. MacKay looks at the use of rage by the hero in “Guardian of Rage”. MacKay is using a character from other stories he has published and unfortunately what results is a character that those who have not read those prior stories can get attached to. While I applaud the protagonist’s heroic actions the element of rage that MacKay introduces is not distinguishable from the standard behavior of the hero and so adds little to the story.
Christopher Heath tackles the stereotype of the “brute barbarian” in “Claimed by Birthright”. Heath’s story owed as lot to the Conan tales (he even uses the word “Cimmerian”) but twists it just slightly to allow wit combined with brute force to win the day. Not a stand out story, but still solid and entertaining.
Nathan Meyer’s “The Hand that Holds the Crown” is a story about betrayal. There is actually no clear hero, and I am a bit surprised it was included in this anthology. Still, it is a story with not one, but two surprising twists, and I enjoyed how it ended.
“The Dawn Tree” by S.C. Bryce is another story about betrayal, but this time about a hero being tricked into betraying himself. This was an excellent story, and Bryce’s concept of the Dawn Tree ushering in the new epoch is creative.
Allen B. Lloyd and William Clunie’s collaborative story “An Uneasy Truce in Ulam-Bator” is the only truly humorous tale in this collection. It introduces two characters that Clunie and Lloyd plan to write more about. I look forward to the stories these two will tell with this unlikely pair of companions.
Steven Goble writes a tale of a heroes driving force in “The Mask Oath”. In this case, it is not revenge that drives the hero. This is a tale of the noble hero, whose heroism comes from honor, justice, and love of country. It subtly praises the characteristics we prize so highly in our own armed forces.
“Valley of Bones” by Bruce Durham is a story about the front line soldier. The heroism and selflessness displayed by the protagonist is the same we all would aspire to have in our own lives. Durham’ story exemplifies how anyone may be a hero given the right motivation and the right set of circumstances, the type of hero who says that “I only did what anyone would do.”
The final story in this anthology is one of Harold Lamb’s Cossack historical fantasy stories. This is good story for people unfamiliar with Lamb to read to get a sense of those prolific but until recently forgotten author. Now, thanks to Howard Andrew Jones and Bison Press we can read the stories of Lamb again, or for the first time.
Overall, this anthology is enjoyable. It has some stories that are less the stellar and I have pointed them out as well as I could. Readers should also know that although this story is about heroes, it is also mostly about heroes of the sword and sorcery variety. These are the heroes who most often tend to fight for gold, women, and glory. So in some ways, the stories can get repetitious because the same tropes are encountered again and again. This does not mean that he stories are poorly written, quite the contrary, but the reader might want to break up the reading of these stories.
If you like sword and sorcery fantasy, you will like this anthology. If Conan style stories bore you or seem to simplistic, there are no stories here for you. Everyone who writes will benefit from E. E. Knight’s writing suggestions, but they can be found in another form on his blog. Overall, I enjoyed the anthology and read through it quite quickly, proving to me that I was having fun. And that is what this first offering from Flashing Swords Press is meant to do. Return of the Sword is meant to entertain, and it succeeds, for the most part.
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May 07, 2008
Flash Fiction Online - May 2008
The new issue of Flash Fiction Online is up for your reading pleasure. I wanted to let you know because it is an excellent ezine that I highly recommend, especially for the time crunched fan of SF&F fiction. This month he even has a reprint of a classic H.P. Lovecraft story, so all you Lovecraftians ought to stop by.
April 29, 2008
Free Fiction: The Cambist and Lord Iron by Daniel Abraham
Bantam Spectra has made available the 2008 Hugo award nominated story "The Cambist and Lord Iron: A Fairy Tale of Economics" by Daniel Abraham to read for free. Personally, the subtitle is what intrigues me the most, and I plan to read this story in the very near future.
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April 11, 2008
E-Zine Review: Flash Fiction Online
Flash Fiction Online is a brand new e-zine, edited by Jake Freivald, which publishes fiction of 1,000 or fewer words. They began publication in December of 2007. But even though they are a young e-zine (with possible print anthologies on the horizon) their commitment to meet the SFWA guidelines for being a professional market, results in Flash Fiction Online publishing work by some known authors, such has James Van Pelt, Carl Frederick, and Bruce Holland Rogers, that really doesn’t have place in other short fiction magazines due to the extremely short length of the stories.
Now, some of you reading this review are probably skeptical about the ability of any author, no matter how good a writer, to tell an entire story in under 1,000 words. I was until I read the April Issue of Flash Fiction Online. In the span of twenty minutes, my preconceived notions about story were challenged, and I was able to read five great stories. And each one took no longer to read than the average blog post.
Readable online in either HTML or PDF format, these stories are laid out clearly, in a readable format, with clever and excellent illustrations by R.W. Ware (who, by the way, is also a tattoo artist) to add to the panache of the e-zine. Additionally, each story has a short bio on the author, with a clever author photo that I think underscores the whole concept of the fiction being “flash” in nature. The entire site is very polished and professional, and even is set up with an RSS feed to allow readers ease of access to the stories.
In the April issue of Flash Fiction Online, Freivald collected five stories that were humorous in their content, playing on the fact that this month begins with April Fool’s Day.
“The Dyslexicon”, by Carl Frederick is a story written about a dyslexic robot that can’t fulfill his function due to his dyslexia. The story is populated by spoonerisms, homographs, and misspellings. In way, this story is both funny and sad, as it allows the reader to get a glimpse into the world of dyslexia sufferers. But it isn’t preachy, just funny. Sometimes the word equivalencies are hard to discern, and Fredrick might have done better to only play around with the words most obviously incorrect to readers.
“How Not To Stage a Play in the Aftermath of a Zombie Apocalypse” by Kurt Bachard wonders what life would be like after a zombie apocalypse in the world of the theatre. A “woe is me” type of story, it says an awful lot while using a true economy of words. In keeping with the economy of words, Bachard’s explanation of the directors special situation and retention of his humanity might have been better integrated into the narrative, rather than being separate paragraph. It is out of place and makes the narrative slightly choppy. Any theatergoer or amateur thespian will enjoy Bachard’s wry humor about the world of the stage.
“Call of the Wild, Line Three” by Dalton Keane was the funniest of the five. The idea of stockbrokers as a pack of wolves is apt and funny. Keane has transposed the hierarchy of the animal kingdom onto the world of business, and it results in a hilarious story. Of the five, this one was the only one that made me laugh out loud.
“Fast Living” by Hank Quense, while only a quarter of a page in length tells a story that (no insult intended) is like stories you read in the Reader’s Digest humor sections. The story may be short, but the punch line brings a smile to your face. It's a type of story called a Feghoot.
“Quiet Please” by Kevin Scott is a reprint of a classic story that qualifies as flash fiction, but that is now in the public domain. Each issue of Flash Fiction Online includes on of these classic reprint stories, many of them from authors that are obscure. “Quiet Please” was probably the most difficult of the stories to read, and I had to read it twice in order to get why the story ended the way it did. Once I did, I thought it a neat, quirky story about language barriers from the November 1961 issue of Word of If.
Flash Fiction Online is one of the few e-zines I plan to read regularly. The length of the stories makes it ideal for reading on the small screens of internet capable cell phones, iPhones, and any PDF capable eBook reader.
Additionally, Freivald is not overambitious, and doesn’t try to print every story he receives. This allows the reader to get a few good stories at the beginning of each month, but without having to sift through a lot of stories to find ones that interest them. Plus, you don’t have to wait overlong to get new stories (and a few articles) since publication is monthly. Lots of e-zines publish either bimonthly or quarterly, and it is often easy to forget check them. Flash Fiction Online has made that easy. I hope they are able to stay in business, as their unique style of fiction is a breath of fresh air, in the overburdened Internet.
With the easy to use RSS feed, I can read these short stories at the office on my coffee breaks. They only take five minutes or less to read, no matter your speed, and you can step back into your office work not feeling guilty about taking your employers time, but with the smile and feeling of refreshment that fiction lusually brings to your face.
Jake Freivald and Flash Fiction Online are providing an excellent service to all fans of short fiction, and I encourage you to take advantage of it.
Artwork © 2008, R. W. Ware
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