Fantasy“Kisser” by David James Brock
“Of Course You Screamed” by Sharang Biswas
“Flight” by Innocent Chizaram Ilo
Reviewed by Seraph
“Kisser” by David James Brock
There is a lot of fiction being written of late that explores what it is like to experience various ailments, diseases, or conditions that it is assumed the reader may not have on their own. In this particular case, it is crippling anxiety, the kind that makes you stay inside and never go out, relishing the company of books far more than people. In this contemporary time and world, Bragg loses a tooth every time he falls asleep, and now in addition to his crippling anxiety he is increasingly self-conscious and hard to understand. A trip to the dentist raises more questions than answers. While love does indeed conquer all, the “beautiful dental assistant with flawless skin” who follows him home and falls in love with him feels a bit too much like the fantasy of a schoolboy than a realistic outcome, mostly because no reason is really given for why she takes a liking to him. Just shows up at his home, and never leaves. It’s a revealing look into the mind of the anxious, but beyond that, its merely interesting enough, and not particularly notable.
“Of Course You Screamed” by Sharang Biswas
Without any doubt, there is a drive as an author to present something new and intriguing, be it concept or format. Most rarely succeed, but a lot can be said for revisiting something old and polishing it up. This was a revisit of the old “choose your own story” format, in a much condensed and polished form. I doubt any serious consideration would ever be given to those kind of books, but it’s something I rather enjoyed as a child, and an element present in many award-winning roleplaying games. You might even call it a critical element thereof. There is no way whatsoever to determine the timeframe or setting of this story, but it is vividly descriptive, both of environment and personal thought. It isn’t a happy story, almost more horror than anything else. I much enjoyed it all the same, enough so that I went looking for more that the author has written.
“Flight” by Innocent Chizaram Ilo
I have a love/hate relationship with stories that present from the perspective of animals or inanimate objects. Most are overwrought and ponderous, far more concerned with being a vehicle for whatever preaching they find of merit than any meaningful attempt at storytelling. This was a lovely exception in almost every way. It follows the experience of several gray parrots and their treatment at the hands of callous and mercenary humans. The message is not subtle, but it isn’t heavy-handed. The story really does focus much on the life and feelings of the parrots, and while the setting is a modern enough town, beyond that it is as uncertain as would befit an animal with no understanding of such things. It is as much a story of freedom as it is loss, and it engenders sympathy for the plight of the creatures without the usual hand-wringing. I would almost say the writing is as thoughtful and delicate as the animals themselves, but I have always been rather fond of parrots and may be mildly biased. Regardless, this is a smoothly paced and beautifully written piece.