In this new collection, Richard Thomas has crafted fourteen stories that push the boundaries of dark fiction in an intoxicating, piercing blend of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. Equally provocative and profound, each story is masterfully woven with transgressive themes that burrow beneath the skin.
• A poker game yields a strange prize that haunts one man, his game of chance now turned into a life-or-death coin flip.
• A set of twins find they have mysterious new powers when an asteroid crashes in a field near their house, and the decisions they make create an uneasy balance.
• A fantasy world is filled with one man’s desire to feel whole again, finally finding love, only to have the shocking truth of his life exposed in an appalling twist.
• A father and son work slave labor in a brave new world run by aliens and mount a rebellion that may end up freeing them all.
• A clown takes off his make-up in a gloomy basement to reveal something more horrifying under the white, tacky skin.
Powerful and haunting, Thomas’ transportive collection dares you to examine what lies in the darkest, most twisted corners of human existence and not be transformed by what you find.
So apparently even though I consider myself to be well read, I have been living under a rock because this is my first read by this author.
There are a wondrous range of stories here from dark fiction to fantasy and horror, some with elements of sci-fi. Not all were a perfect hit with me but all are beautifully written which may seem like an odd thing to say about horror and yet I did find beauty even in the ugly situations.
These are not stories to be devoured when you want to drift off to sleep but tales best to ponder when your mind is at it's sharpest because there are events that really made me think.
It should be noted that I read an advance copy which states that the finished product will contain illustrations that are not present here. Even though I did not get to see the artwork I feel I should mention how much I love when a collection has a picture to go with each story.
4 out of 5 stars
My thanks to Turner Publishing for the review copy.
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