Leviathan Wept by Daniel Abraham

Leviathan Wept and Other Stories, by Daniel Abraham, is a book where the phrase "Don't judge a book by its cover" is truly apt. I saw it and thought it would be fantasy because there was a character with a sword on the cover... Well, I was wrong. The works in here are mostly contemporary with a few fantasy and science fiction elements in the mix.

I enjoyed it. There were quite a few stories that were really interesting to read. I liked the way the characters were introduced but not really explained so much as their descriptions were concerned. This means it's really kind of based on the perspective of a character. I would say that it is definitely character-driven style narratives.

My favorite of the nine short stories in this anthology were: "The Support Technician Tango" and "Exclusion." I find those the most memorable of the stories. In the former, an office worker tries to improve himself by joining a dance class and reading a self-help book. In the latter, there is a way people can "exclude" other people by basically placing them on an ignore list, and then that person is invisible to them from that point on. I feel that the themes in his stories evoke the question of, "What if...?" What if you could exclude people so you never had to talk to them again? What if this other thing happened? And so on. 

One thing I noticed is that the ending to most of the stories felt abrupt. It wasn't a bad thing because it made it feel like the short story was just a snippet of some larger narrative. I like that, and I think it implies that Abraham is a clever writer who could really divulge on his themes. This makes me think I would enjoy his full-length novels. 

All in all, I recommend this if you're looking for a short story collection by one author. However, don't be drawn in only by the cover, because that illustration really only corresponds to one of the short stories ("A Hunter in Arin-Qin"). 

"The Truth Is A Cave In The Black Mountains" by Neil Gaiman

"The Truth Is A Cave In The Black Mountains" by Neil Gaiman is a short story from The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year, V.5.

It's been a while since I've read any Neil Gaiman. I really like his writing style, it's very readable, and that's something I will continuously mention that I value.

In this story, a dwarf goes on a journey to a cave where you can find gold. It is very mysterious and hidden, so he has to get a guide to take him there. However, the gold you find in the cave is said to take something away from whoever takes it.

Here is a quote that I found particularly philosophical:

"I am old now, or at least, I am no longer young, and everything I see reminds me of something else I've seen, such that I see nothing for the first time...It is the curse of age, that all things are reflections of other things."

I can relate to this sentiment. Some time ago, I started to feel this way, too. It's like deja vu, but on a deeper, fundamental level. If our minds didn't have the faculty of association, though, I wonder if it would change the shape of consciousness.

It is a thought-provoking, interesting, and clever short story.

"The Stranger" by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

"The Stranger" by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. is a short story from Speculative Horizons anthology edited by Patrick St-Denis.

A mysterious stranger arrives to stay at the narrator's family farm. The stranger appears to be a warrior due to his manner and weaponry. And during the story, he proves that he is indeed a valiant fighter.

It was a likable short story and my first introduction to the author's work. I liked the direct narrative style and the fantasy elements both at the forefront and in the background. I would definitely be interested in reading the Saga of Recluce series, the world in which "The Stranger" is set.

"Soul Mate" by C. S. Friedman

"Soul Mate" by C. S. Friedman is a short story from Speculative Horizons anthology edited by Patrick St-Denis.

Karen and Josie run a jewelry booth at an arts and crafts festival. They meet a mysterious stranger named Stephan Mayeaux, who Josephine starts to date.

It's a love story with a twist. There's not much more to say about it. I enjoyed it. It was skillfully written and very readable.

"The Death of Love" by Hal Duncan

"The Death of Love" by Hal Duncan is a short story from Speculative Horizons anthology edited by Patrick St-Denis.

It's about an investigator of Erocide, which is the murder of a couple's cupid.  It's their real world manifestation of love for one another.  When you kill the cupid, the love ends.

It reads like a monologue, or a rant even, stream of consciousness. This made it fairly easy reading. It kind of reminded me of the style of Catcher in the Rye. Except while that book condemns vulgarity, this short story is extremely vulgar. However, it is not obscene.

"The Death of Love" is the result of a great idea, and exploring the idea is what the story is about. I thought it was an interesting concept and metaphor for love.

"Flint" by Brian Ruckley

"Flint" by Brian Ruckley is a short story from Speculative Horizons anthology edited by Patrick St-Denis.

It's about a shaman, Flint. His teacher and the former shaman Fifth Moon is dead. In the eponymous story, Flint must prove his mettle as the new shaman.

Long Dusk is sick and dying. Another person falls sick. So with a guide named Hare, Flint journeys to the spirit world to find out the source of the sickness. In the spirit world, Flint must confront and free the spirit of the vengeful Crow.

There are some bees which converge into an anthropomorphic bee monster. That's awesome. Flint finds some bones and summons a spirit in a dream. Flint summons this shadow, yet it is as if it haunts him.

“Flint” definitely contains some good ideas. Hunter–gatherers and shamanism. It also feels kind of philosophical. Ultimately, it was an interesting short story.

"The Eve of the Fall of Habesh" by Tobias S. Buckell

"The Eve of the Fall of Habesh" by Tobias Buckell is a short story from Speculative Horizons anthology edited by Patrick St-Denis.

It takes place in the city of Habesh by the Elkatoa coast. Five miles north, another city, Kopach, is being burnt by the Sea People, who are going to attack Habesh next. This puts a sense of impending doom in the story.

The magic system requires that you can only learn one spell. Teaching is a sin. Everyone gets only one spell. And the catch? Using magic takes away your life force, makes you old and wizened.

The protagonist Jazim is a contragnartii who appears to work for the city Habesh. Jazim has a target. The target is a beggar in the Market. The Market is alive with commerce. As is his duty, Jazim tries to arrest the beggar named Bruse, but the beggar blasts him with air. And runs away. Jazim gives a prematurely aged girl some coins and chases after the beggar. He chases him to a soup tent. He silences the beggar and fights him. But he lets him go because some kids say he's helping them.

Jazim goes to a restaurant and then some guards come in looking for him. One of them is a Locator. The guards march him out of the kitchen. Yamis, an Inquisitor, is after the children, who are apparently escaped factory workers.  Jazim is supposed to bring the kids back to protect the city against the Sea People. After the war, they are to be hanged. 

His decision is whether to help the kids escape or defend the city which he loves so much. He also has a brother shackled in the city. So it really is a tough decision...

"The Eve of the Fall of Habesh" is written in first-person and the present tense. It's a nice writing style. I enjoyed the setting and the character was fairly compelling. I'd like to see more stories written about this world. For a short story, it has almost too much detail. But I enjoyed it. I think the author's books would be good.