This spooky anthology by Eli Taff, Jr. is a collection of ten flash fiction stories packed with cosmic horror and unbelievable terror that will keep you on the edge of your seat and have you sleeping with the lights on.The evil clown that steps out of a childhood memory and kills with a touch; the terrified mother who finds a monster in her daughter’s bedroom; the unfaithful businessman who gets … who gets off the subway at the wrong stop; the gangster who robs the wrong old lady on the wrong night.
Each microfiction horror story is exactly five hundred words long, and one or more can be easily devoured in a single sitting.
more
Happy Halloween! In honor of the creepiest day of the year, I’m delighted to share with you a creepy collection of very short stories that offer the perfect tidbit of eerie hair-raising to get you in the holiday spirit (pun intended)…
As you know if you read my blog/reviews regularly, I have a love-hate thing with short stories: love the concept (quick reads), hate the usual reality (the character development that I think is so central to my enjoyment of a story is usually MIA because of the format). I’ve found some exceptions, most notably in collections that are tied to series books because the characterization and backstory already exist in the author’s universe, so the quick and singularly-focused format allows the author to focus on a discrete perspective or event without needing to take the time to explain the who and why behind it all. Well today, I’m pleased to tell you that I’ve discovered another way to enjoy shorts without sacrificing the enjoyment of the unfolding character/world building, and that is through interconnected shorts. I don’t know why more authors don’t do this, by the way – it seems like such a brilliant way to build a world and then focus on the action and allow for a LOT of cool stuff to come out without the hundreds of pages of connectors necessary to tie them into one cohesive tale. That is, in fact, why the author said he wrote the book as he did. I’ll say it again: Brilliant!
This is a collection of flash fiction pieces that on one hand feels like an author’s very detailed precis for the high-points of a novel at the same time that it feels like a compilation of nightmare trips inside someone else’s seriously twisted head… And I mean both of those in the best possible way. There are separate characters and plots, but by the time you get to the middle, you start to see where the linkages lie. They’re loose, like meat falling off the bone, and exceptionally enjoyable (like well-cooked meat, if you’ll pardon the analogy) because they’re easy to digest and absolutely deliciously dark. I liked the way it all (sort of) tied together and overlapped. The flash fiction format left a lot up to the imagination of the reader, but the overlaps gave just enough structure that I could do that without feeling like I was making things up as I went along. It got me thinking about connections and where things might go and that made it one of the most enjoyable shorts experiences I’ve had as a result. Well played, that… And it gave me some ideas about reviving some of my own fiction and taking it down a different path. Also well played, and immensely helpful on top of that.
If you’re looking for a creepy-ass scare that you can read in one sitting, this is a great place to start. And maybe if we’re lucky, the positive feedback will send Taff back to the typewriter (ha, as if anyone writes on a typewriter anymore – but “back to the laptop” just doesn’t sound as good) for more intertwined adventures from his deviously dark and twisty imagination… If nothing else, he owes us more books so we can see more covers – how awesomely twisted and marvelously shivery is this one?! It was the first thing that drew me in!
Many thanks to the author for my review copy.
The Black Amulet: I thought I knew how this story would go, but NOT…Greed can have a deadly cost…are you ready to pay? 3 Stars
Killer Space Clown: Lenny thought the worst was the creepy clown, but in his terror, he found more was coming and I didn’t see it. I would love to see a novel with a Killer Space Clown. 3 Stars
Curse of the Beast: I loved this unexpectedly funny, yet creepy story and I couldn’t help but laugh at the ending. 4 Stars
Last of the Strays: Sometimes human intervention has unexpected, terrible consoepuences, be careful of meddling in things you don’t understand. 3 Stars
Monster in the House: An old farmhouse surrounded by corn fields…perfect location for this bloodfest. 3 Stars
Cornered: She save him…or did she? 3 Stars
Long Ride Home: What would you pay for a second chance at life, whether you deserve it or not, it will come at a cost. 3 Stars
Bad Magic: Be careful what you wish for definitely applies here and I smiled at the ending. 3 Stars
Dottie’s Roadside Diner: Welcome to Dottie’s Roadside Diner, where you will get more than you came for. 3 Stars
The Billingworth Boys: Life goes on…with a little help. 3 Stars
All Right…Turn on the lights and lock all the doors. I would recommend these chilling, otherworldly, monstrous flash fiction stories that are quick and easy to read. They may keep you up at night, looking closely at that clown. My favorite is Curse of the Beast. What’s yours?
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Killer Space Clowns by Eli Tuff Jr.
See more at http://www.fundinmental.com
Following a review I posted yesterday of a 607-page novel, today I want to comment on a collection of flash fiction stories. Killer Space Clown by Eli Taff Jr. is a collection of ten stories, each one told in 500 words. The Introduction may not be 500 words (it is 441 words) but it is worth reading as it describes the plight of a writer with too many ideas. Rather than pursuing the time- consuming task of developing characters, settings, plots, and subplots completely and risk boring readers with short attention spans, why not get the creative, great core ideas out there with a solid twisted punch to the reader consciousness? Good idea, but not easy to do. For those who think it is easy, try any of the great writing challenges available online free of charge. There are prompts for six-word stories, 100-word pieces, and one of my favorites, Twittering Tales, in which the writer tells a story in 214 characters (spaces included). Here, we look at art expressed in exactly 500 words.
THE BLACK AMULET Some pyramid schemes pay off in unexpected ways.
KILLER SPACE CLOWN Every war has a few clowns.
CURSE OF THE BEAST “While you are out, pick up some tomato sauce.”
LAST OF THE STRAYS There are different meanings for D. E. D. D.
MONSTER IN THE HOUSE When you don’t have time to go to the (Blood) Bank.
CORNERED The bonds of marriage takes many forms.
LONG RIDE HOME Sometimes it pays to listen to your own voice.
BAD MAGIC Be careful of what you wish for.
DOTTIE’S ROADSIDE DINER Sit wherever you like. Make yourself at home. You are.
THE BILLINGSWORTH BOYS Let’s do the Time Warp again.
As you read through the stories, see how many links you can find between (among) them. I find it clever that each one is a stand-alone story but should Taff decide to go back and do all the organizational stuff that will pull these elements into a longer work, he has a base to work from.
Whenever I read short selections and make first impression comments, I end up looking back and choosing favorites. From this selection, I have two favorites, Bad Magic and Dottie’s Roadside Diner. Each short story has multiple surprises and possibilities for further development. All are interesting but the two noted rise above the others. I give the entire selection four plus stars. I received this work from the author and received no compensation for the review.