Something Something Other Review · 9:33pm Mar 2nd, 2023
I couldn't think of anything to write this week, but then I remembered that I've got a couple book reviews saved up from a year ago that I meant to share at some point. So yeah, we're doing a bonus review this week! Today's entry:
This book was given to me by a former co-worker named Diana who was downsizing and needed to give away a whole bunch of junk. She's a hobbyist writer herself and knew I was really into reading in general, so she gave this to me as a thank-you for all the times I helped her in the three years we worked together. Alas, the company let her go two or three years ago, before I got around to reading this. I eventually decided to do so out of curiosity.
For those of you who don't recognize the name, Owen King is the youngest son of some writer you've probably never heard of. Stephen King, I think it was? Meh, whatever. Anyway, this book is an anthology of stories from multiple authors brought together by Owen with the intention of depicting superheroes as 'normal' people. Because it's an anthology, I decided at the time to write a review for each story in the book, rather than the book as a whole. I also used a slightly different rating system at the time, although I don't know what possessed me to do so.
Let's not beat around the bush and get to the anthology.
Girl Reporter by Stephanie Harrell
18 Pages
In this series of nameless characters, we meet an intrepid reporter who has the shocking luck of being the very first rescued by the local superhero of San Angelo. He’s hot, he’s smug, he can fly, and he always refers to himself as “the big guy”. It starts off as a wild affair of sex and discovery. But our nameless reporter is still a reporter, and she can’t resist poking around for whatever information he can give her about his reality.
This turns into a story about denial, self-reflection, and recognizing our own limitations. Our protagonist reporter keeps trying to reshape the situation into what she wants it to be, not realizing that the man she’s attempting to mold is not one she can control. In the end, she finds that he is both more and less than everyone thinks he is. Which would be bad enough on its own, but is made worse when she realizes that she’ll always be less.
This was interesting, to say the least. It’s got a deep message that goes above mere “superheroes are human too”. I enjoyed Stephanie’s style and approach to the topics involved here, even as I struggle a little to fully understand them. As an introduction for this anthology, it serves well.
Rating: Good
The Oversoul by Graham Joyce
14 Pages
Now this was a strange one. Another story with a nameless protagonist, it stars a loser who lives with his parents and can’t be arsed to look for a job. He claims that something from a lake wriggled its way into him, but he’s so monumentally dull he can’t even be bothered to give this alarming event the reaction it deserves. He then spends his days spying on a young mother and her kids.
This has the feel of a superhero origin story, with a heavy emphasis on the ‘hero’ starting as a total failure of a human being. But, thanks to the unknowable thing that entered him, he’s gradually changing from that lazy, worthless lump to a heroic figure. At first, his attentions of the mother seem creepy – actually, that never quite goes away – but gradually, with each day that passes, his interests shift. Before long he’s not just interested in the hot mom, but also in her kids, worried that they might get hurt in the pond and watching from a high cliff like some sort of secret hero. And then his language is changing in ways he doesn’t anticipate, and he claims he can see the ‘thing’ inside him and hear it talking to him and…
Yeah, superhero origin story. But it’s disturbing in a way, because it almost feels like our protagonist is getting reprogrammed. Even granting that he wasn’t that great a guy at the beginning, and with my suspicions that he’s getting transformed into some kind of hero, does that justify erasing the mind? It feels a little like a slow murder. And what of his friend Shadrack? There are hints in there that he may have had the same thing happen to him. Is this pond some kind of superhero cloning facility?
I came away with mixed feelings. On the one hand, the protagonist is an unlikeable lump who lacks any interesting qualities. On the other hand, what is happening to him is itself a fascinating and worrying thing. As a reviewer, I worry that the former will overpower the latter for most readers, especially when adding in the guy’s pervy focus on the mother.
Still, it is interesting in its own way. At the very least, I’d suggest others give it a try and form their own opinions.
Rating: Neutral
Nate Pinckney-Alderson, Superhero by Elizabeth Crane
6 Pages
Bob Brown is an ass. Everyone who knows him is aware of this, including his friends (who are all asses, too) and his wife (that he has a wife, who continues to tolerate him, shocks absolutely everybody). But one day, by luck or destiny, Bob Brown saved a child’s life and, very briefly, was acknowledged on the news as a hero.
So now six-year-old Nate Pinckney-Alderson wants to grow up to be a superhero like Bob Brown.
Oh, but this was entertaining. It’s a story comparing the fantasies of a child to the very real and unpleasant origins of those fantasies. It is also an origin story, as it is made very clear that six-year-old Nate is going to be a ‘real deal’ hero someday. I have to wonder what will happen if he, in his later years, finally meets the man who inspired him and finds out that he also inspired a Jimmy Buffett song. In truth, Nate’s story sounds like one I’d like to follow.
Anyway, this is a big pile of ‘d’awww’, with a cute kid doing cute kid things, no matter how much his parents and the psychologist tell him he’s mistaken.
Rating: Good
The Horses are Loose by Gary Holladay
14 pages
Ten-year-old Summer has spent her life caring for her poor, depression-destroyed mother. But Summer has a secret, a secret she’s known all her life: she has the gift of a magnificent burst of power, to be used once in her entire life. She finally knows exactly how she wants to use it.
In this highly metaphorical piece, a little girl gets a taste of freedom only for it to come crashing down around her. It starts with a brief exploration of Summer, her mother, and their life as tenants under a local celebrity who hardly knows they exist. Which is not to vilify the celebrity, not at all. But it does a great job showing us how frustrated young Summer is. An underlying theme, at least as far as I can tell, is how selfish Summer is – or, perhaps, how all children are.
Or, to put it simply, it’s about wasted opportunities and living with the consequences of them. There may also be an element of blame in there; Summer knew she had a job to do, but instead spent her time having fun and avoiding the responsibility until it was too late. But when it’s over, she never identifies herself as being at fault. As far as she’s concerned, it’s because of the cruel whims of nature itself. It’s a very unfortunate stance to take.
About the only other thing that comes to mind, more a side note of interest than anything important to the story, is Summer’s description of the school she no longer goes to. I saw it and couldn’t help but think “my god, where the heck did this Holladay fellow go to school if he thinks that’s normal for a school?”
But I digress. This was a curious story, with interesting visuals and curious themes. It felt a little long, but otherwise was worth the read.
Rating: Decent
The Quick Stop 5® by Sam Weller
20 pages
Six convenience store co-workers accidentally breathe in a new, cheap biofuel that, inexplicably, gives them superpowers based on whatever they happened to be holding at the moment. They’re… not the most flattering powers, relating to things like cigarettes and slushies. Still, maybe they can make use of themselves.
This was highly entertaining, but also laden with nonsensical underpinnings. We’ve got a young woman who has become a living condom, for heaven’s sake! On top of that is the corporate overlord who is so comically evil it’s like… well, like something out of a comic book, so I guess that makes sense.
I’m not surprised that the only character in the group to come out like something resembling a real hero is the one whose powers are based on marijuana, nor am I surprised that the story runs on a theme of capitalism-equals-evil (the constant use of trademark symbols being an amusing extra touch). I am surprised that the main bad guy of the story is, technically, the biofuel industry. All in all, it looks like the story is intended as a metaphor for what the author perceives as the evil in safe sex, smoking, vitamins, the consumption of meat, and artificially flavored drinks, and the supposedly ignorant masses’ adoration for that evil. In other words, it’s a liberal checklist of taboos. Except for biofuels, which seems like the odd one in the overarching theming.
My question is thus: is Sam Weller trying to educate the audience on what they see as the vile popularity and two-faced nature of these chosen products, or are they poking fun at the subject? It’s honestly hard to tell, although the uncelebrated guy based on marijuana being used to help hospital patients in the final scene has me leaning towards the former.
An interesting story. Even a fun one. The more politically savvy may find it controversial, but that may have been an intended consequence on the author’s part. I’m not thrilled about the theming, but I am very satisfied by the quality of the story and how the author went about delivering that message. And since that’s what I really care about for these reviews…
Rating: Good
Remains of the Night by John McNally
17 Pages
He is the Silverfish’s butler. It’s not easy working for a guy who takes the whole superhero costume bit to its furthest extremes. At least he has his fellow superhero and supervillain butlers and maids to make things seem a bit more normal.
This is by far the weirdest one yet. Our nameless protagonist works for a superhero who looks like a literal 250-lb silverfish, with the antenna and bug legs and everything. He’s widely regarded as the creepiest superhero in the world. The protagonist’s friends are the maid of the Silverfish’s arch-nemesis, Earwig Man, and the terrorist Spiderhole Man, neither of whom are any more pleasant. We follow our man as he tries to navigate unrequited romances, revenge plots, and a boss who eats glue.
It sounds funny when put that way, right? John McNally isn’t writing a funny story. No, this is a grim sadfic about a man at the end of his rope and losing whatever morality he may have once had.
I’m not sure what to think. I didn’t ever become invested in the protagonist, who felt no more likeable than his unpleasant superhero of a boss. The story appears to be trying to say that the butler is no better than said boss, which I get, but… I don’t see much point behind it. It’s not like either the butler or the Silverfish were depicted as good guys from the start, so the change that comes over him is neither intriguing nor thought provoking. I ended the story wondering what the point of it all was.
Points granted for conceiving a truly strange superhero and his counterparts, but other than that this one didn’t do much for me.
Rating: Neutral
The Pentecostal Home for Flying Children by Will Clarke
14 Pages
Well. That was… Yes. That “was”.
In Shreveport, Louisiana, a not-so-super hero named the Redbird made a reputation for himself. That reputation was to sleep with every willing and able young woman of the city and then fly the coop entirely. A Pentecostal couple, the Pritchards, believes they have received a message from God, and so take in every single bastard child of the Redbird. This is the story of how Shreveport reacted to the kids as they grew older.
I’m pretty sure this story is intended as a critical look at the hypocritical nature of the religious. It depicts the majority of the city of Shreveport – which is a real place, by the way – as varying religious folk who live in a constant state of sin and, by the end of the story, reap what they sowed. So to speak.
That said, I think there may be some other intentions here than shallow faith-bashing (or is that bashing the shallow-faithful?). The fact that all the kids save one are named after (in)famous sinners, the strange fate of that one, the mystery of Tamara Cooksey, and so on. It just felt to me like the author had some other message in there and I’m too shallow to recognize it.
Or it’s just a feeling and Will Clarke simply doesn’t like religion.
I like the story in general, but I also feel like it is missing something. It’s one of the worst feelings a reviewer can have: that sense that something is wrong but not being able to pinpoint exactly what that something is. I suppose I can only apologize to Mr. Clarke (assuming he ever reads this) for not being more helpful.
Rating: Decent
The Meerkat by Owen King
34 Pages
Wade Hanes, AKA the Meerkat. He got his powers on a research trip in Zimbabwe with his girlfriend. Now he roams Cleveland, hunting down criminals. With his very first test as a “superhero”, he must stop a nutcase scientist from reactivating an old Soviet war machine. Which is fine. He’s got no problem with that. It’s the girlfriend who broke up with him since his transformation that has his head and gut all tied up in knots.
This may be my favorite story in the set so far. It alternates between the past – namely, Wade’s relationship with his girlfriend and how he became The Meerkat – and his present day hunt for his first major villain. And while The Meerkat hunting this villain is indeed important, it takes a back seat to Wade’s worsening depression without the girl he loves.
I like that the story makes a clear distinction between The Meerkat and Wade Hanes, strongly suggesting there are two different personalities in his head. But unlike most stories, these two personalities are never at war with one another. They are complimentary, kind companions. There’s also the curious idea that meerkats – the animals, not the superhero – are themselves a lot more than they appear.
This one is creative, a little weird, doesn’t appear to have any ulterior motives, and really backs up the whole “superhumans are people too” theme that this anthology is supposed to be about. Despite spending most of the story in a depression and pining for the woman who left him, he struck me as very relatable. Although I do question his taste in women, considering she is literally incapable of humor. Eh, but who understands the ways of love?
Rating: Great
When the Heroes Came to Town by Michael Czyzniejewsi
3 Pages
In this extremely short story, a bunch of heroes show up to a small town and save it from a few disasters. Then… they leave. There are mixed feelings about this.
Told from what we can presume is the perspective of the general male population of the town, this story involves the ungrateful nature of lesser beings or, perhaps, the author’s negative stereotyping of rural life. The superheroes arrived and saved the day – three or four times, in fact. Then said heroes snubbed a collective invitation to honor them in one of the few ways a small rural town can, and suddenly the conspiracy theories come out. Maybe the heroes aren’t so heroic. Maybe they had ulterior motives. Maybe they’re after our women!
Then a disaster happens and the heroes don’t show up.
It can be hard to pinpoint the moral of this story. It partially feels like the author is reprimanding the unwashed masses for biting the hand that feeds them. It may be some kind of criticism of small town life. Or it could simply be a lesson in the general ungratefulness and self-deception of humanity. Again, it’s hard to pin down.
It’s not a bad story, I’m just unsure of the message. I suppose the best I can do is let others come to their own conclusions.
Rating: Decent
The Thirteenth Egg by Scott Snyder
28 Pages
Everett was in the Pacific Theater. He fought the Japanese. And when it was all said and done, he got sent to the Bikini Atoll. It was a simple job. Just run the destroyer around the area and make sure there were no unexpected visitors during the test. Now Everett is home, and nothing is fine.
Dealing with themes of PTSD, this story follows Everett as he tries and fails to get his life back on track after WWII, complicated by the aftereffects of what should have been a lethally close encounter with a nuclear explosion. It ends in a way that rather surprised me. I mean, I expected something… similar, but not that.
It’s a curious read, mostly devoted to Everett working on a custom-built sports car with his father (the titular Thirteenth Egg) and trying to fix his relationship with his girlfriend from before the war. I’m not sure how I feel about it on the whole, though it certainly kept my interest from beginning to end. Readers interested in sadfics will likely get something out of this, but I’m not sure it has much staying power for anyone else.
Rating: Decent
In Cretaceous Seas by Jim Shepard
4 Pages
Uh…
That was…
…
Okay.
We have descriptions of prehistoric undersea creatures, then descriptions of some random criminal loser (not in that he’s such a loser it’s criminal, but in that he’s a loser and a criminal) named Conroy who is a walking pile of insecurities and self-loathing and bad luck. The author calls him Tethys Man.
I think the author is using the underwater creatures as a metaphor for Conroy’s myriad insecurities and sources of stress. That’s the best I can imagine at the moment. I’ve no idea what the point of the story was otherwise. Is Jim Shephard trying to tell us all something deep and philosophical? If so, then either I’m too shallow to get it or they didn’t do it right.
It’s also possible that this wasn’t written for your average audience, which means it will almost certainly fly over the heads of 99% of the people who pick up this book. This possibility comes with the built in assumption that Jim Shepard knows what he’s doing and isn’t spewing nonsense in hopes of sounding deeper than he is. I prefer to believe the best in people until proven otherwise, but I won’t fault anyone who treats this story with less… altruism.
At the very least, the story is a visual tour de force, with descriptions that reveal little and yet produce grandiose (and sometimes grotesque) imagery. If I would praise nothing else, I would praise the author’s talent for evocative literary set pieces.
Rating: Neutral
Roe #5 by Richard Dooling
12 Pages
In this heavy story we meet Dolores Matherly, mother of two, loving wife and major membor of an anti-abortion group. And Dolores is about to meet Roe, a strange man with a poor ability to express himself and a lot of questions about her visit to an abortion clinic more than two decades ago.
This was a strangely hard-hitting read. It depicts Mrs. Matherly’s slowly failing mind as she flounders against a man who doesn’t raise his voice and, indeed, barely even touches her. No, the threat here is him knowing more than he should, how he knows, and her endless, frustratingly regular headaches. Their conversation, increasingly confusing and troubling, leads to some big secrets being revealed.
I found myself oddly fascinated by this one. Richard Dooling manages to take this middle-aged mother and make her highly relatable, with brief references to the headaches of a typical family life and heartbreaking decisions of a past life she’d rather forget. The fact that Roe ends up being the superhuman of the piece isn’t as important as how his very presence proves disastrous for Dolores’s personal mental wellbeing.
And then the ending comes along with a twist that is entirely unexpected, but did have a hint or two in there.
I approve of this one. It’s interesting, doesn’t overstay its welcome, and does a great job really showing us who Dolores is as a person. Certainly one of the better stories in the anthology so far.
Rating: Good
The Snipper by Noria Jablonski
11 Pages
Joe Szymunski comes from a family of aquatic superheroes and lives in a town full of superpowered beings. Joe has no superpowers of his own, and he’d do just about anything to have some.
This is a strange story that inverts the concepts of normality. Joe wants to be a superhero not because it would make him special, but because in the town he lives in that would make him normal. It’s an interesting flip.
At the same time, I’m not sure the author used it to its full potential. There’s this whole sub-plot of someone named The Snipper going around and ruining superhero outfits, which is only so interesting. The story mostly seems to exist to describe a town of superheroes, where they live, work, and generally have a ‘normal’ community together. There’s nothing particularly wrong with that, but Joe’s overarching story just failed to resonate with me.
I like the intent here. I just feel like it could have been approached differently. Differently how? I’m honestly not sure.
Rating: Neutral
Man Oh Man – It’s Manna Man by George Singleton
10 Pages
There are a lot of televangelists out there. They all ask their flock to send them money. So they can get into heaven, of course. But now there’s Manna Man. He influences these pastors and speakers of God’s work. With his powers, he can send all those donations to places where they are needed. Nursing homes. Cancer centers. Orphanages. Surely, there isn’t a televangelist in the world that can resist him.
This story mostly serves as a scathing rebuttal against televangelists who use their place on a religious pulpit to get rich. It also mocks those who actually believe such people. In fact, I’d say George Singleton is having a gleeful time making fun of those backwards, idiotic simpletons. It may even be a sign of the author’s loathing of religion in general, seeing as there isn’t a single religious individual that isn’t depicted as stupid, greedy, or evil, and Manna Man himself is an atheist. The whole thing reads as a giant middle finger to the religious, right up to Manna Man pretending to face-fuck a televangelist on his television screen (no, I’m not exaggerating).
In other words, if you’re at all a religious person, avoid this one like the plague is upon it.
I like the way the story is handled, even if the explanation for Manna Man’s powers is vague in the extreme. Considering the depiction of them, I wouldn’t be surprised if the author was subtly hinting that this atheist is unwittingly getting his powers from the very god he denies the existence of. Which would be a clever and entertaining twist, but I’m not sold on that being the case.
As a story, it’s not bad at all. I like the constant back-and-forth between the perspectives of those being helped, those being manipulated, and Manna Man himself. It’s a great way to Show us what is happening without wasting time explaining the gritty details. The witty, harsh narrative does a great job vilifying (or stupid-ifying) the religious while painting Manna Man as a great, noble, hard-working hero. In terms of how the story is written, it’s good. Very good.
Love or hate the message, that message is delivered strongly and effectively, and that’s what really matters for my purposes .
Rating: Great
My Interview with the Avenger by Tom Bissell
15 Pages
The Avenger is a real-life Batman, except without a cape-and-cowl. He prefers ski masks. Still has a utility belt though, and despite the fervent efforts of an entire nation nobody can figure out his identity. Enter Tim Januss, a reporter who had some rather negative things to say regarding New York’s greatest superhero. That struck a nerve. Enough so that the Avenger has contacted him requesting a meeting: the first one-on-one, in-person interview he’s ever offered. Tim’s not sure what to expect.
Now this was interesting. The majority of the story is Tim extrapolating at length the mysteries of the Avenger and how he won an interview with the masked vigilante. Then we get to the actual interview, which depicts a man who is brutally honest without giving away any of the things the general public really want to know.
I’m not sure what to think in the overall. Is Tom Bissell making some sort of social commentary on the nature of criminals? On journalists? On society’s perspective on criminal reform? Or is there no point, just a strange meeting between two men with their own secrets? If there is some greater meaning to this one, it defies my reading skills at the moment.
I won’t hold this against it. Whatever the author’s intention, I found it all strangely fascinating. This is one of the few stories in this collection that I genuinely got hooked into. Perhaps it was the writing style. Or the underlying mystery of it all. Or how the Avenger was characterized even despite knowing nothing about him. I can’t place my finger on what it is that drew me to this story. That’s a bit of a problem, because it means I can’t identify the storytelling/writing element that works, and I’d very much like to understand that.
Regardless, I enjoyed this one, so I think I’ll give it a good rating. I’m sorry I can’t explain it better. Maybe if I read it a few more times I’d start making some connections.
Rating: Good
The Rememberer by J. Robert Lennon
8 Pages
The Rememberer was never normal. She lacks social skills. She is alien. But she lives up to her name with supernatural acuity.
This is a story of a woman who, from the very beginning of her life, had the ability to recall everything she sees, hears, feels, tastes, and smells. This is the story of her life, with all its highs and (mostly) lows, from failed attempts at relationships to an outrageously successful career in the FBI. The story seems to focus more on how her ability is a curse.
It’s odd. I really enjoyed this story, but at the same time I don’t find myself with much to say about it. The limited descriptions, the way we never hear the Remember’s real name, the way she interacts with the world around her, it all works well. Even the passive, “reciting by memory” format of the story (which is one of my less-liked) serves greatly for this story’s mood and development. I have nothing to complain about with this one. It’s a solid piece of fiction.
I’m mildly disappointed that this review is so short, but I suppose we can chalk that up as a sign of the author doing everything right.
Rating: Great
The Sisters of St. Misery by Lauren Grodstein
15 Pages
Marie is a linguistic historian. No, she’s the linguistic historian. None better. She’s also mute. Today she lives in almost total isolation. Which is supposed to be better for her. Well, there’s also Luis…
Darn it, Grodstein, you found my sweet spot. How did you know I’m a hopeless romantic? For that is what this story is, in a way: a romance. It centers on a woman who can’t speak but has a supernatural talent for languages, and the combination makes living the social life challenging. After a lifetime of struggle, abuse, and arguably misguided teachers, she finds herself living in isolation with little care for the rest of the world. But she does have an assistant named Luis, another misfit, and deep down she tries to deny what exists between them.
It’s a lovely tale. With themes of heartbreak, obsessive learning, and plenty of criticism for the English language, I never stopped being interested. This is not a story for those seeking an adventure or some hot-blooded romance. This is something for the thinkers, the patient, and those willing to take the time to know the characters before them. I love how Marie is shown to us, over the course of flashbacks and present-day conundrums, as a full being with her faults and greatness.
The story is a romance, yes, but it is mostly a character study, and it was a delight to read.
Rating: Great
Mr. Big Deal by Sean Doolittle
12 Pages
Mr. Big Deal, son of the great Hard Bargain, is a cop. He’s also arguably the most unique ‘gifted’ in the world. Most superhumans have specialties, like super strength, enhanced hearing, flight, and so on. Mr. Big Deal? His superpower is to take other superpowers away.
This is another one of those stories where I’m not sure what the goal was. I mean, yes, we’re definitely seeing a superpowered person living a ‘normal’ life, in this case being a pariah among his own kind. Yet I don’t really see the purpose otherwise. In an anthology where everyone seems to have something to say,what is Sean Doolittle saying?
Despite this (subjective?) weakness, the story is an interesting one. A big part of it is its worldbuilding, referencing things like a “Federation” and something called the “Chem Wars” and the social issues involving people with superhuman powers. There are also regular references to “white coats”, which seem to be scientists who work specifically in the study of the gifted. It strikes me as the start of something much bigger and far more fascinating than the mere window we have permits.
Maybe that was the goal. Perhaps Sean Doolittle just wanted to play around with the ideas presented. I suppose I’m fine with that. But it does lessen the value of the story for me overall.
Rating: Neutral
The Somewhat Super by David Yoo
28 Pages
Neal is, for all intents and purposes, perfectly normal. He’s a struggling writer working temp jobs to pay his bills. Then he meets Jim, and Jim introduces him to a group of people with superpowers. The catch: their powers are utterly useless.
This was a fascinating one. The story follows Neal as he meets and comes to understand this ragtag group of people with their less-than-phenomenal powers. Like Dennis Hopper (not that one), who can hop outrageously quickly, but not faster than a man can run. Or Jan the Singer, who can sing amazingly well but only at volumes too low for the human ear. Or Powerpoint, who shoots lasers out of his eyes that aren’t any more powerful than a mediocre laser pointer.
This was perhaps one of the best stories in regards to characterizing people with amazing abilities as ‘normal’. We learn who they all are, discover their pains and worries, and even get to see them compared effectively with normal people through Neal.
There’s also a bit of conspiracy theory thrown in there; in this version of the world, NASA is a direct arm of the NSA that really exists specifically to detect, hunt down, and capture superpowered humans to dissect in labs and use their abilities for the United State’s ever-hungry war machine. Yeouch. It’s a bit ridiculous, but hey, so are the Somewhat Supers. Being ridiculous is, in a strange way, part of the point.
I really enjoyed this one. It is at times fun, at times silly, but also has its moments of seriousness and drama. David Yoo utilizes the prompt of this anthology to great effect, in turn creating one of its better stories.
Rating: Good
Bad Karma Girl Wins at Bingo by Kelly Braffet
20 Pages
This is the story of Cassandra Mulcahey, the single unluckiest girl in the world.
Basically, “Cass” always has terrible things happen to her. But when they do, good things happen to others. So while she gets to spend her days miserable and fearing human contact, everyone around her has the best days of their lives. It’s not the first time I’ve seen this idea, but I do enjoy this story’s approach.
This is, in a way, all about finding the good in things. Cass spends most of the story miserable, until the very end when she has an epiphany and tests out a new theory that, miraculously, proves accurate. It’s a little long in its presentation, which can make the opening and middle portions of the story feel like they're beating a dead horse. Even so, I was very happy with the conclusion.
I enjoyed this one. It had humor and a decent lesson. But it also didn’t seem to have anything that might help it stand out among its peers.
Rating: Neutral
League of Justice (Philadelphia Division) by Jennifer Weiner
30 Pages
Dani Saperstein. Not-quite divorced. Failed fiction writer. Copywriter. Painfully normal, and painfully aware of it. Until she starts hearing and seeing things. Until strange happenings haunt her home and work. Until her dead boyfriend from when she was a teen starts sending her emails.
Jennifer Weiner stumbles upon my happy place with a story involving the macabre and spooky. The story involves Dani struggling with her newfound abilities, being afraid of what they might mean for her even as she longs to be something more than average. Along the way she meets a group of unlikely and not very impressive “superheroes” who may not make the best team but are at least willing to give her a chance to help solve their problems. The problem right now?
Missing children. And here’s where things get spooky and macabre. If you’re a horror guy like I am, this stuff will tickle you pink; mysterious threats from unknown places beyond reality, the unique awareness of children, odd card games. Oh, yes, it’s creepy, and at times it feels tense as you come to realize, through Weiner’s adept descriptions and mood settings, that something is very wrong.
And then none of it is explained. The story ends on a happy yet mysterious note, but what exactly happened? No explanation is forthcoming. You might consider that bad thing. I wouldn’t blame you.
But for me, this inexplicable and otherworldly nature raises this story from a mere “superhero story that dabbles in horror” to one of my all-time favorite sub-genres: The Weird. And I love the Weird.
So yeah. This is my favorite story in the book. Hands down.
Rating: Why Haven’t You Read These Yet?
The Lives of Ordinary Superheroes by David Haynes
15 Pages
Ghetto Man. He was a local hero, known for disarming small-time crooks with his charming demeanor and passive methods. Now he sits at a bar all day every day, drinking and watching whatever is on the television. He’s retired, but not because he wanted to be. His dear sidekick saw the signs of his mentor’s age descending upon him and took measures into his own hands. So now he’s surprisingly ordinary.
This was a heavy piece about a very regular ‘superhero’ living humbly and falling humbly. It may be one of the more unusual stories in the anthology, not least because the central characters are not really superheroes by any stretch of the imagination. Ghetto Man is merely a smooth diplomat.
Fittingly for the final story in the anthology, this one is about what happens to heroes when they outlive their time in the limelight. It is both depressing and optimistic, one for the life that was once lived and the other for the sidekick who is moving on to his own future. It feels almost like this story was written specifically as a “goodbye” to the readers.
This one is moody, visual, and bittersweet. It’s a little hard to really grasp who the sidekick is as a character, but that’s okay since the story’s not really about him.
Rating: Decent
Okay I have to say I do kind of want to pet her
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Yes, pet the bookwyrm.
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*reaches hand out*
Wait I have to make an offering
*pulls out books*
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Good on you. Almost lost a hand, there.
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Nah man, she's got that feral cat energy. You just gotta go 'psh psh psh' - the sound of turning pages- and you'll be fine.
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Or get her a box freshly pulled out of a box