That’s “You Shall Never Know Security,” J.R. Hamantaschen’s collection of short stories through which I am currently making my way.
I am over halfway through these stories now and I haven’t been disappointed. “Endemic” was particularly satisfying, scratching that itch we all have somewhere inside of us for justice irrespective of the legal system. One of my favorites so far has to be “Truth is Stranger than Fiction.” This is a “found” story presenting itself as a factual document in grand horror story traditon. HPL did this a lot to great effect and this story pays homage to those, while firmly grounding itself in contemporary society. It presents itself as a legal opinion about a murder trial. Very effective.
“Jordan, When Are You Going to Settle Down, Get Married, and Have Us Some Children?” was disgusting, in a can’t-help-it-but-grin-at-the-grossness kind of way. But halfway through it I realized I knew this story. It had been read on pseudopod some time before and I remember having the same reaction then. I have a father and a father in law that may have this problem.
“College” I thought was a little boring. It didn’t hold my attention as well as the others. I feel like this concept has been explored before, though I’m hard pressed right now to say where.
“Sorrow Has Its Natural End,” though, was really, really good. Disturbing in a fresh way and on multiple levels. There were a lot of things of which to be fearful here.
