Freak Show of the Gods: And Other Stories of the Bizarre

We rated this book:

$16.95


Van Helsing and Dracula have an unexpected confrontation. Disney’s robotic Abe Lincoln wants to leave the Hall of Presidents. Rubber bands drive a man insane. A burn victim keeps changing faces. A superhero applies for retirement benefits. God visits the unemployment line. A strange psych ward offers hope to the misfits inside. A rooftop is the last resort for survivors of global-warming flooding.A mix of high-concept sci-fi, twist ending “gotcha” stories, and simple heartfelt narratives (if a little heavy-handed at times when it comes to symbolism), Freak Show of the Gods collects all sorts of short tales from the very prolific Bly. As a collection, it feels like a visit to The Twilight Zone where good intentions win out more often than not. Although there are some bummer endings lurking about, for the most part, an inherent optimism triumphs.

You’ll see most of the endings coming, twists or not, but that’s not a bad thing. This is comfort food in storytelling form, a buffet teeming with familiar flavors served up right. It’s not as flashy or as rich as other fare, but it’ll leave you satisfied just the same.


Reviewed By:

Author
Star Count 3.5/5
Format Trade
Page Count 280 pages
Publisher Quill Driver Books
Publish Date 21-Mar-2016
ISBN 9781610352635
Bookshop.org Buy this Book
Issue June 2016
Category Science Fiction & Fantasy
Share

Reviews

There are no reviews yet.

Be the first to review “Freak Show of the Gods: And Other Stories of the Bizarre”

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.