Shoggoths in Traffic and Other Stories

Julie was hired to paint protective sigils on Chewie’s store, but some “demon-possessed Karen” called the cops on her. Zadie likes the small town she lives in but doesn’t understand why her friends and neighbors won’t get the zombie vaccine. That scary-looking biker is really a wizard diverting traffic to prevent a demon from escaping. Jan brought the dragon egg home because he didn’t want to see it destroyed. Even superheroes from other worlds have to worry about ICE raids. All these stories and more can be found in one place.

Shoggoths in Traffic and Other Stories is a collection of twenty-four short fantasy stories from best-selling author Tobias Buckell. His stories are not just of wizards, dragons, and zombies, even though there are a lot of zombies. He uses the fantasy genre to tell a more complex story. Calling on his experience as a biracial immigrant, Buckell uses his writing to express his disdain for injustice and discrimination. Many of his stories offer commentary on current social ills, including attitudes about race, immigration, belonging, and even vaccines. Buckell’s stories are wildly entertaining and imaginative, as well as edgy and thought-provoking. This is a wonderful short story collection for any fantasy fan, especially those who prefer literature that engages in social critique.