Reviewing short story collections, and especially anthologies,
can be difficult. Beyond the length of the story which means the review of it
has to be short as one does not want to inadvertently reveal too much, there is
the problem of what to include in the review. Just mention two or three of the works
involved and those that were not mentioned have reason to feel slighted. Cover every single story and occasionally a reader
will complain about the length and having to read all those words. I err on the
side of covering everybody in an anthology, so if you are looking for a three or
four sentence review that tells you nothing more than the person liked whatever
(the kind of meaningless review that seems to be all the rage these days) you really
should look elsewhere.
After an introduction to this second collection by
Sophie Littlefield that discusses some of the authors and their works as well
as those little things that serve as inspiration, it is on to the stories. Beat
To A Pulp-Round 2 features 29 solidly good--and occasionally disturbing--tales.
The book opens with an out of this world tale by
Bill Pronzini titled “The Space Killers.”
Two Terrans walk into a bar for some local food and drinks on Outpost 14
somewhere in the asteroid Belt. They are not there to be a joke, but to settle
some business as a contract is a contract.
It is back to Earth in “Far From Home” by Vin
Packer. Gil has a jerk for a father and it wasn’t just because dear old dad
never finished High School. The booze certainly doesn’t help his dad’s
attitude, but Gil never thought this would happen.
Mary Crowley has a reputation of being the crazy
pigeon lady in “King” by Dave Zeltserman.
What happens when there are no pigeons to feed is quite the surprise in
this disturbing story.
All Georgie Martin had to do was take the twelve your
old boy back to his parents. Took him three weeks to do it, but he got the job
done. Now Oscar has questions and Georgie has few answers in the increasingly
complicated story “Missed Flight” by Steve Weddle.
If you are a married man and going to cheat it isn’t
a good idea if your mistress and wife meet.
Things got even worse if you bought both women the same robe in two
different sizes. Somebody is going to start thinking bad thoughts and does in
“Purrz, Baby” by Vickie Hendricks.
“The Little Boy Inside” by Glenn Gray comes next. Greg
thought he was choking to death. That is until he coughed up on to his desk a very
small and very alive boy. What to do now?
It wasn’t smart to go mess around in the old Amalgamated
Paper Mill that was abandoned seventy years ago. But, Simon had gotten the idea
from watching various shows on TV where average guys chased spirits using high
tech equipment. Besides, he was bored with his life and wanted a little
excitement. That wasn’t smart either and figures that out and more in “An Open
Door” by Chris F. Holm.
“The Shadow Line” by Charles Ardai comes next with a
tale of deceit and treachery in Mexico.
It is Tijuana and trouble lurks everywhere. Senor Mendoza is the subject
of Fletcher’s search down mean streets and dark alleys in this twisting tale.
Pirates and more are at work in “Ransom and Red
Fingers” by Garnett Elliot. Lorenzo and Michaud have a serious problem and
looting the British Worship is the last thing on their minds.
“Pillow Talk”
by Jodi MacArthur features Henrietta who can’t sleep and Charlie who can. She
has things to say and Charlie really should listen.
When your friend and landlord in this case, Mr.
Skyler Hobbs, thinks he is a reincarnated Sherlock Holmes and you are Watson,
sometimes it is best to indulge him. Such is the situation here in this tale
titled “Skyler Hobbs and the Cottingley Fairies” by Evan Lewis. Everyone knows fairies
are trouble thanks to the original Sherlock Holmes and what happened back in
1917. They still are in this tale that explains so much.
Obie knew he should not have done what he did. But, he did and now he is in prison in “The
King of Mardi Gras” by Anthony Neil Smith. Obie has Mardi Gras plans and folks
better cooperate even if it is December in Minnesota.
Wayne D. Dundee is up next with “The Lake Bottom
Bones: A Joe Hannibal Story” that begins simply enough with a missing body. Thanks
to the drought Lake McConaughy in Nebraska in way down. The twelve year old boy
and Joe Hannibal know what they saw. Not only is the lake nearly gone so is the
body. The answers will be complicated in this engrossing mystery.
He hadn’t meant to spend the night. Now that she woke
him up by screaming in her sleep scaring him half to death in “Night Terrors”
by Jake Hinkson it seems to be an excellent time to get dressed and leave. He
should have paid more attention.
You never know what you will find in the wilderness especially
in the “Lost Valley of the Skoocoom: A Maple Jack Tale” by Matthew P. Mayo.
There are things out there that few have seen and lived to tell about.
Larry D. Sweazy takes readers to Texas in 1933 in
“Shadow of the Crow.” Bonnie and Clyde are doing their thing and Texas Ranger
Lyle “Sonny” Wolfe is not happy they are running from him or that Bonnie is
shooting at him. Sonny is alone and in the middle of nowhere in the Texas
Panhandle without backup. That means he has his hands full in this one.
Next up is one of those stories in this good book
that starts one way and then turns and heads off in another totally unexpected
way. “A World You Don’t Know” by James Reasoner starts off with a military guy
coming to the rescue of a boy being victimized by a group of small town punks. Gradually
readers realize there is far more going on than the typical small town bad
sheriff type deal. Like a lot of these stories, to say more would ruin the
read.
While Bud works the night shift at the plant, his
wife, Lynn, entertains Ron in a way no married woman should. The fact that he
is ex-military seems to fill a need she has in “State Road 53” by Alec Cizak. Though
Bud knows what is going on he hasn’t tried to put a stop to it. Maybe because
things are getting worse at work and he is more worried about that than home.
Good stuff by Patricia Abbot seems to be everywhere
these days and is present here in “The Hand that Feeds Him.” Frye hates drink
coasters and for good reason. He also isn’t too happy with Butcher who is
holding forth a few stools down the bar.
Paige doesn’t like being called “Honey.” She also
doesn’t like the fact, thanks to the therapist, that her husband thinks a
certain fantasy he has can be fulfilled outside of their marriage in “A Special
Kind of Hell” by Hilary Davidson. Thanks to Dr. Shapiro, Derek is being encouraged
in his stupidity and she isn’t happy.
It may be a movie set but the flying bullets are
very real in “A Good Kill is Worth Repeating” by C. Courtney Joyner. It might
help if Jimmy and Richard could take out the klieg lights. This was so not the
way movie filming was supposed to go today.
The newest migrant worker is attracting attention in
“Drifter from Wenatchee” by John D. Nesbitt and not always in the best way. He
may be looking for trouble and he isn’t the only one. When the attentions of Roxanne are at stake
action is necessary.
“Giving Dad the Finger” by Keith Rawsom comes next. Drugs,
booze, unfulfilled dreams and a harsh reality collide in this one where Jeb has
a plan. He isn’t the only one with a plan.
Howard Hopkins follows with “Ghost Of A Chance” where
Georg Chance is magician, a detective, and maybe something else. Angel de la
Ruse was beautiful in life and still is in death. Who did it and why is at work here along with
a few other things.
If you have read the excellent Sheriff Rhodes series
by Bill Crider you may think you know the kind of story Bill Crider would have
here. You would be very wrong. In the very creepy “The Quick . . . And The
Dead” Bill Crider weaves a complicated tale of one woman seeking justice and
revenge.
He didn’t really want to rob the guy, but he had to
do it in “Rift” by Nik Korpon. Why he has to do it is not the normal reason you
would expect.
Outside or inside the joint things can easily go
wrong. Such is the case here in “Big Darlene The Sex Machine” by Matthew J.
McBride. Yes, she is. Yes, she is trouble.
So are the real world and the joint.
While the memory is a good one it tortures him in
“Maybe Someday” by Scan Chercover. What could be and would be special is not
now.
“The Old Ways” by Ed Gorman takes readers to San
Francisco in 1903. Gunfights, casino bars, and crooked card games are present
here. There is a lot more to it than that, but you’ll have to read the story to
find out.
The last piece in the book is titled “Pulp Art: An Appreciation”
by Cullen Gallagher. This essay includes footnotes and details the history of
pulp art in magazines and books.
The book concludes with author bios and an ad for
other titles available on the Kindle.
Reviewing a collection or anthology of short stories
is always more difficult than reviewing a novel because one does not want to
give away too much. That is especially the case here as with most of the
stories in the book one can only say very little without revealing spoilers and
plot points.
One can safely say these tales are good ones, show
variety and versatility in style, tone, and topics, while all a where to the pulp
standard one would expect. Whether off planet or on, in neighborhoods familiar
or not, these tales will prove the point that things are not anywhere near what
they seem in nearly every case. Beat To A Pulp-Round 2 features 29
solidly good--and occasionally disturbing--tales and each one is well worth
your time.
Beat To A Pulp-Round 2
David
Cranmer
June
2012
ASIN:
B008ACC6A2
Kindle
Edition (Paperback edition available)
387
Pages (estimated)
$2.99
Material was downloaded during a free read promotion for my use in an objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2013
4 comments:
I'm glad you enjoyed the collection, sir. And thank you for taking the time to review.
I did very much. I also thank you for making it free during a recent promotion.
Nice review. It was interesting to get a taste of each story. And I love the title of the collection.
Thank you for reading and commenting, Maryann. Appreciate it.
Post a Comment