Howdy,
Today I review a sci-fi short story anthology by Robbie Sheerin. He contacted me through my website, offering a copy of the collection in return for a review. So without further ado, here are my thoughts on Tales From Another Dimension.
I've written a few short stories through the years and read quite a few, but I can't claim to be a huge fan of anthologies. It always seems like the stories are a bit of a mixed bag. I might love some, but others are...meh. This holds true even when the same author produces the entire collection.
I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I agreed to review Tales From Another Dimension. The author was totally unknown to me, but some research proved his book is a debut collection of sci-fi short stories.
I'd definitely put the emphasis on short when talking about these stories. Indeed, all the tales in this collection are brief. Brevity serves the author well. All the works are allegorical and reminiscent of The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. Nothing is ever quite what it seems in these stories that all contain well executed plot twists that make the reader consider the absurdity of humanity or smile or sometimes both.
I hesitate to go into great detail about any of the stories lest I give away a delectable plot twist or two. I will call out the yarns that are, in my humble or perhaps not so humble opinion, the best of the bunch. Here they are in no particular order:
The Truth Comes in Storms - this enjoyable tale about a maintenance worker who services androids makes for a solid start to the collection. If you enjoy this story, you'll find plenty more tasty treats as you continue reading.
Martian Food - the ending of this brief encounter between neighbors made me smile.
Attack Them First - this pithy yarn is utterly predictable yet completely satisfying and makes for a strong ending to the collection.
Bottom line, if you enjoy Twilight Zone-esque style stories, you'll find plenty to savor in Tales From Another Dimension.
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