Review: The family that writes together...
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 2, 2014
Given this is a collection of stories produced by siblings, it seems only fitting that the theme of the first story by Paul K. Swardstrom should hew closely toward family and self-sacrifice. Max is a man whose dream has been diverted, first by the death of his brother, then by the subsequent needs of his widow and her child, Max’s nephew. A musician by trade, he becomes increasingly concerned that his talent is withering on the vine under the pressures of taking care of his brother’s family. That is, until one fateful night, when he finally learns how much the titular price of greatness really costs.Betsy Baker carries the theme of family into her story ‘Flutter,’ a breathtaking cross between fantasy mythos and magical realism. Without giving anything away, ‘Flutter’ is beautiful and haunting, by far my favorite short story of 2014 to date. I wish I could say more, but to do so would risk spoiling the underlying premise, which would be utterly unforgivable. So instead I’ll say simply, read the story and bear witness to the emergence of a rising star.In the final story, ‘Whimper,’ Will Swardstrom investigates the perils of future tech. We meet a protagonist who delivers an oral (neural?) history of the end of the world, a man left to meet his maker alone because of the very technology that once allowed mankind to reach out worldwide with little more than a thought. It’s a compelling and thoughtful examination of the human condition, one that speaks to the value of family in times of trial through the absence of the protagonist’s own.All in all, ‘Baking With Swords’ is a nice collection of short stories from a family of very talented individuals, and well worth the price at just 99 cents.