Review: Great Stories!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 5, 2013
NO MAN'S DOMINION and Other Post-Apocalyptic Tales by Glen KrischFirst, let me say that I am not a fan of short stories.  I always feel cheated that they are...short.  Reading short stories for me is tantamount to opening a book in the middle to read a scene.  Too often, they consist of no character development or somehow I missed the author's point.  Nevertheless, a great short story is a form of the art of writing that still beckons me from time to time.  A writer can churn out short stories, but the question is can the writer make the reader CARE about the story and its characters.  In such a short span of words can the author envelop the reader sufficiently to dispel reality and give the reader the thrill this genre of horror requires?  Can he make me believe?GLEANERSIn a post-apocalyptic world, a man on a mission of mercy encounters a charging, starving, Pit-Bull dog.  His first thoughts are "Do I give it an arm or a leg?"Glen Krisch drops us immediately into this battle to the death and deftly weaves a back-story that brings his character Jason to life.  I became so immersed in the story that I completely forgot I was reading a short story.  For a long time after finishing the story I was left with that chilling phrase bouncing around in my head.  Chilling.SUDDEN SANCTUARYWhat if the end of the world came and you were an agoraphobic.  Being a bit of a recluse myself, I have often wondered about this very question.  I thought I knew where this story was headed and I was pleasantly surprised.  While I at first had difficulty in believing this chick's love, it pays off in deuces in the end.  Well done.SO CLOSE TO HOMEKrisch says in his story notes that this was written for an anthology and had to be under two-thousand words.  While not particularly a great story, it certainly is an interesting turn on the zombie genre.  It is not disappointing and is worth a read.WINTERLOCHEN ACADEMYSummer comes but winter fails to exit leaving deep snow on an island with a prep school.  As the cold worsens most of the students and faculty have left except for a handful.  The groundskeeper's son, Wight is in love with one of the students as food becomes scarce but the girl doesn't return the love.  Wight creates a horror of his own, and the monster that the professor claims is coming as "They have a role to play, as we all do" is less horrible than Wight.  Kirsch lures you towards this ending, so beware.NO MAN'S DOMINIONThe title story is...either missing a complete plot or I just didn't get it at all.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the story right up to the end.  Plague, tattling neighbors, Nazi rules, and so on give plenty of fuel for the story.  I just didn't understand the ending.A PRODIGAL APOCALYPSEI enjoyed this.  Krisch states he has a re-written this as a novella and is expanding the novella into a trilogy.  Personally, I wouldn't publish and expose the elements of the novella/novel with a short story.  I would likely add it as a bonus to the novel.  If I hadn't been reviewing this book, and after reading the story notes, I would have skipped this story altogether.  However, that's just me.  I *will* be looking for the novels because this story has such great potential.I love Krisch's prose.  His writing is clean, and his stories and books are very well edited, including this one.  Overall I give this 4-stars.  I recommend this book and I believe you will enjoy it.I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  My opinions are my own and your mileage may vary.