Review: Cops, Crooks & Other Stories in 100 Words
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 07 23, 2012
Author Mark Bacon has created Cops, Crooks & Other Stories in 100 Words, that consists of 101 short stories / flash fiction in exactly 100 words, because he states it's enough to tell a complete story in a short space. He goes on to state that the stories don't necessarily have a beginning, middle, and end, but most do have a character, a challenging situation, and a resolution.The stories that are in this book are mostly about crime and law enforcement, but it also includes some speculative fiction, fantasy, straight drama, humor and love stories.Cops, Crooks & Other Stories in 100 Words is a cleverly written and witty collection of flash fiction stories that peaked my interest, as I never heard of 'flash fiction' before. These brief stories had a touch of humor, some will tug at your emotions, while others will provide food for thought. I was intrigued at the brevity of each story, but in my opinion, they were just 'snippets' and unfortunately I was left wanting more. I may be a traditionalist, but when I read a story, I want to read a full length story that has a detailed beginning, middle and end. But I will say that this book of quickie stories was a fast read, and does have an entertainment factor that will amuse you, while others are thought provoking. I think these type of stories would be great if you are pressed for time and want a quick fix (ex: doctor's appointment, car inspection or repair shop, in line at the food store, etc).Even though I am not a fan of this type of story, I do offer kudos to author Mark Bacon for creating a new genre of stories. I would love it if he expanded on some of his flash stories into full length stories, I would definitely read them. Nonetheless, I'm sure that there will be readers who will enjoy reading his entertaining flash fiction stories.Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and for hosting a virtual book event on my book review blog site.