A dim little world of ice and snow
I've been doing a lot of reading, lately (which in turn makes for great inspiration when it comes to writing), and I figure, given the folks who read this journal, that it wouldn't hurt to share some of my happy-reading fortune. I just recently finished Breaking the Ice: Stories from New Tibet, and I'm going to give it my wholehearded recommendation as a furry... um, literatus.
As on overall review of the volume, I'd say that people out there who enjoy furry literature should definitely check this collection out: it's a selection of several varied and different stories all hinging on the same theme--in this case, the foreboding arctic planet of New Tibet (which I daresay makes Blue Forest look like a shining beacon of hope and happiness in comparison). This is actually a very rich and well-realized setting, using a dash of science fiction to tie together a really interesting world with stories that are very relevant and very much worth reading.
Like I mentioned above, this an anthology of stories that really are a mixed bag. This is a good thing, though, because it provides some very nice variety and prevents the reader from feeling like they're reading the same story multiple times, just told by different authors.
Here's a quick overview of the individual stories themselves:
-- "Dead End" by Samuel Conway
As in good ol' Uncle Kage. I have to admit, I've never been a huge fan of his written fiction, and I think that his gift for storytelling is better served for his in-person performances; still, this story here is very much conversational and reader-oriented in tone, providing at least a decent intro to the mood of the rest of the anthology. It's almost like a little frontispiece that's there to set the mood before delving deeper, more than it is an actual 'story' in its own right.
-- "A Prison of Clouds" by Tim Susman
This is where the real introduction to New Tibet happens, and what a fantastic introduction it is. This story does an excellent job of framing the setting for the rest of the volume, but not in a way that keeps it from being a full, whole, stand-alone story; it's easy to see where this piece served as the inspiration for the rest of the world without just being a cornerstone. I can't precisely put my finger on it, but something about this story made me feel, immediately after reading it, that it was going to be firmly lodged in my head for a long time. This is one of those stories that I can definitely see myself coming back to.
-- "Nightswimming" by David Andrew Cowan
I'd say that this is certainly the most poetic story included in the book: that's not a bad thing, though, and Cowan's way with words is actually very nice, and it makes for a refreshing change of pace (both from the rest of the stories here as well as just from your 'typical' short story in general). As with other tales told in this book, this story hinges on forbidden love and last-ditch struggles, and the way that it's told, in particular, makes it feel kind of like a sort of new age silent film, at least to me (and again, I mean that in a good and non-pretentious way).
-- "Array of Hope" by David Richards
I'll confess right off the bat that one of my favorite themes to explore in my own writing is the proverbial paradox of having one's cake and eating it too. On one hand, this particular story comes across as somehow 'simpler' than some of the others in the volume, but it covers what it needs to cover and it tells itself succinctly (and, given how 'heavy' some of the other stories are, I think it actually works to the story's benefit, here, that it is a bit lighter). Also, the ending here is very... well, it's very 'me,' if that makes sense to any of you. ^_~
-- "Touch of Gray" by Jeff Eddy
There's no way that I can really explain why I like this story so much without giving it away; suffice it to say, then, that this story introduces a bit of supernatural mystery and intrigue to the world of New Tibet, and that it does a great job of managing to be completely different from the other stories featured here while still firmly remaining very much a New Tibet story. Not only that, but it also has a nice moral message included without it being heavy-handed in the least.
-- "Skin Deep" by '2'
Before reading this, I didn't even know that 2 wrote things, and after reading it, I can't help but wonder why he doesn't write more often, because he's got a whole lot of talent that's on display here. Like "A Prison of Clouds," this is a story that is bound to stay with you after reading it. Very few stories can pull off what this one accomplishes in terms of storytelling and characterization--I was completely surprised at how much I was impressed, not to mention moved by this one.
All in all, at least a few of the stories included in Breaking the Ice are what I'd call 'great,' and certainly, none of them are bad; this is a collection where I think readers will probably find their own way to enjoy it, whether it's something you experience slowly, one story at a time, or something you tear through like a novel. Whatever the case, I'd definitely say that this belongs on any serious furry reader's bookshelf.
As on overall review of the volume, I'd say that people out there who enjoy furry literature should definitely check this collection out: it's a selection of several varied and different stories all hinging on the same theme--in this case, the foreboding arctic planet of New Tibet (which I daresay makes Blue Forest look like a shining beacon of hope and happiness in comparison). This is actually a very rich and well-realized setting, using a dash of science fiction to tie together a really interesting world with stories that are very relevant and very much worth reading.
Like I mentioned above, this an anthology of stories that really are a mixed bag. This is a good thing, though, because it provides some very nice variety and prevents the reader from feeling like they're reading the same story multiple times, just told by different authors.
Here's a quick overview of the individual stories themselves:
-- "Dead End" by Samuel Conway
As in good ol' Uncle Kage. I have to admit, I've never been a huge fan of his written fiction, and I think that his gift for storytelling is better served for his in-person performances; still, this story here is very much conversational and reader-oriented in tone, providing at least a decent intro to the mood of the rest of the anthology. It's almost like a little frontispiece that's there to set the mood before delving deeper, more than it is an actual 'story' in its own right.
-- "A Prison of Clouds" by Tim Susman
This is where the real introduction to New Tibet happens, and what a fantastic introduction it is. This story does an excellent job of framing the setting for the rest of the volume, but not in a way that keeps it from being a full, whole, stand-alone story; it's easy to see where this piece served as the inspiration for the rest of the world without just being a cornerstone. I can't precisely put my finger on it, but something about this story made me feel, immediately after reading it, that it was going to be firmly lodged in my head for a long time. This is one of those stories that I can definitely see myself coming back to.
-- "Nightswimming" by David Andrew Cowan
I'd say that this is certainly the most poetic story included in the book: that's not a bad thing, though, and Cowan's way with words is actually very nice, and it makes for a refreshing change of pace (both from the rest of the stories here as well as just from your 'typical' short story in general). As with other tales told in this book, this story hinges on forbidden love and last-ditch struggles, and the way that it's told, in particular, makes it feel kind of like a sort of new age silent film, at least to me (and again, I mean that in a good and non-pretentious way).
-- "Array of Hope" by David Richards
I'll confess right off the bat that one of my favorite themes to explore in my own writing is the proverbial paradox of having one's cake and eating it too. On one hand, this particular story comes across as somehow 'simpler' than some of the others in the volume, but it covers what it needs to cover and it tells itself succinctly (and, given how 'heavy' some of the other stories are, I think it actually works to the story's benefit, here, that it is a bit lighter). Also, the ending here is very... well, it's very 'me,' if that makes sense to any of you. ^_~
-- "Touch of Gray" by Jeff Eddy
There's no way that I can really explain why I like this story so much without giving it away; suffice it to say, then, that this story introduces a bit of supernatural mystery and intrigue to the world of New Tibet, and that it does a great job of managing to be completely different from the other stories featured here while still firmly remaining very much a New Tibet story. Not only that, but it also has a nice moral message included without it being heavy-handed in the least.
-- "Skin Deep" by '2'
Before reading this, I didn't even know that 2 wrote things, and after reading it, I can't help but wonder why he doesn't write more often, because he's got a whole lot of talent that's on display here. Like "A Prison of Clouds," this is a story that is bound to stay with you after reading it. Very few stories can pull off what this one accomplishes in terms of storytelling and characterization--I was completely surprised at how much I was impressed, not to mention moved by this one.
All in all, at least a few of the stories included in Breaking the Ice are what I'd call 'great,' and certainly, none of them are bad; this is a collection where I think readers will probably find their own way to enjoy it, whether it's something you experience slowly, one story at a time, or something you tear through like a novel. Whatever the case, I'd definitely say that this belongs on any serious furry reader's bookshelf.