There are some rather lovely ideas and bits here, especially in the extensive worldbuilding. The arguments over the geometry and topography of hell are fascinating. But the ultimate ending as well as what the novel builds up to feels underwhelming. It builds to a conclusion that really didn’t match up with what the novel seemed to be trying to do. I enjoyed parts of the journey far more than the destination itself.
Hellisen’s work is shot through with mordant, often wry humor, especially from Aleks. This does leaven and lighten the mood and tone at points and primes the reader for the next dark twist and turn.
One of the things I really enjoyed about this novella is that, like What Moves the Dead, the investigation and subsequent reactions felt very much like an ensemble effort from the characters.
Ultimately I’m hard pressed to write about the individual stories of the collection because they are all so good, but often in very varied ways, and the best thing that I can say is to simply go and discover them all.
https://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/archive.org/download/sand-f-837-thomas-ha/SandF_837_ThomasHa.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSAmbiguous worlds, subdued worries, and a talking tiger, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser are joined by short fiction extraordinaire Thomas Ha for an interview about his new collection, Uncertain Sons and Other Stories! Together, they discuss Ha’s approach to short fiction and storytelling, some of the common themes in the collection, the process of assembling a collection, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode!
As usual, readers who broadly enjoy the genre and styles of stories/authors will have a higher chance of loving the collection overall. But the book would also serve as a great entry point for people wanting to try out more from the genre, particularly with the cohesive strength and interesting dichotomy that this anthology holds.
