Twists and Turns

by Jim Chambers

[Kim Deister]

Normally, with an anthology, I would review each story seperately. But with nine stories in this collection, a full review on each would be a bit large! So my mug rating will be based on the anthology as a whole with mini review on each. All in all, this is a fabulous collection of short stories that will make you think, make you question, and leave you wondering!

Building God by Jessica Billings was one of my favorites in the anthology. With a bit of a dystopian flavor, this story makes you question the price technology can have on humanity. It was a very thought-provoking plot.

Should Have Seen It Coming by Brendan Carroll was an interesting story, but one that confused me. It was one of the darker tales in the anthology, but the ending was very vague. The plot led to a few possibilities for a conclusion and the ending didn't really answer that for me.

Granny Theft Auto by T.L. Haddix was another favorite for me, although extremely bittersweet and sad in its own way. The twist in this story was more in the "why" of it than in the "whodunit" sense.

The Unbroken Mirror by C.S. Marks was the longest story in the collection, more fantasy-based than any of the others. I didn't think the twists and turns were as obvious in this story as in some of the others, but it was a great story. A bit of a "message" story, it highlighted the downfall that being overly prideful can cause, that almost no one is immune.

Fired by Lynn O’Dell, the editor of the collection, was another notable story within the collection. The irony of the situation, revealed at the very end of the story, was very clever. This story had its own bittersweet twist and I really enjoyed this one.

42jorie by John Philpin was one of the creepier stories in the anthology. The obsession with online life and relationships transcended into real life, with tragic results. While I could see the ending coming, it was still a great story.

Leo’s Wife by Patrica Sierra was a really odd story. Part of me loved it and the other part questioned it because no one in reality would be so quick to believe a stranger's story.

Traditions by Michael Sullivan was an interesting story, although the ending surprised me a bit. It was one of those stories that takes the obvious assumptions of a given situation and turns it around with a completely different set of explanations, changing the entire tone of the situation.

A Long, Lonely Time by J.R. Tomlin was another favorite for me. It was definately more than a little sad, but the twist added a bit of happiness that was unexpected. But at the same time, the twist that brought the woman happiness, also brought sadness at the thought of years lost.