Not only are the style, setting and subject quite different from story to story, their length and mood vary as well. The authors have also allowed the reader to pick and choose. Perhaps dark and somber doesn’t fit your temperament, so skip that story and go on to the next.

One unifying thread that persists in the volume is that each story seems to end unpredictably. The author(s) have been remarkably clever in leading the reader to believe one scenario and then surprise him with a totally unexpected outcome. The best example of the surprise ending is “To Still the Beating of Her Heart.” “The Furnace Man” is, however, a close second.

Although not a great fan of the short story genre (I prefer to have more fully developed characters and a more complicated plot), I found myself drawn by several of the tales, though others were not much to my liking. In particular, the one team approach story, “Juggernaut” will appeal to most - especially Nina Reilly fans. The compilation should be just the ticket for a busy summer during which it is difficult to find enough long stretches of time to get into a full length novel.

--Andy Plonka