This post is a continuation of the reviews and summaries from Deadset Press’s anthology, Where the Weird Things Are Volume 1, part 1 of which was published on Wednesday.
The second half of seven more stories are below. You can order a copy of WTWTA here.
Brumbiethorn by M.R. Mortimer
“Mad Bill Murphy?” the woman said. “No, he’s harmless. Mad as a cut snake, but harmless. Just don’t go falling for his crazy stories.”
Unless, dear reader, you are like me and love crazy old stories from up the Snowy Mountains. Fantastical and deadly, “There’s no such thing as fiction on this land,” says Mad Bill Murphy. This tale by M.R. Mortimer had me believing.
Image by Alpha on Flickr.
Little Red by Lucy Fox
A fantastic reimagining of an old tale, only this time it’s about family and identity, expectations and subverting them. About looking for Grandmother Love and finding something better.
“Magic is in all kinds of places, you just need to know where to look.”
Image by Bodyl on Flickr.
Ghosts of the Inland Sea by Geraldine Borella
A group of archaelogists go hunting for fossils in Far North Queensland, where present-day rivalries aren’t nearly as interesting as what they find. Fun and fantastical!
“The trick is to be in the right place at the right time, looking over the shoulder of some witless second-year…”
Image by James St. John on Flickr.
The Valley by Sarah Jane Justice
Weird green algae has appeared on the Hope Valley Reservoir, and people keep going missing. I liked the ‘ordinary’ couple of this story, their cautious curiosity and their determination to set things right.
“”Whatever this is.” He straightened his back. “I’m going to figure it out.””
Image by Brad Smith on Flickr.
Crate 986 by Chris Mason
“She shone a beam of light into the tank. A dark mass floated in it. Her eyes widened.”
What do you do when you’ve hidden a secret specimen for years, but suddenly the government wants it back? Show your daughter, of course. Mason’s mysterious creature at the South Australian Museum makes for an entertaining story with a serious resonance underlying it. Thought-provoking stuff.
Image by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kenneth Abbate, US DoD.
Weathering by Emma Louise Gill
Ness can broadcast her mind, but spends her time doing the opposite, for who would want to hear her thoughts? A story about relationships, love, being different, and learning to accept yourself.
“You take a breath, a deep one, but you’re suffocating under an ocean of drowning waves. If you close your eyes, can you forget it all?”
Image by Hourann Bosci on Wikimedia Commons.
At the Age of Twelve by Casey Campbell
A Taniwha, a princess, and an ancient curse from a moment’s offense. Campbell’s decade-spanning story is a chilling tale to end this anthology, a place to linger, a people to grieve, and a memory to never forget. After all, as the Taniwha says, “They had nothing but time.”
Image by Michal Klajban on Wikimedia Commons.
Header image by David Rasp.
Thank you for reading. Check out Part 1 of these mini reviews if you missed that post, and do let me know if you read the anthology. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Next week is our monthly Insecure Writer’s Support Group post. I’ll see you then. 🙂
EMMA LOUISE GILL 