Top Five Short Stories of 2018 (so far)
As promised last week during my favourite books piece, I’m going to bring you my five favourite short stories of the year so far. I read quite a few shorts, usually as a chaser for a longer story, but I also listen to quite a few too. If you like audio, I recommend you check out Audfans and Audiobookboom, both of which give you some freebies. Audfans you can listen to in your browser (or download), but with Audiobookboom you need to have an Audible account and promise to review afterwards. Well worth it, if you ask me.
Anyway, I digress. Back to the short stories – what makes a good short story? A strong plot from start to finish, a compelling lead character (or characters) and it creates the desire for more (useful if part of a series). Here’s my faves, with links to reviews where possible:
- In the Land of Hershel, by Rafael Hohmann: I listened to the audio and I liked it so much, I both the Kindle edition to read. Think JRR Tolkien meets Clark Ashton Smith (link)
- Fall, by JP Ashman: The author can pack more into 30 pages than some can into a couple of hundred. A pulse -pounding, adrenaline-fulled sci-fi romp (link)
- The Running of the Tyrannosaurs, by Stant Litore: The author writes beautifully, with bonkers concepts. In this, teenage girls vie for fame and fortune by riding – you guessed it – T-Rexes (link)
- The Sword of Wind, by Stephen Allan: A man wakes in a cave with no memory of who he is or how he get there. Who is the woman who lies beside him? Why does the land outside the cave seem vaguely familiar? Amnesia and fantasy done well (link)
- One for the Road, by Chad Lutzke: If there comes a time when you have to read one zombie short story – make it this one. With his parents beginning to unravel thanks to his infected grandfather, a teenage boy takes matters into his own hands. What could possibly go wrong? For the record, when I finished this, I immediately contacted the author and asked him to write more on this story. (link)
So there’s my five favourite shorts. I could have written way more, but gotta draw the line somewhere. If anyone would like some further recommendations, just let me know.
As for my own writing, I’m currently back at my short story collection, and I like what I’ve written so far. I added some more folk horrors to it, so it might take a little while longer, so sit tight. Favourite audiobooks are up next.
Keep watching the skis
Al
