I reviewed the wonderful novel Rocket Science by Jay Lake in my column in January which introduced me to Fairwood Press. Jay has a short story in the new issue of Subterranean Press magazine and I'm looking forward to reading that. If you haven't read Jay's stuff you certainly should (I loved Rocket) but he's not the reason for this post. Because of his book I was in contact with Patrick Swenson at Fairwood and let him know that I'd like to review other titles from his small press. Patrick sent me a short story collection from a guy named James Van Pelt and I just finished reading it the other day.

Wow.

The Last of the O-Forms and other stories is a great collection of sci fi - a really really great collection. I blew through a review of it for Bookslut (which could be up as early as April's issue) but it's hard to really give a good description of a short story collection. I usually end up trying to mention just a few words about many stories as opposed to really concentrating on a couple in depth. I think the problem with reviewers opt for that system is that if I choose, for example, the space stories in O-Forms and write about how wicked cool and different and imaginative and, dare I say, hopeful these stories are I still might put off the folks who aren't big fans of the space story. And they would be missing the post-killer virus stories in the collection, or the one set in a futuristic prison, or the one about the father and daughter and the traveling exotic animal show or the movie stories - you have to read the movie stories about Casablanca and Holiday Inn - in other words readers who love Fred Astaire (and would love "The Sound of One Foot Dancing") would never know that Van Pelt has even written a ghost story with Fred Astaire because all they would see is the space stories and that would be the end of it. They'd never even pick a copy of this book up.

And they would miss something; everyone who likes good short stories is missing something if they don't read this collection.

I really love collections, especially those by one author. It's a great chance to see what a writer can do, how far they can flex their muscles and the risks they are willing to take. In my review I said that James Van Pelt is an incredibly brave writer and I really do believe that. He does all kinds of great things with this book (a Vice Principal haunted by doubts and the children he knew before - plus his younger self is a real treat in "Do Good"), and his choices of setting and characters are a constant surprise.

There's so much lame fiction out there; I really like to spread the word on someone who has done something grand but remains relatively unknown. He's a really good writer and I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. You should read it -everybody should read it.

Next up: Kabul in Winter - one chapter in and I'm already pissed off. Sebastian Junger also has a report on Afghanistan in the new issue of Vanity Fair (the one without Tom Ford and the naked actresses on the cover). Remember Afghanistan, people? That other place where we are having an undeclared war?

I wonder what president will decide what should happen with our troops over there, because I'd really like to know what the plan is; I'm sure everybody would like to know if there is a plan.

Is having a plan now too much to ask? When did that happen????