Bookmarks -- Apocalyptic and Dystopian Tales

Apocalyptic and Dystopian Tales by Celesta Thiessen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

These stories have potential, but read like rough drafts. The ideas are engaging, but that isn't enough to sustain the narratives. Some are more like sketches for novels than developed and smooth short stories. The author has clearly read a good deal, particularly the Book of Revelation. I think she needs to study the form of the short story a little more and revise.

This all seems negative. I found the story "The Carefully Wound Clock" particularly interesting. I do not believe the writer needs to "tone down" her message or ignore her influences. I'd prefer the stories were not so heavy-handed, but that vision of them is more a matter of my taste than the flaws of the material. There is something to build on here. What Celesta Thiessen has to say is worth telling.

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