"If they return, I will have that family of itinerants strung up by their thumbs." - Vicomte
Editor Craig Bezant takes time out of producing the well receive e-zine Eclecticism to bring together an anthology of twenty six stories, flash pieces, and poetry. Entries are split half and half between items previously published in the first nine issues of the online magazine and new pieces to delight both the dedicated and casual reader. So while you may want to grab a collection of your favourite Eclecticism tales you also get the advantage of new material to be going on with.
Structurally the Anthology is split into three roughly equal parts, Dark Little Oddities, Fantastical Twists, and Obligatory Dramas. Rounding out the collection we get an introduction by Editor Bezant and contributor notes to help you track down further work by a favourite Writer featured in the collection.
As one would expect with a publication that features Craig Bezant's name prominently, the stories are pretty hard to pigeon hole for those reading who may want to ensure they get exactly what they pay for. This is no bad thing by the way, I'm always up for something slightly left field that surprises me in the delivery stride. Overall the stories and poems contained in the collection are more akin to say The Twilight Zone or something that Roald Dahl might produce than say a Pan Horror anthology. This isn't to say there isn't horror elements haunting the pages, indeed there are - Simon James inclusion Pieces immediately comes to mind, but we're not exactly talking mist leaking in from desolate and remote moorlands here. Don't expect any howling at the moon or things that go bump in the night dominating, but do expect the unexpected. If you are a regular reader of Eclecticism then you'll know the drill, if you aren't then I would suggest dialling into the e-zine post haste. So yeah in the wash up the Anthology follows the e-zine's lead in throwing out there some offbeat tales, some stories that might be more at home in more mainstream publications, and a decided ability to blind side the reader with some pretty unique takes on what a story should encompass. Sorry can't speak to the poetry as it isn't my thing, write on in if you have some strong thoughts in that direction.For Readers versed in local prose you are going to feel right at home. Jason Fischer, amongst other contributors, should be instantly recognisable to locals, and no doubt will be familiar to foreign readers as well. While the collection doesn't run the full gambit of local talent it does highlight a number of Writers working on the more interesting edges of modern Downunder speculative fiction.
While I would love to say An Eclectic Slice of Life is a collection of out and out horror yarns, that would to a certain extent do a disservice to the work Craig Bezant has put into the book. We're talking stories from the grey lands between genres here rather than something that can be popped into a neatly labeled box with ease.
I'm not even going to try and indicated which stories touched base with my requirements, the diversity of the reading matter precludes the normal approaches I would take to analysing the collection, so you are going to have to pick up a copy and make your own mind about the contents. I can guarantee however that you will find a heck of a lot more than a single story that will have you happy with time spent in country with the anthology. There are a few out and out horror entries, no don't expect vampires, zombies, or similar dark genre favourites, but you can rock on with dark genre meanderings. Prepare yourself to perhaps be intrigued by some of the non-horror contents however, the twist in the tale is to be applauded in many of the works.
Overall I had a good time with An Eclectic Slice of Life, surprisingly once again Craig Bezant managed to side step my expectations and deliver an enjoyable experience outside the normal dark genre diet this site specialises in. I've been having a good time with the e-zine over the last few months, yes I know there's the odd review or three to come, and the Anthology matched the surprise contents we have to come to expect. Fingers crossed there will be further anthologies to come.
An Eclectic Slice of Life is available online from Dark Prints Press for a pretty reasonable price. Yes the Publisher will post internationally and no we don't make a cent out of your sale. Knock yourself out there.
Craig Bezant delivers another journey into the weird and wonderfull, full recommendation.