Zebulon by R.L. Heron

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Written by friend, and fellow Indie Author, R.L. Herron, this is an interesting collection of short stories.  The back matter of the book classifies them as fantasy, but they don’t subscribe to the fantasy genre you might think of… no elves, dragons, or casting of spells.  No, this collection is the other type of fantasy, (with some science fiction mixed in).  They are what my grandfather used to call “fantastical and not to be believed, but highly entertaining”.  So strange, odd, and unusual that you’re not really sure, exactly, where they fit.  This is not to diminish their weight or creative strength.  They are simply unlike anything I’ve encountered before and they’re hard to quantify.  These shorts have just enough detail to dig the story ideas into your brain and let them rattle around a bit; but not enough specifics to make them anywhere near predictable.

Each of the stories are little capsules into an interesting world that perhaps you may not have considered before.  The title piece is an odd tale about an unusual arcade game.  Suffice to say, a quarter will get you more than you bargained for, with an ending that will surprise you.  The subject of time travel, one of my favorite topics, is handled well here… with a paradox that even the most wise won’t see coming.  A quiet conversation between three generations at a funeral produces some comforting results; and if you’ve ever eavesdropped on a conversation in the middle of it’s run, you’ll understand the disconnect when the end finally comes.  You may look at old cars differently in the future.

Yup, unpredictable is certainly a recurring theme in this collection.  These stories are fun to read, filled with clever imagination and thought provoking moments at nearly every turn of the page.  Many left me wishing they were novellas, because I still have many questions!

This collection was a quick read, and a welcome distraction amongst my “adulating” tasks of daily life.  Full disclosure: I almost burned the chicken cooking on the bbq grill one night because of “Zebulon!”