Bowler - not only is this the Chrons, but it's also Halloween so who is to say that even death could stop me from voting, I mean I've done it once and I'm still here...
Lucky Lola – Sometimes it is the whole story that first grabs the attention, other times it is a line here or there, when it is the opening line it is even more spectacular. In this instance the opening two lines just came across as a thing of beauty, and over something as mundane as a cup of tea. A great story following it up, about man tired of al he has done, living with his regrets and just wanting to die is just a bonus.
The Holy Drunk – And straight into a story of horror, quite fitting for Halloween – as I write this comment – I had a slight claustrophobic feeling as I read this, just that deep rooted fear of being trapped as whatever was being done was done. We have no idea what is going on, whether it is for his own good or not, but I fear the worst. The description of the old mother is just outstanding a terrifying figure from a forgotten fairytale if ever there was one.
Billy Sallis – A story that show how corporate power can corrupt even the most noble of ideas, but also of how a man with a dream might find it hard to give up, and then again how even the greatest of dreams might be seen differently by others. There is a Frankenstein feel to his, but it is one that elicits sympathy, for the creator and frustration that people act when they do not have the whole story in front of them.
PM – A straightforward story that may or may not be a werewolf story. I think for me, that is what made it so enjoyable, all the details are given and it is easy to jump to conclusions, but we are not told completely what it is all about. Oh, we know it’s his wife come back as a wolf to eat him... but it could just be Benji coming home. The undefined nature makes the story a cracking read.
HB – And here the boot is put straight in, a totally different and off the wall story that could come across as making no sense whatsoever, but with consummate ease we can follow a story that is as weird as it is wonderful. The real kicker though is the punchline at the end. Brilliant, creative and far too clever in the best possible way.