Savage Fire [Kindle Edition]

I'm not normally attracted to short story compilations, mainly because just about the time I'm getting into the story, it ends. Enjoyment interruptus... But Ben Langhinrichs is a long-time friend and someone whose writing has entertained me on a number of past occasions. When he asked me if I'd be interested in reading and reviewing Savage Fire, his first "book" (e-book, but still...), the answer was an enthusiastic "yes!". As I expected, Savage Fire is a excellent work, and it shows off Ben's incredible ability to write convincingly in a number of genres. In fact, if you didn't know better, you'd think this had to be the work of more than one writer.

There are 16 short stories in Savage Fire that quickly draw you in and take you in unusual directions. What you notice right off is that the themes and genres are varied and range from Victorian zombies to crime noire, from modern-day mythology to the supernatural. But this isn't a case of a writer throwing a number of stories in a book, hoping that a few of them will carry the rest. Ben's sense of setting, mood, and dialogue are dead-on (yeah, there's a bit of an intended pun there), and each story had me appreciating Ben's skill when it comes to putting words to paper.

It's hard to pick a favorite, as each story has a twist or angle that made me think or laugh at the setting or situation. If Not Mistaken definitely ranked high, as the cases of mistaken identities, graphic deaths, and uninhibited actions left me wondering if it could get any more bizarre... and then it did... repeatedly. In fact, I had to laugh a bit at some of the stories due to a conversation I had with Ben at a conference. He mentioned a few of the writing exercises he had done as part of a writing group, involving writing a short story with unusual genre combinations. One specific one he mentioned was very unusual (to say the least), but he was able to pull it off here without a problem. It does leave me wondering, however... should I be impressed or very, very worried about him? :)

Not that I would have expected anything different, but I'll be one of the first in line to buy and read any future works that Ben publishes. Savage Fire is an excellent debut by a talented writer, and I look forward to see where his writing will take him.

Disclosure:
Obtained From: Amazon
Payment: Purchased

The best way I can describe this portfolio of short tales is to say that it is an eclectic blend of genres, themes, and ideas. Don't expect to be granted a full explanation of some of the stories. You will be required to come up with your idea of any meaning that can be interpreted from some of them, while others are written in a more traditional manner than makes the purpose of the author more clear. Being challenged is a good thing here, with stories that maybe don't go down a straight path.

There are definitely some horror tales in this one, including the first story that this collection takes its name from, as well as An Island Never Cries, but there is also some bizarro tossed in for good measure, an old fashion detective tale, a western, a modern variant on the story of Medusa, a gut wrenching tale of suicide, a twist on the tale of The Little Mermaid that I found to be an amusing deviation from the norm, and even a couple of more or less traditional werewolf tales that were entertaining as well.

This anthology is probably best described as a compilation of the author's work, with no running theme that ties the stories together, except for the author's natural ability to craft a interesting tale. Not every story resonated with me, as is typically the case of such a diverse compendium. I felt that a few stories could have been fleshed out a bit more and turned into something more intriguing, but overall, this anthology shows some impressive range. This is an easy read and brought a smile to my face in more than one instance...sometimes one of pleasure, sometimes a smile that cropped up because I appreciated the author's devious nature.

A good anthology, and a worthwhile read.

Savage Fire is a collection of sixteen short stories in different or mixed genres. Most of the stories are dark horror with mysteries and a fairy tale among them.

The ideas behind the stories are brilliant. The language is direct with a good measure of quips thrown in. For example, in the 5th story, Double Cross, the detective thinks, "She has legs a guy could give up for Lent."

Most stories end without a strict closure to keep the reader wondering about the characters and the story. I felt this showed great wit on the part of the author.

To sum it up, for a first book this collection is a winner, and I can hardly wait for the next book by this writer.