Welcome to the land of danger and intrigue, where individuals are legion and non-conformity is the norm. Join me as I explore the many facets of humanity and meet the scum of the earth and its angels incarnate.

That said, on to the review!

Now, I don't know much about rugby--okay, I don't know much about any sports except the ones I participated in while in school--but that doesn't really count against the reader. It might make the stories more interesting, but the author does a good job of avoiding scenes that rely heavily on a prior knowledge of the sport. Instead, the rugby theme is very nearly a minor plot convention whose purpose is to provide a backdrop against which the characters may shine. This, however, does not count against the book. It provides a reasonable basis for underlying motives and backstory (and character backgrounds) that smoothly fleshes out already interesting tales.

You may wonder, knowing my likes and dislikes, why I should have found these stories so delightfully captivating. Well, it's because the author intertwines elements of genre fiction (you know, sci-fi, horror, fantasy, etc.) into his works. Actually, the mention of "Wee Folk" above should have clued you in. And I'm not going to give away any more details about the genre fiction elements, because I'd end up giving away the entire story...stories. And to be honest, I did have some minor qualms when the first instances of genre fiction popped up. On the whole, though, each story's odd detail made the work overall into something I could enjoy. Not that the storytelling isn't good on its own, just that the added oddities made the stories more to my tastes.

I can't say much else for it without giving away too much, but I'd say that Robert Shuster has made a good step into the world of publishing, and while short stories aren't really my thing, he's organized and presented them in such a way as to draw in readers without intimidating them. So whether you're a die-hard rugby enthusiast or just a reader interested in something new to read, this is a book for you.

This book isn't available from Amazon.com, but you can try contacting the author through the Sevenacide website. Or, if you're looking for something else, visit the Cosmic Tomes Bazaar for other titles.

Looking for something that's no longer there? Check in the Archive to search for it.

Comments? Suggestions? Just click here or on the link at the bottom of the page to send me e-mail.
Also, if this review prompted you to read the books, then let me know. I appreciate knowing I made a difference in somebody's life.

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