As should be obvious by now, I’m wild for short story collections, and this new series by Pulphouse is cause for celebration. Although I have problems with the amount of material which Pulphouse seems to be flooding the market with (in direct negative correlation to the quality of proofing, typesetting, graphics, printing and binding of their books), this particular series negates that just because it provides a welcome addition to the magazine format. Forget about buying the cow-hide version or hardback copies, just plunk down $5 for the paperback and discover a different author a month. In fact, they should retitle this series to the “Author of the Month Club.” I suspect that one of these books will help you discover an author who you will be willing to search out for their other stories and books. Unfortunately, if you have been reading all the short stories published for the last 20 years, these books will prove redundant because the majority of the stories in each collection are reprinted–but I doubt many of us will have this problem. And each collection does feature a never before published story to provide a little originality, so completists will be interested in these as well. Nine collections have been published so far, and Pulphouse has 20 plus more advertised as upcoming. Of the ones I’ve read, I heartily recommend the Karen Joy Fowler, a writer heard from all too infrequently, and the collection of early stories by Lewis Shiner.

[Finished 1990]