Comments on: Why my not liking “Blood Work” means you should buy Dispensation

By: Th.

Th. — Tue, 25 May 2010 21:35:35 +0000

Why, thank you. I take it you have been looking for some time?

By: BHodges

BHodges — Tue, 25 May 2010 20:56:43 +0000

So *this* is what a decent literary review of short fiction looks like!

By: Th.

Th. — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 20:37:12 +0000

My tweeted review:

More a celebration of language than science fiction, a metaphor that asks more questions than offers answers.

It’s one of the few stories I’m still undecided about. But since I’m still thinking about it, I think we must call it a success.

By: Jonathan Langford

Jonathan Langford — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 20:17:30 +0000

So now you have to tell us, Theric: What’s your reaction to Hymnal now that you’ve read it? FYI, I haven’t read it yet; I’m just FINALLY digging myself out from under the Writing Project from Hell(TM). So it’s possible that you’ve already written your opinion and I just missed it…

On the main point: I absolutely agree. The very best short fiction anthologies I’ve ever encountered had maybe 2 knock-me-dead super stories, 3-4 good stories, and the rest were okay (or less good). The same, by the way, with music albums (except Simon and Garfunkel, who someone managed a higher average). In my highly fallible view. But then, the point of an anthology like this is, indeed, to provide a snapshot, a range of the best stuff. It sounds like it’s done that.

By: Th.

Th. — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 03:43:38 +0000

Hola!

I forgot to mention in the review that I received a free review copy of this book. Please keep that in mind.

Thanks.

By: Th.

Th. — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 17:42:24 +0000

Lee! I didn’t know you told jokes!

(actually, now that I think longer, that’s not true: I’ve seen your eight-cow wife)

And next time I will just email you and ask. (As you can see, I’ve learned to type again.)

I have yet to run into a story in DISPENSATION, though, I that could not make the arguement that “yes, this story belongs in the book” (even the ones of which I’m not all that fond)

I feel the same way. Even the ones I thought were lousy were not poorly written. And since she is the one who read short fiction for six months solid, and since I trust her, I choose to trust her here as well.

By: Lee Allred

Lee Allred — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:30:53 +0000

Sheesh, Theric! Had I but known, I would have emailed you a review copy of “Hymnal.” A finger is a terrible thing to waste. Five of them are a terrible Thing to waste. (A little Addams Famliy humor there.)*

Anyway, you wrote: “An anthology of this sort–its job is not to provide you with loveydovey feelings all the way through. Its job is to represent the state of the artform …”

… and that’s spot on.

I am not 100% loveydovey about some trends in the state of the Mormon short story artform, so it stands to reason I would not be 100% loveydovey about the collection. In fact, _were_ I 100% lovedovey about the antho, that would be an indication the anthology failed to take an accurate snapshot.

I have yet to run into a story in DISPENSATION, though, I that could not make the arguement that “yes, this story belongs in the book” (even the ones of which I’m not all that fond) which further demonstrates Angela’s singular skill in selecting stories.

– Lee Allred

* Would a type of magic giving Theric instant access to a story to prevent crippled fingerly digits be “prestodigitation”?