The title of this book seems to be about contradiction, and so does its content. The stories in this debut collection are all about love, but that love can be dark, intense, and violent just as easily as it can be tender, enduring, and affectionate. Rajesh Parameswaran's style is a heady mix of tradition, imagination, and perspective as he takes us through the vagaries of the heart.

With traditional Indian cultural influences creating a foundation for his stories and the ability to delve into unlikely perspectives and put a new slant on reality, Parameswaran's voice is compelling. There are elements reminiscent of Jhumpa Lahiri and Steven Millhauser, which blend together with his own unique take to create strong, resonant work. Whether a fugitive tiger, a strip mall con-man, a government agent, or a giant alien insect, the characters in I Am an Executioner each have something to show about what love means to them, how it is expressed, and what happens as a result. And Rajesh Parameswaran does a masterful job showing it.