What do you think?
Rate this book
Fantastic Transformations
(ANTHOLOGY) This anthology contains six tales of change and transformation. They explore magic and mysticism, loyalty and betrayal, rebellion and liberation, hate and love.
From the gilded palace of a despotic ruler fascinated with the jinn to a stately synagogue in Portland, Oregon, whose rabbi must soothe the spiritual anguish of a recently turned vampire. From a motel parking lot where an aging boat must face her future to a logging clear cut high in the mountains when a corpse must come to terms with her past. The twists and surprises abound as these and other characters come to grips with the changes that threaten to overwhelm them, transformations that refuse to be denied.
These stories will take you on six fantastic journeys of the mind and
THE Danger fills the life of Jahnu, apprentice to Kazhaymir the Magnificent, court magician to His Imperial Majesty Fahim the Inscrutable. Under normal circumstances, Jahnu would bask in a life of reflected privilege; however, his master has fallen out of favor. Indeed, when a command performance falls flat, Kazhaymir and Jahnu quickly discover the price of failing to wow the Palace.
THE RABBI, THE VAMPIRE, AND THE Simeon Black has an undeath or dead-death problem. A few nights ago, the ugliest woman imaginable attacked him on his way home. She sank her teeth into his neck. To make a long story short, he woke up in the morning a vampire. Better than a cockroach, but still.... Now Simeon must drink blood to live, well, to undie, but he is an observant Jew. The mitzvot forbid ingesting blood. They also forbid suicide, so that's no way out, either. In desperation, Simeon turns to Rabbi Michael Rosenbaum for help. Why Rabbi Rosenbaum? Because the good rabbi often works until after dark at his synagogue.
CROSSING THE Between death and Eternity stands the ferryman. For the newly dead, bliss awaits on the other side of the river Acheron. No bridges span it. No one can swim across it. A dilapidated ferry makes the only connection. The ferryman demands cash. Basil Wainwright, however, has arrived without a dime to his name. Now he must figure out a way to earn his passage or face eternal annihilation.
WHEN ELVES GO An old proverb among Oreques states, "Anything can happen when Elves go bad." When the Dark Elves appeared, the Oreques figured their mission had just turned rancid. They had the right of it. For their part, the Dark Elves, hired assassins, thought drinking Oreque blood would give them an edge. However, Oreques don't care about edges. They're more interested in victory, honor, and adding prestige to their names.
BEATRICE FIND HER In every way that counts, Beatrice died years ago. She pushed her life away. She refused to embrace any of it. Now she has contracted acute ambulatory death. The condition has rendered her a walking corpse, destined to rot. Thus confronted by her mortality, she sets out to find a quiet place in which to embrace her impending oblivion. Life, however, has other plans for Beatrice.
THE SEDAN Crushed rock for water. Empty fuel and water tanks. Rust and malignant rot. Her final owner's splendid ideas, overwhelmed by his exhausting work schedule. Memories of sunny anchorages, of fresh paint, and of laughter. This is a 570-word short short in which a "project boat" contemplates her past, her present, and what lays ahead.
From the gilded palace of a despotic ruler fascinated with the jinn to a stately synagogue in Portland, Oregon, whose rabbi must soothe the spiritual anguish of a recently turned vampire. From a motel parking lot where an aging boat must face her future to a logging clear cut high in the mountains when a corpse must come to terms with her past. The twists and surprises abound as these and other characters come to grips with the changes that threaten to overwhelm them, transformations that refuse to be denied.
These stories will take you on six fantastic journeys of the mind and
THE Danger fills the life of Jahnu, apprentice to Kazhaymir the Magnificent, court magician to His Imperial Majesty Fahim the Inscrutable. Under normal circumstances, Jahnu would bask in a life of reflected privilege; however, his master has fallen out of favor. Indeed, when a command performance falls flat, Kazhaymir and Jahnu quickly discover the price of failing to wow the Palace.
THE RABBI, THE VAMPIRE, AND THE Simeon Black has an undeath or dead-death problem. A few nights ago, the ugliest woman imaginable attacked him on his way home. She sank her teeth into his neck. To make a long story short, he woke up in the morning a vampire. Better than a cockroach, but still.... Now Simeon must drink blood to live, well, to undie, but he is an observant Jew. The mitzvot forbid ingesting blood. They also forbid suicide, so that's no way out, either. In desperation, Simeon turns to Rabbi Michael Rosenbaum for help. Why Rabbi Rosenbaum? Because the good rabbi often works until after dark at his synagogue.
CROSSING THE Between death and Eternity stands the ferryman. For the newly dead, bliss awaits on the other side of the river Acheron. No bridges span it. No one can swim across it. A dilapidated ferry makes the only connection. The ferryman demands cash. Basil Wainwright, however, has arrived without a dime to his name. Now he must figure out a way to earn his passage or face eternal annihilation.
WHEN ELVES GO An old proverb among Oreques states, "Anything can happen when Elves go bad." When the Dark Elves appeared, the Oreques figured their mission had just turned rancid. They had the right of it. For their part, the Dark Elves, hired assassins, thought drinking Oreque blood would give them an edge. However, Oreques don't care about edges. They're more interested in victory, honor, and adding prestige to their names.
BEATRICE FIND HER In every way that counts, Beatrice died years ago. She pushed her life away. She refused to embrace any of it. Now she has contracted acute ambulatory death. The condition has rendered her a walking corpse, destined to rot. Thus confronted by her mortality, she sets out to find a quiet place in which to embrace her impending oblivion. Life, however, has other plans for Beatrice.
THE SEDAN Crushed rock for water. Empty fuel and water tanks. Rust and malignant rot. Her final owner's splendid ideas, overwhelmed by his exhausting work schedule. Memories of sunny anchorages, of fresh paint, and of laughter. This is a 570-word short short in which a "project boat" contemplates her past, her present, and what lays ahead.
ebook
First published November 1, 2011
1 person is currently reading
1 person want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
No one has reviewed this book yet.