The Man Who Thought He Could Fly: 12 Tales From Beyond The Boundaries Of Imagination

by J.L. Pattison

Hostile invaders from a distant planet, a deadly dragon held prisoner in a cave, and anthropomorphic farm animals (in a sequel to George Orwell’s Animal Farm), are just a few of the tales that await you on this journey through the mind of award-winning author, J.L. Pattison.

Showcasing his signature twist endings, reminiscent of the classic Twilight Zone TV series, you’ll quickly understand why J.L. Pattison has been compared to the likes of Ray Bradbury, M. Night Shyamalan, and Rod Serling.

Can you guess how each of the stories will end?

KILLING TIME The marching of time has always weighed heavily on the mind of Solomon Grover—but after his arrest for vandalizing a century-old city clock, he’ll discover that time is no longer his greatest concern.THE DRAGON KEEPER When the last dragon on earth is trapped in a cave, an old man proposes a way for his village to make money off the dragon, but it requires keeping the beast alive. The village jumps at the opportunity to become rich but the old man has ulterior motives that the village won’t discover till it’s too late.MAJORITY RULES To prevent continued attacks from a pack of wild dogs who roam the countryside, a farm’s ruling class of sheep passes a new law that promises to keep all the animals safe—but their good intentions come with unforeseen consequences.THE WEIGHT OF CHAINS A farmer tending to his property draws the attention of a passing stranger who carries with him a big book and some unsettling news.COLLISION The lives of four vastly different people intersect in the span of a few minutes as each one sees the other through a different set of eyes.THEY CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR Everything changed the night the invaders arrived—including one man’s reason for living.THE GREAT DIVORCE Breakups are never easy, but this one is brutal.THE DREAMS OF EVIL MEN Harold Crawford is searching for an answer to why he’s been plagued with vividly realistic nightmares. Today he will get that answer, but it won’t be what he expected.THE MAN WHO THOUGHT HE COULD FLY Believing he can fly, a young man is encouraged by a crowd of onlookers to step from the ledge of a building. But there is one dissenting voice in the crowd who’s courageous enough to tell the truth.REVOLUTION IN THE PARK An ordinary-looking man on a park bench draws the attention of the world because of his remarkably unusual behavior.A BEAUTIFUL DAY While his country is at war, a man awakens from a week-long, near-death illness to discover the world outside his apartment is about to get much worse.HALL OF ROOMS Murphy McAllister’s Marvelously Magnificent Hall of Rooms offers clients a way to confront their past hurts, but Murphy’s latest customer learns that some hurts are better left in the past.

244 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 15, 2020

About the author

J.L. Pattison is the author of suspenseful contemporary speculative fiction for modern-day thought criminals.

J.L. Pattison won Libertopia’s “Best Libertarian Fiction” award two years in a row, and his uniquely clever tales with twist endings have garnered him favorable comparisons to Ray Bradbury, Rod Serling, and M. Night Shyamalan. His latest book, The Monster In The Well, is now available.

Connect with J.L. Pattison via ChainBush (his version of LinkTree): https://jlpattison.wordpress.com/conn...

Reviews

[Violet Perry (Just a Bookish Blog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5
~I'd like to thank the awesome author for sending me a free copy in exchange for my honest review!~
And once again, J.L. Pattison does not disappoint!!
These short stories... wow
Remember those bedtime stories your parents would read to you when you were little, the ones that always had the "moral of the story"? Yup, this is like that, except the stories are for a YA and above audience, and they add a whole new meaning to "moral of the story" (in a good way of course XD).
Each of these stories are simple in their core concept, but the initial idea is developed into something WAY more complex. Something that will leave you thinking and wondering long after you finish the story, the book. And seeing as the stories' characters are ranging from talking sheep, to silent insta-celebrities (just read the book, then you'll get it XD) and more, I don't think it will take you long to fall for this book, hook, line and sinker!
Recommended for all!
~Full Review To Come~

[Brennen Behimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pattison has delivered another very engaging and thought-provoking hit! His twelve short stories take the reader to corners of the psyche, society, and history that are too rarely visited. As with his other books, this is certainly a work of "speculative fiction." There are talking animals and miraculous rooms, after all! However, the speculative elements tend to fade to the background to make way for the yarn.
Pick it up. You won't be disappointed!

[J.K. Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lines of thought well worth dwelling on

The 12 stories presented in The Man Who Thought He Could Fly will take readers from worlds of fiction and fantasy to realities chillingly close to our own, but they all have one thing in common: their purpose.

In each story the reader will be prompted to muse and challenged by those musings, for the lines of thought so worth dwelling on are often matters of our own hearts. It's a book about introspection in light of the world around us; a consideration of our own accountability even when others are guilty.

To be fair, I definitely believe some of the tales were stronger than others. However, none of the tales are bad, and the ones that stand out are fantastic. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

[Linda Au · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't the sort of book I usually read. Not short stories. Not anthologies of any sort. And certainly not this genre of high-concept speculative fantasy/fiction.

But I thoroughly enjoyed each tale in this collection. The author presents his tales with a sort of polish and smoothness that you have to appreciate and marvel at. If you're a fan of Rod Serling's Twilight Zone or anything like it, you'll be a fan of this collection. I could almost hear Serling's distinctive voice narrating the beginnings and endings of each story.

Cautionary tales, all. Some had great endings I didn't see coming at all. A few seemed to have bull's-eyes pointing directly at their endings... and yet that let those stories pack a different kind of wallop. Pattison's views are clearly delineated in each story, and if you're on his wavelength, you'll be smiling as you get to the end of each tale. If you don't agree with his views, you'll likely end up pondering his stories a little longer... because his warnings are clear and persuasive.

Reading these felt like eating Lay's potato chips: Can't have just one. Sit down and read one, and you'll be reading all twelve before you realize it.

[Daniel Ruben · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of short stories, I greatly anticipated Pattison’s latest release. After finishing the book, I was not disappointed. These stories contain a variety of different topics, plots, and worlds, but all of which contain insightful and at times biting commentary on the changing world in which we live while also offering compelling thoughts on timeless realities universal to the human condition. These stories aren’t light reading, but they are thought provoking and stimulating- as a good short story should be!

[Keller (Charles Hack) Hackbusch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved The Man Who Thought He Could Fly. I definitely recommend it. This book is a compilation of cleverly written short stories that cover many styles and settings. The most enjoyable part of each short story is the moment you encounter the important messaged tucked deep within each plot. This book will entertain and create a challenging conversation as you read.

[Ronald Senick · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Man Who Thought He Could Fly" stimulated more emotions than I thought I had at my age of 82! Many compare J.L. Pattison's writing style to the "Twilight Zone." Conversely there was a radio program that I listened to in the 40's called "Inner Sanctum" which better reflects the matchless imagination of J.L. Pattison.

Ronald G. Senick
Retired in the Upper Cumberland Region of Tennessee.

[Mark Escalera · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A 21st Century Rod Serling” is my personal recommendation for J.L. Pattison and has been for quite some time. I have watched him grow from strength to strength in his writing style. If Rod were still producing episodes for "The Twilight Zone," I have no doubt that Pattison would be one of the writers as it moved into the 21st Century.

In his most recent foray into the writing world, Pattison hits this one out of the park. The short stories in his latest missive will make the reader think that they have been in touch with the ghosts of past great writers like George Orwell and Ray Bradbury.

The stories in this book will make you think. They will make you weep at the loss of freedom that is seen in the callousness of humanity as they watch people die with no remorse. If you love freedom, or even have a desire to see liberty continue in your life and the life of your descendants -- then read this book and ask what you must do before it is too late.

However, if the rule by despotic governments such as we are finding become more prevalent even in America, then don't bother to read this. It will probably harden your resolve to remain aloof from reality as you rejoice in greater and greater losses of independence.

A few have said that if we do not learn from history, then we are doomed to repeat it. Pattison's stories are helping the few who still care to make a difference. Read this with haste for one day it may no longer be available on pain of punishment in a dystopian world.

[John Cavallone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thinking about the world today, these twelve short stories leave you to ponder your thoughts at the conclusion of each. The tales keep you hooked until the clever twists at the end. My personal favorites, though each are amazing, are "Killing Time," "Revolution in the Park," "Hall of Rooms" and "The Man Who Though He Could Fly" as they touched me personally. When you see yourself or can be touched by the author you know its a hit! Another enjoyable ride by J.L. Pattison.

[L. E. Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of the reason this review took so long to actually come was because I was determined to review each story individually, because I felt quite differently about different stories contained within.

Killing Time did not particularly grab me at first. It took a long time to become particularly interesting, which to me felt a poor choice of story to begin a collection with (although others may disagree). It is well written, but I was a little baffled as to where it was going. The twist took me by surprise, as it was intended to, and was written excellently. Oh, and the title, taken after reading the story, was clever.

The Dragon Keeper was intriguing. It presented a society I wanted to hear more about. I guessed something of the twist, this time, but it did not change the fact that I wanted to keep reading the story. Olson was cleverer than I thought of, though, and it was a good ending.

Majority Rules felt rather less interesting than the previous. I guessed from the start what book it was referring to, although I did not expect it to make such a direct connection. It was too obvious that the twist was being hidden from the audience, which I did not like - I had no idea what it was, but I could see it was there which I felt should not be. The ending confused me a little, feeling rather too rushed.

The Weight Of Chains was, by a long way, the most forgettable of the bunch. It felt more like preaching a viewpoint than an actual story, and was far too political for my liking. It was, once again, well written, but not at all my cup of tea. There was no twist - it just went on as it was.

Collision was an intriguing setup. It felt too short for what it was trying to do, and thus was a bit jarring. There was also a lot more 'telling' than 'showing' because of that word limit. But I really liked the different perspectives given, and the twist really threw me in the end. I preferred the story for what it was trying to do, rather than what it did.

They Came Upon A Midnight Clear I enjoyed. I guessed the twist from very early on, but was led away from it by the inclusion of a certain line that did successfully trick me! I felt very sorry for the main character the whole way through, and it was impressive how much character development could be packed into such a short story.

The Great Divorce did not sit well with me at all. It felt there was too much of a backstory to be compressed into this one story, and I didn't really like what I saw of it, anyway. The section with the photograph frankly confused me. I suspect this one was more of personal taste than that it was objectively bad, but I didn't like it particularly.

The Dreams Of Evil Men was cleverly done. I guessed something of the twist (and, to be honest, hoped it would be specifically about something similar to what it was), and it was well written. The horror of the main character came across very well throughout the story. Even the matter-of-fact records kept by his wife, and the mundane descriptions of him, enhanced the horror of the main conflict. The twist ending was excellently done, and despite having expected it I still was struck by it.

The Man Who Thought He Could Fly was possibly my favourite in the collection. The framing of the story, largely in an elevator, was well done and served to highlight the issue at hand. Without ever stating it directly, the issue being argued was crystal clear. My favourite line was probably, 'Don't you worry about the narrow-mindedness of physics and gravity.' On my second read-through, in order to review it, I also noticed some places where references to the Bible were slipped in. There were several quoteable quotes. The ending was done very very well, in my opinion.

Revolution In The Park amused me. I guessed what the man was doing from the start, and I liked the way it was done. It handled the topic nicely, but there wasn't much to say about it. It was good.

A Beautiful Day was very clever. I guessed what was going to be the twist almost immediately, but the story was still interesting, perhaps the more so because of the ending I guessed. All the same, it still ended in a manner full of impact. I liked it very much, in a way.

Hall Of Rooms was another one I guessed the twist almost immediately. It was cleverly done, this time without revealing exactly what it was hiding - it was plausible not to be revealed. The ending was well done.

All in all, I liked this book, once I got into it. The writing style was perhaps a little stilted for my liking, but I enjoyed some of the stories a lot - although some were more political than I like to read. The stories were clean. I was given a free ebook in exchange for my honest review, and this is it.

[Kakuto kishi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pattison dose it again, making a book equally entertaining,insightful and disturbing. A fully enjoyed reading experience! Would recommend to fans of speculative fiction and thought provoking science fiction alike! Trust me you will enjoy! It is unfortunate that genuses like this go unnoticed because they dare to simply speak truth, while sensual, perverse trash pervades the Amazon charts! Reminiscent of the great H.G wells, gorge Orwell and John Bunyan, all Pattison’s books from “Saving Kennedy” to the latest “Monster in the well” are FANTASTIC.

Some may mock those branded as “conspiracy theorists”, like pattison for seeing a conspiracy in everything, my warning is to those who see no conspiracy. Our government has been PROVEN to lie to us discrediting cures for sickness as “horse dewormer” that from personal experience I know works, and the cure they provide proves more fatal than the sickness. This is the government that sanctions the killing of countless lives as healthcare! It is beyond a doubt our government is diabolical and we are in a war for our freedom. Some may mock the battle hardened soldier who assumes every rustling of leaves is an enemy soldier, I warn of the person on a lawn chair, reading a book and sipping lemonade crying “peace, peace” when there is no peace, as the grenades and cannon balls of an enemy army explodes around them. Pattison’s books will hopefully awaken some of these sleeping fools who see not the danger they are in! Like the three sleeping men that the good man Christian attempted to awaken and loos of there shackles so they can flee the coming destruction in john Bunyan’s pilgrims progress, the good man Pattison is attempting to wake you from your political sleep, my question is, will you continue to slumber or wake?

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've very much enjoyed the author's work in the past because of the Twlight Zone-esque twists and turns that are woven into the stories. For me, this collection of short stories did not recapture the magic of what I've read in the past from this author. We're living in a period where there are very wide gaps in socio-political ideologies. Many of these stories touched upon some of the topics that has us divided as a nation in this post-pandemic era. Science fiction traditionally touches upon the prevailing societal issues of the time but, for me, this collection got a little heavy-handed with the political messages and lost some of the psychological magic of the author's previous works.

[Jill Hettrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

We family read with our 16 year old boy every night. So this review is actually from all 3 of us.
Each story in this book leaves you guessing until the end. Well I guessed the last story but not until it was almost to the end.
My boy was able to take the stories and put them into this day and time perspective. I really liked that. Each story gave us something to ponder also something to discuss.
I really think you should give this book a try! I have read to other books by J.L. Pattison I recommend you look those up also. We will be family reading those soon also.
Enjoy! And thank you J.L. Pattison for another mind bending time!

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no contradiction when I say that that J.L. Pattison is an extraordinary writer of Fiction and Truth. He blends the two seeming opposites flawlessly and does so with intelligent storytelling that is free of the filth so common from many authors who apparently lack the faculties necessary to sell books without appealing to the baser instincts. I have read all of his books and would highly recommend each of them to those of us that have already faced the uncomfortable reality we live in and/or those willing to risk their comfort for the first time.

[Stoney Setzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "The Man Who Thought He Could Fly," J.L. Pattison offers up a dozen short stories full of suspense, symbolism, and allegory. Using a "Twilight Zone" like format, he uses his fiction to deliver thought-provoking messages that stick with the reader after the book itself is finished. If you want fiction that makes you think about deeper meanings, I highly recommend this book.

[Anne (w/ an E) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It seems that I am in the minority but I didn't think this book was one of the author's better books. It wasn't a terrible book but there were three stories that I didn't care for at all and although I liked the last story, I knew the ending from the beginning.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed these cleverly crafted short stories. Each brought a thought provoking idea wrapped beautifully in fantastic story-telling. J.L Pattison has managed to speak on ‘touchy’ social topics and spin them in a way that shows you the truth of the situation without offending you outright. Numerous times I caught myself either stifling a tear or smiling broadly at the way the story transformed from a mere ‘story’ to a memorable moment. I definitely enjoyed the Twilight Zone feel, very well done!