Artifacts: Memories Out of Space and Time

by William Jones

Featuring tales of science fiction, the supernatural, and horror, this collection of short fiction dwells upon the ever present nature of humanity and its desires and fears.

156 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

William Jones has received Bram Stoker Award nominations, International Horror Guild Award and Origins Award nominations for his works. He is the editor of several anthologies, including The Anthology of Dark Wisdom: The Best of Dark Fiction, Frontier Cthulhu: Ancient Horrors in the New World, High Seas Cthulhu, and the Horrors Beyond Series. His book, The Strange Cases of Rudolph Pearson was selected by Editor Ellen Datlow as a "seminal" work for readers of Lovecraftian horror. He has also written a number of role-playing game supplements, and his writings have been translated into several languages. He was worked as an engineer and a professor of English literature. He writes full time now, and lives in Michigan.

--from the author's website

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[David Conyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Artifacts is the first collection of William Jones, a weird fiction author who has been very active in the United States small press market for the last five years. Jones is better known as the editor and publisher of Elder Signs Press, which has produced classy weird fiction anthologies such as Horrors Beyond, Hardboiled Cthulhu, High Seas Cthulhu, and the collections of well known horror and fantasy authors such as A.A. Attanasio and Richard Lupoff. Elder Signs Press’ flagship however has to be its dark fiction journal, The Book of Dark Wisdom, which Jones edits. But he’s more prolific than that, editing anthologies and gaming material for Chaosium Inc which produces the Call of Cthulhu role-playing game and associated fiction titles. Lastly he’s an English lecturer in a university in Michigan. How’s that for a writer’s resume?

Artifacts contains nine of Jones short stories, two of which are original to this collection. The first five a science fiction, the last four more traditional horror, but all the stories are dark in content and style.

“The Tiger” opens the collection and features one of Jones’ recurring characters Caley Faith Dayton, a genetically enhance spy/assassin sent on a dangerous mission into a city overrun with alien monsters escaped from another dimension. Definitely science fiction despite its modern day setting, this tale is loaded with elements of H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos that pepper many of the stories in the book. Action packed, yet with a subtle yet poignant back story.

“Artifacts” is a far future tale concerning archaeological researchers digging on what turns out to be a rather nasty alien monster infested world (monsters are another reoccurring theme in this collection, as you will see). What makes this story is the relationship between the researcher and her convicted servant. I was hoping to discover more about the aliens encountered, absent details which stopped this story from being really great.

“The Name of the Enemy” is the stand out tale of Artifacts, another far future adventure, concerning high-tech soldiers fighting demonic aliens that seem unbeatable. Again, strong characters that develop as the story progresses and a perfect twist that pulls everything together at the conclusion. There was more world building in this story than the other tales in this book.

“Rawhide and Bloodybones” is a more traditional horror story, told from the viewpoint of elderly retirees in a nursing home waiting to die. Probably the best written story in the book sets up an intriguing mystery that unfortunately ends a bit lightly for my liking. Great characterisation though.

“Feasters of the Dark” is a traditional Cthulhu Mythos horror story set in 1920s New York. Like “The Tiger” it features a recurring character in Jones’ fiction, a New York professor of medieval literature Rudolph Pearson. This tale is one of Pearson’s first adventures, as he explores a world deep beneath the Big Apple where you probably guessed it, monsters lurk. Unlike Caley Faith Davison, Pearson is soft-spoken, intelligent and likely to shout the well-worn motto ‘The pen is mightier than the sword’ as he encounters his nemeses, because that’s what he does, thinks rather than fights his way out of a corner.

“A Change of Life” is another 1920s New York adventure about gangsters and Cthulhu Mythos monsters, and probably requires some understanding of what Lovecraft wrote to really appreciate the layering in this story. On one level it is about gangsters, revenge and violence, on another it is about forgiveness and hope in a situation that is hopeless on two levels. This story is really well crafted.

The collection ends with “Wind Demons” a Wild West tale mixing monsters and Indian curses. A Lieutenant finds himself slowly loosing control of his soldiers as they face a hungry demon while being undermined by an Apache shaman and a rebellious sergeant. A sacrifice is made, but not by choice, and this had a strong emotional impact to end the book.

Two more stories complete the collection both science fiction. Overall all nine of William Jones’ stories are strong in theme and character, with well written prose and dialogue. My only regret is that I wanted to learn more about these strange and curious worlds Jones was building, to see beyond the merest of descriptions provided. However this is worthy collection, and undoubtedly a springboard for an author whom I sure will break into an ever-widening readership as his publications number.

This review originally appeared at www.albedo1.com