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Irredeemable
Flowing like mists and shadows through the Appalachian Mountains come 18 tales from the mind of Jason Sizemore. Weaving together elements of southern gothic, science fiction, fantasy, horror, the supernatural, and much more, this diverse collection of short stories brings you an array of characters who must face accountability, responsibility, and, more ominously, retribution.
Whether it is Jack Taylor readying for a macabre, terrifying night in The Sleeping Quartet, the Wayne brothers and mischief gone badly awry in Pranks, the title character in The Dead and Metty Crawford, or the church congregation and their welcoming of a special visitor in Yellow Warblers, Irredeemable introduces you to a range of ordinary people who come face to face with extraordinary situations.
Whether the undead, aliens, ghosts, or killers of the yakuza, dangers of all kinds lurk within the darkness for those who dare tread upon its ground. Hop aboard and settle in, Irredeemable will take you on an unforgettable ride along a dark speculative fiction road.
Whether it is Jack Taylor readying for a macabre, terrifying night in The Sleeping Quartet, the Wayne brothers and mischief gone badly awry in Pranks, the title character in The Dead and Metty Crawford, or the church congregation and their welcoming of a special visitor in Yellow Warblers, Irredeemable introduces you to a range of ordinary people who come face to face with extraordinary situations.
Whether the undead, aliens, ghosts, or killers of the yakuza, dangers of all kinds lurk within the darkness for those who dare tread upon its ground. Hop aboard and settle in, Irredeemable will take you on an unforgettable ride along a dark speculative fiction road.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
254 pages, Paperback
First published April 3, 2014
162 people want to read
About the author
Jason Sizemore
120 books115 followersI was born the son of an unemployed coal miner in a tiny Kentucky Appalachian villa named Big Creek (population 400). It’s an isolated area with beautiful rolling hills, thick forests, and country folk. I lived in Big Creek until I went to college, spending my weekends cruising the Winn Dixie parking lot of ladies, partying in my cousin’s run-down three room trailer, and being a member of the bad-ass Clay County High School Academic Team.
College was quite a shock for me. Girls! Minorities! Strip clubs! And it didn’t help that I attended Transylvania University, a fairly snotty (but excellent) private college in Lexington, KY (on scholarship… no way my family could have sent me otherwise). I graduated in the standard four years with a degree in Computer Science.
Since 1996, I’ve worked for evil corporations (IBM), dot com dreamers (eCampus.com), The Man (both city and state government), and for The Kids (KY Dept. of Education), and assholes (lots and lots of assholes).
In 2004, I decided my life was boring, that I no longer needed disposable income, and I needed to increase my stress levels. I started Apex Publications, a small press publisher of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. At first it was just a small print zine, then a pro-level online zine, then books, and then ebooks.
I edit anthologies, mostly for Apex (because I’m a control freak). I occasionally do copy editing (when pressed) and have done plenty of acquisition editing over the years.
I also write. I don’t really write enough to leave a mark, but it seems to go well when I do put pen to paper.
Miscellaneous facts about me: left-handed, blue eyes, super geeky, hillbilly accent, near-sighted, and typically in a goofy mood.
Also, and most importantly, I’m not the drunkard all those Facebook photos makes me out to be. It just happens that cameras are always around when I… have libations. Honest!
College was quite a shock for me. Girls! Minorities! Strip clubs! And it didn’t help that I attended Transylvania University, a fairly snotty (but excellent) private college in Lexington, KY (on scholarship… no way my family could have sent me otherwise). I graduated in the standard four years with a degree in Computer Science.
Since 1996, I’ve worked for evil corporations (IBM), dot com dreamers (eCampus.com), The Man (both city and state government), and for The Kids (KY Dept. of Education), and assholes (lots and lots of assholes).
In 2004, I decided my life was boring, that I no longer needed disposable income, and I needed to increase my stress levels. I started Apex Publications, a small press publisher of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. At first it was just a small print zine, then a pro-level online zine, then books, and then ebooks.
I edit anthologies, mostly for Apex (because I’m a control freak). I occasionally do copy editing (when pressed) and have done plenty of acquisition editing over the years.
I also write. I don’t really write enough to leave a mark, but it seems to go well when I do put pen to paper.
Miscellaneous facts about me: left-handed, blue eyes, super geeky, hillbilly accent, near-sighted, and typically in a goofy mood.
Also, and most importantly, I’m not the drunkard all those Facebook photos makes me out to be. It just happens that cameras are always around when I… have libations. Honest!
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 21, 2014
Disclosures: A) I used to slush for Apex Magazine, of which Jason is the publisher, and B) I got a review copy.
I’m reading Nightmare Magazine Top 100 Horror Books. What I’m seeing, as I work through the Bs of Barker, Barron, Blatty, Bloch, and Bradbury, is that (other than Blatty) I’m not finding these stories particularly scary. I like them all well enough, but they’re not really horrifying to me. Here’s what seem to be the basic revelations so far:
* Old people are scary, unless you’re old, and then they’re even scarier.
* White people are scared of everyone who isn’t white.
* Men are scared of everyone who isn’t male.
* Young people with old spirits or who are possessed by old spirits are terrifying–because of the oldness.
* I usually have more empathy for the antagonists than the protagonists, except in The Exorcist and Psycho, which, well, no, actually. I had empathy for Norman Bates except in a few spots; it was his mother whose ass I wanted to kick.
* The theme seems to be, “Everything we took for granted, why can’t we take it for granted anymore? Waaaaah!”
Now, in my world, old people don’t scare me, and death is a Goth chick in a top hat. (Okay, sometimes old people scare me, but not necessarily because they are approaching death, but because of the things they take for granted, like Hey, you should destroy your personality when you become a mother, or Hey, wouldn’t it be great if Jesus came and set everyone on fire?) White people can, in fact, learn how to get along with everyone else, and “men” isn’t an end-all be-all club anymore. And in my world, what we call it when you have to stop taking things for granted is called “wisdom,” not horror.
Maybe it’s just the Bs, I don’t know.
In the middle of these, I took a break and read Jason’s book, a short story or two at a time. It’s a good sign, see, when you can only read a short story or two at a time, because a good short story is too powerful to move on from right away.
And they gave me nightmares. Which none of the Bs have managed to do yet, although I need to reread Blatty before I can really make a final call. I’m not sure if it’s just me or what.
Here’s what Jason’s stories have to say:
* What if it’s me? That’s the horrible one, and I didn’t know it? And now I’m going to get what’s coming to me?
* What if I went along with something horrible, and now it’s going to drag me down? Does it mean I deserve it or not, if I didn’t actually do anything?
* What if happiness (or at least getting what I want) would kill me? What if it took the end of the world to get like two seconds of happiness, would it be worth it, then?
* What if someone’s using the few good parts of my soul that are left against me? Would it be better to be evil, then?
* What if I’m so inured to pain that I would suffer more if it stopped?
These things, I can relate to. In my world, they matter. But that also means that I don’t know that I’m the most objective judge of the stories, either.
There were some that I thought very well put together (“Caspar,” “Sonic Scarring,” “Yellow Warblers,” “The Sleeping Quartet,” and others), and some that I thought were weaker, that hadn’t explored the line of thought all the way down (“For the Sake of Pleasing”), or had gone for the easy, quick kill instead of being very Jasonish (“Hope”).
And then there was “Shotgun Shelter,” which made me shout and almost toss the book across the room–it’s presented here as a short story, but it’s really the opening of this great novel somewhere between Joe Lansdale and Stephen King and why the @#$% did I get robbed by having it end so abruptly?
I look forward to him finishing the novel. Which I doubt he has plans to finish…yet.
I’m reading Nightmare Magazine Top 100 Horror Books. What I’m seeing, as I work through the Bs of Barker, Barron, Blatty, Bloch, and Bradbury, is that (other than Blatty) I’m not finding these stories particularly scary. I like them all well enough, but they’re not really horrifying to me. Here’s what seem to be the basic revelations so far:
* Old people are scary, unless you’re old, and then they’re even scarier.
* White people are scared of everyone who isn’t white.
* Men are scared of everyone who isn’t male.
* Young people with old spirits or who are possessed by old spirits are terrifying–because of the oldness.
* I usually have more empathy for the antagonists than the protagonists, except in The Exorcist and Psycho, which, well, no, actually. I had empathy for Norman Bates except in a few spots; it was his mother whose ass I wanted to kick.
* The theme seems to be, “Everything we took for granted, why can’t we take it for granted anymore? Waaaaah!”
Now, in my world, old people don’t scare me, and death is a Goth chick in a top hat. (Okay, sometimes old people scare me, but not necessarily because they are approaching death, but because of the things they take for granted, like Hey, you should destroy your personality when you become a mother, or Hey, wouldn’t it be great if Jesus came and set everyone on fire?) White people can, in fact, learn how to get along with everyone else, and “men” isn’t an end-all be-all club anymore. And in my world, what we call it when you have to stop taking things for granted is called “wisdom,” not horror.
Maybe it’s just the Bs, I don’t know.
In the middle of these, I took a break and read Jason’s book, a short story or two at a time. It’s a good sign, see, when you can only read a short story or two at a time, because a good short story is too powerful to move on from right away.
And they gave me nightmares. Which none of the Bs have managed to do yet, although I need to reread Blatty before I can really make a final call. I’m not sure if it’s just me or what.
Here’s what Jason’s stories have to say:
* What if it’s me? That’s the horrible one, and I didn’t know it? And now I’m going to get what’s coming to me?
* What if I went along with something horrible, and now it’s going to drag me down? Does it mean I deserve it or not, if I didn’t actually do anything?
* What if happiness (or at least getting what I want) would kill me? What if it took the end of the world to get like two seconds of happiness, would it be worth it, then?
* What if someone’s using the few good parts of my soul that are left against me? Would it be better to be evil, then?
* What if I’m so inured to pain that I would suffer more if it stopped?
These things, I can relate to. In my world, they matter. But that also means that I don’t know that I’m the most objective judge of the stories, either.
There were some that I thought very well put together (“Caspar,” “Sonic Scarring,” “Yellow Warblers,” “The Sleeping Quartet,” and others), and some that I thought were weaker, that hadn’t explored the line of thought all the way down (“For the Sake of Pleasing”), or had gone for the easy, quick kill instead of being very Jasonish (“Hope”).
And then there was “Shotgun Shelter,” which made me shout and almost toss the book across the room–it’s presented here as a short story, but it’s really the opening of this great novel somewhere between Joe Lansdale and Stephen King and why the @#$% did I get robbed by having it end so abruptly?
I look forward to him finishing the novel. Which I doubt he has plans to finish…yet.
July 4, 2014
I had high hopes for Irredeemable. Sizemore has proven himself a man of impeccable taste as a publisher. He knows what works in literature and makes solid use of that knowledge. However, I have a tough time giving the categorical high five I expected to his first collection of short fiction.
The big problem that Irredeemable runs into is that it is incredibly uneven. There are some good stories here, to be sure, but there are just as many forgettable and bland bits as well. The first three stories came across as clunky, meandering and lacking in focus, with no real impact to them. To be honest, if not for the credit Jason’s reputation has built up, I would’ve stopped reading by then. That isn’t mentioning the overused Zombie-as-Divine-Retribution trope and a frigging Dream Ending in later stories. This was not the side of Sizemore I was hoping to read.
But, with “For the Sake of Pleasing”, the collection turns around. The prose is every bit as personable, the characters as in depth and engaging and the ideas as complicated as I had every reason to expect from the man. It is, however, hampered by truncated novel idea syndrome. Aliens and psionics and other supernatural and superpowers with international spy conglomerates, beings who cannot feel emotions on their own and have to thrive on the pheromones and feelings of others and that huge history hinted at with the aliens are all too much to work in the slightly less than 40 pages given here. “Sonic Scarring” has the same advantages and problems, but if they are turned into novels that give them the room they need to build on what is introduced I will be throwing money at the man.
Then there are “Pranks”, which pleasantly reminded me of R.L. Stine, “Special Delivery”, a fun and painful approach to employee motivation, and “Ice Cream at the Falls”, that had the feel of an old time ghost story told on the porch at dusk. Quite good yarns, those. “Mr. Templar” really kicks the door off the hinges, though. Such a wonderful way of dealing with the desperate grasping for hope and religious truth that uses the androids to terrific effect. More so with “Yellow Warblers”, that really nails the feel of backwoods Kentucky while playing with the issues of anthropologists going into tribal areas in a way that socked me square in my dangly bits. Why the heck was this one buried all the way at the end?
Irredeemable shows a variety of interests, ranging from intimate gothic horror to grand science fiction, as well as some quite interesting ideas behind the stories. Too bad that it is hampered by far too many mediocre tales that fall so far below the level of talent and insight shown in the quality stories.
The big problem that Irredeemable runs into is that it is incredibly uneven. There are some good stories here, to be sure, but there are just as many forgettable and bland bits as well. The first three stories came across as clunky, meandering and lacking in focus, with no real impact to them. To be honest, if not for the credit Jason’s reputation has built up, I would’ve stopped reading by then. That isn’t mentioning the overused Zombie-as-Divine-Retribution trope and a frigging Dream Ending in later stories. This was not the side of Sizemore I was hoping to read.
But, with “For the Sake of Pleasing”, the collection turns around. The prose is every bit as personable, the characters as in depth and engaging and the ideas as complicated as I had every reason to expect from the man. It is, however, hampered by truncated novel idea syndrome. Aliens and psionics and other supernatural and superpowers with international spy conglomerates, beings who cannot feel emotions on their own and have to thrive on the pheromones and feelings of others and that huge history hinted at with the aliens are all too much to work in the slightly less than 40 pages given here. “Sonic Scarring” has the same advantages and problems, but if they are turned into novels that give them the room they need to build on what is introduced I will be throwing money at the man.
Then there are “Pranks”, which pleasantly reminded me of R.L. Stine, “Special Delivery”, a fun and painful approach to employee motivation, and “Ice Cream at the Falls”, that had the feel of an old time ghost story told on the porch at dusk. Quite good yarns, those. “Mr. Templar” really kicks the door off the hinges, though. Such a wonderful way of dealing with the desperate grasping for hope and religious truth that uses the androids to terrific effect. More so with “Yellow Warblers”, that really nails the feel of backwoods Kentucky while playing with the issues of anthropologists going into tribal areas in a way that socked me square in my dangly bits. Why the heck was this one buried all the way at the end?
Irredeemable shows a variety of interests, ranging from intimate gothic horror to grand science fiction, as well as some quite interesting ideas behind the stories. Too bad that it is hampered by far too many mediocre tales that fall so far below the level of talent and insight shown in the quality stories.
May 23, 2014
Review copy
On his personal website, there's a photo of Jason Sizemore with the following caption, "Jason Sizemore-- Publisher, Editor, Hillbilly." The hillbilly being a salute to his Kentucky heritage, but there's something missing from that caption. He should add "Writer" to that description.
Irredeemable is a strong collection of 18 stories running the gamut of speculative fiction, with strengths in Science Fiction and Horror, much like Apex magazine, the mag for which he is publisher and editor.
One of the things I liked about this collection of new, and previously published, shorts is that there isn't a happy ending in sight. Among this collection of wonderfully strange stories are a Cristmas tale, a story of claustrophobia, snake worshiping, first contact, doomsday, androids and, of course, zombies and much, much more.
irredeemable is a lot like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get.
Among my personal favorites is " Plug and Play," where Clayton Edwards is made into a drug mule and kicked off space station 19-YX. When he falls to Earth, naked, in an escape pod, the following conversation ensues, "The old woman nodded and pointed a finger at Clayton. ' I thought you looked lost.' ' You would too, lady, if someone flushed you out of a space station.'...'I need a doctor.' ' Of course you do dear. That's why I'm taking you to my psychiatrist.' ' You don't understand. I got two kilos of space mold in my stomach.' 'Dear, why'd you eat so much space mold?' 'I didn't eat it." Clayton scanned the area for more police officers. 'I'm an involuntary drug mule.'"
It's rare when I can look back at the stories in a collection and say I enjoyed every one of them, but that was certainly true of Irredeemable. Kudos to Jason Sizemore and Seventh Star Press.
Highly recommended.
On his personal website, there's a photo of Jason Sizemore with the following caption, "Jason Sizemore-- Publisher, Editor, Hillbilly." The hillbilly being a salute to his Kentucky heritage, but there's something missing from that caption. He should add "Writer" to that description.
Irredeemable is a strong collection of 18 stories running the gamut of speculative fiction, with strengths in Science Fiction and Horror, much like Apex magazine, the mag for which he is publisher and editor.
One of the things I liked about this collection of new, and previously published, shorts is that there isn't a happy ending in sight. Among this collection of wonderfully strange stories are a Cristmas tale, a story of claustrophobia, snake worshiping, first contact, doomsday, androids and, of course, zombies and much, much more.
irredeemable is a lot like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get.
Among my personal favorites is " Plug and Play," where Clayton Edwards is made into a drug mule and kicked off space station 19-YX. When he falls to Earth, naked, in an escape pod, the following conversation ensues, "The old woman nodded and pointed a finger at Clayton. ' I thought you looked lost.' ' You would too, lady, if someone flushed you out of a space station.'...'I need a doctor.' ' Of course you do dear. That's why I'm taking you to my psychiatrist.' ' You don't understand. I got two kilos of space mold in my stomach.' 'Dear, why'd you eat so much space mold?' 'I didn't eat it." Clayton scanned the area for more police officers. 'I'm an involuntary drug mule.'"
It's rare when I can look back at the stories in a collection and say I enjoyed every one of them, but that was certainly true of Irredeemable. Kudos to Jason Sizemore and Seventh Star Press.
Highly recommended.
October 31, 2014
Jason Sizemore is not one to be underestimated. He is a jack of all trades. How he found the time to write a book, is impressive. However, to put out a book that is great is outstanding! He takes us back to his old stomping grounds, which happens to be my stomping grounds also. The Appalachian Mountains hold many stories, and even more secrets. Mr. Sizemore gives us a peak into some of those. While some stories like “Ice Cream at the Falls” is very subtle, you then have “The Sleeping Quartet” that stick with you like biscuits and gravy. It has that deep creep factor in the beginning that quickly turns to pure horror up to the last page. Not to give away all the stories, but my favorite is “Yellow Warblers”. Not only does this story take place in my hometown, but it mimics like their situation now. His introduction to the small alien in the beginning of the story takes you aback. It is such a matter of fact approach and you automatically think, “why no back story?” How do you just put it out there like that? But that is the brilliance of his work. You didn’t need the back story, or a formal introduction to the small alien. And because of this, he created one hell of a story that goes down as one of my favorites, and not just for this book. This book has such a wide variety into the unknown that you will find a story that you will love, if not more. And you will like them all. Do not hesitate to purchase, you will not only read it once.
December 21, 2014
Take a journey to the darker side of what the universe has to offer.
Irredeemable is a diverse anthology of science fiction and horror, giving fans an ample taste of what fine storytelling is. Whether your hunger needs to be fed with quirky androids, revengeful ghosts, alien invasions, zombies, the apocalypse or humanity at its worst, you'll be sure to not forget the lesson or the emotional ride.
Jason Sizemore crafts his tales with a purpose. From the beginning to the end, dialogue and details are finely tuned to impress. Writing a story so well thought out that the title gives you an "Ah ha!" moment as well as the ending, is pretty impressive.
What's interesting about this writer is his ability to create a different type of main character. Especially, in his humans, an authentic rich voice of the Appalachian influences breaks through, creating a delightful cultural and religious flavor you don't normally get.
Irredeemable pushes the question about the darker side of a character's struggle and the final cost. In the end, these thought-provoking stories stick with you, whether you want them to or not.
In Plug and Play, Clayton Edwards tells his android boss to piss off and discovers an entirely new meaning to the term special delivery. Could there be a fate worse than his mundane job? Jason Sizemore plays with a futuristic existence among a world dominated by androids. Humor and humiliation go hand in hand. This is a lighter side to the dark offset of many of his stories, not to say dark stuff doesn't happen.
Mr. Templar is an android with a problem, his energy is depleting. Will he take a trip that could save his life? Sizemore delivers so much in this one. From pesky data flies to saucy remarks, this android comes to life, and although his artificial existence may be ending, his drive to exist is as real as a human's. Mr. Templar triggers every sensation you need to love a story. I won't divulge any further and ruin it, because it's a masterpiece.
In Sonic Scarring the future is grim as humanity hides from the K'tavi, but the beating of their relentless drums is a reminder of how close they really are. Will they ever escape?
Jason Sizemore creates another solid story in Sonic Scarring that grips you from the beginning. The main character is a boy whose voice is so strong you'll be begging for more. Sizemore does an excellent job of describing the haunting drums throughout as if they are their own entity. "The K'tavi drums continue playing their loud staccato poison for the threadbare remnants of humanity." The way humanity survives is disturbing. "We have turned into worms and now burrow inside the earth for safety." And the way the main character finds human companionship through this horrific nightmare of a life is touching. "We held one another, a brief and warm respite from the promise of death the world had become."
In Yellow Warblers, the Appalachian hillbillies are surviving untouched by the invasion, until a visitor arrives. Sizemore continues to impress, taking a unique idea for a story and ending it with a wow moment.
Pranks, Shotgun Shelter, The Dead and Metty Crawford, and Little Digits all illustrate the dark side of youth, and the bleak results of the choices they make.
From working for the Yakuza in The XX Agent, to the countdown to the end of the world in Hope, to a man facing his past sins in Caspar, everyone wants something in the end. Will they get it? Are they redeemable?
Irredeemable is well worth its weight in digital or printable gold. Jason Sizemore is an author who takes great care in giving the reader fresh ideas that make you wonder what he's going to do next. Looking forward to reading more by this author!
Irredeemable is a diverse anthology of science fiction and horror, giving fans an ample taste of what fine storytelling is. Whether your hunger needs to be fed with quirky androids, revengeful ghosts, alien invasions, zombies, the apocalypse or humanity at its worst, you'll be sure to not forget the lesson or the emotional ride.
Jason Sizemore crafts his tales with a purpose. From the beginning to the end, dialogue and details are finely tuned to impress. Writing a story so well thought out that the title gives you an "Ah ha!" moment as well as the ending, is pretty impressive.
What's interesting about this writer is his ability to create a different type of main character. Especially, in his humans, an authentic rich voice of the Appalachian influences breaks through, creating a delightful cultural and religious flavor you don't normally get.
Irredeemable pushes the question about the darker side of a character's struggle and the final cost. In the end, these thought-provoking stories stick with you, whether you want them to or not.
In Plug and Play, Clayton Edwards tells his android boss to piss off and discovers an entirely new meaning to the term special delivery. Could there be a fate worse than his mundane job? Jason Sizemore plays with a futuristic existence among a world dominated by androids. Humor and humiliation go hand in hand. This is a lighter side to the dark offset of many of his stories, not to say dark stuff doesn't happen.
Mr. Templar is an android with a problem, his energy is depleting. Will he take a trip that could save his life? Sizemore delivers so much in this one. From pesky data flies to saucy remarks, this android comes to life, and although his artificial existence may be ending, his drive to exist is as real as a human's. Mr. Templar triggers every sensation you need to love a story. I won't divulge any further and ruin it, because it's a masterpiece.
In Sonic Scarring the future is grim as humanity hides from the K'tavi, but the beating of their relentless drums is a reminder of how close they really are. Will they ever escape?
Jason Sizemore creates another solid story in Sonic Scarring that grips you from the beginning. The main character is a boy whose voice is so strong you'll be begging for more. Sizemore does an excellent job of describing the haunting drums throughout as if they are their own entity. "The K'tavi drums continue playing their loud staccato poison for the threadbare remnants of humanity." The way humanity survives is disturbing. "We have turned into worms and now burrow inside the earth for safety." And the way the main character finds human companionship through this horrific nightmare of a life is touching. "We held one another, a brief and warm respite from the promise of death the world had become."
In Yellow Warblers, the Appalachian hillbillies are surviving untouched by the invasion, until a visitor arrives. Sizemore continues to impress, taking a unique idea for a story and ending it with a wow moment.
Pranks, Shotgun Shelter, The Dead and Metty Crawford, and Little Digits all illustrate the dark side of youth, and the bleak results of the choices they make.
From working for the Yakuza in The XX Agent, to the countdown to the end of the world in Hope, to a man facing his past sins in Caspar, everyone wants something in the end. Will they get it? Are they redeemable?
Irredeemable is well worth its weight in digital or printable gold. Jason Sizemore is an author who takes great care in giving the reader fresh ideas that make you wonder what he's going to do next. Looking forward to reading more by this author!
June 26, 2014
To my mind, the best anthologies include, if not a diverse range of authors, then certainly a diverse range of stories. Irredeemable is a collection of one author’s stories, but it absolutely fits the second bill. There are common themes – there’s nothing particularly bright and cheerful about any of them, as the book’s title suggests – but nonetheless each story brings something different to the mix.
There were a few stories in this anthology that I suspect are going to stay with me for a good while yet, and for a number of reasons. One is “Caspar”, the first of the stories, in which a man who kills his wife and daughter at Christmas is told a very familiar story, with very serious intent… I’m not a particularly religious person but this one gave me chills, as well as making me rethink the story within this story with what’s probably more interest than I’ve ever had in it. Good work, Jason.
The second of the stories that stuck with me is “The Sleeping Quartet”, which sees a man suffering from severe sleep apnea seeking what seems to be experimental therapy to cure it. So far, so ordinary, as is Jack – but as his first night of the experiment begins he soon finds out that he’s walked into something very, very… not ordinary. The nightmarish account of what happens to Jack, told firsthand, genuinely gave me the creeps. It can be difficult to hit the right notes in storytelling with an approach like this; not everybody will be creeped out by the same things, after all – but Sizemore does it well here. My sympathies to anyone who’s ever had to wear a sleep apnea mask…
Lastly, my favourite of these stories is one of the shorter, simpler ones – at least it seems that way upon first glance. “Yellow Warblers” is kind of a sci-fi story (there’s an alien involved), and yet it’s not – this one has much more to do with humans, and that regrettable aspect of “humanity” that seems to demand that we be an enormously ‘righteous’ bunch of idiots. And I do mean idiots – but to say more would spoil the story, I suspect… Trust me, though, and keep an eye out for this one if you read this book. If you’ve read it, you probably know exactly what I’m talking about…
I really enjoyed reading this collection of stories, and what I like most is the larger theme running through the whole thing – the idea that while the world is full of idiots, fools and utter bastards, sooner or later they’re all going to get what they deserve. What they deserve may not be pleasant, and might make us uncomfortable, but the cleverest trick here is that the deserving can’t be argued with. (And that, in turn, makes me wonder if maybe I need to be a little nicer… I also wonder, though, if anyone who reads this and doesn’t think the same thing is kidding themselves… After all, we’re only human.)
So, it’s dark. Very dark indeed, at times. It is most certainly not a fluff read, but any book that makes the reader think is a book well written.
If I had any issues with this anthology, it was that it took a little longer than I’d have liked to really grab my attention. Having received it as a review copy, I persevered, and while there aren’t any stories here that I didn’t like, there was a noticeable upward shift in my interest level when I reached the second half, or thereabouts. So it felt a tiny bit inconsistent, but all in all, I can forgive that. As I said, there’s content here that’s going to stay with me for a while yet. So well done, that author! If dark and unsettling stories about getting your comeuppance are what float your boat, then I’d say Irredeemable is definitely a worthwhile read.
There were a few stories in this anthology that I suspect are going to stay with me for a good while yet, and for a number of reasons. One is “Caspar”, the first of the stories, in which a man who kills his wife and daughter at Christmas is told a very familiar story, with very serious intent… I’m not a particularly religious person but this one gave me chills, as well as making me rethink the story within this story with what’s probably more interest than I’ve ever had in it. Good work, Jason.
The second of the stories that stuck with me is “The Sleeping Quartet”, which sees a man suffering from severe sleep apnea seeking what seems to be experimental therapy to cure it. So far, so ordinary, as is Jack – but as his first night of the experiment begins he soon finds out that he’s walked into something very, very… not ordinary. The nightmarish account of what happens to Jack, told firsthand, genuinely gave me the creeps. It can be difficult to hit the right notes in storytelling with an approach like this; not everybody will be creeped out by the same things, after all – but Sizemore does it well here. My sympathies to anyone who’s ever had to wear a sleep apnea mask…
Lastly, my favourite of these stories is one of the shorter, simpler ones – at least it seems that way upon first glance. “Yellow Warblers” is kind of a sci-fi story (there’s an alien involved), and yet it’s not – this one has much more to do with humans, and that regrettable aspect of “humanity” that seems to demand that we be an enormously ‘righteous’ bunch of idiots. And I do mean idiots – but to say more would spoil the story, I suspect… Trust me, though, and keep an eye out for this one if you read this book. If you’ve read it, you probably know exactly what I’m talking about…
I really enjoyed reading this collection of stories, and what I like most is the larger theme running through the whole thing – the idea that while the world is full of idiots, fools and utter bastards, sooner or later they’re all going to get what they deserve. What they deserve may not be pleasant, and might make us uncomfortable, but the cleverest trick here is that the deserving can’t be argued with. (And that, in turn, makes me wonder if maybe I need to be a little nicer… I also wonder, though, if anyone who reads this and doesn’t think the same thing is kidding themselves… After all, we’re only human.)
So, it’s dark. Very dark indeed, at times. It is most certainly not a fluff read, but any book that makes the reader think is a book well written.
If I had any issues with this anthology, it was that it took a little longer than I’d have liked to really grab my attention. Having received it as a review copy, I persevered, and while there aren’t any stories here that I didn’t like, there was a noticeable upward shift in my interest level when I reached the second half, or thereabouts. So it felt a tiny bit inconsistent, but all in all, I can forgive that. As I said, there’s content here that’s going to stay with me for a while yet. So well done, that author! If dark and unsettling stories about getting your comeuppance are what float your boat, then I’d say Irredeemable is definitely a worthwhile read.
November 4, 2014
I never get tired of saying this: I absolutely love anthologies! The short story is an art form that can convey so much in so few words. As such, you get a lot of bang for your literary buck with these collections. Author Jason Sizemore offers up a heaping helping of dark speculative fiction in his recent release, IRREDEEMABLE. Chocked full of variety and entertainment, this is one collection you will definitely want to add to your library.
The talent in this book is stunning. Sizemore writes with the skill of an aged author, one who has spent decades honing his craft. The stories are inventive and imaginative, short treks into the surreal and the sublime. Anthologies just don’t get much better than this.
Every story in IRREDEEMABLE is written well and flows smoothly. Sizemore brings a unique perspective to existing tropes, while at the same time illuminating his readers with new concepts as well. From zombies to aliens to spirits, there is a little bit of everything in there, which makes the entertainment value of the book skyrocket.
One of my favorite stories in this collection is “Hope”. In this tale, a woman named Hope turns out to be the key to the future of humanity. Unfortunately, only she and one more person on the planet are aware of that fact. This is a very original story that left me smiling after I finished it.
Another of my favorites is “Little Digits”. This one-page story supremely highlights the massive talent of Sizemore, as it offers up a whole lot of drama in just a few sentences. Ms. Jean is having a bad day in class. Her students have shown her how the tables can turn, and as a result, Ms. Jean might very well learn that sometimes the punishment does NOT fit the crime.
IRREDEEMABLE is a major win for me, and I’m proud to have a copy of it in my library. Do yourself a favor and pick up your copy today. You won’t regret it. The book is available now in a variety of formats.
The talent in this book is stunning. Sizemore writes with the skill of an aged author, one who has spent decades honing his craft. The stories are inventive and imaginative, short treks into the surreal and the sublime. Anthologies just don’t get much better than this.
Every story in IRREDEEMABLE is written well and flows smoothly. Sizemore brings a unique perspective to existing tropes, while at the same time illuminating his readers with new concepts as well. From zombies to aliens to spirits, there is a little bit of everything in there, which makes the entertainment value of the book skyrocket.
One of my favorite stories in this collection is “Hope”. In this tale, a woman named Hope turns out to be the key to the future of humanity. Unfortunately, only she and one more person on the planet are aware of that fact. This is a very original story that left me smiling after I finished it.
Another of my favorites is “Little Digits”. This one-page story supremely highlights the massive talent of Sizemore, as it offers up a whole lot of drama in just a few sentences. Ms. Jean is having a bad day in class. Her students have shown her how the tables can turn, and as a result, Ms. Jean might very well learn that sometimes the punishment does NOT fit the crime.
IRREDEEMABLE is a major win for me, and I’m proud to have a copy of it in my library. Do yourself a favor and pick up your copy today. You won’t regret it. The book is available now in a variety of formats.
July 3, 2014
Jason Sizemore's collection of short horror stories is pretty close to irresistible.
Scenes vary, from real-world flights of faith and terror, to haunting horrors in present and future worlds. Alien and human monsters abound. And each story has a uniquely powerful sting in the tail, leaving readers to ponder, what did I miss? What really happened there? Unsettling, irresistible, un-put-down-able... The shortest tale of all might be the scariest. And the final page will leave you gasping, "Wow!"
Irredeemable is a great collection, where tiny details matter and surprise just as much as the startling horrors, and hints of occasional redemption shine like unexpected rainbows, glimpsed through a volcano. If you like horror of any kind, this is the book for you. And if you’ve never read any horror, what a great place to get hooked.
Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy when I hosted the author on his blog tour. Lucky me!!!
Scenes vary, from real-world flights of faith and terror, to haunting horrors in present and future worlds. Alien and human monsters abound. And each story has a uniquely powerful sting in the tail, leaving readers to ponder, what did I miss? What really happened there? Unsettling, irresistible, un-put-down-able... The shortest tale of all might be the scariest. And the final page will leave you gasping, "Wow!"
Irredeemable is a great collection, where tiny details matter and surprise just as much as the startling horrors, and hints of occasional redemption shine like unexpected rainbows, glimpsed through a volcano. If you like horror of any kind, this is the book for you. And if you’ve never read any horror, what a great place to get hooked.
Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy when I hosted the author on his blog tour. Lucky me!!!
June 16, 2014
Short stories can be tricky for any writer. There is a fine art involved in providing enough detail and insight about characters to allow the audience to engage in the story without adding too much extra fat to what is supposed to be a short tale. Likewise, each story in an anthology of short stories must be filled with the right amount of substance to make them interesting while not going overboard with the details that an author is able to allow themselves when writing a novel. It is a matter of a delicate balance which must be achieved in order to craft the perfect short story. In his collection of short stories, Jason Sizemore has not only found that balance, but proven his mastery of the horrific.
Check out the rest of my review at - http://ragecircus.blogspot.com/2014/0...
Check out the rest of my review at - http://ragecircus.blogspot.com/2014/0...
June 17, 2014
Greatly enjoyed this collection by Author/Editor Jason Sizemore. You can check out my full review at my website here: http://alligatorsandaneurysms.wordpre...
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
May 17, 2014
Can't wait to read this book it looks extremely interesting
June 4, 2014
The collection is slightly uneven in quality but some of the stories are excellent.
http://opionator.wordpress.com/2014/0...
http://opionator.wordpress.com/2014/0...
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