Uncanny Valley : A Collection of Short Stories

by S.Mickey Lin

Questions of identity and humanity galvanise the twelve stories in this provocative and eclectic collection by S. Mickey Lin, and original new voice in speculative fiction. Using a wide range of characters, from the construction worker to the professor to the badminton start, the multi-layered stories explore identity and various aspects of the human psyche. Uncanny Valley will gnaw on the corners of your mind and challenge your ideas on society and what it means to be human.

155 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Pin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick read. I love that the stories are interconnected. Most of the stories have a very similar tone (eventually you anticipate and guess where the story leads) but the subjects feel diverse to me. I'm not sure if I could ever explain it, but the some of the stories really vibe with me.

[Eunice Ying Ci · Rating 1 out of 5]

This collection of short stories reminded me of Chinese modernist fiction, like the works of Lu Xun for example. And I do think my one star might have been a bit harsh, because I can imagine other people enjoying these satirical tales more than I do. But for me, the tone of each piece is so similar that it sort of flattens into a single dull tone in the background a couple of stories in. After a while, you just don’t really engage with what’s happening anymore. The cynicism feels predictable and repetitive. And perhaps that’s the whole point, since all the short stories are connected in one way or another.