What do you think?
Rate this book
Stray Sod
A Short Story
The Irish seem to have lots to say about stray sod, but chiefly: don’t step on it. A whirlwind tour of Ireland in and out of time.
The Irish seem to have lots to say about stray sod, but chiefly: don’t step on it. A whirlwind tour of Ireland in and out of time.
17 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 26, 2019
1 person is currently reading
2 people want to read
About the author
M.K. Alexander
29 books73 followersNo genre is safe from me!
(OK, maybe Romance is safe)
One thing that bugs me is the accusation that I am too subtle. Too subtle? Is this even possible? I like to give my readers some credit: I always assume they are clever, educated, and have a good sense of humor...
I've has been writing fiction for over 20 years and recently published eight new titles, as well as a short story collection. Every book I write is exhaustively researched, I'm proud to say.
I have been a reporter and editor for many newspapers, and worked for The New York Times for well over ten years. Winner of the BBC Short Story Award.
(OK, maybe Romance is safe)
One thing that bugs me is the accusation that I am too subtle. Too subtle? Is this even possible? I like to give my readers some credit: I always assume they are clever, educated, and have a good sense of humor...
I've has been writing fiction for over 20 years and recently published eight new titles, as well as a short story collection. Every book I write is exhaustively researched, I'm proud to say.
I have been a reporter and editor for many newspapers, and worked for The New York Times for well over ten years. Winner of the BBC Short Story Award.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 22, 2024
STRAY SOD by MK Alexander
A Book Review by AZ Perez
April 21, 2024
The conclusion of the story is surprisingly remarkable!
Stray Sod in Irish folklore is a lump of grass that is enchanted by fairies or fairy-like creatures. If touched or stepped on by an individual, he or she will be disorientated and only by wearing one’s shirt or clothes in an inside-out fashion can the spell be broken. I have learnt from previous readings that this enchanting belief is not just in Ireland but also reaching across other countries and cultures, differing in names but the same phenomenon.
I enjoyed the opening, where there is a mysterious man on the train as the main characters travel to Northern Ireland, it sets the tone of the tale. Most notable is the conclusion of the story which is surprisingly unforgettable!
The focus of the book is not on the dramatic transformation of the main characters as the pages progress nor the verve description of the landscape. The middle part of the story is enlivened by the main characters' thoughts and also the narrator’s while their travel advances - comparing the remote villages as representations of the past and the city centers as the future and the places in between as the present.
Until, a main character of the tale fortuitously stepped on a peculiar lump of grass and the enchanting transformation happens!
Cleverly penned! A wonderful read!
A Book Review by AZ Perez
April 21, 2024
The conclusion of the story is surprisingly remarkable!
Stray Sod in Irish folklore is a lump of grass that is enchanted by fairies or fairy-like creatures. If touched or stepped on by an individual, he or she will be disorientated and only by wearing one’s shirt or clothes in an inside-out fashion can the spell be broken. I have learnt from previous readings that this enchanting belief is not just in Ireland but also reaching across other countries and cultures, differing in names but the same phenomenon.
I enjoyed the opening, where there is a mysterious man on the train as the main characters travel to Northern Ireland, it sets the tone of the tale. Most notable is the conclusion of the story which is surprisingly unforgettable!
The focus of the book is not on the dramatic transformation of the main characters as the pages progress nor the verve description of the landscape. The middle part of the story is enlivened by the main characters' thoughts and also the narrator’s while their travel advances - comparing the remote villages as representations of the past and the city centers as the future and the places in between as the present.
Until, a main character of the tale fortuitously stepped on a peculiar lump of grass and the enchanting transformation happens!
Cleverly penned! A wonderful read!
April 20, 2020
Short horror fiction is a tricky genre to pull off well. CW Hawes does it with subtle flourish, and now, I’ve discovered, so does MK Alexander. Having recently read (and enjoyed) two of Alexander’s novel length books, I picked up Stray Sod and took the horror writer’s “Irish tour.” Though it begins in a New York Subway car, most of the story plays out in a dark, out of time, and slightly ghastly Eire. Stray Sod will chill anyone who’s ever experienced a scary or lost moment on vacation. Highly recommended, late at night, with spiked tea.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews