A Collection of Obsessions

The Obsidian Path

by Michael R. Fletcher, Anna Smith Spark (Foreword)

From cyberpunk to Manifest Delusions, this collection of 17 short stories is rife with my obsessions. Some of these have previously been published, some have not. Stories Intellectual Property, The Broken Dead, Death at the Pass, Death and Dignity, A Second Chance, The Summer of ‘79, The Commuter, Less Than 20/20, At the Walls of Sinnlos, Personality Pirate, Character is What You Are, The Message, The Undying Lands, Just Like the Rain, Artificial Stupidity, Fire and Flesh, The Invisible Assassin.

Genres: Fantasy, Short Stories, Fiction, Science Fiction

244 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2019

About the author

Michael R. Fletcher is a science fiction and fantasy author, a grilled cheese aficionado, and a whiskey-swilling reprobate. He spends his days choreographing his forklift musical (titled "Get Forked"), and using caffeine as a substitute for sanity. Any suggestions that he is actually Dyrk Ashton in disguise are all lies.

Blog (kinda): http://michaelrfletcher.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRFlet...

Twitter: @FletcherMR

Instagram: fletcher_michael_r

Reviews

[Bookwraiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.

Death at the Pass is a damn fun read. A short morsel of Michael Fletcher madness, which entertains, tantalizes, and leaves you wanting more.

“Somewhere there was a Necromancer. Of that there could be no doubt.”

Thus begins Khraen the Corpses return to life. His first tentative steps out of the grave a desperate attempt to ascertain who has given his skeletal remains life, where he is, when he is, and why. Why probably being the most important of these, because having been returned to life Khraen isn’t in a big hurry to jump back into the grave.

What I loved about Death at the Pass was the humanity of Khraen, our animated dead guy. Learning about his past, the world he once knew, and see him quickly accept his undead life, struggle to survive his current situation, and somehow, someway find a path to a future was really compelling. Not only entertaining but thought-provoking and emotional. Which surprised me given how short a period of time I spent with Khraen. But in just a few pages, the fate of this skeleton actually mattered to me. Great writing by Michael Fletcher, as always.

Will you love this short?

Yeah, I think you will. It is a quick paced, easy to digest delectable morsel of undead fun. Plus it can be read for free here.

Merged review:

Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.

Continuing the story of Khraen the Corpse begun in Death at the Pass, Death and Dignity is an even more thoughtful yet devilishly funny Michael Fletcher short. My favorite grimdark author delivering yet another damn fun read.

In life, Khraen was Fist of Sorhd-Rach, First General of the Invincible Hand, powerful demonologist, and loyal servant to the Emperor of eternal Palaq Taq, who wielded the demon-infused sword Kantlament against his enemies. In undeath, he is a dead man trapped in the prison of his own rotting flesh hunted by sorcerers. Talk a horrible turn of events.

The story which flows out from this set up is not really about Khraen being hunted as much as it is the emotional turmoil our undead corpse is dealing with and his feelings of helplessness, as well as a brief character study of those hunting him. The best moments of the narrative where the author’s dark, gallows humor springs to life unexpectedly. The fact that the ending is rather surprising and open-ended merely an added plus.

Just as with the first installment of this series, Khraen, our animated dead guy, is the star of the show, the reason to keep turning the e-book pages. His struggle to accept his new undead life, reconcile his current state with his past life, and find some reason to keep existing damn interesting and a bit emotional at times. I mean, Khraen finds a way to laugh at his circumstances and trade a few jokes here and there even though he wishes he was still dead, and this refusal to give up made me really learn to like this dead guy, made me eager to read more about him and his journey.

But will you personally like this tale of Khraen the Corpse?

Well, it’s fast-paced, emotional, has some humor, can be read for free here, and shouldn’t take too long for you to finish. How could you not like that deal?

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewing a collection of stories, especially one that spans a writer's career, is difficult to rate. In "A Collection of Obesessions," Michael Fletcher shares some insight at the beginning of every entry explaining how far along his writing career he was at the time. Some of the earlier stuff was admittedly a bit raw, but he decided to include them anyway. I'm glad he did. I can't imagine many other writers who would want to share some of their earliest, never-before-published, never-since-been-edited stories. There's a lot of really cool themes that reappear throughout the anthology and I'd be interested in seeing more of them.

So, 4 stars, as it contains some fantastic, previously published short stories in the Manifest Delusions universe, and a healthy mix of previously unreleased sci fi and fantasy stories revolving around either a memory chip or an undead protagonist. Anna Smith Spark wrote a solid introduction, touching on how the book's stories are so varied -- she's absolutely right, as the setting and tone and emotions of these stories have a wide berth.

Hard science fiction, love stories, fantasy based off a role-playing game campaign, near-future corporate espionage, Twilight Zone-adjacent twists... and yes, a Manifest Delusions short story or two. It took me two days to read cover to cover.

If you're new to Fletcher's work, this probably isn't the book you want to start with. Go read Beyond Redemption or Swarm and Steel first. For those who are familiar with Fletcher's work, this feels like a bonus paycheck, and a chance to look under the hood and see how the engine runs. I'll read anything Fletcher writes, as he's earned Day 1 Purchase status. This collection of short stories continues that trend.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well this was fun. Especially for a free story. If you like fantasy read it. You won't regret it.

Merged review:

Man these are such fun stories. Hopefully Michael returns one day to these characters and writes them in a real book.

Here is hoping for more.

[Jon Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is very interesting and entertaining compilation. It's pretty cool seeing his growth as an author.
I think it's brave to publish some of these stories that he knew weren't up to his current level.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of stories from one of my favorite authors ranges from fantasy, to scifi, and even has a story that isn't speculative. I enjoyed reading all of this and seeing the array of ideas Fletcher has had over the decades. My lack of boredom despite the varying levels of quality and editing here is a testament to how much I love Fletcher's writing. The foreword from Anna Smith Spark is also greatly appreciated and touching.

My favorite stories here were: The Broken Dead, Death at the Pass, The Undying Lands, Fire and Flesh, Death and Dignity, The Commuter, Character is What You Are, and A Second Chance

[Dann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rarely do I find myself drawn to fiction without knowing much about the person behind the words. Perhaps it’s a part of my training as a researcher, or just me being a know-it-all, but I love to understand how the weaver of words cobbled their fiction together. Michael R. Fletcher‘s A Collection of Obsessions taps into this passion for what we have in his collection of short stories is a treat for those interested in not only the writing process, but the struggles, the highs, and the lows of being a writer.

Continue review here: https://www.grimdarkmagazine.com/revi...

[Carrie Chi Lough · Rating 5 out of 5]

By the time, I finished the forward by Anna Smith Spark and intro I already knew this would be one of the most treasured books I will ever read. This is a must for any fans of Manifest Delusions or 88. Really, A Collection of Obsessions is more than just a collection of short stories. If you are a beginner writer, a new author, or are struggling to write- you absolutely need to read this book. You will not get the answers on how to fix your writing or secrets to how to get published but, if you are like me, this book was everything I needed to hear.

[Alex Khlopenko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review at THREE CROWS MAGAZINE

I struggle with writing. Each review, even the one I’m writing right now, is a chore and pain in the ass, no matter how much I enjoyed the book or wanted to review it. For a content producer, it is important to be honest about these things, to show that life’s a struggle, and a creative one even more so. For honesty’s sake – I’ve been putting this review off for two months, despite devouring A Collection of Obsessions in a couple goes. Now I’m typing it up like a madman.

Another mad man is Michael R. Fletcher, who likes to indulge in batshittery and outright insanity and that’s why his grimdark niche loves him. Rightfully so they do – Beyond Redemption and Swarm and Steel are probably the darkest, most sickeningly violent tales of the last decade, where everyone is literally beyond redemption. His A Collection of Obsessions is simultaneously a showcase of how Fletcher developed this outlook and style, and how it was cultivated behind the scenes.

More than two dozen stories offer something for everyone. Phildickian cyberpunk and corporate espionage? Here you go. Hard SciFi? He’s got some of those. D&D inspired stories, stories from the universe of Manifest Delusions, love stories, even twilight-zone-ish mindfuckery – it’s all here: come and get it.

[James Roberts moved to StoryGraph. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual star rating: 4.5
Original review on Nightmarish Conjurings:

http://www.nightmarishconjurings.com/...

TLDR: Fletcher is a madman of the highest order, as anyone who’s read his novels can attest. This collection of shorts from both across his career and before it is yet another check mark against his sanity, in the best possible way. While not exactly a great place to start your Fletcher experience, A Collection of Obsessions is a wonderful companion to his fantastic psychosis and offers a glimpse of the path one must take to become a writer with his talents.

[ToBe · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 but 5/5 if you want to be a writer.

I thought I should clarify my rating because this collection is a bit difficult to rate due to not purely being a best-of collection of Fletcher's short stories. Meaning that the quality of the stories fluctuates in order to show the growth during his career as a writer. That is why I rounded up (and due to the sweet cover).

My favorite stories were:
Intellectual Property 4/5
Death at the Pass 4/5
Death and Dignity 4/5
Less Than 20/20 3.5/5
Character is What You Are 3.5/5
Just Like the Rain 4/5
Artificial Stupidity 3.5/5
Undying Lands 4/5

[Lisa Maughan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this collection of stories. This is the first time I have read anything from this author. (Yes I have crawled out from under the rock) I was immediately drawn into his writing. Different writing styles for different genres which kept things fresh. Some stories are racy, some are grim and gory (the way I like my books), some are heartfelt and some are just strange. He may have his own doubts about publishing some of them but I did not find one I did not like. These stories captured my imagination and I found them fascinating. I felt honored to read them. We get to see a little snippet into the mind of this talented writer

[Joseph Vanucchi · Rating 5 out of 5]

More Great Stuff

Really enjoyed almost all of these, and I usually have a hard time being able to connect well with short stories. I think I liked it because it reminded me of things I've attempted to write, long ago. Except, you know, these are really good, interesting and well done..

[Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Collection of short stories that were primarily written in the author's early writing days. As with most collections, some are good and some are not so good, and they all have some prefacing info by the author as to how they came about, which was interesting. A lot of them have the dark themes of his later work (two of them in the Manifest Delusions universe), but my favourite was Death at the Pass, about a soldier risen from the dead who confronts the necromancer - it was blackly humorous as well.

[Marco Landi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Racconti interessanti, alcuni più altri meno, ma che permettono di vedere le idee che sono state alla base dei molti romanzi che poi li hanno seguiti..
I più interessanti (e che alzano il voto) sono quelli legati alle saghe di Manifest Delusion e Obsidian Path.. anche se sono delle 'primitive' bozze di ciò che verrà, con personaggi abbozzati della grandezza che poi avranno..
Non amo particolarmente i racconti ma qui mi sono comunque divertito..

[Berta Kleiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some well written little gems. Much better than I expected from a collection of early short stories.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent collection of stories by this author. Really shows how he has improved as he wrote them over the years.

[Dave-Brendon Burgh · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, isn’t that cover wonderful? 🙂 Designed by his daughter, it’s the kind of cover I wish more folks had the courage to create and show, and a cover you would probably never see from any big name-‘brand’ publisher. It’s beautiful and encapsulates the contents of Michael’s collection perfectly.

Now, to the meat. This collection, as Michael states in his introduction, serves as ‘a wander down memory lane’. If short story collections could be translated into photographs, this collection would be an album. It begins with some of Michael’s earliest tales and continues, giving the reader a backstage and intimate look at the kinds of stories Michael wanted to tell at specific times, as well as letting the reader closer to experience Michael’s growth as a writer and storyteller.

My first introduction to Michael’s work was the short story ‘Fire and Flesh‘, which is also included in this collection. I loved how concepts such as emotions and mental illness’ fed the magic systems in this weird, incredible Fantasy world. The characters, too, repulsed me and intrigued me at the same time.

So, when I began reading the collection and found that the first story was more SF than F, I was immediately curious. And then Michael introduces the concept of ‘memory plugs’… It felt like I had been dumped into a world directed by Christopher Nolan and scripted by Michael Fletcher. If you haven’t read ‘Intellectual Property‘, you might agree with me. At the very least, you’ll find yourself wondering how you would use a memory plug, or how your boss would, or a massive corporation…

One of the stories, ‘Just Like the Rain‘, left me in tears. And I mean that as a compliment.

Others offer more insight into how Michael developed his worlds and magic systems for the novels he’s written, specifically ‘The Obsidian Path‘ and the ‘Manifest Delusions‘ novels. I dearly want and need to read his novels. 🙂

There’s a lot more to discover in the collection – Michael manages to deftly weave cutting humor into his tales, drops those ‘damn, I really have to think about that’ moments throughout, and above all, shows that he really loves writing and being a storyteller. He’s also not afraid to let the reader in, which doesn’t happen with most writers.

So, in closing, I can confidently state that reading this collection made me more intensely curious about Michael’s work. If you follow him on Facebook you already know that he’s one of the more insane writers out there (also a compliment), but it’s also great to know that he’s a damned good storyteller and writer, too.

Not only am I looking forward to reading Michael’s novels, but also to reading more of his short story collections. Being allowed to peek behind the curtain while also being entertained is damned cool, so, thanks, Mr. Fletcher.

[John Plutz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since I read Beyond Redemption, Michael R. Fletcher has become one of my favorite authors. His ideas just feel so fresh in a world full of the same old racket. Reading this collection spanning from his earliest works to some more recent iterations was an absolute pleasure and a great insight to how he has evolved as a writer over the years. I highly recommend anything that he writes and I will continue to be a die-hard Fletcher fan.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this collection of short stories. It’s fascinating to see the inception of the concepts and characters that later become the stories that you know and love. Every story was interesting, and I enjoyed them. Thanks for sharing Mike!