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Chimerascope
Chimerascope [ki-meer-uh-skohp] — a story of many parts...
A young artist hungers to draw you.
A dinner conversation takes three lifetimes to finish.
A geologist faces a planet-sized, eons-old puzzle to save her crew.
The hero of the Fall of Earth must choose between love and revenge.
A mysterious dancer leads a businessman to a most exclusive nightclub.
A man is born each day into a new life—only to die each night.
A sentient aurora threatens the last of humanity.
A Norse god’s bar in Toronto hosts an unplanned family reunion.
A woman descends into insanity—or is it the end of the world?
A house as big as the world.
Chimerascope is Doug's first full collection of short fiction, containing sixteen of his best stories, including an award winner, a Best New Horror selection, and eight award finalists. Sixteen stories of fantasy and science fiction that take you from love in fourteenth-century Japan to humanity’s last stand, from virtual reality to the end of reality, from alien drug addictions to a dinner where a man loses everything.
Finalist for the Sunburst Award, the Aurora Award, and the Canadian Broadcast Corporation’s “Bookies Award
A young artist hungers to draw you.
A dinner conversation takes three lifetimes to finish.
A geologist faces a planet-sized, eons-old puzzle to save her crew.
The hero of the Fall of Earth must choose between love and revenge.
A mysterious dancer leads a businessman to a most exclusive nightclub.
A man is born each day into a new life—only to die each night.
A sentient aurora threatens the last of humanity.
A Norse god’s bar in Toronto hosts an unplanned family reunion.
A woman descends into insanity—or is it the end of the world?
A house as big as the world.
Chimerascope is Doug's first full collection of short fiction, containing sixteen of his best stories, including an award winner, a Best New Horror selection, and eight award finalists. Sixteen stories of fantasy and science fiction that take you from love in fourteenth-century Japan to humanity’s last stand, from virtual reality to the end of reality, from alien drug addictions to a dinner where a man loses everything.
Finalist for the Sunburst Award, the Aurora Award, and the Canadian Broadcast Corporation’s “Bookies Award
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
14 people are currently reading
675 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Smith
51 books193 followersDouglas Smith is a multi-award-winning author described by Library Journal as “one of Canada's most original writers of speculative fiction.”
His latest work is the multi-award-winning YA urban fantasy trilogy, The Dream Rider Saga (The Hollow Boys, The Crystal Key, and The Lost Expedition). Other books include the urban fantasy novel, The Wolf at the End of the World; the collections, Chimerascope, Impossibilia, and La Danse des Esprits (translated); and the writer's guide Playing the Short Game: How to Market & Sell Short Fiction.
His short fiction has appeared in the top markets in the field, including The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Amazing Stories, InterZone, Weird Tales, Baen’s Universe, Escape Pod, On Spec, and Cicada.
Published in 27 languages, Doug is a 4-time winner of Canada's Aurora Award, most recently in 2023 for The Hollow Boys, as well as the juried IAP Award for the same book. He's been a finalist for the Astounding Award, CBC's Bookies Award, Canada's juried Sunburst Award, the juried Alberta Magazine Award for Fiction, and France's juried Prix Masterton and Prix Bob Morane.
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His latest work is the multi-award-winning YA urban fantasy trilogy, The Dream Rider Saga (The Hollow Boys, The Crystal Key, and The Lost Expedition). Other books include the urban fantasy novel, The Wolf at the End of the World; the collections, Chimerascope, Impossibilia, and La Danse des Esprits (translated); and the writer's guide Playing the Short Game: How to Market & Sell Short Fiction.
His short fiction has appeared in the top markets in the field, including The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Amazing Stories, InterZone, Weird Tales, Baen’s Universe, Escape Pod, On Spec, and Cicada.
Published in 27 languages, Doug is a 4-time winner of Canada's Aurora Award, most recently in 2023 for The Hollow Boys, as well as the juried IAP Award for the same book. He's been a finalist for the Astounding Award, CBC's Bookies Award, Canada's juried Sunburst Award, the juried Alberta Magazine Award for Fiction, and France's juried Prix Masterton and Prix Bob Morane.
Buy Doug's books
Follow Doug on Amazon
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
July 23, 2014
If there is a theme to such a complex collection, it is "change and adaptability". And while the heroes and heroines of the stories here are confronted by major upheavals and challenges, not all manage to overcome them successfully, or sometimes the price is just too high.
I will present a short discussion story by story, while I recommend to check the excerpt site on the author's website for a taste of each of the pieces in the collection.
Scream Angel
Chimerascope starts with a bang in this powerful adventure tale set in the author "Merged Corporate Entity/Rippers" future, in which the malignant "Corporate Entity" took power on Earth in a post-apocalyptic future and led humanity to the stars, only to exploit and rape all non-human life, sentient or not (IP aka Indigenous People) in the name of profit. Using special combat troops with an innocuous name (Rippers - Relocation of Indigenous People) that are addicted to Scream, a special drug that transforms all powerful emotions into highs , allowing the addicts to kill, torture or be abused, beaten by their superiors with a smile on the face so to speak, to exterminate or at best imprison and use the natives, The Entity seems to have an unassailable hold on humanity. But one RIP Force officer who develops a friendship with the strange aliens providing Scream may prove otherwise. A dark and powerful story with a first line that sets the tone for what is to come:
"They stopped beating Trelayne when they saw that he enjoyed it." (A++)
The Red Bird
Changing style and tone from the dark tale of the Rippers above, we move here to a mythical fantasy-like medieval Japan, a strange temple and the even stranger bird from the title. Young Asai becomes the last warrior of the "Red Bird", but when the local warlord decides to sacrifice a whole village to get the secret of the temple, what will he do?
Powerful, moving and not quite predictable (A+)
By Her Hand, She Draws You Down
This is a straight-out horror story about a painter who is compelled to draw people to feed a dark hunger in herself; her companion/lover fears he will be next. Well done and with a nice twist though farther than usual from my sensibilities. (A)
New Year’s Eve
A Y2K bug story based on the author's industry experiences and with overtones of Casablanca of all things, this story worked less well for me and it's more conventional. (B-)
The Boys Are Back in Town
A partly funny, partly dark story in which various gods from several pantheons are "back in town", mostly enjoying themselves in a pub. Paulo narrates with Dino as main companion - I leave to the reader to figure out who are the two - I enjoyed this one a lot; one of the most "pure entertainment" tales of the collection, though it has its dark parts too. (A)
State of Disorder
Another core story of the collection, this one involves time-travel, revenge and as nasty a villain as it gets on a personal scale. A chilling story of three dinners in the same place and time and a very satisfying ending made this another A++ story for me.
Nothing
A short, more experimental story on the horror side, I did not really care for this one though it works as a mood piece. (B-)
Symphony
A strong sfnal story about a "sentient light symphony" that objects to humans colonizing "its planet". How would you communicate with such and how would it react to a baby who lacks all "human baggage" are some of the issues addressed here. (A+)
Out of the Light
Urban fantasy detective story that read well and was short enough not to be too annoying for me, but overall not my cup of tea. (B)
Enlightenment
Another "Merged Corporate Entity/RIP Force" story and one with a very interesting genesis and reader feedback as the author recounts. This time we have strange aliens with supposedly mysterious powers who seemingly gave away all such to live the "simple life"; of course all that works out until nasty Rippers come from the sky and start the usual torturing and killing left and right to get to those secrets. While the general direction of the tale is clear, there are some unexpected twists and a superb ending; the story itself is as powerful as any in the collection (A++)
The Last Ride
More mythology on the Nordic pattern with Valkyries this time; what price immortality and what would an immortal sacrifice to know a "regular life"? (A)
Jigsaw
As the author tells it, the one YA story of the collection that came by specific circumstances, though it reads very, very well in the traditional derring-do of sf adventures, with Cassie Morant a leading Earth researcher in the ftl wormhole technology of the mysterious "Wormers" that gave humanity the stars and an expedition that encounters seemingly benevolent and less developed human-like aliens; fast and mostly fun traditional sf that shows the scope of the author's range and another favorite of mine (A+)
The Dancer at the Red Door
What if there is a secret society of immortals that draw life from a magical dancer? What is the price of joining them? Ultra-successful businessman Alexander King finds out in this excellent story which is traditional urban fantasy at its best. (A)
Going Harvey in the Big House
"Big G" is not that bright but he is content with his life inside the "big house" that is his universe until he stumbles upon the unknown; a partly strange structure, partly horror story this one did not work as well as I expected for me mainly because of the main protagonist; I tend to like this type of story and following the mystery of the structure to the end is worth it. (B)
A Taste Sweet and Salty
Another superb story about a man that dies every night, only to wake up as someone generally different the next day; all happens in a town from which escape seems impossible until the main hero has an insight; unpredictable and with a great ending this story is another highlight of the collection and the one non-sf A++ for me.
Memories of the Dead Man
I would say last and best, but several of the previous stories are on par with this one which is set in the beginning of the reign of the Merged Corporate Entity on Earth. All that you want in a sf short story is here from powerful characters, to action, mysterious happenings and a dark, violent but excellent tale. Read about the "dead men", revenge, superpowers and a woman fighting for survival with her son in a harsh and unforgiving world; a bittersweet ending adds to the power of the story. (A++)
In conclusion I would say that "Chimerascope" (A+ overall) confirms for me what "Impossibilia" affirmed, namely that Douglas Smith is an extraordinary author whom every lover of quality speculative fiction should read.
I will present a short discussion story by story, while I recommend to check the excerpt site on the author's website for a taste of each of the pieces in the collection.
Scream Angel
Chimerascope starts with a bang in this powerful adventure tale set in the author "Merged Corporate Entity/Rippers" future, in which the malignant "Corporate Entity" took power on Earth in a post-apocalyptic future and led humanity to the stars, only to exploit and rape all non-human life, sentient or not (IP aka Indigenous People) in the name of profit. Using special combat troops with an innocuous name (Rippers - Relocation of Indigenous People) that are addicted to Scream, a special drug that transforms all powerful emotions into highs , allowing the addicts to kill, torture or be abused, beaten by their superiors with a smile on the face so to speak, to exterminate or at best imprison and use the natives, The Entity seems to have an unassailable hold on humanity. But one RIP Force officer who develops a friendship with the strange aliens providing Scream may prove otherwise. A dark and powerful story with a first line that sets the tone for what is to come:
"They stopped beating Trelayne when they saw that he enjoyed it." (A++)
The Red Bird
Changing style and tone from the dark tale of the Rippers above, we move here to a mythical fantasy-like medieval Japan, a strange temple and the even stranger bird from the title. Young Asai becomes the last warrior of the "Red Bird", but when the local warlord decides to sacrifice a whole village to get the secret of the temple, what will he do?
Powerful, moving and not quite predictable (A+)
By Her Hand, She Draws You Down
This is a straight-out horror story about a painter who is compelled to draw people to feed a dark hunger in herself; her companion/lover fears he will be next. Well done and with a nice twist though farther than usual from my sensibilities. (A)
New Year’s Eve
A Y2K bug story based on the author's industry experiences and with overtones of Casablanca of all things, this story worked less well for me and it's more conventional. (B-)
The Boys Are Back in Town
A partly funny, partly dark story in which various gods from several pantheons are "back in town", mostly enjoying themselves in a pub. Paulo narrates with Dino as main companion - I leave to the reader to figure out who are the two - I enjoyed this one a lot; one of the most "pure entertainment" tales of the collection, though it has its dark parts too. (A)
State of Disorder
Another core story of the collection, this one involves time-travel, revenge and as nasty a villain as it gets on a personal scale. A chilling story of three dinners in the same place and time and a very satisfying ending made this another A++ story for me.
Nothing
A short, more experimental story on the horror side, I did not really care for this one though it works as a mood piece. (B-)
Symphony
A strong sfnal story about a "sentient light symphony" that objects to humans colonizing "its planet". How would you communicate with such and how would it react to a baby who lacks all "human baggage" are some of the issues addressed here. (A+)
Out of the Light
Urban fantasy detective story that read well and was short enough not to be too annoying for me, but overall not my cup of tea. (B)
Enlightenment
Another "Merged Corporate Entity/RIP Force" story and one with a very interesting genesis and reader feedback as the author recounts. This time we have strange aliens with supposedly mysterious powers who seemingly gave away all such to live the "simple life"; of course all that works out until nasty Rippers come from the sky and start the usual torturing and killing left and right to get to those secrets. While the general direction of the tale is clear, there are some unexpected twists and a superb ending; the story itself is as powerful as any in the collection (A++)
The Last Ride
More mythology on the Nordic pattern with Valkyries this time; what price immortality and what would an immortal sacrifice to know a "regular life"? (A)
Jigsaw
As the author tells it, the one YA story of the collection that came by specific circumstances, though it reads very, very well in the traditional derring-do of sf adventures, with Cassie Morant a leading Earth researcher in the ftl wormhole technology of the mysterious "Wormers" that gave humanity the stars and an expedition that encounters seemingly benevolent and less developed human-like aliens; fast and mostly fun traditional sf that shows the scope of the author's range and another favorite of mine (A+)
The Dancer at the Red Door
What if there is a secret society of immortals that draw life from a magical dancer? What is the price of joining them? Ultra-successful businessman Alexander King finds out in this excellent story which is traditional urban fantasy at its best. (A)
Going Harvey in the Big House
"Big G" is not that bright but he is content with his life inside the "big house" that is his universe until he stumbles upon the unknown; a partly strange structure, partly horror story this one did not work as well as I expected for me mainly because of the main protagonist; I tend to like this type of story and following the mystery of the structure to the end is worth it. (B)
A Taste Sweet and Salty
Another superb story about a man that dies every night, only to wake up as someone generally different the next day; all happens in a town from which escape seems impossible until the main hero has an insight; unpredictable and with a great ending this story is another highlight of the collection and the one non-sf A++ for me.
Memories of the Dead Man
I would say last and best, but several of the previous stories are on par with this one which is set in the beginning of the reign of the Merged Corporate Entity on Earth. All that you want in a sf short story is here from powerful characters, to action, mysterious happenings and a dark, violent but excellent tale. Read about the "dead men", revenge, superpowers and a woman fighting for survival with her son in a harsh and unforgiving world; a bittersweet ending adds to the power of the story. (A++)
In conclusion I would say that "Chimerascope" (A+ overall) confirms for me what "Impossibilia" affirmed, namely that Douglas Smith is an extraordinary author whom every lover of quality speculative fiction should read.
May 1, 2021
It is the beauty of the cover that immediately attracted me to this book, sometimes last year. However, I had no clue that the contents would be even more beautiful. In the sixteen stories Douglas Smith showcases his amazing craftmanship with the words and sentences. It is even more amazing that he does it with a wide variety of backgrounds starting from the fourteenth century Japan through the present downtown Toronto to far away galaxies in future. An amazing canvas spanning far too long in both spatial and temporal dimensions. In this large canvas he chooses to paint a set of feelings with various colors and light effects, but using words.
I was not convinced that one can pack in so much feelings in the few pages of a short story. Also it is hard to imagine how he is able to develop his characters so well in such a short format. And how amazingly he is able to conjure the magical story structures in that short format too. I had read many good books where the authors can't get rid of some superfluous characters or they can't develop some characters enough to make the overall character design to the optimum level. But, in these short stories Smith is able to design the optimum number of characters and makes each of them such an integral part of the story. And he does it consistently, in every single story.
First of all, about the title, Chimerascope, according to the author is "An instrument, in book form, used for viewing a disparate (but hopefully, not grotesquely so) collection of impossible (but hopefully not foolish) fantasies". "Chimera" is an imaginary creature made up of grotesquely disparate parts. The stories in this book are also strange combinations of outrageously unrelated ideas. These consist of a moving circus of captured aliens, a strange and enigmatic dancer in the busy downtown who is only visible to the protagonist, a physicist doing his strange experiments with the entropy of a closed system, a strange aurora affecting the last humans in a distant planet, a strange shapeshifter residing in a busy downtown, a hapless alien colony in the hands of sadistic human invaders, a princess descended into the human form from Valhalla, a strange jigsaw puzzle themed story for the young readers, a dimwit commando influenced by a privileged lady. I think I will never be able to forget some of these stories. "Symphony", "The Dancer at the Red Door", "By her hand, she draws you down" and "Scream Angel" fall into this category. They are extremely strange and plotted with a riveting atmosphere. "By her hand..." is already converted into a horror film. I'm not sure if a movie will be able to capture the power of this short fiction.
A recurring theme among these stories, apart from the alien and sci-fi set up, is the various forms of light and colors. I guess probably this is what is conveyed by the cover picture. "The Red Bird" and the "The dancer at the red door" already indicate this in their titles itself. There are constant references to the redness in these stories. The stories "Symphony", "Out of the light", "Going harvey in the big house" also have various colors and strange light artifacts in their story structure. It is amazing that how one can use written words to paint all those feelings of light and colors into our brains.
This is mind-blowing talent. My individual ratings to the stories are like below.
Scream Angel -> 5
The Red Bird -> 4
By Her Hand, She Draws You Down -> 5
New Year's Eve -> 3
Out of the Light -> 4
State of Disorder -> 4
The Boys Are Back in Town -> 3
Symphony -> 5
Enlightenment -> 5
Nothing -> 3
Jigsaw -> 4
Going Harvey in the Big House -> 5
The Last Ride -> 5
The Dancer at the Red Door -> 5
A Taste Sweet and Salty -> 5
Memories of the Dead Man -> 3
I was not convinced that one can pack in so much feelings in the few pages of a short story. Also it is hard to imagine how he is able to develop his characters so well in such a short format. And how amazingly he is able to conjure the magical story structures in that short format too. I had read many good books where the authors can't get rid of some superfluous characters or they can't develop some characters enough to make the overall character design to the optimum level. But, in these short stories Smith is able to design the optimum number of characters and makes each of them such an integral part of the story. And he does it consistently, in every single story.
First of all, about the title, Chimerascope, according to the author is "An instrument, in book form, used for viewing a disparate (but hopefully, not grotesquely so) collection of impossible (but hopefully not foolish) fantasies". "Chimera" is an imaginary creature made up of grotesquely disparate parts. The stories in this book are also strange combinations of outrageously unrelated ideas. These consist of a moving circus of captured aliens, a strange and enigmatic dancer in the busy downtown who is only visible to the protagonist, a physicist doing his strange experiments with the entropy of a closed system, a strange aurora affecting the last humans in a distant planet, a strange shapeshifter residing in a busy downtown, a hapless alien colony in the hands of sadistic human invaders, a princess descended into the human form from Valhalla, a strange jigsaw puzzle themed story for the young readers, a dimwit commando influenced by a privileged lady. I think I will never be able to forget some of these stories. "Symphony", "The Dancer at the Red Door", "By her hand, she draws you down" and "Scream Angel" fall into this category. They are extremely strange and plotted with a riveting atmosphere. "By her hand..." is already converted into a horror film. I'm not sure if a movie will be able to capture the power of this short fiction.
A recurring theme among these stories, apart from the alien and sci-fi set up, is the various forms of light and colors. I guess probably this is what is conveyed by the cover picture. "The Red Bird" and the "The dancer at the red door" already indicate this in their titles itself. There are constant references to the redness in these stories. The stories "Symphony", "Out of the light", "Going harvey in the big house" also have various colors and strange light artifacts in their story structure. It is amazing that how one can use written words to paint all those feelings of light and colors into our brains.
This is mind-blowing talent. My individual ratings to the stories are like below.
Scream Angel -> 5
The Red Bird -> 4
By Her Hand, She Draws You Down -> 5
New Year's Eve -> 3
Out of the Light -> 4
State of Disorder -> 4
The Boys Are Back in Town -> 3
Symphony -> 5
Enlightenment -> 5
Nothing -> 3
Jigsaw -> 4
Going Harvey in the Big House -> 5
The Last Ride -> 5
The Dancer at the Red Door -> 5
A Taste Sweet and Salty -> 5
Memories of the Dead Man -> 3
June 30, 2010
Another Goodreads giveaway title. I was notified on April 09, 2010 that it should arrive in 4 - 6 weeks and thank yuh.
Got it in the mail today, April 28th. It has to wait a bit...
June 29, 2010:
Douglas Smith starts Chimerascope (ki-meer-uh-scope) with an award winning story “Scream Angel”; which starts with an award winning line: “They stopped beating Trelayne when they saw that he enjoyed it.”
Right from the start I was hooked.
In all there are sixteen stories that dip their feet in fantasy, science fiction and horror. I don’t know if I have a favorite because they were all very good. But if more were written about the Deadmen, I’d hop on for the ride.
A lot of writers find a stylistic formula for story telling that works for them and stick with it. The best can switch gears, seemingly at will, and tell their tales in different ways; like working with the whole spice cabinet instead of dousing everything with garlic. Douglas certainly uses the whole spice cabinet.
The artist in ‘By Her Hand, She Draws You Down’ is revealed carefully with a delightful twist. Big G is expertly portrayed in ‘Going Harvey in the Big House’. ‘The Dancer at the Red Door’ is a great distraction for the real story. Each story has a memorable quality about it.
I generally shy away from stories that use names with apostrophes in the middle as an effort to lend a far away feel. So I cringed a little when I got to ‘Enlightenment’ and read: “They’re dead now, the Be’nans. Ta’klu was the last to die.” The subject (death) of those two lines kept me going and I found that even that tired use of apostrophes can’t keep a good story down.
Each story starts with comments from the author. He talks of inspiration, publication, awards, and personal thoughts which set the reader up with an appetizer before the next course. I wish more writers would do that.
The only thing this collection lacks is deadwood. These are all award winning/winnable tales. There is something for every taste included between these covers.
Thanks Doug, for entertaining me.
Got it in the mail today, April 28th. It has to wait a bit...
June 29, 2010:
Douglas Smith starts Chimerascope (ki-meer-uh-scope) with an award winning story “Scream Angel”; which starts with an award winning line: “They stopped beating Trelayne when they saw that he enjoyed it.”
Right from the start I was hooked.
In all there are sixteen stories that dip their feet in fantasy, science fiction and horror. I don’t know if I have a favorite because they were all very good. But if more were written about the Deadmen, I’d hop on for the ride.
A lot of writers find a stylistic formula for story telling that works for them and stick with it. The best can switch gears, seemingly at will, and tell their tales in different ways; like working with the whole spice cabinet instead of dousing everything with garlic. Douglas certainly uses the whole spice cabinet.
The artist in ‘By Her Hand, She Draws You Down’ is revealed carefully with a delightful twist. Big G is expertly portrayed in ‘Going Harvey in the Big House’. ‘The Dancer at the Red Door’ is a great distraction for the real story. Each story has a memorable quality about it.
I generally shy away from stories that use names with apostrophes in the middle as an effort to lend a far away feel. So I cringed a little when I got to ‘Enlightenment’ and read: “They’re dead now, the Be’nans. Ta’klu was the last to die.” The subject (death) of those two lines kept me going and I found that even that tired use of apostrophes can’t keep a good story down.
Each story starts with comments from the author. He talks of inspiration, publication, awards, and personal thoughts which set the reader up with an appetizer before the next course. I wish more writers would do that.
The only thing this collection lacks is deadwood. These are all award winning/winnable tales. There is something for every taste included between these covers.
Thanks Doug, for entertaining me.
March 9, 2015
This book is like one of those dishes you order at a restaurant or a dessert at a cafe - you need to savor it slowly, to allow every mouthful to dissolve and taste each bit of flavor. It was phenomenal.
What drew me in with this one is not just the gorgeous cover but also the title. When I was reading it in class I had people ask me what it was about because the title caught their attention. The contents of this book are, of course, the true hidden gem and I'm so surprised that this book is not hugely popular - it has so much to offer.
I'm a lover of fantasy and sci-fi, though not the kind of sci-fi that is so futuristic that I'm compelled to reach for a dictionary every couple of sentences. In several of the stories the two aspects are intertwined very well and it's a completely new level of storytelling. You get everything here, from alien species to a completely different look at the Norse gods to a romance in China during the 14th century. Each one is a totally new world that just draws you in and what I loved even more was that many, almost all, of the stories were set in Canada, specifically in Toronto. It's just a personal thing however because I find there aren't enough books that are set in Toronto which has so much ground to be tilled for the eager author.
It would be a lie if I said that I loved every single one of these stories because I didn't and that's something which happens rather rarely. But from every story there was something to pull out: a description, a character, the thought embedded into the story. Several of them made me tear up, one actually made me full on cry. Maybe I'm just a sensitive, involved reader however I don't think this wouldn't happen to a handful of other people who read this. A story a day, that's what this literary doctor prescribes. It would be an overwhelming impact if you read the whole book or even a majority of it in one day, as hard as it would be to resist that temptation. Let yourself percolate after each one and the impact will be even greater.
I could keep singing praises about this one but you really need to pick it up in order to understand what I'm talking about. If I was ever a teacher I'd definitely choose this book for my class to read, no matter how much they'd groan or refuse. It's a book anyone could read and, at least in my opinion, everyone SHOULD.
What drew me in with this one is not just the gorgeous cover but also the title. When I was reading it in class I had people ask me what it was about because the title caught their attention. The contents of this book are, of course, the true hidden gem and I'm so surprised that this book is not hugely popular - it has so much to offer.
I'm a lover of fantasy and sci-fi, though not the kind of sci-fi that is so futuristic that I'm compelled to reach for a dictionary every couple of sentences. In several of the stories the two aspects are intertwined very well and it's a completely new level of storytelling. You get everything here, from alien species to a completely different look at the Norse gods to a romance in China during the 14th century. Each one is a totally new world that just draws you in and what I loved even more was that many, almost all, of the stories were set in Canada, specifically in Toronto. It's just a personal thing however because I find there aren't enough books that are set in Toronto which has so much ground to be tilled for the eager author.
It would be a lie if I said that I loved every single one of these stories because I didn't and that's something which happens rather rarely. But from every story there was something to pull out: a description, a character, the thought embedded into the story. Several of them made me tear up, one actually made me full on cry. Maybe I'm just a sensitive, involved reader however I don't think this wouldn't happen to a handful of other people who read this. A story a day, that's what this literary doctor prescribes. It would be an overwhelming impact if you read the whole book or even a majority of it in one day, as hard as it would be to resist that temptation. Let yourself percolate after each one and the impact will be even greater.
I could keep singing praises about this one but you really need to pick it up in order to understand what I'm talking about. If I was ever a teacher I'd definitely choose this book for my class to read, no matter how much they'd groan or refuse. It's a book anyone could read and, at least in my opinion, everyone SHOULD.
August 18, 2013
Chimerascope, a collection of speculative fiction short stories, enchants, horrifies, enlightens, and mesmerizes. Through each tale, no matter the tone or subject, Smith connects the reader instantly with his characters and they are as unforgettable as they are diverse. From the broken and twisted (Jason Trelayne of “Scream Angel”, John Bishop of “Memories of the Dead Man”) to the ethereal and innocent (Asai “The Red Bird, Big G “Going Harvey in the Big House”), these characters step off the pages and become real.
Another of Smith’s strengths is structure. I’m in awe of his ability to choose just the right voice, POV, and timelines for his stories. He includes enough details to show the reader the depth of each world without bogging down the story in description. No matter how short the story, their worlds feel fully formed. Best of all, Smith’s stories have endings! I realize how funny that might sound but there seems to be this disturbing trend now of short stories that have no real conclusion. The last page arrives and the reader is left with …no resolution, good or bad. This drives me batty and, in my opinion, is a mark of lazy storytelling. Smith’s stories may not always end happily but there is always a resolution.
It’s difficult for me to choose a single favourite out of the collection but because I like dark protagonists “Scream Angel” and “Memories of the Dead Man” probably top my list. “State of Disorder” ranks a close third for its deliciously nasty villain, complex plot, and lovely twist.
Many of these stories were award winners and rightfully so. If you love speculative fiction, short stories, and masterful storytelling, Chimerascope needs to be on your bookshelf.
Another of Smith’s strengths is structure. I’m in awe of his ability to choose just the right voice, POV, and timelines for his stories. He includes enough details to show the reader the depth of each world without bogging down the story in description. No matter how short the story, their worlds feel fully formed. Best of all, Smith’s stories have endings! I realize how funny that might sound but there seems to be this disturbing trend now of short stories that have no real conclusion. The last page arrives and the reader is left with …no resolution, good or bad. This drives me batty and, in my opinion, is a mark of lazy storytelling. Smith’s stories may not always end happily but there is always a resolution.
It’s difficult for me to choose a single favourite out of the collection but because I like dark protagonists “Scream Angel” and “Memories of the Dead Man” probably top my list. “State of Disorder” ranks a close third for its deliciously nasty villain, complex plot, and lovely twist.
Many of these stories were award winners and rightfully so. If you love speculative fiction, short stories, and masterful storytelling, Chimerascope needs to be on your bookshelf.
October 20, 2010
Douglas Smith offers a brilliant collection of sixteen short stories, all award-nominations or winners. I understand this is his second published short story collection, but for me, this is my introduction to the author.
Where some authors may offer reflections upon similar themes, Smith's short stories are certainly fitting to their respective title, giving a range of distinct characters in various situations that are colorful, sometimes whimsical, sometimes horrifying in the realm of speculative fiction.
I think with the variant tones within the work, its easy to be pulled into the stories in themselves, some striking those of different flavors more than others. For me, some of the strongest stories came across in the award-winning "Scream Angel", which depicts an interesting variation of addiction in a drug where lust and violence produce the same exhilration, the sweet, but melancholic "The Red Bird", the potent horror "By Her Hand, She Draws You Down" (one of my personal favorites), and even the tantalizing allusions within "The Dancer at the Red Door". Probably the only story in this collection that didn't strike me as much as the others was "New Years Eve" - which draws upon the Y2K fears before the turn of the millenium, but even that I found to be well written for its respective genre.
I think those who want a strong collection of short stories in the realm of fantasy/sci-fi with wonderfully imaginative settings, characters, and the ability of those stories to stick with you should give this collection a go. I'm definitely going to look into Smith's work beyond this as well.
Overall score: 4/5
Where some authors may offer reflections upon similar themes, Smith's short stories are certainly fitting to their respective title, giving a range of distinct characters in various situations that are colorful, sometimes whimsical, sometimes horrifying in the realm of speculative fiction.
I think with the variant tones within the work, its easy to be pulled into the stories in themselves, some striking those of different flavors more than others. For me, some of the strongest stories came across in the award-winning "Scream Angel", which depicts an interesting variation of addiction in a drug where lust and violence produce the same exhilration, the sweet, but melancholic "The Red Bird", the potent horror "By Her Hand, She Draws You Down" (one of my personal favorites), and even the tantalizing allusions within "The Dancer at the Red Door". Probably the only story in this collection that didn't strike me as much as the others was "New Years Eve" - which draws upon the Y2K fears before the turn of the millenium, but even that I found to be well written for its respective genre.
I think those who want a strong collection of short stories in the realm of fantasy/sci-fi with wonderfully imaginative settings, characters, and the ability of those stories to stick with you should give this collection a go. I'm definitely going to look into Smith's work beyond this as well.
Overall score: 4/5
March 17, 2011
(Original review appeared at http://sleeplessereader.blogspot.com/...)
I had intended the read the first story, get a feel for the collection, and then book a time that I would read it all. No way. This collection was impossible to put down. This contains one of the best collections of speculative fiction I have ever read. There is a reason that the majority of these stories have won awards and nominations. Smith is absolutely brilliant as he proves SF is every bit as intelligent and thought-provoking as any literary work out there.
My favourite in the collection was "Scream Angel," with my new favourite first line: They stopped beating Trelayne when they saw that he enjoyed it. I surprisingly also liked "By Her Hand, She Draws You Down." I generally don't like horror, so it was a surprise to have enjoyed this one as much as I did.
After reading the collection, I immediately knew Chimerascope would be on my Aurora Award nomination list this year.
I had intended the read the first story, get a feel for the collection, and then book a time that I would read it all. No way. This collection was impossible to put down. This contains one of the best collections of speculative fiction I have ever read. There is a reason that the majority of these stories have won awards and nominations. Smith is absolutely brilliant as he proves SF is every bit as intelligent and thought-provoking as any literary work out there.
My favourite in the collection was "Scream Angel," with my new favourite first line: They stopped beating Trelayne when they saw that he enjoyed it. I surprisingly also liked "By Her Hand, She Draws You Down." I generally don't like horror, so it was a surprise to have enjoyed this one as much as I did.
After reading the collection, I immediately knew Chimerascope would be on my Aurora Award nomination list this year.
July 30, 2015
Douglas Smith's Chimerascope is a fantastic collection of stories by one of Canada's finest writers. It is a handsome book--Erik Mohr's cover artwork is gorgeous--and the sixteen stories contained within its pages are both wondrous and powerful.
The stories in Chimerascope span a decade of Doug's work and include both fantasy and science fiction, humour and horror, action-packed adventure and quiet meditation. It's impossible for me to pick a favourite from this collection. All of the stories are intelligent, imaginative and finely crafted and all reach with precision perfection deep into the heart of the human condition. Douglas Smith's prowess with the short story form is showcased clearly in this collection.
See http://rainbowdragon.ca/reviews/chime... for my reviews of individual stories in this collection.
The stories in Chimerascope span a decade of Doug's work and include both fantasy and science fiction, humour and horror, action-packed adventure and quiet meditation. It's impossible for me to pick a favourite from this collection. All of the stories are intelligent, imaginative and finely crafted and all reach with precision perfection deep into the heart of the human condition. Douglas Smith's prowess with the short story form is showcased clearly in this collection.
See http://rainbowdragon.ca/reviews/chime... for my reviews of individual stories in this collection.
May 20, 2020
Each of the short stories in this collection offer something unique and wonderful. Each tale has the author’s trademark skill and talent on show. He gives each a feel of being a much larger work and it comes as no surprise to hear his writing referred to as ‘miniature novels’ which I think sums them up perfectly. They really are wonderful, complex stories that have life to them whatever their setting. I won’t review each one because I find it best to just pick up this author's work and read knowing nothing of what I’ll find. Every time I find a new favourite. Simply an awesome collection that's so good I’d like to be able to recommend it twice!
December 16, 2019
This is a collection of short stories that was almost perfectly geared to my reading tastes. I only had one story that didn't really appeal to me, but the rest had me very intrigued. I would read a story or three in a sitting because I just wanted to enjoy reading this book over a longer period of time instead of diving straight through it. I'll probably be re-reading this in the near future because I enjoyed it so much.
March 20, 2020
I love Douglas Smith's stories - they are always a great mix of fantasy, science, strong characters and a compelling storyline. This is a collection of short stories, all of them of good quality. I particularly liked "The Boys are Back in Town", "Out of the Light", "Enlightenment", and "A Taste Sweet and Salty". But don't let me bias your choices - they are all great stories and there is something there for everyone.
June 7, 2015
Mr. Smith does a wonderful job at storytelling and offering a deep connection with his characters in this collection. As he mentions in quite a few notes after each story, he admits to trying something new in an effort to add to his writing toolbox... And it works.
I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for SF and F short fiction.
I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for SF and F short fiction.
October 15, 2020
Just finished reading this book of short stories, all were incredible with a strong story line, interesting characters, and thought provoking themes. Thanks to the author for a great read. I normally only read novels, but after reading Douglas Smith's Heroka books I wanted to read more from this author, and I am glad I did.
April 20, 2022
Love love love this book. Has a very "The Illustrated Man" vibe to it, which made me devour it in one night. Very well written, fast paced, and exciting. Absolutely love how books with this sort of fantasy/sci-fi can expand your mind. This book is one of my favorites, and I will re-read it at least once a year til the day I die.
July 31, 2016
SO GOOD! Loved every single story in here.
May 25, 2018
Beautifully created worlds. Highly recommend this book. Each story left me with something to think about days later.
December 4, 2019
Really enjoyed this collection of short stories!
October 5, 2010
Last year I had the opportunity to read and review ‘PS Showcase #5: Impossibilia’ by Douglas Smith. Had I been seeking fault in the slim anthology, I might have simply lamented the fact that there were only three stories. Of course, three stories from Douglas Smith are to be treasured but, like most human beings, I acknowledge and indulge in the sin of greed. I wanted more. My wish was granted and I did receive more, three hundred and thirty two pages of more.
‘Chimerascope’ is the first full collection of stories by Canadian Science Fiction and fantasy author, Douglas Smith. The anthology features a wonderful introduction by Julie Czerneda, another author whose writing I really enjoy. Her words properly describe Douglas Smith’s devotion to his craft through both his characters and stories; I really couldn’t say it any better. No matter who or what he’s writing about, his effort and care is always clearly evident. There is also a fine introduction by the author himself in which he defines the title of his anthology, ‘Chimerascope’. He likens assembling the collection of stories to ‘building a chimera’ and the manner in which we view it as the scope. Of course, his explanation is a lot more eloquent than mine.
There are sixteen stories in this collection and the author takes the time to not only introduce each one, but often comments afterwards as well. To me, one of the pleasures of reading an anthology of short stories is reading author’s comments on their own work. I enjoy hearing about the inspiration behind the stories and what the writer hoped to achieve afterwards, often echoing the thoughts I have been left with. It’s a richer experience.
It is rare to find a collection where all the stories resonate and truthfully, not all of these did for me. But I read all of them in an effort to appreciate the breadth of Mr. Smith’s imagination and talent. His mind wanders far! But though I normally pick my three favourite stories to talk about when reviewing an anthology, I honestly had a hard time choosing only three this time. Now, this does happen a lot. I’m addicted to short stories. I love them! Though my quest for the perfect short story has been resolved several times, many, many times, I keep looking for more (I acknowledged my greed earlier, remember?). I have chosen my customary three, but I’m sure no one will mind, least of all Mr. Smith himself, if I mention just a couple others as well.
The first story of the collection is called ‘Scream Angel’. This is one I want to mention. The first story in any anthology is carefully chosen. This is where the reader will either put aside the volume or eagerly move on. I enjoyed ‘Scream Angel’ and it did remind me of the reason I loved the author’s writing, his characterisation, attention to detail and recurring themes of love, faith and redemption. It also encouraged me to turn the page and read more. That’s a lot of praise for one of the stories that didn’t make it into my top three. There’s a wealth of such experiences in this collection.
My first favourite is ‘The Red Bird’. In the simplest possible terms, I loved this tale. It had a definite beginning, middle and end and while there were parts I’d love to see expanded, the life of Shirotori for example, it works beautifully as it is. In the author’s own words, ‘‘Red Bird’ is a fable set in what might or might not be late fourteenth century Japan’. It has the feel of a myth or legend about a boy who finds that his destiny is closely entwined with the destiny of a people. But rather than repeat a tale we’ve all read before, the author has written something subtly new. The boy has a personality all his own. He has a good relationship with his mentor, finds love, becomes a father and also has his trials. This story is filled with all the elements of a longer tale. Honestly, I could have read it forever. The ending was that perfect combination of sadness and hope.
My second favourite was ‘By Her Hand, She Draws You Down’. The author notes this is his first horror story and it’s creepy! A young woman has an unusual artistic talent, one that frightens her boyfriend. To tell you anything more would be to rob you of the pleasure of finding it all out for yourself. The ending had me chewing on my lip, even though I thought I knew what would happen, I didn’t really know. Which is just how it should be…
Before talking about my last favourite, can I just quickly mention ‘The Last Ride’? Valkyries. Need I say more? Really, it’s a good, good story and exemplifies the best elements of Douglas Smith’s writing. A Valkyrie falls for her hero, gives up her immortality for him then has to make that inevitable and awful choice afterwards. As always, even for such a brief time, there is so much life in these characters. I don’t bother to marvel at how quickly I come to care for Douglas Smith’s people anymore, it’s a given.
Hands down, my favourite story in this volume was ‘Going Harvey In The Big House’. I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of a city that encompasses what we know of the known world. J.G. Ballard wrote a couple good stories along this theme, as did David Wingrove. I’m sure there are others. In Douglas Smith’s version, the ‘House’ is well conceived, but as always, it’s his characters that drive the story. Big G is pitch perfect. Every aspect of his personality is just spot on. Though he’s not a completely accessible character, portrayed as being not as intelligent as a more usual protagonist, he is completely there and three-dimensional and his reactions and motivations are plausible. It works! The ending is just right. It couldn’t have been any other way and I agree with the author’s summary comments regarding such.
What is the story about? Big G discovers that there is a sky outside the ‘House’ and the story covers his growing realization that the world consists of more than four walls and the daily routine that has been instilled into him since birth. More than the truths that have been fed to him by those who are supposed to have all the knowledge.
The final two stories, ‘A Taste Sweet And Salty’ and ‘The Dead Man’ are also both wonderful entries. I had to just quickly mention them. ‘Taste’ has a flavour that lingers and ‘Dead Man’ was a wonderful example of the places this author is unafraid to go. Tempting as it is to sit here and tell you more about these stories, I really must and would rather encourage you to go out and read this volume for yourself. It is an experience well worth any effort required.
As always, I look forward to more from Douglas Smith. Yes, I am waiting for more.
(review written for and originally published at sfcrowsnest.com)
‘Chimerascope’ is the first full collection of stories by Canadian Science Fiction and fantasy author, Douglas Smith. The anthology features a wonderful introduction by Julie Czerneda, another author whose writing I really enjoy. Her words properly describe Douglas Smith’s devotion to his craft through both his characters and stories; I really couldn’t say it any better. No matter who or what he’s writing about, his effort and care is always clearly evident. There is also a fine introduction by the author himself in which he defines the title of his anthology, ‘Chimerascope’. He likens assembling the collection of stories to ‘building a chimera’ and the manner in which we view it as the scope. Of course, his explanation is a lot more eloquent than mine.
There are sixteen stories in this collection and the author takes the time to not only introduce each one, but often comments afterwards as well. To me, one of the pleasures of reading an anthology of short stories is reading author’s comments on their own work. I enjoy hearing about the inspiration behind the stories and what the writer hoped to achieve afterwards, often echoing the thoughts I have been left with. It’s a richer experience.
It is rare to find a collection where all the stories resonate and truthfully, not all of these did for me. But I read all of them in an effort to appreciate the breadth of Mr. Smith’s imagination and talent. His mind wanders far! But though I normally pick my three favourite stories to talk about when reviewing an anthology, I honestly had a hard time choosing only three this time. Now, this does happen a lot. I’m addicted to short stories. I love them! Though my quest for the perfect short story has been resolved several times, many, many times, I keep looking for more (I acknowledged my greed earlier, remember?). I have chosen my customary three, but I’m sure no one will mind, least of all Mr. Smith himself, if I mention just a couple others as well.
The first story of the collection is called ‘Scream Angel’. This is one I want to mention. The first story in any anthology is carefully chosen. This is where the reader will either put aside the volume or eagerly move on. I enjoyed ‘Scream Angel’ and it did remind me of the reason I loved the author’s writing, his characterisation, attention to detail and recurring themes of love, faith and redemption. It also encouraged me to turn the page and read more. That’s a lot of praise for one of the stories that didn’t make it into my top three. There’s a wealth of such experiences in this collection.
My first favourite is ‘The Red Bird’. In the simplest possible terms, I loved this tale. It had a definite beginning, middle and end and while there were parts I’d love to see expanded, the life of Shirotori for example, it works beautifully as it is. In the author’s own words, ‘‘Red Bird’ is a fable set in what might or might not be late fourteenth century Japan’. It has the feel of a myth or legend about a boy who finds that his destiny is closely entwined with the destiny of a people. But rather than repeat a tale we’ve all read before, the author has written something subtly new. The boy has a personality all his own. He has a good relationship with his mentor, finds love, becomes a father and also has his trials. This story is filled with all the elements of a longer tale. Honestly, I could have read it forever. The ending was that perfect combination of sadness and hope.
My second favourite was ‘By Her Hand, She Draws You Down’. The author notes this is his first horror story and it’s creepy! A young woman has an unusual artistic talent, one that frightens her boyfriend. To tell you anything more would be to rob you of the pleasure of finding it all out for yourself. The ending had me chewing on my lip, even though I thought I knew what would happen, I didn’t really know. Which is just how it should be…
Before talking about my last favourite, can I just quickly mention ‘The Last Ride’? Valkyries. Need I say more? Really, it’s a good, good story and exemplifies the best elements of Douglas Smith’s writing. A Valkyrie falls for her hero, gives up her immortality for him then has to make that inevitable and awful choice afterwards. As always, even for such a brief time, there is so much life in these characters. I don’t bother to marvel at how quickly I come to care for Douglas Smith’s people anymore, it’s a given.
Hands down, my favourite story in this volume was ‘Going Harvey In The Big House’. I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of a city that encompasses what we know of the known world. J.G. Ballard wrote a couple good stories along this theme, as did David Wingrove. I’m sure there are others. In Douglas Smith’s version, the ‘House’ is well conceived, but as always, it’s his characters that drive the story. Big G is pitch perfect. Every aspect of his personality is just spot on. Though he’s not a completely accessible character, portrayed as being not as intelligent as a more usual protagonist, he is completely there and three-dimensional and his reactions and motivations are plausible. It works! The ending is just right. It couldn’t have been any other way and I agree with the author’s summary comments regarding such.
What is the story about? Big G discovers that there is a sky outside the ‘House’ and the story covers his growing realization that the world consists of more than four walls and the daily routine that has been instilled into him since birth. More than the truths that have been fed to him by those who are supposed to have all the knowledge.
The final two stories, ‘A Taste Sweet And Salty’ and ‘The Dead Man’ are also both wonderful entries. I had to just quickly mention them. ‘Taste’ has a flavour that lingers and ‘Dead Man’ was a wonderful example of the places this author is unafraid to go. Tempting as it is to sit here and tell you more about these stories, I really must and would rather encourage you to go out and read this volume for yourself. It is an experience well worth any effort required.
As always, I look forward to more from Douglas Smith. Yes, I am waiting for more.
(review written for and originally published at sfcrowsnest.com)
December 18, 2011
Douglas Smith is an outstanding writer. Then again, Roy Halladay is a Cy Young Award-winning pitcher, but he can't throw a change-up.
The Chimerascope collection highlights Smith's prodigious strengths, but by exposing weaknesses that I wouldn't have known about no less bring up here if only his best works had been included. This doesn't happen very often, but the flaws in this book have more to do with the editing than the writing.
This anthology is my first exposure to Smith, so here's what I take away: He is a fundamentally strong author who commands sparse yet evocative description and presents characters who are unique enough to be believable yet archetypal enough to shoehorn into the short-story format. The most amazing thing about his craft is the way he takes an experimental, ignore-all-the-rules approach to selecting a POV, then executes it flawlessly.
What takes me out of his stories, though, is trope. Smith does SF a whole lot better than he does fantasy. The first and last stories are absolutely Chimerascope's best -- and that at least should accrue to editor Julie Czerneda's credit.
Let's look at the last one first. "Memories of the Dead Man" is a retelling of Mad Max. That's not a slam; it's a compliment. The lone, damaged hero riding to the rescue was already a moneymaker to the eighth-century scop who wrote Beowulf. The main issue I had with "Dead Man" is that the main character, Bishop, had what were in essence supernatural powers -- which weren't really necessary and we don't know the extent of them until the climax. (My nit is that a character who calls himself Bishop is chasing after a bad guy who's referred to as Pope -- an intentional choice, and a bad one.)
"Scream Angel" lives in a universe where humanity has taken to the stars and, ruled by a greedy and all-consuming Corporation, exploits the plentiful life around it. This was pretty standard sci-fi even before Ridley Scott took the first lens cap off to film Alien. But the reason why it was so familiar is because, damn it, it works. And it works as well as ever when Smith is at the keyboard. His sequel "Enlightenment" wasn't as successful because it devolves into metaphysical mumbo-jumbo that seems out of place in the far-future setting.
Are we detecting a pattern?
When Smith is writing real science fiction -- whether it's far-future or post-apocalyptic, he is at his best, which is really, really good. But when he lapses into fantasy he is, at best, hit-or-miss. "The Red Bird" is an interesting, Japanese-themed adventure that is one of the better fantasy stories. "By Her Hand, She Draws You Down" is a compelling dark fantasy that could be mainstream horror if it had a dash more grue (but better that it doesn't). "New Year's Eve" is a quarter century too late to qualify as cyberpunk and you can't even call this science fiction anymore, since the real science around virtual reality is a whole lot cooler than what we Smith shows us here (Doug, for $400 you can get Xbox with a Kinect controller and two games). I didn't like "The Boys Are Back in Town" because a) the-mythological-gods-hang-out-in-a-bar has been done to death (Patrick Thomas, for one, revisits this every few months) and b) mythological gods make horrible heroes and villains in contemporary settings because the author can pretty much make up their strengths and weaknesses as he goes along; as Bruce Campbell might say, "Good? Bad? I'm the one who's omnipotent."
Most annoying of all was "The Dancer in the Red Door". It's a paint-by-numbers urban fantasy, and I knew what I was in for as soon as I realized that the fabulously rich, immensely powerful protagonist was named Alexander King -- which couldn't be more trite if his middle name were Wellhung.
On the plus side, "State of Disorder" was one of my favorites. Again, it's familiar territory, but it's sci-fi territory. Set in the present day, it shows how a person's fortunes can change as the result of small happenstances. It asks the question, "What if I can go back and change the happenstances that made my life less than optimal?" We've all asked that. A lot of us have written stories about that. Smith does it with equal, copious measures of heart and brain. "Going Harvey in the Big House" is far-future sci-fi that's hard to describe without spoiling the ending -- let's just say it's worth it.
Ultimately, I'm giving this book four stars. Two-thirds of the stories are well worth the read so, on average, the collection as a whole is. A shorter or better selected Douglas Smith anthology would've gotten five-out-of-five from me. I certainly look forward to where his work might take me in the future.
The Chimerascope collection highlights Smith's prodigious strengths, but by exposing weaknesses that I wouldn't have known about no less bring up here if only his best works had been included. This doesn't happen very often, but the flaws in this book have more to do with the editing than the writing.
This anthology is my first exposure to Smith, so here's what I take away: He is a fundamentally strong author who commands sparse yet evocative description and presents characters who are unique enough to be believable yet archetypal enough to shoehorn into the short-story format. The most amazing thing about his craft is the way he takes an experimental, ignore-all-the-rules approach to selecting a POV, then executes it flawlessly.
What takes me out of his stories, though, is trope. Smith does SF a whole lot better than he does fantasy. The first and last stories are absolutely Chimerascope's best -- and that at least should accrue to editor Julie Czerneda's credit.
Let's look at the last one first. "Memories of the Dead Man" is a retelling of Mad Max. That's not a slam; it's a compliment. The lone, damaged hero riding to the rescue was already a moneymaker to the eighth-century scop who wrote Beowulf. The main issue I had with "Dead Man" is that the main character, Bishop, had what were in essence supernatural powers -- which weren't really necessary and we don't know the extent of them until the climax. (My nit is that a character who calls himself Bishop is chasing after a bad guy who's referred to as Pope -- an intentional choice, and a bad one.)
"Scream Angel" lives in a universe where humanity has taken to the stars and, ruled by a greedy and all-consuming Corporation, exploits the plentiful life around it. This was pretty standard sci-fi even before Ridley Scott took the first lens cap off to film Alien. But the reason why it was so familiar is because, damn it, it works. And it works as well as ever when Smith is at the keyboard. His sequel "Enlightenment" wasn't as successful because it devolves into metaphysical mumbo-jumbo that seems out of place in the far-future setting.
Are we detecting a pattern?
When Smith is writing real science fiction -- whether it's far-future or post-apocalyptic, he is at his best, which is really, really good. But when he lapses into fantasy he is, at best, hit-or-miss. "The Red Bird" is an interesting, Japanese-themed adventure that is one of the better fantasy stories. "By Her Hand, She Draws You Down" is a compelling dark fantasy that could be mainstream horror if it had a dash more grue (but better that it doesn't). "New Year's Eve" is a quarter century too late to qualify as cyberpunk and you can't even call this science fiction anymore, since the real science around virtual reality is a whole lot cooler than what we Smith shows us here (Doug, for $400 you can get Xbox with a Kinect controller and two games). I didn't like "The Boys Are Back in Town" because a) the-mythological-gods-hang-out-in-a-bar has been done to death (Patrick Thomas, for one, revisits this every few months) and b) mythological gods make horrible heroes and villains in contemporary settings because the author can pretty much make up their strengths and weaknesses as he goes along; as Bruce Campbell might say, "Good? Bad? I'm the one who's omnipotent."
Most annoying of all was "The Dancer in the Red Door". It's a paint-by-numbers urban fantasy, and I knew what I was in for as soon as I realized that the fabulously rich, immensely powerful protagonist was named Alexander King -- which couldn't be more trite if his middle name were Wellhung.
On the plus side, "State of Disorder" was one of my favorites. Again, it's familiar territory, but it's sci-fi territory. Set in the present day, it shows how a person's fortunes can change as the result of small happenstances. It asks the question, "What if I can go back and change the happenstances that made my life less than optimal?" We've all asked that. A lot of us have written stories about that. Smith does it with equal, copious measures of heart and brain. "Going Harvey in the Big House" is far-future sci-fi that's hard to describe without spoiling the ending -- let's just say it's worth it.
Ultimately, I'm giving this book four stars. Two-thirds of the stories are well worth the read so, on average, the collection as a whole is. A shorter or better selected Douglas Smith anthology would've gotten five-out-of-five from me. I certainly look forward to where his work might take me in the future.
March 16, 2013
I'm just going to start out by saying how amazing the cover is! It is what drew me to the book as I had never read anything by Douglas Smith and it ended up being a spur of the moment buy and wow...am I ever glad that I picked it up.
I have to admit that reading the first short story I had my doubts about the book and I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy it. I didn't care for the style of writing of the first story and I just wasn't connecting with the characters, but I pushed through it and from that point on LOVED the rest of the book. Every other short story in the book was amazing. Some of them can be so thought provoking and full of emotion. You immediately are hooked in the first paragraph and never want it to stop as you come to the end of each one. For example, there is a short story that is 3 pages long called Nothing and the feeling I got from it...amazing! I can't even explain why I just fell in love with that short story in particular but I did!
Would I recommend it? Absolutely! As I said I didn't like the first one but the rest makes up for it by far.
I have to admit that reading the first short story I had my doubts about the book and I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy it. I didn't care for the style of writing of the first story and I just wasn't connecting with the characters, but I pushed through it and from that point on LOVED the rest of the book. Every other short story in the book was amazing. Some of them can be so thought provoking and full of emotion. You immediately are hooked in the first paragraph and never want it to stop as you come to the end of each one. For example, there is a short story that is 3 pages long called Nothing and the feeling I got from it...amazing! I can't even explain why I just fell in love with that short story in particular but I did!
Would I recommend it? Absolutely! As I said I didn't like the first one but the rest makes up for it by far.
Want to read
November 14, 2014Chimerascope—a story of many parts.
A young artist hungers to draw you.
A dinner conversation takes three lifetimes to finish.
A geologist faces a planet-sized, eons-old puzzle to save her crew.
The hero of the Fall of Earth must choose between love and revenge.
A mysterious dancer leads a businessman to a most exclusive nightclub.
A man is born each day into a new life—only to die each night.
A sentient aurora threatens the last of humanity.
A Norse god's bar in Toronto hosts an unplanned family reunion.
A woman descends into insanity—or is it the end of the world?
A house as big as the world.
This is copy 3 of 45 signed numbered copies.
A young artist hungers to draw you.
A dinner conversation takes three lifetimes to finish.
A geologist faces a planet-sized, eons-old puzzle to save her crew.
The hero of the Fall of Earth must choose between love and revenge.
A mysterious dancer leads a businessman to a most exclusive nightclub.
A man is born each day into a new life—only to die each night.
A sentient aurora threatens the last of humanity.
A Norse god's bar in Toronto hosts an unplanned family reunion.
A woman descends into insanity—or is it the end of the world?
A house as big as the world.
This is copy 3 of 45 signed numbered copies.
May 10, 2015
I've talked a bit in other reviews about how short stories don't always do the trick for me, but Chimerascope really did a good job of balancing out some of the experimental excesses of short fiction with some high-quality writing. A number of these are award-nominated, and many of them truly deserve it, especially a number of the science fiction tales that were put out there along the way.
As always with these, there's not a ton to say and a lot of it needs to be taken at face value when it comes to compilations. It's less weird and more science fiction on a whole, and it's worth a read if you're into short works in that area overall.
As always with these, there's not a ton to say and a lot of it needs to be taken at face value when it comes to compilations. It's less weird and more science fiction on a whole, and it's worth a read if you're into short works in that area overall.
August 5, 2010
I didn't really have a favorite story in this book. They were all adequate and good to read. I think the only few that I really will remember is the living the multiple lives, the blue sky with clouds one, and the red hawk one. I liked the red hawk one the most because it was a bittersweet ending with sadness yet sparkled with hope. I picked this book out because I liked the cover (yes I judge books by the cover and it works for me) and I wasn't disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2013
Awesome. This is a great dose of sci-fi, perfect variety and great writing style. I cried at a few of the endings, but mostly because they resonated with me. About two of the stories seemed slightly forced, maybe due to the schedule, but the rest flowed perfectly. I'll be looking for more books by Douglas Smith.
May 1, 2010
Interesting, disturbing, thought-provoking.
July 10, 2010
Great variety of stories, definitely recommended.
February 21, 2012
Enjoyed every story except one....very good stuff.
July 6, 2012
Great stuff.
June 3, 2020
There are some stories that a really like and some not really I DNF some of them... the story in there are short I mean really short about 10 to 20 pages. When I got immerse in the story it would stop. Perhaps short stories are just not my things.
October 9, 2018
Only Scream Angel stood out for me, to be honest.
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