Review of Strange Stories II
1 posts
[Following is a volunteer review of "Strange Stories II" by Roger Mannon.]
Strange Stories II: The Empty Earth is a small collection of two short stories by Roger Mannon. First is Alone, detailing chaos and death from a deadly virus that escapes thawing permafrost during a scientific expedition in the north. The illness wipes life off the Earth in no time. It’s a story of a young man, William, who among very few, remains immune to it and lives to tell the horrors of the brutal annihilation of mankind. Second is Tipping Point, a story of a teenager who lives on top of a mountain to survive extreme heat, storms, and outlaws. He was lucky to have been trained to live in a cave every summer with his father, who had learned those skills during his tenure in the U.S. Army. It has a different approach because it involves using basic to advanced survival skills necessary to endure the wilderness when living in the comforts of your home is no longer an option. Both stories follow a similar theme set in the near future using two different scenarios but one outcome, the empty earth.
The stories can best be described as fictional short stories or novelettes barely reaching 100 pages each. Regardless of the page count, they are both thoroughly enjoyable. But are they really fictional? The world we live in today shows many signs of climatic changes and massive viral deaths. Therefore, I have found these stories ever so relatable and admittedly scary. Though they are not meant to be horror stories, the portrayal of chaos and death is nothing less than horrific. It showed a crude contrast between the world we bask in today and the world post-apocalypse feeling raw and terrifying.
In the stories, people either die directly of a calamity or indirectly because of the increasing crime, outlaw, and ignorance, all of which stem from insecurity. The gory details, especially of the deadly disease in Alone, are a little too graphical and intense in nature. Dare I say, borderline depressing since we already live in a time where Corona and its variants have upended the world. But it’s relatable and intriguing for the same reason too. So I would like to give out a fair warning to those who are triggered by such imagery. It’s not a book for the faint of heart and it’s certainly not for children and young minds. Mature readers who are fans of apocalypse-themed novels or thrillers, in general, will find this book interesting and thought-provoking.
The author has done a commendable job of creating a world where the doom is upon humankind and living his imagination is a roller-coaster ride of emotions. It questions our preparedness for the future that may lie ahead. This book showcases what if the doom is not as far as we may like to believe. Human beings are flawed in that they are shortsighted. The ecological footprints we leave are devastating, yet many of us conveniently choose to believe that such an outcome lies in a far future when we would be long gone. Many tend to find solace in denial fed by disinformation, or rather, too much information.
Reading the Strange Stories II: The Empty Earth was a smooth ride. Author Roger Mannon wrote it in fluid, simple language. He is a seasoned 72-year-old retiree who served 40 years in the Army and this shows up in his brutally honest, albeit fictional, narration. He also adds some sarcasm to add comic relief to otherwise a gloomy subject. The stories are very much impactful. They have the potential to strike enough fear and shake many of us from our slumber concerning the impending doom. Hence, I give it a full 4 out of 4.
There are some errors or typos, but nothing that professional editing and proofreading can’t fix. There were words and phrases captured in parentheses on every other page. Initially forgettable, but you begin to notice the pattern after some time. I believe he could include those phrases without the parentheses to give a more professional vibe. For these reasons, the book appears not professionally edited. Truth be told, these errors did not stop me from thoroughly enjoying the book. There are some profane words and situations to be wary of as well. I found nothing with the potential to hurt religious or racial sentiments. It should be a universally acceptable book in those regards.
******
Strange Stories II
View: on Bookshelves |
Strange Stories II: The Empty Earth is a small collection of two short stories by Roger Mannon. First is Alone, detailing chaos and death from a deadly virus that escapes thawing permafrost during a scientific expedition in the north. The illness wipes life off the Earth in no time. It’s a story of a young man, William, who among very few, remains immune to it and lives to tell the horrors of the brutal annihilation of mankind. Second is Tipping Point, a story of a teenager who lives on top of a mountain to survive extreme heat, storms, and outlaws. He was lucky to have been trained to live in a cave every summer with his father, who had learned those skills during his tenure in the U.S. Army. It has a different approach because it involves using basic to advanced survival skills necessary to endure the wilderness when living in the comforts of your home is no longer an option. Both stories follow a similar theme set in the near future using two different scenarios but one outcome, the empty earth.
The stories can best be described as fictional short stories or novelettes barely reaching 100 pages each. Regardless of the page count, they are both thoroughly enjoyable. But are they really fictional? The world we live in today shows many signs of climatic changes and massive viral deaths. Therefore, I have found these stories ever so relatable and admittedly scary. Though they are not meant to be horror stories, the portrayal of chaos and death is nothing less than horrific. It showed a crude contrast between the world we bask in today and the world post-apocalypse feeling raw and terrifying.
In the stories, people either die directly of a calamity or indirectly because of the increasing crime, outlaw, and ignorance, all of which stem from insecurity. The gory details, especially of the deadly disease in Alone, are a little too graphical and intense in nature. Dare I say, borderline depressing since we already live in a time where Corona and its variants have upended the world. But it’s relatable and intriguing for the same reason too. So I would like to give out a fair warning to those who are triggered by such imagery. It’s not a book for the faint of heart and it’s certainly not for children and young minds. Mature readers who are fans of apocalypse-themed novels or thrillers, in general, will find this book interesting and thought-provoking.
The author has done a commendable job of creating a world where the doom is upon humankind and living his imagination is a roller-coaster ride of emotions. It questions our preparedness for the future that may lie ahead. This book showcases what if the doom is not as far as we may like to believe. Human beings are flawed in that they are shortsighted. The ecological footprints we leave are devastating, yet many of us conveniently choose to believe that such an outcome lies in a far future when we would be long gone. Many tend to find solace in denial fed by disinformation, or rather, too much information.
Reading the Strange Stories II: The Empty Earth was a smooth ride. Author Roger Mannon wrote it in fluid, simple language. He is a seasoned 72-year-old retiree who served 40 years in the Army and this shows up in his brutally honest, albeit fictional, narration. He also adds some sarcasm to add comic relief to otherwise a gloomy subject. The stories are very much impactful. They have the potential to strike enough fear and shake many of us from our slumber concerning the impending doom. Hence, I give it a full 4 out of 4.
There are some errors or typos, but nothing that professional editing and proofreading can’t fix. There were words and phrases captured in parentheses on every other page. Initially forgettable, but you begin to notice the pattern after some time. I believe he could include those phrases without the parentheses to give a more professional vibe. For these reasons, the book appears not professionally edited. Truth be told, these errors did not stop me from thoroughly enjoying the book. There are some profane words and situations to be wary of as well. I found nothing with the potential to hurt religious or racial sentiments. It should be a universally acceptable book in those regards.
******
Strange Stories II
View: on Bookshelves |
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