Tall
Tales on the Iron Horse
Colin P. Davies
Reviewed by Jaimie Bell
Mostly consisting of previously published science and
speculative fiction short stories, Tall Tales is a smart collection
that is
provocative and complex. Many stories conceptualize the results of
widespread
genetic engineering, holographic technology, and a culture that needs
constant
entertainment and stimulation. The iron horse train metaphor is quite
apt
because when we board the hi-tech train it often arrives at a surreal
and dangerous
destination. Using the science of automation and robotics Davies
explores the
oppression of those deemed less than human and self-absorption taken to
frightening extremes. Drugs often play center stage no longer as
medication but
as a powerful alteration of physical and mental realities. It brought
to mind
the movies Blade Runner and 2001, A Space Odyssey and a
world
where the created servant becomes the disillusioned master.
The stories were very entertaining and I enjoyed them quite
a bit. Here are a few of my favorites:
The Defenders first appeared in Asimov’s Science
Fiction and later on in the The Year’s Best Science Fiction #22 and
though
brief, is an outstanding sketch that leaves the reader with chilling
implications of genetic engineering horror.
The Hay Devils live out on Granddad’s farm; at least
that is what he tells his grandchildren who come each summer to spend a
month.
Johnny and his cousins are older now and this year they are determined
to catch
one. This unique coming of age story
ends with a flawlessly executed twist.
The Man Who Sank is a departure from the science
fiction genre and is an adult cautionary tale about the ravages and
results of
hate and prejudice. A clever story that is also pretty spooky.
Clifford and the Bookmole is a humorous tale about a
fourteen-year-old boy in love with a female character from his favorite
fantasy
book series. A sorcerer promises that for a price he can make her come
to life.
You get what you pay for even in a technologically advanced world.
The Dolls contains multiple level thematic twists
regarding both the cult of youth and parents who demand perfection from
their
children no matter what the cost. Mandi is given drugs by her father to
keep
her looking eight years old when in fact her age is closer to
twenty-one. He is
determined that she wins a child beauty contest but she consistently
takes
second year after year. Mandi acts out by destroying her father’s
relationships
with his robotic women and even strikes out against her own nursemaid,
who is
also a doll.
Colin P. Davies has been published in Spectrum SF., Paradox,
and Asimov’s, among many others. He made the Locus Recommended Reading
List and
received two Honorable Mentions in the British Science Fiction
Association Award
Nominations.
Author Web Site