I love short story collections from up-and-coming authors. There’s something cool about discovering a new talent and know that you’re going to want to see more of their work in the future.
Brady Allen’s collection is no different. There are some great stories in here, and while he hangs out with all the cool horror kids, not all of the stories are horror. A few of the stories were actually pretty sad, and some had a real wistfulness to them.
The first story, “Slow Mary,” is a horror story, and starts of the collection with a real creep factor. You’ll think twice before speeding down any small country roads.
I’m not usually a fan of surreal stories, but “Not Over Easy,” while it messed with my head, is one that I really enjoyed.
The title story is another surreal story that also gave me a bit of claustrophobia in that the main character couldn’t find his way out of the situation he had gotten himself into. When he finally did find his way out, he didn’t get his happy ending.
There are two stories with the character Rose Holmes - “The Taste of a Heart” and “Six Miles from Earth.” Rose proves in both stories that she is not a woman to mess with.
“Small Square of Light” is one of the stories that I felt was wistful. A man notices an untended corn field and farm house across from his hotel room and wonders if there is a old woman, alone and lonely, looking back at the hotel from her window. It’s beautifully written.
“Road Kill (A Love Story)” is a story you think is going to be kind of gross, but then realize it truly is a love story, and a sad one at that.
I wasn’t disappointed in any of the stories in Back Roads & Frontal Lobes. I enjoyed this collection very much, and look forward to more of Brady’s work. He’s definitely an author to watch.
Review by Sheri White
Brady Allen’s collection is no different. There are some great stories in here, and while he hangs out with all the cool horror kids, not all of the stories are horror. A few of the stories were actually pretty sad, and some had a real wistfulness to them.
The first story, “Slow Mary,” is a horror story, and starts of the collection with a real creep factor. You’ll think twice before speeding down any small country roads.
I’m not usually a fan of surreal stories, but “Not Over Easy,” while it messed with my head, is one that I really enjoyed.
The title story is another surreal story that also gave me a bit of claustrophobia in that the main character couldn’t find his way out of the situation he had gotten himself into. When he finally did find his way out, he didn’t get his happy ending.
There are two stories with the character Rose Holmes - “The Taste of a Heart” and “Six Miles from Earth.” Rose proves in both stories that she is not a woman to mess with.
“Small Square of Light” is one of the stories that I felt was wistful. A man notices an untended corn field and farm house across from his hotel room and wonders if there is a old woman, alone and lonely, looking back at the hotel from her window. It’s beautifully written.
“Road Kill (A Love Story)” is a story you think is going to be kind of gross, but then realize it truly is a love story, and a sad one at that.
I wasn’t disappointed in any of the stories in Back Roads & Frontal Lobes. I enjoyed this collection very much, and look forward to more of Brady’s work. He’s definitely an author to watch.
Review by Sheri White
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