by
Steve Lazarowitz
May 2001
MY NEWEST REASON FOR READING E-BOOKS
There are many reasons to read e-books. As time goes on, I'm sure there will be more, but at the moment, I'd like to address just one issue that I feel outweighs all others. Of the last six print books and last six e-books I've read, I've enjoyed the e-books more.
Let me put this into perspective. I've liked four of the last six print books I've read. Two didn't do much for me, but that's not an issue, since I've enjoyed four of the last six e-books I've read, as well.
But three of the four print books I recently finished felt like I'd read them before. The same adventures in the same places, with the same cast and the same general happenings. They were still fun and entertaining, the way watching a rerun or a remake is entertaining.
On the e-book front, only one was reminiscent of something I'd read before, while the other three were truly different. E-books, at least the ones from reputable e-publishing companies (and I don't mean print publishing companies that happen to offer electronic editions), are more likely to go out on a limb. Most recently, the book that has pushed at my intellect is Joe Shosty's Hoodwinks on a Crumbling Fence from Abby the Troll Publications.
Admittedly, I'm only a bit more than halfway through the stories in this altogether remarkable anthology, but I feel I've read enough of it to make a few observations.
Joe Shosty is a writer in the truest sense of the word. That he's a master of the English language is apparent from the first words of the first story. Some of the offerings are fantasy, some Science Fiction, some surreal and the ones I've read thus far are entertaining. But there's more to be had here than entertainment.
Joe Shosty's stories make you take that extra mental step. They make you think. They set you on edge. I'm reminded of a discordant sound from a master composer, placed quite intentionally in the middle of a classical masterpiece.
I won't go into more detail, since I intend to write a full-fledged review of this book, but I will say this much. This window into Mr. Shosty's mind is not for everyone. It is intelligent, sometimes unsettling and often leaves unanswered questions that make a story feel as if it's not quite over. I doubt very much these stories could be found on the shelves of a Barnes and Noble, because I don't think Madison Avenue publishing houses would challenge their readership with anything quite this profound.
Joe Shosty's work is literature in a world of shoddy workmanship. If you like short stories that make you think, moving and literate -- but at the same time a bit off, you might well enjoy Hoodwinks on a Crumbling Fence, my newest reason for reading e-books.
Webpage & Graphics by Samandi Adams
Copyright (c) 2003-2004 ~ All Rights Reserved