Review: New Death and Others by James Hutchings

The New Death and others by James Hutchings
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

New Death and Others is a short story and poetry collection that defies genre categorization. It is an overall fun, enjoyable read, although it lacks a unifying central thread. The most common element to these stories and poems is the sometimes creepy, dark, mythological and often cynical tone.

New Death and Others has a great tone that is entertaining to read. The short stories often left me with a smirk on my face. The creepier stories and stories with mythological themes are fun too.

Another element that was interesting was the post-modern self-awareness of some of the stories like "The Jeweled City" and "The Producer." In "The Jeweled City," for example, the characters of the short story go on strike against the author and demand a better story! This self-awareness is delightful and amusing.

New Death and Others lacks a unifying thread. This might be a detraction for some readers.

Bottom Line: New Death and Others is an overall fun read, at times funny and at times creepy, but it lacks a unifying thread among the stories and poems.

Disclosure: I was given a copy for review by the author.

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