“One pearl is better than a whole necklace of potatoes.”
--Etienne Decroux, noted French mime
Mimes, by nature, aren’t noted for their canny quotes. In the same way, Evangelical Christians aren’t
noted for writing science fiction and fantasy. Despite a growing audience for novels with a biblical
worldview, Christian publishing houses take a dim view of futuristic dystopias, macabre myths, or
fantasy worlds inhabited by elves. One hand—that’s all that’s needed to count the number of
successful Christian authors writing those works.
Dismayed at the dearth of quality tales of the unusual available to Christians, a group called The
Lost Genre Guild seeks to rectify this lack. Light at the Edge of Darkness, their anthology of selected
writers within the Guild, offers twenty-seven short stories in the underappreciated genres collectively
known now as speculative fiction.
Any nascent movement risks being misunderstood. Couple this with a high variance in the writing
chops by those hoping to get in on the ground floor, and you’ll harvest quite a few more potatoes
than pearls. Yet anyone familiar with the history of Christian fiction in the last thirty years knows much
has happened for the better since those early days of stories centering on virginal young
schoolteachers coming of age and finding love on the windswept Kansas plains.
How successful will Light at the Edge of Darkness be in convincing editors at Christian publishers to
take a chance on speculative fiction? Let’s just say plenty of ingredients for au gratin fill the pages.
First, though, the lustrous and precious:
“The Edge of Water”
Karen McSpadden’s “The Edge of Water” glistens with polished prose and superlative character
development. Her story, a blend of Logan’s Run and THX1138, doesn’t mine new territory in sf. Few
works today do. Instead, through emotional connection with the protagonists, it displays a genuine
beauty found in small hopes.
Set in the remnants of an Earth now run by an inhuman one-world government, “The Edge of Water”
introduces us to a young woman so beaten by the grim, cattle-like existence she and her husband
daily live, she opts for sanctioned suicide. Her husband, having lost his brother to a more visceral
self-destruction, fights for her life through a simple act akin to what the catacombs-dwelling Christians
of antiquity celebrated. And in this, they find release.
Clearly the standout of Light of the Edge of Darkness, McSpadden’s story flows and never lags. The
only story in the anthology that fully engaged me, it’s a testament to the art of writing works of soul-
stirring faith without sledgehammering the reader with the message.
“Small and Simple Things”
The shortest work in the anthology, “Small and Simple Things” by Alethea Knight proves a writer can
minimize words and still maximize a story. An apt title, indeed.
In five pages, she introduces a storyteller who regales a youngster with the history of their people.
Pioneers to a new world, they experience a transformation that betters them to face an unknown
threat.
Told in a sing-song bayou accent that enlivens the piece, this story resembles those charming out-of-
time tales one finds on occasion in secular sf anthologies. Short and sweet. The bio info claims this is
Knight’s first story. She’s off to a promising start.
“Fair Balance”
Though not as successful as the previous two stories, “Fair Balance” by S. M. Kirkland offers the kind
of twist on the standard formula readers expect in anthologized sf. That the gimmick in this one sends
up misperceptions within Christian culture renders it all the more engaging.
A conversion tale, “Fair Balance” examines a brother and sister relationship at odds over faith—or
the lack of it. Dark forces swirl in the background and confuse the final battle.
Sadly, Kirkland’s anti-climactic ending doesn’t satisfy. Kudos for not tying up every loose thread, but
a nagging incompleteness remains. The final confrontation builds and peaks, but what follows
disappoints. Still, it rises above the pack.
Flawed and lacking in some way, a few stories are not quite pearls, yet not fully potatoes—the
chimeras of Light at the Edge of Darkness:
“Protected”
C.E. Lavender’s “Protected” offers us another conversion story. He imagines a futuristic battle
between a trio of adventurers and a villain who enslaves the wills of those not under the protection of
Christ.
“Protected” reads like a tract with a generic Star Wars veneer over the top, though. While conversion
stories have their place in Christian fiction, few authors write them well. Lavender joins that crowd.
That this story offers nothing to set it apart as either science fiction or a conversion story only makes
the reader wonder what Lavender might author if less beholden to forcing a Gospel presentation into
his work. He can certainly write; he just needs a better story to show off his skills.
“Fumbleblot’s Task”
One of two comedic selections in this anthology, “Fumbleblot’s Task” by Deborah Cullins-Smith
follows the antics of a doomed demon as he tries to stymie the faith of a new believer. In the end, of
course, he discovers he’s bitten off more than he can chew.
Though the piece ends with a nice twist, it suffers from a portrayal of Satan as a blowhard. The words
Cullins-Smith puts in the prince of darkness’s mouth ring false. Too much silly namecalling mars the
piece. This one could clearly benefit from rethinking the scenes between the devils, casting them
more in the mold of C.S. Lewis’s Wormwood and Screwtape. Witty and doomed reads better than
slapstick and doomed.
“The Rider”
Cullins-Smith also contributes this Western, which lends a nice change of pace to the anthology.
When a stagecoach comes under attack from an unknown force, the two survivors discover a
menacing figure (known only as the Rider) stalks them. A page-turning start!
From a promising hook, things quickly degenerate into a telegraphed not-everyone-is-who-he-seems
story with some less than deft moralizing. A subtler touch in unveiling evil would give readers a more
satisfying revelation. While that deficiency could be overcome with a few tweaks, the “cowgirl and her
beloved horse” finale undid the accomplished beginning of the tale and sank it altogether.
“Caleb Sees the Light”
When a small-town boy meets a smooth-talking alien, will he heed the Bible or succumb to
temptation? So Donna Sundblad asks in “Caleb Sees the Light.”
Sundblad writes well, but her story lacks a payoff. I’m all for slice of life stories, but they need sizzle.
Three seconds reading 2nd Corinthians 11:14 would suffice, for “Caleb” doesn’t add anything to that
text, nor does it interpret it in a clever or meaningful way.
“The Marks”
If Aisha K. Moore’s story of time travel and biblical assassinations seems familiar, it’s because Randy
Ingermanson’s mined that territory several times already. In any case where another author’s been
first to an idea, subsequent authors must captivate the reader with a dazzling variation. While Moore
offers intrigue concerning a hit on Queen Jezebel, none of the supporting writing takes us beyond
that premise. Confusing plot details and motivations only further muddy the water.
“Soar on Wings”
Certainly the most ambitious story in the anthology, Carizz Cruzem’s fly-narrated tale follows a family
of pests as they interact with humans, particularly Christians marginalized by an apocalyptic war.
Enter the lowly fly who might prove useful to the forces of good.
I longed to see this story rise above the ordinary, but some basic failings tether it to earth. At the
core, a serious plotline gets undermined by a cutesy tone. Revealing the true nature of the narrator
from the beginning also derails what might have been a powerful reveal—think Fredrick Pohl’s
seminal novel, Man Plus. The conclusion of the story lay wrapped in murk, too.
Coulda been a contenda. Keeping in mind those critiques, a rewrite might improve this one
considerably.
“True Freedom” & “Chairman”
Frank Creed, the founder of The Lost Genre Guild contributed these two stories. “True Freedom”
missed being a pearl by a couple layers of nacre, mostly because its basic setting mirrored that of
the superior “The Edge of Water.” In addition, both of Creed’s stories explored the idea of soulful
machines, so the onus lay on him to add something hundreds of previous well-known authors failed
to note. He didn’t succeed.
Italicized thoughts in the narrative of “Freedom” weren’t clearly attributed in spots, necessitating
rereads—the writer’s nemesis. References in that story to real companies also broke the sci-fi plane,
shattering some of the illusion. Still, “Freedom” has merit, even if the premise may violate basic
theology.
“Chairman,” though technically adequate, not only plumbed one classic sf retread (as noted above),
but also limped down the cybernetic pathway, again with no expansion of the theme. Its short length
keeps it out of the potato category.
“At the Mountains of Lunacy”
The other comedy in the anthology. Stephen L. Rice’s farcical tale “At the Mountains of Lunacy” hints
at Terry Pratchett. With character names like “Lord Lovaduc” and werewolves who transform by
mooning each other, you might get a chuckle or two. Might.
But don’t ask for any sense in the plot. Don’t beg for a tied-up finale. In fact, don’t hold Rice to the
required elements of a genuine story. Scrutinize this mishmash of one-liners and the kitchen sink and
the whole enterprise collapses like a sunken soufflé. Could be genius…but then again, nah.
And now for the potatoes:
“Taken,” “Guilty,” and “Seeing Blind”
Daniel I. Weaver graduated from the writers’ workshop of “More is More.” Somewhere in his writing
life, someone counseled him to pump up his action verbs and adjectives, and he’s made it his
mission. If asked to write a simple breakfast scene, Weaver’s jelly would spontaneously combust, his
toast decapitate, and his oatmeal seethe. Though his authorial tagline claims he writes “Fiction to
scare the Jesus into you,” I found myself fighting off fatigue more than fear. Forcing the reader to
stay at eleven all the time isn’t action; it’s tedium. His steroid-filled word choices sapped any desire I
had to finish his stories.
Beyond the hyped-up writing technique, I couldn’t follow the plots. Each felt like nasty images
crammed together in the hope of spooking people. The unintended effect is to scare the reader away.
“Seeing Blind” bothered me for another reason, using Jesus as part of a dimensional travel stunt.
Christian fiction always stumbles when it forces Jesus to act a certain way or uses Him as part of a
narrative trick. Better that we not include Jesus as a character in our fiction than to drag Him into
something unbecoming. He’s the Lord! We should not be manipulating Him—ever.
“The Agent” & “Your Average Ordinary Alien”
Adam Graham adds these two stories (plus co-writes a third elsewhere with his wife). I’ve noted that
this anthology contains two comedies. I suspect these two stories are intended as comedies, but
someone better attuned to comedy would need to let me in on the joke. I didn’t get it, in either case.
“The Agent” revisits the hackneyed formula of selling one’s soul to the devil for worldly gain. In this
case, a writer signs on the dotted line. Unfortunately, this story winds up reading like a screenplay to
one of the films Mike and the Bots used to lampoon on Mystery Science Theater 3000. Think Manos
the Hands of Fate with the eponymous agent as the Master and the writer as Torgo.
As for “Your Average Ordinary Alien,” two words: fan fic. No, three words: Bad fan fic.
“Chosen of God” & “Frozen Generation”
The aforementioned Adam Graham pairs with his wife Andrea on the first story, while she flies solo
on the second. Both come from a series written by the two.
In short, I found these two stories incomprehensible. Couldn’t understand them one iota. The authors
may know what they wished to say, but they simply didn’t get it down on paper. I won’t say any more.
“Allison”
Personally, I believe Deborah Cullin-Smith’s third entry doesn’t belong in this anthology. Not that it
lacks value, but I believe it fails the test of genuine spec fic. Not only this, but the postscript that
follows the story states it comes out of the author’s personal tragedy. For that reason, I believe it
belongs in a different collection. If it must be here, I would suggest that the postscript be eliminated
and instead be appended to the author’s bio, stating in one line that it reflects the author’s own
experience and loss. Anything else becomes maudlin.
“The Timeship of Semak”
Joseph Ficor’s tale of a boy who encounters a mysterious traveler would be classified as a cautionary
tale. Unfortunately for the reader, the traveler dumps his caution on the boy and splits. The author
then ends the tale telling us everything worked out for the boy and he learned a valuable lesson.
Good thing Ficor tells us readers, otherwise we’d never know.
“The Waking of the Dead”
Mess with the order of creation and you get…zombies. Or so says Steve Doyle in his take on dallying
with the dead. When those dead take umbrage with folks foolin’ with ‘em, they rise to terrorize the
unwashed masses! Or do they? Only the parson knows for sure. Wink, wink. Look, he’s winking.
“One Taken, the Other Left” & “Credo”
In the first, Jesus comes to explain questionable eschatology to one of His better disciples. Hint to
Stephen L. Rice: don’t put words of questionable theology into the Lord’s mouth. Thank you.
As for “Credo,” please someone, anyone, explain this one to me. I doubt anyone, even the author
can. If you find dry, nebulous philosophical bantering an entertaining read, this is your story.
“Adino”
In V.B. Tenery’s tale, the hero’s on trial for a crime he didn’t commit. Unable to receive justice
because he’s a Christian, he’s rescued and makes for greener pastures.
My complaint against “Adino” is simple: it’s a chapter in a book, not a short story. No real story arc
exist. At the finale, the reader’s left with a giant “So?”
“Miracle Micro”
Frank Creed’s third contribution follows a mercenary spy as he tackles a series of gadgets designed
to foil his mission. What that mission might be was lost on me. That it took as long as it did to get to a
conclusion I couldn’t follow only made the reading all the more painful. Not only this, but the merc’s
risking his life for a Subaru Outback. Huh?
“Undeniable”
I reserve A.P. Fuchs’s story for last because I feel it represents the worst of Christian fiction. The
story of a father and son tortured for their faith is most certainly a tellable tale. Where author Fuchs
stumbles, and stumbles horridly, is the leering, pornographic violence meted out against the two
protagonists.
Why pornographic? Because no story exists. Fuchs provides no insights into the reasons the
Chinese torture two Canadians for their faith. He gives us no plot, no sense of time or place, either.
He fails to offer any excuse for the brutality, or to explain why no one in the outside world cares about
these two poor souls. No behind the scenes look into the torturer’s thinking, either. Nothing. Then he
drags supernatural beings into the squalor to excuse the punishment.
All these lacks render “Undeniable” little more than a script for a snuff film. And that’s reprehensible.
Especially since I know the author would defend this as what real martyrs face. That may be, but its
depiction here is absolutely artless. It’s one thing to offer the kind of graphic imagery one might see
in a movie like Schindler List, and something altogether more tawdry to dream up—and I use this
word appropriately—crap like “Undeniable.”
If I were the editor, I’d drop this story. We don’t need to soil the blood of the martyrs with tripe.
In summary, Cynthia McKinnon, the editor of Light at the Edge of Darkness, has done well to
assemble a broad scope of stories written by The Lost Genre Guild. There’s something for everyone
here. However, with the notable exception of two or three stories, the majority of this anthology never
rises above the level of fan fiction. Some authors hint at future promise, but the preponderance of
tales suffers from far too many ills to make this collection worthwhile. In most cases, the stories lack
charm and subtlety, a common problem in all genres of Christian fiction. The Christian message
shows, but it glares from the page rather than glows. Also, too many of the stories lack the depth of
character development essential to good storytelling. Readers vested in fleshed-out characters will
overlook a number of other writing sins. Fail them in fully-realized characterization, though, and they’ll
bolt at the first sign of trouble. Lastly, an inordinate number of common writing technique mistakes
plague the stories. These lacks thwart the very cause The Lost Genre Guild champions.
One day, we might see literary-quality speculative fiction on the bookshelves of our local Christian
bookstores. Or better yet, in the racks of secular booksellers. Unfortunately, Light at the Edge of
Darkness won’t be hastening that day.
--Dan Edelen
--Etienne Decroux, noted French mime
Mimes, by nature, aren’t noted for their canny quotes. In the same way, Evangelical Christians aren’t
noted for writing science fiction and fantasy. Despite a growing audience for novels with a biblical
worldview, Christian publishing houses take a dim view of futuristic dystopias, macabre myths, or
fantasy worlds inhabited by elves. One hand—that’s all that’s needed to count the number of
successful Christian authors writing those works.
Dismayed at the dearth of quality tales of the unusual available to Christians, a group called The
Lost Genre Guild seeks to rectify this lack. Light at the Edge of Darkness, their anthology of selected
writers within the Guild, offers twenty-seven short stories in the underappreciated genres collectively
known now as speculative fiction.
Any nascent movement risks being misunderstood. Couple this with a high variance in the writing
chops by those hoping to get in on the ground floor, and you’ll harvest quite a few more potatoes
than pearls. Yet anyone familiar with the history of Christian fiction in the last thirty years knows much
has happened for the better since those early days of stories centering on virginal young
schoolteachers coming of age and finding love on the windswept Kansas plains.
How successful will Light at the Edge of Darkness be in convincing editors at Christian publishers to
take a chance on speculative fiction? Let’s just say plenty of ingredients for au gratin fill the pages.
First, though, the lustrous and precious:
“The Edge of Water”
Karen McSpadden’s “The Edge of Water” glistens with polished prose and superlative character
development. Her story, a blend of Logan’s Run and THX1138, doesn’t mine new territory in sf. Few
works today do. Instead, through emotional connection with the protagonists, it displays a genuine
beauty found in small hopes.
Set in the remnants of an Earth now run by an inhuman one-world government, “The Edge of Water”
introduces us to a young woman so beaten by the grim, cattle-like existence she and her husband
daily live, she opts for sanctioned suicide. Her husband, having lost his brother to a more visceral
self-destruction, fights for her life through a simple act akin to what the catacombs-dwelling Christians
of antiquity celebrated. And in this, they find release.
Clearly the standout of Light of the Edge of Darkness, McSpadden’s story flows and never lags. The
only story in the anthology that fully engaged me, it’s a testament to the art of writing works of soul-
stirring faith without sledgehammering the reader with the message.
“Small and Simple Things”
The shortest work in the anthology, “Small and Simple Things” by Alethea Knight proves a writer can
minimize words and still maximize a story. An apt title, indeed.
In five pages, she introduces a storyteller who regales a youngster with the history of their people.
Pioneers to a new world, they experience a transformation that betters them to face an unknown
threat.
Told in a sing-song bayou accent that enlivens the piece, this story resembles those charming out-of-
time tales one finds on occasion in secular sf anthologies. Short and sweet. The bio info claims this is
Knight’s first story. She’s off to a promising start.
“Fair Balance”
Though not as successful as the previous two stories, “Fair Balance” by S. M. Kirkland offers the kind
of twist on the standard formula readers expect in anthologized sf. That the gimmick in this one sends
up misperceptions within Christian culture renders it all the more engaging.
A conversion tale, “Fair Balance” examines a brother and sister relationship at odds over faith—or
the lack of it. Dark forces swirl in the background and confuse the final battle.
Sadly, Kirkland’s anti-climactic ending doesn’t satisfy. Kudos for not tying up every loose thread, but
a nagging incompleteness remains. The final confrontation builds and peaks, but what follows
disappoints. Still, it rises above the pack.
Flawed and lacking in some way, a few stories are not quite pearls, yet not fully potatoes—the
chimeras of Light at the Edge of Darkness:
“Protected”
C.E. Lavender’s “Protected” offers us another conversion story. He imagines a futuristic battle
between a trio of adventurers and a villain who enslaves the wills of those not under the protection of
Christ.
“Protected” reads like a tract with a generic Star Wars veneer over the top, though. While conversion
stories have their place in Christian fiction, few authors write them well. Lavender joins that crowd.
That this story offers nothing to set it apart as either science fiction or a conversion story only makes
the reader wonder what Lavender might author if less beholden to forcing a Gospel presentation into
his work. He can certainly write; he just needs a better story to show off his skills.
“Fumbleblot’s Task”
One of two comedic selections in this anthology, “Fumbleblot’s Task” by Deborah Cullins-Smith
follows the antics of a doomed demon as he tries to stymie the faith of a new believer. In the end, of
course, he discovers he’s bitten off more than he can chew.
Though the piece ends with a nice twist, it suffers from a portrayal of Satan as a blowhard. The words
Cullins-Smith puts in the prince of darkness’s mouth ring false. Too much silly namecalling mars the
piece. This one could clearly benefit from rethinking the scenes between the devils, casting them
more in the mold of C.S. Lewis’s Wormwood and Screwtape. Witty and doomed reads better than
slapstick and doomed.
“The Rider”
Cullins-Smith also contributes this Western, which lends a nice change of pace to the anthology.
When a stagecoach comes under attack from an unknown force, the two survivors discover a
menacing figure (known only as the Rider) stalks them. A page-turning start!
From a promising hook, things quickly degenerate into a telegraphed not-everyone-is-who-he-seems
story with some less than deft moralizing. A subtler touch in unveiling evil would give readers a more
satisfying revelation. While that deficiency could be overcome with a few tweaks, the “cowgirl and her
beloved horse” finale undid the accomplished beginning of the tale and sank it altogether.
“Caleb Sees the Light”
When a small-town boy meets a smooth-talking alien, will he heed the Bible or succumb to
temptation? So Donna Sundblad asks in “Caleb Sees the Light.”
Sundblad writes well, but her story lacks a payoff. I’m all for slice of life stories, but they need sizzle.
Three seconds reading 2nd Corinthians 11:14 would suffice, for “Caleb” doesn’t add anything to that
text, nor does it interpret it in a clever or meaningful way.
“The Marks”
If Aisha K. Moore’s story of time travel and biblical assassinations seems familiar, it’s because Randy
Ingermanson’s mined that territory several times already. In any case where another author’s been
first to an idea, subsequent authors must captivate the reader with a dazzling variation. While Moore
offers intrigue concerning a hit on Queen Jezebel, none of the supporting writing takes us beyond
that premise. Confusing plot details and motivations only further muddy the water.
“Soar on Wings”
Certainly the most ambitious story in the anthology, Carizz Cruzem’s fly-narrated tale follows a family
of pests as they interact with humans, particularly Christians marginalized by an apocalyptic war.
Enter the lowly fly who might prove useful to the forces of good.
I longed to see this story rise above the ordinary, but some basic failings tether it to earth. At the
core, a serious plotline gets undermined by a cutesy tone. Revealing the true nature of the narrator
from the beginning also derails what might have been a powerful reveal—think Fredrick Pohl’s
seminal novel, Man Plus. The conclusion of the story lay wrapped in murk, too.
Coulda been a contenda. Keeping in mind those critiques, a rewrite might improve this one
considerably.
“True Freedom” & “Chairman”
Frank Creed, the founder of The Lost Genre Guild contributed these two stories. “True Freedom”
missed being a pearl by a couple layers of nacre, mostly because its basic setting mirrored that of
the superior “The Edge of Water.” In addition, both of Creed’s stories explored the idea of soulful
machines, so the onus lay on him to add something hundreds of previous well-known authors failed
to note. He didn’t succeed.
Italicized thoughts in the narrative of “Freedom” weren’t clearly attributed in spots, necessitating
rereads—the writer’s nemesis. References in that story to real companies also broke the sci-fi plane,
shattering some of the illusion. Still, “Freedom” has merit, even if the premise may violate basic
theology.
“Chairman,” though technically adequate, not only plumbed one classic sf retread (as noted above),
but also limped down the cybernetic pathway, again with no expansion of the theme. Its short length
keeps it out of the potato category.
“At the Mountains of Lunacy”
The other comedy in the anthology. Stephen L. Rice’s farcical tale “At the Mountains of Lunacy” hints
at Terry Pratchett. With character names like “Lord Lovaduc” and werewolves who transform by
mooning each other, you might get a chuckle or two. Might.
But don’t ask for any sense in the plot. Don’t beg for a tied-up finale. In fact, don’t hold Rice to the
required elements of a genuine story. Scrutinize this mishmash of one-liners and the kitchen sink and
the whole enterprise collapses like a sunken soufflé. Could be genius…but then again, nah.
And now for the potatoes:
“Taken,” “Guilty,” and “Seeing Blind”
Daniel I. Weaver graduated from the writers’ workshop of “More is More.” Somewhere in his writing
life, someone counseled him to pump up his action verbs and adjectives, and he’s made it his
mission. If asked to write a simple breakfast scene, Weaver’s jelly would spontaneously combust, his
toast decapitate, and his oatmeal seethe. Though his authorial tagline claims he writes “Fiction to
scare the Jesus into you,” I found myself fighting off fatigue more than fear. Forcing the reader to
stay at eleven all the time isn’t action; it’s tedium. His steroid-filled word choices sapped any desire I
had to finish his stories.
Beyond the hyped-up writing technique, I couldn’t follow the plots. Each felt like nasty images
crammed together in the hope of spooking people. The unintended effect is to scare the reader away.
“Seeing Blind” bothered me for another reason, using Jesus as part of a dimensional travel stunt.
Christian fiction always stumbles when it forces Jesus to act a certain way or uses Him as part of a
narrative trick. Better that we not include Jesus as a character in our fiction than to drag Him into
something unbecoming. He’s the Lord! We should not be manipulating Him—ever.
“The Agent” & “Your Average Ordinary Alien”
Adam Graham adds these two stories (plus co-writes a third elsewhere with his wife). I’ve noted that
this anthology contains two comedies. I suspect these two stories are intended as comedies, but
someone better attuned to comedy would need to let me in on the joke. I didn’t get it, in either case.
“The Agent” revisits the hackneyed formula of selling one’s soul to the devil for worldly gain. In this
case, a writer signs on the dotted line. Unfortunately, this story winds up reading like a screenplay to
one of the films Mike and the Bots used to lampoon on Mystery Science Theater 3000. Think Manos
the Hands of Fate with the eponymous agent as the Master and the writer as Torgo.
As for “Your Average Ordinary Alien,” two words: fan fic. No, three words: Bad fan fic.
“Chosen of God” & “Frozen Generation”
The aforementioned Adam Graham pairs with his wife Andrea on the first story, while she flies solo
on the second. Both come from a series written by the two.
In short, I found these two stories incomprehensible. Couldn’t understand them one iota. The authors
may know what they wished to say, but they simply didn’t get it down on paper. I won’t say any more.
“Allison”
Personally, I believe Deborah Cullin-Smith’s third entry doesn’t belong in this anthology. Not that it
lacks value, but I believe it fails the test of genuine spec fic. Not only this, but the postscript that
follows the story states it comes out of the author’s personal tragedy. For that reason, I believe it
belongs in a different collection. If it must be here, I would suggest that the postscript be eliminated
and instead be appended to the author’s bio, stating in one line that it reflects the author’s own
experience and loss. Anything else becomes maudlin.
“The Timeship of Semak”
Joseph Ficor’s tale of a boy who encounters a mysterious traveler would be classified as a cautionary
tale. Unfortunately for the reader, the traveler dumps his caution on the boy and splits. The author
then ends the tale telling us everything worked out for the boy and he learned a valuable lesson.
Good thing Ficor tells us readers, otherwise we’d never know.
“The Waking of the Dead”
Mess with the order of creation and you get…zombies. Or so says Steve Doyle in his take on dallying
with the dead. When those dead take umbrage with folks foolin’ with ‘em, they rise to terrorize the
unwashed masses! Or do they? Only the parson knows for sure. Wink, wink. Look, he’s winking.
“One Taken, the Other Left” & “Credo”
In the first, Jesus comes to explain questionable eschatology to one of His better disciples. Hint to
Stephen L. Rice: don’t put words of questionable theology into the Lord’s mouth. Thank you.
As for “Credo,” please someone, anyone, explain this one to me. I doubt anyone, even the author
can. If you find dry, nebulous philosophical bantering an entertaining read, this is your story.
“Adino”
In V.B. Tenery’s tale, the hero’s on trial for a crime he didn’t commit. Unable to receive justice
because he’s a Christian, he’s rescued and makes for greener pastures.
My complaint against “Adino” is simple: it’s a chapter in a book, not a short story. No real story arc
exist. At the finale, the reader’s left with a giant “So?”
“Miracle Micro”
Frank Creed’s third contribution follows a mercenary spy as he tackles a series of gadgets designed
to foil his mission. What that mission might be was lost on me. That it took as long as it did to get to a
conclusion I couldn’t follow only made the reading all the more painful. Not only this, but the merc’s
risking his life for a Subaru Outback. Huh?
“Undeniable”
I reserve A.P. Fuchs’s story for last because I feel it represents the worst of Christian fiction. The
story of a father and son tortured for their faith is most certainly a tellable tale. Where author Fuchs
stumbles, and stumbles horridly, is the leering, pornographic violence meted out against the two
protagonists.
Why pornographic? Because no story exists. Fuchs provides no insights into the reasons the
Chinese torture two Canadians for their faith. He gives us no plot, no sense of time or place, either.
He fails to offer any excuse for the brutality, or to explain why no one in the outside world cares about
these two poor souls. No behind the scenes look into the torturer’s thinking, either. Nothing. Then he
drags supernatural beings into the squalor to excuse the punishment.
All these lacks render “Undeniable” little more than a script for a snuff film. And that’s reprehensible.
Especially since I know the author would defend this as what real martyrs face. That may be, but its
depiction here is absolutely artless. It’s one thing to offer the kind of graphic imagery one might see
in a movie like Schindler List, and something altogether more tawdry to dream up—and I use this
word appropriately—crap like “Undeniable.”
If I were the editor, I’d drop this story. We don’t need to soil the blood of the martyrs with tripe.
In summary, Cynthia McKinnon, the editor of Light at the Edge of Darkness, has done well to
assemble a broad scope of stories written by The Lost Genre Guild. There’s something for everyone
here. However, with the notable exception of two or three stories, the majority of this anthology never
rises above the level of fan fiction. Some authors hint at future promise, but the preponderance of
tales suffers from far too many ills to make this collection worthwhile. In most cases, the stories lack
charm and subtlety, a common problem in all genres of Christian fiction. The Christian message
shows, but it glares from the page rather than glows. Also, too many of the stories lack the depth of
character development essential to good storytelling. Readers vested in fleshed-out characters will
overlook a number of other writing sins. Fail them in fully-realized characterization, though, and they’ll
bolt at the first sign of trouble. Lastly, an inordinate number of common writing technique mistakes
plague the stories. These lacks thwart the very cause The Lost Genre Guild champions.
One day, we might see literary-quality speculative fiction on the bookshelves of our local Christian
bookstores. Or better yet, in the racks of secular booksellers. Unfortunately, Light at the Edge of
Darkness won’t be hastening that day.
--Dan Edelen
| Review of Light at the Edge of Darkness by Dan Edelen |
