I've been approved to review a bunch more of Rayne Hall's collections of books, and I'm starting with a review for one I really enjoyed, Seers.
Blurb:
Is clairvoyance a gift or a curse?
Imagine getting a glimpse of what the future holds, and ask yourself how you would deal with the burden of this foresight.
Is it right to interfere with the pre-ordained? Is it your duty to avert the doom, or will your meddling make matters worse? Is it even possible to change the future?
What if those with the power to prevent a disaster disdain your warnings? What if you see what will happen, but have no idea when it will come to pass? Is your vision to be trusted? What if your interpretation of what you see is wrong?
In this book, ten authors share their visions of what it means to be clairvoyant, each with their individual way of telling a story and their own writing style. They seek to entertain you and at the same time to make you think.
Some yarns take place in the distant past, some in fantasy lands, and others in our familiar modern world.
Each seer in this book is different. They interpret dreams, read the tarot, consult the stars and gaze into the crystal ball, or simply receive visions in their mind. Some are professional future-gazers, others dabble or are even caught unawares. Some welcome the experience, some seek it, and others try to close that channel of their mind.
Many of the stories in this book have been previously published in magazines, ezines, anthologies and collections. The authors stem from all over the world and use different versions of the English language with variations in word choices, spellings, grammar and punctuation.
Enjoy the ten glimpses into seersʼ minds. But beware: the visions may be disturbing.
1.BEWARE OF TUESDAYS by Frederick Langridge
Would the railway ghost still show herself?
2.A GOOD TRADE by Tracie McBride
Nadia does not say exactly when her prophecy will be fulfilled.
3.THE VISION by April Grey
Cherie foresees her future husband – a monster.
4.THE TALE OF THE AGGRIEVED ASTROLOGER by Jack Nicholls
Ho Bian can ride the winds, speak to fishes, and read the stars.
5.DANCE WITH THE DEVIL by Carole Ann Moleti
Taina won’t rest until she finds out who murdered her family
6.THE WATCHER by Jeff Hargett
“I don’t frighten for fun. What I see for you is bad. Very bad.”
7.SENSTORY by Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar
What courses in the girlʼs veins – death or hope?
8.EZRA’S PROHECY by Deborah Walker
The old hermit writes down what she hears – then casts the prophecy into the fire
9.I COULD HAVE HEARD YOU FROM ACROSS THE STREET by Douglas Kolacki
Does Janie know when the Rapture will happen?
10.PROPHETESS by Rayne Hall
I am cursed to see the future, always to speak the truth, and never to be believed.
Review:
Seers is probably my favorite of Hall's collections of short stories so far. I've been interested in the paranormal since... well, since before I could do multiplication and division. There's something about the occult I've always found to be intriguing, and these stories did not disappoint.
I enjoyed every single story. There wasn't a single one I disliked, but best of all I really loved the majority of them. Most of these stories I just simply found easy, fun to read. At times, I could relate to several of the stories which of course always makes them more fun and interesting. Senstory and Ezra's Prohecy (is this meant to be prophecy?) were my least favorites, not that they weren't well written or anything of the sort. In this collection, there were just too many stories which stand out in my mind as being thoroughly enjoyable.
Beware of Tuesdays I found to be strange, in a good way. A Good Trade was interesting as long as you don't mind reading about incest. The Vision was probably among my favorites, most likely because I could relate to the story. The Tale of the Aggrieved Astrologer I found to be interesting, different and funny at times. Dance with the Devil was also a favorite but I was disappointed by the ending as I was left wanting more. I'm looking forward to reading more of this author's work soon! The Watcher I felt to be weird with an interesting twist - and it seems to be inspiring my own writing which is always cool. I Could Have Heard You From Across the Street was just OK, but it was funny. Lastly, Hall's own Prophetess I found to be quite good and interesting - plus it inspired me to study up my knowledge of the Trojan war.
I found myself sitting down to read just one or two of these stories and reading much more than that. They really were quite good and I have to recommend this book as a great buy for just 99 cents on Amazon.
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