By Matt Molgaard
What’s unique about Michael Fine is that he refuses to draw lines in the sand. This gentleman knows no boundaries. If an outlandish concept enters his imagination, he won’t hesitate to exploit that idea and turn it into a quality story. Speaking of quality work, Fine’s Six Pack of Weird Tales is filled with the absurd, the weird, and the downright wonderful. This is a series that has something for everyone.
One of the standouts from The Six is Deconstructing Henry, the story of a wandering musician who is about to get caught up in a series of highly unusual circumstances. Babbitt Farm is another standout, and should serve as a reminder to any potential landowner that research is crucial; you don’t want to buy the wrong piece of real estate, which could be a life-threatening deal. Meanwhile, The King’s Collection takes readers into a fantasy world… with a clever twist.
These are just a few of my personal favorites. In fact, Faun is a true storyteller with a diverse and imaginative style. After reading this book, it is easy to imagine Michael tackling any subject imaginable. His prose style is different from that of a typical writer, and this unique quality sets him apart from the vast majority of writers producing high-quality work today.
Considering we’re dealing with a stripped-down version (I could have easily read 10 more stories), it’s hard to find any flaws in this heap of brilliant ideas. Faun’s understanding of limitations and subsequent disregard for those limitations is brilliant and is sure to leave readers hungry for more madness. Six Pack of Strange Tales is an incredibly powerful book that takes the idea of boring or mundane reading and completely squashes it, instead offering a startling narrative that will leave the mind’s eye spinning in delightful confusion.
Pick up this book, it’s well worth it!
grade:4/5
