‘A Matter of Perception,’ an urban fantasy and magical realism short story anthology by Tahlia Newland is available now at the special release price of 99c. On the 15th November the price goes up to $1.99.
What is real and what is not? Take modern gods, alien monsters, ghosts in the service of sirens, a battle of magical light, a mysterious hole in the pavement, a dream of a future past and a pair of rose-coloured glasses, mix them with a little romance and a smidgen of philosophy and you might be left wondering if it isn’t all just a matter of perception.
This thought-provoking collection of urban fantasy and magical realism stories includes ‘The Grorgon Slayer’s Choice’ and ‘The Boneyard’, a semi finalist in the Aussiecon 4 Make Ready fantasy/scfi competition of 2010.
If you’re planning on buying it on Amazon, I’d appreciate it if you could buy it on Monday the14th November. If everyone buys it on that date, we have some chance of propelling it up the Amazon sales ranking which will help make the book visible to people who would otherwise not see it.
Here’s my first comprehensive review. Five stars from The fallen Monkey.
‘A Matter of Perception was six-for-six keeping me engaged–I read the entire anthology in one sitting. What makes it an interesting collection is that it provides such a variety in tone and supernatural elements, yet it’s held together, yes, by that common supernatural denominator, but also some thought-provoking philosophies on life.
If I had to pick a favorite, I think it would be “Not Me, it Can’t Be.” I found that such a lovely and surprising tale juxtaposing seemingly different life experiences, only to find a poignant commonality between them. Newland’s structuring of the story is very effective and the wording throughout so graceful.
All the other stories are such pleasurable reads as well. I’ve always been a fan of ghost stories and mythology, so the haunting atmosphere Newland creates in “The Bone Yard” was obviously appealing to me (and I so did not see that ending coming!). This story is a nice one to follow my previously reviewed “The Drorgon Slayer’s Choice”–as love stories, they both also dapple in philosophy as their human protagonists face choices in a supernatural world new to them. Newland’s vibrant descriptions of magical combat in “Mistril’s Magic” are engaging to visualize, the crime-scene beginning such a hook, and I liked how on-the-fence I felt about Damien by virtue of Eleanor’s sympathies for him–I find characters treading the grey areas more interesting than outright evil villains. Finally, “A Hole in the Pavement” and “The Rose Coloured Glasses” are both so sweetly romantic with a magical realism that readers can actually identify with, for no matter how “superhuman” the characters’ experiences might be, these are really tales of the very human vulnerabilities within–and interactions between–us all.
In addition to her beautiful writing, imaginative worlds, and well-crafted characters, Newland does well with parceling out back-story, definitely leaving questions in my mind that made me want to keep reading for the answers. And I’m so impressed with how concisely she concludes each of these stories on just the right note.
Overall, A Matter of Perception is a very appropriate title for this anthology’s content, as Newland’s collection of stories provokes her readers to question their perceptions alongside her characters.’
Purchase links
Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0061V4H9C
Smashwords – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/100869
Catapult Press – http://catapultpress.wordpress.com/a-matter-of-perception/
(If you want a PDF or epub file, would like to give me 90% of the total price & are happy to wait up to 24 hrs to receive the file via email)
The stories make perfect quick reads for when you don’t have the time or inclination to commit yourself to a longer work. Are you interested?
