Friday, March 27, 2015

Inkblots and Blood Spots - by Michael Bailey - A nice mix of Dark Prose and Poetry

4 of 5 Stars     Review copy

Inkblots and Blood Spots is a beautiful blend of poetry and storytelling from the darker side of fiction.

This is my first time reading Michael Bailey's work and, although I've never been a big fan of poetry, I found this collection to be a nice mix of  prose and poetry where the story would often complement the poem or vice versa.

The first story featured in this collection is a good example of  what is to come in the rest of the book.  "Hiatus," is a somewhat familiar tale of a world that has suddenly stopped moving, except for Seth.  The story reads like a good episode of the Twilight Zone, but the ending is chillingly original.

Many of Michael Bailey's stories make use of the classic, "what if" premise and the results are quite successful.  "The Binds of Lasolastica"merges cloning with the idea of being able to upload one's mind and later download it into a new body/brain.  What could possibly go wrong?

There are also, tales of a boogeyman, whether to pull the plug or not, severe weight loss, fairies, annoying people on cell phones, and so many more imaginative stories taking the reader to a multitude of destinations.

I, personally, found Bailey to be an amazing word sculptor and Inkblots and Blood Spots is one of the most interesting books I've read this year.  Even when writing prose, the author does so with the heart of a poet and the result is truly something special.

Inkblots and Blood Spots is currently available in paperback from Villipede Publications and can be purchased through Amazon.com.

Recommended.


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