R. T. Smith (1) (1947–)

Despite where some of these stories have been published, and despite 3 or 4 pieces worth reading, I can't recommend this collection. Too much of it is cheap local color in a wearingly outmoded vein and overwritten, claustrophobic Southern "lyricism." The worst pieces were, for me, unreadably bad. The prose in these pieces is hyper-conscious of itself in ways that don't at all serve the story.

The few instances of success ("Plinking," "Stop the Rocket," "Razorhead the Axeman," and the title story) are quite good, but these are only 4 stories out of 16; and beyond these four, the collection falls away quickly. If you can get hold of any of these stories without spending the $17, that's the way to go.

A few of the pieces (most notably "Visitation" and "Blaze") peter out in the no-man's-land between vignette and story, almost as if they realize the ground they're working has been repeatedly tread for 60 years or more. "Visitiation" in particular is pointless rewriting of O'Connor's "The Life You Save May Be Your Own" (which the story itself seems to admit with it's peacock in the background), but in this case eviscerated of all social and moral context. With that stuff gone, who cares?… (more)