Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls

Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls (2013) Elliot James

Another John Charming story, this occurs after Charmed I’m Sure and references that story.

I think I figured out the problem I have with these short stories. They all being with a flash forward, or whatever the hell you call it. It’s not a bad technique in and of itself, and one of my favorite books, Nightlife, opens that way.

But in short stories, it’s harder to do well, and easy for the reader to lose track when the characters and their relationships to one another are unknown. Especially when, as happens here, you never really return to the characters introduced, or the scene.

It just seemed needlessly confusing.

That said, despite the flaws, it’s an interesting and enjoyable story, and I do think I want to read more about John Charming. These short stories pretty much stand on their own, and give you an idea of the character and this seems like a world I’d like to visit.

And I quite liked this bit:

“Knight stories,” Sarah elaborated. “Men stories. They’re all about how brave the rescuers are. You never wonder how badly all those damsels in distress were traumatized. “Happily ever after,” my ass.”

“Ending a children’s story with “… and she had night terrors and never again suffered the touch of another” would have its own problems.”

So interesting, and I believe I’ll read Charming, but it’s not without flaws.
Rating: 6/10

Published by Orbit

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