Master of Speculative Fiction

Jalyn Renae Fiske, in Side Quest: Stories, displays her mastery of speculative fiction. Whether it is dystopian science fiction in "Soul Candy"; a dark fairytale in "Verity's Faery Teas"; occult mystery ala Edgar Allen Poe in "The Search for Jedda Rose; or zombie/vampire horror in "Dark the Sky, Radiant the Road", Fiske delivers time and again in this aptly named collection of stories. Playing with olde tropes and twisting expectations of those tropes, Side Stories is a dark romp through the deranged mind of a speculating genius.

"Soul Candy" opens on a Anton, clearly depressed, in a seedy bar. With artful world building, we soon learn he is a 'mid' and the currency of this world is emotions. How better to reflect our own world than through this dystopia where a clear caste system gives some people worth, others struggles, and still others complete ostracization. In "Soul Candy" only an elite few are allowed the precious drugs that inspire ecstasy while the rest of civilization must scrounge for it.

"Verity's Faery Teas", while playing with the likes of Tinkerbell, though she is not named, is not cute. These dainty creatures, so treasured in other stories by other authors from other times, are treated quite differently by Fiske. With her dark humor at play, as it almost always is in this treasure of a book, we soon learn the faeries are not safe. I won't ruin the twist, nor should I, but if you read this book for one story, read this one. I can assure you, if you are anything like me, you will be delighted if not a bit disturbed.

"The Search for Jedda Rose" is a study of mystery and it left me wanting more. More of Pryor, the surly, down on his luck detective who has to figure out why women are washing ashore the Thames with rocks in their throats. The writer's versatility and devoutness to the occult displayed in this story is astounding. Pryor rivals some of the detectives in the canon and, while likely inspired by Doyle and Poe, it is my belief that Pryor is just as compelling a character as Holmes or Dupin.

In the final story of the collection, "Dark the Sky, Radiant the Road", any doubt we may have stored up that Fiske is a master of horror could be put away for good. Playing again with ancient tropes and improving on them, we are doubled up with vampires and zombies and the scenery, the dark religious undertones, and the character building in protagonist, Warwick, had me wishing there were more stories, which I have no doubt there are in this wicked mind.

Jalyn Renae Fiske has earned my respect with these stories. Her 'Side Quest' as she states in the forward, of writing short stories (and a poem) while setting out to write a novel, has me wondering when this novel will come. I for one, am willing to wait for it. If these stories are any indication, we are in for a treat. Especially if the kind of treat you want is the kind that leeches blood onto your chin, or causes madness that can't be easily explained or understood, or tastes as good as tea even if you don't know the secret ingredient.

Purchase Side Quest: Stories, here