Book Review: Lighting the Dark Side by William Potter
Mr. JM picked up this book and I couldn’t pry it away from him until he’d finished it, so he has the honor today of reviewing this book…
Lighting the Dark Side Review
By Mr. JM
Lighting the Dark Side is a book of short stories. I must admit to prejudice in regard to this style. I started early in my life of reading with Science Fiction – there wasn’t a lot of Young Adult or children’s works available so I read adult books and stories. I come to Lighting the Dark Side with a view that SciFi short stories are one of the highest forms of writing when done well.
William Potter has put together a collection of his work that, I think, shows a writer of sensitivity and talent. I wouldn’t have thought I could read a story from the PoV of a sufferer of OCD, yet from the first few pages of Bent, Not Broken, the first story in the book, I was involved with the main characters.
Admittedly I kept waiting for the shoe to drop as I read of Dwayne’s path towards Dee-Dee; there had to be something coming to make the story worth the writing, yet each morning after I read of his life, it would preoccupy me as I drove to work.
Somehow, in each story through the book, William Potter managed to find some way to make the story true to me – some aspect of the tale would ring true to me, enabling me to identify with the character or story. Reading ‘In the Gray’, I could empathise with the character’s feelings towards a family that had failed to give him the basics needed by any growing child. Prominent Couple Slain was probably the only story where I didn’t have a personal touch from the narrative, but it is written well enough to be engrossing and well paced.
May 18, 2010 left me satisfied with the tale but wanting more of an insight to how what occurred actually came to pass. I don’t think I wanted it explained, but something more in the way of clues to how any of this was possible would have lifted (for me) the story to the level of extraordinary; as it is, it’s an involving and fascinating, if slightly frustrating unfolding of ‘what if…’ that raises questions about life.
While I still feel good Science Fiction short stories offer the ultimate in creative writing, Lighting the Dark Side is an impressive collection to showcase William Potter’s skills.
November 14th, 2008 at 9:40 am
I’m a big fan of science fiction, but I rarely read short stories. Thanks for the review, this looks like the perfect combination for me.
November 14th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Mr. JM.
Thank you for the honest and in depth review of my book.
Take care,
William
November 15th, 2008 at 6:49 am
SFF: Thanks for the comment - but if you’ve avoided short stories in SF, you’ve done yourself a disservice. Get thee to your local library & look up the Best SF titles by Gollanz Publishing. Modern SF shorts are usually not much of a read - the older writers could give you a complete, worth reading story, with characters you could empathise with and create the planet/society well enough for you to enter it in imagination - all within 6 - 10 pages.
William - you’re welcome - thanks for the enjoyable read.