Title: The Absent Traveler: A Novella & Other StoriesAuthor: Randall DeVallance
Publisher: Atticus Books
ISBN, PUB Date: 978-0-9845105-2-8, December 28, 2010
Reviewed by: Denien Robbins for Author Exposure
by starting with “The Traveler” novella. It is there that we are given a glimpse into the life of Charles, the central character. A chance encounter with someone from his past leads to a series of misunderstandings and a borderline obsession. The other characters that make an appearance in this novella are stranger than Charles, if that is possible.The remaining short stories are an eclectic mix with no central theme. DeVallance has mastered the use of words, I simply wasn't impressed with the way he strung them together. I closed the book after turning the final page, and felt a bit disappointed, as if there should have been more, somehow.
Fortunately, everyone has different tastes in reading material. Some may enjoy the book more than I did. I generally don't like short story collections, but decided to give this one a look. My opinion hasn't changed.
2 comments:
It's a shame it didn't work for you. I enjoy reading short stories, but usually don't read settle in to read a collection straight through.
Hi Carol! Short stories aren't for everyone. I haven't always liked them myself. Right now I'm reading a fantastic collection called "I Knew You'd Be Lovely" by Alethea Black.
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