Review of Wilde Stories a Lethe Press Anthology

A New Speculative Fiction Collection Edited By Steve Berman

Oct 6, 2008

A new collection from Lethe press, Wilde Stories, named after Oscar Wilde, showcases last year's best short, queer speculative fiction as edited by writer Steve Berman.

The yarns in Wilde Stories range in genre from psychedelic time travel in “Acid and Stoned Reindeer” by Rebecca Ore, to the more conventional and still wonderfully realised spirit haunting in “The Women In The Window” by Jameson Currier.

The Authorial Voice In Short Fiction

There are moments in Wilde Stories by Lethe Press where the writer’s voice seems to impede the story telling in a small way, such as in “Awkward” by Chilean-Canadian writer Francisco Ibanez-Carrasco who’s tale of sadomasochistic love and one night of torture at the hands of two young punk thieves feels a little wordy and, in switching between French and English, has an element of disjointedness.

Yet, this story manages to round itself off with perhaps the most elegant character development in this Lethe Press collection which more than pays for the hard work put in to understanding the narrative.

The stand out tale of this Lethe Press title is “The Emerald Mountain” by Victor J. Banis, a story of one man named Simon who, with a power given to him after a horrific accident, can heal the dying and resurrect the dead. This is a story of spirituality and at the same time, spiritual void, and resonates deeper than any other tale in Wilde Stories.

“The Emerald Mountain” proffers real, powerful characters with dialogue that is diverse and witty, a narrative that is sparing and yet poetic, and is backed by the complex interplay of human emotions; wanting to find something more, needing redemption, questing for that perfect moment of love.

More than this, “The Emerald Mountain” confronts the difficult problem of religious doctrine and sexuality head on in a dramatic and yet tactful way, telling a very broad story in a narrow context which anchors this story and Wilde Stories as a collection firmly within the modern literary landscape.

Other stories to note from this Lethe Press title are “An Apiary of White Bees” by Lee Thomas, which is as vivid as it is well thought out, with a full array of barbarous emotions for the reader to enjoy, as well as “The Island of the Pirate Gods” by Hal Duncan, which is a sprawling, humorous tale of Pagan gods, two ship-mates who are more than just friends and the vanity of survival.

Concluding Thoughts On This Lethe Press Title

Steve Berman as editor has done an excellent job in collecting together stories that not only resonate with the reader but also flow from one tale to the next in Wilde Stories, and his inclusion of an excerpt from the novel “Burial” by Polly Buckingham serves to contextualise the entire compilation and affirms why speculative fiction is of such importance, especially for the gay and lesbian markets.

Overall, Wilde Stories by Lethe Press is an entertaining and at times thought provoking read. There are moments where Wilde Stories truly dazzles, and the reader will eagerly anticipate next year’s collection after reading this one.

The copyright of the article Review of Wilde Stories a Lethe Press Anthology in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fiction is owned by Steve Williams. Permission to republish Review of Wilde Stories a Lethe Press Anthology in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.