Shooting the Moon and Other Stories by Demetrius Sherman

Shooting the Moon and Other Stories by Demetrius Sherman is a strange and surreal work of fiction. 

Buy or Pass Recommendation:  Buy; fans of bizarro and speculative fiction will enjoy this book.

The Good

Well-written and imaginative, the stories are just ‘out there’ and absurd enough to enable you to suspend disbelief and enjoy the strange worlds to which you are transported.

‘Half a Beauty’ is my favourite; the odd tale reminiscent of stories from Arabian Nights, and Vikram and Betaal.

The book also gives you some food for thought. For the most part, the author has not spoon-fed the symbolism. It’s up to you to figure it out.

The Bad

 Nothing.

The Nit-picks

‘The Murder of Spring’, though a poignant and topical story, feels thematically out of place. The other stories in the collection are futuristic or fantastical, but ‘The Murder of Spring’ is all too real. This doesn’t, however, take away from the story or its significance. 

Not your usual fare. If you like stories that are out of the ordinary, you should check this book out.