The Power of the Dark Goddess and Other Stories - Softcover

George J. Bryjak

9781604024777: The Power of the Dark Goddess and Other Stories

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1604024771 ISBN 13: 9781604024777

Publisher: Myopic Moose Press, 2007

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Ten delicious stories of mystery, suspense and humor, including: The Power of the Dark Goddess. Will the Dark Goddess save the rickshaw driver in his hour of need, or will he become her next victim? Sorry About That. Only two survived the global war; are they the next Adam and Eve? Sunday Morning. The aged priest believes mightily in the Lord, but are the old gods more powerful? Alexei and the Boy. A Russian soldier is captured by Afghan freedom fighters. Can a young boy protect him form his fanatic captors? Thursday in L.A. Will ace detective Raul Thursday save Los Angeles from the mother of all earthquakes? Also includes 30 flash-fiction stories of love, death, and revenge.

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About the Author

George J. Bryjak taught sociology at the University of San Diego for 24 years before moving to the Adirondack Park region of New York state with his wife, Diane. He is the co-author of three sociology textbook and numerous scholarly articles. His opinion pieces have appeared in USA Today, the San Diego Union-Tribune, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Houston Chronicle and Baltimore Sun among other newspapers in the United States and Canada. Bryjak's short plays have been performed in New York City, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and California. This is his first collection of short stories.

Review

The Power of the Dark Goddess is a very entertaining and unusual collection of short stories. It begins with an interpretation of post-apocalyptic America, and the unproductive second coming of Adam and Eve. In further stories, we see the mental destruction caused to a man by a taunting spam email, as well as a foreboding tale of the legacy of cloning when mixed with religious fervor. The title story, The Power of the Dark Goddess, involves religious and social conflict in the chaotic streets of India. Finally, the author presents several examples of a new genre called 55-fiction: subtly witty little gems of a maximum of 55 words. All the stories are well-written and extremely entertaining. While most have a science-fiction feel, they remain accessible to all, with clever twists in absorbing plots. The short story format requires developing interesting characters quickly, and George Bryjak does a good job of this, with instantly recognizable types that expand along with the plot. The only disappointment here, if you could call it that, is that the stories were too short, as some were so interesting as to leave the reader wanting. But then, considering the skill and wit necessary to create 55-fiction, perhaps that is the author's true talent. A wonderful collection that gave this reviewer a great afternoon of reading; I strongly recommend The Power of the Dark Goddess and Other Stories. ----Nancy Morris, Allbooks

George Bryjak's collection of short stories are laugh-out-loud funny, foreboding, and come at the reader from all angles. Having read one you probably won t be able to stop. Sorry About That is a resurrection of the classic Adam and Eve scenario. Adam is lonesome and Eve seems to be the only other person alive. God, it appears, has killed everything and everyone to rid the world of evil, andis giving the last two humans a fresh start. This is a very clever, well thought out, tightly constructed tale. Another excellent story is My Marie, a short yarn with an ending that caught me completely by surprise. Marie is deeply troubled as she longs for the most delectable croissants money can buy. Henri Dumont is determined to do whatever it takes to satisfy her craving. This is a highly entertaining, gem of a story, and one can all but smell the croissants. The "55-Fiction" pieces are as enjoyable to read as the longer stories in this collection. The Interview, for example, is fantastic with a narrative that immediately hooks the reader. Lost Melody is also very lovely, flying pianos across a wide meadow and a rampaging bear. Perhaps this story is a metaphor. Orders is sinister, but also amusing. Numerous mysteries of human existence are encapsulated in these stories. The stark realities of life are depicted with enough humour to dispel the grim aspects of daily life. What a great imagination this man has! Read and enjoy. A collection of stories not to be missed. ----Jessica Roberts, BookPleasures.com

Bryjak, famed in our neck of the woods for his cogent, hard-hitting, and always provocative opinion pieces in the local newspaper, has turned his kind but unsparing eye to fiction, and with brilliant results. These stories, short and shorter, recall the best of O.Henry and Twain. They're funny, dark, wide-ranging, and always entertaining. Do your brain a favor. Read this book! --Edward Kanze, author Over the Mountain and Home Again: Journeys of an Adirondack Naturalist and The World of John Burroughs

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