Love in Vain
Stories
Love in Vain is now out in a beautiful limited edition from Subterranean Press.
You really need to see this book to appreciate what a great job they did on the cover
and the design.
Here's an early review:
"Raw emotion, exquisite story construction, an ability to defy categorization by
using whatever 'genre' suits his artistic needs are the hallmarks that cause Shiner's
latest collection to...shine. Much like T.C. Boyle is his short work, Shiner invokes a wry magic in
exploring human frailty and strengths. Moving assuredly through all time zones, he
taps into a rich vein. Highlights include 'White City,' a historical fantasy in which a
fanatical Tesla banishes night from the world; 'Gold,' another historical conceit about
Lafitte's buried treasure on Galveston Island; 'Match,' a brilliant examination of father/son
conflict; 'Sticks' and the title story, both of which analyze the pain of mistaking sex
for love, also echoed by two short shorts, 'My Girlfriend's Dog' and 'Language.' Also notable
is a new story, a fable for adults and children, 'The Tale of Mark the Bunny,' whose plea,
'Give what you can. Take what you need,' certainly hits home. The other stories, equally
entertaining, never miss a beat in this harmonious gathering, hitting every dark and light
note needed. Never before collected in one volume, these stories show why Shiner, a World
Fantasy Award winner and author of the outstanding novels Say Goodbye and Glimpses, as
well as editor of the pacifist anthology When the Music's Over, has become a virtuoso
word musician."
--Publisher's Weekly (starred review)
The collection includes the following stories:
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