Out of Body, by Jeffrey Ford

[Single]

★★★☆☆ Honorable Mention

(Horror) After a head injury, Owen starts having out-of-body experiences when he dreams. He learns a lot he didn’t know about his local community, including things that threaten even a walker. (32,759 words; Time: 1h:49m)

Recommended By: 👍GTognetti+1 (Q&A)

See related articles on Tor.com.

Sisyphus in Elysium, by Jeffrey Ford

[Anthology]

★★★★☆ A Moving Story of Redemption

(Greek Myth Pastiche) In which we learn what happened to Sisyphus once he quit having to push that big rock all the time. (4,098 words; Time: 13m)

The Bookcase Expedition, by Jeffrey Ford

[Anthology]

Not Rated No Speculative Element

(Mainstream) The narrator is sick unto death, and from the living room couch, he watches an expedition of tiny fairies making a dangerous climb up his bookshelves. (4,276 words; Time: 14m)

Recommended By: 📙JStrahan+2 (Q&A)

Thanksgiving, by Jeffrey Ford

[F&SF]

★★☆☆☆ Not Recommended

(Uncanny Horror) A group of friends discovers that none of them really knows who “Uncle Jake” is, even though he joins them for Thanksgiving every year. (3,602 words; Time: 12m)

Recommended By: 👍STomaino+1 (Q&A)

The Twilight Pariah, by Jeffrey Ford

Find this story

(Horror) College friends Henry, Maggie, and Russell decide to play archeologist in the back yard of an old, abandoned house, but things get serious when they find the deformed skeleton of a child. (33,158 words; Time: 1h:50m)

Rating: ★★★★☆ Great Characters, Plenty of Suspense

See related articles on Tor.com.

Not Without Mercy, by Jeffrey Ford

Read this issue

(Alien Invasion) At night, in the middle of a terrible snowstorm, Amy and Harry meet an alien on their drive home. (3,635 words; Time: 12m)

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ Needs Improvement

The Thousand Eyes, by Jeffrey Ford

Find this book

(Horror) When old Merle was young, he wanted to paint all the bars in South Jersey. He did The Thousand Eyes last. A hard place to find. A place where The Voice of Death performs on Wednesdays. (4,482 words; Time: 14m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

Recommended By: SFEP

What Is, by Jeffrey Ford

Find this book.

(Apocalyptic) In 2025, the last survivors in drought-ravaged Oklahoma receive their last airdrop from the government.  (~6,200 words)

Rating: 2, Not Recommended

 

The Winter Wraith, by Jeffrey Ford

Find this issue

All alone at home during bad winter weather, Henry wants to get rid of the dead Christmas tree in the living-room. It drops needles and ornaments and there just seems to be something wrong with it. (4,144 words; Time: 13m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

Recommended By: LTilton

The Thyme Fiend, by Jeffrey Ford

Tor.com, March 11, 2015; 14,004 words
Rating: 3, Good, ordinary, story  Recommended By:  Locus

In 1915 Ohio, 14-year-old Emmett's night terrors get worse after he finds a dead body in an abandoned well.

Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)

Pro: Didn't expect that Gretel was a ghost up until the police had never heard of her! In general, the story flows nicely and all the dialogue is natural. .

Con: The resolution feels incomplete. We're not sure what Mrs. Williams's motives were in killing her husband. Not sure how she enticed Jimmy. Nor what the preacher's motives were either. And where did Gretel come from? And what was that visit to Hell all about--other than showing Emmett how Jimmy murdered Mr. Williams?