Review: Boundary Problems, by Greg Bechtel

Boundary Problems by Greg BechtelMy rating: 3 of 5 stars It would be egregiously erroneous to fail to recognize Greg Bechtel’s accomplished writing. There is no question he understands the nuance of language. His work is witty, clever, targeted for an audience looking for literature rather than escapism. Yet in this collection of short stories one has the feeling of being the stranger at a gathering of a closed order of colleagues, all sharing clever…

Review: Maleficium, by Martine Desjardins

Maleficium by Martine DesjardinsMy rating: 3 of 5 stars Written very much in the dark and twisted tradition of Guy de Maupassant, Maleficium creates a single story comprised of eight short stories, all charged with sexual deviance, repression, greed and pretty much the embodiment of the seven deadly sins, save for murder. It is exotic and reveals an extraordinary imagination. For lovers of dark erotica, this is your drug. Which is to say, I am…