Joan Kahn (ed) - Some Things Fierce and Fatal - Bodley Head -

Joan Kahn (ed) - Some Things Fierce and Fatal - Bodley Head

Short stories by C S Forester, Edward H Smith, Ray Bradbury, H G Wells and others.

This is the first collection compiled by Joan Kahn that I`ve read, and was part of a series ; Some Things Dark and Dangerous, Some Things Strange and Sinister etc.

There are 14 stories by 14 writers. Three of the tales included are said by the editor to be factual, though my feeling is that one of these, A Tale of Terror by Paul Louis Courier, is really a short story, though it is presented as a reminiscence. 

There is only one that I personally would not have included, which is David Hogan`s The Leaping Trout. It is clear to me that he can write, and tell a story in a way that holds your attention, but in this case his writing is mannered and at times pretentious ("the new moon rose above Mullaghcleevaun mountain like the diadem of a fairy queen walking upon its summit")  and in the end the story goes nowhere.

There are a number that stand out in my mind ; Celia Fremlin`s tense psychological piece `Something Evil in the House`, Stanley Ellins` crime-story-with-a-difference

`The 9 to 5 Man`, Julian Symons` suspenseful `Eight Minutes to Kill` and Dwynwen Richards` charmingly whimsical `Traveller`s Joy`.

All of the others are fine pieces anyone would be happy to have in their collection, but those are my personal favourites. 

Overall, a collection I`d recommend. 

Just as a footnote, my copy is not for sale but you should be able to pick one up at a reasonable price if you search around a bit.