ctlemur's review
5.0
I really loved this short story collection. I'm a big fantasy fan, and he is brilliant at world building. Rather than focus solely on the big picture (kings/queens, warring territories etc), he hones in on the little guys and the vulnerable (children, the elderly, to name a few), which I found refreshing. He paints a really vivid picture of their daily lives and struggles, addressing issues such as poverty, hunger, addiction, and much more. There were some really poignant moments in both his fantasy and other fiction. He's definitely one to watch.
stephbookshine's review
4.0
*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
This anthology features an assorted collection of Richie Billing’s short stories.
The stories are mostly unconnected (with the exception of ‘The General’ and ‘Forgotten’ which are set in the same world) but there are some commonalities between them.
All of the fantasy stories feature everyday people or underdogs, and their small daily struggles, rather than epic battles, princes and dragons, knights and mages. Similarly, the general fiction is a mixture of homelessness, addiction and the real-life foundering of an ocean liner in the Liverpool docks. The problems are real and engrossing, but on a small scale – ideal for the format.
There are a couple of horror stories too: a creature feature about a man, a dog and a dark, dark hole; and a serial killer who targets society’s monsters for horrific torture… a very unheroic hero!
Each story here is different, but they are all well-written and filled with a wealth of detail that draw you in and make you feel that you are riding along on real events, rather than reading a story.
I would love to see some of the fantasy stories widened out into bigger fantasy worlds, as they had the tantalising feel of catching an interesting bit of conversation and being aware that there is so much more just out of reach.
The collection really gives a good feel for the scope and range of Billings’ writing, and makes an excellent advert for his future work.
The thud of a hammer woke me. It was at the edge of my hearing, travelling up from downstairs. I checked the windows. The ledge was too broad to see the alley below. Hide or investigate? Curiosity won.
I went barefoot, boots too clunky. The hammering grew in volume as I neared the shop floor, and when it faded, another more distant strike filled the silence. Had the workmen returned? Panic consumed me. I didn’t want to give up this place. Here I had some level of comfort, a comfort I’d sought for a long time. They would take it away. Maybe do worse. I’d heard stories of people paid to make squatters disappear. Few people ever asked questions about the forgotten.
– Richie Billing, from ‘The White of the Canvas’ in Flying on the Ground
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2020/05/05/flying-on-the-ground-richie-billing/
This anthology features an assorted collection of Richie Billing’s short stories.
The stories are mostly unconnected (with the exception of ‘The General’ and ‘Forgotten’ which are set in the same world) but there are some commonalities between them.
All of the fantasy stories feature everyday people or underdogs, and their small daily struggles, rather than epic battles, princes and dragons, knights and mages. Similarly, the general fiction is a mixture of homelessness, addiction and the real-life foundering of an ocean liner in the Liverpool docks. The problems are real and engrossing, but on a small scale – ideal for the format.
There are a couple of horror stories too: a creature feature about a man, a dog and a dark, dark hole; and a serial killer who targets society’s monsters for horrific torture… a very unheroic hero!
Each story here is different, but they are all well-written and filled with a wealth of detail that draw you in and make you feel that you are riding along on real events, rather than reading a story.
I would love to see some of the fantasy stories widened out into bigger fantasy worlds, as they had the tantalising feel of catching an interesting bit of conversation and being aware that there is so much more just out of reach.
The collection really gives a good feel for the scope and range of Billings’ writing, and makes an excellent advert for his future work.
The thud of a hammer woke me. It was at the edge of my hearing, travelling up from downstairs. I checked the windows. The ledge was too broad to see the alley below. Hide or investigate? Curiosity won.
I went barefoot, boots too clunky. The hammering grew in volume as I neared the shop floor, and when it faded, another more distant strike filled the silence. Had the workmen returned? Panic consumed me. I didn’t want to give up this place. Here I had some level of comfort, a comfort I’d sought for a long time. They would take it away. Maybe do worse. I’d heard stories of people paid to make squatters disappear. Few people ever asked questions about the forgotten.
– Richie Billing, from ‘The White of the Canvas’ in Flying on the Ground
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2020/05/05/flying-on-the-ground-richie-billing/
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