Stuff as Dreams

About the Book

Science fantasy is the middle ground between science fiction and fantasy where the author provides credence for elves and werewolves and a moral compass for the ventures of technology. Extrapolation can be used not only to see where the future might be going but also where the past might have gone—and at right angles, to whatever is left and right, both dark and light, both serious and comic, and in the middle of the road, both at the same time. The short story is peculiarly American in form and, at its best, a kind of novel told in a single gesture. The short stories of Jon DeCles are wide-ranging in style and subject matter, and in this selection there is sure to be something for everyone and more—an impetus to seek out in magazines and anthologies his many other deeply human and highly imaginative stories of what might be.

About the Author

DeCles is a master of language. In two of the stories, he rises to the challenge of telling a story in the first person. In others, he demonstrates his skill with styles from hearty, to brusque, to richly poetic. He also manages pathos without being pathetic—taking us through regret for the inevitable, the loss of love or friendship, or achievement that does not bring what you hoped for after all. He can also display a sometimes bizarre but always entertaining humor. Look for the biting satire of the “in” crowd’s idea of a party, or a victim who talks his attackers out of their project, or an improbable performance of Madama Butterfly.