The debut collection by Susan York is an eclectic mix of genres, but the one thing they all have in common is quality.
I was fortunate enough to pick up a copy of Starless and Bible Black from Sue at FantasyCon, where I also got to hear a reading of part of one of the stories, the fabulous ‘Where the Train Stops’ which I’ll write more about later. While that set my expectations high, I didn’t realise the collection would be quite as varied as it is. While it’s a collection grounded in horror, along the way, we take in science-fiction, fantasy and mythology, alongside stories very grounded in reality.
Whatever the story, they’re often grounded in character. York has a good eye for details that bring a character to life, and make you care about them in the situation they’re in, whether it’s the journalist, Julia in ‘A Cup of Tea’ who struggles with the balance of the thrill of working in a war zone, and the less exciting life back home, or Joe Jansen struggling with his prejudices while working with a alien race to investigate a murder at in intergalactic Mystery Theme Park in ‘Death on the Mary Celeste’. Without this great work on character, the stories wouldn’t resonate quite as well as they do.
The collection contains 17 stories. Some of my favourites included ‘The Gambling Man’ which brings us this brilliant mythological, musical tale. ‘Lightning Jim Bowie’ is an absolute delight, a strange tale, with a reveal that makes it something quite different. ‘Justica’ takes us to another planet, and in so few worlds, a whole society comes to life. ‘Rhapsody’ started off giving my A Nightmare on Elm Street vibes, but ended up as something very different, and brilliant. ‘Where the Train Stops’ uses a great device of a therapist trying to uncover a childhood trauma, and again it goes to some unexpected places. The final story, too, the one from which the title is taken, ‘Starless and Bible Black’ is a perfect place to leave this collection. In fact, flicking back through it, there’s so much else to admire too – the graphic images of war in ‘Remembrance Day’ juxtaposed with the outside, the post-apocalyptic world of ‘Gaia’s Breath’ the family drama with those bloody pigeons in ‘Taking Flight’.
The plots and the settings are all so different. Some readers may be a little put off by so many different stories, but I was impressed by the wide array of tales and genres. It makes me intrigued about what we’ll see from York next, whether it’s more stories of high quality, or a work of longer fiction. Either way, I’ll be right at the front of the line ready to pick up a copy!