Velocities: Stories

Kathe Koja’s Velocities is a short collection of thirteen stories. They are loosely broken into themes. The are as diverse as a box of very elegant chocolate, but I’d be lying if I told you they were sweet, or safe, or comfortable. Of course, anyone who has read her work knows better than to expect that. There are stories about art, and artists, drawing the last painful drop of themselves into images and pain, words and dance... there are complex relationships that leave you aching inside.I took my time reading this. One story I read three times, because I felt I was not “getting” something… and in the end, I got something different all three times, and though it was not a beginning, middle, ending sort of story with closure, it still sticks with me. That’s what stories do when they are at their best.I am not going to post spoilers, but I will point out a couple of favorites, and some things you may find unique. The book’s structure, for instance. The sections – AT HOME – DOWNTOWN – ON THE WAY – OVER THERE – INSIDE. They define the segments, and the divisions are sharp corners. You won’t roll from one to the next with a feeling of familiarity. The stories in OVER THERE, for instance, are of other countries and other times.I particularly enjoyed “At Eventide,” “Clubs,” and “Pas de Deux.” I admit to a prejudice in this, because these are the stories that remind me most of the works that first drew me to this author. SKIN, and KINK, THE CIPHER and STRANGE ANGELS. What I did not expect, and blew me away, was the effortless shift of character and voice that made up the section titled OVER THERE. From street prostitutes to artists, strange landscape to city streets they are exquisitely unique.For a final note, the story “Coyote Pass” is the one I read three times. I’ll probably read it again, or listen to the audiobook and have it read to me to see if someone else’s interpretation gives me yet another perspective.If you love dark fiction that is also literary and amazing, do yourself a favor and get a copy of this book. I could not recommend it more highly.

Whooosh. As always, the inertia of Kathe Koja’s prose is astounding.

Any critic who doubts the value of intelligent and compassionate Horror must read Kathe Koja. Her work has evolved beyond even the outstanding relevance of THE CIPHER, BAD BRAINS, and SKIN, exploring now the further reaches of Speculative Fiction. Above all, she reminds us that depths of meaning can be found under often-deceptive surfaces.

Such a promising first few stories then spiralled into complete pretension. I couldn't even get through the last six shorts. Very disappointed.

Great stories from a great author

VELOCITIES: STORIES is a diverse, energetic and mysterious collection of stories by a woman that has mastered the art of storytelling.I am a latecomer to Kathe Koja's work, having only read one novel to date, which was SKIN. It was quite far out of my comfort zone, but as such, her writing was like a revelation to me. When I saw this collection available as an ARC I requested it right away and here we are.Not all of the tales within worked for me, but in collections they rarely do. The stories that did work, worked so very well, they left me hungry for more.THE MARBLE LILY was my favorite tale in this volume. A story about a janitor working in the morgue has never been so mysterious and hidden such surprises.ROAD TRIP is the story of a man looking for redemption. I don't think it can be found.LA REINE D'ENFER is a disturbing tale worthy of the title HELL QUEEN. The use of slang and language here was a wonder to behold.COYOTE PASS When a full time carer loses their patient, blood relative or not, it leaves a void.FAR AND WEE for me, had a distinct feel to it that I cannot describe. A farm boy comes to the city and says he's done with the farm and the beasts. "Plenty beasts in the City, young man."Kathe Koja uses language in such a way...it's very special. Sometimes sharp and staccato-like, sometimes lush and luxurious. Either way, her writing is magical and I plan to eventually read everything she has written.My highest recommendation!*Thank you to Meerkat Press via Edelweiss for the e-ARC of this collection in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*

Where to begin? My book reviews are usually short and to the point, since I like to review everything I read and simply don’t have time to review at length. However, Koja’s collection deserves so much more than a few short sentences.This is the first work I have read by her, but it certainly won’t be the last. I have to admit to being smitten. I read the whole collection in just two sessions, and even read three of the stories twice, and aloud, since they have that lyrical quality that demands to be heard, not just read in silence.Original, unconventional, inspirational: Koja crawls into the attic space of your mind and stays there. In fact, it’s as if she’s always been there, speaking to you from your subconscious, that place where nobody is invited.It’s difficult to say which stories are my favorite, since I loved them all, but I will attempt to do so. I’m also aware that I don’t wish to give spoilers, so here we go...At Eventide: for the way in which the woman overcomes past adversity, those seemingly insignificant details which are actually of great significance. Anyone who has suffered trauma should connect with this story on a personal level, and if you haven’t, then all it takes is a bit of imagination, a wander into that realm of dreading the worst.Baby: for evoking connections - “...sometimes I let my feet leave the patio, just a few inches, just balancing there on the railing, in thin air...” and the creepiness of Baby in opposition to the love and devotion she feels towards the doll.Road Trip: written in second person POV, which demands the reader imagine himself as the MC. And that description of the accident! Short, succinct, the way in which all logical thought deserts you in such moments. And the guilt, and how is it possible to deal with something so immense?La Reine D’enfer: evocative of old theaters, Victorian music halls, but in an non-glamorous way, warts and all. And the way in which Koja plays with the magic of language in this story – superb!Throughout the collection, the words, phrases, sentences, bring a musical quality to the work and a sense of movement, too, which is why they deserve to be read aloud.This is not just a work of fiction; this is a performance on a page, a textual dance, and I can’t wait to read more of her work.

Picked this up on a recommendation from a friend who thought this would be just my cup of tea - and wasn't it just! This will not be the last thing I pick up from Koja.Each story has a beautifully unique voice to it and the storytelling is something I can only dream to achieve in my own writing. Needless to say, this is an author I'm going to look up to and hold as a standard.There is something utterly electric about this prose, urgent, pulling on thoughts and memories you didn't know you had. The stories often leave you suspended but not unsatisfied.To highlight some favourites:Baby: where the juxtaposition for the love of a doll and the alarming nature of the doll itself creates an atmosphere of curiosity and anxiety in equal measures.Coyote Pass: for the intense need to fill a void where others only see a closed door.Road Trip: seeking redemption that might not ever be found, being put in the driver's seat of something terrible, being made to feel you are watching others be healed while you can only want.Far and Wee: such a strange feeling, almost dream-like, creeping up to a conclusion you can only helplessly witness unravelling.La Reine D’enfer: pulling down elegant implications and squashing it under a wonderfully unique voice.Needless to say, there is something very special about this collection.