Michael Stone (6) (1966–)

As the title indicates, Fourtold is a collection of four stories with a forward by Gary Kilworth. The stories carry the reader from one extreme to another, but they are all entertaining on multiple levels, from horror, to action, to twistedly funny.

In SAN FERRY ANNE two soldiers struggle with how the war affected them as they struggle to save a young girl who is dying of hypothermia. One of the men fights to save her in place of loosing his brother in the war, while the other begins to believe in fate/god again after loosing it in his struggles.

THE RECONSTRUCTION OF KASPER KLARK is a bizarre tale of a man who's mouth is located in the center of his forehead instead of where it rightly should be. This story is at times funny and at other times horrifying as Kasper goes to the devil's 'plastic surgery clinic' to get his condition fixed.

THE TERRACOTTA WARRIOR is the tale of a monster who is released when an ancient Terracotta Warrior 'statue' is broken, releasing it to reak havok on an insurance fellow and a retired soldier and his staff. It's the story of bravery found in the most unlikely places.

Finally, THE LEMON MAN, is a disturbing tale of heaven, love, family, and friendship. Half of the story is of a man who's longtime marriage is in shambles and the way he horribly deals with the situation. The other half of the story is his revelations as he deals with celestial beings in a strange corner of heaven. The story ended with an incredible twist that left my jaw open.

Fourtold is a thinking person's book. Not that the reader has to stop and consider every point in the story, but that when the book is put down you continue to consider the tales, finding new and disturbing aspects of them even once the story is finished. As I read the book I liked the next tale even more than the last one, and when the last story was read I regretted not having just one more tale to read, though if there had been another one I imagine I would have just wanted one more after that.… (meer)