On the Brink: A Trio of Genres

Fitzell’s debut collection is a captivating and imaginative journey through three classic speculative genres: (science fiction, fantasy, and horror). “Chapter and Verse” follows a monk, Brother Clay, who wrestles with his spirituality and his sense of self as his poetry is manipulated by the technology he uses. His story captures the anxieties of the digital age, especially the reliance on technology. “ICY (A Fashionable Guise)” is a gauzy, whimsical, lyrical prose poem charting the slightly magical life of an uninhibited model, Clotho, who lives in her own hazy world and upsets the fashionable upper crust of Parisian society. “Tee Hee Hee” focuses on schoolteacher Helen Toom, who holds a burning hatred for everyone who opposes her own demented views of the world. Her psychological meltdown and its consequences are chilling and stomach churning, described with consummate skill. Written with a refreshing inventiveness, Fitzell’s work is a welcome addition to the speculative fiction landscape. (Sept.)