LEAPS OF FAITH, edited by Karina and Rob Fabian

Once upon a time short stories were quite popular, making Edgar Allen Poe, Chekov and O. Henry names that everyone recognizes. Unfortunately, anthologies of short stories no longer enjoy that popularity. This saddens me when there is a wealth of good short stories available, such as the fourteen pieces in Leaps of Faith.

Why do I like short stories? First of all, I can read a complete story in one sitting and still get some sleep in the evening. When I am in the middle of a good novel I have a very difficult time putting it down, therefore often going without sleep for a day or two. Not good. I was able to get through two or three of the stories, even four sometimes, at a sitting as I read Leaps of Faith. I had the urge to go further, but I was able to still go about sleeping and do some of my chores. I find it easier to absorb the theme and ideas in these tales than I do the longer tomes, often spending a little time at the end of each just thinking it over. True, the characters and plot aren't as developed or detailed as they are in novels, but a good short story wordsmith crafts his sentences carefully so as to give more bang for the buck. In my favorite kind of short stories, there is a plot twist that I don't expect at the end, a surprise that makes it worth reading.

In Leaps of Faith, I find several satisfying stories with that extra bang. These are exclusively science fiction, sometimes rather heavy on the science, but even so this very unscientific mind of mine was able to get into the meat of the tales and enjoy them. The real joy is in that leap of faith included in each entry, leaps that often mean the reader needs to stretch his or her own box a bit. God does not fit in a box, of course, and I love stories that make me ponder who God really is and all the "what ifs" that are posed in speculative fiction. What if there were aliens who came to accept Jesus as Savior? What if we really could travel through time? If we had certain technology, should we use it just because we can, even if it would mean playing God or going contrary to God's natural laws?

It's hard to write a short review when there are so many stories to consider. Perhaps my favorite is "Leaps of Faith" by Karina and Rob Fabian, the title story as it were. Each story involves some sort of leap of faith, but this one is literal. This is about the rescue nuns in the future, an order that works in space bringing aid to stranded travelers. More importantly, it deals with a young member who has wanted to rescue others ever since she was a child, but she has a great fear to overcome before she is able to help anyone else. The answer is one we can all take to heart, even without space travel.

"The Smile" by Greg Beatty is another one I really like. This one reminds me of some verses in Romans chapter one (v. 19, 20): "since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."

The tone and mood of each piece varies, from the very serious and somber to the silly. "Moses Disposes" fits the latter description. One of the stories, "The Relics of Venice" by Leslie Brown, is a real romance, but there are other stories with romance as well. Just not your average tale of two earthlings sometimes. Tales to make yoy rethink your viewpoints about "religion" and what God might really think.

Leaps of Faith does not fit into a neat little cubbyhole, but then neither does God. And if you think of God in a box, you really need to expand your horizons a bit. I recommend Leaps of Faith as a handy way to do just that. I hope you will give it a try. You'll be glad you took that little leap yourself.


A 2002 EPPIE finalist for Best Electronic Anthology, Leaps of Faith promises the best in Christian sci-fi.

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Light at the Edge of Darkness: Anthology of Hope in Evil Times

A mysterious horseman, assorted demons, zombies, werewolves, generous aliens, angels, sadistic persecutors, lunatic killers, stoic martyrs of the faith, fearful victims, secret agent hit men who travel through time, Evil One State Government, supernatural deliverance, the battle of good versus evil, a battle of wills, hope, faith, the power of God. All this and more awaits the reader in Light at the Edge of Darkness, an anthology of twenty-seven short stories, collected by Daniel I. Weaver from members of the Lost Genre Guild, edited by Cynthia MacKinnon of The Writers’ Café Press. This impressive collection is somewhat loosely tied under the umbrella of Biblical Speculative Fiction. There are too many tales and too much variety to do it justice in this brief review. The sub-genres include dark horror, supernatural thrillers, cyberpunk, futuristic science fiction, space travel science fiction, fantasy, and dystopia (I had to look it up: a place where everything is as bad as it can get, anti-utopia). The antagonists are usually horrendous and are often evil spirits. The protagonists vary in their strengths and character traits, but they always have hope and faith; they see the Light at the end of whatever their individual darkness is.

I will try to give you a few examples of what to expect. The first story, “Frozen Generation” by Andrea Graham, is an instance of dystopia. In this future World Empire, some mothers sell their unborn fetuses, labeled POC (product of conception), to companies that will either sell the children as slaves or harvest the organs of unsold babies. One of the workers is a Black Christian woman who rescues Black embryos but has no compunctions about destroying the White fetuses. In “Miracle Micro,” Frank Creed offers a cyberpunk special that any techno-freak will appreciate. Fast forward to Chicago around 2036, when Fundamental Christians are labeled as terrorists and criminals, and the Federal Bureau of Terrorism hires an electrical-technical whiz to become a spy with the Underground Body of Christ. I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but suffice it to say the Holy Spirit interferes with his plans of sabotage. A. P. Fuchs creates an extremely dark and emotionally charged “Undeniable.” It explores the very real possibility of Christians who are brutally tortured simply because of their faith in Jesus Christ and just how much they might be able to bear without denying Him. At the other end of the spectrum is a pun-infested fantasy wormhole-travel piece by Stephen L. Rice called “At the Mountains of Lunacy.” A motley band of adventurers (including a priest and an Amazon woman with a mustache) are hired to open up a mountain pass and find a lost alchemist. Told from the point of view of one of the adventurers, this tale is full of lunacy: maniacal kings, werewolves whose leader is Lord Lovaduc, greedy but fragile zombies, and a nutty alchemist.

Many of the tales were horrific, sad, dark, and oppressive, but one thing remained the same throughout: there was always THE ray of Light at the edge of the Darkness. Sometimes the heroes were saved from physical death, sometimes they weren’t, but always they knew they would be saved to eternal life. The truth of the gospel, of Jesus’ redemption, was ever present. This is the core that holds everything together. One of the strong points overall is the way the authors weave the Biblical truths, particularly of Jesus’ sacrifice, love, and redemption.

Personally, I enjoyed the majority of the stories, but in an anthology like this one, individual preferences will play a part. If you are an aficionado of any type of science fiction, fantasy, thrillers, horror, or cyberpunk, you are going to want a copy of Light at the Edge of Darkness. It will keep you at the edge of your seat.

LIGHT AT THE EDGE OF DARKNESS
Edited by Cynthia MacKinnon
Publisher: The Writers' Cafe Press
Paperback: 384 pages
ISBN: 978-1-934284-00-1
Retail Price: $14.95
www.thewriterscafe.com

Now available at www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, www.cbd.com, as well as from the publisher and other fine book stores.