Strange Times just got another 5-star review on Amazon from "J.Chambers." You can read it below. It is still 99 cents on
Smashwords if anyone is interested!
"I don't read a lot of short stories, but occasionally, if I see good reviews, I'll pick up a collection and have a go at it. With "Strange Times," I'm glad I did. All of the thirteen stories are very readable, with no throwaways included just to pad the collection. It's hard to label the stories under a single genre, but if I had to, I would say horror/terror is the most common theme that links the stories.
I was impressed with the author's knowledge of world history, culture, and customs. The stories took place in a number of countries and in several eras dating back to the days of the Roman Empire. One story even involves time travel, and another features a visit by extraterrestrial aliens.
Two stories warrant a little warning. "The Experiment" and "Would You Like to Save a Man's Life?" involve some pretty gruesome torture that makes waterboarding look like a day at the beach. They weren't too stomach-churning for me, but I made the mistake of reading them at bedtime. Read these two during the light of day!
"The Man Upstairs" was one of my favorites. No spoilers, but it's about an ordinary man turning to violence to right a wrong and validate his own life, something we've probably all thought about a few times.
One of the stories, "Shapeshifters Anonymous," is a whimsical bit about a group of shapeshifters meeting to air their problems and grievances. It's very short, but it shows the author's humorous side.
"Pretty" was one of the most original stories. It's more like a fairytale set against a backdrop of Japanese legends.
The author's writing is very smooth and professional, and the formatting for Kindle was excellent. All-in-all, I'm looking forward to more of Robert Williams' work. "