We Are Not All Right by Mike Morgan (book review).
‘We Are Not All Right’ is a collection of short stories by author Mike Morgan, many of which have an environmental theme. All except one have been previously published in magazines or anthologies, which is good because it proves that some editors liked them enough to pay money.
After a foreword in which the author introduces the content, the book opens strongly with ‘A Spider Queen In Every Home.’ The story takes a surreal turn when Charlotte Hughes discovers a spider on her upstairs landing. ‘The meaty, pitch-black hairy body was the size of a squirrel.’ Yuck! There’s a science fiction explanation for it. Insects are getting bigger due to the warming climate, so Charlotte’s neighbor, an ex-wrestler named Scarlet, has bought a spider-based pest control system. Perhaps the old song about the woman who swallowed a fly inspired this tale. The social background is intriguing and makes for a well-rounded dose of SF horror.
Morgan explores a possible solution to global warming in ‘Once You Start.’ Surely, the United States wouldn’t be so selfish as to create a reflective screen in the atmosphere by spraying materials in the airspace over China! Well, yes, they might. When Pilot Podolinsky teams up with Jocasta Jane Mallory, an alcoholic, on a three-month mission, things go awry. There are unexpected turns and a brutally honest evaluation of global affairs.
The setting of “Rejoice At The Coming Of The Mower Man” is Verdigre, Nebraska, a dried-out husk of a town with less than a hundred residents due to the old plants’ inability to thrive in the new climate. Other towns have signed up with Grow Salvation, which offers new GM crops that bloom in the desert. Grow Salvation’s GM crops thrive so well that they necessitate mowing the grass every two weeks and trimming the hedges at the same frequency, all under an unbreakable contract. Maud Scholtz is the mayor and won’t do business with the Mower Men, but that might change. The story, cleverly told from a child’s perspective, provokes thought.
In ‘For All These Worlds, A Messiah’, the ancient theme of priests in space is prominently featured. Raised in the One True Faith, I always find such stories fascinating. Morgan comes up with several intriguing alien species and creeds as his Catholics, mostly sympathetic characters, search for an alien Jesus.
‘The Games Go On’ tells the story of Jayneth, who is born fully grown and implanted with memories of fighting, making her nearly ready for the arena in Houston, Texas. Modern technology has made it possible for humans to grow adults quickly, eliminating the need for laborious child-rearing. Jayneth’s rebellious spirit awakens as she gradually uncovers more about her world, determined to defy her fate. The idea that making abortion illegal could result in a different fate for the unwanted children is potentially controversial and very topical.
One of my favourites here is ‘The Door In The Tree,’ set in England. After a personal tragedy, David Carver spends a lot of time walking through the woods near his little town. One day, he sees a door in a tree, descends the stairway inside, and begins an adventure. Since everyone knows about his recent trauma, it’s difficult to find anyone who believes his warnings. ‘Twilight Zone’ or ‘Outer Limits’ fans would enjoy this masterfully crafted story with its timeless theme.
Trump declared, “We’re going to build a wall,” and as depicted in “The Wall is Beautiful,” they have indeed done so. Rick Moreno and Mitch Olaski are with the Texas Border Patrol and drive a big, gas-guzzling truck up and down the Texas Wall. It’s a long vertical expanse of white-painted concrete covered in motion sensors designed to stop drybacks from entering the Republic of Texas. They’re drybacks because the water in the Rio Grande has evaporated. The climate is getting hotter, and there’s perpetual drought. The characters shine, despite the subtle overlay of the background. There’s racial tension in Texas, and Moreno suffers due to his Mexican heritage. He’s smart, though, and educated, while Olaski is a decent ol’ dumb redneck. Even so, he’s not a caricature. A call to investigate a drone that might have crossed the wall in another sector thickens the plot. This story examines walls from a perspective that some of its supporters might not have anticipated.
Similar to ‘The Door In The Tree,’ ‘Beyond All Known Parameters’ appears to be a work of fantasy. Gask, the troll, and his brutal army have decimated the forces of Ionnia, a city known for its beauty, and now prepare to rape and pillage the civilian population. The troll leader drags Ofaira, a female warrior, before mocking her with the dead remains of mighty Eldarion, a ten-foot-tall metal man of mysterious origin thought unbeatable until now. This long story has several unexpected twists and is one of many ‘Tales of Ionnia’ the author has published in various magazines.
In ‘The Sepulchre Of Staxis Prime,’ humanity engages in an unending battle against the Taint race, relocating to space habitats due to the enemy’s capture of all planets. The hero, a cook named Garron, fortuitously finds himself in the right place at the right time, and now has the opportunity to inspire the next generation with his bravery, encouraging them to continue fighting. This is a captivating narrative featuring intriguing science, set in a harsh military future.
The final story, ‘In The Shadows Of The Stromalites, Kindness Abides,’ immerses us in the realm of Olaf Stapledon, where an intelligence capable of assuming various physical forms and experiencing time in a non-linear manner narrates billions of years of our planet’s history. This type of narrative is always entertaining, yet it can also leave you feeling a sense of insignificance. As it happens, ‘Insignificant’ is the title of Mike Morgan’s one novel, which is also available now. I enjoyed it, but I prefer his short stories. Conversely, I appreciate everyone’s short stories.
‘We Are Not All Right’ is an excellent collection by a skilled writer who has been in this game for a while. It is definitely worth a look.
Eamonn Murphy
November 2024
(pub: Nomadic Delirium Press, 2024. 283 page e-book/kindle. 776kB. Price: £ $ 3.99 (US), £ 3.10 (UK).ASIN: B0DMTPGL5D)
check out website: www.nomadicdeliriumpress.com
