Customer Reviews

A Matter of Perception

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Bouncing through the perceptions of different characters in diverse situations is certainly a way to break free of the usual monotony of story telling. Such holds truth in Tahlia Newland's anthology, entitled "A Matter of Perception."

It is through several short stories that Ms. Newland introduces us to characters that see their lives through only one perspective without stopping to see that the world is not only black and white, but various shades of grey, along with a prismatic, colorful variation of outlooks.

Newland delivers tales that will make the reader ponder on what level they regard their own problems and view of life.

After reading Author Tahlia Newland's anthology, you'll be convinced to see your own life through rose-colored glasses.

-Nely Cab, Author of Creatura

When Tahlia Newland, an on-and-off blog-buddy of mine, asked me to read and review her collection of magical realism/urban fantasy short stories, there was no way I could refuse, but the truth is I'd have read this collection of six tales no matter who the author was.

Taken together, these stories are a collection of different ways to perceive fantasy, and to use fantasy to perceive reality. The collection feels like a complete suite - all moods and tastes are well represented. Taken separately, well, let's do that, shall we?

The Drorgon Slayer's Choice

An unnamed photographer's assistant sees an interdimensional monster, and is rescued by a god, though she does some rescuing of her own. It's a great blend of action, romance, and philosophy. This was my favorite of the collection, and not just because it's the longest or most developed. I really wanted to know what happens next

The Bone Yard

This one is the darkest in the series, in terms of mood. It involves a woman in a desperate situation being helped by supernatural beings, though the twist at the end is rather grisly. A balance of classic horror and modern terror.

Mistril's Mistake

With great power comes great responsibility, even when you're a wizard. The colored light battle had me imagining light sabers (but only a little), but the story about taking ownership of your actions is actually very good. More, please?

A Hole in the Pavement

What if our emotional troughs became literal holes that we fell into? That's the premise of this story, and Newland envisions it beautifully. It was delicate and delicious.

Not me, it can't be

Mind blowing: alternate points of view between a modern woman undergoing chemo and an ancient (fantasy?) world woman about to become a ritual sacrifice - and each are apparently dreaming of the other in a fabulous riff on the old "Am I a man dreaming I am a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming I am a man" conundrum. I was teary at the end.

Rose Coloured Glasses

Easily the lightest tale in the sextet, this story is about an office worker named Sally who discovers a new perspective on her colleagues (and a possible new romance) thanks to a very special pair of glasses. Haven't we all wished for these at some point?

I believe that any fan of fantasy, magical realism, or just a really gripping tale, will find this collection of stories compelling and entertaining, but what really puts the cherry on top is Newland's explanation of the themes, included at the back of the book. Excellent book group fodder, but perfect for a plane trip, as well.

Goes well with hot chocolate and a brownie.

This book is a collection of short stories with a variety of themes and settings. I'll give each one a little attention so none of them feel left out. If you want to know the author's intentions in writing (which I always do), be sure not to skip her thoughtful explanation of the themes at the end.

The Drorgon Slayer's Choice

The first story was a fantastic encounter between an unnamed photographer's assistant and The Gods. This fast-paced, thrilling glimpse into a bigger tale begins with a blow to the head, awakening new and fascinating senses and perceptions in the young woman, who then proceeds to get snarled up in a battle fought by James, a Drorgon Slayer and a god. An unexplainable attraction forms between the two and James seems determined to see where it will go. But can a regular girl and a god really find something that lasts?

This incredible tale has a fascinating take on gods and human mythology that I'd like to read more about. I enjoyed how the main character's disability, epilepsy, became an advantage, allowing her to see what regular humans couldn't, which was intriguing. The myriad of questions left unanswered led me to believe this was very much a preview for another book, The Drorgon Slayer's Choice. This short story made me curious about hearing more in the following book, but unsure just how many of my questions would be answered.

The Bone Yard

This is a chilling tale of supernatural creatures helping a woman trapped in tragedy, with a cruel twist ending. I enjoyed the emotion and the wildly imaginative supernatural characters, but felt left out here and there by abrupt or absent explanations.

Mistril's Mistake

Wizards battle with the power of colored light. Mistril and her apprentice Ealanor must bring wayward Damien to account for his crimes. This story feels like a segments from the middle of a larger story and I was forced to read and reread certain passages to understand what was happening. I truly enjoy the style of bursting information onto a reader, not boring us with endless explanation, but clarity can be compromised with this technique. Tahlia succeeded overall in pulling it off.

A Hole In The Pavement

Norris follows his Goddess, Georgia, on their way to the bus and through an obstacle course of neuroses turned real. I loved Norris' fragile sincerity and both characters sweet overcoming of their hang-ups. This was my favorite of the tales.

Not me, it can't be.

This story was a surreal switch off between an ancient world and modern. Is the main character an unwilling sacrifice to foreign gods, or a modern woman battling deadly cancer?

I liked the warmth and depth of this story, exploring the characters feelings facing death.

Rose Coloured Glasses

Sally is a chubby, frizzy-haired office girl, enjoys a new perspective on her coworkers with some fantastic glasses. Through them she sees new depth in others and possibly love.

This story was full of rich description and challenged me to see beyond first impressions. Tahlia's writing is very loving.

Tahlia's tales were vivid and rich. Her characters are deeply real, as if she is writing about people she knows, not making up individuals. They learn deep and vital lessons in each of the stories.

The first three stories felt a lot like excerpts from larger stories while the final three were true short stories, encompassing the entire subject on their own.

I thoroughly enjoyed all the stories, especially the daring honesty of her emotions. There were a few ungainly expressions and descriptions, with people and events thrust in with little explanation, which became confusing at times. On the other hand, it contributed to the thrill of her writing and the attraction of the story. Not once was I bored with too much explanation, which is a problem in a lot of writing I've read lately. Tahlia has a unique, charming style that is bold, honest, and thrilling. I feel like I know her after reading her work.

A Matter of Perception was six-for-six keeping me engaged--I read the entire anthology in one sitting. What makes it an interesting collection is that it provides such a variety in tone and supernatural elements, yet it's held together, yes, by that common supernatural denominator, but also some thought-provoking philosophies on life.

If I had to pick a favorite, I think it would be "Not Me, it Can't Be." I found that such a lovely and surprising tale juxtaposing seemingly different life experiences, only to find a poignant commonality between them. Newland's structuring of the story is very effective and the wording throughout so graceful.

All the other stories are such pleasurable reads as well. I've always been a fan of ghost stories and mythology, so the haunting atmosphere Newland creates in "The Bone Yard" was obviously appealing to me (and I so did not see that ending coming!). This story is a nice one to follow my previously reviewed "The Drorgon Slayer's Choice"--as love stories, they both also dapple in philosophy as their human protagonists face choices in a supernatural world new to them. Newland's vibrant descriptions of magical combat in "Mistril's Magic" are engaging to visualize, the crime-scene beginning such a hook, and I liked how on-the-fence I felt about Damien by virtue of Eleanor's sympathies for him--I find characters treading the grey areas more interesting than outright evil villains. Finally, "A Hole in the Pavement" and "The Rose Coloured Glasses" are both so sweetly romantic with a magical realism that readers can actually identify with, for no matter how "superhuman" the characters' experiences might be, these are really tales of the very human vulnerabilities within--and interactions between--us all.

In addition to her beautiful writing, imaginative worlds, and well-crafted characters, Newland does well with parceling out back-story, definitely leaving questions in my mind that made me want to keep reading for the answers. And I'm so impressed with how concisely she concludes each of these stories on just the right note.

Overall, A Matter of Perception is a very appropriate title for this anthology's content, as Newland's collection of stories provokes her readers to question their perceptions alongside her characters.

'A Matter of Perception' is a collection of short fantasy stories by writer Tahlia Newland. There are underlying themes of love and redemption as well as an overall theme of perception and how each character uses how they perceive a situation to change the course of their lives - for good or bad.

It begins with 'The Drorgon Slayer's Choice', a story filled with gods, monsters and love. This is an exploration of the hero's perception of what is happening around her - is she really seeing monsters? When no-one else sees what she does she must question what she believes and how it affects her actions. On the other hand, 'The Boneyard' is all about assuming one thing when the reality is quite different. When the hero's lover is lured by sirens she has to save him but at what cost to herself? 'Mistril's Mistake' looks at how following your heart can lead to some really bad decision making resulting in far reaching consequences. While 'A Hole in the Pavement' is about self esteem. When the hero wants to meet the girl that travels on the same bus as himself, his fear gets in the way, creating big holes that he must learn to climb out of. 'Not Me, It Can't Be' takes a look at dying, shifting between two realities and exploring the attitudes of the two heroes as well as those around them. Finally, 'The Rose Coloured Glasses' is a story that compares how the hero feels, in other words what mood she is in, to how she sees and reacts to people and the world around her.

These short stories offer a look at the human condition of perception - what a person sees is often nothing like how another person perceives exactly the same situation. Newland's exploration of this offers an interesting viewpoint and the stories are thought provoking. Each ends with a dilemma either conquered or reached to the point that the question is what will happen next, beyond what the reader has seen on the page. And love is certainly an important element either as self-love and the importance of how an individual looks at him or herself, or else as the passionate love for another and how it can lead a person to act heroically or irrationally. Ultimately, 'A Matter of Perception's' stories have a positive tone and satisfying endings. It is certainly worth a read.