Official Review: Strange and Unusual Tales Volume 1

[GKCfan]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Strange and Unusual Tales Volume 1" by F. D. Epperson and Mark Epperson.]

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Official Review: Strange and Unusual Tales, Volume 1, by F.D. Epperson and Mark Epperson

Strange and Unusual Tales, Volume 1 is an anthology of short pieces about ordinary people who have experienced paranormal events. The vignettes range from just over a page long to several pages in length. Although each tale is written from the perspective of the people who lived through the event, and includes the initials and hometown of the person who narrates the story, the Eppersons make it clear in their introduction that, “This book, although loosely based upon actual events, was written simply as a form of entertainment.” After this clear disclaimer that this book is not being presented as pure non-fiction, most of the tales that follow are indeed entertaining.

The Epperson brothers are fans of supernatural stories, and have interviewed numerous people who have experienced events that cannot be explained through conventional means. The stories in this short volume include ghost sightings, government cover-ups, inexplicable phenomena, demonic possessions, and witchcraft. The narration is consistently good, though some of the tales are more interesting than others. One story involving one family’s friendship with a famous Hollywood movie star is more of a slice of life tale than a real paranormal story, and other tales lack dramatic tension or climax, such as when a young boy is possessed by a demon and there is no big exorcism scene to cast out the devil, or when curses are dispelled matter-of-factly.

Some of the stories have the same basic plot but still manage to be rather charming, such as couple of tales where individuals begin an ordinary day and then have conversations with people who turn out to be ghosts. The very first story in the book is about a woman who is terrified by mysterious glowing orbs in her home. Reading this tale made me feel like I was imitating Dana Scully from The X-Files, for I could only read it with skepticism. I couldn’t help but think that the mysterious phenomena being described were simply the common natural phenomenon of ball lightning. My other favorite story involves the discovery of a mysterious golden coin of unknown origin, and the events that follow that turn one family’s life upside-down.

This book is just right for reading to children on Halloween or for campfire stories– the stories are short and there is no overt violence or excessive gore. The tales may not be truly frightening or unsettling, but they live up to the title by being “strange and unusual,” and when taking in the right spirit they’re certainly fun.

I give this book three out of four stars.

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[Syntheticaudio]

Sounds pretty intriguing. Not necessarily my genre f choice but sounds just right for a take along with you book that you can read in the spaces between things.

[moozie]

Nice review. The x-files reference really made me want to read this. On my list. THANK YOU!

[Skillian]

Sounds interesting, but like Syntheticaudio I'm thinking its more of a passing the time read than a must read. The bit about 'the same basic plot' kind of threw me off from having too much interest in it, but then again I sure liked X-Files growing up. I'm thinking I will keep this in mind for a rainy day or long commute. Thanks for the review!

[pretzelsnow]

I think that this is a well-written review.Congrats!

[GKCfan]

Thank you for your comments! I think that the "X-Files" parallel is even more apt, the more I think about it. Sometimes you want to have a clear explanation, but there isn't one...

[RussetDivinity]

I'm not sure if this would be my type of book, but it certainly sounds like something I might skim through. The idea of it is interesting, at least.

[GKCfan]

Yes, "real world" paranormal might not be everybody's cup of tea, but it's entertaining and if you're willing to give it a chance, I can say that lots of readers would have fun with it.

[ALynnPowers]

This sounds kind of interesting.... Thanks for the review!

[GKCfan]

You're welcome!