Stephen R. Donaldson
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Reave the Just and Other Tales
by Stephen R. Donaldson 
Make no mistake about it… Donaldson is a dark,
dark writer. In this collection of eight short stories, he covers topics ranging
from demonic possession to unjust imprisonment to soulless machinery. Some of
these stories have been published before, mostly in other science fiction
anthologies. Most of them are set in the realm of fantasy; only one can truly be
called science fiction. Despite their dark and sometimes disturbing themes, I
thought these stories were interesting. This may have been due, in part, to the
fact that they were not each a full-length novel. Extended doom and gloom may
have been too much, but in short bursts, I found Donaldson to be manageable.
Quite a few of these stories have an Arabian
Nights-type of feeling to them. Many are set in Mid-Eastern or medieval styled
countries. I especially enjoyed "The Djinn Who Watches Over the
Accursed" and "Penance." Few of Donaldson’s stories seem to
have unqualified happy endings, but there is usually a lesson to be learned or a
point to be made so the ending is usually appropriate, if not always the one the
reader might wish for. Donaldson is definitely not the kind of writer who throws
his main character into all sorts of trouble and then waves a magic wand to
rescue him or her and make things completely better. Instead, there are issues
to be worked through and flaws to be dealt with. The main character in Donaldson’s
tales generally walks away a different person from the individual s/he was
initially.
Reviewed by: Diane
Stephen R. Donaldson
Authors Book Titles
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