André Ackermann &
Strange Weather by Joe Hill

Joe Hill is now in my books one of the most weirdly imaginative writers out there. After having just finished Heart-Shaped Box, I realize he can really write horror, but these stories are more along the lines of Horns... just some really weird stories (with the exception of Loaded which I'd count as chillingly realistic) but they really work.

It was my first ever Joe Hill book and I enjoyed it, the almost normal setting with a supernatural twist. I enjoyed the book and narration was good. However, only Loaded got my interest really piqued. Snapshot: 3 stars, I really liked the protagonist and the story was original but too short Loaded: 4 stars, would have given 5 stars except for the ending. The characters were all complex and well fleshed-out. The plot was engrossing, loved it. Until the last line, which left me dissatisfied. Aloft: 2 stars, hated the protagonist (even though he was supposed to be annoying) and the story didn't do it for me. Rain: 3.5 stars. again great characters in that one and the plot was quite interesting, but I didn't connect with the story that much, too bad.

I got sucked in by these novellas. I actually ended up staying up so I could hear the end of the last one. The plots are pretty diverse. "Snapshot" is about memory, loss, and nefarious ways in which loss happens. There's a Big Bad Guy vs. Nerd Teen plot. People love each other in this story too, though. "Loaded" is a brutal and timely story about guns, and whether a "good guy with a gun" is really a good thing. (Narrator voice: It isn't.) I found this story very affecting and disturbing. It starts off with a number of seemingly unrelated stories and weaves them together for a devastating climax. "Aloft" has Aubrey, a hapless skydiver, ending up alone on a "cloud" that looks like a UFO, and may BE a UFO. We see the history that led him to this spot. He gets a little wish fulfillment in the wispy, unreal way of personal fantasies. Aubrey works through his fantasies to resolution to all of it, finally. "Rain" shows us the end of the world seen through the eyes of a kick-ass lesbian named Honeysuckle. The rain in this case is crystal needles that kill and destroy. Honeysuckle is a capable and clever character who takes a lot of the horror in stride, and figures out what's going on. These are compelling but dark stories (except for Aloft, mostly.) But they sucked me in and kept me listening. The narrators are generally excellent.

Among the 4 short novels in the book, Snapshot stuck with me and I didn’t realize how bizarre the story was until I was telling someone else about it. Looking forward to reading more of Joe Hill’s work

I really really really enjoyed this book and the 4 short stories. 1. Snapshot: I enjoyed this one the most. It was creepy and scary, and I honestly didn’t know what to expect. The ending was sad, but good in a way. I was pleased with the way the story progressed, and couldn’t ask for it to end any other way. 2. Loaded: I enjoyed this one the least, but ONLY because it was the most realistic and “scary” of them all. What happened in this story is something most Americans are familiar with, so reading it was liked reading the background on any other mass shooting that took place. 3. Aloft: This story was ok, was dragging, and was a little boring. Was expecting there to be more of an “ah ha!” Moment, but alas there wasn’t. 4. Rain: The story ended good, started good too. It was creepy but didn’t make my skin crawl like Loaded did. The end of the story was most definitely a twist, and Hill lead up to it in a great way.

I think Loaded was the one story that made this book worth it for me, Rain was also interesting but Snapshot and Aloft didn't really do it for me.

I loved this collection of stories. The writing is exquisite and vivid. The social awareness of the author personalizes each story for the reader. A must read for all interested in developing a deeper understanding of self and relationship to others. As well as fans of suspense/thriller genres.

This is truly where Joe Hill is exceptional--in the writing of novellas and short stories. With the first story--Snapshots-being the odd exception (it was off somehow, felt incomplete and messy, but had enormous potential) the rest of the stories were perfection. I read as fast and as slow as I could which means that I wanted it to never end but couldnt get enough--my biggest compliment. His imagination is brilliant, original, and I hope he continues in writing short stories and novellas. It is truly his strength.

The first story was off the charts good. The rest were solid. Overall, 4 stars, but that first story blew me away. The gun one was jarring, but excellent. I would highly suggest this for any other Joe Hill fans out there.