Review by Jimmy Z

WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS by Gene O'Neill and Gord Rollo Undaunted Press 90 Pages $8.00 Chapbook

I like the idea of chapbooks; usually more than twenty pages but less than 100.
I like the idea of anthologies; usually a large number of different authors but could be as few as two.
I like the idea of collaborative fiction; usually two authors combining to write a story.

WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS is a collaborative anthological chapbook by authors Gene O'Neill and Gord Rollo. These gentlemen are very adept at what they do. And what they do is craft fascinating tales. WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS is a collection of four urban horror stories; one by Gene O'Neill ("Chameleon"), one by Gord Rollo ("Moving Pictures") and a pair of stories bookending those, which they wrote together ("Marcela Transmuting" and "Breath of an Angel / Touch of the Devil"). While Gord Rollo is a relatively fresh new voice in the genre, Gene O'Neill has been around all the way back to the days of the old Twilight Zone magazine. They have both had a few books published and promise to be names seen in this industry for a long time to come. This collection is an inexpensive way to find out first hand just how well they write.

In "Marcela Transmuting," we meet a woman who is going through a major change in her life. She moved from the Dominican Republic to the United States to go to college. At the start of the story we discover that her boyfriend has been unfaithful to her. The ending of their relationship is a significant change in her life. But sometimes one change is a catalyst for other changes.

"Chameleon" depicts the hazards of becoming too solitary of a figure in this world.

"Moving Pictures" brings up the question of what power and authority really are.

"Breath of an Angel / Touch of the Devil" introduces us to a pair of detectives and a woman with a secret. This is a very complex story as it is told from different perspectives and with different narrative styles. A story you will want to read more than once.

I give this collection 4 bookwyrms

This review copyright 2004 E.C.McMullen Jr.

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