BOOK REVIEW OF THE SIMIAN TRANSCRIPT

THE SIMIAN TRANSCRIPT  by David C. Kopaska-Merkel (Saginaw,TX, Banana Oil,2009) ,pb ISBN; 978-1-935021-17-8, cover and illustration by Richard Svensson, introduction by Eric S. Brown, no cover price but copies are available from from the author (1300 Kicker Rd, Tuscaloosa AL 35404 for $16.00 plus $5.00 for shipping and handeling.

This is a collection of flash fiction rather than poetry.  However is clear to me if no one else that some of these pieces are clearly poems rather than very short stories.  To me the classification of what the piece is irrelevant.  They are all excellent examples of fine writing

My own personal favorite that is really a poem is 'wishes.com' in which a genie granting wishes is done in the form of an exchange of email messages.  Now this is a format,namely an exchange of letters was a popular form in F & SF during the fifties and sixties.  Though slight,this format was always effective in delivering the punch line and this one is no different.

My second favorite is a Lovecraftian piece 'Bah,Bah,Black Goat' which despite its title is a  serious Lovecraftian tale.  It can be described as a prose piece with injections of poetry or as a poem with interjection of prose.  I am sure there is a fine technical term for it but I can't think of it.

These two pieces show that Kopaska-Merkel does have a sense of humor because I usually tink of him as a very serious writer. 

Anyway this is a collection worth reading and worth buying.