His admiration of Edgar Allen Poe shines out amidst the shadows in “The Finnegan”. His encounter at mid-life with an old high-school chum – famed in his youth for his dancing prowess – is lovingly written. There are also glimpses of true beauty in this collection. His submarine-commander-psychologist is flat-out confusing. His imagining of the condition today of Dorian Gray’s portrait is rushed. The idea of the spirits of Laurel & Hardy restlessly moving the spirit of an aged piano up a steep flight of Los Angeles steps is enchanting, but the resolution is unfulfilling and ill-defined. But more often in this collection, it more often feels just unfinished.

Part of this is Bradbury’s particular style, oftentimes drawing back from tying everything up neatly with a bow at the end of the story and leaving the reader in a bit of the angst of the protagonist or other characters. They are classic Bradburian characters, but their situations and therefore their reactions are often blurred or not brought to closure. Oftentimes there are ideas, sparks and pieces of a story that have been written down and smoothed over without a clearly defined ending or point. That being said, the stories pale compared to some of his earlier works. Bradbury’s quintessential style is there, and if you’re a fan of Bradbury like I am, you’ll want to have this in your collection.

This book is a compilation of some of his short fiction written in the early to mid-1990’s. Not many folks have that distinction, but Ray Bradbury is one of them. It must be hugely gratifying to be publishing yet another book of your short fiction at the age of 76.

Quicker Than the Eye by Ray Bradbury