Iain Rowan

Most of the eight stories in Iain Rowan's Ice Age hardly count as short stories at all; they are more like vignettes of people at the cusp of huge changes in their life and their world. A certain fantasy element pervades through many of them, but even the seemingly mundane tales exist in a shadowy borderland of wakefulness. In effect, they are all horror stories, though they don't need monsters, just a sudden shift in reality, to frighten and unsettle. Some of the most involved are the three show more urban stories 'Lilies', 'Sighted', and 'Here Comes the New Way', set in unspecified cities in unspecified universes with unspecified rules on life and death. 'Here Comes the New Way' may be one of the best, with a provocative metaphor of personal faith and a haunting conclusion. Others, like 'Through the Window', are more predictable and conventional but still tap into a deep sense of unease.

Mr. Rowan has put out a neat little collection here, and this reviewer is certainly inclined to explore what else he has to offer. show less

These stories are all on the unsettling end of the horror spectrum, and are all quite unpleasantly unsettling, with characters and settings that seem quite conventional until you realise where the author has lead you. I thought all the stories were wonderfully neat and well crafted pieces, with lovely, unadorned language that whisks you along. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

After having read "Nowhere To Go" I was delighted for having the chance to read this short story collection by Iain Rowan as well. While the former falls into the category of crime/thriller, this one goes into quite a different direction which can be best described as speculative fiction with a touch of horror.
Once again the author won me over with his wonderfully detailed narrative and how well devised his characters are (especially considering that those aren't full fledged novels) and show more he's certainly got a talent for stories that really creep up on you with often very subtle yet scary plots too. While this might not be for those who love gory blood soaked horror stories, it's a fantastic read for everyone who likes spine-tingling yet subtle horror stories!
As to my favorites I'd have a hard time choosing, though "Lilies" and "Sighted" definitely range among the top, and oddly enough the title giving story "Ice Age" turned out to be my least favorite.
In short: Yet another fantastic short story collection which hopefully won't be his last! show less

John knows what it’s like to be bullied. Yet he does nothing when another kid is bullied. Plagued with guilt his mother sends him to spend some time with his sister in a fishing village. Have things really changed? When he arrives and gets off the bus the first thing he sees is a boy with a snarl. Then he meets Simon and Sal. The three become best friends. But something is seeking John out. Something needs his help. It seems to be the worst bully of all. Will John help or will he finally show more stop running?

This book starts out with a bullying incident that leads to John being shipped to his sisters for a while. Then things turn creepy. You have a small fishing town. Dark legends and tales. What I loved about this story was the message of learning to stand on your own two feet and face your fears. The idea of standing up to bullies. The ideas that if you take revenge on the bullies then you yourself become the bully. I also loved that John is introduced to an old man through his sister’s friend Alan who runs the local bookstore. This is where John learns about the towns legends and the evil that is there. show less