arc TBR

From Small Beer Press and edited by the great Kelly Link, (which was all I needed to recommend this book of short stories to me).  From the first page I was smiling at the turns of phrase.  Here we have a sort of low-key punk nostalgia.  A visit between old friends with a haunting jester... or is it Death's Fool?  Another visit between old friends where one has to shut their eyes during the car ride so as not to see all those haunts that are now gone. Many middle-age folk who are visiting old friends and old towns with some sci-fi/fantasy elements sprinkled in there.  These stories are labeled as "sci-fi/fantasy" but they stay in mostly realistic territory most of the time, while some might have a bit of sci-fi/fantasy twist to them.   'Horses Blow Up Dog City' reminds me of the film 'Until the End of the World' by Wim Wenders (a favorite) -- in the respect that both story and film are from the 90s that envision technology slightly in the future and are somehow eerily accurate.    I will say that the blurb comparing this book to Sally Rooney is misleading and not helping Butner's book at all.  I may have only read 'Normal People' but I really do not see how these books are similar other than that they both contain words.  I'm afraid many people who pick up this book will expect a Rooney book and this is not that at all. I will say that I tend to pass on Rooney's books but I'm a fan of Butner's writing!   (In my opinion, Butner is much better.  As far as I know, Rooney's characters aren't old enough for this much change or nostalgia.) About one third of these stories have been published in other places and ten of the stories are published in this collection for the first time.  I would say I very much enjoyed all of these stories except for maybe one story -- I didn't really understand the point.  A couple stories I wish had a tiny bit more detail. Otherwise, a VERY solid collection. Usually I would list favorites, but it would be all of the stories minus the one.  I just knew this collection had a certain sparkle when I heard about it.  I do love a fun short story collection.  Aging punks, this one's for you!