Nominated for the Frankfurt Award!
Dream Realm Awards Finalist
Cover art copyright 2002 Deron Douglas
Here in one compact package are some of the short stories that Pat Welch sold to various webzines and shows his range of talent in a different way from his novels and other longer tales. Here are stories that range from detective fiction to fantasy to science fiction to horror and there is something her to catch every readers attention.
"A Small Matter of Murder" turns a shopkeeper into an amateur sleuth with an interesting assistant. "The Ganymede Incident" features alchemy aboard a spaceship. "Sin of Omission" is laugh out loud funny. "The Most Wonderful Gift" is an amusing story about a young girl's birthday present. Other tales feature interplanetary trade, an interesting train station, and other interesting characters and places.
This is another well written volume from Pat Welch and Crossroads Publishing. As the growth of ebooks continues, expect Pat Welch’s name to be at the forefront. If you’ve read Welch before, you are in for a treat. If this is your first taste, you will be back for more.
Very highly recommendedCindy Penn, editor Wordweaving.
One of the most powerful voices of the net presents a collection of short stories in BEFORE/BEYOND. With his characteristic punchy style and darkly imaginative wit, Patrick Welch creates varying worlds that draw from paranormal, science fiction, and outrageous humor and intelligence.
Many of these stories were previously published to various online zines. The
following are a few of this reviewer's favorites:
"A Small Matter of Murder": A shopkeeper solves a murder with the aid of a leprechaun.
"The Ganymede Incident": A magician uses alchemy to save the universe fromravaging gargoyles.
"The Most Wonderful Gift": Ancient myths gain a new twist regarding
Pandora's box.
Other tales include feature interplanetary trade, a remarkable train station, and other attention-grabbing characters and places. The result is an outstanding short story collection with something for everyone. This is another well-written volume from Pat Welch...
As the growth of ebooks continues, expect Pat Welch's name to be at the
forefront. If you've read Welch before, you are in for a treat. If this is your
first taste, you will be back for more.
When two worlds collide, the resonance is powerful and lasting. Such is the effect Patrick Welch is striving towards, at times achieving, in his anthology of short stories,Before/Beyond, as he melds the futuristic essence of science-fiction with the warm comfort of historical fiction.
The interdimensional element of Welch's writing is most evident in the story 'The Ganymede Incident'. The story opens with an interplanetary cruiser racing toward a research station that has fallen eerily silent. In the spirit of Star Trek, as the ship comes within sensor range, the image of the doomed space station is projected on the bridge's screen. The crew's worst fears are realized, as the station is under attack. It is not aliens, however, who are attacking, but the most gothic of creatures to come from the middle ages: the gargoyle.
Although other stories in Before/Beyond do not blend the two genres so wholly, one or the other is often incorporated into the plot or setting. From artistic life on an ice planet, to intergalactic negotiations and an alien invasion of Earth, Welch explores the different nooks and crannies of science-fiction, while he alternatingly takes us on voyages to the Victorian English countryside or early twentieth century Dublin. Adding to the colour of his characters and their adventures, Welch also throws in snippets of the fantastical world of ghosts, goblins and demons....Welch treats these characters with dignity and humanity, using a loving touch to bring them to life. The Ultimate Hallucination
And read the new review at In The Library!
Demon In A Box
The Man Who Tuned Glaciers
Sin of Omission
Rites of Negotiation
The Good Little Boy
Last Call at the Dew Drop Inn
Frozen Assets
The Ganymede Incident
Festival of Forgotten Dreams
The Hidden Princess
Rock of Wages
The Value of Patience
The Cage Within
Routine Maintenance
The Practice of Vengeance
A Frozen Moment
The Most Wonderful Gift
Legal Tender
In The Beltway
Second Stage
Unfair Trade
Bingo
Cold Spell
The Chronograph
Ghosts of Dawn
The new, improved and enlarged collection is now available from Double Dragon e-Books.