Indie authors have the enviable freedom to write something so unique that it would be considered unmarketable to mainstream publishers. This can lead to a huge amount of choice of voices and topics for the reading public, to an extent not dreamed of two decades ago.
“The Grays Anatomy” by Rob Shepherd contains some unique tales, both in style and content. This collection mixes dark erotica (which I think is Shepherd’s great strength) with feats of imagination that feel like acid trips and confuse the senses. “The Doorway”, “The Hall of Hell” and “Eros and Psyche”, were my favourite stories from this collection.
It’s dark and dreamlike and often compelling. I think Rob Shepherd has what it takes to write something truly extraordinary and when he does I hope to be the first to read it.
Sadly the book doesn’t escape my frequent lament about editing. I am so bored of picking up a new book by an exciting indie name and being bombarded with shifts in point of view and tenses. One story switches from referring to the main character from first to third person for a reason that might generously be described as opaque. Most of them switch between past and present tense, within a single story and often an individual sentence.
I’m a grumpy reviewer, and this is a pet peeve. Maybe other readers don’t notice or don’t care, but when you release a book, please edit it first. Too many of the books I’ve read this year feel like a first draft. On a selfish note, as someone who edits their stories for months AND pays an independent editor to tackle it again after that, I really want readers to pick up indie works and be able to expect a high level of care over editing and an extremely readable story, with strong continuity, and that makes sense. It worries me that I too might be judged as a first-draft publisher by people who aren’t familiar with my work. It isn’t a criticism of all indie authors. Many of whom are as careful as I am to ensure the story is delivered fully edited and easily understood. But far too many don’t. And I feel they are letting the rest of us down.
So how to judge this book? I find it difficult if the truth be told. Did the joy of meeting new characters and seeing the magical flow of psychedelia exceed the frustration of trying to ignore mistakes? Just about. But I wish there hadn’t been so many.
4/5 stars for imagination and world building
2/5 stars for quality of editing