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Small Matters eBook Michael Kanuckel

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Small Matters eBook Michael Kanuckel

Charming and thought provoking collection of short stories. I appreciated the skill with which this author brought a narrative to life in such a short space. The first story, 'Faces in the Wall' was my favorite. Fairytales and magic blending with reality has always been a wonderful subject for my contemplation.
I didn't enjoy the emotional, darker stories as much, but I still appreciate the skill with which they are carefully woven.
'The Rending' was also a story that I connected with as it had the ingredients I love - elves, magic, fantasy, adventure, etc with a brilliant twist at the end.
With stunning descriptions and intriguing story-lines, Michael manages to draw the reader into his tales as if he were the pied piper.
There are a few reoccurring themes that link a few of the stories - another interesting touch that adds something more to the collection.
I enjoyed this author's writing as well as his respect for the intelligence of his readers, and looking forward to more of his work in the future.


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Small Matters eBook Michael Kanuckel Reviews

Kanuckel introduces you to a handful of unforgettable characters in his collection of short stories, 'Small Matters'. Once introduced to these characters, the reader doesn't want their tale to end. Kanuckel has a way of describing the worlds in which the characters live that grasps the reader and transports them there. As the reader gets to know the characters, the reader can easily relate to them... So many of these stories tug at so many different emotions... The reader wants more! Hoping to see more of Kanuckel's work in the near future and while reading this compilation- I foresee 'the Superiors' in a novel of their own.
It took me some time to get to this collection but I've had a lot of fun reading it today. It's called Small Matters and I think the title is very apt, both because the stories are such tiny little pieces of their own worlds and because each of them is its own sort of subtly nuanced tale. I'm going to review each story in turn

Faces in the Wall Have you ever found yourself staring at a wall or ceiling and seeing images there in the wood grain? This is exactly what Tommy has been doing to cope with his parents fighting and his imagination has been building an entire world there in the small confines of his room. One night he sees something new and with it comes a new hope for escape. This one's very subtle and touches on the sort of things kids do to cope. I could really identify with Tommy and his view of the world and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

I Do What I Can One day working at the overwhelming and overrun gas station next to an amusement park Wes witnesses a terrible accident and comes away feeling as if he did all he could, but did he? There's more to Wes than at first it appears and he's about to be called to task for his inaction. I like what this has to say about the way people see their part in accidents and the what if of having the power to do more. Would we really save everyone we could and if we did, what would be the cost?

Gary This one is dark as coal and very bitter. Here we meet Gary one of the slimiest creeps you could ever meet and Mr. Emmitt a man gone cold looking for revenge. It gives us a hard look at life and the truth of revenge. It put me in mind of Stephen King's story 'Dolan's Cadillac' and the harsh dark world of Frank Miller's Sin City comics, very cold and honest.

First in Flight A reporter shows up at a nursing home in search of Leon Wright a man with a very interesting past he might just be recapturing in the middle of the night. Super powers meets conspiracy and the tragic irony of surprises. Lots of whimsy here and a few surprises as well. One of the best in the collection.

Jake Henry was a Cash Ringin Man Remember that story about John Henry and the steam drill? Yep, this is a fun take on that old classic told through the eyes of a future father. In this take the man in question is facing down robots who threaten to put his convenience store and gas station clerk days in his past. with this one we get a sense of Kanuckel's humor and wry smirk at everyday life. It's really a great piece and recalls the old Asimov stories as much as it does John Henry. Just wait until you get to the end!

The Rending This one takes place in the world of Winter's Heart (the author's fantasy novel which I highly recommend) and features a traveling group of warriors looking for an evil goblin king named Gjork who now has the power of rending. What is rending? It's far more complicated than it first appears and as we're about to find out so is the story. This is one of my other favorites because it's such a tricky little piece.

Second Chance This one is a tragic tale about love lost and unrequited, dreams fullfilled and a life wasted. It goes so many places and is a very personal take on the what if story. It's sad but very honest, taking the truth up, down and straight through to the bitter end. I can't help but respect it's conclusions.

Troll Day Here we meet Pete a little boy who isn't too keen on books or using his imagination but has a grandpa and a father who love them and are desperate to get him involved in their tradition. This is one of my other favorites precisely because its so imaginative. We get right inside Pete's head and get to meet a very familiar face in his grandfather. It's as much about that sense of wonder as it is about the sense of loss found when the generations and our traditions with them slip apart.

The Girl with the Frostbite Smile This one is a neat little tale about a man who meets the woman of his dreams while working in a store in the city. It really shows off Kanuckel's ability to catch the little details in human interaction and the immediacy that each moment can have. Who is this girl and what's so unique about her? What will happen when he follows her into the night? It's one of the best stories in the collection and a really great story about being lost in the moment.

Small Matters is a short read and well worth your time, it's got good solid little tales that can eat up an afternoon and leave you with some memorable imagery, maybe even a few thoughts on the points presented by each story. It's also got a nice price at .99 cents. Go pick up a copy!
Every one of these short stories is well written and could easily be expanded upon. I almost wish I had purchased the hard edition rather than the as I could then jump back to various spots to "re-enjoy" those I want to! My kindle edition doesn't allow for that! LOL Michael Kanuckel will be writing more stories and novels and I, for one, plan to be one of his followers!
Characters are defined and well filled. Scenery and surroundings are cleverly described. You really live in his story as you read it.
I recommend this read and his first novel Winter's Heart for any genre of reader!
A variety of stories, fluidly blending and bridging genres. They won't fit neatly into your bookcase. Instead they will stick out and have you re-read them. "Gary" is hauntingly sad.
The more I read from this author the more I can't wait to read more! The way he tells the stories they pull you in from the first few sentences and make you feel like you're right there with the characters. The ONLY fault I found with this book is that SO many of these stories made me want to know more about the characters worlds and what happened afterwards. His writing just makes you feel & think what the characters are. This book was great in every way. There's a story for everyone in here. Just beware, once you begin to read Michael Kanuckel you won;t be able to stop!
I'm such a fan of the short story format. There is an art to introducing a character and soliciting the reader's emotion with so few words—and Michael Kanuckel has this art mastered in Small Matters. This writer's prose is smooth, well-written and amusing. This collection offers enough variety to please readers of many genres, dabbling into science fiction, crime, fantasy, and horror. But even if you are a reader of one of the genres and not the others, the writing is good enough to keep you hooked throughout. "The Rending", for example, is not the kind of story I'd normally get into, but the clever twist of an ending made it worth the read for me. My favorite tale was "Gary", named for the nasty character who relishes the misery of others. Kanuckel saves the most chilling tale for last--a story that starts out as one thing, then morphs into quite another in an unexpected and shocking way. I highly recommend Small Matters, and plan to check out other works by Kanuckel.
Charming and thought provoking collection of short stories. I appreciated the skill with which this author brought a narrative to life in such a short space. The first story, 'Faces in the Wall' was my favorite. Fairytales and magic blending with reality has always been a wonderful subject for my contemplation.
I didn't enjoy the emotional, darker stories as much, but I still appreciate the skill with which they are carefully woven.
'The Rending' was also a story that I connected with as it had the ingredients I love - elves, magic, fantasy, adventure, etc with a brilliant twist at the end.
With stunning descriptions and intriguing story-lines, Michael manages to draw the reader into his tales as if he were the pied piper.
There are a few reoccurring themes that link a few of the stories - another interesting touch that adds something more to the collection.
I enjoyed this author's writing as well as his respect for the intelligence of his readers, and looking forward to more of his work in the future.