The Post-Apocalyptic Independent Author - Kyle A. Massa

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AUTHOR: Kyle A. Massa

GENRE: Dystopian Short Story
RATING: 3.5 stars.

When you pick up a Kyle A. Massa work, whether full-length or short fiction, you can be ensured of one thing – it is going to be weirdly whimsical. (Or ‘whimsically weird’ – take your pick.) This story is no exception.

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the first person narrator is being chased by a… are you ready for this?.... a half-human-half-cockroach drone. (See what I meant in the first paragraph?) The drone has a specific reason for his/its pursuit, and the narrator has an equally strong reason to escape. (Can’t say I blame him!) While the chase continues across the harsh desert terrain, the story intersperses some flashback events between two friends. How the flashbacks are related to the current timeline, and what does the half-cockroach-thingy want with the narrator is something to find out by reading this little tale.

The story is quite bizarre at its core, but it has many moments of sunshine. I loved the theme of friendship that has diluted over the years. I appreciated the role books played in the plot. I enjoyed the pop culture references. (I understand why Nicholas Cage can be a cult favourite of dystopian writers!) The ending is somewhat poignant, somewhat funny – a combination that, strangely, works.

Overall, this isn’t my favourite Kyle A. Massa story. This tale would have worked even better had it been developed into a somewhat lengthier version, maybe a novella. But in its current format, it is still an entertaining plus emotional short story. If you are looking for a quirky indie post-apocalyptic tale, do try.

I received a complimentary copy of this story through a ‘StoryOrigin’ promo and these are my honest thoughts about it.

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