Review of three stories from "The Short, the Long and the Tall," collection by Andrew McIntyre
Summary: The Short, the Long, and the Tall is a collection of 34 stories published during the last 10 years, many of the stories sections that follow on from one another to constitute single narratives. The recurrent metaphorical theme of the collection is armed conflict, and the question of civilization, presented against contemporary events and the repetition of history. War and the military are associated with barbarity yet, in order to survive, a civilized state needs a strong armed force. How this force is used in harmony with our ethics is the test we face. Set in jungles and third world cities, the stories feature hard-bitten, thoroughly disillusioned Westerners enduring far from home, struggling against insurgencies, and confronting this paradox. Review: The stories contained in this collection are more flash fiction style rather than short story; most of them clock in around 500 words. Overall I feel that if McIntyre could tighten up his presentation just a ...