Elashom the Great Refuses and Other Stories by Erick Drake

A wide-ranging short story collection in both content and form, Erick Drake’s Elashom the Great Refuses and Other Stories is a lush, clever, and quick read for fans of the supernatural and strange.

The collection features six enchanting science fiction and fantasy tales, set everywhere from historical seventeenth-century England to the futuristic darkest reaches of space. Drake’s subjects also entertainingly run the gamut: the dead soul of a witch’s boyfriend trapped in a dreamcatcher, a surprising seance with a devilish twist written in play format, and a story about a declinatory sculptor inspired by the Biblical milieu of William Blake.

Throughout the course of the book, Drake’s tone impressively fluctuates between the somber and the comic. Often, the more elaborate and intricate tales tend to land better than the strictly humorous offerings.

The inventive frame narrative and stylized writing of “The Carpenter’s Tale” and the intriguing unreliable narration and visceral physical horror of “Intercambio” are more compelling than the straightforward jokey silliness of a piece like “Late.” Despite the fact that some of the stories are more successful than others, every single piece is captivating, and it’s a joy to follow Drake’s distinct voice on the page.

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