A collection of stories about death, expiration date. An interesting idea but honestly I didn't find much to recommend in this set of stories. Not for me. ( )

My review is up at http://www.innsmouthfreepress.com/blog/column-on-the-marches-of-dreamland-review.... ( )

This anthology of short stories starts with the premise that everyone has an "expiration date," the day when its time for them to move from the mortal realm. Incidentally, a cousin of mine recently used the term "expiration date" in a conversation we had at his father's wake to indicate his time had simply come. These stories are anything but simple conclusions to a life well-lived (or not, as the case might be). Many of them anthropomorphize Death into a tangible being -- with or without a pale horse, scythe, cloak, etc. Some try to bargain with death. Some are confronted by spectres (such as the family of renown axe murderess Lizzy Borden). Some take place long ago, most are quite contemporary. My only complaint is a standard one with short stories...sometimes I'm found wanting more as the author leaves it to the reader to infer the conclusion. But as a collection, this one is well done. ( )

An unusual assortment of short stories dealing with death. A bit uneven, very eclectic, and as usual, some were very good and others not so much.
Good spooky short stories to read around Halloween or for a brief fright. ( )

Many things in life have an ending or an expiration date. It can range from the food in your refrigerator, to the finish of a horse race, to the stopping of a stop-watch, to the end of a person's life. That's what this group of new stories is all about.

Stuck in that split second before dying (or not dying) in an auto accident, a woman gets to see how her family will survive, both with her and without her. Fascinated by death from an early age, a woman becomes an EMT to get as close to death as possible. She learns that when a person's time has come, getting in the way, and bringing them back to life, is not a good idea. Death makes several appearances in this book.

A group of present-day ghost hunters gets a little too close to the ghost of Lizzie Borden and her axe. A young boy is visiting his very sick younger brother in the hospital; the younger brother's life expectancy is down to minutes. Does he tell his younger brother what he really thinks, that there is nothing after this life, except blackness and decay? On the other hand, does Older Brother tell Younger Brother that he is going to nice place full of green grass, where he will meet his deceased grandparents?

When a person dies suddenly, like in an auto accident, is there someone nearby to help them get to the Other Side, or do they have to find their own way? There are a couple of stories about people who, from the outside, look to be in an irreversible coma, but, on the inside, they are very much alive.

I enjoyed reading this book. All of the stories are excellent; some of them actually reach the level of Wow. Only a couple of stories get into actual horror. Death will affect everyone eventually; these tales provide some possible ways that it will happen. This is highly recommended. ( )