Thomas Geha

This 30 pages counting short-story is the last in a series of twelve stories, published by Le Carnoplaste, as you can see here. Each story is written by a different author and you can only know who wrote what when you have the booklets in your hands. They each cost 3 EUR, but I was given my copy as a present by its author, Thomas Geha, this year at Les Imaginales (French SFFF-festival). I also bought two of his other books: [b:Des sorciers et des hommes|40022892|Des sorciers et des hommes|Thomas Geha|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1525258149s/40022892.jpg|61988261] and the anthology [b:Les Créateurs|13627020|Les Créateurs|Thomas Geha|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1345473292s/13627020.jpg|19232531], both of course still to be read.

This short-story takes place in 11,996 B.C., somewhere in Eastern Europe. And 3 cycles after the crash of an alien species (a slug). There are a few clans in the large vicinity, one of which is that of Ock. Orik is the leader of another clan, but also Ock's enemy. The clans don't always get along, yet depend on each other for trade of goods or services or even members, especially when one clan is so decimated that the survivors can't continue on their own.

So, there's an alien slug in town, arrived after the gods sent out a sort of purple warning through the skies. Since several generations, animals and plants were disappearing and it became tougher to hunt for food. One day, two of Ock's clan members don't return from hunting or scouting. Ock decides to investigate this disappearance.

And that's also when he gets attacked by dead, skeletal horses. This revival is due to the slug's power, which revives dead animals and people by means of a blue substance. Horses, aurochs, warriors, wolves, bears, ... All these are skeletal zombies, which are hard to kill. The only solution is: decapitation. This definitely takes them out, as is also shown in the fading of the shine in their new, blue eyes.

As Ock's clan (Bear Cliff) gets exterminated, while he's out hunting, he decides to call upon the help of Orik's clan, since he and Orik once fought for the position of chief, but both were equally matched, so no one won. As the situation is urgent, Ock decides to take matter into his own hands and confront Orik with the danger that looms not far away. Orik mocks him, but has to pay a heavy price. Ock takes over the clan, though it takes some time to convince its members that he's the new boss.

So, the people go out to put an end to the massacre and in the end, there are, as far as battling goes, two survivors: Ock and R'ossni, Orik's best warrior and scout. Ock gets devoured by the slug, which, ironically, has not one bone in its body, yet its army of zombies consists of only that: bones (skeletons). As Ock managed to take out this one weapon he carried with him - large spoiler here - he can only laugh at his fate, since he's not devoured at all, let alone by any bone-jaws. So he takes out the knife bone and tries to cut his way out... until the slug explodes and the spell is broken.

R'ossni arrives at the scene of the crime and notices that Ock is no more, yet died "happily", so to speak, since he gave the alien slug a taste of its own medicine. As he's now the new clan-leader, he vowed to keep the memory of Ock alive for generations to come: Ock, the one who beat evil at its own game.

This was one very entertaining story, and it makes me want to check out the other eleven stories. And of course, Mr Geha's books.… (plus d'informations)

In this little anthology/compilation, the French author Thomas Geha presents us six (previously published) stories that revolve around men or women whose lives have been turned upside down. They are faced with improbable, yet strangely enough familiar, situations. As the back cover says: What if you could bring back someone / a loved one who disappeared? What if your craziest dream was becoming reality? What if your life was fake/artificial? What if love was an eternal renewal? And do we really want to know the history of those we love? If so, at what price?

These are the stories:

1) La voix de monsieur Ambrose (2011) (The Voice of Mister Ambrose)
2) Là-bas (2005) (Yonder/Over There)
3) Copeaux (2011) (Shavings/Swarf)
4) Bris (2010)
5) Dans les jardins (2011, new) (In the Gardens)
6) Sumus Vicinae (2010) (Latin for "We are the neighbours"; a song by Nicolas Lens: YouTube-link)

The previously published stories were revised for this compilation, which features a foreword by Sylvie Miller and Philippe Ward.

All of these stories, which I'm not going to dissect this time, are set in the fantastic (Wikipedia), magical realism, and similar. They take place in the real world, yet are influenced by external forces. Each of them has a deeper meaning or layer. They may even hit home, if you have experienced similar events in your youth or adult life. As each of the characters, each of these "creators" (aren't we all creators, one way or another?), is faced with unexpected changes, they have to find a way to cope with them and take a moment for introspection.

The variety in just six stories is amazing. Geha's style also allows for you/the reader to experience the changes with those characters, almost feel what they are going through, maybe even make you reflect on situations you experienced in your own life.

Or, in more general philosophical terms: Who are we? What makes us human? What's the meaning of life? What's our destiny? However, you won't find answers to these and similar questions in this little book, as "no one holds the only truth in his hand" (see Kamelot - Farewell, 2003: lyrics, YouTube-link), as it's up to you/the reader to find your own answers; we all live different lives, yet we experience the same or similar events, feelings, and so on.

All I can say is: Read this book.… (plus d'informations)

This new edition (published via Les Moutons Électriques) of [b:Sous l'ombre des étoiles|20742349|Sous l'ombre des étoiles|Thomas Geha|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1391693627l/20742349._SY75_.jpg|40073131], originally published in 2013 via Rivière Blanche, the French arm of Black Coat Press, comes with a bonus story: [b:Une île (et quart) sous la lune rouge|52262671|Une île (et quart) sous la lune rouge|Thomas Geha|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1570112872l/52262671._SX50_SY75_.jpg|73623968], which was previously published in 2019.

'Under the Shadow of the Stars', rough translation of 'Sous l'ombre des étoiles', is a space opera, but don't let this setting distract you from the story itself. The war between Humans and Salamanders has ended. While the last battle was approaching its end, Kee Carson, an elite marksman/shot from the planet Valtor in the Alpha Centauri system (Wikipedia), chose the 'flight' in the saying "Fight or flight" (which reminds me of the same-titled song by the British band Luna Rossa). He programmed his ship, the Templier (Templar) to take him to a safe haven, while he stayed in cryosleep. However, as the ship crash-landed on an unknown, insignificant planet called Seinbeck, Kee would wake up under circumstances he wouldn't have expected in his wildest dreams.

A local clan, Tribu de l'Espace / Space Clan, saw his ship, decided to investigate and saw that there was a human on board, though barely alive. They take him back to their camp. Said clan is actually composed of Humans and Salamanders, formerly each other's arch enemies. Or rather, they are descendants of those who fought out there in space. Once Kee Carson has recovered from his cryosleep and regained his strength, his presence in the clan doesn't go unnoticed. He will learn that it's adapt or die, for the sake of everyone. After all, life on Seinbeck isn't without hazards, especially as the Seinbeck themselves are rather hostile towards intruders and "alien" populations.

To Carson's surprise, there's a Salamander in the clan. His name is Sirval. As Carson has spent more time in cryosleep than planned, a lot has happened over the... centuries. Humans and Salamanders living together? Carson will have a hard time getting over this and realising that life can be different, that he will have to do tabula rasa with his past, start all over. He will also learn that everyone has to do his part (including avoiding needless fights and quarrels) for the survival of the clan. If not, you're ousted from the clan and thus on your own. Especially on a planet like Seinbeck, it could prove to be deadly.

There are of course several clans out there, all of them gathering at an annual event, like a big festival, to exchange news, meet family members in other clans, play games, ...

Carson and Sirval will at one point be attacked by Seinbecks, held hostage and be used as pawns in a "game" that will show him (Carson) the point-of-view of the Seinbecks. Carson's long stay in cryosleep will ultimately have severe consequences, as Silvar and him try to escape and return to the tribe... with the unexpected help of an intruder (A Seinbeck girl, still a teenager, will help Carson and Silvar escape and return to their clan. It's her way of rebelling against her father and his way of governing; in that respect, she will adhere to the vision that made Carson review his way of living when he recovered from the crash.).

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More positive stories are needed in this day and age. One of the contemporary authors injecting the genre with a more positive outlook on society and life is [a:Becky Chambers|8389735|Becky Chambers|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1562580587p2/8389735.jpg]. The late [a:Ursula K. Le Guin|874602|Ursula K. Le Guin|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1244291425p2/874602.jpg] also had similar stories or views. And so has the French author Thomas Geha.

'Sous l'ombre des étoiles' is a story about getting rid of egoism, about thinking and acting for the benefit of the other (no matter how small/large the group), about reviewing your life when sh*t hits the fan.

The tale has its ups and downs, let's be honest. Some events are a bit too easy, too predictable, too superficial. There is definitely room to expand on the world, the various clans (not in the least the Seinbecks) or certain characters, but maybe that was not of the essence here. Maybe the story, which can exist in various forms, just serves as an example for the "hidden" message. Overall, this message makes up for any lack of more detailed depth, which also depends on one's preferences, of course.

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The added bonus story, [b:Une île (et quart) sous la lune rouge|52262671|Une île (et quart) sous la lune rouge|Thomas Geha|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1570112872l/52262671._SX50_SY75_.jpg|73623968] (transl.: An island (and a quarter) under the red moon), is a short-story that takes place in a contemporary setting, yet with a fantastic touch. It takes place in Brittany, on a rocky island called Deux-Roches. I've found no trace of any of the islands along the coast of Brittany, but my guess would be one of these, judging by the descriptions: Groix, Île-de-Bréhat or perhaps the archipel de Bréhat.

The story is set up via an exchange of e-mails between various characters. The mysterious red moon that shines on one of the beaches plays a central role, as its rays make it seems as if a large piece of rock was taken out. The red moon is also the cause of many disappearances. Then again, the region was already quite desolate, there is in general little human activity.

Two scientists, who were previously examining the moss that grows on the island, decide to investigate the matter, but the excitement and stress push them to investigate it a little too closely, taking no precautions.

This is a very good tale, quite folkloric at its base and truth be told... an alternative way to promote tourism for the region. In some way, because of the parallel world, I was reminded of [b:Arcadia|24861409|Arcadia|Iain Pears|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1443298536l/24861409._SY75_.jpg|44508961] by [a:Iain Pears|9833|Iain Pears|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1208208589p2/9833.jpg] (see my review here).

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Long story short: Two worthwhile stories - the bonus one was only in a very limited quality available - for a very low price, you can't go wrong with this new edition.

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Previously read:
* [b:La grande guerre contre les os|46016443|La grande guerre contre les os (collection aventures No. 12)|Thomas Geha|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1558854127l/46016443._SX50_.jpg|70894472] (my review)
* [b:Les Créateurs|13627020|Les Créateurs|Thomas Geha|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1345473292l/13627020._SY75_.jpg|19232531] (my review)

To read:
* [b:Des sorciers et des hommes|40022892|Des sorciers et des hommes|Thomas Geha|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1525258149l/40022892._SY75_.jpg|61988261]… (plus d'informations)