REVIEWS
of my fiction

Very little of my stuff has been reviewed, but below you'll find the few I've been able to locate on the Net. If you come across others, let me know (good or bad, I don't care, even the ones that call me a shameless, untalented hack). I expect more stuff here as my recent efforts find a home and get published.

Enough of this crap. Take me back to the main fiction page

“Hatchie Bottom” by Barry Hollander revolves around the enigmatic discovery of a white girl who is found hanged from a tree by the river and constitutes an exemplary piece of storytelling. While the girl's identity remains a mystery, an intimate and disturbing link is made between her and a small number of white townspeople—and also with Caleb Johnson, the black man in the boat that found the girl and our story's protagonist. “Hatchie Bottom” follows how Caleb and others cope with their eerie discoveries, bringing us to the climax, which weaves the true nature of the hanged girl together with Caleb's character and life.

Particularly of note are the beautiful choice and careful construction of the protagonist. Caleb's character naturally balances at precisely the right distance from the white community of Jessup; at the story's opening, his fear of retribution for the white girl's death gives us immediate tension that carries us easily into the thick of it. Later on, as an outsider, he has the freedom to do things the white townspeople can't, or wouldn't think to. All this combines to present Caleb as a character who is unique, intriguing, and driven, and all the different elements click into place naturally and effortlessly. There is no hint of contrivance or fiat from on high; story and character seem to propel themselves forward with a power of their own.

Other storytelling elements are also very well done. Secondary characters have their flaws, but not excessively so; they are easy to believe in and feel for, not convenient caricatures. Pacing is never slack, introspection and emotion are well-presented, and the ending is resonant and satisfying. Highly recommended.

From The Fix

Complete review of issue is here.

Lord Torquiere
Appeared in Thou Shalt Not

as part of an overall review of the anthology

... So I will focus on the ten best pieces, each for every commandment...

... In Barry Hollander's Lord Torquiere a gentleman newly admitted to a club of murderers becomes the main suspect in a series of killings where death is turned into art. It's an old fashioned but enjoyable tale written in an elegant, sophisticated style.

In another review:

Barry Hollander's "Lord Torquiere" is a twisted, yet fascinating, tale set against the backdrop of the commandment against murder, even if you murder with style and flair.

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In the midst of a negative review of the anthology ("decided lack of heart ... and guts"), there is the following:

"Emotion -- and an understanding that a zombie is something more than a monster -- are what makes two other stories stand out: Scott Edelman's The Last Supper, a sly fable that inverts I am Legend, and Barry Hollander's Familiar Eyes. Otherwise, there's little flesh here, and far too many dry bones."

Reviewed by Douglas Winter
in Weird Tales #333

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"Barry Hollander's "Three Chickens" is fantastic. And what an ending!"

More here.

Potion
Appeared in
The Witching Hour
Anthology.

"...a great little tale of a lonely witch and a lovesick troll in modern times and how they end up unbelievably in each other's lives. See Eternalnight for the review of the entire anthology.

“Potion” by Barry Hollander is worth the price of the anthology alone. This great tale of a witch, a troll and a love potion is funny, sad and poignant. Hollander creates interesting characters. I hope “Potion” is only the first in a series about this witch.

Review by G. W. Thomas in E-Genre

Barry Hollander's "Potion" gives us a witch in the suburbs. Said witch has been approached by a troll who wishes her to make a love potion that he can use on an attractive neighbor. Love potions are never simple, though, and complication ensues. Filled with wry humor, Hollander's story stands out as the humorous charmer of the volume.

Review by Deborah Layne on Tangent Online

Witching the Budget
Appeared in the
Eggplant Productions
Winter Sampler

"Witching the Budget" by Barry Hollander. Trolls, ogres, and imps make coffee, build bridges, and perform other mundane tasks in this surreal story. But when a witch is hired as a consultant for the budget to prevent a tax increase in southwest Florida, that's page one news. After all, Christian Fundamentalists don't like magic, and they make up a major part of the voting population. This reporter wants the story.

I have to admit to a weakness to irreverance and foul play. Barry Hollander's prose pokes fun every step of the way, making the impossible quite believable. With a deft touch, this author uses the mundane (city politics and reports) and the magical (mythical creatures) to create a humorous tale too good to miss.

Reviewed by Cindy Penn
in wordweaving.com