Threatened Species is a short fiction collection by Underground Regular Jeff Vande Zande, and while the fly fishing hovers in the background of several stories, these are not fly fishing-centric tales.
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Instead, most of Threatened Species’ tightly-written stories deal with people struggling with loss or change, and while the writing is engaging, it’s far removed from the happy trails normally trod by fly fishing writers.
In truth, those expecting typical fly fishing fare may find themselves struggling to enjoy this story collection.
It’s good stuff, but at times unremittingly dark, and I’m reminded what Thomas McGuane said about contemporary American literature:
We’re at the point now where Dostoevksy is funnier than the average American novel.
Vande Zande’s collection does not refute McGuane, but it does provide us a glimpse at characters teetering on the edge of the abyss, and it’s well written to boot.
Threatened Species — the novella that anchors this collection — follows a father who has two weeks with his son before his divorced wife moves to Paris (with the son and new husband).
They take to the road on a fishing trip, which quickly derails as the father struggles with his son’s departure. Thankfully, the author finishes on a hopeful note.
The other works are shorter and — in large part — grimmer, and it’s these stories that account for much of the collection’s sharp edges (including a particularly unpleasant image involving a well).
Vande Zande’s prose is taut and spare, and the cumulative effect of his writing is that of a snare drum; staccato bursts of energy interwoven with characters struggling — in many instances — to maintain any semblance of equilibrium.
It’s wonderful – if sometimes dark – reading.
See you reading, Tom Chandler.
Threatened Species and Other Stories is available in multiple ebook formats ($4.99) here.
You can buy the paper version of Threatened Specieshere ($14), or directly from the author here.
Have writers adjusted to the modern world?
I suspect to a writer Paris always means Hemmingway and Fitzgerald. Paris lingers in the imagination and hints of weeks spent on trains and ships. I suspect today’s Paris France is probably more accessible from Michigan than Paris, Idaho. The hinterlands of Idaho might still just have dial up; while the suburbs of Paris most certainly have broadband allowing for video chat and ip telephony. I don’t mean to pick on Mr. Vande Zande, it’s just that the world today is much smaller (I find myself reading English newspapers more often than the Times [New York or L.A.]) and I don’t think he’s come to grips with that. Whereas in WWII soldier’s letters to sweethearts that took months to arrive, now soldiers come right off the battlefield and via webchat they can talk and see their loved ones in real time.
I remember years ago subscribing to the hometown Sunday paper while away at college. It took four or five days to get to me. Now I can have that same news instantly (and basically for free).
I’m not sure if we fully realize how that’s changed us.
Ed(Quote)
Writers as a whole are struggling to make sense of fast-changing markets (both commercial and creative), but I have to ask: what about my review suggests Jeff hasn’t come to grips with the online world?
Are you speaking of fiction writers in general, or is there something in Threatened Species that you’re speaking to?
Tom Chandler(Quote)
It wasn’t anything in your review. It’s a theme I keep coming back to myself. I remember reading several years back a comparison between travel in 18th century France and the world today. The premise was that modern transportation is so good you could pick any two spots in the world be there faster than someone traveling to various parts of France in the 18th century.
I’d guess one reason the author chose Paris is to symbolize the vast distance soon to be placed between him and his son. Paris jogged my memory and caused me to remember the travel comparison. I just checked and you can get from Detroit to Paris (France) in under 8 hours. If you fly to Salt Lake and then drive to Paris (Idaho) it’ll take you at least 8. So while one seems so much farther than the other, it’s really not. I previoiusly mentioned the broadband advantage that Paris France might enjoy.
Sorry for going off on a tangent. It just struck me as “false” on the surface.
Ed(Quote)
Wow….darker than “The Road” or “Winter’s bone”? Both are great books by a couple of first rate writers and I enjoyed even the dark and bleak bits…..”It’s just a book,it’s just a book” ….sort of in the case of “Winter’s Bone”; the reality of the facts behind it are undeniable Better read some BWTF for some laughs….
JP2(Quote)