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Love Hurts And Other Short Stories by Barry Hoffman
01/07/2006 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
pub: Gauntlet Press. 80 page enlarged paperback. Price: $ 9.95 (US), $12.95 (CAN). ISBN: 1-8873688-9-2. Buy Love Hurts And Other Short Stories in the USA - or Buy Love Hurts And Other Short Stories in the UK  check out website: www.gauntletpress.com
I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this small anthology, especially as this is written by Barry Hoffman, the head of Gauntlet Press mostly renowned in our column for getting Richard Matheson's 'Twilight Zone' and other scripts out on public release. I've come away from this book, not entirely convinced it's within our remit unless you consider 'urban horror' as part of the fold but an interesting set of character studies in seven short stories.
Hoffman has a habit of utilising his experiences as a school teacher and personal life to build out the emotional content of his stories. The titular story, 'Love Hurts' is a play between a spoilt hostage and a kidnapper. The ending isn't quite how it seems with everyone getting their just deserts.
'None Of My Concern' is another story that shows that in the slums you get as good as you get and it isn't always pleasant. 'Second Chance', with different circumstances, is also a demonstration of the punishment to fit the crime. 'Too Late' is Hoffman's most personal showing the effects on a couple as the lady recovers from cancer therapy unbalanced by the effect on her husband. 'King Of The Hill' is from a child's point of view as she becomes the discrete terror of the playground. 'Spare Parts' is probably the nearest to Science Fiction with the troops proving that death isn't that much of an obstacle to staying on and fight.
If anything, the best way to describe these stories is urban domestic than something that is truly designed to get you jumping out of your skin horror. Hoffman says he prefers to write novel-length but as with any story its what it contains is the most important. If you want to look at some borderline general fiction then have a look at this one.
GF Willmetts
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