Unwelcome Bodies Book

I don't read as much sci-fi as I used to. I had heard good things about this collection and decided to take the plunge. Jennifer Pelland has assembled a number of excellent shorts here. Some are short stories whilst a couple are a little longer-venturing into novella territory. The stories are varied and contain numerous themes such as acceptance, pain and religion. The first half of the book contained the real standout works for me, in particular the first story about the HIV virus and the sexy body horror of Big sister/Little sister which was an uncomfortable reading experience, but really well done. My favourite story was one of the longer ones in The Last Stand of the Elephant Man. A bizarre but brilliant story about Joseph Merrick's journey into the future where he has swapped bodies with someone who has a fascination with his appearance! Flood was also a highlight as was the shortest story in the collection Last Bus. One or two didn't quite work for me. Brushstrokes, whilst brilliantly conceived went on a little too long and the start was a little confusing.

All said, this is a great collection of stories. It's dark and sometimes challenging but I finished feeling that I'd read something unique, interesting and thoughtful. 4.5 stars from this reader and recommended to sci-fi fans and fans of dark fiction.