Has it been awhile since you've read a story with skilled prose and the kind of vivid, lasting imagery that gets your imagination to shoot holes in the atmosphere? Me too. These did not disappoint, nor was I gagging on the common pomp and circumstance that comes with scholarly writing. The theme I'm sensing is borderline sci-fi, macambre, Sir Eel; bringing to the page manifestations of fears - you know, the camera rotates and it was....YOU! ALL ALONG! ....screaming NOOOOOOOO!!! Existentialism I guess, whatever that is. My gripe is that the stories illustrate the points better than the poorly chosen graphics that accompany them. Other than that it is a buck well spent, buy less incense and get this instead. (Monte)