Book Review: Destinations Unknown

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Destinations Unknown     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Gary A. Braunbeck
Class/Genre:   Fiction   Horror   [Short Stories]
Cemetery Dance, May 2006, $40.00

"The Ballad of Road Mama and Daddy Bliss". He had one too many when he drove and was stopped by John Law. He was given community service at the city morgue but offered a deal that would wipe clean his record. There would be no DUI if he transports the corpse of elderly Miss Driscoll back to her hometown. He drove ambulances in Nam so this could not be worse than that; he agrees. He drives to a town not listed on any map whose exit simply says Exit. He will soon learn the truth of driving Miss Driscoll home.

"Congestion". He detests driving, but still decided to drive himself to the hospital. Now he sits in a traffic jam less than one mile from his destination with him at the epicenter of a zillion vehicles engulfing him endlessly. To add to his discomfit his air conditioner is broken on a day in which it would seem torrid in the equator. He has his nitro pills handy, as no one moves except a familiar looking skater heading towards him.

"Merge Right". Matt is tired after the long business trip and is happy to be on I271 nearing home though suddenly nothing seems right with no traces of any other life including no other cars anywhere and every sign says MERGE RIGHT. There are no exits in sight and he cannot find home.

The road will never be the same following Gary Braunbeck’s suspense filled horror novella (The Ballad of Road Mama and Daddy Bliss) and two psychological ghostly shorts. All three tales keeps the audience reading while wondering what is really going on. At the final destination, fans will simply know the next signpost has to be in the Twilight Zone as Mr. Braunbeck provides three thrillers that Rod Serling would have appreciated.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner