The Metempsychosis Collection
by Nicholas Conley

From the dystopian landscape of Knight in Paper Armor to the journey through the fading mind that is Pale Highway, Nicholas Conley’s novels have brought readers from the cosmic to the microcosmic, in tales defined by contrast — life and death, light and darkness, transcendence and limitation, strength and frailty, dreams and nightmares. Now, in the seven short stories that comprise The Metempsychosis Collection, experience a thrilling passage through closure, catharsis, and rebirth.

The Metempsychosis Collection is a puzzle of seven pieces. As metempsychosis is the transmigration of the soul after death, these snapshots of startling, wondrous, and terrifying moments show a human race perpetually weighed down by pain and loss, yet forever grasping at the stars with hope and aspiration. In each tale, lives are touched, changed, and reshaped. A woman surrounded by her loved ones is faced with a sudden crisis beyond her mortal comprehension. The dawn of real-life super-powered individuals—and the devastation they are capable of—remolds not just the shape of society, but even the most intimate of relationships. The collision of perfect cutting-edge technology against imperfect human memory brings the dead closer to us even as it pushes them further away. A trucker drives into the night with no clear destination, tormented by the mysterious, unearthly cargo that drives her. A sick man ponders his legacy as he struggles not to succumb to an ancient, incurable extraterrestrial disease. Two childhood friends, bonded by hardship, are ripped apart by the most fantastic — yet horrific — discovery of their lives. And finally, an ambitious scientist, following her passions, must escape a prehistoric miracle that threatens the life of her pregnant wife.

Every new beginning closes a book from the past, and every ending opens another. The wheel turns. The world spins. And for every death, there is an awakening.

5 out of 5 fairies

Each story in this collection is impactful in its own way, and takes you through quite the range of emotions. I was not expecting the gut punch that the first story packed, but I can’t disagree with the decision she made. Although these are short stories, you get to know the characters quite well, and get wrapped up in their stories. A common thread I found running through them, besides the questions of life and death, was how deceiving appearances can be. Often you’ll find that, just like in real life, we don’t truly know someone until their darkest secrets are laid in front of us. Conley did an excellent job of keeping the tension up the entire time, and although I could’ve easily set this down between stories and come back to it, I found myself reluctant to. I wanted to know what the next character(s) and story would bring. What new way my perception would get spun on it’s head. If you enjoy fiction that’ll hit you right in the feels, but maybe don’t have time to commit to a full novel, then this collection of short stories is perfect to slot into your busy schedule, for whenever you have a little time to read.

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