Second Thoughts by Steve Berman, published by Lethe Press, is a collection of self dubbed ‘weird’ gay fiction supported by a backbone of biographical story in the Author’s Notes sections which occurs after each fantastical tale. As such, this gay fiction collection feels well rounded and is grounded with a sense of real emotional humanity.
Second Thoughts by Steve Berman: The Gay Fiction Collection As A Whole
With Second Thoughts, writer Steve Berman displays an ability to capture emotion and distil it down to its very bleak core. Berman peppers his gay fiction books with an honesty that shows he is unafraid to explore even the darkest of feelings. His characterisation is first class and, perhaps most impressive is the clarity of the narrative which is, at times, uncomfortably candid.
The through story within the Author’s Notes details awakening sexuality, a longing for a room-mate at college who is also sexually confused, the death of that person and subsequent reactions and ramifications of such a loss. Rarely is a gay fiction book's story as affecting as Second Thoughts whilst remaining entirely relevant to a modern audience, marking this gay fiction collection as one of note.
Second Thoughts by Steve Berman: The Stand-Out Gay Themed Stories
"Tear Jerker" is Second Thoughts' most enchanting tale. A post-apocalyptic delight that sees a world in which people are "tear junkies", injecting little girls' tears for a hit of pure emotion, and where "afflicted" people manifest such powers as having stories they create appear emblazoned across their skin. But such stories prove dangerous in this altered world as our protagonist quickly finds out.
"Caught By Skin" is also one of Steve Berman’s most clever stories in Second Thoughts. The story is a piece of gay science fiction set in a future where people have monthly plastic surgeries in order to have the face or body of the moment, so that, gradually, they all look very much the same.
So relevant and witty is this story, where our protagonist slowly evolves through a sexual encounter until he decides to take on the face of an ex who still has his heart, that it almost feels like it should be mandatory reading in schools everywhere, if only to dissuade from superficiality.
Other stories in this gay fiction book that particularly impressed were "A Rotten Obligation", a ghost story of an indebted youth who must prostitute himself in order to reach his destination and bury the festering corpse in his car-boot, as well as "The Price of Glamour", in which author Steve Berman manages to create a fictional London town that is as sincere and charming as it is depraved.
Second Thoughts by Steve Berman: An Impressive Gay Fiction Collection
Steve Berman has formulated a collection of short gay fiction stories in Second Thoughts that are so lively that they dance on the page. Berman’s characters are provoking, at times maddening, and the author’s interjections after each allegory give a context and meaning to the collection that, as a technical device, is refreshing and anchors the reader’s attention. Second Thoughts is a triumph, and is highly recommended.
(Paperback: 212 pages; Publisher: Lethe Press; Published15th of August 2008; ISBN-10: 159021028X; ISBN-13: 978-1590210284)
Join the Conversation