FALLING FROM TREES

A collection of otherworldly tales from Fiorito.

This set of loosely connected stories touches on a wide range of timely and universal topics via science-fictional elements. In “Climbing Time,” for instance, aliens make use of the brains of human beings with Asperger syndrome to transmit information about how to save Earth from ecological ruin. In “The Love of a Dandelion,” a young man named Colin loves the sun and the color yellow, because he’s able to see information about the mysteries of the universe in them. “Tiny Blue Oceans” follows astronaut Capt. Collins, who drifts patiently through space as Command Control attempts to fix his booster jets; he’s trying to keep up hope, but he becomes disheartened when they allow him to video-call his wife. “A Star in Time” introduces a being named Smith, who’s not from Earth and features in several more stories; he carries a pendant that allows him to travel to other worlds. He also travels around North America and meets other humans in his quest to find a place to belong. Fiorito’s compendium of stories may strike readers as somewhat hit or miss. Overall, though, readers will largely find it entertaining. The stories run the gamut from fully realized works to quick, slice-of-life glimpses of characters. The connections between the tales aren’t immediately obvious, which may leave some readers with literary whiplash as storytelling styles change, but the links are clearer by the end. Occasionally, snatches of dialogue feel unnatural, as when a young boy says, “I see the immortality of yellow. Even suns and flowers come and go. But yellow is forever.” Still, such moments add to the otherworldly feel that seems to be the author’s aim.

An uneven but often engaging short story cycle.