Mercurio D Rivera ‘Across the Event Horizon’ Review

Written by: Paula Limbaugh

Across the Event Horizon is a diverse collection of short stories by Mercurio D Rivera.  His 2011 story Tu Sufrimiento Shall Protect Us was nominated for the World Fantasy Award and also made Honorable Mention in Year’s Best Horror.  A dark tale of suffering to keep the “terroristas” away.

In Snatch Me Another we find a world gone mad with parallel realities.  One needs only to reach down into the “snatcher” to grab a replacement for anything, be it an inanimate object or a living being.  Lindy and Kristina lost their son Tommy to a brain tumor.  Kristina saddened by the fact that Tommy died a week before his birthday snatches a new Tommy.  Lindy is having a hard time accepting the new Tommy and soon learns that anything can be replaced.

Ever hear the expression “Seeing things thru rose-colored glasses”?  That’s what we find in Naked Weekend.  Everyone wear a bio-sensor wristlet with buttons to determine what mood they are feeling.  Holographic scenes make up the new reality, that’s the world Rick and Leila live in.  Leila hears of a pill that shuts off the sensors and decides she and Rick need to try reality the way it’s meant to be, but can they handle it?

Sleeping With the Anemone is a quirky tale of xenophililia, futuristic porn movies involving humans with alien plant beings.  Lanny an ex “vibe” addict is given a chance to direct a movie starring Holmes Davies a leading porn star.  Tricked into going to the unfriendly planet of Anemone to shoot a movie, he discovers what could happen when one sleeps with the anemone.

Doubled is where everyone, everything has a double.  Singles are unacceptable, yet one man’s double wants his freedom to be an individual!  A story that is reminiscent of Rod Serling.

So many other good stories are included in this collection, a bit sci-fi, a bit horror all of them written to be savored.  I do hope you enjoy reading this as much as I have.

Order it here.

Rating: 4/5