MAPS OF BLISS AND RAGE
Mario Dhingsa
Mario Dhingsa
- ASIN : B07RSX6K87
- Publication date : May 13, 2019
- Language : English
- File size : 1012 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 196 pages
I received a copy of this book from Mario Dhingsa
Review: Maps of Bliss and Rage by Mario Dhingsa
Do you love short stories?
I do! In fact, when I was in school I would often read one nightly. I started with Edgar Allan Poe: Complete Tales and Poems with my favorite being The Tell-Tale Heart and my love for shorts grew from there.
"A short story must have a single mood and every sentence must build towards it”—Edgar Allen Poe."
I really wish more author's produced shorts as they are more accessible to screenwriters and production companies and I'd likely go to more movies then. If you are not aware of the popularity of short stories on screen - I'll tell you about one of my favorites. Science Fiction Horror story of The Fly (1958) and The Fly (1986), I loved both of them! I'm partial to the Black and White movie but I really like Jeff Goldblum's voice - plus he has what I think of as The Fly eyes. This movie was based on George Langelaan’s “The Fly,” originally published in (1957).
Generally speaking, short stories don’t have the space to go into depth, and descriptions are minimal. In talking about short stories, the thing I like best is they often have an engrossing plot.
Well, I've had MAPS OF BLISS AND RAGE for a while and finally am writing about it. I really love the character-building in this collection of 8 short stories spanning Antarctica, New Zealand, India, New York City, Malta, Italy, Switzerland, and England.
The book is written by Mario Dhingsa and it is delightful. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to talk about all eight stories, and since you already know that I love Science and Science Fiction - I'll tell you a little about Antarctica.
In the Antarctica short story, Crozier’s doing fieldwork at Casey Station along with Rawdon. What I like best about this short was the character-building between these two scientists. They often have to deal with precautionary protocols and evacuations and to pass time at Casey, they have evening screenings of The Hunt for Red October.
There are times things are dreadful like being out in minus-thirty-degree conditions. But normally if they are out for a spell they pitch a tent and have ample rations available. As one might expect there are instances of men getting frostbitten - for instance - when some of them went out to view the Aurora Australis. And it might not be to anyone's liking but it is pretty commonplace to deal with frozen crap. They also have to deal with 40% less oxygen and symptoms of sudden exposure to high altitude which means airlifts to other coastal stations occur.
Yes! The writing was vivid and many times amusing. Here's an example. "It takes you three hours to boil potatoes here. Unless you’re using flatulence as a heating fuel".
Anyway, this book was truly enjoyable and my favorite section of this story was the trip where Rawdon ended up falling into the crevasse. I did not mention it before but each story deals with escapes. I am all for leader and follower stories and that is what drew me to this book in the first place.
If you've read the book let me know what your favorite part - or story - is.
About the Author
Mario Dhingsa is a UK-born, Wellington-based, award-winning author, and freelance film critic.
His first published work, High Office Whispers, was awarded the B.R.A.G. Medallion in 2018.
His first full-length work, Maps of Bliss and Rage, won the Silver Award (Anthologies) in the Feathered Quill Book Awards 2020.
His first work of children's fiction, Robot vs Dad, was a Finalist in the 2021 ScreenCraft Cinematic Short Story Competition.
Mario is a member of the New Zealand Society of Authors, a former member of the Writers' Guild of Great Britain, and a former committee member of the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs.
He is the creator of #SilverScreenBlack film reviews, available on Twitter and Goodreads.
Mario is a member of the New Zealand Society of Authors, a former member of the Writers' Guild of Great Britain, and a former committee member of the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs.
He is the creator of #SilverScreenBlack film reviews, available on Twitter and Goodreads.