Michael Cobley is best known as the author of the Shadowkings epic fantasy sequence; but this, his first short story collection, is more wide-ranging than that might lead you to expect. It contains stories from across (and beyond) the entire range of fantastic fiction, divided into fantasy and science fiction, with a bridging section of 'Scottish' stories. It certainly isn't possible to accuse Cobley of staying in a rut. Unfortunately, though, the stories in Iron Mosaic prove to be quite a mixed bag in terms of quality.
Let's start with the good stuff: the best story here is the non-genre 'Heartbreak (with Incidental Music)', a series of brief snapshots chronicling the life and death of a relationship. Beautifully told, I'm sure it will resonate with anyone who has been in love. 'Writing for a Dying' is the darkly humorous tale of a writer's ghost who wreaks revenge upon a paranormal investigator, with surprising (or perhaps inevitable) consequences. 'The Dance of Shiva' tells evocatively of a chase through alternate worlds to stop a criminal who brings disaster to the worlds he creates with a stolen artefact. These, and others, are all fine pieces of work.
However, I found much of the rest... not so much bad, as unengaging. For instance, in 'The Recondite Rebus', a king and his inner circle become trapped inside a deadly enchantment, and must solve a puzzle to escape. The story is told well enough, but, since the puzzle to be solved is pictorial, it's not really possible for the reader to join in, which would seem to be the point of this kind of story. I'm not going to list any more examples because, in all honesty, I can't pinpoint exact reasons for not liking particular stories. They just didn't 'click' with me, and it doesn't seem fair to criticize Cobley for that. Other people might like the very same stories for their own equally inexpressible reasons.
My comments so far might suggest that I am not interested in reading any more of Cobley's work. But that's not the case at all. Two of the pieces in Iron Mosaic are related to the author's other projects, and both make me want to know more 'Travelling in the Dark' is set in the world of Shadowkings, and does exactly what a good sword and sorcery tale should: the action sequences are gripping, and the atmosphere of a medieval world soaked in magic is brought effectively to life. If the trilogy is as well written as this, I am sure it is worth a read. 'A Turret in the Fury Eternal' is, Cobley hints, related to a planned future work. Again, its post-technological world is evoked superbly; and I look forward to exploring that world further in due course.
I can't deny that I found quite a lot in Iron Mosaic to feel indifferent about. Yet there is also quite a lot to enjoy, and nothing that I could fairly describe as bad. Those readers who are familiar with Shadowkings will discover many new sides to the author's work in this book. Those who (like me) aren't familiar with the trilogy may find themselves wishing to become so. All stand a good chance of finding something to like in Iron Mosaic. Read it: it's worth a try.
This review first appeared in The Alien Online.
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