the post card stories: bite sized sci-fi
- paigenherbooks
- Aug 20, 2022
- 6 min read
4.5/5
The Post Card Stories is a collection of short stories written by a colleague and good friend of mine, James Kuckkan. James is a fellow writer, dreamer, and avid thinker. This is James first book and quite frankly, a good one. James has a way with writing that is eerily transcendent of Ray Bradbury but with his whole tone and style. The Post Card Stories is a breath of fresh air when it comes to Science Fiction stories and was a true joy to read.
Synopsis: The Postcard Stories is a book of eight short stories and one novella written by Wisconsin author and pro bono conversationalist James Kuckkan. Some of the stories include an old astronaut saying goodbye to his hometown for the last time; a young professional working on St. Paddy's Day; a day in the life of a robot actor; a girl quitting her job at a liminal company; a film professor who's been exiled after being involved in an MKUltra intelligence operation; plus many more. They are simple, realist, Midwestern mythic stories that explore themes like the pursuit of a lifelong dream, loneliness, death, what it feels like to quit your job, and making art.
There are 8 short stories and one novella. I’m going to give a brief description of each and then what I personally took away from them.
Duds
Duds follows a spaceman leaving his home for what will most likely be the last time. This story was one that incited feelings of melancholy of leaving behind “home”--In this case home is a place, filled with memories and things that Harris, our main character, is truly going to miss. This story rang a chord within me. As someone who has moved from where they lived their childhood and has now sincerely, in a way, said goodbye to their childhood, I can relate to that feeling. The sadness of leaving somewhere that was home. There’s a Bad Suns song “This Was Our Home Once” that made me think of this story. Things change and people leave, but we just keep on keeping on.
Locked Doors & Computer Girls
One of the shortest stories in the book, this one was fast but still resonated with me. We watch as our main character watches a couple and then interacts with his cyber girlfriend. Think Blade Runner in that way. The want for love, in any capacity is one that I think everyone can relate to. The importance and intensity human touch is something that I don’t know can be truly replicated. That yearning for human connection—wether it’s watching the couple across the street or wanting just anyone, even computerized, to share and experience that feeling with.
St. Paddy’s Day 2032
A man on the job goes and relieves a young woman from her duties. This story took a turn I wasn’t quite expecting. It was intricately written in a way that felt very human and real, but with some fantastical details. These details aid in the feeling that the story is in the future, as the title suggest. The story also follows this interesting line of thought, that not everyone can be "cured" (makes more sense within the story) To me, translated to daily life or reality, I thought of it as not everyone gets a happy ending. Which is inherently depressing but I also think is reality, and in some ways I would argue that, itself is beautiful.
The Gas Station at the End of the World
Think A Quiet Place vibes. A group of kids are leaving the worlds “last gas station” and moving on from whatever tragedy that has consued. My favorite thing about this story was the idea of this “lame” gas station being the last solid relic of humanity during this time period. That regardless of the events that happen, humanity isn’t as easily forgotten. This gas station might be the next museum, the last look of what our generation was like and I can almost bet that nobody thought it would be this, slightly dingy, gas station and I think theres something quite beautiful with that notion.
Martian Apples
A space actor.
That’s all I’m going to say about that. Devotion to human emotion is what stuck out to me with this story. The main character is a robot but is trying his best to replicate human emotion and be “in character”. It was oddly reflective. I was sitting, after finishing it, in my brothers Spider-Man themed bedroom, with my 18 year old teddy bear combined with my Twilight shirt...and just thought "damn". Human emotion and the human experience is so vast and so unique. This character, this actor, doing his best to stay within it and embrace it, was oddly admirable to me. I think I may need to do that a little more. To sit in the moment, and really embrace this life that is happening.
Berg 43
An event goes down and two guys are talking about it, with a sudden realization. This story was cute as it was deep. Theres a slight twist that I honestly had to re-read and then ask about (lol) to make sure I truly understood. A theme of what is right and wrong and where we stand on that determination. If someone does the “right” thing does that mean that the consequences are incorrect or wrong? Think about that. This story reminded me of the children's movie "The Sea Beast", and they actually talked about this. That a hero can still be a hero and still be wrong.
Life changing sentence right there from an 8 year old girl in a fantasy movie.
The Midnight God
This was one of my favorites. If anyone has seen Princess Mononoke, think of the “beast” or “god” of the forest and then multiply it by like seven, while also making it science-fiction, whilst also being oddly satisfying and a little confusing. I genuinely just liked that I had no idea where this story was going, and I enjoyed every step of the way. Two main characters are working on a job and one slips and is plunged into another realm, and meets the Midnight God and is then marked by her passage. This act of almost going through a rebirth in, maybe one of the most interesting ways, is something that I think needs to be accounted for and is something that this story made me sit and reflect on. Maybe we all need to shake hands with the Midnight God…
CradL
Astro boy vibes but with arguably more depth and thematic elements. Two people created the “First Kids” and it didn't quite work out the way they programed it to. Cue Linda and Carlos , the creators of these kids. After being basically dumped by the children, they realized that maybe they’re perfectly imperfect for each other. I genuinely liked this. That maybe your person isn’t perfect, but in a way that contemplates you. Everyone can only hope to find that person.
In the Castle of the Summer Age
The novella. I loved this one. A fired professor meets up with his slightly powerful student and then decides what he’s going to do…all while making a short film. There was a quote I really liked within the story--“It sucks when something pretty hurts you. It makes you feel lost”. Lets just sit with that for a moment. As someone who feels things very deeply, like in my soul every time, this quote struck me, because it’s true. We never expect the pretty things—whatever that is to hurt us, and when they do, we sit there like “ummm what?” But at the same time I think it makes us appreciate the “pretty things” even more when then love us back or help us.
This story was one that touched as well as the idea of being alone.
Artie, the main character ends up alone at the end (spoiler sorry) and he is simply okay with it. Because he knows he did the right thing and that is enough for him. That his loneliness is a sign of honor and not a badge of shame. It was nice to see this representation of loneliness as something other than the normal doom and gloom. This loneliness wasn't a choice and then it became one. Artie became secure in himself and his choices to where the thought of being alone wasn't as horrible as before. He had come to peace with it. I, on one hand, think that is an incredible sentiment.
The Post Card Stories was prolific and fascinating. Each one short enough to want more, but long enough to really think about what was going on. These stories are one’s I think I’ll revise and recommend-they’re unique and different. In the best way. James has a way with writing that is entirely him. Descriptive but to the point, a way with words that makes you truly think about what you’re reading . A true writer if I have ever seen one.
I would recommend The Post Card Stories to anyone who wanted to try something different, who wanted some stories that are fun yet thoughtful.
Aaaaaaand if you need anymore convincing, James has his own little webpage where he divulges his own intricate thoughts as well as more information about his book.
I've linked a button right alongside mine at the end!
And as always friends happy happy reading,
xoxo,
paige :)
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