A collection of short stories by authors from the Taipei Writers Group, focused in and around the Night Markets of Taiwan.

The is an engaging and excellent collection. Unpredictable, with characters that come to life on the page, it held me spellbound. The various writers have distinctive styles and unique approaches, and each story is fresh. Overall the word that comes to mind is polished. The second would be professional. This book has been proofed, well-edited, and spell-checked. I didn’t spot an error, and the formatting is excellent with consistent layout, indents and typefaces throughout. There has been a lot of work put into this book, and it really does pay off.

Ranging from the realistic Paradise-831, telling of a war between Taiwan and China from the point of view of a child and its half-understood effects on her family, to the fantastic The Gryphon Eggs, this collection is varied and entertaining. There are stories here for everyone, exploring everything from history, to romance and culture, to futuristic science fiction. The protagonists are widely different and distinct (especially the goldfish) and their situations totally engaging. From the young man with his most unusual and unexpected bride, to the student whose quarrel with her grandmother has unexpected consequences, none of these stories go the way you would expect.

I’m not saying more to avoid spoilers, but I’d give this a four. You don’t need to known anything about the culture, or Taiwan to know and love good storytelling, and these stories are excellent.