Book Review: Pants on Fire: A Collection of Lies
Pants on Fire: A Collection of Lies. Clayton Smith. Dapper Press, January 1, 2013, Trade Paperback and Kindle Edition, 155 pages.
Reviewed by Heather Adair.
As the title promises, Clayton Smith’s book of short stories centers on lies: lies that others tell us as well as ones that we tell ourselves. Judging from his inscription to me on the title page, Smith is sending his readers a message: be careful whom you trust. And, borrowing a phrase from the author, beware, dear reader, as Mr. Smith pulls a playful fast one on you too.
If you’re looking for a quick, fun read, Pants on Fire: A Collection of Lies is a great choice. Although I took my time with this 155-page book, you could read it easily in an afternoon. Smith keeps the reader’s interest by offering unique twists on topics such as death, fate, and religion. If you like science fiction, satire, and fantasy, this book is for you.
The book begins with one of my favorite stories in the collection, “The Death (or Life) of Hattie Dunweather,” where the Grim Reaper comes to harass a single woman and her cat, with help from a painfully thin cohort who drives a beater. Death himself is crafty, but not as crafty as other tales make him out to be, and his partner in havoc is comically naïve. All in all, this story provides several laugh-out-loud moments.
Another favorite begins about halfway through the book. In “The Saloon at the Edge of Gehenna (A Story in Three Parts),” Smith provides an original take on imaginary friends and secondary characters in creative works. These fictional beings lack free will and are forced to bend to the demands of those in the real world who dictate their fate. Characters like the cowboy, with his crude speech and practical take on his place in the world, and the spaceman, who is just learning that he doesn’t exist in reality, come to life on the page. This story is unique and refreshing to read.
As a minor criticism, readers familiar with the genre might wonder whether some of Smith’s pieces are premises for short stories instead of complete works. For example, “Hugs or Drugs” and “American Sideshow” resemble monologues due to their lack of conflict. And in the case of “Stranded,” the conflict that Smith so richly creates is left unresolved, resulting in an abrupt ending that leaves the reader with too little information to assemble the meaning of the piece. Still, “Hugs or Drugs” and “American Sideshow” offer clever insights on American culture, delving into self-medication in the former and capitalism in the latter.
Overall, I found Pants on Fire to be enjoyable to read. Smith’s stories are unique and entertaining, especially for those looking for a quick and quirky read. Other works by Chicago-based Clayton Smith include Apocalypticon, a novel, and Death and McCootie, a play that debuted at the 2013 New York International Fringe Festival.