Review of “Tales of American Idiocy”

Reviewed by Spotlight on Indie SFF admin.

Where to start? This is unlike any book I’ve ever read, but I liked it.

TALES OF AMERICAN IDIOCY is a collection of seven stories that each take around fifteen minutes to read, give or take. Each is a different flavor of satire, starting with actual politics and dark justice in bit of a ghost story and proceeding into animals in situations similar to events that took place during the same political administration brought to justice in the first story. The stories cover haunted happenings in the country’s hallowed House, a quirky conspiracy cat in a tinfoil hat, camels with conflicts, deer daring to investigate truth for themselves, defiant gators, lizards trying to live their lives, and more!

Some short story collections are just a collection, but this definitely had a theme that connected all the stories where the characters in each could easily be part of the same world but separated into their own communities. Each mocks the “idiocy” of the covid era in a way that entertains and enlightens. P.R. Infidel has a gift for portraying those events in a way that’s clever and fun.

I won’t give anything away, but I will say that I was kept reading with each story and wondering what the author had up her sleeve next. I was never disappointed. The endings were always rewarding, and the stories flowed well right into the perfect final lines.

The stories are easy, clean, quick, and have layers that will entertain different readers in different ways. Some readers will appreciate the deeper meanings of the social commentary, while others may just enjoy the stories without their connection to real-world events. They’re even safe for middle school readers, who might just enjoy them for the surface entertainment value (and talking animals). For those who know the truth, you’ll be nodding along in agreement; for those who have not yet accepted the truth, this may provide some perspective.

Give this a read today!