This is an awesome collection of short stories showcasing the ceaseless creative powers of a very talented author. While the settings and tales are fascinating and entertaining in themselves, what really makes the stories so impactful is L.E. Henderson's unparalleled honesty of expression. Far more than most authors I've read, L.E. Henderson has the ability to weave into her fiction the actual (sometimes brutal) truth of how she thinks and feels. This willingness to be honest always enhances her stories with a volt of reality and makes them un-put-down-able.



From the sadness of sympathizing with an infant who is unique because she is mortal and can feel pain, to the wonderful absurdity of experiencing first contact with aliens who would rather do their laundry than pay Earthlings any attention, "Becoming the Story and Other Tales" manages to run the entire gamut of emotion while at the same time exploring the outer reaches of imagination and possibility. Take "The Eternal Twine" for example, wherein a cat thinks a human thought and is thereby rewarded the opportunity to be human; or "The Final Word", which is the author's personal reflection on having died, though she still lives; or "Rational Therapy, Inc.", where formal logic turns psychotherapy on its head.



While I enjoyed all of the stories, by far my favorite was "Becoming the Story", which was incredibly honest and far-reaching in scope. Very skillfully written, it weaved into and out of itself with flowing precision. It is a story about a story writer who ceaselessly examines several interrelated phenomena: the act of living as a story writer, the influence of life in general on - as well as its relation to - stories, the different possibilities of approach when writing stories, and much more. Wonderfully self-referential, it reminded me of the Charlie Kaufman film "Adaptation", where what was supposed to be a screenwriter adapting a book to film ended up being a screenwriter adapting [his own struggle to adapt a book to film] to film. The effect of "Becoming the Story" was mesmerizing in its repeated self-reflecting on self-reflection inside a creative hall of mirrors. I loved it!



With "Becoming the Story and Other Tales" L.E. Henderson exhibits her unique and striking blend of imagination and honesty in science fiction and fantasy. I highly recommend this collection to anyone who enjoys short stories of any kind! It will not disappoint.