Yoikes!

queenbookreviews4
May 17, 2021
2 min read

Yoikes, by James Field. 4 out of 5 stars. This short story was definitely a turn for me and short stories. Usually I'm not a fan but congratulations to James Field for changing that.

Summary:

Alf and Bert, security, play with an experimental gadget that transports them back to the twelfth century. Frightened to tamper with history, they tread carefully–at first. Unable to withstand the challenge, they end in a tournament, fighting with knights, the threat to history forgotten…

My Review:

Yoikes was the first short story I read by James Field. It was a slow start but it was definitely good! I usually dislike short stories, but this one was simply amazing! It draws you in and keeps you there just like Doomsday Diary. James Field has such a spectacular view on world-building as he builds it just perfectly for readers to be able to visualize and play the stories in their head like a movie.

The storytelling is immaculate and I absolute adored the way he mixed Old English and Modern English. It definitely had me laughing a few times at the way there was such confusion. This is a good story if you have a short-period of time, however this one does seem a bit long, but not nearly as long as an actual book. I do wish there was a bit more background on the characters, seeing as they were fantastic.

I would love to know more about them! I actually would love to see a full book based on this short story!

My Pros:

Great descriptions. Helps you make it play in your head like a movie.

Draws you in and keeps you there. Definitely has your attention.

The world-building is impeccable.

The storytelling is beautiful! It's unique and simply written well.

I think my favorite thing would be the mixture of Old English and Modern English. It had me laughing and I love when a book makes me laugh.

My Cons:

It seems a bit long for a short story, but it's still good!

This could be seen as either a pro or con but I wish there was more to the characters.

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Amazing job James Field! Your short stories are impressive and I adore them!