Stories in "Swarm of Five" stand in complimentary contrast to one another, united by an arc of succulent imagery and memorable characters. From the wild, chaotic, wry and politically apocalyptic overtones of "Beat Me Sweetly, Heavy Jesus" to the subtle complexities of retelling the life of an unknown hero in "Legacy of a Teacher," DiPietro strives to capture a diverse sampling from the borderlands of storytelling. The pseudo-autobiographical parody of "Groveling Music: The Soundtrack to My Remarried Life" presents the most engaging glimpse yet into the mind of this longtime author and veteran of the final age of pulp magazines, with DiPietro escaping to a park in Texas for six days while his new wife, half his age, goes to a resort spa to pamper herself at his expense. Insecurities and bawdy reminiscences abound as DiPietro, aging and rueful of his diminishing sexual prowess, travels the lonely spaces of America in deep thought and strange mood. Shorter works of "The Dojo Demon" and "When Pickpockets Collide" are experimental and wide-ranging psychological fantasies which explore the oft-dirty and unenviable depths of human machination. "Swarm of Five" accomplishes the difficult task of offering engaging tales in a spectrum of tastes and textures. | Swarm Of Five by Francis DiPietro, Paperback | Indigo Chapters