I've read this twice and like it even more on second reading, perhaps because this time 'round I wasn't concentrating solely on plot and atmosphere and so was able to get a sense of the intelligence and humour underlying the writing.

Tillyer's stories are of places, people, events in off-kilter versions of this world, a reality gone slightly awry, and not of the surreal or wholly fantastic--a city whose streets are disturbingly labyrinthine, a slumming visitor to a kingdom who is at great cost made king, a ring road of nearly hypnotic appeal and inexplicable danger, civilian astronauts whose time in space is televised as a reality show.

Not one of the stories is a dud and some are truly haunting: For a few years, something I'd read about an underwater city and charging horses now and again came to mind and I was delighted to find it again in 'R is for Reservoir'. Tillyer's style is straightforward and for the most part polished, her ability to pack so much matter into stories so short is admirable, and her imagination is something I covet. I'm surprised there are so few reviews of this, as though the book in no way resembles mass-market pap it seems like one that would have a very wide appeal amongst general readers.

The format of A-Z is fetching. Each story is a separate chap-book and all are contained in a box. This isn't a tricksy design decision but packaging inspired by and perfectly appropriate to the content that, it occurs to me, forced me to take a bit of time to let each story sink in, whereas had the book been conventionally bound I would have raced through it. The only slight let-down, at least to a geek who looks at copyright pages and credits on end flaps, is that the designer seems to receive no mention. The format might have been a group decision, but surely the letters of the alphabet weren't drawn by a committee.

No doubt I'll be reading this yet again.

A.C. Tillyer manages to pull off an impressive feat, backed up with the exemplary efforts of Roast Books.

The publisher, firstly, serves up a thoroughly impressive packaging coup. A compact maroon-coloured box containing twenty-six individual short stories in A6 format with card covers. The box also contains an additional leaflet about the author and content of the box.

A.C. Tillyer has filled each bookette with a short story, ranging from 8 to 18 pages in length. Each book has an alphabetical link (like R for Reservoir or U for Underground) that forms the focus for the tale. Across twenty-six books you have a varied range of plots and stories, from modern to historical, amusing to horror. The brief format makes them easy to digest, a perfect space filler before bed time, on the loo, while waiting for a bus... whenever. The size of the booklets means you could just stick the next one in your bag or back pocket and not even notice you have it there until you need it.

I don't think a single story disappointed me - and a few left me wanting more. No repetition or similar stories here, each a little breath of fresh air. Sometimes, I found myself desperate for a few more pages, but never left wanting fewer. The author knows how to serve up just enough detail given the space - and in some cases the compact form and need for multiples of four pages leads to several left blank.

Having read through them all, mostly at bedtime, I now quite fancy going back again to re-read those that excited me or provoked me. I strongly urge anyone intrigued by the title or concept to give in to the urge. Given the format, I can't really even hint at the stories without giving something away - and when you only have 8 or 12 pages to read, giving anything away spoils a short tale in a heartbeat.

Thoroughly recommended. ( )