Release date: December 24, 2016
Subgenre: Short story collection, folklore
About Alien Tales and Lore:
Gundersen's entertaining tales are unashamedly set in a modern age where
one is more likely to believe in alien encounters than in the
supernatural creatures of old folklore. Odd occurrences are not magical,
but are brought about by alien technology. The tales included in this
volume are by turns enchanting, surreal, and troubling. But as with all
fairy tales and folktales, they offer an insight into human nature.
Gundersen updates the tradition for an age of alien contact!
Excerpt:
The Luck of Bear Anderson
It is not always easy for us to understand alien technology. Alien
spacecraft have been spotted countless times in the daylight. But
it seems that the spacecraft that features in this story from
Southerland could only fly by night.
Perhaps the spacecraft had somehow lost the use of its solar
shield, and that is why the first rays of the rising sun caused it
to shatter and fall from the sky. Perhaps the object stolen from
the spacecraft was a key component, and not a simple drinking
vessel as many have supposed. At this stage, we can only guess at
the reasons behind what happened. But the facts of the story cannot
be disputed.
Bear Anderson had grown up in the small village of Penderreth in
Southerland. His parents had worked on a farm there, but Bear had
shown a great interest in learning. He had done very well at
school, and had won a university scholarship to study mathematics.
It was unheard of for anyone from the country around Penderreth to
go to university, so Bear became quite a local celebrity, and
everyone in Penderreth and beyond called him The Student as a mark
of respect.
It was at the end of Bear Anderson’s first year at university,
around midsummer time, and he had returned home to Penderreth.
While he had been growing up in the village, he had not paid too
much attention to the houses there, but when he had gone away to
the university, at once he was faced with magnificent-looking
buildings of great size and great purpose. At first, he was in awe
of the old stone-built ornamented gothic styles. But he quickly
developed a passion for focussed minimalist architecture pared down
to the essentials of function and form. Bear Anderson had gone as
far as taking out a subscription to a modern architecture magazine.
And when he was out in new places and saw particularly striking
buildings in the minimalist style, he would often comment that they
might win the Bäcklund prize. Although Bear was reading
mathematics, he hoped to work with the design and construction of
such buildings when he had finished his studies.
After his time away, the village seemed small and unimportant, and
the buildings plain and squat, and very much alike. And Bear would
wander round the village, using long words and foreign phrases, and
explaining that he was quite delighted to be at the university, and
he was doing admirably, and that it was quite tolerable to be back
in Penderreth for the summer, and that at least the weather was
pleasant.
It happened that one time, Bear had been at a midsummer party.
There had been songs and drinking and dancing, and it had got late,
and eventually it had got dark, and soon it was time to go home.
The village of Penderreth was quite spread out, and Bear had a
couple of miles to walk back along the dark roads to his house. He
took out his torch, and set off, but it wasn’t long before he
noticed lights in a field alongside the road. And when he looked
closer, he saw that an alien spacecraft had landed there.
"How curious," thought Bear Anderson. "It would certainly be
interesting to have a look around that alien spacecraft if I can
get inside."
He walked over to the spacecraft, he saw that the door was wide
open, and he walked right in.
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About G.J. Gundersen Jr.:
GJ Gundersen Jr has spent most of his life in Britain, and he now
lives in a small village in the borders. He enjoys collecting old
artworks, especially any featuring aliens. He is a folklorist and
storyteller, and Alien Tales and Lore is his first published
collection of stories.
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