When our own darkness is mirrored in multi-faceted characters, do we look away in disgust or find the humanity within them? In his debut short fiction collection, John Mavin has slyly exposed themes hidden deep below the surface with breathtaking potency, eloquence, and wit.

Rage follows a loosely interwoven group of people from the fictional town of Dolsens, Ontario. Archaeologists, mountain climbers, priests, musicians, psychics, soldiers, and teens all confront the rage and sorrow of lives based on lies and abuse. Throughout the collection, these people struggle to gain their independence, their dignity, and in some cases, to take revenge. When such content becomes overpowering, Mavin's lyrical and controlled writing keeps us so enmeshed that we cannot look away.

The potent narratives within Rage cast a very specific spell. They hold us close with their suspenseful conflicts and the fearful uncertainty of what a desperate or angry person might do, and are often as dark as they are enlightening.