Mature writers are often embarrassed by their juvenilia, but if some of these transition-year boys from CBC Monkstown go on to become writers, they are not likely to feel that way. All have a way with words and are to be commended for their ability to imagine worlds and to project themselves convincingly into them. There is a wide variety of short-story types here. The Edge of the Cliff appears a standard detective story but has an unexpected sting in the tail. Similarly, A Perfect Killer seems like an ordinary boy-meets-girl tale but the ending comes like a blow to the solar plexus. Nosedive is a plane-hijack story with a difference, and in Lily, Rose the tormented avenger finds unexpected peace. The Unknown Patriot focuses on the motivation of a 1916 volunteer, while The Orient's Fall is a very untraditional naval-battle story.
