Buying Options

Digital List Price:	$7.95
Kindle Price:	$7.49 Save $0.46 (6%)

You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.

Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

There was an error. We were unable to process your subscription due to an error. Please refresh and try again.

Enter a promotion code or Gift Card

Share <Embed>

Follow the Author

Kathe Koja

Velocities: Stories Kindle Edition

by Kathe Koja (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

42 ratings

See all formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Kindle

"Please retry"

$7.49

—

Audible Audiobook, Unabridged

"Please retry"

$0.00

Free with your Audible trial

Paperback

"Please retry"

$12.59

$11.83

$7.99

From the award-winning author of The Cipher and Buddha Boy, comes Velocities, Kathe Koja's second electrifying collection of short fiction. Thirteen stories, two never before published, all flying at the speed of strange.

Print length

161 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Meerkat Press
Publication date

April 21, 2020
File size

1117 KB
Page Flip

Enabled
Word Wise

Enabled
Enhanced typesetting

Enabled
See all details

Kathe Koja
463
Kindle Edition
1 offer from $3.99
Kathe Koja
22
Kindle Edition
1 offer from $3.99
Kathe Koja
3
Kindle Edition with Audio/Video
1 offer from $9.49
Kathe Koja
67
Kindle Edition
1 offer from $3.99
Kathe Koja
45
Kindle Edition
1 offer from $3.99
Kathe Koja
27
Kindle Edition
1 offer from $5.99

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kathe Koja writes novels and short fiction, and creates and produces immersive fiction performances, both solo and with a rotating ensemble of artists. Her work crosses and combines genres, and her books have won awards, been translated, and optioned for film and performance. She is based in Detroit and thinks globally. --This text refers to the paperback edition.

Review

"An impressive collection of stories unafraid to explore bleak topics like death and despondency." —Kirkus Reviews

"Reading Velocities is a literary dégustation of dark fiction with speculative elements, rich narrative full of text that’s cunning, loaded with sentiment. You want to go back to a story, and you do, to recapture the moment, and you find it, still there, waiting, just for you. You can’t speak to this astounding collection without lingering on its author. Read Koja like you’re nibbling truffles, each bite a road to metamorphosis." —Eugen Bacon, Aurealis Magazine

"A modern genius of weird and dark fiction, Kathe Koja once again proves with Velocities that she’s adept at plunging the reader into strange and unexpected places. One of my favorite collections of the year." —Jeff VanderMeer, NYT-bestselling author of Dead Astronauts, Borne and the Southern Reach trilogy

“Velocities is prime Kathe Koja, with all that that entails: supercharged, dense as hell, oblique, glorious. Every story is a lesson in how to write faster, more intensely, from angles other people never seem to think of: industrial poetry, word mosaics like insect eyes, multifoliate as the insides of flowers, every image a scattered, burrowing seed, spreading narrative like a disease. I’ve loved her work since long before I ever aspired to produce anything like it—in fact, I’m still not sure anyone else is capable of doing what she does, of coming close, let alone hitting the mark. But damn, it’s equally so much fun to admire the result as it is to even vaguely try.” —Gemma Files, award-winning author of Spectral Evidence

"Velocities is immersive, hypnotic, yet clear-eyed and accessible. These are dangerous, artful tales of mounting tension, impossible to put down. Koja’s fiction has never seemed more alive or daring." —Douglas Clegg, award-winning author of Neverland and The Faces

"Short sharp speedballs of strange. Incantatory, funny, human - ranging from urban dread, to country nightmares, to bite-sized fables so baroque and twisted, you can taste the corruption on your tongue and in your dreams." —J.S. Breukelaar, author of Collision: Stories, Aletheia, and American Monster

"In Velocities, Kathe Koja, delivers thirteen short stories that will have you turning the pages at high-speed." —Curiosity Bought the Book

"A showcase not of the genre but of Koja’s gobsmacking talent as a stylist. For fans of The Cipher (and if I were pressed, I might call it my favorite novel, ever), this is a welcome return for Koja." —Signal Horizon

"The consistent thread which links the stories is the author’s eloquent and elegant prose. I loved the myriad ways in which she used language to create a variably-paced rhythmic cadence to her narrative, something which made reading feel like a seamless pleasure rather than something I needed to work hard at … each of them felt idiosyncratically imaginative, unsettling, thought-provoking and memorable." —Linda Hepworth, NB Magazine

"In reading this collection, one thing becomes immediately clear: Koja is a master prose stylist. Like a fine restaurant, she provides an experience that is unlike any this reviewer has encountered. There is an urgent, restless, sometimes chaotic, energy to the writing that permeates every story, every sentence. Koja controls the experience with every word." —Big Indie Books

"It still amazes me on how much exquisiteness is packed into this one collection. The tales impact you heavily with Koja's shockful, intense details." —Michelle Meng's Book Blog

"An awesome collection of stories, some of them are like a steel trap, drawing you in until you realise that you’ve been reading something quite different from what you thought you were." —Scifiville

"These stories are filled to the brim with humanity, love, loss and heartache. They will stay with you, because they are staying with me … Velocities is simply a flawless collection, Just perfect. So, do yourself a favour and pick up a copy of one of the most interesting releases this year" —Books I Like Book Blog

"Another grouping of classic, poetic horror fiction that could only been born in the darkly beautiful mind of one of our greatest creators, Kathe Koja." —InkHeist

"Velocities by Kathe Koja is a uniquely diverse and addicting collection of stories. Each spoke to me in a different way, yet had the commonality of beautiful writing ... Highly recommended." —Jessica Belmont's Blog

"Koja’s stories are at their most superb where they study the strength in bodies perceived as delicate or fragile ... Koja explores the misunderstood and the dark in twisting and often experimental prose." —Booklist --This text refers to the paperback edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0831QHDJX
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Meerkat Press (April 21, 2020)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 21, 2020
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1117 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 161 pages
Lending ‏ : ‎ Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #917,436 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #1,978 in Horror Short Stories
- #8,729 in Dark Fantasy Horror
- #12,135 in Dark Fantasy

Customer Reviews:
42 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Kathe Koja

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

I’m a writer, director and independent producer of immersive events. DARK FACTORY is my newest book, joining THE CIPHER, VELOCITIES, SKIN, BUDDHA BOY, the UNDER THE POPPY trilogy, and others. My work crosses and combine genres, from historical to contemporary to YA to horror, and has won awards, been multiply translated, and optioned for film and performance. I drink a lot of coffee, I love cats, I'm globally-minded and based in Detroit, USA.

Customer reviews

5 star		54%
4 star		24%
3 star		11%
2 star		7%
1 star		4%

How customer reviews and ratings work

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

David

A Rich, Complex Collection

Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2020

Verified Purchase

Kathe Koja’s Velocities is a short collection of thirteen stories. They are loosely broken into themes. The are as diverse as a box of very elegant chocolate, but I’d be lying if I told you they were sweet, or safe, or comfortable. Of course, anyone who has read her work knows better than to expect that. There are stories about art, and artists, drawing the last painful drop of themselves into images and pain, words and dance... there are complex relationships that leave you aching inside.

I took my time reading this. One story I read three times, because I felt I was not “getting” something… and in the end, I got something different all three times, and though it was not a beginning, middle, ending sort of story with closure, it still sticks with me. That’s what stories do when they are at their best.

I am not going to post spoilers, but I will point out a couple of favorites, and some things you may find unique. The book’s structure, for instance. The sections – AT HOME – DOWNTOWN – ON THE WAY – OVER THERE – INSIDE. They define the segments, and the divisions are sharp corners. You won’t roll from one to the next with a feeling of familiarity. The stories in OVER THERE, for instance, are of other countries and other times.

I particularly enjoyed “At Eventide,” “Clubs,” and “Pas de Deux.” I admit to a prejudice in this, because these are the stories that remind me most of the works that first drew me to this author. SKIN, and KINK, THE CIPHER and STRANGE ANGELS. What I did not expect, and blew me away, was the effortless shift of character and voice that made up the section titled OVER THERE. From street prostitutes to artists, strange landscape to city streets they are exquisitely unique.

For a final note, the story “Coyote Pass” is the one I read three times. I’ll probably read it again, or listen to the audiobook and have it read to me to see if someone else’s interpretation gives me yet another perspective.

If you love dark fiction that is also literary and amazing, do yourself a favor and get a copy of this book. I could not recommend it more highly.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

William Grabowski

Kathe Koja Transcends Tropes

Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2021

Verified Purchase

Any critic who doubts the value of intelligent and compassionate Horror must read Kathe Koja. Her work has evolved beyond even the outstanding relevance of THE CIPHER, BAD BRAINS, and SKIN, exploring now the further reaches of Speculative Fiction. Above all, she reminds us that depths of meaning can be found under often-deceptive surfaces.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Draven family

Another extraordinary entry.

Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2020

Verified Purchase

Whooosh. As always, the inertia of Kathe Koja’s prose is astounding.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Bradley B.

Started with quite an interesting bang

Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2021

Verified Purchase

Such a promising first few stories then spiralled into complete pretension. I couldn't even get through the last six shorts. Very disappointed.

Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2020

Verified Purchase

Great stories from a great author

Helpful

Diverse, Mysterious and Powerful!

Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2020

VELOCITIES: STORIES is a diverse, energetic and mysterious collection of stories by a woman that has mastered the art of storytelling.

I am a latecomer to Kathe Koja's work, having only read one novel to date, which was SKIN. It was quite far out of my comfort zone, but as such, her writing was like a revelation to me. When I saw this collection available as an ARC I requested it right away and here we are.

Not all of the tales within worked for me, but in collections they rarely do. The stories that did work, worked so very well, they left me hungry for more.

THE MARBLE LILY was my favorite tale in this volume. A story about a janitor working in the morgue has never been so mysterious and hidden such surprises.

ROAD TRIP is the story of a man looking for redemption. I don't think it can be found.

LA REINE D'ENFER is a disturbing tale worthy of the title HELL QUEEN. The use of slang and language here was a wonder to behold.

COYOTE PASS When a full time carer loses their patient, blood relative or not, it leaves a void.

FAR AND WEE for me, had a distinct feel to it that I cannot describe. A farm boy comes to the city and says he's done with the farm and the beasts. "Plenty beasts in the City, young man."

Kathe Koja uses language in such a way...it's very special. Sometimes sharp and staccato-like, sometimes lush and luxurious. Either way, her writing is magical and I plan to eventually read everything she has written.

My highest recommendation!

*Thank you to Meerkat Press via Edelweiss for the e-ARC of this collection in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Steve

I'm addicted - my new fave author

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 8, 2020

Verified Purchase

Where to begin? My book reviews are usually short and to the point, since I like to review everything I read and simply don’t have time to review at length. However, Koja’s collection deserves so much more than a few short sentences.
This is the first work I have read by her, but it certainly won’t be the last. I have to admit to being smitten. I read the whole collection in just two sessions, and even read three of the stories twice, and aloud, since they have that lyrical quality that demands to be heard, not just read in silence.
Original, unconventional, inspirational: Koja crawls into the attic space of your mind and stays there. In fact, it’s as if she’s always been there, speaking to you from your subconscious, that place where nobody is invited.
It’s difficult to say which stories are my favorite, since I loved them all, but I will attempt to do so. I’m also aware that I don’t wish to give spoilers, so here we go...
At Eventide: for the way in which the woman overcomes past adversity, those seemingly insignificant details which are actually of great significance. Anyone who has suffered trauma should connect with this story on a personal level, and if you haven’t, then all it takes is a bit of imagination, a wander into that realm of dreading the worst.
Baby: for evoking connections - “...sometimes I let my feet leave the patio, just a few inches, just balancing there on the railing, in thin air...” and the creepiness of Baby in opposition to the love and devotion she feels towards the doll.
Road Trip: written in second person POV, which demands the reader imagine himself as the MC. And that description of the accident! Short, succinct, the way in which all logical thought deserts you in such moments. And the guilt, and how is it possible to deal with something so immense?
La Reine D’enfer: evocative of old theaters, Victorian music halls, but in an non-glamorous way, warts and all. And the way in which Koja plays with the magic of language in this story – superb!
Throughout the collection, the words, phrases, sentences, bring a musical quality to the work and a sense of movement, too, which is why they deserve to be read aloud.
This is not just a work of fiction; this is a performance on a page, a textual dance, and I can’t wait to read more of her work.

2 people found this helpful

Demi-Louise Blackburn

Beautiful and unique.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 7, 2020

Verified Purchase

5 stars.

Picked this up on a recommendation from a friend who thought this would be just my cup of tea - and wasn't it just! This will not be the last thing I pick up from Koja.

Each story has a beautifully unique voice to it and the storytelling is something I can only dream to achieve in my own writing. Needless to say, this is an author I'm going to look up to and hold as a standard.

There is something utterly electric about this prose, urgent, pulling on thoughts and memories you didn't know you had. The stories often leave you suspended but not unsatisfied.

To highlight some favourites:

Baby - where the juxtaposition for the love of a doll and the alarming nature of the doll itself creates an atmosphere of curiosity and anxiety in equal measures.

Coyote Pass - for the intense need to fill a void where others only see a closed door.

Road Trip - seeking redemption that might not ever be found, being put in the driver's seat of something terrible, being made to feel you are watching others be healed while you can only want.

Far and Wee - such a strange feeling, almost dream-like, creeping up to a conclusion you can only helplessly witness unravelling.

La Reine D’enfer - pulling down elegant implications and squashing it under a wonderfully unique voice.

There is something very special about this collection.

One person found this helpful

See all reviews