Perceptions of ponds are peaceful places, calm, restful even. Stir them deeply, though, and see what rises. Lots of pond life here.

The theme of escape from responsibility runs through several of the stories. Right at the heart of this uneven collection is a beauty.

A teacher fantasises about escaping small-town Ireland and his wife and children. His opportunity arrives when he is called on to act as chauffeur for a beautiful poet. She toys with him and then ditches him. When she does, he cracks, and just about manages to hold on to his job and, more importantly, his wife.

Torn Water By John Lynch Harper £8 266pp SET in Newry, Lynch's novel is a deeply moving study of a troubled schoolboy. James Lavery's father is dead. His mother is an alcoholic about to crack up. She comes to his bedside at night, "longing for the mouth of the one who was gone." A man called Sully arrives. Before Sully there were other men. The unhappy James does what a lot of other troubled boys will do; to cope, he escapes into fantasy. When Sully tries to insinuate himself into James's affections, James fantasises about knifing him. Real life keeps intruding though, and James finds out the truth of how his father lived and died. People said his father was a patriot. "A true Irishman lived and died." Mother Ireland would expect nothing less.

God: A User's Guide By Sean Moncrieff Poolbeg Euro15 384pp THE image on the cover of this study of comparative religions is benign, yet stern, all-knowing, yet humble. No it's not God, it's Sean Moncrieff. For one thing, God has more hair. For another, God doesn't sit on the fence. See that red mark across Sean's bum?

Yep, sitting on the fence. And poking fun. We are told why Muslims once prayed facing that way, but now they pray facing the other way. We are reminded of the miracle of Cana where Jesus did his "water into wine trick." Yes, it is informative, but with too much unnecessary detail. Anyway, all religions aside, shouldn't we behave in a civilised manner towards others because it's the right thing to do, and not because of some promise of reward in the afterlife?

Ed Reardon's Week By Christopher Douglas and Andrew Nickolds Pocket Books £7 261pp ED BELIEVES himself to be a scandalously neglected novelist.

Indeed, he considers himself to be a literary giant like Dostoevsky 'cept his bestsellers are merely "potential" so he is forever short of money, which is about the only thing he has in common with Dostoevsky. He is so skint that he has to steal a copy of the magazine that is carrying an article of his. He is caught in the act and is slung in the slammer, another thing he has in common with Dostoevsky. He finally finishes a book 'Pet Peeves' on what pets of celebrities have to say about their owners if they could talk. Silly buggers school of British comedy.

Mortality By Nicholas Royle Serpent's Tail £9 244pp WONDERFUL to discover a new writer for oneself. Ones recommended invariably disappoint. In this collection of edgy tales of twisted people, messy relationships, flings, farewells, the tone is menacing, seedy. In one spooky yarn, a morgue worker is cold and objective about his profession. Other characters are weirdly comic like Alysson the Clairvoyant. Anne, another girlfriend, is the only one not crazy. She's just medium mad. The dialogue is deadpan, snappy. When a woman notices it is 1.30am and refuses the offer of a man's bed, he phones for a taxi. While he does so, the ceiling creaks. She tells him it's about to come down. "Then it's just as well you're going home, isn't it?" he snaps.