Hall of Small Mammals

prompt momentary reflection, though thankfully not always in ways that are expected." 
Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

It s thrilling to find a writer with an imagination as wild and wonderful as Thomas Pierce. It s even more impressive to see how Pierce builds upon the initial conceit of his stories, the way he follows the thread of that weirdness toward something utterly unique and altogether human. This is a fantastic, rewarding book of stories.
Kevin Wilson, author of Tunneling to the Center of the Earth and The Family Fang

We re in the realm of the uncertain here, immersed in a view of life that teeters on the edge of parable as an organizing principle for this amazing collection of stories about the possible, the probable, the unknown, the ridiculous, the astonishing, the embarrassing, and also the just plain heartbreaking awkwardness of all kinds of hope and yearning, as we read about life lived in an echo chamber of the past that is now moving rocket-like into the future. It s a brilliant group of stories fueled by its inherent metaphors. Thomas Pierce has a delicate, shaping presence in all these stories, which are sure to be talked about, admired, and paraphrased nervously, because they take us out of the comfort of our known world.
Ann Beattie

This is a book that feels adventurous in scope, but is classically and skillfully wrought, even as it throws us into a future of genetic experimentation, loss, and change.  Humorous, absurd, and smart, Pierce's collection doesn't just give us the delicate, dangerous future, but also explores what it means to be a flawed, feeling human living within it - as the keeper of a resurrected species, a physicist with an active dream life, a bone collector.  A book that rewards and earns deep and repeated reading.
Megan Mayhew Bergman, author of Almost Famous Women and Birds of a Lesser Paradise

"Thomas Pierce describes a world we may soon inhabit, where science advances but mystery endures. Extinct species are revived on TV, and near-extinct species are the local zoo s sellout draw; a new infectious disease defies attempts to identify or contain it, and physicists everywhere quest to identify a theoretical entity called the daisy particle. In this world, fractured families and lost souls Pierce s deeper interests are the norm. Wry, wrenching, and elegant."
Brian Kimberling, author of Snapper

This arresting debut collection of short fiction from a gifted new writergracefully renders the textures of the American South and the indefatigable people who live there . Thomas Pierce s debut collection, Hall of Small Mammals, taps the aquifer of Southern literature but blends in supernatural elements with a light, deft touch, echoes of García Márquez among the biscuits and magnolias.... Pierce knows his people well, connecting their conflicts to a deeper narrative about the human condition . With its elegant prose and revelatory insights, Hall of Small Mammals announces a vivid and engaging new voice.  Minneapolis Star Tribune

Hall of Small Mammals is a skilled collection of explorations on what it means to believe. Pierce teases faith and science out into myriad scenarios, and highlights our principal desire to put our belief into worldviews that make sense of what we see. Each story is a journey into a different kind of observation. Hall of Small Mammals shows us that it might be our need to explain which makes us most human.  Bookslut

  I was floored by Pierce s balance between authoritative control over his craft while maintaining an authentically quirky sensibility Pierce shows reverence for the Southern Gothic tradition on which he draws, while also bringing in a fresh dose of modern irreverence. He s a huge talent one to keep an eye on. Bustle

  [Pierce] balances the incredible incident in each story with powerful and emotionally involving insights into his characters. Columbus Dispatch

  Pierce clearly has talent to burn. A promising debut that studies hard-luck types from new and provocative perspectives. Kirkus Reviews