Quantum physics, prime numbers, Irish mythology, medical ethics, robotics and the rise of AI, geopolitics and alternative history: these are among the subjects that provide the basis for stories in this collection – stories distinguished by a lightness of touch and stylistic confidence. They vary in tone from the quirky, whimsical and surreal to the profound and insightful; and, what’s more, together they display the good doctor’s command of the exacting short story form.

As The Docameron’s tales twist and turn, engage and enlighten, they also entertain and – above all – reward repeated reading.

Barry Kelly qualified in medicine from Queen's University Belfast in 1984. Originally trained in surgery, he spent the majority of his career in radiology and latterly studying philosophy. Ever wary of compartmentalisation, he advocates engaging with disparate subjects and, like Asimov, agrees that the most interesting observation isn’t ‘Eureka!’ but rather ‘Hmmm, that’s odd...’