Mr. Average and the 12th Stone by Ben RunA single ant moving against the grain of his colony threatens the fabric of an entire dystopia in Mr. Average and the 12th Stone by Ben Run, a thought-provoking masterclass in allegorical fiction. Despite being named the most average ant in the entire Ant Nest, Ave has a secret buried in his mind, as well as a plan to finally reunite with the one he loves. However, a free-thinking ant is much harder to control, especially by a false god, and despite his destiny, Ave’s truth-telling and curiosity may end his new life before it ever begins. In the midst of the author’s whimsically gymnastic prose and overlapping themes of liberation, it’s easy to forget that this multilayered parable is, in fact, about ants, meaning the author was doubtlessly successful in his aim, creating a thoroughly imaginative mix of incisive social commentary and creative fantasy.