Authors: E. M. Swifthook, Jessica Holmes, Leo McBride,
Terry Pray, Ricardo Victoria, Matthew Harvey, Rob Edwards,
Brent A. Harris, Jeff Provine
Publisher and Copyright: ©2017 Inkling Press
Published By: Inkling Press
Price: $2.99 (Kindle)
Cathbad’s Rating: 9.5 of 10
Tales of Wonder
This anthology is the fifth by Inkling Press. As one of the first of 2017, they’ve set the bar very high, indeed. Perhaps the only ones capable of doing a better anthology in 2017 might be the stable of ultra-fine authors at Inkling Press!
The Lair of the Thunderlord (Rob Edwards): Shipwrecked on an alien planet. The ship’s witch doesn’t have the power to get them back home. Strange aliens in the mix. A fast-paced story (perhaps too fast?) with some very interesting ideas: A witch’s magic explains faster-than-light speeds. Reporters on a starship! (Why hasn’t this been done before?). And one of the most unique alien lifeforms I’ve ever read. RATING: 9.0
Changeling Child (E. M. Swift-Hook): A child runs from a perceived enemy, into the grasp of a perceived ally – whom she can’t see. Tales within tales – and therein seems to be the problem. Even before reading the “Meet E. M. Swift-Hook” section, I was certain this story somehow fit into a greater narrative. I’m not sure it’s appropriate for this anthology – even though it definitely fits the duel genre! Still, it is very well written, and does make me want to read more from her universe! RATING: 8.5
Kaana (Ricardo Victoria): Wow! What a surprising story! I didn’t expect any of it. I’d often wondered what the written form of this genre would be like. From a dystopian setting, to dangerous predators preying off the vulnerable, to flying warbots! What an exciting ride! I’ll be following this author for a long time to come, no doubt!
RATING: 9.5
RATING: 9.5
An Honest Trader (Jessica Holmes): Quite a different kind of story. I’d have a difficult time pigeon-holing this one in a genre. Science Fiction, yes. But SciFi-Fantasy? -Horror? or possibly -Paranormal? It seems to fit all these! After an exciting ship docking scene and subsequent down-time, the Captain of the ship tries to obtain an item from an ‘incengineer’. The deal goes bad, ending in murder! Then things get really weird! A well-written tale that might not have been my “cup of tea”, but I can still recognize the talent that wrote it! Bravo! RATING: 9.0
Sedna’s Hair (Jeff Provine): How unusual! This is a mythology story, taking place in unconfined space! I have only one real ‘complaint’. Jeff, you’re a good writer. But the overuse of adjectives at the beginning of the story was disturbing. Although colorful, for me, they were a distraction. That said, this story of cheating a goddess out of her sacrifice is a well-told and unusual read. The technology and the fantastic blend well here. And I love the characters! It’s hard to get the reader to understand the personalities behind the characters in the relatively few words of a short story, but Mr. Provine does it well, and makes those personalities a part of the story. Probably the most unusual story of the collection, and a fun read. RATING: 8.5
A Twist in Time (Brent A. Harris): A twist on the Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress story! How wonderful! Dickens would have loved it! And so did I. Oh, I did have some difficulty understanding what had happened at a few points, but all became clear, and my reading pleasure was not diminished. I so do not want to give a synopsis of this story, because even a little will give it all away! I’ll just say it fits the anthology well, and is an exciting tale, with an uplifting ending! Well done, Brent. RATING: 9.0
A Very Improper Adventure (Matthew Harvey): What a ride! We all know our mothers had a life before we were born, but we figure they were downright boring. Imagine discovering your mom used to be a spy! An on-ship shootout. A disabled ship, lost in Nowhere Land. This story is an incredible ride, from beginning to end! And, it is my personal favorite in the collection. What a mind, to have created this fantastic story! RATING: 10.0
Grace (Terry Pray): A future I don’t think I’d like. A woman protects an important scientist/code writer. Her skills are formidable; but when the chips are down, she shows what she’s really capable of! This Mark of the Beast was an interesting - and surprising – twist, but it also felt like a cheat. Put in RPG terms, it felt like I was in a 9th level adventure, when suddenly a 17th level creature came to our aid! But if the premise displeases me, the writing certainly does not! Terry once again proves her great talent, with this story. Her ability to present living characters on the written page is amazing. I’m sure this story will delight the majority of its readers. RATING: 9.0
The Last Sorcerer (Leo McBride): If you take it for granted that magic exists, then the premise of this story not only makes sense, but is only the logical conclusion, when magic collides with technology. As the Spanish Inquisition hunted for witches and blasphemers, the Techquisitors are on a hunt for the last magic user. The best thing about this story is the ending. SURPRISE! I’m not surprised by the quality of writing, though. Leo McBride has proven himself one of the best with a pen. This story does not disappoint! RATING: 9.5
When you realize all these stories are found under a single cover, you can’t help but have a “WHAAA…” moment! This is, without a doubt, one of the best anthologies I’ve ever read. Inkling Press has done it again!
All these stories in a single anthology!? I have to rate it a 9.5 out of 10!
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