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thistlechaser's review
2.0
This book made me emotional, but in ways the authors did not intend. First it disappointed me, then it frustrated me, then it made me outright angry.
Tails of the Apocalypse is a collection of short stories about animals during or after the end of the world. About half the stories were written from the animal's POV, the other half from a person's POV about the animals.
One of the most important thing in stories like that is that the animals be believable. Out of the dozen or so stories, only three had believable animals in it. In a collection of stories about animals, that's a big black mark against it.
With the exception of three stories (those same three stories...) none of them were well-written at all. Some of them (barely) hit the 'okay' mark, but most of them fell well below that.
I don't read many collections of short stories, but when I do, I dislike the ones that are set in existing book series; if you haven't read that series, generally you're not going to get as much out of the story as you would an 'original' one. Almost every story in this book was set in another series...
One of the author's only qualifications for writing a story for this book was that he posted a lot on Anne Rice's message boards. I wish I had brought my Kindle to work with me so I could give the direct quote, but he outright said he posts a lot and she gave him a special title for it, thus he's qualified to contribute a short story for this book. (Spoiler: It was the worst written of them all.)
Review of each individual stories in my main review blog: http://thistle-chaser.livejournal.com/1535741.html
Tails of the Apocalypse is a collection of short stories about animals during or after the end of the world. About half the stories were written from the animal's POV, the other half from a person's POV about the animals.
One of the most important thing in stories like that is that the animals be believable. Out of the dozen or so stories, only three had believable animals in it. In a collection of stories about animals, that's a big black mark against it.
With the exception of three stories (those same three stories...) none of them were well-written at all. Some of them (barely) hit the 'okay' mark, but most of them fell well below that.
I don't read many collections of short stories, but when I do, I dislike the ones that are set in existing book series; if you haven't read that series, generally you're not going to get as much out of the story as you would an 'original' one. Almost every story in this book was set in another series...
One of the author's only qualifications for writing a story for this book was that he posted a lot on Anne Rice's message boards. I wish I had brought my Kindle to work with me so I could give the direct quote, but he outright said he posts a lot and she gave him a special title for it, thus he's qualified to contribute a short story for this book. (Spoiler: It was the worst written of them all.)
Review of each individual stories in my main review blog: http://thistle-chaser.livejournal.com/1535741.html
gatun's review
5.0
Contents
The Water Finder’s Shadow by David Bruns
When You Open the Cages for Those Who Can’t by Edward W. Robertson
Protector by Stefan Bolz
The Poetry of Santiago by Jennifer Ellis
Demon and Emily by David Adams
Keena’s Lament by Hank Garner
Tomorrow Found by Nike Cole
Pet Shop by Deidre Gould
Kael Takes Wing by E. E. Giorgi
The Bear’s Child by Harlow C. Fallon
Wings of Paradise by Todd Barselow
Ghost Light by Steven Saville
Kristy’s Song by Michael Bunker
Unconditional by Chris Pourteau
Anthologies can be tough. They can contain gems and lumps of coal. This particular anthology is very even. All the stories were good. I felt it was important to include a non-spoiler summary of each story. The authors deserve to have their stories highlighted individually instead of a collective rating.
The Water Finder’s Shadow by David Bruns
Mr. Bruns made me cry. The story was beautiful and very moving and frankly it hit very close to home, my home and my elderly dog. In a world where water is the most precious resource, the water finder is the highest regarded position. That is until their gift is gone and they are sold to slavers. This story follows a water finder whose gift is enhanced by his Shadow, his dog. Even as his gift begins to fade, Shadow continues to lead him to water and safe him from the wrathful tribe time and again. Now Shadow is dying and the water finder is losing not only his gift but his dearest friend. Beautiful story, well constructed world and lyrical language make The Water Finder’s Shadow a must read. Kleenex recommended.
When You Open the Cages for Those Who Can’t by Edward W. Robertson
A young girl lives out of step with everyone around her. She does not fit in at school. Her parents do not understand her. The only place she is comfortable at the animal hospital where her mom works. The dogs and cats kenneled there do not judge her, simply accept her. When a plague leaves her as one of the few survivors in a dangerous world, her first thought is for those animals caged at the animal hospital. This is a beautiful story illustrating in human and animal relationships it is often impossible to tell who is looking out for whom.
Protector by Stefan Bolz
Protector is a lovely story of loyalty based on one small act of kindness. The animal featured in this story, besides man, is the wolf. A wolf is fascinating in of itself but given a character and a voice, it really does steal the show.
The Poetry of Santiago by Jennifer Ellis
I am a very particular cat lover. I do not love all cats. I am very selective and the ones I do love have a uniqueness to their personalities that transcends their cat-ness. It is very hard to describe. The cat is this story would definitely meet my qualifications to be on my cool cat list. He and the human that he comes to know comfort each other in very quiet moments and very subtle gestures. It is a love story for all, even those who are not cat fans.
Demon and Emily by David Adams
Emily is Demon’s human. Demon is Emily’s dog. This story is the apocalypse as seen and interpreted by Demon. Events have to be processed into human terms. Demon has the unique canine gifts of heightened smell and senses. His job is to protect Emily. Against nuclear bombs, monstrous insects and predatory humans, Demon does takes them all on because Demon is a good boy. The author does a fantastic job of thinking like a dog. I could very easily see my own dog thinking in these terms.
Keena’s Lament by Hank Garner
What a fascinating story. The apocalypse involved is very real, and a part of human history. The story is told through the eyes of a half human/half angel type individual. He finds an orphaned dog, deeming it the purest of all the creator’s creators. He and Kenna watch events unfolding without understanding their lethal consequences.
Tomorrow Found by Nike Cole
Thirty years after a nuclear holocaust, a man is debating suicide when he is saved by a mother dog who is saving the runt of her litter by giving him to the man. The puppy saves the man who in turn saves the puppy, who he names Dog. The man is trying to finish his quest to find the past. The man and Dog travel through a dangerous world in search of the past to save the future.
Pet Shop by Deidre Gould
Surly Shirley is a parrot who lives up to her name. She has been in the pet store for 10 years because she is too mean for anyone to buy. Something has happened. The owner is gone. The food and water are almost gone. The nasty parrot has to try to stop her fellow pets from dying and deal with predatory humans. If you have owned a bird (I had several parakeets over the years), you will have no problem believing Shirley’s actions.
Kael Takes Wing by E. E. Giorgi
This was one of the shorter stories. There is not as much sense of post apocalypse except mentions of technology augmenting people, like prosthetics. A young raptor being parented by only one parent is at a disadvantage. It gets worse when his mother does not return and he falls from his nest, injuring himself. He is found by humans struggling with their own depravations and injuries. It is a sweet story about who we choose to call family.
The Bear’s Child by Harlow C. Fallon
Set in a world with a huge chasm between peoples, the people in the city, Icarus, live in safe and clean conditions. The people outside the city are considered ferals. No medicine, no support and they are hunted for sport by the city dwellers. The main character suffers from a degenerative disease that affects the ferals. It has affected her mind and she cannot always tell reality from hallucination. When she finds herself hiding from a hunter in a bear’s den, her life changes when the bear speaks to her.
Wings of Paradise by Todd Barselow
After an ecological disaster, animals inherit the earth. Budgies and bats form a cooperative to find food and protect themselves. It works well until humans show up again. The decision on how to deal with humans sparks dischord with unforeseen consequences.
Ghost Light by Steven Saville
The story begins in the post cold war days. Suddenly it begins again and ends within minutes as the buttons are pushed. The main character is a passenger on a plane in flight headed for London. The passengers take a vote and decide to try to land safely as opposed to flying until the plane ran out of fuel. The plane lands in northern Scotland with everyone safe, for the moment. As ghost lights begin to appear, in the form of phantom dogs who circle at night, the passengers know death is coming.
Kristy’s Song by Michael Bunker
Michael Bunker’s world created for his Pennsylvania series is the setting of this story. New Pennsylvania is a planet where people are encouraged to settle to help relieve the issues of an overcrowded earth. Unfortunately it is caught in a war. Kevin, the main character, has been on the run for over three years after removing the government mandated chip. He has survived because Kristy, his dog, accels at alerting him to danger. This story was a little of a challenge for me because I had not read any of the New Pennsylvania stories.
Unconditional by Chris Pourteau
A dog and his boy takes place in a world after “The Storm of Teeth” has occurred. The dog is in the yard waiting for the boy to come sneak him into his room. As the family is eating dinner, the dog becomes aware of strange smells, “unlife walking”. He is separated from his boy. As the storm of teeth grows larger, the dog continually searches for his boy. What happens is terrifying, heartbreaking and a testimony to the love between a dog and his boy.
After each story, there is an explanation by the author of how the story came to be written. Some of them are fascinating. There is also information about how to find more of that particular author’s work if you enjoyed the short story.
Maxwell Zener did a great job narrating. He did a wonderful job on accents, males and females and gave voice to animals that were believable. This was my first narration by Mr. Zener. I enjoyed it and will look for more of his works. Production values were very good.
"Audiobook provided for review by the audiobookreviewer.com"
The Water Finder’s Shadow by David Bruns
When You Open the Cages for Those Who Can’t by Edward W. Robertson
Protector by Stefan Bolz
The Poetry of Santiago by Jennifer Ellis
Demon and Emily by David Adams
Keena’s Lament by Hank Garner
Tomorrow Found by Nike Cole
Pet Shop by Deidre Gould
Kael Takes Wing by E. E. Giorgi
The Bear’s Child by Harlow C. Fallon
Wings of Paradise by Todd Barselow
Ghost Light by Steven Saville
Kristy’s Song by Michael Bunker
Unconditional by Chris Pourteau
Anthologies can be tough. They can contain gems and lumps of coal. This particular anthology is very even. All the stories were good. I felt it was important to include a non-spoiler summary of each story. The authors deserve to have their stories highlighted individually instead of a collective rating.
The Water Finder’s Shadow by David Bruns
Mr. Bruns made me cry. The story was beautiful and very moving and frankly it hit very close to home, my home and my elderly dog. In a world where water is the most precious resource, the water finder is the highest regarded position. That is until their gift is gone and they are sold to slavers. This story follows a water finder whose gift is enhanced by his Shadow, his dog. Even as his gift begins to fade, Shadow continues to lead him to water and safe him from the wrathful tribe time and again. Now Shadow is dying and the water finder is losing not only his gift but his dearest friend. Beautiful story, well constructed world and lyrical language make The Water Finder’s Shadow a must read. Kleenex recommended.
When You Open the Cages for Those Who Can’t by Edward W. Robertson
A young girl lives out of step with everyone around her. She does not fit in at school. Her parents do not understand her. The only place she is comfortable at the animal hospital where her mom works. The dogs and cats kenneled there do not judge her, simply accept her. When a plague leaves her as one of the few survivors in a dangerous world, her first thought is for those animals caged at the animal hospital. This is a beautiful story illustrating in human and animal relationships it is often impossible to tell who is looking out for whom.
Protector by Stefan Bolz
Protector is a lovely story of loyalty based on one small act of kindness. The animal featured in this story, besides man, is the wolf. A wolf is fascinating in of itself but given a character and a voice, it really does steal the show.
The Poetry of Santiago by Jennifer Ellis
I am a very particular cat lover. I do not love all cats. I am very selective and the ones I do love have a uniqueness to their personalities that transcends their cat-ness. It is very hard to describe. The cat is this story would definitely meet my qualifications to be on my cool cat list. He and the human that he comes to know comfort each other in very quiet moments and very subtle gestures. It is a love story for all, even those who are not cat fans.
Demon and Emily by David Adams
Emily is Demon’s human. Demon is Emily’s dog. This story is the apocalypse as seen and interpreted by Demon. Events have to be processed into human terms. Demon has the unique canine gifts of heightened smell and senses. His job is to protect Emily. Against nuclear bombs, monstrous insects and predatory humans, Demon does takes them all on because Demon is a good boy. The author does a fantastic job of thinking like a dog. I could very easily see my own dog thinking in these terms.
Keena’s Lament by Hank Garner
What a fascinating story. The apocalypse involved is very real, and a part of human history. The story is told through the eyes of a half human/half angel type individual. He finds an orphaned dog, deeming it the purest of all the creator’s creators. He and Kenna watch events unfolding without understanding their lethal consequences.
Tomorrow Found by Nike Cole
Thirty years after a nuclear holocaust, a man is debating suicide when he is saved by a mother dog who is saving the runt of her litter by giving him to the man. The puppy saves the man who in turn saves the puppy, who he names Dog. The man is trying to finish his quest to find the past. The man and Dog travel through a dangerous world in search of the past to save the future.
Pet Shop by Deidre Gould
Surly Shirley is a parrot who lives up to her name. She has been in the pet store for 10 years because she is too mean for anyone to buy. Something has happened. The owner is gone. The food and water are almost gone. The nasty parrot has to try to stop her fellow pets from dying and deal with predatory humans. If you have owned a bird (I had several parakeets over the years), you will have no problem believing Shirley’s actions.
Kael Takes Wing by E. E. Giorgi
This was one of the shorter stories. There is not as much sense of post apocalypse except mentions of technology augmenting people, like prosthetics. A young raptor being parented by only one parent is at a disadvantage. It gets worse when his mother does not return and he falls from his nest, injuring himself. He is found by humans struggling with their own depravations and injuries. It is a sweet story about who we choose to call family.
The Bear’s Child by Harlow C. Fallon
Set in a world with a huge chasm between peoples, the people in the city, Icarus, live in safe and clean conditions. The people outside the city are considered ferals. No medicine, no support and they are hunted for sport by the city dwellers. The main character suffers from a degenerative disease that affects the ferals. It has affected her mind and she cannot always tell reality from hallucination. When she finds herself hiding from a hunter in a bear’s den, her life changes when the bear speaks to her.
Wings of Paradise by Todd Barselow
After an ecological disaster, animals inherit the earth. Budgies and bats form a cooperative to find food and protect themselves. It works well until humans show up again. The decision on how to deal with humans sparks dischord with unforeseen consequences.
Ghost Light by Steven Saville
The story begins in the post cold war days. Suddenly it begins again and ends within minutes as the buttons are pushed. The main character is a passenger on a plane in flight headed for London. The passengers take a vote and decide to try to land safely as opposed to flying until the plane ran out of fuel. The plane lands in northern Scotland with everyone safe, for the moment. As ghost lights begin to appear, in the form of phantom dogs who circle at night, the passengers know death is coming.
Kristy’s Song by Michael Bunker
Michael Bunker’s world created for his Pennsylvania series is the setting of this story. New Pennsylvania is a planet where people are encouraged to settle to help relieve the issues of an overcrowded earth. Unfortunately it is caught in a war. Kevin, the main character, has been on the run for over three years after removing the government mandated chip. He has survived because Kristy, his dog, accels at alerting him to danger. This story was a little of a challenge for me because I had not read any of the New Pennsylvania stories.
Unconditional by Chris Pourteau
A dog and his boy takes place in a world after “The Storm of Teeth” has occurred. The dog is in the yard waiting for the boy to come sneak him into his room. As the family is eating dinner, the dog becomes aware of strange smells, “unlife walking”. He is separated from his boy. As the storm of teeth grows larger, the dog continually searches for his boy. What happens is terrifying, heartbreaking and a testimony to the love between a dog and his boy.
After each story, there is an explanation by the author of how the story came to be written. Some of them are fascinating. There is also information about how to find more of that particular author’s work if you enjoyed the short story.
Maxwell Zener did a great job narrating. He did a wonderful job on accents, males and females and gave voice to animals that were believable. This was my first narration by Mr. Zener. I enjoyed it and will look for more of his works. Production values were very good.
"Audiobook provided for review by the audiobookreviewer.com"
cathepsut's review
Free give-away by the author, thank you very much! Review will follow.
christhedoll's review
4.0
Apocalypse stories with animals.. some stories were better than others but overall I enjoyed reading it.
disobedientlib's review
3.0
A varied mix of short stories. Some were wonderful but a few fizzled for me.
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