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lucyp21's review
3.0
It's been a while since I read a short story collection and I thought this one would be good to try as there were several authors I had read and enjoyed on the list. And I appreciated the sci-fi nature of these stories, there was a great variety of settings and I really enjoyed that.
The Last Day by Ellen Oh: Really interesting historical alternate universe story. I liked the ending for the main character as well, I really expected himto be the survivor and so it was a real surprise.
Freshee's Frogurt by Daniel H. Wilson: I think the world needs more robot uprising novels, they seem to have fallen out of favour (probably around the time when technology became very commonplace for everything) and this one was suitably terrifying. Also very graphic. I think I would have liked a little more focus on the police officerwho apparently joined a taskforce to fight the robot uprising rather than the main character.
Uncertainty Principle by K. Tempest Bradford: This started off so strong and then it just turned into a bit of a wandering mess. I really loved the idea of a girl who is aware of the changes in the timeline and is the only one but then I got very confused about what was going on. It's the trouble with multiple timelines.
Pattern Recognition by Ken Liu: This one felt more like a complete story that fit nicely into the length. I liked the children having a variety of different experiences and that changed what they did afterwards. I didn't like the timeskips, they seemed to happen really abruptly and I wasn't even sure there had been a timeskip until a paragraph or two had gone past.
Gods of the Dimming LIght by Greg van Eekhout: I'm not sure how to feel about the plot of this one, it didn't make too much sense to me, but I do appreciate a protagonist who is very much 'why do I have to save the world, I'm just here to save my family'.
Next Door by Rahul Kanakia: Really interesting idea of having rich people have high tech implants that make them not want to live in the real world anymore and therefore don't care about people squatting in their homes. I loved the world-building of this but I wasn't suchg a huge fan of the plot. It felt like it wasn't nearly as memorable as the world itself.
Good Girl by Malinda Lo: I wasn't sure a huge fan of this one. While I appreciated that a female/female relationship at the forefront of this story, as well as a not particularly healthy one (the love interest didn't seem to return her interest to the same extent), I kept thinking about the girl's mother who had been forced away from the man she loved and now both her children had left her.
A Pocket Full of Dharma by Paolo Bacigalupi: I didn't really know what was going on in this story (the Dalai Lama on a datacube that everyone wants?) but I enjoyed it a lot. The main character didn't seem that intelligent but that was actually quite a nice change? I appreciated it.
Blue Skies by Cindy Pon: I really liked this one. The story felt like a complete one for the length, I enjoyed what we heard about the world and I'm really intrigued about what the main character was going to do with the money. He wanted to see blue skies again but how was he going to do that? I'm very intrigued and I would read more about this.
What Arms to Hold Us by Rajan Khanna: I was a little meh on this one with the setup being one I felt like I had seen before (children work to gain credit towards being able to leave and get a better life for themselves and their family) but I really liked how the main characterrejected doing the dirty work for someone else, saving him from being the scapegoat . It was a nice change.
Solitude by Ursula K. Le Guin: I loved this one. It's all about a family going to live on Earth post-apocalypse as the mother wants to learn more about the culture that sprang up and the only way is through the children. But it becomes her daughter's culture and so when it comes time to leave, problems come up. The new culture of men and women living apart sprang up in a really interesting way. I loved the talk about learning through song, adults not able to enter other people's houses and how children are raised. Such an interesting story, probably the only one I would reread.
I did like this collection of stories but I do wish there had been slightly fewer dystopian settings. It's not like any of them were the same in anyway, but I did get some fatigue with the whole genre. It was why I liked the first three stories and the last one so much.
3.5 stars!
The Last Day by Ellen Oh: Really interesting historical alternate universe story. I liked the ending for the main character as well, I really expected him
Freshee's Frogurt by Daniel H. Wilson: I think the world needs more robot uprising novels, they seem to have fallen out of favour (probably around the time when technology became very commonplace for everything) and this one was suitably terrifying. Also very graphic. I think I would have liked a little more focus on the police officer
Uncertainty Principle by K. Tempest Bradford: This started off so strong and then it just turned into a bit of a wandering mess. I really loved the idea of a girl who is aware of the changes in the timeline and is the only one but then I got very confused about what was going on. It's the trouble with multiple timelines.
Pattern Recognition by Ken Liu: This one felt more like a complete story that fit nicely into the length. I liked the children having a variety of different experiences and that changed what they did afterwards. I didn't like the timeskips, they seemed to happen really abruptly and I wasn't even sure there had been a timeskip until a paragraph or two had gone past.
Gods of the Dimming LIght by Greg van Eekhout: I'm not sure how to feel about the plot of this one, it didn't make too much sense to me, but I do appreciate a protagonist who is very much 'why do I have to save the world, I'm just here to save my family'.
Next Door by Rahul Kanakia: Really interesting idea of having rich people have high tech implants that make them not want to live in the real world anymore and therefore don't care about people squatting in their homes. I loved the world-building of this but I wasn't suchg a huge fan of the plot. It felt like it wasn't nearly as memorable as the world itself.
Good Girl by Malinda Lo: I wasn't sure a huge fan of this one. While I appreciated that a female/female relationship at the forefront of this story, as well as a not particularly healthy one (the love interest didn't seem to return her interest to the same extent), I kept thinking about the girl's mother who had been forced away from the man she loved and now both her children had left her.
A Pocket Full of Dharma by Paolo Bacigalupi: I didn't really know what was going on in this story (the Dalai Lama on a datacube that everyone wants?) but I enjoyed it a lot. The main character didn't seem that intelligent but that was actually quite a nice change? I appreciated it.
Blue Skies by Cindy Pon: I really liked this one. The story felt like a complete one for the length, I enjoyed what we heard about the world and I'm really intrigued about what the main character was going to do with the money. He wanted to see blue skies again but how was he going to do that? I'm very intrigued and I would read more about this.
What Arms to Hold Us by Rajan Khanna: I was a little meh on this one with the setup being one I felt like I had seen before (children work to gain credit towards being able to leave and get a better life for themselves and their family) but I really liked how the main character
Solitude by Ursula K. Le Guin: I loved this one. It's all about a family going to live on Earth post-apocalypse as the mother wants to learn more about the culture that sprang up and the only way is through the children. But it becomes her daughter's culture and so when it comes time to leave, problems come up. The new culture of men and women living apart sprang up in a really interesting way. I loved the talk about learning through song, adults not able to enter other people's houses and how children are raised. Such an interesting story, probably the only one I would reread.
I did like this collection of stories but I do wish there had been slightly fewer dystopian settings. It's not like any of them were the same in anyway, but I did get some fatigue with the whole genre. It was why I liked the first three stories and the last one so much.
3.5 stars!
karter's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A good set of short stories. As with every collection there are hit and misses, but overall a strong bunch.
bookishdi's review against another edition
3.0
While there were some stories I loved, like Malinda Lo's "Good Girl" or K. Tempest Bradford's "Uncertainty Principle", there were others that were too underdeveloped for my taste. The potential was there, and the seeds the authors planted were interesting, but they were too short to fully develop.
rrrrj's review
4.0
Wow! What a strong collection. A few felt like great concepts that really needed more space to breathe, but I think that's difficult to avoid in a short form dystopia.
I was initially a little turned off by the first two stories, which are incredibly gruesome and seemed to be playing into the trope of people of color sacrificing themselves to save others , but none of the other were nearly as grisly. I particularly loved the stories by K Tempest Bradford, Malinda Lo, Cindy Pon and Rajan Khanna. Ursula K Le Guin's was saved for last, with good reason. It was amazing. I know this makes me a terrible queer nerd, but this is the first thing by her I've ever read. I suppose I have vague memories of Catwings.
I feel like this book has not gotten as much love as it should because it's hard to tell from the cover and summary what exactly it's about. It is collection of short stories set in dystopian worlds with diverse protagonists. It is an awesome showcase of dystopian fiction by and about people of color.
It should also be noted that part of the proceeds go to the Octavia Butler Memorial Scholarship, which extends important opportunities to writers of color. I got this at the library, but I might go out and buy a copy for myself!
I was initially a little turned off by the first two stories, which are incredibly gruesome
I feel like this book has not gotten as much love as it should because it's hard to tell from the cover and summary what exactly it's about. It is collection of short stories set in dystopian worlds with diverse protagonists. It is an awesome showcase of dystopian fiction by and about people of color.
It should also be noted that part of the proceeds go to the Octavia Butler Memorial Scholarship, which extends important opportunities to writers of color. I got this at the library, but I might go out and buy a copy for myself!
spaceyfaerie's review
3.0
Excellent diversity of characters, intriguing worlds, but all with such open, unfulfilling endings. So I enjoyed it, even though it left me feeling empty, and wondering what the exact point (beyond character diversity, obviously) of this anthology was.
jameseckman's review
3.0
A mixed bag of stories, some good, some not so good. It is an interesting idea for an anthology and it would be nice if others broke out of the white bread fantasy and SF backgrounds. Has several reprints, one of which I had already read.
hollowspine's review
5.0
If you, like me, are tired of the same old thing, the dystopian futures, the fights against zombies or authoritarian governments waged by white teenaged girls, then this book is for you.
Diverse Energies features stories where the characters are as diverse as the worlds they inhabit. The plots are engaging and absorbing, the writers are superb, and the only problem is that they end too soon, they leave the reader wanting more.
Some of these worlds took place in the far future, some in a world only a few steps from our own, and all contained ideas both familiar and alien that created an interesting blend that fully satisfied me, in a way that I'm not sure I believed the genre ever would.
There is something for everyone in the book, all people from diverse cultures, backgrounds religions and creeds can find heroes and heroines here. But nothing is forced, everything flows with no more noble purpose (nor less) than telling the story, giving readers a taste of what life is like and what happened to these people living here. It is perfect.
If you only read one Teen Dystopian novel, this is the one you want. It blows everything else out of the water.
Diverse Energies features stories where the characters are as diverse as the worlds they inhabit. The plots are engaging and absorbing, the writers are superb, and the only problem is that they end too soon, they leave the reader wanting more.
Some of these worlds took place in the far future, some in a world only a few steps from our own, and all contained ideas both familiar and alien that created an interesting blend that fully satisfied me, in a way that I'm not sure I believed the genre ever would.
There is something for everyone in the book, all people from diverse cultures, backgrounds religions and creeds can find heroes and heroines here. But nothing is forced, everything flows with no more noble purpose (nor less) than telling the story, giving readers a taste of what life is like and what happened to these people living here. It is perfect.
If you only read one Teen Dystopian novel, this is the one you want. It blows everything else out of the water.
pages_and_procrastination's review
5.0
I received a copy of this title, free, in exchange for my honest review.
I reached out to Tu Books, because I had heard about what they were doing about diversity in YA literature, and I wanted to do my part. I received an enthusiastic response and links to two of their titles. I enthusiastically downloaded both titles and then- I hesitated. Sure I had read (and really liked) Wolf Mark. (Oh no! I just realized I never posted my review...) That was a title I had received not knowing who the publisher was. But, what if this title sucked? Yes, this anthology is packed with authors that I have had on my TBR pile, and a few that I had even read. Still, I hesitated. I didn't want to get excited about this title only to be disappointed. That would have been okay with some other books, because it does happen. I just didn't want it to happen with this one. I am happy to report that all of that doubting and hesitating was without merit. Tu Books has smoothly slid into the position of my go-to publisher for diversity in YA science fiction-without any hesitation.
Now on to the review ( I did this a little differently than I normally would for an anthology).
The Last Day by Ellen Oh
I was not expecting this at all. There is so much here - the bonds of friendship, the chains of deception. In such a short time I found characters that I not only liked, but cared about. In the end, I was heartbroken and wanted to rant "it's not fair". Instead I applauded him for his bravery.
Franshee's Frogurt by Daniel Wilson
At first, I wasn't sure what was going on. But as the story progressed, I became invested. It was gory and painful. Some parts were so realistic, I hurt just reading it. It was funny and there were moments I couldn't help but laugh, even though it was life or death.
Uncertainty Principle by K. Tempest Bradford
Thought this was a short story, I felt that it was complete. I was left with a satisfying story. That is not to say that I would complain if Bradford continued this story. Bradford has quickly been put on my list of authors to check out. I admire Iliana's strength and fierceness.
Pattern Recognition by Ken Liu
This story had me questioning. I find it interesting that human computation is real since I had never really heard of it. (Something I'm going to look into.) I read another short story by Liu, and can say he has an authentic voice and an easy rhythm of writing.
Gods of the Dimming Light by Greg van Eekhout
I'm impressed! This didn't end as I expected it would. I really enjoyed the redefining of a hero. So often being a hero means sacrificing so much, including the ones that we love, that our acts begin to lose their meaning.
Next Door by Rahul Kanaka
I remember feeling sad that they had to make the choice. It didn't seem fair. I remember liking Aakash and Victor disliking Joel and his father. I didn't really understand Joel and his father's role in the city. Unfortunately, my notes didn't save so that's all I remember.
Good Girl by Malinda Lo
Small glimpses into a world where hope does not exist. People disappear and you hang on to the hope/idea that they've made it. It is enough while not being enough at the same time. Honestly, I am unsure how I feel about this story.
A Pocket Full of Dharma by Paolo Bacigalupi
What an adventure! There were moments of confusion as he travelled through the different parts of the city. But that would have been my only complaint. Despite that I was still able to enjoy the story and make connections.
Blue Skies by Cindy Pon
This story made me sad. I can't pinpoint exactly what it was. It was well -written and I did like the characters. It was bittersweet.
What Arms to Hold Us by Rajan Khanna
This is why I don't like short stories! There is never enough. I felt that just when I've invested myself and emotions it ends. Boo! (But I did like the story.)
Solitude by Ursula K. LeGuin
This story was confusing and hard going at times. But I finally got it. This was not a story that could be absorbed, you had to work at it. I definitely want to read more of her work.
I really liked this anthology; it held such varied worlds and characters. There was something in here for everyone. While, I can't pick one out as an absolute favorite, I can say that there wasn't one that I didn't like. I look forward to reading more of all the authors.
5 stars *****
Always Shine
I reached out to Tu Books, because I had heard about what they were doing about diversity in YA literature, and I wanted to do my part. I received an enthusiastic response and links to two of their titles. I enthusiastically downloaded both titles and then- I hesitated. Sure I had read (and really liked) Wolf Mark. (Oh no! I just realized I never posted my review...) That was a title I had received not knowing who the publisher was. But, what if this title sucked? Yes, this anthology is packed with authors that I have had on my TBR pile, and a few that I had even read. Still, I hesitated. I didn't want to get excited about this title only to be disappointed. That would have been okay with some other books, because it does happen. I just didn't want it to happen with this one. I am happy to report that all of that doubting and hesitating was without merit. Tu Books has smoothly slid into the position of my go-to publisher for diversity in YA science fiction-without any hesitation.
Now on to the review ( I did this a little differently than I normally would for an anthology).
The Last Day by Ellen Oh
I was not expecting this at all. There is so much here - the bonds of friendship, the chains of deception. In such a short time I found characters that I not only liked, but cared about. In the end, I was heartbroken and wanted to rant "it's not fair". Instead I applauded him for his bravery.
Franshee's Frogurt by Daniel Wilson
At first, I wasn't sure what was going on. But as the story progressed, I became invested. It was gory and painful. Some parts were so realistic, I hurt just reading it. It was funny and there were moments I couldn't help but laugh, even though it was life or death.
Uncertainty Principle by K. Tempest Bradford
Thought this was a short story, I felt that it was complete. I was left with a satisfying story. That is not to say that I would complain if Bradford continued this story. Bradford has quickly been put on my list of authors to check out. I admire Iliana's strength and fierceness.
Pattern Recognition by Ken Liu
This story had me questioning. I find it interesting that human computation is real since I had never really heard of it. (Something I'm going to look into.) I read another short story by Liu, and can say he has an authentic voice and an easy rhythm of writing.
Gods of the Dimming Light by Greg van Eekhout
I'm impressed! This didn't end as I expected it would. I really enjoyed the redefining of a hero. So often being a hero means sacrificing so much, including the ones that we love, that our acts begin to lose their meaning.
Next Door by Rahul Kanaka
I remember feeling sad that they had to make the choice. It didn't seem fair. I remember liking Aakash and Victor disliking Joel and his father. I didn't really understand Joel and his father's role in the city. Unfortunately, my notes didn't save so that's all I remember.
Good Girl by Malinda Lo
Small glimpses into a world where hope does not exist. People disappear and you hang on to the hope/idea that they've made it. It is enough while not being enough at the same time. Honestly, I am unsure how I feel about this story.
A Pocket Full of Dharma by Paolo Bacigalupi
What an adventure! There were moments of confusion as he travelled through the different parts of the city. But that would have been my only complaint. Despite that I was still able to enjoy the story and make connections.
Blue Skies by Cindy Pon
This story made me sad. I can't pinpoint exactly what it was. It was well -written and I did like the characters. It was bittersweet.
What Arms to Hold Us by Rajan Khanna
This is why I don't like short stories! There is never enough. I felt that just when I've invested myself and emotions it ends. Boo! (But I did like the story.)
Solitude by Ursula K. LeGuin
This story was confusing and hard going at times. But I finally got it. This was not a story that could be absorbed, you had to work at it. I definitely want to read more of her work.
I really liked this anthology; it held such varied worlds and characters. There was something in here for everyone. While, I can't pick one out as an absolute favorite, I can say that there wasn't one that I didn't like. I look forward to reading more of all the authors.
5 stars *****
Always Shine
alexctelander's review
4.0
There have been a number of science fiction anthologies released over the last few years, and a good portion of them were on the subject of dystopian worlds. A future time where things don’t look so great, but the characters in the stories have hope for something better. But none of them are anything like Diverse Energies edited by Tobias Bucknell of British and Caribbean heritage. In the introduction, Bucknell talks about growing up and loving science fiction, but was always disappointed how the covers featured tough white guys with chiseled chins; that none of them ever looked like him. So when he set out to put Diverse Energies together, he was looking for diversity in every story.
“The Last Day” by Ellen Oh is set in a dystopian Japan where the world is at war and the children fear the next explosion will wipe out everything. “Next Door” by Rahul Kanakia is a world where the rich and well off are hooked into their virtual worlds, while the poor squat in their homes trying to eke out a living; in this story two boyfriends search for the ultimate place to live. “Good Girl” by Malinda Lo is about a relationship between two girls set in a world where races need to be pure otherwise people will become infected with a lethal illness; at least that’s what the government is telling them. The high point of the anthology is “Uncertainty Principle” by K. Tempest Bradford about a girl whose world keeps changing and she’s the only one who knows it’s happening. The collection also features stories from Paolo Baciagalupi and Ursula LeGuin.
Diverse Energies features no stories with tough white dudes and their chiseled chins. It features real people, from all walks of life, from all classes, from a number of different races, nations and cultures. The plots are unique and interesting encompassing many different worlds, and while all of them are of a dystopian nature, some have a little more hope and possibility than others. Diverse Energies is an anthology like no other, which is exactly why you need to read it.
For more reviews, check out the BookBanter site.
“The Last Day” by Ellen Oh is set in a dystopian Japan where the world is at war and the children fear the next explosion will wipe out everything. “Next Door” by Rahul Kanakia is a world where the rich and well off are hooked into their virtual worlds, while the poor squat in their homes trying to eke out a living; in this story two boyfriends search for the ultimate place to live. “Good Girl” by Malinda Lo is about a relationship between two girls set in a world where races need to be pure otherwise people will become infected with a lethal illness; at least that’s what the government is telling them. The high point of the anthology is “Uncertainty Principle” by K. Tempest Bradford about a girl whose world keeps changing and she’s the only one who knows it’s happening. The collection also features stories from Paolo Baciagalupi and Ursula LeGuin.
Diverse Energies features no stories with tough white dudes and their chiseled chins. It features real people, from all walks of life, from all classes, from a number of different races, nations and cultures. The plots are unique and interesting encompassing many different worlds, and while all of them are of a dystopian nature, some have a little more hope and possibility than others. Diverse Energies is an anthology like no other, which is exactly why you need to read it.
For more reviews, check out the BookBanter site.
encgolsen's review
4.0
Really enjoyed this great collection of SF stories from an eclectic group of authors including Paolo Bacigalupi, Malinda Lo and Cindy Pon. My absolute favorite, though, and the reason I'll be hanging onto this book instead of passing it on, was Solitude by Ursula K. Le Guin. Set in the same universe as The Left Hand of Darkness, the story affected me deeply and I don't think I'll ever forget it.