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lyndajdickson's review against another edition
5.0
This review is for "My Darlings" by P. K. Tyler, one of 22 stories in the UnCommon Origins anthology.
Adaline will soon become a mother, but we get the impression there is something unusual about her situation. While the author hints at peculiarities in Adaline's behavior, you will never guess what she does in the name of motherhood.
This deftly crafted story will keep you wondering. Repulsive yet compelling, you won't be able to put it down until the very end.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post (11 June): https://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com/2016/06/uncommon-origins-by-p-k-tyler.html
Adaline will soon become a mother, but we get the impression there is something unusual about her situation. While the author hints at peculiarities in Adaline's behavior, you will never guess what she does in the name of motherhood.
This deftly crafted story will keep you wondering. Repulsive yet compelling, you won't be able to put it down until the very end.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post (11 June): https://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com/2016/06/uncommon-origins-by-p-k-tyler.html
retiredhsmom's review against another edition
4.0
I've only read a few stories so far....
All of the stories I have read were well-written and engaging. I am looking forward to reading the rest. So far I've read:
My Darlings by P.K. Tyler
Poseidon's Tears by E.L. Johnson
The Curl of Emma Jean by Michele Tracy Berger.
Aplanetary by Holly Heisey
Disclosure: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
All of the stories I have read were well-written and engaging. I am looking forward to reading the rest. So far I've read:
My Darlings by P.K. Tyler
Poseidon's Tears by E.L. Johnson
The Curl of Emma Jean by Michele Tracy Berger.
Aplanetary by Holly Heisey
Disclosure: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
si0bhan's review against another edition
3.0
UnCommon Origins is the second UnCommon Anthology. Don’t worry, though, you don’t have to read one to understand the other. Both tell tales based upon different topics. With UnCommon Origins we’re given a collection of stories about deities, monsters, nature and science. You get a bit of everything, really.
Before I go any farther, though, I’d like to say a massive thank you to P.K. Tyler for sending me an advance read in exchange for an honest review. It was much appreciated – I had fun with these.
I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest fan of anthologies. I have such trouble when it comes to rating them, as nine times out of ten I feel as though the collection is a mixed bag. Such was the case here. Some of the stories I really enjoyed, whereas others I felt very little about. Hence the three star rating. So, keep in mind that the rating is the collective rather than the individual. If I were rating the stories individually, we would have all kinds of ratings being handed out.
All of the stories are well written, the authors having their own style of writing and storytelling. As with many anthologies, I have found a couple of authors I’ll be looking into. Such a thing is always wonderful. However, for me, some of the stories were more engaging than others. Some of them I was pulled into from the start whereas others I felt dragged on some. Some were so interesting that I wanted full-length novels whereas others failed to hold me for the handful of pages. This is just a personal thing, though. Each story was wonderfully unique and brought something more to the table.
If you’re a fan of anthologies, you’re sure to enjoy this one. As I said, though, anthologies aren’t all my thing.
Before I go any farther, though, I’d like to say a massive thank you to P.K. Tyler for sending me an advance read in exchange for an honest review. It was much appreciated – I had fun with these.
I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest fan of anthologies. I have such trouble when it comes to rating them, as nine times out of ten I feel as though the collection is a mixed bag. Such was the case here. Some of the stories I really enjoyed, whereas others I felt very little about. Hence the three star rating. So, keep in mind that the rating is the collective rather than the individual. If I were rating the stories individually, we would have all kinds of ratings being handed out.
All of the stories are well written, the authors having their own style of writing and storytelling. As with many anthologies, I have found a couple of authors I’ll be looking into. Such a thing is always wonderful. However, for me, some of the stories were more engaging than others. Some of them I was pulled into from the start whereas others I felt dragged on some. Some were so interesting that I wanted full-length novels whereas others failed to hold me for the handful of pages. This is just a personal thing, though. Each story was wonderfully unique and brought something more to the table.
If you’re a fan of anthologies, you’re sure to enjoy this one. As I said, though, anthologies aren’t all my thing.
laffingkat's review
4.0
This anthology offers a diverse selection of stories from different genres of speculative fiction. Some of the writing styles were quite different, and while I appreciated some stories a lot more than others, overall, I enjoyed the diversity and frequent surprises.
I enjoyed the mythology incorporated in several of the stories. As someone coping with a serious illness, I could particularly relate to Nillu Nasser Stelter’s “The Tombstone Man and the Coming of the Tigress.” I found D.L. Orton’s “The Last Star” quite touching. I was amused by Brent Meske’s wordplay in “Ifrit.”
Watch out for P.K. Tyler’s “My Darlings,” though. That story seriously squicked me out! I’m worried I’m going to have nightmares about it. Maybe give it a pass if you’re squeamish. On the other hand, if you like really creepy horror stories and aren’t easily grossed out, you may love it.
If you have eclectic tastes and you’ve been yearning for stories with more diversity and originality, give UnCommon Origins a try.
Note that I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I enjoyed the mythology incorporated in several of the stories. As someone coping with a serious illness, I could particularly relate to Nillu Nasser Stelter’s “The Tombstone Man and the Coming of the Tigress.” I found D.L. Orton’s “The Last Star” quite touching. I was amused by Brent Meske’s wordplay in “Ifrit.”
Watch out for P.K. Tyler’s “My Darlings,” though. That story seriously squicked me out! I’m worried I’m going to have nightmares about it. Maybe give it a pass if you’re squeamish. On the other hand, if you like really creepy horror stories and aren’t easily grossed out, you may love it.
If you have eclectic tastes and you’ve been yearning for stories with more diversity and originality, give UnCommon Origins a try.
Note that I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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