Scan barcode
storytime95's review
4.0
Like many others, I picked this book for for a specific author and found several others that I really enjoyed. Michael Sullivan is one of my favorite Fantasy authors so of course I loved his short story. After reading this Anthology, I went on to read all of Will Wight's Cradle books and loved them too. I am also looking forward to checking out a few other authors that are new to me like Joe Jackson and Laura M. Hughes. Overall I really enjoyed this read, some of the stories were not quite for me but that is to be expected in this type of publication. Well done!
abigcoffeedragon's review
2.0
Not very good
I have read better compilations than this has to offer. Skipped most of these, and the ones that I did read were disappointing.
I have read better compilations than this has to offer. Skipped most of these, and the ones that I did read were disappointing.
frogggirl2's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Some of this collection is interesting, unique and nuanced and some is earnest, under-characterized and on the nose. This collection is very uneven in terms of quality.
Half-Breed - 3
Interesting world building but stereotypical story.
The Dwarven Dragon - 5
Cool, unique and I always love a fantasy Dwarven portrayal.
F.O.B. - 3
10% romance, 90% real world parallels.
Paternus - 1
Mythology is dry, under-characterized, boring and not fantasy genre.
Small Teachers - 3
Weird representation - He learns that he needs to fight just like everyone else, not in his own way.
Is Dumb - 2
Short, forgettable filler about fake adventures.
Final Word - 5
Alchemy, magic and the military. Surprising depth characterization.
What Needs to be Done - 5
A grim, hard-hitting, well characterized demon slaying story.
Hardgrave - 5
Hard-luck people. Bleak. Sad.
Holding Out - 4
A good excerpt from a larger story but a bit incomplete in and of itself.
The Custodian - 1
Clichéd, hokey, insipid, pathetic, motivational poster of a story.
The Altar - 5
Riveting repudiation of real gods.
All Ends - 3
Average whorehouse murder mystery.
The Savior of Garden's Gate - 2
Not having seen this guy be mighty, his fall does not resonate.
Indomitable - 1
Simple, lacks nuance. Why is he fighting for his oppressor? Unearned romance means nothing.
The Ashmoore Affair - 5
Hadrian and Royce FTW as ever.
False Heirs - 3
Asian, magical assassins. Not interesting enough to make me want to read further.
Ulroc's Redemption - 3
Average heist, insufficient characterization.
Ratman - 5
Great characters and gross necromancy works quite well.
Half-Breed - 3
Interesting world building but stereotypical story.
The Dwarven Dragon - 5
Cool, unique and I always love a fantasy Dwarven portrayal.
F.O.B. - 3
10% romance, 90% real world parallels.
Paternus - 1
Mythology is dry, under-characterized, boring and not fantasy genre.
Small Teachers - 3
Weird representation - He learns that he needs to fight just like everyone else, not in his own way.
Is Dumb - 2
Short, forgettable filler about fake adventures.
Final Word - 5
Alchemy, magic and the military. Surprising depth characterization.
What Needs to be Done - 5
A grim, hard-hitting, well characterized demon slaying story.
Hardgrave - 5
Hard-luck people. Bleak. Sad.
Holding Out - 4
A good excerpt from a larger story but a bit incomplete in and of itself.
The Custodian - 1
Clichéd, hokey, insipid, pathetic, motivational poster of a story.
The Altar - 5
Riveting repudiation of real gods.
All Ends - 3
Average whorehouse murder mystery.
The Savior of Garden's Gate - 2
Not having seen this guy be mighty, his fall does not resonate.
Indomitable - 1
Simple, lacks nuance. Why is he fighting for his oppressor? Unearned romance means nothing.
The Ashmoore Affair - 5
Hadrian and Royce FTW as ever.
False Heirs - 3
Asian, magical assassins. Not interesting enough to make me want to read further.
Ulroc's Redemption - 3
Average heist, insufficient characterization.
Ratman - 5
Great characters and gross necromancy works quite well.
namulith's review
3.0
I haven't read short stories in such a long time. And now that I have again, I don't know why. This book has a nice selection of hero-themed stories by good authors, most of which I know from long-form novels. The nicest surprise, as I didn't check the list of authors beforehand, was a story from Mike Shel. Happening upon the Syraeic League was a lovely surprise. But of course there were more good stories here. In fact, the one thing I hated was the fact that many stories were teasing more without the authors delivering on that. That was a bit frustrating, although I think you can also read it as praise of the stories themselves.
ferrisscottr's review
4.0
I really only read the Michael J. Sullivan short story - The Ashmoor Affair but couldn't find just that on Goodreads. The story was great, characters were great - so much fun spending time with Royce and Hadrian.
meimpink's review
3.0
When reading this collection, I was frustrated that there were no descriptions or synopses of the stories themselves, so I wrote my own. Here they are, as well as my honest review of each story and page counts from my Kindle version of the collection.
Story #1: Half-Breed
by Joe Jackson
A half-demon Eli goes on a job for the Assassin’s Guild, as a way to prove his worth to the Devil Queen, the true power behind the city and its many cutthroats. Harassed by his fellow guild members for his particular half-demon heritage, Eli has to decide who he’ll help after he uncovers the first threads of a plot.
30 pages
(★★★ Three stars: This one has a decent story that takes place in an interesting world, but it didn’t draw me in as much as I would’ve hoped.)
Story #2: The Dwarven Dragon
By Jeramy Goble
Raised on her father’s stories of dragons and danger, the young dwarf Kelara tries to find a way to honor him after his passing. The mechanical dragon she begins forging in secret may just come in handy when her mountain home is under attack.
34 pages
(★★★★★ Five stars: This one had a very cozy atmosphere that caught my attention, and I admired the character’s dedication to her craft.)
Story #3: Fresh Off the Boat
By K.S. Villoso
Jorr takes his first steps on Empire soil, and nothing seems to go right. Six years Jorr has been waiting to see his wife Neri; now that she is in front of him, he must struggle with the men she seems to be overly friendly towards and the city guards who believe him to be part of a conspiracy. Just what has Neri gotten him involved in?
21 pages
(★ One star: This story felt disjointed and didn’t flow well to me; I wasn’t really drawn in by the action or the characters.)
Story #4: PATERNUS: The Death of Osiris
By Dyrk Ashton
Hem-Hor definitely ruined Horus’ day with the news of Osiris’ murder. There is no questioning who is at fault, since nefarious Set has claimed credit for the deed. But who is the dark and mysterious power Baphomet that looms behind Set’s conquest? Hem-Hor, in this interpretation of the Egyptian mythos, charges himself with bringing justice to Osiris’ death and protecting his people from similar threats.
26 pages
(★ One star: This story took what I thought would be an interesting theme, Egyptian mythology, and made a clunky story out of it that really dragged on for me. It picks up closer to the end, but that didn’t redeem the story in my eyes.)
Story #5: Small Teachers
by Jeffrey Hall
Heroes are not born; they are made. Crippled and palsied Liddle not only knows this, but has embraced it, as a part of the local fighters’ guild. Unfortunately, Liddle’s traps and tricks that he uses to make up for his condition will never work in a real fight, or at least according to the guild-master, they won’t. When the guild-master sends Liddle out on what should be a simple job to test his worth, Liddle learns from an unexpected teacher that what’s up his sleeve is no substitute for true courage.
37 pages
(★★★ Three stars: I enjoyed this story, but the message didn’t fully resonate with me.)
Story #6: Is Dumb
By M.D. Presley
Does courage really get you anywhere? A kobold, with his various traveling companions, recounts his story to an audience of goblins. But will convincing the den of creatures of the value of valor actually help them in the long run?
13 pages
(★★★★ Four stars: This story had a very nice twist that I didn’t see coming, and I appreciated how the story built up to it.)
Story #7: Final Word
By Mike Shel
Experienced alchemist Lumari travels alongside a legion, aiding soldiers and assembling new remedies from the plants and traditions of the barbarian-run region. Will her quest to discover the true value of and capture for herself Man’s Final Breath, described by local shamans as a remedy even for death, land her in more trouble than it’s worth?
33 pages
(★★ Two stars: This story had an interesting plot going on, but I wasn’t engaged by the characters or world.)
Story #8: What Needs to Be Done
By David Benem
Overrun with demons that indiscriminately slaughter those in their way, Brendall’s home is becoming a battleground for mercenaries, heroes, and monsters. When called to fight alongside famous demon-slayer Amryst Pale, Brendall joins the fray. Will he stay and do what needs to be done to rid the land of such fiends, or will he do as before, and flee the sight of the same kind of monster that killed his brother?
26 pages
(★★★ Three stars: I enjoyed the setting, which gave off Western—the genre, not the hemisphere—vibes, but the plot felt see-through to me.)
Story #9: Hardgrave
By Phil Tucker
The small village of Hardgrave has grown even smaller with the imminent arrival of the general’s army, which has, thus far, burnt down every town in their path.
The eager opportunist he is, Bernard spent his morning bathing in the riches offered by newly-abandoned homes.
What will become of the left-behinds: those with no means and nowhere to go?
15 pages
(★★★★ Four stars: This one was short and sweet, with a very engaging atmosphere that managed be both suspenseful and solemn, to me.)
Story #10: Holding Out
By Derek Alan Siddoway
Former hero and current gryphon-rider Aleron makes a living wrangling criminals for the local constable. A while since he’s had to care about anyone besides himself and his gryphon, he finds himself lending a hand to a hardworking family on the frontier more often than not.
32 pages
(★★★★★ Five stars: I loved this one! The action was well-paced with backstory and worldbuilding. I loved the Western setting, and I really was able to sympathize with the protagonist Aleron. This story made me want to engage further with the world the author created.)
“No matter how bad life got, it still had its moments,” page 254, Kindle eBook version
Story #11: The Custodian
By Matt Moss
Young Thomas dreams of a life beyond scrubbing floors and sweeping halls like his father. What would happen if he had the chance to prove himself a capable warrior and, say, save a princess?
28 pages
(★★★ Three stars: This one had an interesting twist that I felt came naturally but was predictable. Thomas is a very typical character to me and didn’t interest me much, but the story was well-written and moved quickly.)
Story #12: The Altar
By Daniel Potter
Cynic and warrior, Dranis is facing a tribunal after upsetting a cleric with a poorly-timed outburst about—ah, well, let’s just say it didn’t paint the gods in the best light. When he sees something spectacular during a particularly strange thunderstorm and deserts his post, he may be in more trouble than he knows, especially if the gods were listening.
25 pages
(★★★★★ Five stars: This story made me laugh out-loud at least a few times, which is impressive for only 25 pages! The atmosphere is very well-set by Potter, and I found Dranis to be an engaging and gruff character. I would absolutely read more set in this world.)
“If you could sell his emotional state to a fey lord, they might give you their daughter’s hand in marriage. The daughter would then eat you, but I digress,” page 297, Kindle eBook version
Story #13: All Ends
By Quenby Olson
Sometime in the night, in the dark arms of a London whorehouse, a woman is murdered. Upon morning, Marit discovers the girl dead in her room and calls the police, not that the are any help when the victim is a prostitute and the suspected killer is a gentleman. Knowing that the authorities will never bring him to justice, Marit must seek out the murderer on her own.
31 pages
(★★ Two stars: This story was one of the few stories that didn’t read as fantasy, which was a good thing because it helped add some variety to the collection. The twist at the end felt unsatisfying to me because I never fully engaged with the characters, and I think I would’ve enjoyed this story more if it took more of a detective route. The setting and atmosphere were the highlights of this story.)
Story #14: The Savior of Garden’s Gate
By Will Wight
The great hero of Garden’s Gate, who once wiped out an entire hoard of dreadbeasts, Ziel is now little more than a spent magician. Returning to the place he was once called Lord, he finds only remnants of the vibrantly artistic and magical community that had thrived under his protection. Can Ziel draw upon the hero he used to be and bring hope to those few that remain?
14 pages
(★★ Two stars: sometimes the promise of a world and story behind the one being told can draw you into a world further and make the story richer for it; but, in this case, I felt more like I was left out of the loop.)
Story #15: Indomitable
By Andy Peloquin
Enwan in a miner with aspirations to become a warrior, an Indomitable, something he will never achieve as a member of the lowly Eeraqi caste. Taught in secret by the Sentinel’s daughter Imara, Enwan has to hide not only his heroic dreams, but also his burgeoning romance.
30 pages
(★★★★ Four stars: I did not expect to like this story because the fist couple scenes drew together many fantasy tropes of which I’m not the biggest fan. The action was very well-written, though, and really drew me in. I appreciated how the story didn’t go the way I expected it to based on the first page, but still drew on those elements.)
Story #16: The Ashmoore Affair
By Michael J. Sullivan
Thieves Hadrian and Royce were only seeking out a pint in the wake of a failed scheme, when beautiful woman Tess Rochambeau marched into the backwoods bar they occupied. She demanded that the pair were heroes who would help her recover a family heirloom held by the villainous Baron Ashmoore. Though she’d offered to pay them handsomely, the task was beginning to look more and more like a trap the longer Hadrian and Royce were at it.
21 pages
(★★★★★ Five stars: Apparently this story takes place within Hadrian and Royce’s larger world of the Riyria that author Michael J. Sullivan created, but I didn’t feel it was necessary to read any of the other books to understand this story; The Ashmoore Affair does a decent job of pulling you into the smaller story while still giving the (true) impression of both a wider world and a history for the characters. I can also say that the direction the story took was very engaging and brought the characters to a believable moral dilemma.)
“Her eyes were devastating. Large, dark, and inviting, they were the sort of open windows that decent people draped,” Page 399, Kindle eBook version.
Story #17: False Heirs
By J.C. Kang
Zheng Tian is a 16-year-old assassin for the Black Lotus Clan. Tasked, along with his clan sister Jie, to kill a young musician beggar Li Bin, Tian begins to wonder if there’s more to his mark than meets the eye and what to do with what he discovers.
24 pages
(★★★★ Four stars: This was a very enjoyable story set in a richly-built Eastern-inspired setting. Every character felt very real to me, even those who were only on the page for a few lines of dialogue. I was intrigued by the developing mystery that Tian wanted to investigate, but I didn’t feel like this short story was a true standalone. For reference, False Heirs exists in the Dragon Songs Saga Universe, which follows Tian’s adventures and reveals more about Li Bin.
Story #18: Ulroc’s Redemption
By Ben Galley
Ulroc O’Kaplan is a half-orc disgraced professional fighter. It may not matter whether or not he threw that last fight, no one would believe him now anyway. Janez Morath is a man of means, a businessman, whose most valuable possession was taken from him. Hired by Morath: Ulroc, a blind human sharpshooter, an activist of an elf, and a slick goblin warlock are offered the chance to retrieve what the thief stole. How much will it cost them, and can they afford to sacrifice their integrity along the way?
24 pages
(★★★★★ Five stars: This story was fast-paced and drew me into a world with engaging magepunk vibes. I really enjoyed the addition of a heist story to the collection, and I felt this example was done well. The world that Ben Galley built is very intriguing to me, and I would love to explore it more. Full of rich backstory, Ulroc’s character came to life on the page to me, and I would also be partial to reading more about him before and after this story takes place.)
Story #19: Ratman
By Laura M. Hughes
An inquisitor for the Host, Ori is charged with reanimating the corpses of the opposing Legion’s champions so that they might be interrogated. Perhaps one of the better necromancers present in Direcliff Keep, Ori still somehow keeps failing to bring back to life the spirits of the Host’s departed enemies. When the mangled body of the famous Copper Rose ends up on Ori’s slab, things take a turn for the worse, and Ori must hide his true intentions.
63 pages
(★★★★★ Five stars: Easily the longest story in this collection, you might be worried that Ratman will be poorly-paced or overload you with backstory; I believe this was decidedly not the case. Rather, Ratman is full of action, build-up, lively characters, and a strongly-built setting. Ori is a character that I was meant to and felt I could easily sympathize with, despite his penchant for necromancy, and his motivations and true actions, as we discover them to be, honestly surprised me. Not everything was as it seems in this story, and it was pulled off very well.)
“Knowing you were disposable could hardly be conducive to a winning disposition,” page 485, Kindle eBook version.
“Usefulness gets you killed around here–as you well know,” page 496, Kindle eBook version
Story #1: Half-Breed
by Joe Jackson
A half-demon Eli goes on a job for the Assassin’s Guild, as a way to prove his worth to the Devil Queen, the true power behind the city and its many cutthroats. Harassed by his fellow guild members for his particular half-demon heritage, Eli has to decide who he’ll help after he uncovers the first threads of a plot.
30 pages
(★★★ Three stars: This one has a decent story that takes place in an interesting world, but it didn’t draw me in as much as I would’ve hoped.)
Story #2: The Dwarven Dragon
By Jeramy Goble
Raised on her father’s stories of dragons and danger, the young dwarf Kelara tries to find a way to honor him after his passing. The mechanical dragon she begins forging in secret may just come in handy when her mountain home is under attack.
34 pages
(★★★★★ Five stars: This one had a very cozy atmosphere that caught my attention, and I admired the character’s dedication to her craft.)
Story #3: Fresh Off the Boat
By K.S. Villoso
Jorr takes his first steps on Empire soil, and nothing seems to go right. Six years Jorr has been waiting to see his wife Neri; now that she is in front of him, he must struggle with the men she seems to be overly friendly towards and the city guards who believe him to be part of a conspiracy. Just what has Neri gotten him involved in?
21 pages
(★ One star: This story felt disjointed and didn’t flow well to me; I wasn’t really drawn in by the action or the characters.)
Story #4: PATERNUS: The Death of Osiris
By Dyrk Ashton
Hem-Hor definitely ruined Horus’ day with the news of Osiris’ murder. There is no questioning who is at fault, since nefarious Set has claimed credit for the deed. But who is the dark and mysterious power Baphomet that looms behind Set’s conquest? Hem-Hor, in this interpretation of the Egyptian mythos, charges himself with bringing justice to Osiris’ death and protecting his people from similar threats.
26 pages
(★ One star: This story took what I thought would be an interesting theme, Egyptian mythology, and made a clunky story out of it that really dragged on for me. It picks up closer to the end, but that didn’t redeem the story in my eyes.)
Story #5: Small Teachers
by Jeffrey Hall
Heroes are not born; they are made. Crippled and palsied Liddle not only knows this, but has embraced it, as a part of the local fighters’ guild. Unfortunately, Liddle’s traps and tricks that he uses to make up for his condition will never work in a real fight, or at least according to the guild-master, they won’t. When the guild-master sends Liddle out on what should be a simple job to test his worth, Liddle learns from an unexpected teacher that what’s up his sleeve is no substitute for true courage.
37 pages
(★★★ Three stars: I enjoyed this story, but the message didn’t fully resonate with me.)
Story #6: Is Dumb
By M.D. Presley
Does courage really get you anywhere? A kobold, with his various traveling companions, recounts his story to an audience of goblins. But will convincing the den of creatures of the value of valor actually help them in the long run?
13 pages
(★★★★ Four stars: This story had a very nice twist that I didn’t see coming, and I appreciated how the story built up to it.)
Story #7: Final Word
By Mike Shel
Experienced alchemist Lumari travels alongside a legion, aiding soldiers and assembling new remedies from the plants and traditions of the barbarian-run region. Will her quest to discover the true value of and capture for herself Man’s Final Breath, described by local shamans as a remedy even for death, land her in more trouble than it’s worth?
33 pages
(★★ Two stars: This story had an interesting plot going on, but I wasn’t engaged by the characters or world.)
Story #8: What Needs to Be Done
By David Benem
Overrun with demons that indiscriminately slaughter those in their way, Brendall’s home is becoming a battleground for mercenaries, heroes, and monsters. When called to fight alongside famous demon-slayer Amryst Pale, Brendall joins the fray. Will he stay and do what needs to be done to rid the land of such fiends, or will he do as before, and flee the sight of the same kind of monster that killed his brother?
26 pages
(★★★ Three stars: I enjoyed the setting, which gave off Western—the genre, not the hemisphere—vibes, but the plot felt see-through to me.)
Story #9: Hardgrave
By Phil Tucker
The small village of Hardgrave has grown even smaller with the imminent arrival of the general’s army, which has, thus far, burnt down every town in their path.
The eager opportunist he is, Bernard spent his morning bathing in the riches offered by newly-abandoned homes.
What will become of the left-behinds: those with no means and nowhere to go?
15 pages
(★★★★ Four stars: This one was short and sweet, with a very engaging atmosphere that managed be both suspenseful and solemn, to me.)
Story #10: Holding Out
By Derek Alan Siddoway
Former hero and current gryphon-rider Aleron makes a living wrangling criminals for the local constable. A while since he’s had to care about anyone besides himself and his gryphon, he finds himself lending a hand to a hardworking family on the frontier more often than not.
32 pages
(★★★★★ Five stars: I loved this one! The action was well-paced with backstory and worldbuilding. I loved the Western setting, and I really was able to sympathize with the protagonist Aleron. This story made me want to engage further with the world the author created.)
“No matter how bad life got, it still had its moments,” page 254, Kindle eBook version
Story #11: The Custodian
By Matt Moss
Young Thomas dreams of a life beyond scrubbing floors and sweeping halls like his father. What would happen if he had the chance to prove himself a capable warrior and, say, save a princess?
28 pages
(★★★ Three stars: This one had an interesting twist that I felt came naturally but was predictable. Thomas is a very typical character to me and didn’t interest me much, but the story was well-written and moved quickly.)
Story #12: The Altar
By Daniel Potter
Cynic and warrior, Dranis is facing a tribunal after upsetting a cleric with a poorly-timed outburst about—ah, well, let’s just say it didn’t paint the gods in the best light. When he sees something spectacular during a particularly strange thunderstorm and deserts his post, he may be in more trouble than he knows, especially if the gods were listening.
25 pages
(★★★★★ Five stars: This story made me laugh out-loud at least a few times, which is impressive for only 25 pages! The atmosphere is very well-set by Potter, and I found Dranis to be an engaging and gruff character. I would absolutely read more set in this world.)
“If you could sell his emotional state to a fey lord, they might give you their daughter’s hand in marriage. The daughter would then eat you, but I digress,” page 297, Kindle eBook version
Story #13: All Ends
By Quenby Olson
Sometime in the night, in the dark arms of a London whorehouse, a woman is murdered. Upon morning, Marit discovers the girl dead in her room and calls the police, not that the are any help when the victim is a prostitute and the suspected killer is a gentleman. Knowing that the authorities will never bring him to justice, Marit must seek out the murderer on her own.
31 pages
(★★ Two stars: This story was one of the few stories that didn’t read as fantasy, which was a good thing because it helped add some variety to the collection. The twist at the end felt unsatisfying to me because I never fully engaged with the characters, and I think I would’ve enjoyed this story more if it took more of a detective route. The setting and atmosphere were the highlights of this story.)
Story #14: The Savior of Garden’s Gate
By Will Wight
The great hero of Garden’s Gate, who once wiped out an entire hoard of dreadbeasts, Ziel is now little more than a spent magician. Returning to the place he was once called Lord, he finds only remnants of the vibrantly artistic and magical community that had thrived under his protection. Can Ziel draw upon the hero he used to be and bring hope to those few that remain?
14 pages
(★★ Two stars: sometimes the promise of a world and story behind the one being told can draw you into a world further and make the story richer for it; but, in this case, I felt more like I was left out of the loop.)
Story #15: Indomitable
By Andy Peloquin
Enwan in a miner with aspirations to become a warrior, an Indomitable, something he will never achieve as a member of the lowly Eeraqi caste. Taught in secret by the Sentinel’s daughter Imara, Enwan has to hide not only his heroic dreams, but also his burgeoning romance.
30 pages
(★★★★ Four stars: I did not expect to like this story because the fist couple scenes drew together many fantasy tropes of which I’m not the biggest fan. The action was very well-written, though, and really drew me in. I appreciated how the story didn’t go the way I expected it to based on the first page, but still drew on those elements.)
Story #16: The Ashmoore Affair
By Michael J. Sullivan
Thieves Hadrian and Royce were only seeking out a pint in the wake of a failed scheme, when beautiful woman Tess Rochambeau marched into the backwoods bar they occupied. She demanded that the pair were heroes who would help her recover a family heirloom held by the villainous Baron Ashmoore. Though she’d offered to pay them handsomely, the task was beginning to look more and more like a trap the longer Hadrian and Royce were at it.
21 pages
(★★★★★ Five stars: Apparently this story takes place within Hadrian and Royce’s larger world of the Riyria that author Michael J. Sullivan created, but I didn’t feel it was necessary to read any of the other books to understand this story; The Ashmoore Affair does a decent job of pulling you into the smaller story while still giving the (true) impression of both a wider world and a history for the characters. I can also say that the direction the story took was very engaging and brought the characters to a believable moral dilemma.)
“Her eyes were devastating. Large, dark, and inviting, they were the sort of open windows that decent people draped,” Page 399, Kindle eBook version.
Story #17: False Heirs
By J.C. Kang
Zheng Tian is a 16-year-old assassin for the Black Lotus Clan. Tasked, along with his clan sister Jie, to kill a young musician beggar Li Bin, Tian begins to wonder if there’s more to his mark than meets the eye and what to do with what he discovers.
24 pages
(★★★★ Four stars: This was a very enjoyable story set in a richly-built Eastern-inspired setting. Every character felt very real to me, even those who were only on the page for a few lines of dialogue. I was intrigued by the developing mystery that Tian wanted to investigate, but I didn’t feel like this short story was a true standalone. For reference, False Heirs exists in the Dragon Songs Saga Universe, which follows Tian’s adventures and reveals more about Li Bin.
Story #18: Ulroc’s Redemption
By Ben Galley
Ulroc O’Kaplan is a half-orc disgraced professional fighter. It may not matter whether or not he threw that last fight, no one would believe him now anyway. Janez Morath is a man of means, a businessman, whose most valuable possession was taken from him. Hired by Morath: Ulroc, a blind human sharpshooter, an activist of an elf, and a slick goblin warlock are offered the chance to retrieve what the thief stole. How much will it cost them, and can they afford to sacrifice their integrity along the way?
24 pages
(★★★★★ Five stars: This story was fast-paced and drew me into a world with engaging magepunk vibes. I really enjoyed the addition of a heist story to the collection, and I felt this example was done well. The world that Ben Galley built is very intriguing to me, and I would love to explore it more. Full of rich backstory, Ulroc’s character came to life on the page to me, and I would also be partial to reading more about him before and after this story takes place.)
Story #19: Ratman
By Laura M. Hughes
An inquisitor for the Host, Ori is charged with reanimating the corpses of the opposing Legion’s champions so that they might be interrogated. Perhaps one of the better necromancers present in Direcliff Keep, Ori still somehow keeps failing to bring back to life the spirits of the Host’s departed enemies. When the mangled body of the famous Copper Rose ends up on Ori’s slab, things take a turn for the worse, and Ori must hide his true intentions.
63 pages
(★★★★★ Five stars: Easily the longest story in this collection, you might be worried that Ratman will be poorly-paced or overload you with backstory; I believe this was decidedly not the case. Rather, Ratman is full of action, build-up, lively characters, and a strongly-built setting. Ori is a character that I was meant to and felt I could easily sympathize with, despite his penchant for necromancy, and his motivations and true actions, as we discover them to be, honestly surprised me. Not everything was as it seems in this story, and it was pulled off very well.)
“Knowing you were disposable could hardly be conducive to a winning disposition,” page 485, Kindle eBook version.
“Usefulness gets you killed around here–as you well know,” page 496, Kindle eBook version
philantrop's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A nice albeit very short short story featuring Hadrian and Royce. There’s so little actual story, I won’t summarise it here. Suffice it to say you won’t be disappointed even though there’s a slight deja-vu feeling…
Thankfully, the “Heroes Wanted” anthology can be gotten for free from Amazon fairly often and so you have nothing to lose.
Four out of five stars for a happy reunion with Riyria!
swagggmaster69's review
This is on my "Did Not Finish" shelf because it is an anthology and I don't plan on reading all of the stories right now. I do want to leave a review for the first 5 stories I read though. Each short story was about a hero, which sounded promising, but the first 5 are alright.
1.) Half-Breed by Joe Jackson 2/5. Some sentence structure problems and I thought it was dumb how the hero chose their last name.
2.) The Dwarven Dragon by Jeramy Goble 3/5. Story was interesting. I thought it was weird how no one talked to the hero for a year, while she was working at the forge.
3.) Fresh Off the Boat by K.S. Villoso 2.5/5. Main character was a big, dumb country boy that I didn't really like.
4.) The Death of Osiris by Dyrk Ashton 3.5/5. I've read the first book of the Paternus series, so I was familiar with some of the characters. I thought it was interesting how the author explained who Osiris was in this universe.
5.) Small Teachers by Jeffery Hall - 2/5. The hero seemed promising, but I thought it was lame how the hero ended up using a dagger instead of the tricks of fighting he is used too. Also the monster, which seemed strong, was able to be killed by that dagger.
I'll update the review as I read the stories.
1.) Half-Breed by Joe Jackson 2/5. Some sentence structure problems and I thought it was dumb how the hero chose their last name.
2.) The Dwarven Dragon by Jeramy Goble 3/5. Story was interesting. I thought it was weird how no one talked to the hero for a year, while she was working at the forge.
3.) Fresh Off the Boat by K.S. Villoso 2.5/5. Main character was a big, dumb country boy that I didn't really like.
4.) The Death of Osiris by Dyrk Ashton 3.5/5. I've read the first book of the Paternus series, so I was familiar with some of the characters. I thought it was interesting how the author explained who Osiris was in this universe.
5.) Small Teachers by Jeffery Hall - 2/5. The hero seemed promising, but I thought it was lame how the hero ended up using a dagger instead of the tricks of fighting he is used too. Also the monster, which seemed strong, was able to be killed by that dagger.
I'll update the review as I read the stories.
samphope's review
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0