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bookwyrm55's review
4.0
Enjoyed the sheer variety of stories in this volume. Fair notice, one of the stories is my own. I listened to the audio version because I find that is the only way I can re-read things I've written without a virtual red pen in hand.
I was not taken with the choice of narrator. Very slow, a little overly dramatic, and very little variety from story to story ... would probably not listen to another with the same voice chosen, but I realize this is a very subjective thing. If you like Rush, you'll find a lot of very different takes and reactions to their songs in 2113.
I was not taken with the choice of narrator. Very slow, a little overly dramatic, and very little variety from story to story ... would probably not listen to another with the same voice chosen, but I realize this is a very subjective thing. If you like Rush, you'll find a lot of very different takes and reactions to their songs in 2113.
pmileham's review
adventurous
inspiring
tense
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
I love Rush, but this short story collection is not a must-read for Rush fans, with the exception of Kevin Anderson's 2113 story.
charshorrorcorner's review
4.0
When I discovered that Brian Hodge was going to be contributing to this anthology, I immediately kept my radar going until the book showed up at Net Galley. I was approved for it and I was so happy-I mean how often does a book come out that's based on the music of one of your favorite bands? I'm not as big a fan of Rush as some people, but I recognize the lyrical genius of Neil Peart-the man can write. Turns out, the authors included in this collection can too.
There are too many stories here for me to go into each in detail, so I've picked the ones that knocked my socks off to highlight here.
On the Fringes of the Fractal by Greg Van Eekhout (Inspired by "Subdivisions.") At first read this story was weird and I thought it was just okay. However, as I continued reading over the course of a month, I found my mind turning this tale over again and again. I now consider it one of my favorites in the collection.
The Burning Times v2.0 by Brian Hodge (Inspired by "Witch Hunt.") This story, (and this song), are both so perfect for the times in which we currently live-it's scary. When I say scary, I don't mean just the story, or the song, but the times in which we live also. I count this as another brilliant tale from the awesome Mr. Hodge.
A Nice Morning Drive by Richard S. Foster This one, in a strange and nice twist, is the story that inspired Red Barchetta, instead of the other way around. Now, the author and Neil Peart are friends. Cool, right?
A Prayer for 0443 by David Niall Wilson (Inspired by "The Trees.") I really dug this story. All individuality gone, no music or books last longer than a month or a year. My notes say "Big Brother to the Max". That's my story and I'm sticking to it. This tale disturbed me.
Gonna Roll the Bones by Fritz Leiber In another twist, THIS is the story that inspired the RUSH song. Lyrics quoted from Roll the Bones:
We go out in the world and take our chances
Fate is just the weight of circumstances
That's the way that Lady Luck Dances
Roll the bones
Last Light by Steven Savile (Inspired by "The Spirit of Radio.") This was my favorite story of the collection. It really spoke to the power that radio used to have in our lives and how important it could be once again. Bravo, Mr. Savile!! Your story really brought it home and in what I feel was the true "spirit"of the song.
Overall, this collection was good-especially if you're already a fan of Rush. Even being just a casual fan, like myself, there's a good chance 2113 will work for you too. My only complaint is that I think it's too long. 18 stories takes a while to get through. However, when the tales are good, the reader sticks with it, just as I did.
Highly recommended to fans of Rush and to fans of the short story form.
*Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the e-ARC of 2113 in exchange for my honest review.*
There are too many stories here for me to go into each in detail, so I've picked the ones that knocked my socks off to highlight here.
On the Fringes of the Fractal by Greg Van Eekhout (Inspired by "Subdivisions.") At first read this story was weird and I thought it was just okay. However, as I continued reading over the course of a month, I found my mind turning this tale over again and again. I now consider it one of my favorites in the collection.
The Burning Times v2.0 by Brian Hodge (Inspired by "Witch Hunt.") This story, (and this song), are both so perfect for the times in which we currently live-it's scary. When I say scary, I don't mean just the story, or the song, but the times in which we live also. I count this as another brilliant tale from the awesome Mr. Hodge.
A Nice Morning Drive by Richard S. Foster This one, in a strange and nice twist, is the story that inspired Red Barchetta, instead of the other way around. Now, the author and Neil Peart are friends. Cool, right?
A Prayer for 0443 by David Niall Wilson (Inspired by "The Trees.") I really dug this story. All individuality gone, no music or books last longer than a month or a year. My notes say "Big Brother to the Max". That's my story and I'm sticking to it. This tale disturbed me.
Gonna Roll the Bones by Fritz Leiber In another twist, THIS is the story that inspired the RUSH song. Lyrics quoted from Roll the Bones:
We go out in the world and take our chances
Fate is just the weight of circumstances
That's the way that Lady Luck Dances
Roll the bones
Last Light by Steven Savile (Inspired by "The Spirit of Radio.") This was my favorite story of the collection. It really spoke to the power that radio used to have in our lives and how important it could be once again. Bravo, Mr. Savile!! Your story really brought it home and in what I feel was the true "spirit"of the song.
Overall, this collection was good-especially if you're already a fan of Rush. Even being just a casual fan, like myself, there's a good chance 2113 will work for you too. My only complaint is that I think it's too long. 18 stories takes a while to get through. However, when the tales are good, the reader sticks with it, just as I did.
Highly recommended to fans of Rush and to fans of the short story form.
*Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the e-ARC of 2113 in exchange for my honest review.*
kat2112's review
4.0
Multi-author anthologies, for me, are a mixed bag in terms of quality, but this being a collection of stories - 16 of which are inspired by Rush songs - proved too tempting to resist.
Of the 18 authors included in the book, I've read three prior, including Kevin J. Anderson and Mercedes Lackey (I'd read somewhere she based the character Dirk from the Valdemar novels on Geddy Lee). Most die-hard fans have searched the Internet to read "A Nice Morning Drive" by Richard S. Foster, which inspired Neil to write "Dead Barchetta." It is part of this collection, and Fritz Leiber's "Gonna Roll the Bones" is the other reprint.
So we have 18 stories, each connected to a specific Rush song. The cover and roster suggest all science fiction, and you'll find everything from hard SF to futuristic drama here, but 2113 also showcases some paranormal mystery and noir. For the most part, Easter eggs of Rush lyrics are scarce - which suits me fine. The stories flow nicely, much like in Rush albums where the individual songs connect to form an all-encompassing concept.
Highlights for me in 2113 include:
"On the Fringes of the Fractal" by Greg Van Eekhout - Futuristic YA about loyalty and friendship, a willingness to sacrifice social standing for a friend.
"A Patch of Blue" by Ron Collins - Another theme of "deviating from the norm," as one Rush song goes, where creators in two different realms take similar paths for what they believe is right.
"The Burning Times, V2.0" by Brian Hodge - Like Fahrenheit 451 crossed with Harry Potter; a young fights censorship and as a result has to save himself.
"The Digital Kid" by Michael Z. Williamson - A dreamer's journey to overcome disability.
"Some Are Born to Save the World" by Mark Leslie - The story of a superhero's mortality.
I won't reveal which songs inspired which stories. As noted in the book's introduction, one doesn't need to be familiar with Rush's music to enjoy the book. That the majority of the contributing authors have backgrounds in SFF keep the stories cohesive. A fair number of Rush fans I know enjoyed Clockwork Angels, but I think they will appreciate this book as much, if not more.
My only nitpick with this collection: only one female author in the bunch. If the boys sanction this as a franchise, perhaps 2114 could feature a few more women writers. Lady Rush fans do exist. :-)
ARC received from publisher via NetGalley.
Of the 18 authors included in the book, I've read three prior, including Kevin J. Anderson and Mercedes Lackey (I'd read somewhere she based the character Dirk from the Valdemar novels on Geddy Lee). Most die-hard fans have searched the Internet to read "A Nice Morning Drive" by Richard S. Foster, which inspired Neil to write "Dead Barchetta." It is part of this collection, and Fritz Leiber's "Gonna Roll the Bones" is the other reprint.
So we have 18 stories, each connected to a specific Rush song. The cover and roster suggest all science fiction, and you'll find everything from hard SF to futuristic drama here, but 2113 also showcases some paranormal mystery and noir. For the most part, Easter eggs of Rush lyrics are scarce - which suits me fine. The stories flow nicely, much like in Rush albums where the individual songs connect to form an all-encompassing concept.
Highlights for me in 2113 include:
"On the Fringes of the Fractal" by Greg Van Eekhout - Futuristic YA about loyalty and friendship, a willingness to sacrifice social standing for a friend.
"A Patch of Blue" by Ron Collins - Another theme of "deviating from the norm," as one Rush song goes, where creators in two different realms take similar paths for what they believe is right.
"The Burning Times, V2.0" by Brian Hodge - Like Fahrenheit 451 crossed with Harry Potter; a young fights censorship and as a result has to save himself.
"The Digital Kid" by Michael Z. Williamson - A dreamer's journey to overcome disability.
"Some Are Born to Save the World" by Mark Leslie - The story of a superhero's mortality.
I won't reveal which songs inspired which stories. As noted in the book's introduction, one doesn't need to be familiar with Rush's music to enjoy the book. That the majority of the contributing authors have backgrounds in SFF keep the stories cohesive. A fair number of Rush fans I know enjoyed Clockwork Angels, but I think they will appreciate this book as much, if not more.
My only nitpick with this collection: only one female author in the bunch. If the boys sanction this as a franchise, perhaps 2114 could feature a few more women writers. Lady Rush fans do exist. :-)
ARC received from publisher via NetGalley.
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