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rmarcher's review
4.0
*squeals* This anthology was so good! Thank you so much to PFW for the ARC. :D
The Backpack Boy: This story was so well-written and endearing. It so perfectly captured the imagination of a little kid, the interactions between the elephant and the backpack boy were so sweet, and the twist was wonderfully executed.
Finer Things: This is one I struggled to connect with. From what I can tell, it's set in the same world as Frank's Echoes in the Black series, and I probably would have been more invested if I'd been more familiar with the world. I might have to reread this story after I've read Echo. But from what I understood from this story, the world Frank has created is really complex and interesting, and this is just a case of good writing I wasn't personally able to engage with.
Roanoke: While this story is full of action and suspense, I found it difficult to connect with and didn't really feel invested in the conflict going on. Though I wasn't able to engage with it personally, it's well-written and probably more enjoyable to a reader who enjoys high-stakes situations more than I do.
Kamynosa's Labyrinth: One of my favorite things in Child of the Kaites was the way Wangler portrayed the relationship between the two main characters, and she's written a similar relationship in this story. I loved the characters individually, and then their relationship was also extremely satisfying and ended exactly how I'd hoped it would. Plus, the worldbuilding in this story was really enjoyable and I loved the peek into a new culture in Wangler's world (or at least new-to-me).
Barnaby Brown and the Glass Sea: The characters in this story were so quirky and fun to read. I loved watching them interact with each other. I was so ready to just keep reading this story forever... and then it ended. My only complaint is that it ended too soon, lol. I'm hopeful there will be more to this story in the future, but this was a delightful short.
Through the Lens: It took me a bit to get into this one, and I still didn't feel fully connected by the end, but the general relationship dynamics between the characters and the glimpse into Dion's culture was cool. I feel like things could have been fleshed out a little deeper, but I also understand the restrictions of short fiction, so overall this felt like a fairly solid short story.
Ric Vayne and the Curse of the Ghoul Nebula: Something I always enjoy about Shultz's writing is his ability to use language to fully support the tone and content of the story he's writing and to vividly paint his characters, and Curse of the Ghoul Nebula is no different. The characters were easy to engage with, Ric himself was a compelling protagonist, the imprecision of Ovo's translator was really fun, and the whole adventure was perfectly paced.
The Underground: I was initially confused by the shift in POV and struggled to figure out who the second POV character was, but once I sorted that out I was able to follow the story fine. I didn't connect with the characters very strongly and the plot felt like it didn't really do much (I didn't feel like Kef served much of a purpose, and they didn't really change anything except to discover the Dragons and the Deep, and then that knowledge was only used to help them once and that was the end), but the Dragons and their ship were interesting and I'd be curious to learn more about them.
This Pain Inside: I was so fortunate to get to beta-read this one, so I already knew it was going to be awesome, but YES, IT'S AWESOME. While usually the first thing I gush about when I read Heath's stories is the worldbuilding--and the worldbuilding in this one was good, also--what shines the most in This Pain Inside is the main character: Charlie. She's a very authentic character with very real struggles and flaws, but also very real strength, and watching her journey through this story was amazing.
Overall, I really enjoyed this anthology, and I look forward to reading more by all of these authors!
The Backpack Boy: This story was so well-written and endearing. It so perfectly captured the imagination of a little kid, the interactions between the elephant and the backpack boy were so sweet, and the twist was wonderfully executed.
Finer Things: This is one I struggled to connect with. From what I can tell, it's set in the same world as Frank's Echoes in the Black series, and I probably would have been more invested if I'd been more familiar with the world. I might have to reread this story after I've read Echo. But from what I understood from this story, the world Frank has created is really complex and interesting, and this is just a case of good writing I wasn't personally able to engage with.
Roanoke: While this story is full of action and suspense, I found it difficult to connect with and didn't really feel invested in the conflict going on. Though I wasn't able to engage with it personally, it's well-written and probably more enjoyable to a reader who enjoys high-stakes situations more than I do.
Kamynosa's Labyrinth: One of my favorite things in Child of the Kaites was the way Wangler portrayed the relationship between the two main characters, and she's written a similar relationship in this story. I loved the characters individually, and then their relationship was also extremely satisfying and ended exactly how I'd hoped it would. Plus, the worldbuilding in this story was really enjoyable and I loved the peek into a new culture in Wangler's world (or at least new-to-me).
Barnaby Brown and the Glass Sea: The characters in this story were so quirky and fun to read. I loved watching them interact with each other. I was so ready to just keep reading this story forever... and then it ended. My only complaint is that it ended too soon, lol. I'm hopeful there will be more to this story in the future, but this was a delightful short.
Through the Lens: It took me a bit to get into this one, and I still didn't feel fully connected by the end, but the general relationship dynamics between the characters and the glimpse into Dion's culture was cool. I feel like things could have been fleshed out a little deeper, but I also understand the restrictions of short fiction, so overall this felt like a fairly solid short story.
Ric Vayne and the Curse of the Ghoul Nebula: Something I always enjoy about Shultz's writing is his ability to use language to fully support the tone and content of the story he's writing and to vividly paint his characters, and Curse of the Ghoul Nebula is no different. The characters were easy to engage with, Ric himself was a compelling protagonist, the imprecision of Ovo's translator was really fun, and the whole adventure was perfectly paced.
The Underground: I was initially confused by the shift in POV and struggled to figure out who the second POV character was, but once I sorted that out I was able to follow the story fine. I didn't connect with the characters very strongly and the plot felt like it didn't really do much (I didn't feel like Kef served much of a purpose, and they didn't really change anything except to discover the Dragons and the Deep, and then that knowledge was only used to help them once and that was the end), but the Dragons and their ship were interesting and I'd be curious to learn more about them.
This Pain Inside: I was so fortunate to get to beta-read this one, so I already knew it was going to be awesome, but YES, IT'S AWESOME. While usually the first thing I gush about when I read Heath's stories is the worldbuilding--and the worldbuilding in this one was good, also--what shines the most in This Pain Inside is the main character: Charlie. She's a very authentic character with very real struggles and flaws, but also very real strength, and watching her journey through this story was amazing.
Overall, I really enjoyed this anthology, and I look forward to reading more by all of these authors!
beautifullybookishbethany's review
4.0
Actual Rating Averaged: 3.7, rounding up
Strange Waters is an anthology of short stories by indie authors that I was sent for review. Below you can find individual reviews of the stories in the collection. As is usually the case with this kind of collection, there were some stories that I loved and others that I was less enthusiastic about. Overall, I do think this is worth checking out! All opinions are my own.
Backpack Boy by Nate Philbrick: 2.5 stars
This story feels a bit like an outlier in the collection and was perhaps an odd place to begin. It is a whimsical tale of a young boy imagining himself on a grand adventure before a difficult reality breaks in. I was entirely unsurprised by the ending and found it to be a bit maudlin for my taste. The rest of the collection feels more solidly speculative fiction, and this story wasn’t what I was expecting or really wanting from this anthology. This feels more in line with readers seeking sentimentality in their stories a la Chicken Soup for the Soul. It’s not inherently bad, just not what I was looking for.
Finer Things by C. Scott Frank: 3 stars
Finer Things is kind of a morality tale with a sci-fi setting and a solid dose of adventure. It follows a couple trying to escape in order to be together, but that escape will come at a price that must be weighed: their own happiness or the well-being of others? I found this one to be fairly enjoyable with creative if sometimes confusing sci-fi elements. I wish we knew more about the earlier relationship of the couple. We’re thrown into the action of escape which makes it difficult to be emotionally invested in whether they are together or not. That said, this was fun and more in line with what I was expecting from Strange Waters.
Roanoke by J.E. Purrazi: 4.5 stars
I have read other work by this author and one of her strengths is definitely writing compelling action scenes that are easy to follow and keep you on the edge of your seat! Roanoke is no exception. In this story, a girl out of time is on a mission of peace to a colony on a distant planet with a brutal environment. She must battle the elements to reach the colony in time to save them from destruction. The story is inventive, and vividly depicted with engaging action. I was left wanting more. This feels like a small slice of a larger whole.
Kamynosa’s Labyrinth by Beth Wangler: 4 stars
A short story set in a larger world, Kamynosa’s Labyrinth is a fun, romantic romp about a girl determined to prove she can lead her people by winning a competition for her hand in marriage, thereby winning her freedom from forced marriage. But along the way she must decide what to do with an intriguing captain. This has a great message about marriage as a partnership and the strength that can come from it.
Barnaby Brown & The Glass Sea by E.B. Dawson: 3 stars
I had mixed feelings on this one. The writing itself is well-executed and parts of the story are really interesting, with a quirky professor and a portal to another world. On the other hand, this definitely reads like a thinly veiled promotion of Creationism and a young earth, in opposition to science demonstrating an older age of the earth. As someone who is married to a scientist and subscribes to theistic evolution (assuming an old earth and God as creator through the process of evolution) I didn’t love that aspect of it. Your mileage may vary depending on your views, but it’s pretty clear that’s what is intended.
Through the Lens by K.L.+Pierce: 2.5 stars
Through the Lens follows a boy infiltrating a military base to get the lens he needs to make a telescope as a gift for his sister. I had a hard time with this one because a lot of things never quite made sense to me. The explanation for why making this telescope was worth such a risk felt very weak and a lot of the world-building elements involving powers were not as well-explained as I would have liked. The main character also uses his power to mentally control a friend and while that is kind of brushed aside in the story, I was quite uncomfortable with it. Additionally, the explanation of the religion for this world feels a little too on the nose as a stand-in for Christianity and I prefer that to be more subtly woven into most of my speculative fiction. That said, it was interesting and there is some great messaging about the effects of bullying and not accepting those who are different.
Ric Vayne and the Curse of Ghoul Nebula by Kyle Robert Schultz: 3.5 stars
This felt a little bit like a sci-fi,fantasy, western mash-up with a cocky hero, a dramatic villain, and plenty of action. Ric Vayne wakes up to realize his consciousness has been placed inside a space ship and he is being forced to pilot into the dangerous Ghoul Nebula with only an unassuming slave girl as an ally. This was for the most part fun and inventive, although the villain could have done with a bit more nuance and perhaps the hero could have ASKED before kissing the slave girl at the end.
The Underground by Janelle Garrett: 5 stars
The Underground is a compelling and at times chilling tale that makes me want to read other works set in this world! There are creepy body-stealing lizards, mysterious magic, and siblings trying to save each other. I don't want to say much more, but I thoroughly enjoyed this story and was left wanting to know more. Very solid sci-fi story with an interesting world and characters.
This Pain Inside by Hannah Heath: 5 stars
Perhaps my favorite story in this entire collection, This Pain Inside takes place in a world where humans have been forced to live underwater, battling the destructive force of Poison with a mysterious magic known as Ne. It is also an own voices story about living with chronic pain and I deeply felt every moment of it. Charlie lives with excruciating pain, constantly seeking a cure and believing herself to be a failure. But perhaps her battle with pain is exactly what has prepared her to be the hero her people and her family need. This was emotionally devastating and beautiful. Highly recommend.
Strange Waters is an anthology of short stories by indie authors that I was sent for review. Below you can find individual reviews of the stories in the collection. As is usually the case with this kind of collection, there were some stories that I loved and others that I was less enthusiastic about. Overall, I do think this is worth checking out! All opinions are my own.
Backpack Boy by Nate Philbrick: 2.5 stars
This story feels a bit like an outlier in the collection and was perhaps an odd place to begin. It is a whimsical tale of a young boy imagining himself on a grand adventure before a difficult reality breaks in. I was entirely unsurprised by the ending and found it to be a bit maudlin for my taste. The rest of the collection feels more solidly speculative fiction, and this story wasn’t what I was expecting or really wanting from this anthology. This feels more in line with readers seeking sentimentality in their stories a la Chicken Soup for the Soul. It’s not inherently bad, just not what I was looking for.
Finer Things by C. Scott Frank: 3 stars
Finer Things is kind of a morality tale with a sci-fi setting and a solid dose of adventure. It follows a couple trying to escape in order to be together, but that escape will come at a price that must be weighed: their own happiness or the well-being of others? I found this one to be fairly enjoyable with creative if sometimes confusing sci-fi elements. I wish we knew more about the earlier relationship of the couple. We’re thrown into the action of escape which makes it difficult to be emotionally invested in whether they are together or not. That said, this was fun and more in line with what I was expecting from Strange Waters.
Roanoke by J.E. Purrazi: 4.5 stars
I have read other work by this author and one of her strengths is definitely writing compelling action scenes that are easy to follow and keep you on the edge of your seat! Roanoke is no exception. In this story, a girl out of time is on a mission of peace to a colony on a distant planet with a brutal environment. She must battle the elements to reach the colony in time to save them from destruction. The story is inventive, and vividly depicted with engaging action. I was left wanting more. This feels like a small slice of a larger whole.
Kamynosa’s Labyrinth by Beth Wangler: 4 stars
A short story set in a larger world, Kamynosa’s Labyrinth is a fun, romantic romp about a girl determined to prove she can lead her people by winning a competition for her hand in marriage, thereby winning her freedom from forced marriage. But along the way she must decide what to do with an intriguing captain. This has a great message about marriage as a partnership and the strength that can come from it.
Barnaby Brown & The Glass Sea by E.B. Dawson: 3 stars
I had mixed feelings on this one. The writing itself is well-executed and parts of the story are really interesting, with a quirky professor and a portal to another world. On the other hand, this definitely reads like a thinly veiled promotion of Creationism and a young earth, in opposition to science demonstrating an older age of the earth. As someone who is married to a scientist and subscribes to theistic evolution (assuming an old earth and God as creator through the process of evolution) I didn’t love that aspect of it. Your mileage may vary depending on your views, but it’s pretty clear that’s what is intended.
Through the Lens by K.L.+Pierce: 2.5 stars
Through the Lens follows a boy infiltrating a military base to get the lens he needs to make a telescope as a gift for his sister. I had a hard time with this one because a lot of things never quite made sense to me. The explanation for why making this telescope was worth such a risk felt very weak and a lot of the world-building elements involving powers were not as well-explained as I would have liked. The main character also uses his power to mentally control a friend and while that is kind of brushed aside in the story, I was quite uncomfortable with it. Additionally, the explanation of the religion for this world feels a little too on the nose as a stand-in for Christianity and I prefer that to be more subtly woven into most of my speculative fiction. That said, it was interesting and there is some great messaging about the effects of bullying and not accepting those who are different.
Ric Vayne and the Curse of Ghoul Nebula by Kyle Robert Schultz: 3.5 stars
This felt a little bit like a sci-fi,fantasy, western mash-up with a cocky hero, a dramatic villain, and plenty of action. Ric Vayne wakes up to realize his consciousness has been placed inside a space ship and he is being forced to pilot into the dangerous Ghoul Nebula with only an unassuming slave girl as an ally. This was for the most part fun and inventive, although the villain could have done with a bit more nuance and perhaps the hero could have ASKED before kissing the slave girl at the end.
The Underground by Janelle Garrett: 5 stars
The Underground is a compelling and at times chilling tale that makes me want to read other works set in this world! There are creepy body-stealing lizards, mysterious magic, and siblings trying to save each other. I don't want to say much more, but I thoroughly enjoyed this story and was left wanting to know more. Very solid sci-fi story with an interesting world and characters.
This Pain Inside by Hannah Heath: 5 stars
Perhaps my favorite story in this entire collection, This Pain Inside takes place in a world where humans have been forced to live underwater, battling the destructive force of Poison with a mysterious magic known as Ne. It is also an own voices story about living with chronic pain and I deeply felt every moment of it. Charlie lives with excruciating pain, constantly seeking a cure and believing herself to be a failure. But perhaps her battle with pain is exactly what has prepared her to be the hero her people and her family need. This was emotionally devastating and beautiful. Highly recommend.
ebdawson's review
5.0
Unlike Stealing Life, Stealing Freedom takes place in New York and centers on an entirely new character (although there is a reference to Harvest and Ameonna). Koya is a lonely, complicated character and you can’t help but root for him. He’s been abused, manipulated, and had just about everything stolen from him. But he’s found a relative amount of safety in the U.S. since it is one of the few countries that does not have Corporations. All that could change if a certain Bill passes in Congress. Bakemono has all but convinced the American public that they are the best option for scientific research and weapons development, successfully hiding their dark secrets. Koya might get the chance to let people know the truth. But can he really trust the people he’s working with?
A lot of us carry pain, burdens, and insecurities much like Koya, but we are able to hide it. Emotional scars don’t show on the surface. But one of the things I love about Koya is that he can’t hide his scars. His physical alterations are blatantly obvious. They set him apart from everyone around him, screaming “Different!” It’s no wonder that Koya carries around the burden of being different. He cannot find peace or freedom because he is so mentally and emotionally crippled.
This theme struck a real chord with me. I have struggled with always feeling different. I grew up in a different country and had a very different childhood than most people. I don’t always get American references. I once had a supervisor who decided it was funny how different I was and decided to make it an ongoing joke. He thought it was hilarious. I rarely did. It made me feel exposed as if I would never belong anywhere. I did not expect this story to bring this out in me.
There is so much more to this story than just a kid with emotional baggage. True to form, J.E. Purrazzi includes a breathtaking action sequence, thought-provoking world building, and intriguing science fiction elements. It’s a fascinating escape into a futuristic world and a rich character study.
A lot of us carry pain, burdens, and insecurities much like Koya, but we are able to hide it. Emotional scars don’t show on the surface. But one of the things I love about Koya is that he can’t hide his scars. His physical alterations are blatantly obvious. They set him apart from everyone around him, screaming “Different!” It’s no wonder that Koya carries around the burden of being different. He cannot find peace or freedom because he is so mentally and emotionally crippled.
This theme struck a real chord with me. I have struggled with always feeling different. I grew up in a different country and had a very different childhood than most people. I don’t always get American references. I once had a supervisor who decided it was funny how different I was and decided to make it an ongoing joke. He thought it was hilarious. I rarely did. It made me feel exposed as if I would never belong anywhere. I did not expect this story to bring this out in me.
There is so much more to this story than just a kid with emotional baggage. True to form, J.E. Purrazzi includes a breathtaking action sequence, thought-provoking world building, and intriguing science fiction elements. It’s a fascinating escape into a futuristic world and a rich character study.
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