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duesenklipper's review
5.0
A wonderful collection of stories, each unique in its own way. Several had settings and ideas that were completely new, at least to me. Very entertaining and interesting to read.
beanart's review
4.0
An unusual and pleasant book with a fresh perspective amid all our dystopian SF. These are space operas but not a space opera for grandiose. no not at all. stories of particular note are Containment; Lulu Ad Inifintitum; 2092
lenoreo's review
4.0
This was a fantastic selection of short stories -- a wide variety of topics addressed, and usually with very strong heroines. Some stories were geared more towards avid readers of sci-fi, but there were some that were accessible to even a light sci-fi reader such as myself.
Containment by Susan Kaye Quinn
4.5 stars -- It took me a bit to get into the world and get past the jargon (I'm not a typical sci-fi reader), but once I did I was totally sucked in. Smart and compelling, I really ended up feeling for the narrator -- going through all the emotions with him/her/it. Beautifully told.
Nos Morituri Te Salutamus by Annie Bellet
4 stars -- fast paced and action packed! I received just enough glimpses of each character (through the narrators eyes) to really feel for them as they attempted to complete their mission. Vivid descriptions of the aliens -- enough to creep me out.
Protocol A235 by Theresa Kay
4 stars -- epically intriguing, left me wanting more. My brain attempted to figure out some of the math, and that led me down a dangerous path (if blah, then blah doesn't make sense), but that might have just been me. Great atmosphere, LOVED the concept of the story, and thought it was executed brilliantly. For such a short story, I immediately fell in "like" with the spunky narrator, Beth.
Winner Takes All by Elle Casey
2.5 stars -- I prefer reading about characters that I personally like, and I just couldn't get behind Langlade in this book...there wasn't a lot about him that was all the redeemable. I mean, he wasn't a villain or anything, he just...I don't know. I doubt we were supposed to really feel for him, but I tend to like books more if I can empathize with the hero/heroine.
Carindi by Jennifer Foehner Wells
4 stars -- Got a little lost in the jargon here and there (and my kindle dictionary did not want to confirm what a mantle was for example). Setting that aside though, this was an emotional journey. I enjoyed the uniqueness of Pio's alien form, and the little bits I could glean about how her race fit in with the Sectilians. It was a refreshingly unique and heartfelt story.
Animal Planet by Patrice Fitzgerald
3.5 stars -- Intiguing and full of mystery! It was fun to make guesses and see if they came true (and I did guess right eventually -- though I was probably supposed to figure it out right about then). Really enjoyed both sets of characters (Jane & Bryce and Roark & Curtis).
The Event by Autumn Kalquist
3 stars -- Intriguing, but equally confusing for me. It took me quite a bit to get a handle on what was happening (and I'm still not entirely sure on the bits before Zenith woke up). Once I did get a better handle on what was going on (or what I think was going on), I enjoyed the questions the story posed.
Dragonet by Sara Reine
4 stars -- Oooo!!! OK, so the first part of this left me a little overwhelmed. I think I'm just not an ideal sci-fi reader. The jargon and technical details leave me floundering. But I'm all about the characters, and I LOVED Aja. She was my kind of girl. I'm not good with all the wars and the killing, so I loved that Aja questioned things and felt empathy for her enemy. Definitely has me intrigued about the series that will follow....
Lulu Ad Infinitum by Ann Christy
3.5 stars -- lots of vivid detail (especially in the beginning)! An intriguing and realistic (in its slowness) take on exploring and creating new worlds to live on.
To Catch an Actor by Blair C. Babylon
3 stars -- Shorter, so didn't really have time to get to know either character. Very descriptive, probably to set the atmosphere, but it didn't really suck me in.
2092 by Rysa Walker
4.5 stars -- Engaging!! Course now it makes me want to finally read my copy of the first book in the CHRONOS series. I was sucked in right from the start -- really enjoyed the heroine, Mila. For a short story, I really felt like I understood who she was as a character, and she was given enough depth to make her interesting (and to make my heart cry for her). Enjoyed the other 2 major characters in the story too, even if one was a simulation. The ending just about broke my heart, and yet was so appropriate and perfect. Definitely my favourite story in the anthology. (though for the life of me the dates confused the heck out of me...I feel like I need someone to explain them)
I received a copy of this anthology in advance for review purposes!! Thanks so much!
Containment by Susan Kaye Quinn
4.5 stars -- It took me a bit to get into the world and get past the jargon (I'm not a typical sci-fi reader), but once I did I was totally sucked in. Smart and compelling, I really ended up feeling for the narrator -- going through all the emotions with him/her/it. Beautifully told.
Nos Morituri Te Salutamus by Annie Bellet
4 stars -- fast paced and action packed! I received just enough glimpses of each character (through the narrators eyes) to really feel for them as they attempted to complete their mission. Vivid descriptions of the aliens -- enough to creep me out.
Protocol A235 by Theresa Kay
4 stars -- epically intriguing, left me wanting more. My brain attempted to figure out some of the math, and that led me down a dangerous path (if blah, then blah doesn't make sense), but that might have just been me. Great atmosphere, LOVED the concept of the story, and thought it was executed brilliantly. For such a short story, I immediately fell in "like" with the spunky narrator, Beth.
Winner Takes All by Elle Casey
2.5 stars -- I prefer reading about characters that I personally like, and I just couldn't get behind Langlade in this book...there wasn't a lot about him that was all the redeemable. I mean, he wasn't a villain or anything, he just...I don't know. I doubt we were supposed to really feel for him, but I tend to like books more if I can empathize with the hero/heroine.
Carindi by Jennifer Foehner Wells
4 stars -- Got a little lost in the jargon here and there (and my kindle dictionary did not want to confirm what a mantle was for example). Setting that aside though, this was an emotional journey. I enjoyed the uniqueness of Pio's alien form, and the little bits I could glean about how her race fit in with the Sectilians. It was a refreshingly unique and heartfelt story.
Animal Planet by Patrice Fitzgerald
3.5 stars -- Intiguing and full of mystery! It was fun to make guesses and see if they came true (and I did guess right eventually -- though I was probably supposed to figure it out right about then). Really enjoyed both sets of characters (Jane & Bryce and Roark & Curtis).
The Event by Autumn Kalquist
3 stars -- Intriguing, but equally confusing for me. It took me quite a bit to get a handle on what was happening (and I'm still not entirely sure on the bits before Zenith woke up). Once I did get a better handle on what was going on (or what I think was going on), I enjoyed the questions the story posed.
Dragonet by Sara Reine
4 stars -- Oooo!!! OK, so the first part of this left me a little overwhelmed. I think I'm just not an ideal sci-fi reader. The jargon and technical details leave me floundering. But I'm all about the characters, and I LOVED Aja. She was my kind of girl. I'm not good with all the wars and the killing, so I loved that Aja questioned things and felt empathy for her enemy. Definitely has me intrigued about the series that will follow....
Lulu Ad Infinitum by Ann Christy
3.5 stars -- lots of vivid detail (especially in the beginning)! An intriguing and realistic (in its slowness) take on exploring and creating new worlds to live on.
To Catch an Actor by Blair C. Babylon
3 stars -- Shorter, so didn't really have time to get to know either character. Very descriptive, probably to set the atmosphere, but it didn't really suck me in.
2092 by Rysa Walker
4.5 stars -- Engaging!! Course now it makes me want to finally read my copy of the first book in the CHRONOS series. I was sucked in right from the start -- really enjoyed the heroine, Mila. For a short story, I really felt like I understood who she was as a character, and she was given enough depth to make her interesting (and to make my heart cry for her). Enjoyed the other 2 major characters in the story too, even if one was a simulation. The ending just about broke my heart, and yet was so appropriate and perfect. Definitely my favourite story in the anthology. (though for the life of me the dates confused the heck out of me...I feel like I need someone to explain them)
I received a copy of this anthology in advance for review purposes!! Thanks so much!
coolcurrybooks's review
3.0
Dark Beyond the Stars is an anthology of space opera short stories written by authors who were all new to me. The only one I’d heard of was Annie Bellet, who I believe writes urban fantasy. The collection came to my attention when there was some kerfuffle over the collection’s line up of all female authors, which some people were apparently upset about. However, sexist reviews tend to encourage me to read something more than dissuade me. Plus, look at that cover art by Julie Dillon! Isn’t it gorgeous?
While Dark Beyond the Stars was the mixed bag typical of anthologies, there were a number of stories I quite enjoyed.
Probably my favorite of the collection was “Containment” by Susan Kaye Quinn. I have a soft spot for robots gaining personhood, and this story was even more aligned with my interests – the robot was discovering art! The Mining Master of Thebes is all alone on a moon orbiting Jupiter, administering mechanized mining functions and overseeing the rare cases of tourism. But then the AI discovers a strange tower of rocks and searching for the mystery behind the tower unlocks hidden depths.
“Containment” was actually one of the happier stories in the collection. Overall, most of the stories had a fairly dark tone, and more often or not the endings were ambiguous as to the fate of their characters. Some of the stories were downright depressing.
One of the most emotional stories of the collection was “Carindi” by Jennifer Foehner Wells. Ei’Pio was taken from the ocean planet where she was born and enslaved aboard the spaceship of another species, her telekinetic powers used for navigation. When a plague strikes the ship there are only two survivors – Ei’Pio and Carindi, an alien child who’s precipitous grasp on life is due to the constant help of a full body armored suit. The heart wrenching bond between Ei’Pio and Carindi made this one of the most powerful stories of the collection.
Other stories that warrant praise include “Lulu ad Infinitum,” which had some fascinating ideas and a premise that begs expansion; “2092,” an unusual first contact story involving time travel; and “Dragonet,” which fulfills my love for dragons and invites comparisons to Anne McCaffrey.
Other stories left me cold. For instance, the twist of “Animal Planet” was easy to predict and the story ended up feeling one note. However, the only story I had significant issues with was “Winner Takes All” by Elle Casey. What the hell even was this story? The protagonist is a sexist asshole who enters into a gambling competition with a young woman who’s contribution to the pot is her virginity. There’s just so many problems with this. I really hate fetishization of virginity in the modern day, but why would such an attitude even be present in a completely different part of the galaxy in the far future! Even if you lay aside the complete grossness of the entire thing, there’s some serious world building issues there. If you’re going to read this collection, you’d do yourself a favor by skipping “Winner Takes All.”
Although Dark Beyond the Stars had its low points, on the whole it was a collection I enjoyed. I would recommend it for anyone who wants to get more familiar with some science fiction indie authors.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
While Dark Beyond the Stars was the mixed bag typical of anthologies, there were a number of stories I quite enjoyed.
Probably my favorite of the collection was “Containment” by Susan Kaye Quinn. I have a soft spot for robots gaining personhood, and this story was even more aligned with my interests – the robot was discovering art! The Mining Master of Thebes is all alone on a moon orbiting Jupiter, administering mechanized mining functions and overseeing the rare cases of tourism. But then the AI discovers a strange tower of rocks and searching for the mystery behind the tower unlocks hidden depths.
“Containment” was actually one of the happier stories in the collection. Overall, most of the stories had a fairly dark tone, and more often or not the endings were ambiguous as to the fate of their characters. Some of the stories were downright depressing.
One of the most emotional stories of the collection was “Carindi” by Jennifer Foehner Wells. Ei’Pio was taken from the ocean planet where she was born and enslaved aboard the spaceship of another species, her telekinetic powers used for navigation. When a plague strikes the ship there are only two survivors – Ei’Pio and Carindi, an alien child who’s precipitous grasp on life is due to the constant help of a full body armored suit. The heart wrenching bond between Ei’Pio and Carindi made this one of the most powerful stories of the collection.
Other stories that warrant praise include “Lulu ad Infinitum,” which had some fascinating ideas and a premise that begs expansion; “2092,” an unusual first contact story involving time travel; and “Dragonet,” which fulfills my love for dragons and invites comparisons to Anne McCaffrey.
Other stories left me cold. For instance, the twist of “Animal Planet” was easy to predict and the story ended up feeling one note. However, the only story I had significant issues with was “Winner Takes All” by Elle Casey. What the hell even was this story? The protagonist is a sexist asshole who enters into a gambling competition with a young woman who’s contribution to the pot is her virginity. There’s just so many problems with this. I really hate fetishization of virginity in the modern day, but why would such an attitude even be present in a completely different part of the galaxy in the far future! Even if you lay aside the complete grossness of the entire thing, there’s some serious world building issues there. If you’re going to read this collection, you’d do yourself a favor by skipping “Winner Takes All.”
Although Dark Beyond the Stars had its low points, on the whole it was a collection I enjoyed. I would recommend it for anyone who wants to get more familiar with some science fiction indie authors.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
nonesensed's review against another edition
5.0
An over all very lovely and inspiring read! Two of the stories didn't click for me: Winner Takes All due to the main character being every toxic masculinity trope with rapist as the most prominent one and To Catch an Actor because of the story being mostly exposition - they weren't bad stories, mind you, just not my kind of stories. The rest I enjoyed and at times adored!
Containment dealt with machine sentience in a loving way that sent me on an emotional roller coaster. Nos Morituri Te Salutamus was action packed and sad. Protocol A235 was horrifying, which I'm sure it was meant to be. Carindi crushed me and made me want to read every story set in this universe (hoping for happiness for someone here!). Animal Planet felt like a good mixture of Star Trek and Black Mirror. The Event hit me right in the gut. Dragonet has dragons in space and inter-species communication and I want more! Lulu Ad Infinitum had me in deep though and curious about where that world might go. 2092 was also a quite emotional ride and made me want to learn more about The CHRONOS Files universe.
Oh, also the cover is gorgeous! Always love art by Julie Dillon <3
Containment dealt with machine sentience in a loving way that sent me on an emotional roller coaster. Nos Morituri Te Salutamus was action packed and sad. Protocol A235 was horrifying, which I'm sure it was meant to be. Carindi crushed me and made me want to read every story set in this universe (hoping for happiness for someone here!). Animal Planet felt like a good mixture of Star Trek and Black Mirror. The Event hit me right in the gut. Dragonet has dragons in space and inter-species communication and I want more! Lulu Ad Infinitum had me in deep though and curious about where that world might go. 2092 was also a quite emotional ride and made me want to learn more about The CHRONOS Files universe.
Oh, also the cover is gorgeous! Always love art by Julie Dillon <3
cnoeone's review
5.0
This anthology was awesome! It's amazing to see a collection of scifi stories entirely by women, particularly since a few of the authors were branching out from their normal genres. The book had a good mix of themes and writing styles. While I liked each of the stories, it was nice that if one wasn't necessarily my style (aka I wouldn't read an entire novel of it), they were short and I could move onto the next story quickly. There were a few stories that just tugged at my heart and a few that made me laugh out loud. I recommend picking it up if you enjoy scifi and would like to read a variety of stories in a short period of time.
milos_dumbraci's review
1.0
These stories are very beginner level (nothing new or memorable) ones, the kind of fiction amateur wannabe writers write in fanzines. None really terrible, but neither good. I have been avidly reading tons of scifi for more than 30 years and never heard of any of these authors: should have ringed a bell. The fact there are 12 authors and only 62 reviews, about all of them extatic (about 5 friends per author) should have ringed another. Well, my bad. Be warned and do not make the same mistake. There was one goodish story (containment) , but even that one went on too slowly for its own good.
PS. I did love the covers for the entire Beyond the Stars series, though: don't know who did them, but great work, congratulations!
PS. I did love the covers for the entire Beyond the Stars series, though: don't know who did them, but great work, congratulations!
jaybatson's review
4.0
Whoops - put the review in as a progress comment.... Repeating.
I'm not normally a short-story guy. But this was fun, because each author introduced a fun new space sci-fi idea, and the succession of them quickly was an attractive read. Plus, I found a new author I want to read more of!
I'm not normally a short-story guy. But this was fun, because each author introduced a fun new space sci-fi idea, and the succession of them quickly was an attractive read. Plus, I found a new author I want to read more of!
davecreek's review
4.0
DARK BEYOND THE STARS is an unexpected treat
So on Facebook awhile back, there was this guy lamenting that teh wimmens was ruining SF, and he was particularly incensed that a new anthology was out with nothin' but chicks in it, man. What's this world coming to?
Poor guy. I suppose he's only read poor sad excuses of SF writers like Ursula K. LeGuin, Octavia Butler, C.J. Cherryh, Lois McMaster Bujold . . . well, the list keeps going on, doesn't it?
But this alleged fan thought an all-female anthology was some kind of awful thing. I guess he never noticed the many, many anthologies where it's nothin' but dudes. Guess he just took that for granted.
But the great part about this fellow's rant was that I discovered the above-mentioned anthology, DARK BEYOND THE STARS, edited by David Gatewood. A lot of folks like our above-mentioned wimmen-intolerent "fan" say "it should just be about the stories, man!"
And so it is.
"Containment" by Susan Kaye Quinn has one of the better-drawn artificial intelligences I've read about in some time. The Mining Master of Thebe (a satellite of Jupiter) is a "machine-sourced intelligence" who checks out a mysterious situation that seems mundane at first but could lead to something transcendent.
Kudos to Quinn for finding something new in a genre that's seen everyone from ST:TNG's Data to Hal of 2001 exploring similar territory.
In "Lulu Ad Infinitum," Ann Christy relates the story of Lulu, a woman coping with the near-destruction of her spaceship, which is designed to terraform alien planets to resemble the Earth. But the disaster has left her without a crew. The title might give you a clue as to who comes to the rescue -- several times over!
Other authors take us to a stranded ship orbiting a red giant, a card game with a lot more at stake than usual, and plenty of other colorful scenarios. A pretty successful anthology, overall, and I'll eagerly await any other volumes in this series that might come along.
So on Facebook awhile back, there was this guy lamenting that teh wimmens was ruining SF, and he was particularly incensed that a new anthology was out with nothin' but chicks in it, man. What's this world coming to?
Poor guy. I suppose he's only read poor sad excuses of SF writers like Ursula K. LeGuin, Octavia Butler, C.J. Cherryh, Lois McMaster Bujold . . . well, the list keeps going on, doesn't it?
But this alleged fan thought an all-female anthology was some kind of awful thing. I guess he never noticed the many, many anthologies where it's nothin' but dudes. Guess he just took that for granted.
But the great part about this fellow's rant was that I discovered the above-mentioned anthology, DARK BEYOND THE STARS, edited by David Gatewood. A lot of folks like our above-mentioned wimmen-intolerent "fan" say "it should just be about the stories, man!"
And so it is.
"Containment" by Susan Kaye Quinn has one of the better-drawn artificial intelligences I've read about in some time. The Mining Master of Thebe (a satellite of Jupiter) is a "machine-sourced intelligence" who checks out a mysterious situation that seems mundane at first but could lead to something transcendent.
Kudos to Quinn for finding something new in a genre that's seen everyone from ST:TNG's Data to Hal of 2001 exploring similar territory.
In "Lulu Ad Infinitum," Ann Christy relates the story of Lulu, a woman coping with the near-destruction of her spaceship, which is designed to terraform alien planets to resemble the Earth. But the disaster has left her without a crew. The title might give you a clue as to who comes to the rescue -- several times over!
Other authors take us to a stranded ship orbiting a red giant, a card game with a lot more at stake than usual, and plenty of other colorful scenarios. A pretty successful anthology, overall, and I'll eagerly await any other volumes in this series that might come along.
bedneyauthor's review
4.0
A very enjoyable collection of short stories, although as a warning many of them have very sad endings.