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kathydavie's review
4.0
An anthology of three short stories for young adults revolving around a theme of being stranded.
The Stories
James Alan Gardner's "A Host of Leeches" is an odd mix of science fiction, paranoia, and the cartoonish. I definitely could see a Saturday morning cartoon based on this, although the audience is more likely to be conspiracy theorists.
Alyssa is the lucky one, the one experimented upon in a secret space station where plague victims were sent. She's also the unlucky one as she seems to be the only living being in the entire complex. Until she can find Balla, her Dolphin aut. Then it's two against the, well, world?
Good point. People thinking up all the bad things they'd do to others and automatically assuming that's what their enemies are planning to do to them. Doesn't say much about us. Or them.
This story feels as though it could be a prequel for a series. I want to give it a "3" because it's just too juvenile in how Gardner writes the story, but it rates a "4" for its ingenuity. Which means a "3.5" in the ratings.
Anne Bishop's "A Strand in the Web" is a sad look at what our future could be if we don't pay attention and care for the environment in which we currently live.
"It also showed that there was no room for ego in the work we were choosing to do." I also like Bishop's message that we are only one strand in the web of our world.
This is definitely a "5", and I'd love to read future stories about this new effort at building a world. Bishop delivers her environmental message consistently and well. I did love the obvious connection between the comment on ego and Dermi and Fallah's stupid reasons. Bishop wrote a great story without being condescending or cartoonish.
Anthony Francis' "Stranded" is a gender-divided Lord of the Flies with teenaged idiots. Ego- and hormone-driven nitwits who finally have to work together or die.
They and Serendipity Saint George collide when their ship crashes and she's just claimed the moon where they crashed. The crew is still fighting amongst themselves and Serendipity has her knowledge of history and the success/failure rate of human colonies, centuries of centaur philosophy and her grandmother's training.
Francis certainly has an imagination and he's certainly creative which rates it a "4"; however, I give it a "3" because I think he handled it clumsily at the start nor does he deliver his message very well. So, another "3.5".
The Title
The title is the theme for these three stories: Stranded. Whether its in fear, absolution, or a desire to prove oneself.
The Stories
James Alan Gardner's "A Host of Leeches" is an odd mix of science fiction, paranoia, and the cartoonish. I definitely could see a Saturday morning cartoon based on this, although the audience is more likely to be conspiracy theorists.
Alyssa is the lucky one, the one experimented upon in a secret space station where plague victims were sent. She's also the unlucky one as she seems to be the only living being in the entire complex. Until she can find Balla, her Dolphin aut. Then it's two against the, well, world?
Good point. People thinking up all the bad things they'd do to others and automatically assuming that's what their enemies are planning to do to them. Doesn't say much about us. Or them.
This story feels as though it could be a prequel for a series. I want to give it a "3" because it's just too juvenile in how Gardner writes the story, but it rates a "4" for its ingenuity. Which means a "3.5" in the ratings.
Anne Bishop's "A Strand in the Web" is a sad look at what our future could be if we don't pay attention and care for the environment in which we currently live.
"It also showed that there was no room for ego in the work we were choosing to do." I also like Bishop's message that we are only one strand in the web of our world.
This is definitely a "5", and I'd love to read future stories about this new effort at building a world. Bishop delivers her environmental message consistently and well. I did love the obvious connection between the comment on ego and Dermi and Fallah's stupid reasons. Bishop wrote a great story without being condescending or cartoonish.
Anthony Francis' "Stranded" is a gender-divided Lord of the Flies with teenaged idiots. Ego- and hormone-driven nitwits who finally have to work together or die.
They and Serendipity Saint George collide when their ship crashes and she's just claimed the moon where they crashed. The crew is still fighting amongst themselves and Serendipity has her knowledge of history and the success/failure rate of human colonies, centuries of centaur philosophy and her grandmother's training.
Francis certainly has an imagination and he's certainly creative which rates it a "4"; however, I give it a "3" because I think he handled it clumsily at the start nor does he deliver his message very well. So, another "3.5".
The Title
The title is the theme for these three stories: Stranded. Whether its in fear, absolution, or a desire to prove oneself.
diaryofthebookdragon's review
4.0
Stranded is an anthology containing three science fiction stories featuring young adult protagonists (16 years or so) who are stranded in space and placed in charge of their fate. Without condescending to the age group, we are given a moral message of right vs. wrong and how our actions influence not only our lives but the world around us too.
A Host Of Leeches
This story has a promising start. Alyssa wakes up after getting sick in an unknown hospital without memory how she got there. As she explores unknown space station populated with robots instead of people, we get to learn about what happened to her.
There are a lot of robots in this story: small, large, smart, slow, hostile, motherly, ... I am a fan of robots since R2D2 beeped those cute sentences from screen to me, so I enjoyed reading about them. Their antics and sometimes weird sense of logic always make me smile. My favorite was Og. He was the cutest of them all (ignore the fact that he is a giant doom machine).
James Alan Gardner did a great job writing this story. There are a lot of twists - some surprising and some not so surprising - but they make you read this story in a blink of an eye.
A Strand In the Web
Before this book, I only read books written by Anne Bishop. She and I have an ongoing love/hate relationship. I love her Black Jewels trilogy and hate her Ephemera series. So I did not know what to expect when I started reading her debut story to science fiction genre. Will I like it or not?
The answer is yes, this was a good story. We follow young Willow as she struggles with usual teenager problems: school assignments gone wrong, jealousy from class mates and project that is too complex for her to do it by herself. Also, we learn about scary (but possible?) future of Earth inhabitants if we do not take care about our planet better.
Stranded
This was the last story and for me the hardest to read. I was excited when I read the summary. How many science fiction stories are there that feature young genetically engineered centauress? But unfortunately Anthony Francis has a style of writing that I found very hard to read. There are so many unknown terms and invented words in his sentences, crammed and unfinished ideas and plot elements, that my brain simply could not process all that and enjoy in the same time. This feels more like a draft for a novel than a fully developed novella.
But if we disregard that, this story is very interesting and original and it discusses some very serious subjects like gender equality and homophobia.
Disclaimer: I was given a free ebook by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. This text is also posted on Amazon and my blog.
A Host Of Leeches
This story has a promising start. Alyssa wakes up after getting sick in an unknown hospital without memory how she got there. As she explores unknown space station populated with robots instead of people, we get to learn about what happened to her.
There are a lot of robots in this story: small, large, smart, slow, hostile, motherly, ... I am a fan of robots since R2D2 beeped those cute sentences from screen to me, so I enjoyed reading about them. Their antics and sometimes weird sense of logic always make me smile. My favorite was Og. He was the cutest of them all (ignore the fact that he is a giant doom machine).
James Alan Gardner did a great job writing this story. There are a lot of twists - some surprising and some not so surprising - but they make you read this story in a blink of an eye.
A Strand In the Web
Before this book, I only read books written by Anne Bishop. She and I have an ongoing love/hate relationship. I love her Black Jewels trilogy and hate her Ephemera series. So I did not know what to expect when I started reading her debut story to science fiction genre. Will I like it or not?
The answer is yes, this was a good story. We follow young Willow as she struggles with usual teenager problems: school assignments gone wrong, jealousy from class mates and project that is too complex for her to do it by herself. Also, we learn about scary (but possible?) future of Earth inhabitants if we do not take care about our planet better.
Stranded
This was the last story and for me the hardest to read. I was excited when I read the summary. How many science fiction stories are there that feature young genetically engineered centauress? But unfortunately Anthony Francis has a style of writing that I found very hard to read. There are so many unknown terms and invented words in his sentences, crammed and unfinished ideas and plot elements, that my brain simply could not process all that and enjoy in the same time. This feels more like a draft for a novel than a fully developed novella.
But if we disregard that, this story is very interesting and original and it discusses some very serious subjects like gender equality and homophobia.
Disclaimer: I was given a free ebook by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. This text is also posted on Amazon and my blog.
taisie22's review
fast-paced
4.0
As always with anthologies, you get a mixed bag. I bought this one because of the Anne Bishop story, and it didn't disappoint. The idea of Restorers rebuilding lost worlds in reparation for worlds destroyed in the past is excellent, and I loved the execution here. This story could be expanded into a full book or even a series.
A Host of Leeches was intriguing and well-written. I felt that this was a story that could have benefited by being expanded, but I enjoyed the idea of the war robots dealing with the aliens that they invited in the first place.
Like others, I couldn't get into the last story, Stranded. The Lord-of-the-Flies teenagers vs. the adventuress Centauress didn't work for me as well.
A Host of Leeches was intriguing and well-written. I felt that this was a story that could have benefited by being expanded, but I enjoyed the idea of the war robots dealing with the aliens that they invited in the first place.
Like others, I couldn't get into the last story, Stranded. The Lord-of-the-Flies teenagers vs. the adventuress Centauress didn't work for me as well.
pamwinkler's review
3.0
A Host of Leeches by James Alan Gardner was really good.
I also really liked A Strand in the Web by Anne Bishop. I fell out of love with her Black Jewels series, but she's still a good author.
I didn't get far through Stranded by Anthony Francis, it just didn't appeal to me very much.
I also really liked A Strand in the Web by Anne Bishop. I fell out of love with her Black Jewels series, but she's still a good author.
I didn't get far through Stranded by Anthony Francis, it just didn't appeal to me very much.
tacuazin's review
3.0
I liked Anne Bishop's story, A Strand in the Web, so 3 stars.
I didn't read the other two, shorter stories.
I didn't read the other two, shorter stories.
shai3d's review
4.0
I don't tend to read many compilations of short stories or novella simply because I prefer a longer length for my books. This gives the author much more room for character development and I don't have to say goodbye to new friends quite as quickly. That being said when I saw that Anne Bishop was trying her hand at science fiction I just couldn't resist.
I found that I really enjoyed A Strand In The Web and A Host Of Leeches. The main characters were easy to relate to and the stories themselves were ones that tugged at my heart strings. Both stories while being science fiction focused more on the human side of the equation even if the humanity shows up in robots as in A Host Of Leeches. I really can't decide just which one I preferred more.
Stranded was my least favorite of the stories as it was 'harder' science fiction with more focus being on the science. I also found it difficult to relate to any of the characters in the story. It was very well written though and I am sure that other readers will find it to be their favorite.
I do recommend this book to any readers that enjoy science fiction. I found it suitable to readers of all ages even though the protagonists in each tale are teenagers. I rate this book a 3.7.
I found that I really enjoyed A Strand In The Web and A Host Of Leeches. The main characters were easy to relate to and the stories themselves were ones that tugged at my heart strings. Both stories while being science fiction focused more on the human side of the equation even if the humanity shows up in robots as in A Host Of Leeches. I really can't decide just which one I preferred more.
Stranded was my least favorite of the stories as it was 'harder' science fiction with more focus being on the science. I also found it difficult to relate to any of the characters in the story. It was very well written though and I am sure that other readers will find it to be their favorite.
I do recommend this book to any readers that enjoy science fiction. I found it suitable to readers of all ages even though the protagonists in each tale are teenagers. I rate this book a 3.7.
michelledances's review
4.0
As with any collection of short stories, parts of this book are better than others. Anne Bishop's story is definitely the best of the three, with the last story in the book being the one I enjoyed the least.
duplica123's review
3.0
Eh. It was OK. The first story, A Host of Leeches by James Alan Gardner was my favorite. A Strand in the Web by Anne Bishop was why I bought the book, I love her Black Jewels books. This story was good, but predictable. Stranded by Anthony Francis was just confusing. There were too many new ideas crammed into one small story, poorly developed characters, and the overarching morals were not well incorporated into the plot. If the moral was the point, then the plot was not written well around it.
Overall, a fast read and nice to add for someone who already likes Anne Bishop. I've never heard of the other two authors. I will look up other works by them, but only James Alan Gardner's story really inspires me to read more by either of them. I did like the forwards by the authors describing how they got their ideas; origins are always interesting to me.
Overall, a fast read and nice to add for someone who already likes Anne Bishop. I've never heard of the other two authors. I will look up other works by them, but only James Alan Gardner's story really inspires me to read more by either of them. I did like the forwards by the authors describing how they got their ideas; origins are always interesting to me.
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