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A review by beautifullybookishbethany
Strange Waters (A Phoenix Fiction Writers Anthology) by Kyle Robert Shultz, Hannah Heath, E.B. Dawson, Nate Philbrick, J.E. Purrazzi, C. Scott Frank, Janelle Garrett, K.L. + Pierce, Beth Wangler
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.