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A review by editorbrenna
Community of Magic Pens by Robert Perez, Lawrence Miller, Gerri Leen, Minerva Cerridwen, Tlotlo Tsamaase, Vijay Varman, Ether Nepenthes, Z.Z. Claybourne, N.R. Lambert, Stella B. James, Elizabeth Shaffer, Holly Schofield, Lorraine Schein, Dawn Vogel, D.A. Xiaolin Spires, Robert Kingett, A. P. Howell, J.S. Bailey, Victoria Hollis, Lena Ng, Adam Kissel, Anthony W. Eichenlaub, Beth Goder, Andrew K Hoe, Ethan Hedman, E.D.E. Bell, Avery Montavon, M. Kaur, Nicole J. LeBoeuf, K. Alysee Simon, M. R. DeLuca, Jannae' Sifontes, Z. Ahmad, Jennifer Lee Rossman, Rai Rocca, Mikko Rauhala, Gustavo Bondoni, Ava Kelly, Kella Campbell, Joy Givens
4.0
I'd never really thought about pens other than as tools to write with. This collection of short stories gave me a whole new perspective.
Community of Magic Pens is a collection of forty short stories written by a cast of diverse authors. There are stories from all genres: science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, romance, satire, mystery, etc. and every story prominently features a pen in some way.
I find it difficult to review short story collections when each story is written by a different author. This collection had both highs and lows for me.
Some of the stories in this collection didn't grasp my attention, and I think the writing in a few of the stories could be improved. As a whole, though, this collection impressed me with the range of stories and imagination. I was particularly drawn to the speculative fiction stories because the worlds and characters in those stories were more refreshing to me in some ways.
I also appreciated the diversity of voices in the collection. The authors represent different sexualities, genders, abilities, races, and religions, and it was particularly satisfying to read pronouns other than "he" and "she."
The bite-sized stories in Community of Magic Pens makes it easy to pick up and put down, which is fantastic for on-the-go reading or for something small to break up the day. It's different from any short story collection I've read before, and I would definitely read it again.
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Release Date: May 4, 2020
Thank you NetGalley and Atthis Arts, LLC for the e-ARC!
Community of Magic Pens is a collection of forty short stories written by a cast of diverse authors. There are stories from all genres: science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, romance, satire, mystery, etc. and every story prominently features a pen in some way.
I find it difficult to review short story collections when each story is written by a different author. This collection had both highs and lows for me.
Some of the stories in this collection didn't grasp my attention, and I think the writing in a few of the stories could be improved. As a whole, though, this collection impressed me with the range of stories and imagination. I was particularly drawn to the speculative fiction stories because the worlds and characters in those stories were more refreshing to me in some ways.
I also appreciated the diversity of voices in the collection. The authors represent different sexualities, genders, abilities, races, and religions, and it was particularly satisfying to read pronouns other than "he" and "she."
The bite-sized stories in Community of Magic Pens makes it easy to pick up and put down, which is fantastic for on-the-go reading or for something small to break up the day. It's different from any short story collection I've read before, and I would definitely read it again.
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Release Date: May 4, 2020
Thank you NetGalley and Atthis Arts, LLC for the e-ARC!