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Splashdown #1
Aquasynthesis
With short stories from Fred Warren, Caprice Hokstad, P.A. Baines, Adam Graham, R.L. Copple, Travis Perry, Mike Lynch, Keven Newsome, Kat Heckenbach, and Ryan Grabow.
aqua (n) - water, used in compound names, or substances in water.
synthesis (n) - The combining of elements into a unified entity.
aquasynthesis (n) - a combining of worlds within a pool of water; an anthology of short stories from Splashdown authors.
Gizile follows her mysterious teacher, Tok, as they look into the ice of an ocean pool to contemplate a series of strange and mystical astonishing tales of technology and transcendence, aliens and elves, space and time, dragons and demons, prophecies and scriptures, humor and horror, the gifted and the enslaved, virtual and supernatural reality, insanity and inspiration.
Dive into the creations of the Splashdown wordsmiths. Visit the edges of story worlds you love already, and taste their delights if you are new to Splashdown's universe.
aqua (n) - water, used in compound names, or substances in water.
synthesis (n) - The combining of elements into a unified entity.
aquasynthesis (n) - a combining of worlds within a pool of water; an anthology of short stories from Splashdown authors.
Gizile follows her mysterious teacher, Tok, as they look into the ice of an ocean pool to contemplate a series of strange and mystical astonishing tales of technology and transcendence, aliens and elves, space and time, dragons and demons, prophecies and scriptures, humor and horror, the gifted and the enslaved, virtual and supernatural reality, insanity and inspiration.
Dive into the creations of the Splashdown wordsmiths. Visit the edges of story worlds you love already, and taste their delights if you are new to Splashdown's universe.
218 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 28, 2011
1 person is currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Grace Bridges
63 books107 followersGrace Bridges is a geyser hunter, cat herder, editor and translator, and Kiwi. A former longtime president of writers' organisation SpecFicNZ and Chair of GeyserCon, New Zealand's 40th national science fiction and fantasy convention held in Rotorua in 2019, she is often found poking around geothermal sites or under a pile of rescued kittens. She is a two-time winner of the Sir Julius Vogel Award from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand, a founding member of Realm Makers, an editor and mentor for Young NZ Writers, and has edited dozens of published books including many anthology projects. Her own published books include Irish cyberpunk, a shared-world space opera project, and the Earthcore urban fantasy series based in New Zealand. More information and free stories at www.gracebridges.kiwi.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 18, 2014
Aquasynthesis is a collection of short stories from the authors at Splashdown Books. They range from a miracle-working ring, to learning sentient computers, to a Lucky Penny, to an obsession with ears, all tied together with short snippets from the viewpoint of a girl watching a pool of water freeze and melt.
If you think that sounds weird...well...it's speculative fiction.
Let me quickly review some of my favorite stories in the mix:
Dude by Kat Heckenbach: This story made me laugh so hard! It was a creative, non-traditional use of an elf and I loved it. This was easily my favorite story in the entire collection. Kat's two other stories, Between the Pages and The Artist, were also amazing. Her book, Finding Angel, is under contract, so I know it's one I have to get!
When the Game Became Too Real by Ryan Grabow: I. Need. Air. Gulp. An adrenaline-laced story with the protagonist stuck in virtual reality, based on his forthcoming novel, Caffiene. Yeah. I'm gonna need this book too.
The Kissing Part by Fred Warren: A companion story to his novel The Muse, this is a cute story that reminds me of something my little sister did to one of my stories once.
Summer Snaps: a deleted scene from Keven Newsome's Winter, the book that launched Darkwater, the supernatural imprint of Splashdown. It's a supernatural thriller about a Christian Goth named Winter who receives visions from God. I wasn't too sure about the book--I mean, Christian Goths? Really?--but reading the story made me interested. Add Winter to my must-buy pile.
The Unjust Judge by Adam Graham: The story about a man who refuses to mete out justice and a widowed alien who refuses to give up...sounds just like something the author of Tales of the Dim Knight would write. Serious and funny all at once, and an excellent story.
The Field Trip by P. A. Baines: Ha! A story about two aliens learning about earth...and the difference a comma can make. Oosha. (Oops.) ;)
Overall thoughts: Some of the stories were better-written than others, but all made me curious to check out the authors I haven't read before. For people concerned about content, most of the book is clean. One story (Bob by P. A. Baines) contains a mild cuss-word, and Caprice Hokstad's story Fettered Soul contains a little sensuality (but nothing happens, not even a kiss. Oh yeah, and I really like this story too. Add two more books to my "must-buy" pile.). Aquasynthesis should be fine for those over 16.
If you like Christian speculative fiction and want a book you can read in short snippets, I'd definitely recommend Aquasynthesis. It will give you a good introduction to the fan-tabulous authors at Splashdown!
If you think that sounds weird...well...it's speculative fiction.
Let me quickly review some of my favorite stories in the mix:
Dude by Kat Heckenbach: This story made me laugh so hard! It was a creative, non-traditional use of an elf and I loved it. This was easily my favorite story in the entire collection. Kat's two other stories, Between the Pages and The Artist, were also amazing. Her book, Finding Angel, is under contract, so I know it's one I have to get!
When the Game Became Too Real by Ryan Grabow: I. Need. Air. Gulp. An adrenaline-laced story with the protagonist stuck in virtual reality, based on his forthcoming novel, Caffiene. Yeah. I'm gonna need this book too.
The Kissing Part by Fred Warren: A companion story to his novel The Muse, this is a cute story that reminds me of something my little sister did to one of my stories once.
Summer Snaps: a deleted scene from Keven Newsome's Winter, the book that launched Darkwater, the supernatural imprint of Splashdown. It's a supernatural thriller about a Christian Goth named Winter who receives visions from God. I wasn't too sure about the book--I mean, Christian Goths? Really?--but reading the story made me interested. Add Winter to my must-buy pile.
The Unjust Judge by Adam Graham: The story about a man who refuses to mete out justice and a widowed alien who refuses to give up...sounds just like something the author of Tales of the Dim Knight would write. Serious and funny all at once, and an excellent story.
The Field Trip by P. A. Baines: Ha! A story about two aliens learning about earth...and the difference a comma can make. Oosha. (Oops.) ;)
Overall thoughts: Some of the stories were better-written than others, but all made me curious to check out the authors I haven't read before. For people concerned about content, most of the book is clean. One story (Bob by P. A. Baines) contains a mild cuss-word, and Caprice Hokstad's story Fettered Soul contains a little sensuality (but nothing happens, not even a kiss. Oh yeah, and I really like this story too. Add two more books to my "must-buy" pile.). Aquasynthesis should be fine for those over 16.
If you like Christian speculative fiction and want a book you can read in short snippets, I'd definitely recommend Aquasynthesis. It will give you a good introduction to the fan-tabulous authors at Splashdown!
August 3, 2011
Some lessons are harder than others. That’s what Gizile learns when her terse instructor takes her to a small pool of frigid water on a rocky coast. Story after story plays by, teaching her truths that are sometimes obvious, sometimes hidden, and often not what she wants to hear.
Aquasynthesis is a collection of short stories by all the authors of Splashdown Books. The individual stories range the whole gamut of the speculative fiction arena. Each gives insight human nature, and not always the pretty side. Greatness is squashed for the sake of convenience. Crazy alien kids go on a field trip. Victory is achieved through sacrifice. Some people prefer to live in their ignorance.
The stories are well-written and intensely fascinating. There’s a great deal of humor mixed in with the lessons Gizile is learning including one-liners, puns, and wild circumstances.
The stories are bound together by the narrative of Gizile and her teacher, Tok. As that particular story continues throughout the book, we see further into Gizile’s life and find out what Tok wants her to overcome. The lesson is an important one for us all.
So look into the water and learn.
August 24, 2018
Aquasynthesis is a collection of short speculative stories. They run the gauntlet from science fiction to fantasy with a couple that I call "are they crazy?" Genre. The random nature of the stories is tied together with a brilliant framing story.
I really love anthologies that use this format. The most famos example being Bradbury's The Illustrated Man. Gizile is a young woman with a lot to think about. Luckily her mentor knows of a magic pool that will show her what she needs to see.
But is she ready to watch and learn the lessions of aquasynthesis?
Written by the various authors of Splashdown books, and featuring stories that tie into many of Splashdown's publications, aquasynthesis has something that is sure to make a splash.
I really love anthologies that use this format. The most famos example being Bradbury's The Illustrated Man. Gizile is a young woman with a lot to think about. Luckily her mentor knows of a magic pool that will show her what she needs to see.
But is she ready to watch and learn the lessions of aquasynthesis?
Written by the various authors of Splashdown books, and featuring stories that tie into many of Splashdown's publications, aquasynthesis has something that is sure to make a splash.
September 23, 2012
The connecting framework doesn't really work so well since the stories are too different from one another to work, but the collection is an interesting introduction to a Christian press and its authors.
Aquasynthesis is a collection of short stories by authors from Splashdown Books, a small Christian science fiction and fantasy press. The setting is a wise old mentor commenting on visions that he and his pupil see, and it is used as the framework to connect a wide variety of tales both SF and fantasy. There's a wide variety of stories, but most of the book tends to feel like soft fifties-ish SF inspired tales. As another reviewer mentioned, somewhat like the Twilight Zone or the Outer Limits: short tales that tend to have twists and sort of a retro feel to them.
The framing device unfortunately doesn't work so well, as you expect more of a coherent anthology around a shared world, like their upcoming Avenir Eclectica. But from the first story in the book, you realize the two watchers are just that, watchers. Their comments are brief, but I wound up skipping over them since there was no possible way they could be affected by the stories themselves.
The stories aren't bad. They tend to the short side, and the quality is mixed. Some are pretty well done: Kat Heckenbach's selections are pretty good, but almost everyone has at least one good story in the selection. Travis Perry's "Old Saint Nick," about a couple of VR players who encounter the true spirit of Christmas, I think is a good example of the kind of story you'll find in the book: earnest, feels a little dated and retro, but interesting and with a good heart. The Christianity depending on the author can be implicit, or explicit, but the explicit isn't that bad- Adam Graham's "The Unjust Judge" recasts a biblical parable into a retro-ish sf tale with some nice humor to it.
There's a couple issues though. Some stories are inspired by the author's existing novels. Keven Newsome's Winter has a side story, and while it's good, Winter is more paranormal fiction and feels a little out of place. There's one story, Fettered Soul by Caprice Hokstad, which feels REALLY out of place, as it concerns a young girl sold into slavery. It's another story based on a novel, but it reads like Sharon Green's The Warrior Within. While this one is clean, there's some submissive undertones that make it read more like master/servant romance than anything.
It's a good introduction to a host of new authors, and a good value. recommend it, but if you are into hard or edgy science fiction, it's less of a draw.
Aquasynthesis is a collection of short stories by authors from Splashdown Books, a small Christian science fiction and fantasy press. The setting is a wise old mentor commenting on visions that he and his pupil see, and it is used as the framework to connect a wide variety of tales both SF and fantasy. There's a wide variety of stories, but most of the book tends to feel like soft fifties-ish SF inspired tales. As another reviewer mentioned, somewhat like the Twilight Zone or the Outer Limits: short tales that tend to have twists and sort of a retro feel to them.
The framing device unfortunately doesn't work so well, as you expect more of a coherent anthology around a shared world, like their upcoming Avenir Eclectica. But from the first story in the book, you realize the two watchers are just that, watchers. Their comments are brief, but I wound up skipping over them since there was no possible way they could be affected by the stories themselves.
The stories aren't bad. They tend to the short side, and the quality is mixed. Some are pretty well done: Kat Heckenbach's selections are pretty good, but almost everyone has at least one good story in the selection. Travis Perry's "Old Saint Nick," about a couple of VR players who encounter the true spirit of Christmas, I think is a good example of the kind of story you'll find in the book: earnest, feels a little dated and retro, but interesting and with a good heart. The Christianity depending on the author can be implicit, or explicit, but the explicit isn't that bad- Adam Graham's "The Unjust Judge" recasts a biblical parable into a retro-ish sf tale with some nice humor to it.
There's a couple issues though. Some stories are inspired by the author's existing novels. Keven Newsome's Winter has a side story, and while it's good, Winter is more paranormal fiction and feels a little out of place. There's one story, Fettered Soul by Caprice Hokstad, which feels REALLY out of place, as it concerns a young girl sold into slavery. It's another story based on a novel, but it reads like Sharon Green's The Warrior Within. While this one is clean, there's some submissive undertones that make it read more like master/servant romance than anything.
It's a good introduction to a host of new authors, and a good value. recommend it, but if you are into hard or edgy science fiction, it's less of a draw.
October 5, 2013
Tok is mentoring Gizile and decided she needs some supplemental teaching. He takes her to a cold beach to watch a freezing tide pool. As the waves crash in and freeze over and create a fantasy viewer. Gizile watches each scene and tries to decipher what she is supposed to learn.
If you want to learn what Splashdown Books is about, this seems like a good place to start. The stories include allegory, medieval fantasy, and science fiction. While the connective thread is stretched a bit through the stories, it is a great way to sample several authors. It certainly helped me organize my to-read list.
If you want to learn what Splashdown Books is about, this seems like a good place to start. The stories include allegory, medieval fantasy, and science fiction. While the connective thread is stretched a bit through the stories, it is a great way to sample several authors. It certainly helped me organize my to-read list.
August 29, 2011
Aquasynthesis is one of the most unique books I've read in a long time. I think the very platform they used with this book (combining so many authors and short stories together) is a sort of reflection of their philosophy on teamwork. They all support one another and give their best efforts toward the common goal of publishing great writing.
The goal or theme of the book was for Gizile (and us) to learn a lesson. The stories were very creative and often humorous and touching. I know we can look forward to wonderful things from Splashdown Books in the future.
The goal or theme of the book was for Gizile (and us) to learn a lesson. The stories were very creative and often humorous and touching. I know we can look forward to wonderful things from Splashdown Books in the future.
June 20, 2012
This is a short story anthology whose stories are connected by the frame narrative of Gizele and her mentor Tok. The stories have a bit of a Twilight Zone flavor but also feature nuggets of spiritual truth and a Christian worldview. As in any other anthology, readers will prefer some stories to others, but all of them are enjoyable reads.
April 29, 2014
This was an excellent collection of imaginative stories from various authors. Entertaining, and fabulously written, the stories include fantasy, speculative and science-fiction. I look forward to purchasing works from many of these authors.
December 10, 2011
Christian Speculative fiction- gotta love it! Easy to read short stories, clean, clear and concise. Not pedantic or didactic.
April 29, 2012
I'm giving this 3 1/2 stars. A few great stories. Most better than average, but a handful that didn't grab me for one reason or another.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews