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Continuum: Fables of the Fallen
Fables of the Fallen is the first installment of the Continuum Series. Published by a college writer's group, these six Fantasy/ Sci-fi stories explore the depth of true fallen heroes. Join a Legend Slayer, Mind Reader, Ghostwalker, Mage, and a Medieval Soldier with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in these truly fantastical tales. One of our writers won an honorable mention for the Writers of the Future contest. There is no triumph without the fall.
NIght Wolves:
Join a small boy as he defends his home from dark forces with the help of a Legend Slayer
Fragile Innocence:
Told from the perspective of a small girl, follow a futuristic crime unit that makes sinister use of new thought provoking technology
Shadowbreak:
Join Hald Baldersson, the Ghostwalker on his epic journey
Flesh and Metal:
Told from the perspective of Søren Weber, a futuristic historian diagnosed with the deadly disease, Virus-79
Virtuoso:
"Hence it is not enough to put one’s trust in the tethering of horses, and the burying of chariot wheels in the ground.
—The Art of War, chapter 11, paragraph 31"
The Tragedy of Carth Giator:
Told from the perspective of an army Lieutenant with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, join Carth "Carn" Giator as he battles against his own mind.
NIght Wolves:
Join a small boy as he defends his home from dark forces with the help of a Legend Slayer
Fragile Innocence:
Told from the perspective of a small girl, follow a futuristic crime unit that makes sinister use of new thought provoking technology
Shadowbreak:
Join Hald Baldersson, the Ghostwalker on his epic journey
Flesh and Metal:
Told from the perspective of Søren Weber, a futuristic historian diagnosed with the deadly disease, Virus-79
Virtuoso:
"Hence it is not enough to put one’s trust in the tethering of horses, and the burying of chariot wheels in the ground.
—The Art of War, chapter 11, paragraph 31"
The Tragedy of Carth Giator:
Told from the perspective of an army Lieutenant with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, join Carth "Carn" Giator as he battles against his own mind.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 22, 2012
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 9, 2013
This is a science fiction anthology written by six college writers and this is the first in the series. Lost legends, space life and fallen heroes are explored further in each of the six short stories.
This book is a fantastic science fiction read. Each story is told from a different point of view, set in different aspects of time and space, yet each story is connected in the inner demons and trials of the main characters. There are a few grammar errors in a couple of the stories, but the rest of the short stories demonstrate excellent writing. Several of the stories end with cliff-hangers that will leave readers desperate to continue the series. Each of these writers have a gift for writing science fiction tales and each of them will have new fans from the readers of this book. A must read for all science fiction fans.
I enjoyed reading this anthology. I liked getting a taste of each of the talented writers' styles, however I am disappointed that these stories ended so quickly. I hope that these tales are picked up in the next anthology or at least they are prequels to novels.
Notes:
A copy of this book was provided for me to review. To learn more about this book and the authors, please visit their website.
This review was originally posted on my website, Ariesgrl Book Reviews at http://ariesgrlreview.com
This book is a fantastic science fiction read. Each story is told from a different point of view, set in different aspects of time and space, yet each story is connected in the inner demons and trials of the main characters. There are a few grammar errors in a couple of the stories, but the rest of the short stories demonstrate excellent writing. Several of the stories end with cliff-hangers that will leave readers desperate to continue the series. Each of these writers have a gift for writing science fiction tales and each of them will have new fans from the readers of this book. A must read for all science fiction fans.
I enjoyed reading this anthology. I liked getting a taste of each of the talented writers' styles, however I am disappointed that these stories ended so quickly. I hope that these tales are picked up in the next anthology or at least they are prequels to novels.
Notes:
A copy of this book was provided for me to review. To learn more about this book and the authors, please visit their website.
This review was originally posted on my website, Ariesgrl Book Reviews at http://ariesgrlreview.com
February 8, 2024
I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion and review:
I gave this book 4 stars and here is why:
'Continuum: Fables of the Fallen' was made up of a great range of short stories. Each story was different and brought an array of ideas to the book.
You can't really place it in a particular genre because it is mixed between Sci-Fi, Paranormal and Fantasy but I would say that if you like books by George R.R. Martin or J R.R. Tolkien then these are most definitely for you.
I gave it a 4 star average rating because some of the the stories weren't as well executed as others but that is something that will come as an author gets more experienced. I would also say that the cover art does not do the book justice - so in this case don't judge a book by its cover.
Here is the link to my Amazon review:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R1U5MA...
I gave this book 4 stars and here is why:
'Continuum: Fables of the Fallen' was made up of a great range of short stories. Each story was different and brought an array of ideas to the book.
You can't really place it in a particular genre because it is mixed between Sci-Fi, Paranormal and Fantasy but I would say that if you like books by George R.R. Martin or J R.R. Tolkien then these are most definitely for you.
I gave it a 4 star average rating because some of the the stories weren't as well executed as others but that is something that will come as an author gets more experienced. I would also say that the cover art does not do the book justice - so in this case don't judge a book by its cover.
Here is the link to my Amazon review:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R1U5MA...
February 24, 2013
Continuum: Fables of the Fallen is an anthology of fantasy/science fiction stories. I received a free copy of the work, which I am reviewing. My opinions are my own.
The initial short story, Night Wolves by Kathleen Gulo, is a solid introduction to both the anthology and the novel that she has in development. A pioneer family faces a terrifying encounter with wolves- or perhaps they are something more. The flavor of an immigrant family, once removed from their journey to a new land, is well conveyed. Luke, the family son who narrates the story, has received bits and pieces of the family heritage through the tales told by his uncle Mark, as well as a discovered treasure. While the plot itself was pretty straightforward, I enjoyed the story. A couple of things didn't seem to ring true (primarily why Luke's father didn't recognize what was going on, given that he would have been raised on the same stories as Uncle Mark). Overall, worth the read, and if I run across Ms. Gulo's novel set in the same world, I'll give it a try.
The second story, Fragile Innocence by R. C. Erickson, is set in a future that includes space travel and colonization. The main character, Stella, is a young school girl, and her relationship with her father and his teachings develop in unexpected ways. I was pleasantly surprised by this story, and don't want to give too much away, other than to say go read it. You won't be sorry.
Shadowbreak, The Last Hunt of the Ghostwalker, by Gregory Downs is a great mix of cultures (Nordic and Christian missionaries) as played out in a fantastic setting. The Ghostwalker is weary of his life, and of carrying out a herculean task for many years. As he nears the end of the task, he is forced to re-evaluate plans for the future- indeed, even to make plans for a future that he didn't anticipate. Well written, with a good mix of fantasy and historical, I'll be looking for more from this author.
And now we come to what for me was the disappointing story- seems like all anthologies have to have them. Flesh and Metal by Alexander Pyles, is a mess. You can't engage with the main character, Soren Weber, as he has no redeeming qualities. While there are plenty of examples of 'guys you love to hate', this one doesn't work on that level either. The actions and thoughts are choppy- if one minute Soren's adamant to avoid a task, he suddenly completely changes his mind and goes ahead. There's no transition, so I felt like he was whiplashing from state to state. The dialect/accent for a secondary character just doesn't work- too heavy, trying too hard, and kept breaking me out of the story. Honestly, I'd skip this one.
Virtusoso by Nathan Slemp, is a solid 'swords and sorcery' tale. I enjoyed the characters, and liked the sneaky bit of social commentary thrown in. I was left wanting to know more of the story- what happens next?
The Tragedy of Carth Giator by Jacob Baugher rounds out the set. It is well written, and with sympathetic characters whose stories are drawn on a surprisingly complete world. The actions of Carth (Carn) and of his fiance Anna are believable, and the hallucinations that Carn experiences serve to drive home the horror of his situation. I'd recommend this introspective tale to anyone that likes a snapshot of ordinary people's lives, and how they react to tragedy.
The initial short story, Night Wolves by Kathleen Gulo, is a solid introduction to both the anthology and the novel that she has in development. A pioneer family faces a terrifying encounter with wolves- or perhaps they are something more. The flavor of an immigrant family, once removed from their journey to a new land, is well conveyed. Luke, the family son who narrates the story, has received bits and pieces of the family heritage through the tales told by his uncle Mark, as well as a discovered treasure. While the plot itself was pretty straightforward, I enjoyed the story. A couple of things didn't seem to ring true (primarily why Luke's father didn't recognize what was going on, given that he would have been raised on the same stories as Uncle Mark). Overall, worth the read, and if I run across Ms. Gulo's novel set in the same world, I'll give it a try.
The second story, Fragile Innocence by R. C. Erickson, is set in a future that includes space travel and colonization. The main character, Stella, is a young school girl, and her relationship with her father and his teachings develop in unexpected ways. I was pleasantly surprised by this story, and don't want to give too much away, other than to say go read it. You won't be sorry.
Shadowbreak, The Last Hunt of the Ghostwalker, by Gregory Downs is a great mix of cultures (Nordic and Christian missionaries) as played out in a fantastic setting. The Ghostwalker is weary of his life, and of carrying out a herculean task for many years. As he nears the end of the task, he is forced to re-evaluate plans for the future- indeed, even to make plans for a future that he didn't anticipate. Well written, with a good mix of fantasy and historical, I'll be looking for more from this author.
And now we come to what for me was the disappointing story- seems like all anthologies have to have them. Flesh and Metal by Alexander Pyles, is a mess. You can't engage with the main character, Soren Weber, as he has no redeeming qualities. While there are plenty of examples of 'guys you love to hate', this one doesn't work on that level either. The actions and thoughts are choppy- if one minute Soren's adamant to avoid a task, he suddenly completely changes his mind and goes ahead. There's no transition, so I felt like he was whiplashing from state to state. The dialect/accent for a secondary character just doesn't work- too heavy, trying too hard, and kept breaking me out of the story. Honestly, I'd skip this one.
Virtusoso by Nathan Slemp, is a solid 'swords and sorcery' tale. I enjoyed the characters, and liked the sneaky bit of social commentary thrown in. I was left wanting to know more of the story- what happens next?
The Tragedy of Carth Giator by Jacob Baugher rounds out the set. It is well written, and with sympathetic characters whose stories are drawn on a surprisingly complete world. The actions of Carth (Carn) and of his fiance Anna are believable, and the hallucinations that Carn experiences serve to drive home the horror of his situation. I'd recommend this introspective tale to anyone that likes a snapshot of ordinary people's lives, and how they react to tragedy.
January 3, 2015
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is a collection of work by young writers. I appreciate the opportunity to get a preview of their writing styles. Because there are 6 separate stories, by 6 separate authors, I am going to review this one differently. My overall review for the complete collection is 4 stars.
My individual reviews are as follows:
“Night Wolves” by Kathleen Gulo- This one got me right from the beginning. It reminds me of an edgy fairytale, and the werewolves are not love interests. I give this short story 5 stars. I intend to read the full version when the story is finished.
“Fragile Innocence” by R.C. Erickson-Futuristic cop story. This one was ok, good writing. Without spoiling the story, just not my kind of ending. I give this one 3 stars.
“Shadows Break” by Gregory Downs- Fantasy, I like this one. I give it 4 stars.
“Flesh and Metal” by Alexander Pyles-Sci Fi. This was another of my favorites. Machine meets man in a spine tingling way. This one gets 4 stars from me.
“Virtuoso” by Nathan Slemp- Fantasy and Crime Solving. This was well written, but I couldn’t connect with the characters and probably my least favorite. I give this one 3 stars. Just not my style.
“The Tragedy of Garth” by Jacob Baugh. I wanted to love this one, but once again, not my kind of ending. Well written I give this one 4 stars simply due to my personal taste in stories.
So overall, all authors have great promise! If you like Sci Fi and Fantasy, you will enjoy these short stories.
My individual reviews are as follows:
“Night Wolves” by Kathleen Gulo- This one got me right from the beginning. It reminds me of an edgy fairytale, and the werewolves are not love interests. I give this short story 5 stars. I intend to read the full version when the story is finished.
“Fragile Innocence” by R.C. Erickson-Futuristic cop story. This one was ok, good writing. Without spoiling the story, just not my kind of ending. I give this one 3 stars.
“Shadows Break” by Gregory Downs- Fantasy, I like this one. I give it 4 stars.
“Flesh and Metal” by Alexander Pyles-Sci Fi. This was another of my favorites. Machine meets man in a spine tingling way. This one gets 4 stars from me.
“Virtuoso” by Nathan Slemp- Fantasy and Crime Solving. This was well written, but I couldn’t connect with the characters and probably my least favorite. I give this one 3 stars. Just not my style.
“The Tragedy of Garth” by Jacob Baugh. I wanted to love this one, but once again, not my kind of ending. Well written I give this one 4 stars simply due to my personal taste in stories.
So overall, all authors have great promise! If you like Sci Fi and Fantasy, you will enjoy these short stories.
March 19, 2013
This was a good compilation of short science fiction/fantasy stories. This group of young writers definitely has promise. I will be keeping an eye out for their future works. This book is exciting and keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews