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Dark Speculations: Tales of Various Shapes & Shadows Volume 1
415 pages, Paperback
Published October 31, 2023
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December 2, 2023
Some great gems, but a fair few that didn't hit home for me. There's also a weird amount of typos, clumsy plotting and unnatural dialogue in many of the stories, which was pretty jarring. The art also has a suspiciously "AI" sheen to it, and I'd have liked to know in the blurb if "AI" art (or writing) was involved before buying. Hopefully I'm just paranoid though!
Again, there are great stories worth reading here.
Standouts:
Grave Sucker by Robin Nemesszeghy: A new preacher in town introduces and unorthodox kind of prayer to the weekly sermon.
Tenacity by S.J. Walker: A woman tries to save her newborn child from a plague of zombie-like mutants.
Doldrums by J.L. Royce: A ship's crew discover that cabin fever isn't the only thing to fear when the winds drop and leave you becalmed.
The Clayburn Owl by Tom Coombe: A stone idol of an owl brings good fortune but hides a terrible secret.
Those Deep Dark Wells by Michael Page: A mother becomes increasingly concerned by the mysterious and creepy boy her son has befriended.
Has Been by M.L. Clock: A retired baseball player is paid millions to be cloned, but playing God always has dire consequences.
The Druid by Michael Staniforth (full disclosure, he is a friend of mine): A professor of Archaeology becomes obsessed with an ancient relic that should never have left the peat bog.
Planet of the Hungry by P.L. McMillan: A cyborg native of a desolate mutant-zombie ravaged planet must help a woman from the stars in her quest to restore life to their world.
Again, there are great stories worth reading here.
Standouts:
Grave Sucker by Robin Nemesszeghy: A new preacher in town introduces and unorthodox kind of prayer to the weekly sermon.
Tenacity by S.J. Walker: A woman tries to save her newborn child from a plague of zombie-like mutants.
Doldrums by J.L. Royce: A ship's crew discover that cabin fever isn't the only thing to fear when the winds drop and leave you becalmed.
The Clayburn Owl by Tom Coombe: A stone idol of an owl brings good fortune but hides a terrible secret.
Those Deep Dark Wells by Michael Page: A mother becomes increasingly concerned by the mysterious and creepy boy her son has befriended.
Has Been by M.L. Clock: A retired baseball player is paid millions to be cloned, but playing God always has dire consequences.
The Druid by Michael Staniforth (full disclosure, he is a friend of mine): A professor of Archaeology becomes obsessed with an ancient relic that should never have left the peat bog.
Planet of the Hungry by P.L. McMillan: A cyborg native of a desolate mutant-zombie ravaged planet must help a woman from the stars in her quest to restore life to their world.
Displaying 1 of 1 review