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Weird Science
Welcome to the world of Weird Science, the strange marries with gay romance to produce eight stories that combine humor, the paranormal and love.
Doctor Tentacles and the Pheromone Incident by Liz Brooks shows Carter playing the mad scientist, Dr. Tentacle, but no one draws his eye -- or his nose -- like the new intern, David. In Frog, Kiernan Kelly presents George, a college student with a brilliant mind. When a cutting edge experiment goes wrong, he’s left with an unusual result that tests the strength of his relationship with his lover. In Aidee Ladnier’s The Applicant, Dr. Forbes Pohle knows interviewing lab assistants can be a tedious process -- luckily the malfunctioning robot bear in the other room helps liven things up. Meanwhile, in Kevinium by Diane Sheridan, Matt lusts for hunky housemate Kevin, who sees Matt only as a buddy. Then Kevin invents a new gas that has surprising sexual side effects.
In Test Subjects by M. Durango, An ESP project introduces grad student Evan to sexy professor Marcus, but an equipment glitch may lead to more than they bargain for. GS Wiley gives us Love Potion 3.5, where diner cook Tony loves Marilyn Monroe and his Chrysler New Yorker, but can't figure out why he's a flop with chicks until scientist Frank moves in downstairs. Jade Astor's A Meeting of the Minds, finds Dane, a neuroscientist, studying ESP when he meets Jesse, who claims to be psychic, and seems to know exactly what is on Dane’s mind. Wrapping up the anthology is Bronze by Alexis Hall, where a shy watchmaker turns his talents to the creation of an ideal lover, but where does love begin and programming end?
Doctor Tentacles and the Pheromone Incident by Liz Brooks shows Carter playing the mad scientist, Dr. Tentacle, but no one draws his eye -- or his nose -- like the new intern, David. In Frog, Kiernan Kelly presents George, a college student with a brilliant mind. When a cutting edge experiment goes wrong, he’s left with an unusual result that tests the strength of his relationship with his lover. In Aidee Ladnier’s The Applicant, Dr. Forbes Pohle knows interviewing lab assistants can be a tedious process -- luckily the malfunctioning robot bear in the other room helps liven things up. Meanwhile, in Kevinium by Diane Sheridan, Matt lusts for hunky housemate Kevin, who sees Matt only as a buddy. Then Kevin invents a new gas that has surprising sexual side effects.
In Test Subjects by M. Durango, An ESP project introduces grad student Evan to sexy professor Marcus, but an equipment glitch may lead to more than they bargain for. GS Wiley gives us Love Potion 3.5, where diner cook Tony loves Marilyn Monroe and his Chrysler New Yorker, but can't figure out why he's a flop with chicks until scientist Frank moves in downstairs. Jade Astor's A Meeting of the Minds, finds Dane, a neuroscientist, studying ESP when he meets Jesse, who claims to be psychic, and seems to know exactly what is on Dane’s mind. Wrapping up the anthology is Bronze by Alexis Hall, where a shy watchmaker turns his talents to the creation of an ideal lover, but where does love begin and programming end?
146 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 17, 2012
109 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 17, 2016
I bought this book chiefly to read the story "Bronze" by Alexis Hall. And as expected, that was definitely my favorite in the book. I found the characters in that one endearing & many aspects of the story moving, particularly the touching loneliness of the watchmaker, and the innate sweetness of his "created man", Paris.
Another standout was "The Applicant (or Virgins, Robot Bears, and Other Disasters)" by Aidee Ladnier, a delightful, humorous, sexy, romantic & slightly bittersweet story of love and time travel.
The other stories in the book were all pretty good as well. "Doctor Tentacle and the Pheromone Incident" by Liz Brooks, was cute with a sweetly adorkable intern crushing on the guy who plays his favorite character on a TV show. "Frog" was at times sexy & hilariously bizarre. "Love Potion 3.5" by G.S. Wiley is a "first time gay" story again featuring endearing geekiness, this time in the shape of a "mad scientist" who stirs up the reluctant affections of his male & supposedly hetero new neighbor. "Test Subjects" by M. Durango & "A Meeting of the Minds" were slightly similar, both being romances arising out of scientific research into ESP. "A Meeting of the Minds" also brought up questions of research ethics, while "Test Subjects" explored the intriguing concept of sex between people with an intense mental connection, who can't hide anything from each other.
I was a little less wild about "Kevinium" by Diane Sheridan, about a newly invented gas with unintentionally Viagra-like properties. This mostly seemed like an excuse for an endless sex-fest between the 2 MC's. The sex was hot, & there was a funny side-effect to the gas, but that was pretty much it for the story. I thought it was OK, but nothing special.
Another standout was "The Applicant (or Virgins, Robot Bears, and Other Disasters)" by Aidee Ladnier, a delightful, humorous, sexy, romantic & slightly bittersweet story of love and time travel.
The other stories in the book were all pretty good as well. "Doctor Tentacle and the Pheromone Incident" by Liz Brooks, was cute with a sweetly adorkable intern crushing on the guy who plays his favorite character on a TV show. "Frog" was at times sexy & hilariously bizarre. "Love Potion 3.5" by G.S. Wiley is a "first time gay" story again featuring endearing geekiness, this time in the shape of a "mad scientist" who stirs up the reluctant affections of his male & supposedly hetero new neighbor. "Test Subjects" by M. Durango & "A Meeting of the Minds" were slightly similar, both being romances arising out of scientific research into ESP. "A Meeting of the Minds" also brought up questions of research ethics, while "Test Subjects" explored the intriguing concept of sex between people with an intense mental connection, who can't hide anything from each other.
I was a little less wild about "Kevinium" by Diane Sheridan, about a newly invented gas with unintentionally Viagra-like properties. This mostly seemed like an excuse for an endless sex-fest between the 2 MC's. The sex was hot, & there was a funny side-effect to the gas, but that was pretty much it for the story. I thought it was OK, but nothing special.
November 6, 2015
I won this through a giveaway being hosted by Aidee Ladnier (a year or so ago).
I didn't read any story but the one by Aidee Ladnier entitled The Applicant. I found it to be a totally charming read. Forbes is so into his work that he just doesn't pay much mind to the guy who came knocking on his door, Oliver. Oliver wants to be assist Forbes and is a bit forceful. Then when one of Forbes robots malfunction and starts acting erratic the two have to take refuge in an enclosed space. Working together they manage to get control of the robot. But when all the chaos has ended, Oliver's cover is blown and Forbes learns what is so significant about Oliver.
I really enjoyed this story and was so glad to see the author had written a sequel for this. I'm hoping to see more in the future.
I didn't read any story but the one by Aidee Ladnier entitled The Applicant. I found it to be a totally charming read. Forbes is so into his work that he just doesn't pay much mind to the guy who came knocking on his door, Oliver. Oliver wants to be assist Forbes and is a bit forceful. Then when one of Forbes robots malfunction and starts acting erratic the two have to take refuge in an enclosed space. Working together they manage to get control of the robot. But when all the chaos has ended, Oliver's cover is blown and Forbes learns what is so significant about Oliver.
I really enjoyed this story and was so glad to see the author had written a sequel for this. I'm hoping to see more in the future.
August 23, 2016
OK, I'll be honest, I got this antho for the story by Alexis Hall, and that's the only one I've read. It's a story that appears to take place in the Prosperityverse, with phlogiston and mechanical wonders. The main character builds himself a mechanical bronze man after suffering heartbreak, and then has to deal with questions of what makes a person, what love is, how you know love is real and other such questions that I do recognise from other books by Hall. Recommended.
Want to read
April 11, 2018The Applicant by Aidee Ladnier
A Meeting of the Minds by Jade Astor
Bronze by Alexis Hall
Doctor Tentacles and the Pheromone Incident by Liz Brooks
Kevinium by Diane Sheridan
Test Subjects by M. Durango
Love Potion 3.5 by GS Wiley
Frog by Kiernan Kelly
A Meeting of the Minds by Jade Astor
Bronze by Alexis Hall
Doctor Tentacles and the Pheromone Incident by Liz Brooks
Kevinium by Diane Sheridan
Test Subjects by M. Durango
Love Potion 3.5 by GS Wiley
Frog by Kiernan Kelly
July 17, 2016
got it for the alexis hall before i decided we were maybe not gonna be the literary match of my dreams. and since i have it anyways...
(reviewing the stories as i go)
Doctor Tentacles and the Pheromone Incident by Liz Brooks: felt very ficcy but cute i guess? i dunno bro, i read this on only a few hours of sleep, the details have slipped away.
Frog by Kiernan Kelly: this doesn't have an ending??? i'm legitimately uncertain as to whether a few pages were accidentally left out of my ebook here.
The Applicant by Aidee Ladnier: hey look at that, a story with a proper beginning, middle, and end. also robots and time travel. good times all around.
Kevinium by Diane Sheridan: sex pollen fic. i will grant it was a little funny in its singleminded devotion to badly written sex?
Test Subjects by M. Durango: the first esp story! mc is an engineering students who signs up for a study for that sweet participant cash. discovers one of the professors running it is as skeptically minded as he is which provides some crow for the two of them to swallow when they suddenly develop the ability to read each other's minds. not bad.
Love Potion 3.5 by GS Wiley: i really enjoyed this one! it's the first story in this collection to offer a distinctive sense of voice.
A Meeting of the Minds by Jade Astor: esp story the second. i preferred the first one but this was decent too.
Bronze by Alexis Hall: a gay watchmaker enacts a pygmalion plot. i hope alexis hall considers settling into steampunk more permanently because alongside prosperity this story demonstrates a pattern of my enjoying his work in a steampunk setting far more than his contemporaries.
overall i'd probably have to describe this collection as...inessential? like if someone asked me whether they should pick it up i'd tell them to get it from the library, read the applicant, love potion 3.5, and bronze and then find something better to do with the rest of their day. maybe try the watchmaker of filigree street! i haven't read it yet myself but the reviews make me think it's doing a better job with the theme of this collection then weird science manages
2 stars
(reviewing the stories as i go)
Doctor Tentacles and the Pheromone Incident by Liz Brooks: felt very ficcy but cute i guess? i dunno bro, i read this on only a few hours of sleep, the details have slipped away.
Frog by Kiernan Kelly: this doesn't have an ending??? i'm legitimately uncertain as to whether a few pages were accidentally left out of my ebook here.
The Applicant by Aidee Ladnier: hey look at that, a story with a proper beginning, middle, and end. also robots and time travel. good times all around.
Kevinium by Diane Sheridan: sex pollen fic. i will grant it was a little funny in its singleminded devotion to badly written sex?
Test Subjects by M. Durango: the first esp story! mc is an engineering students who signs up for a study for that sweet participant cash. discovers one of the professors running it is as skeptically minded as he is which provides some crow for the two of them to swallow when they suddenly develop the ability to read each other's minds. not bad.
Love Potion 3.5 by GS Wiley: i really enjoyed this one! it's the first story in this collection to offer a distinctive sense of voice.
A Meeting of the Minds by Jade Astor: esp story the second. i preferred the first one but this was decent too.
Bronze by Alexis Hall: a gay watchmaker enacts a pygmalion plot. i hope alexis hall considers settling into steampunk more permanently because alongside prosperity this story demonstrates a pattern of my enjoying his work in a steampunk setting far more than his contemporaries.
overall i'd probably have to describe this collection as...inessential? like if someone asked me whether they should pick it up i'd tell them to get it from the library, read the applicant, love potion 3.5, and bronze and then find something better to do with the rest of their day. maybe try the watchmaker of filigree street! i haven't read it yet myself but the reviews make me think it's doing a better job with the theme of this collection then weird science manages
2 stars
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July 17, 2016Some I liked better than others, loved Bronze by Alexis Hall
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews