The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth

Emberverse

by S.M. Stirling (Editor/Contributor)

ALL-NEW STORIES OF THE EMBERVERSE
by S.M. Stirling, Harry Turtledove, Walter Jon Williams, John Birmingham, John Barnes, Jane Lindskold, and more...

S. M. Stirling’s New York Times bestselling Novels of the Change have depicted a postapocalyptic wasteland in which all modern technology has been left in ashes, forcing humankind to rebuild an unknowable new world in the wake of unimaginable—and deliberate—chaos.

Now, in this new anthology, S. M. Stirling invites the most fertile minds in science fiction to join him in expanding his rich Emberverse canvas. Here are inventive new perspectives on the cultures, the survivors, and the battles arising across the years and across the globe following the Change.

In his all-new story “Hot Night at the Hopping Toad,” Stirling returns to his own continuing saga of the High Kingdom of Montival. In the accompanying stories are fortune seekers, voyagers, and dangers—from the ruins of Sydney to the Republic of Fargo and Northern Alberta to Venetian and Greek galleys clashing in the Mediterranean.

These new adventures revisit beloved people and places from Stirling’s fantastic universe, introduce us to new ones, and deliver endlessly fascinating challenges to conquer.

Contributors to The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth include
Introduction: The Change as Setting and Secondary World by S. M. Stirling
Hot Night at the Hopping Toad by S. M. Stirling
Rate of Exchange by A. M. Dellamonica
Tight Spot by Kier Salmon
Against the Wind by Lauren C. Teffeau
The Demons of Witmer Hall by M. T. Reiten
Bernie, Lord of the Apes by John Jos. Miller
The Seeker: A Poison in the Blood by Victor Milán
Grandpa’s Gift by Terry D. England
Fortune and Glory by John Birmingham
The Venetian Dialectic by Walter Jon Williams
The Soul Remembers Uncouth Noises by John Barnes
Topanga and the Chatsworth Lancers by Harry Turtledove
The Hermit and the Jackalopes by Jane Lindskold
The New Normal by Jody Lynn Nye
A Missed Connection by Emily Mah Tippetts
Deor by Diana Paxson

Genres: Fantasy, Alternate History, Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fiction, Post Apocalyptic, Anthologies

627 pages, Hardcover

First published June 2, 2015

About the author

Stephen Michael Stirling is a French-born Canadian-American science fiction and fantasy author. Stirling is probably best known for his Draka series of alternate history novels and the more recent time travel/alternate history Nantucket series and Emberverse series.

MINI AUTO-BIOGRAPHY:
(personal website: source)

I’m a writer by trade, born in France but Canadian by origin and American by naturalization, living in New Mexico at present. My hobbies are mostly related to the craft. I love history, anthropology and archaeology, and am interested in the sciences. The martial arts are my main physical hobby.

Reviews

[Kathy Davie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An anthology of sixteen short stories in the Emberverse apocalyptic science fiction series and revolving around a world that fell apart technologically. If you're interested, there is a chronological listing of the Emberverse books on my website.

Do read the Introduction if the concept of world building appeals to you. Stirling has written about what inspired him to create his Emberverse and how to make it real. I love that bit he writes of making that world feel "big". There's also a thought-provoking revelation about Nantucket, and it suggests what happened that day in March 1998 when the world died. It seems that Stirling's Island in the Sea of Time is a parallel series and explores that EMP pulse from Nantucket Island. I can't decide if I should dive into that one immediately or if I'll get confused between the two.

The stories in The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth are all over the place. Literally. They take place all over the world with many different tribes, communities, and customs, and in a range of times from Change Year 0 to forty some years later. And yet, they're all the same in that they are groups of people struggling to survive whether it's under tyrants or quarreling councils.

The Stories
S.M. Stirling's "Hot Night at the Hopping Toad" takes place way in Change Year 41 (our year 2043). You might want to wait and read The Change after The Given Sacrifice , 10, or The Golden Princess , 11. On the plus side, "Hot Night at the Hopping Toad" is one of two that directly impacts on the Emberverse universe and its characters ("Rate of Exchange" involves the third Baron Liu), so you need to decide if you want to know something about the Emberverse future (depending on where you are in the series) as the rest of the stories only mention rumors that these other communities may have heard.

It's the Princess Órlaith Arminger Mackenzie, the heir to the throne of Montival, attending school in Corvallis. It's part of the education her parents want for her, to spend time in as many communities as possible to better understand the different cultures. Only the accusation of Shelly/Sherry the barmaid incites a confrontation that could turn bloody. And provides an opportunity for Órlaith to show her detecting chops.

A.M. Dellamonica's "Rate of Exchange" finds Lord Huon Liu leading a delegation north to treaty with a tribe headquartered at the Fortress of Solitude. They're seeking a man accused of being a traitor.It explores the Cree Alliance and introduces us to Scout from the Morrowland Pack that allied with Artos late in the CUT war. I found it an odd combination of Superman and his Fortress of Solitude, mystical happenings, and angry muttering even as the Cree entertain their visitors. It's confusing and Dellamonica doesn't provide quite enough information in this. Still, it's an interesting, if unsatisfying, read.

Kier Salmon's "Tight Spot" has Colin and Robin having to make tough decisions to save their people and each other. There are a few stories in this anthology which deal in betrayal, and this one has an added whiff of "The Boy Who Called Wolf". Salmon pulls in some complications as well. Nice.

Lauren C. Teffeau's "Against the Wind" takes place in the Gulf of Alaska and involves a father, son, and daughter struggling to make it as scavengers. And the human need for companionship.

M.T. Reiten's "The Demons of Witmer Hall" are not so much demons as students who took refuge in the building that day in March 1998. They holed up, fortified, and scavenged for foods and materials. It's Kirk's experiments that stretch the story on forever, and Jason's activities that make it interesting. It's a creepy and very sudden ending to this one.

John Jos. Miller's "Bernie, Lord of the Apes" was so cute! I found myself hoping that blurb at the end isn't just a tease, that there really will be a "Bernie and the Jewels of Okechobee". Yes, the title is a big hint. Bernie is a Tarzan though he'd never see it. He's even got his own Cheetah and elephants who obey him.

Victor Mílan's "The Seeker: A Poison in the Blood" was grim as Zamora encounters possessed Seekers in Utah?? as he hunts the killers of his best friend. I gotta wonder if Zamora is supposed to be a two-eyed Odin as he goes around with two crows: Recuerdo (Memory) and Pensamiento (Thought). The story is a set-up for future possibilities that, yes, I would like to read, but I hope he's not as confusing as he was in here. That bit about the trader / god / Nocheviento / Tezcatlipoca had me re-reading again and again. It did remind me of a scene from Laurell K. Hamilton's Obsidian Butterfly , 9.

Terry D. England's "Grandpa's Gift" is an in-depth look at the adventures of a trading family heading home after a successful trip in buying books. Along the way, we learn their philosophy about books and the new library being built to emulate the library at Alexandria.

John Birmingham's "Fortune and Glory" is full of action with Cap'n Pete Holder and his crew, Fifi Lamont and Lady Julianne Balwyn. It's a dangerous journey into Sydney on a mission for the king, and they'll have to evade, battle, and escape several perils. It's a hypocritical philosophy, thinking that having a Royal Warrant makes their scavenging more legit than those without. Still, it's a fun adventure as Cap'n Pete and his crew steal into Sydney, and it does give me a sense of an entire world in this short story — I've already noted the first story in the Disappearance series, Without Warning , to read once I finish Stirling's Emberverse. I suspect I could get confused between the two!

Walter John Williams' "The Venetian Dialectic" was…I want to say bittersweet, as I was fascinated by life in Venice after The Change and the politics and strategies between Rhodes and Venice against the horror of what Foscari is planning. Williams has put together a complete story with a tease at the end. So much of "The Venetian Dialectic" made me think of Dorothy Dunning's The House of Niccolò series, and Williams has recreated that same sense of sharklike behavior.

John Barnes' "The Soul Remembers Uncouth Noises" goes back and forth in time as Miz Claire remembers the day of the Change. It is an intriguing idea, but Barnes' idea is more in the intro at the start and then Claire's summing it up at the end. There's not much in the way of showing us how this works. Yes, there's a tiny bit with Claire but I sure don't see evidence of these odd ducks in any of the other members of the community. That said, I did enjoy Miz Claire's memories and her worries about the captured Matt. Just goes to show that everyone has a place in the world. I did feel bad the gun didn't fire when that bitch neighbor took the powdered milk. WTF? Nor did it make sense that people got that nasty that fast.

Harry Turtledove's "Topanga and the Chatsworth Lancers" brings hope that California isn't completely dead! People still exist in the L.A. area although that sense of different countries and the greed and selfishness of one power-hungry "lord" is still there. Turtledove does a great job of bringing the tension and forcing me to race through the pages to find out what will happen next. It does remind me of John Varley's Slow Apocalypse . Whew…

Jane Lindskold's "The Hermit and the Jackalopes" is a sweet and sad tale of a young man's losses. The memories he has of a blood brother and the refuge he has created for himself. There's very much a sense of Brett being on an "island" with Grandfather Nathan Tso as his anchor.

Jody Lynn Nye's "The New Normal" takes place in the New Forest in Hampshire in Britain of a witch and her coven who find shelter with a forest ranger. It's a short, sweet story of how Dr. Saltford comes to recognize "The New Normal" with a batch of grain alcohol.

Emily Mah's "A Missed Connection" is a bit creepy and a bit karmic as the nerdy Marc is cheated of his dream. He's kind of a jerk, and part of me hopes that Chrissie holds him to his decision.

Diana Paxson's "Deor" has a strong flavor of Montival about it right up to the mini-Norman Arminger. Thora was an interesting character. Not as strong in her thinking as I would have thought a Bearkiller would be, and yet she is strong in her unconscious belief that she's as safe as houses. Paxson throws in an unexpected surprise ending and there's a good bit of melodrama. I'd've liked to see more polishing on this. I'll be curious to learn if Deor takes Thora up on her offer.

The Cover and Title
The cover is in keeping with the past titles of books I've read with its harmonious, yet subdued background of pale gray, soft gold, and cream sky that meets with a grassy plain at the horizon. Coming forward is what appears to be a television news truck, wrecked and abandoned, as an Indian in full regalia rides by on his white horse as a knight sitting a nervous horse watches.

The title tells us what is within, The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth, as a collection of stories of what happened after the EMP destroyed the world as we know it.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The latest in S.M. Stirling's long running and highly entertaining Emberverse series is "The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth". Like just about every other short story collection I've read, "The Change" contains some good stories, some okay stories and a couple great stories. The introduction by Stirling was a very interesting perspective into the author's thought process in developing the setting of his series. I thought "Bernie, Lord of the Apes", "The Seeker: A Poison in the Blood", "The Hermit and the Jackalopes" and "The Venetian Dialectic" were particularly well done stories and wouldn't mind seeing more like them in the future.

If you are already a fan of the Emberverse, this is a good placeholder while waiting for "The Desert and the Blade" to be published. If you are not a fan, than this is not the book I'd recommend starting with. Try "Dies the Fire" instead and you won't be disappointed.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Needs culling. And at well over 600+ pages, could have easily afforded it. A few 5 stars shine. Way too many 2 and 3 star stories drag those down.

[Peter Aronson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty strong collection, with only a few weaker entries. The only thing I could have asked for is less stories set at the time of The Change (yes, it's in the title, but) and more set in the fascinating cultures that rose afterwards. I found these stories: Against the Wind; Rate of Exchange; Demons of Witmer Hall; Bernie, Lord of the Apes; The Seeker: A Poison in the Blood; The Venetian Dialectic; and Deor particularly stuck with me, but I liked (more or less) pretty much everything. (And I also liked the story S.M. Stirling contributed to the collection, Hot Night at the Hopping Toad, but it was kind of minor.) One thing a collection like this raises, is to what extent are any of these stories canonical for the setting? Two of the stories are referenced in the introduction to the next Change book (The Desert and the Blade: A Novel of the Change) -- one even shares characters with a sample chapter on the author's website -- so one presumes they are canon, but what about the rest?

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Because it is an anthology that is the average score. Some of the stories are better than three and a few are worse and some are threes. S M's story which leads off the book is one which features characters we are familiar with from the Emberverse series. None of the other stories use any familiar characters. My favorite of the others is "Bernie, Lord of the Apes" It has characters I'd like to read more about. The last story, "Deor" also has characters that I'd like to see again.

[Mieczyslaw Kasprzyk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was slightly disappointed but not surprised - it's rare that every story in an anthology lives up to your expectations. My first disappointment mirrored my reason for abandoning the series when I did... the fantasy and the almost "Disney-like" cliche characters take over what should really be a series of gripping stories dealing with survival in a changed world where we're suddenly thrown back into a sort of past which lacks all the comforts of modern times and reveals the brutish nature of mankind. The best stories in this series (John Birmingham's springs to mind straight away) ignore the otherworldly types and concentrate on decaying cities and decaying civilisation. Mr Stirling is actually at his best when he focusses on this aspect (the early books in the Change series were very strong pieces).

[Ivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stirling je trenutno moj omiljeni pisac, ali ova zbirka ipak neće dobiti bogznakako visoku ocenu. Sve priče su napisane veoma pismeno i vidi se da je neki urednik debelo radio na njima - ali velika većina priča je krajnje dosadna. Jedino se izdvajaju:

Hot Night at the Hopping Toad by S. M. Stirling
Rate of Exchange by A. M. Dellamonica
The Venetian Dialectic by Walter Jon Williams
Topanga and the Chatsworth Lancers by Harry Turtledove
Deor by Diana Paxson

Najbolja je Tartldavova, pa potom priča Dajane Pakson. Stirlingova je prosečna i čak otaljana, u smislu da prati trenutno glavne protagoniste njegovog serijala, a ne nudi ništa novo o njima, već se svodi na beznačajnu epizodu.

U iskušenju sam da dam dvojku, ali ipak 3/5.

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inconsistent but that's to be expected. No absolute stinkers though. Unfortunately also no incredibly amazing winners that just step out of the world. Most of the stories have kind a smell to them of the author stepping in to the writing and writing themselves into the world - and that's not including the one in which the author actually did write herself in. Part of what works in the series is that Stirling doesn't nearly as obviously do that. And then there was Bernie, Lord of the Apes. At least many of the stories didn't take themselves super seriously. And there was a range - of geography, of distance from the change, of types of characters. Readable and enjoyable but not super impressive.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I dropped the Change series midway through. Loved it early on, but it got too dense and too mystical. My husband brought home this book, and it took me a little bit to get past the first few stories. But there were several I loved. I especially enjoyed stories from different parts of the world and from different perspectives. Loved seeing familiar SF names in the mix. I hope they continue to write on this theme!

[Les · Rating 2 out of 5]

The early books in the series are great fun and full of surprises and neat references; but by the time you hit the shared universe phase of a series the whole thing can get a bit tired. I present this book as evidence supporting that proposition. A few bits of fun but noyhing earth-shatering.

[Taylor Ellwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is anthology set in the emberverse universe. I thought the various stories were fascinating to read and I enjoyed each author's take on the emberverse and the various surviving cultures. If you enjoy the change series, you'll love this anthology.

[Ann-Catherine Morner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writing reviews of anthologies is hard.

16 stories, 16 authors.
Some of these stories are definitely worth five stars. Some are definitely not.
If this is your first experience of the Emberverse, you will be confused.
The Emberverse starts with 'Dies the Fire'. 'Dies the Fire' is (almost) straight science fiction of the post-apocalyptic kind. After that it is all downhill, as far as I am concerned. More and more fantasy, until the stories 'Go off with the faeries', as they say. I stopped reading the series. I wouldn't be surprised if there were dragons in the last books.
I like fantasy, including paranormal fantasy. Only, I need some logic, some system, some kind of explaination. As it is, we get dropped into a new pattern every book, and that is not my cup of tea.
These 16 tales take place from before the change until three generations after it.
They are all offshots, but a couple are so odd, that one wonders if they have alternate universes of their own, two or three universes over...
My favourite story is 'The Demons of Witley Hall', hard science fiction, someone tries to figure out what has happened, using scientific method. Lovely. Hint. Maxwell's Demon is involved.
The other are more fantasy, and a couple 'are off with the faeries'. If I had read all the books, maybe I would understand better.

A few gripes.
I am 67. I am a retired oral surgeon. Maybe it is just that I never 'got' computer games. I find long, gory, detailed fighting boring. Especially if we get simultaneous rambling inner monologe with lots of feelings.
While the fighting is going on.
A crisis on the battlefield is just the right moment to think your life through.
I have to wonder if such stories were written as hopeful movie scripts. In the same stories there is very little dialoge between the characters even when they are not fighting.
Because speaking of feelings is harder?
The amount of hypocrisy depresses me. Our side is so smug, so morally superior. Yet they kill and do awful things. Because it is nescessary. The others often do the same, but they are evil. How can we tell? They are dirty. They smell. They have bad teeth! They are hairy... Really.
In some cases, of course, the arguments are clear. Bad, bad people are just as likely to survive. In an apocalypse like this one, it is probably an advantage to be a little crazy to start with. And then they come together to form new soceities. Odd ones. Very many based on role playing games. Of peoples and civilizations the players didn't understand well.
All the good guys are good, understanding people, were all races and sexual preferences are acceptable. Except that if you, the reader, happen to know about the soceities they play at, you wouldn't recognise them. Not least because they were not understanding about feminism or homosexuality.
And these new soceities are super restrictive on everything, from dress to speach to diet...
But accept all races and sexes...
All the bad guys... Well, what they are role playing can be as accurate, more accurate... They are bad. Just bad.
The worst are often cannibals. Not too surprising in this kind of end of the world. But, seemingly, all the authors have agreed that one bite is like catching rabies. Cannibals drop 50 IQ points, can't speak, eat each other, rot standing up. Real world cannibals never acted like that. Except if they caught koro, 'mad cow disease', which takes many years to develop... If they are all bat manure crazy, they would exterminate each other very quickly.
Cannibalism is of course bad. But it is not a drug, not a narcotic.
Tiresome. All black or white. I wish there were just a hint of gray here and there. One redeemed cannibal, that's all I ask.

I wish a few more of the stories were real science fiction. None of the books and stories about the Emberverse mentions a thing about what happens to greenhouse gases and the climate when more than 999‰ of all people suddenly die. What happened to the billions of domestic animals? Not just the zoos.
We don't build like the Egyptians or even the Normans, but buildings don't fall down in just a decade or two just because no-one lives in them. Even if nine tenths of everything got destroyed there must be so much plunder lying around. Why does everything seem to rot to the ground days after the apocalypse?

Dear fellow readers, I have considered what would happen if this kind of apocalypse happened tonight. I think quite a few of us boomers would survive. My grandmother taught me to bake cookies. In a woodstove oven. Some Generation X might survive too. Maybe a few Millennials, if they were brought up right. Generation Z? They would die within days, from lack of followers and likes...
(Only kidding).

[Redsteve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since Emberverse is not a “shared universe”, I’ll admit to approaching The Change with a certain amount of trepidation. Overall, I enjoyed the mix of short stories as other authors tackled Stirling’s post-apocalypse setting. These tales covered a range of times (from at or just before “the Change” to three generations later) and locations (some in areas already dealt with in the earlier novels – Oregon, California, England, Utah -, others in Alaska, North Dakota, Florida, Louisiana, Colorado, Nebraska, Mexico, New Mexico, Australia, Venice and the Aegean). Personally, I would have preferred if the book had been arranged chronologically, instead of constantly jumping back and forth, but that’s a minor issue. I particularly enjoyed The Demons of Witmer Hall (Reiten) – characters focusing equally on survival and physics experiments, to determine exactly HOW things have changed, tragic ending – Bernie, Lord of the Apes (Miller) – a violent but somewhat humorous story set around a Florida safari park -, The Seeker: A Poison in the Blood (Milan) – a post-Change “Western” set in Mexico; this story is probably the most concerned with “supernatural” issues and intervention by the “old gods” both good and evil, including a very grim take on the reasons for the Change -, and The Venetian Dialectic (Walter Jon Williams) – a ruthless post-Change Venice strives to reestablish its Mediterranean empire. None of the other stories were terrible but I felt that Tight Spot (Salmon), Grandpa’s Gift (England), and The New Normal (Nye) didn’t do much new for the Emberverse. All of the contributions in this book seemed to fit in well with Stirling’s previous novels. Although I did notice that for the most part, authors stayed away from established characters, except in Stirling’s Hot Night at the Hopping Toad, and Paxton’s Deor, which serves as a sort of prequel for Deor, Thora and Captain Feldman (characters in the latest Emberverse cycle). A few stories do deal with groups that Stirling had introduced previously: the McClintocks (Tight Spot), the Topangans/Chatsworth Lancers (Topanga and the Chatsworth Lancers), and the Barony of Mist Hills (Deor). Also, although dealing with them more as a threat than in-depth, Teffeau’s Against the Wind shows that the Haida were active in the Pacific almost immediately after the Change. Relatively few of the stories deal with the “oogie boogie” aspects of Emberverse (I’ve made no secret that I liked the series better when the Change was an inexplicable event (“Alien Space Bats”) rather than the whole bringing back magic and the old gods thing, but I did enjoy Victor Milan’s story, even though it did focus on the supernatural. Other than that, relatively few stories in The Change do, although Mah’s A Missed Connection hints at it and Williams’ Venetian Dialectic features what are obviously European versions of the CUT Magi. Finally, I recommend that anyone interested in world building read Stirling’s brief introduction. 3.5 Stars.

[Dirk D · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you haven't yet read any of the 15 books from S.M. Stirling's Change series go back and (somehow) find "Dies the Fire" and keep going, particularly if you like books by John Birmingham, Eric Flint, or Harry Turtledove.
This series centers on the "unexplainable event" that renders all electric, gasoline, nuclear, and even steam power useless. The physics no longer work. Even gunpowder doesn't work which throws the world into chaos and starvation leading to small groups of survivors in scattered settlements. To say more would ruin the marvelous adventures that follow.
The point is that if you don't have at least a passing familiarity with this brave new world of Stirling's this collection of stories by multiple authors who "got to play around in Steve's sandbox" so to speak would not make much sense.
Ok disclaimer is done!
For those of us who want to plow on this is a very good collection of short stories in this genre set at some point after (or on) that dreadful event in 1998 that changed the world. There's not a bad stinker in the lot and some them are very good!
The best ones in my opinion are "Rate of Exchange" by A.M. Dellamonica, "Against the Wind" by Lauren C. Teffeau, "Bernie Lord of the Apes" by John Jos Miller, "Grandpa's Gift" by Terry D. England, "Fortune and Glory" by John Birmingham, "The Venetian Dialectic" by Walter Jon Williams, "The Soul Remembers Uncouth Noises" by John Barnes, "Topanga and the Chatsworth Lancers" by Harry Turtledove, "The Hermit and the Jackalopes" by Jane Lindskold, and "Deor" by Diana Paxson.
Not that the others aren't good I just enjoyed the ones above more for various reasons.
I won't get into the synopsis of each story or we'll be here all night but this collection is definitely worth getting if you like the Change series.

[Jason Bloom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stories from the world of The Change, S.M. Stirling's post-apocalyptic landscape where technology no longer works, swords and armor are the new height of warfare, and it now takes months on horseback to travel anywhere. A world slowed down, it seems that violence sped up, and many of these stories extend or explore areas we are familiar with from the books. Especially for fans of the novels, these stories can also act as appetizers for new readers, although I certainly wouldn't recommend it. Read the books first, and if you like them and their flavor, you'll be guaranteed to like (most of) these stories as well. Overall, a solid selection, but as a fan, I've clearly inflated my rating to reflect my bias. Deal with it.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

One nice thing about an anthology is the penchant for authors to get quickly to the point rather than engage in insufferable endless introspection. Another occasional gem found in anthologies is the discovery of some unknown author who actually shows some talent at writing. Although as it happens more often it is this reader's wish that most of these unknown authors will quickly sink back into the obscurity from whence they came. Indeed I hope 10 of the 13 heretofore unknown, at least to me, authors, found here will indeed quickly disappear. There are about four stories that are tolerable, but it may not have been worth the effort to wade through all the other slop. The John Birmingham story may have been the best of the lot as far as I'm concerned.

[Nathan Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite things about Stirling's Emberverse is that there's plenty of room in the proverbial sand box for the rest of us to play around. This is a collection of essentially fanfiction stories set in that world. Some entries take place at the time of the Change event, others some years or even decades later. We even meet some characters who appear in the canonical novels. As one should expect, there's a wide variety of writing styles, and I liked some stories far better than others and for various reasons. And if you still can't get enough, there's an official fanfiction site with loads more:
http://www.ipinc.net/~kiers/SMSFanFic...

[Erick Mertz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. Top notch. This book captures a cataclysmic (although strangely vague) event, creates a post-apocalyptic world and then gives a whole batch of great authors the opportunity to play around and explore it. I love the blend of fantasy and science fiction, with some downright solid writing.

This was my first foray into the Emberverse. I have never read any of the "Change" books or stories, so the mythology is new/strange to me. However, this was an absolutely fine place to jump in and see what the shattered world world has to offer.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stirling created an alternative universe for his Change series in which a giant EMP sets back the world resulting in millions of deaths. The survivors adapt by reverting of old methods and traditions in small tribes. The Change is a collection of short stories of the early years following the event written by various writers making for interesting reading.

[JA J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every time that I read a book of short stories, I remember that I don’t like short stories. But this was a really weighty collection. Overall I liked it although it gave me continuing anxiety and an overarching sense of dread that continue today even after the book is done. Possibly exactly what Mr. Stirling had in mind? Importantly, re-birth is cited in the subtitle and by concentrating on that aspect of this large group of works, a little sun penetrates the gloom. But I won’t be reading any more dystopian literature for a good long time.
4 stars because it really affected me.

[Kenneth Flusche · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like most books of short stories, some are 2 star, and some are 5. I was surprised when my library did not have any of the novels from this universe in print or e-b00k. Strange reading this one on a borrowed e-reader considering the content. I should look for novels from the 5 star authors.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first time I picked this up I was fresh off the Emberverse series and was mad these didn't have all of the characters. The second time I missed the world Stirling created and this fit the bill. I savored each one of these.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent addition to the series

This collection of short stories widens the world of the Change and gives a glimpse into those areas that the author has not made it himself

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent anthology with many different visions of a post-Change world. I really enjoyed this.

[Marc Ruvolo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the Change series, but these stories written by other authors in the Change Universe are just meh for the most part. Still entertaining , but...

[David Houston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting. Lots of different perspectives from different authors on things that could happen after the Change.

[Larry Wegman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stories set in Stirling's Emberverse. Varying quality - I especially like the one that got into some of the science of how the Change worked.

[Shelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some were hard to remember they are part if the Emberverse. Some were quite good.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

nearly all of the stories were interesting. All hued to the "Change" world. Some were serious , some were amusing.

[Smalltowncat · Rating 5 out of 5]

A much needed change from the novels. These authors made the story of the Change new again and interesting. I loved it!