Big Sky

Bookburners #1.6

by Brian Francis Slattery

There might not be much upon the open, wind-swept planes of Oklahoma—but magic, like life, finds a way to thrive nevertheless. In this week’s episode the Team is literally blown away when they touch down in a tiny country town, utterly destroyed by horrifying monsters the locals call Tornado Eaters. The town is past saving but the threat remains—it will take all the Society can throw at them and even that might not be enough. Readers, and Sal, will finally get their first look at just what heat Team One is packing…but quickly learn that words wreak more havoc than even the most imaginative weapons.

This episode is brought to you by team-writer Brian Francis Slattery who once again brings the Weird, this time to the West—but it’s not all fun and monsters in Oklahoma and the Society’s toll of life and limb is rising.

Big Sky continues the 16-part Serial, Bookburners, presented by Serial Box. From a team of writers, this collaborative effort unfolds an epic urban fantasy narrative across an entire season in weekly installments. 

Follow along as Sal learns the life changing some books have teeth. 

To learn more about Bookburners and find out how you can read the whole serial, check out SerialBox.com. 

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy

45 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 19, 2015

About the author

Editor, reporter, musician, and writer living just outside of New Haven, CT.

Reviews

[Empress Reece (Hooked on Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bookburners Season One: Episode 6

Tanner City, Oklahoma -  known for their many tornadoes and the site of Team 3's current mission. One of the local boy's, Jacob, has magical gifts just like his grandfather. Many years ago his grandfather created "Tornado Eaters" to keep the tornadoes away from the city. When another tornado is seen on the horizon, Jacob, trying to be like his grandfather, unleashes the Tornado Eaters to protect the city but he gives the wrong orders so now the Tornado Eaters see the town and everyone in it as a threat. Can the Bookburners take down the Tornado Eaters before they take down the city and everything in it?
 
I really enjoyed this episode a lot because we were treated to a close-up of the other teams, Team 1 and Team 2, in action.
 
Team 1 is a full combat team and they normally come in to clean up or when Team 3 needs some serious backup. They have some very cool magical abilities, armor and powerful weapons that they don for their missions.
 
Team 2 is responsible for diplomacy and public relations. They basically smooth over the situation in the aftermath and construct plausible 'lies' to tell the public, news stations, officials etc.
 
And just to clarify, Team 3, the Bookburners and main focus of this serial, handles acquisition and storage. They retrieve books and securely and safely store them in their archives.
 
*I received Bookburners: The Complete Season One from NetGalley & Serial Box Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! 
 

[Bart · Rating 3 out of 5]

4 stars.
Another great episode in a very good series.

[Wetdryvac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this one, probably for all the wrong reasons.

[Lianne Burwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another entry that makes you wonder, are there any good guys? Sal is loyal to her team, but she's reaching the point that the methods used by the organization as a whole are making her more and more cynical.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm reading this series weekly, and I love it. Each episode has a different feel but still fits into the broader whole.

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is my favorite of the bunch so far -- much more humanity and emotion than the other recent installments. (In other words, less Librarians in this one.)