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Outliers of Speculative Fiction #1
Outliers of Speculative Fiction
Stories by: Cat Rambo * Cory Skerry * Tim Jeffreys * Kelly Dwyer * Eric Landreneau * Jetse de Vries * L.A. Little * Kayla Bashe * Anya Penfold * Dennis Mombauer * S. Kay * Amal Singh * Kama Post * Heather Harris McFarlane * Kristin Jacques * P.E. Bolivar
The best speculative fiction stories end in surprising ways. Here are seventeen stories that not only end well but began in ways as wide ranging and surprising as the best twist endings.
The Outliers are 17 authors who view the fantastic through very different lenses of personal experience and imagination. They are well known and unpublished, they are men and women, they are straight and LGBTQ, they come from seven different nations and several races and distinct cultures. They all bring you stories from outside speculative fiction's mainstream with voices as compelling as any and visions daring and unique.
From forgotten gods to downtrodden superheroes, from visions of imperfect futures to new mythologies for the modern age, these are The Outliers of Speculative Fiction.
The best speculative fiction stories end in surprising ways. Here are seventeen stories that not only end well but began in ways as wide ranging and surprising as the best twist endings.
The Outliers are 17 authors who view the fantastic through very different lenses of personal experience and imagination. They are well known and unpublished, they are men and women, they are straight and LGBTQ, they come from seven different nations and several races and distinct cultures. They all bring you stories from outside speculative fiction's mainstream with voices as compelling as any and visions daring and unique.
From forgotten gods to downtrodden superheroes, from visions of imperfect futures to new mythologies for the modern age, these are The Outliers of Speculative Fiction.
- GenresFantasy
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 26, 2015
1 person is currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
L.A. Little
4 books35 followersI began writing before I could actually write. I would draw a battle scene with stylized stick figures on a piece of notebook paper. Then I would draw the scene over and over, a few seconds or minutes further along each time. I used different types of weapons, helmets, etc. to distinguish characters.
I worked as a music journalist and editor for several years in the 90s. It was during this period that I first wrote the story that is now published as Deadblood.
I've written short fiction and written and illustrated comic books for various indie publishers. In the early 2000s a short of my Velvet Crush comic book was published, I created the comic book 7 Squad on spec, and I sold artwork to a major card gaming company.
In 2013 Deadblood was released as an ebook and in October of 2014 the tpb came out. I've recently finished the first book in my Paler World series, The Flatstone Beach.
I worked as a music journalist and editor for several years in the 90s. It was during this period that I first wrote the story that is now published as Deadblood.
I've written short fiction and written and illustrated comic books for various indie publishers. In the early 2000s a short of my Velvet Crush comic book was published, I created the comic book 7 Squad on spec, and I sold artwork to a major card gaming company.
In 2013 Deadblood was released as an ebook and in October of 2014 the tpb came out. I've recently finished the first book in my Paler World series, The Flatstone Beach.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 15, 2016
Outliers of Speculative Fiction is a new anthology, something that's to be encouraged in the publishing landscape.
This debut has attracted some strong names, too, such as Cat Rambo, the SFWA president, and Dark Lane anthologies editor Tim Jeffreys.
There's no strong, abiding theme to the collection, which is both a blessing and a curse. It encourages diversity - in both content and representation - but leaves a lack of focus at times.
That said, there's some brilliant work in here, such as by the aforementioned Tim Jeffreys, whose No Other is a hard look at post-apocalyptic life, or Kelly Dwyer's Liminal Hill, a sci fi in a seedy future world of cigarettes and spies, bullets and lies.
Kama Post's intriguing and otherworldly When We Go Flying unnerves, while The Boomtown Clurry Snatch, by Kristin Jacques is a fine caper.
That said, there are others that don't sit as well. Cat Rambo's story, for example, has no plot or indeed any named lead character, and reads as a rant by a blogger in a superhero world - a member of the League of Extraordinary Superbloggers, perhaps, all about how superhero names ain't what they used to be. Fine enough for a bit of fun, but too slight as a story. The editor's own Somnambulant strays too lightly into territory well trod by Neil Gaiman and is overshadowed as a result. A couple of stories feel like they're just getting going when they come to an end too - such as PE Bolivar's The Forest Realm, where online gaming turns obsessive and deadly, or Heather Harris McFarlane's Pandora's Toybox, which chills but feels like it needs more weight.
There's experimentation in form by Jetse de Vries, in Random Acts of Cosmic Whimsy, which I found almost unfollowable, and S Kay writes an entire story in Twitter format, which is an achievement technically but as a story focusing on someone not understanding bots and talking about Kim Kardashian is a feed I actually would unfollow. Technical challenge over artistic achievement in that case, I think.
Throw in some bumpy editing and odd formating in the version I received to review and this works out as a middling collection. But middling ain't bad for a first pitch, and I hope it proves a firm stepping stone for future anthologies.
One last special word for a story that's lingered in my head since I read it. Eric Landreneau manages to combine rock and roll, a dead end Virginia town, parental abuse and urban myth to spin together a very affecting tale. Well played, sir, this lingers like the effects of a good moonshine whiskey, and burns all the way down.
This debut has attracted some strong names, too, such as Cat Rambo, the SFWA president, and Dark Lane anthologies editor Tim Jeffreys.
There's no strong, abiding theme to the collection, which is both a blessing and a curse. It encourages diversity - in both content and representation - but leaves a lack of focus at times.
That said, there's some brilliant work in here, such as by the aforementioned Tim Jeffreys, whose No Other is a hard look at post-apocalyptic life, or Kelly Dwyer's Liminal Hill, a sci fi in a seedy future world of cigarettes and spies, bullets and lies.
Kama Post's intriguing and otherworldly When We Go Flying unnerves, while The Boomtown Clurry Snatch, by Kristin Jacques is a fine caper.
That said, there are others that don't sit as well. Cat Rambo's story, for example, has no plot or indeed any named lead character, and reads as a rant by a blogger in a superhero world - a member of the League of Extraordinary Superbloggers, perhaps, all about how superhero names ain't what they used to be. Fine enough for a bit of fun, but too slight as a story. The editor's own Somnambulant strays too lightly into territory well trod by Neil Gaiman and is overshadowed as a result. A couple of stories feel like they're just getting going when they come to an end too - such as PE Bolivar's The Forest Realm, where online gaming turns obsessive and deadly, or Heather Harris McFarlane's Pandora's Toybox, which chills but feels like it needs more weight.
There's experimentation in form by Jetse de Vries, in Random Acts of Cosmic Whimsy, which I found almost unfollowable, and S Kay writes an entire story in Twitter format, which is an achievement technically but as a story focusing on someone not understanding bots and talking about Kim Kardashian is a feed I actually would unfollow. Technical challenge over artistic achievement in that case, I think.
Throw in some bumpy editing and odd formating in the version I received to review and this works out as a middling collection. But middling ain't bad for a first pitch, and I hope it proves a firm stepping stone for future anthologies.
One last special word for a story that's lingered in my head since I read it. Eric Landreneau manages to combine rock and roll, a dead end Virginia town, parental abuse and urban myth to spin together a very affecting tale. Well played, sir, this lingers like the effects of a good moonshine whiskey, and burns all the way down.
December 16, 2015
I was lucky enough to have my short story, No Other, included in this anthology edited by L.A. Little.
No Other is a sci-fi/horror mix and concerns two people - Dawn and Nishi - lone survivors of a deadly disease which has decimated mankind. All the stories in the book were of a high-standard, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading them. Each story offered something new and surprising. Here, though, are some of my favourites:
Stepping On Sand & Gods by Cory Skerry gets things off to a fine and unexpected start. This is an excellent magic-realist tale set in a South American desert littered with lost gods, and where an expectant mother goes to birth her child in honour of ancient traditions. This leads to the mother encountering some of those immortal beings and having to fight not only for her own life but that of her newborn baby. I found this a convincing, beautifully-written tale; enigmatic but satisfying.
When We Go Flying by Kama Post is another enjoyable story; although as a frequent-flyer myself I found it equally disturbing. The author imagines air travel as are place where travellers no longer sit politely in their seats for the duration of the flight, but instead indulge in all manner of debauchery. In this tale, the sky is a consequence free zone, and all is forgiven and forgotten - even death and destruction - once the plane touches down on the runway. This is a well-written story that grips the reader. I was also impressed by the way this female author managed to write such a convincing male first person narrator.
Somnambulant by L.A Little is a clever take on the idea of a dealer who can't help getting high off his own supply. The dealer in this case is The Sandman, the supply being the grains of sand he doles out to make people sleep. Horrified by the brutal realities of human life and hurting from a failed love affair, The Sandman turns to his own stash for solace. There was an emotional resonance to this story. I found this tale both thought-provoking and oddly moving.
Meanwhile on a Different Earth by Anya Penfold is a tale about people forced to make bombs taking the threat of apocalypse into their own hands. Though a quick read, this carries a strong message and left me with a smile on my face.
No Other is a sci-fi/horror mix and concerns two people - Dawn and Nishi - lone survivors of a deadly disease which has decimated mankind. All the stories in the book were of a high-standard, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading them. Each story offered something new and surprising. Here, though, are some of my favourites:
Stepping On Sand & Gods by Cory Skerry gets things off to a fine and unexpected start. This is an excellent magic-realist tale set in a South American desert littered with lost gods, and where an expectant mother goes to birth her child in honour of ancient traditions. This leads to the mother encountering some of those immortal beings and having to fight not only for her own life but that of her newborn baby. I found this a convincing, beautifully-written tale; enigmatic but satisfying.
When We Go Flying by Kama Post is another enjoyable story; although as a frequent-flyer myself I found it equally disturbing. The author imagines air travel as are place where travellers no longer sit politely in their seats for the duration of the flight, but instead indulge in all manner of debauchery. In this tale, the sky is a consequence free zone, and all is forgiven and forgotten - even death and destruction - once the plane touches down on the runway. This is a well-written story that grips the reader. I was also impressed by the way this female author managed to write such a convincing male first person narrator.
Somnambulant by L.A Little is a clever take on the idea of a dealer who can't help getting high off his own supply. The dealer in this case is The Sandman, the supply being the grains of sand he doles out to make people sleep. Horrified by the brutal realities of human life and hurting from a failed love affair, The Sandman turns to his own stash for solace. There was an emotional resonance to this story. I found this tale both thought-provoking and oddly moving.
Meanwhile on a Different Earth by Anya Penfold is a tale about people forced to make bombs taking the threat of apocalypse into their own hands. Though a quick read, this carries a strong message and left me with a smile on my face.
April 2, 2017
The blurb speaks for itself. This is good speculative fiction. 17 stories, not all fantastic, but not one that isn’t good.
Stepping on Sand and Gods- Native culture explored through dying gods. GOOD.
No Other- When the last two people on earth are desperate. EXCELLENT
Reflections from Mirror World #57- A different look at superpowers. GOOD
Liminal Hill- Not quite “Demolition Man” and that’s a good thing. GOOD
When We Go Flying- When there is no accountability. NOT BAD
Harbour- Eerie, travelers from elsewhere. Good
Pandora’s Toybox- Robot and little girl. Good
A Muse of Fire- Ambiguous and clever. NOT BAD
The Boomtown Slurry Snatch- Shock how people survive. EXCELLENT
Good Fire- A new twist on enlightenment. GOOD
Somnambulant- Addiction is a sad thing. EXCELLENT
Meanwhile On A Different earth- The opposite of 99 Red Balloons. EXCELLENT
The Banana Tree- Cultural connection. Good
The Breeding Dust- Dangerous game of life and death. GOOD
The Forest Realm- Never Ending Story meets Ready Player One. EXCELLENT
Random Acts of Cosmic Whimsy- “A Hichiker’s…” feel to worm holes. NOT BAD
#bff- A bit naïve, but clever and suspenseful. GOOD
My only complaint is that the ebook could use a better TOC. It was difficult to go back and find the stories I liked the most.
Stepping on Sand and Gods- Native culture explored through dying gods. GOOD.
No Other- When the last two people on earth are desperate. EXCELLENT
Reflections from Mirror World #57- A different look at superpowers. GOOD
Liminal Hill- Not quite “Demolition Man” and that’s a good thing. GOOD
When We Go Flying- When there is no accountability. NOT BAD
Harbour- Eerie, travelers from elsewhere. Good
Pandora’s Toybox- Robot and little girl. Good
A Muse of Fire- Ambiguous and clever. NOT BAD
The Boomtown Slurry Snatch- Shock how people survive. EXCELLENT
Good Fire- A new twist on enlightenment. GOOD
Somnambulant- Addiction is a sad thing. EXCELLENT
Meanwhile On A Different earth- The opposite of 99 Red Balloons. EXCELLENT
The Banana Tree- Cultural connection. Good
The Breeding Dust- Dangerous game of life and death. GOOD
The Forest Realm- Never Ending Story meets Ready Player One. EXCELLENT
Random Acts of Cosmic Whimsy- “A Hichiker’s…” feel to worm holes. NOT BAD
#bff- A bit naïve, but clever and suspenseful. GOOD
My only complaint is that the ebook could use a better TOC. It was difficult to go back and find the stories I liked the most.
January 3, 2016
A great compilation of short stories that swing outside the "traditional" mold. Some were to my taste, some weren't, but all of them were interesting for their subject matter, characters, and (in some cases) even their formatting. A good bedtime read, as the stories all move quickly and never feel formulaic. Definitely worth the read if you want exposure to some non-traditional literature with a sci-fi or fantastical bent.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews