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Merely This and Nothing More: Poe Goes Punk
A clockwork raven. Two sets of irresistible teeth. A house brought to life by nanobots. A heart that won't stop beating. All this and much more in the Writerpunk Press version of the beloved suspense stories by Edgar Allan Poe. We've pulled out all the stops this time around to bring you the very best punked versions of classic Poe tales, complete with shiny gears and tiny bots! In addition to the more familiar Cyberpunk and Steampunk, we've added Bio, Deco, and Dieselpunk genres to the mix. The resulting volume is a dynamic take on horror of which the Master of Macabre himself would be proud. Profits are to be donated to PAWS Lynnwood, an animal shelter and wildlife rescue located in the Pacific Northwest.
348 pages, Paperback
Published April 26, 2016
3 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Jeffrey Cook
21 books60 followersJeffrey Cook lives in Maple Valley, Washington, with his wife and three large dogs. He has lived all over the United States. He’s contributed to a number of role-playing game books for Deep7 Press out of Seattle, Washington, but First Light is his first novel. When not reading, researching or writing, Jeffrey enjoys role-playing games and watching football.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 7, 2016
If the sheer style of this idea - a punk take on Edgar Allan Poe - doesn't seduce you, I'm not sure what will, but I'm game to give it a go.
The punk in the title is all things writerpunk - be it steampunk, cyberpunk... alas no unicornpunk*, but one can't have everything!
The collection features a number of writers, all contributing their take on the works of Poe. Bookended by very different takes on the Fall of the House of Usher, we stop off at variations on The Raven, The Masque of the Red Death, The Facts In The Case of M. Valdemar, The Telltale Heart and more.
Stories are given a new spin with clear love and affection from the writers - just take a read of Carol Gyzander's Clockwork Raven to see the careful attention to detail in the updated tale. The opener, by Jenny Blenk, is also a fine example. A cyberpunk vision of the Fall of the House of Usher, where nanomachines and failed software integration is undermining the home of the Ushers and, as the story unfolds, it appears the Ushers themselves. Splendidly done and with a real urgency to the tale that gives a freshness to the familiar.
Andrea Hintz's take on the Telltale Heart, Ticker, also gives a vibrant update to an old tale, with the tick-tock urgency of the would-be cyber-modder clearly locked in the grip of madness.
Elsewhere we have the therapy sessions of M.Valdemar, brought to life by David Stegora, or the jaunty Search for Eldorado, by Rie Sheridan Rose, a short but sweet piece of poetry that deserves to be turned into a steampunk convention drinking song! Also short, but making me wish it was longer, was Jeffrey Cook's Red Sky At Morning. Splendid writing, but feels like it all came to an end a bit too quickly, just as I was getting settled into the tale.
There is the gruesome - such as Anthony Stark's 32 Ways To De-Objectify Your Lover or Voss Foster's Ivory - and the darkly, quirkily fun, such as Virginia Carraway Stark's delightful and mischievous King Pest. Tabula Rasa, by Jayelle King, also deserves a nod for its neat exploration of someone trying to pry open their past after a memory wipe.
I can't pick a single favourite from the collection, but I adored the richness of two stories. In Nils Nisse Visser's The Oval Sky Room, a girl born to poverty finds the possibility of salvation in posing as a model for a rich artist in his skyborne airship home... but dangers lie ahead. This tale was so neatly written that the pain of the finale cuts deep - beautifully done.
The other standout tale for me was Holly Gonzalez's The Envy of Angels, who goes beyond a simple update of a Poe tale to create a whole cyber-influenced world in which one young man's singing voice first comes to offer hope... and then poses a threat to the foundations of the world as so-called angels stalk the Earth once more, with devastating consequences.
Plug in your neural jack and download this, you will regret it... nevermore.
*Unicornpunk may not actually be a thing.
The punk in the title is all things writerpunk - be it steampunk, cyberpunk... alas no unicornpunk*, but one can't have everything!
The collection features a number of writers, all contributing their take on the works of Poe. Bookended by very different takes on the Fall of the House of Usher, we stop off at variations on The Raven, The Masque of the Red Death, The Facts In The Case of M. Valdemar, The Telltale Heart and more.
Stories are given a new spin with clear love and affection from the writers - just take a read of Carol Gyzander's Clockwork Raven to see the careful attention to detail in the updated tale. The opener, by Jenny Blenk, is also a fine example. A cyberpunk vision of the Fall of the House of Usher, where nanomachines and failed software integration is undermining the home of the Ushers and, as the story unfolds, it appears the Ushers themselves. Splendidly done and with a real urgency to the tale that gives a freshness to the familiar.
Andrea Hintz's take on the Telltale Heart, Ticker, also gives a vibrant update to an old tale, with the tick-tock urgency of the would-be cyber-modder clearly locked in the grip of madness.
Elsewhere we have the therapy sessions of M.Valdemar, brought to life by David Stegora, or the jaunty Search for Eldorado, by Rie Sheridan Rose, a short but sweet piece of poetry that deserves to be turned into a steampunk convention drinking song! Also short, but making me wish it was longer, was Jeffrey Cook's Red Sky At Morning. Splendid writing, but feels like it all came to an end a bit too quickly, just as I was getting settled into the tale.
There is the gruesome - such as Anthony Stark's 32 Ways To De-Objectify Your Lover or Voss Foster's Ivory - and the darkly, quirkily fun, such as Virginia Carraway Stark's delightful and mischievous King Pest. Tabula Rasa, by Jayelle King, also deserves a nod for its neat exploration of someone trying to pry open their past after a memory wipe.
I can't pick a single favourite from the collection, but I adored the richness of two stories. In Nils Nisse Visser's The Oval Sky Room, a girl born to poverty finds the possibility of salvation in posing as a model for a rich artist in his skyborne airship home... but dangers lie ahead. This tale was so neatly written that the pain of the finale cuts deep - beautifully done.
The other standout tale for me was Holly Gonzalez's The Envy of Angels, who goes beyond a simple update of a Poe tale to create a whole cyber-influenced world in which one young man's singing voice first comes to offer hope... and then poses a threat to the foundations of the world as so-called angels stalk the Earth once more, with devastating consequences.
Plug in your neural jack and download this, you will regret it... nevermore.
*Unicornpunk may not actually be a thing.
Read
December 8, 2016Review: MERELY THIS...and nothing more
A thought-provoking, wide-ranging anthology, showcasing both the glory of Edgar Allan Poe, 19th century Master of Horror, and today's authors whose imaginative endeavours boldly go beyond, even into the future, MERELY THIS...and nothing more, is a collection to be read, savoured, and delighted in. (A great gift too!) 21 authors offer 21 widely different, delectable stories for your enjoyment. Can't wait to see their next effort!
A thought-provoking, wide-ranging anthology, showcasing both the glory of Edgar Allan Poe, 19th century Master of Horror, and today's authors whose imaginative endeavours boldly go beyond, even into the future, MERELY THIS...and nothing more, is a collection to be read, savoured, and delighted in. (A great gift too!) 21 authors offer 21 widely different, delectable stories for your enjoyment. Can't wait to see their next effort!
July 5, 2019
I wish I were at my computer so I could write a proper review of the short stories, but I'll have to do that when I get back home. As it stands, I can tell you that some of the writers involved should never write again, and should feel bad about what they have done. They should also stop trying to be 'edgy' with their author blurb and just ducking say a little bit about themselves instead of the crap that is at the beginning of the book and repeated again in front of each story. It made me actively hate more than one of them - can you tell? - and their stories suffered for it.
On the flip side of that, once I stopped trying to get to know the authors I had a better experience. There are some really good stories in here, but it will have to wait a week for me to properly recognize them. I can say that throwing "punk" at the end if words does not make it any more real than throwing "gate" there does, so stop it.
On the flip side of that, once I stopped trying to get to know the authors I had a better experience. There are some really good stories in here, but it will have to wait a week for me to properly recognize them. I can say that throwing "punk" at the end if words does not make it any more real than throwing "gate" there does, so stop it.
October 13, 2016
This could easily have been a five star review. In fact, if a 4.5 were possible, that's what I would give, as it is. Many of the stories are wonderfully immersive. Actually, the only (few) times an individual story (or two) falls short is in an attempt to be social commentary or satire of current sociopolitical/cultural norms or movements.
Those stories that are of another world, and that stay firmly in that world, ( no matter what the reader may infer about their own world by comparison) are the most successful. Those that are formulated to mirror modern social/political/cultural trends, in order to make some sort of statement, fall flat.
I love a good piece of satire, and read a lot of what is often labelled "message fiction", where a story serves as a means to communicate a moral or political/social/cultural prescription. But, when narrative is lost to "the message" both the story and message are unconvincing
What I guess I'm getting to, my major complaint, is that some of the stories are less narrative and more political statement. This would be fine, except that they tend to heavy handedness, and the world building suffers.
Those stories that are of another world, and that stay firmly in that world, ( no matter what the reader may infer about their own world by comparison) are the most successful. Those that are formulated to mirror modern social/political/cultural trends, in order to make some sort of statement, fall flat.
I love a good piece of satire, and read a lot of what is often labelled "message fiction", where a story serves as a means to communicate a moral or political/social/cultural prescription. But, when narrative is lost to "the message" both the story and message are unconvincing
What I guess I'm getting to, my major complaint, is that some of the stories are less narrative and more political statement. This would be fine, except that they tend to heavy handedness, and the world building suffers.
May 16, 2016
I received an ARC from a friend.
If you love Poe, you will love this collection of short stories. It has all the flavor and mood of Poe with steampunk attributes. But it's not a retelling of Poe with a few steampunk items thrown in. The stories are clever and creative, originally inventive. With only a few exceptions, they are fresh stories inspired by Poe.
I look forward to following it up with their steampunk version of Shakespeare.
If you love Poe, you will love this collection of short stories. It has all the flavor and mood of Poe with steampunk attributes. But it's not a retelling of Poe with a few steampunk items thrown in. The stories are clever and creative, originally inventive. With only a few exceptions, they are fresh stories inspired by Poe.
I look forward to following it up with their steampunk version of Shakespeare.
February 1, 2020
Pretty good book
I like this whole series of steampunk themed tributes to literary classics. If only they were around in my high school years, I wouldn't have had to rely on Cliff's Notes. It's fun to try and figure out which story is being honored, and trying to see how much of the original shows through. My favorite story was Ticker, the tribute to the Telltale Heart.
I like this whole series of steampunk themed tributes to literary classics. If only they were around in my high school years, I wouldn't have had to rely on Cliff's Notes. It's fun to try and figure out which story is being honored, and trying to see how much of the original shows through. My favorite story was Ticker, the tribute to the Telltale Heart.
May 29, 2016
Merely This and Nothing More is the third outing by the Writerpunk Project. This is a collection of short stories based Poe's works and set in various punk settings.
I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced reader's copy and I have enjoyed going through the tales within. My expectations were met and exceeded by the stories I have read. I feel I had envisioned reading the tales and merely seeing a bit of punk elements added to the stories I had already read. What I got was something much different, as many of the stories are just the opposite, taking a few Poe elements to add them to a punk story in which they are fitting.
As with any collection of short stories, even those by some of my favorite authors, not all stories resonated the same. Some were more enjoyable to me than others. I would say, though, that this is a professional collection of stories that works well together as a whole.
I find star ratings a bit limited. I always prefer to rate based on my recommendations. I would gladly recommend this book to anyone that likes to read Poe , short stories, or any Punk Genre. I would also say that I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in any of those as well. It was a fun read that I will be glad to keep in my collection.
I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced reader's copy and I have enjoyed going through the tales within. My expectations were met and exceeded by the stories I have read. I feel I had envisioned reading the tales and merely seeing a bit of punk elements added to the stories I had already read. What I got was something much different, as many of the stories are just the opposite, taking a few Poe elements to add them to a punk story in which they are fitting.
As with any collection of short stories, even those by some of my favorite authors, not all stories resonated the same. Some were more enjoyable to me than others. I would say, though, that this is a professional collection of stories that works well together as a whole.
I find star ratings a bit limited. I always prefer to rate based on my recommendations. I would gladly recommend this book to anyone that likes to read Poe , short stories, or any Punk Genre. I would also say that I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in any of those as well. It was a fun read that I will be glad to keep in my collection.
June 6, 2016
Knowing one of the authors, he offered me a chance of reading a review copy which I was keen to take him up on. The price was an honest review.
This is a good book and could be great for some. The quality of the stories is good, the editing is fine so no typos/format issues to steal your pleasure and there is a good range of different styles and "voices". The downside for me sadly is the reason for the book - the stories are inspired by Poe, an author I love and know fairly well. Some of the stories (about 5 of the 20) are based too closely on well known Poe tales and I found it hard to disengage the critical part of judging how it varied from the original to engage fully with the story. However, the ones I knew less well or where the author had used the Poe tale as a springboard rather than a framework were fantastic and I identified a few new authors to check out. With 20 stories and 1 poem, if you like steampunk, Poe or one of the many authors, this anthology is well worth a punt. You'll find at least a few pearls of note.
This is a good book and could be great for some. The quality of the stories is good, the editing is fine so no typos/format issues to steal your pleasure and there is a good range of different styles and "voices". The downside for me sadly is the reason for the book - the stories are inspired by Poe, an author I love and know fairly well. Some of the stories (about 5 of the 20) are based too closely on well known Poe tales and I found it hard to disengage the critical part of judging how it varied from the original to engage fully with the story. However, the ones I knew less well or where the author had used the Poe tale as a springboard rather than a framework were fantastic and I identified a few new authors to check out. With 20 stories and 1 poem, if you like steampunk, Poe or one of the many authors, this anthology is well worth a punt. You'll find at least a few pearls of note.
June 1, 2016
Both fans of classic Poe and those who have never read him before will enjoy this book. Many different authors bring their unique perspective as well as some Punk genre flair to each of the stories contained in the anthology.
It was very entertaining and the writing is well done. The stories flow and transition smoothly throughout the book. I highly recommend this one and all proceeds go to charity so it is well worth it.
It was very entertaining and the writing is well done. The stories flow and transition smoothly throughout the book. I highly recommend this one and all proceeds go to charity so it is well worth it.
December 21, 2016
This anthology presents classic and beloved Poe stories and poems in the steampunk, cyberpunk, dystopian and utopian styles. I loved both interpretations of Annabell Lee and the Fall of the House of Usher. As an extra bonus, all of the money you spend on this anthology goes to help a no-kill animal shelter. So, you can't go wrong with this book if you love any punk genre, Poe, or animals!
December 19, 2024
Excellent adaptations. Intensely readable.
March 31, 2017
If one loves any work by Edgar Allan Poe it is hard not to find a joy in reading the many pieces in this book. An anthology in which numerous authors re-imagine and pay tribute to different works of Poe in the context of one of the many Punk genres and sub-genres. The result is truly something remarkable, aided in no small part by the clear love each author has for both their craft but also the man who inspired it.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews