Endless Worlds Volume I: Seven Stories of Fantasy, Horror, and Science Fiction

Endless Worlds #1

by Peter Koevari, E. R. Robin Dover, S. J. Bryant

A FANTASY, SCIENCE FICTION, AND HORROR ANTHOLOGY featuring seven short stories by well-received authors. They may scare you, thrill you, and capture your imagination. If you enjoy high-quality short stories that will excite you, then this is for you! E. R. Robin Dover’s “The Trees” (Horror) "In a remote desert region of southwestern New Mexico, centered along the Rio Grande, is an ancient grove of trees permeated with an evil that has always existed. In silence, it screams out to be touched – and does so with one mind. It calls out for the succulent meat within its shells to be consumed. When the time is right, it gives up its fruit – spreading influence and forbidden knowledge – disseminating control found only in a very special evil. There have been conspicuous disappearances. The Grove expands afterward. Joel Johnson made sacrifices that changed the Grove. But Joel has also changed. He is deeply in love with this forest of darkness, witnessing things no one else has seen. He feels them absorbing and consuming him. And he likes it. Evil exists for the sake of itself. There is no rhyme or reason. And it’s destined to create a one-of-a-kind – something grotesque – something like a man…" S. J. Bryant’s “The Unconnected” (Science Fiction/Cyberpunk) "Tanguin is a mercenary hacker delving deep into the servers of a megacorporation to pay for her parent's addiction. She must fight past anti-hacker software in the form of roving gangs and malicious killers, when she discovers that nothing is what it seems." James Peters’ “Carbon to Carbon” (Science Fiction) "A ruthless mercenary is hired to eliminate the last surviving member of a family killed by a negligent mega-corporation. Is there any shred of humanity left in this killing machine? This story mixes two parts testosterone, one part social commentary, seasoned with a touch of dark humor." Matthew Wright’s “Missionary” (Science Fiction) "Trapped on a haunted starship, chaplain Cam Suttler has to find new strengths in himself to rally the crew before darkness destroys their minds." Ken Mann’s “Ravens Nest” (Fantasy/Horror) "In search of assistance after a breakdown, Patrick must find an escape from a mansion that holds him captive, evade the demons that taunt his mind, and find his missing girlfriend." K. C. May’s “The Awakening” (Science Fiction) "Dr. Benjamin Sykes, a brilliant neurosurgeon and engineer, has developed a device to cure psychological and neurological disorders. He awakens a comatose schizophrenic, only to learn the patient believes his hallucinatory friend is a manifestation of God. Can Ben find a way past his consuming need to fix people and separate the delusion from the religion without destroying the patient he's worked so hard to save?" Peter Koevari’s “Dusted Dreams” (Horror/Science Fiction) "Warhawk Log, March 17th, 2118: It was meant to be a dream mission. Set up a last resort Data Center for the Earth Defense Network, have the trip of a lifetime to Mars, and return home to my waiting family. The terrors I encountered, I never saw coming. I am Hamid Miya, and this is my story."

Genres: Anthologies

222 pages, Paperback

First published November 13, 2015

About the author

Peter Koevari is the co-founder, screenwriter, producer, and casting director of GP2 Entertainment, an up-an-coming Australian indie film production company, based in Brisbane, Queensland.

Peter is known for his literature, with a well-received fantasy series, Legends of Marithia, which has over 250 reader and critic reviews. It is being adapted to concept episodes by GP2 Entertainment with Little Dog Productions in Brisbane. His short stories also feature in Endless Worlds anthologies

Peter sets GP2's sights on Hollywood, streamers, and studios, producing many concept production titles. He focuses on the most popular genres of Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, Action, Supernatural, and Drama.

Reviews

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank the author for giving me a copy in exchange of a honest review! That didn't in any way affect my thoughts and opinions
This was one heck of an amazing read. I loved most of the stories in this collection, and I would love to read more!
-"The Trees
This one was a bit disturbing. And not disturbing in the "wtf" sense - well, maybe a bit - but more disturbing in the "wait...what" sense... If that... ever makes any sense. But nevertheless it was really well-written, and I think that it was more... confusing than enjoyable, but still enjoyable.
Rating: 3/5 stars

-"The Unconnected"
This one was definitely my favourite. I loved the world building and the twist was fabulous! The ending wasn't right! I NEED to know more!!! Are there novels about this???
Rating:4.5/5 stars

-"Carbon to Carbon"
This one may be my second favourite. I have so many questions concerning the world that I don't even know where to begin! I hope this short story will have a novel, heck, why not a series of its own!
Rating:4/5 stars

-"Missionary"
Unfortunately, I didn't quite enjoy this one. It was well-written, but didn't quite appeal to me like the other stories did. Nevertheless, that ending was damn good!
Rating:3.5/5 stars

-"Ravens Nest"
This one! It was amazing! I loved everything about it, from the beginning to the twists and turns! I know that the plot itself is a little bit cliche, but it's a good kind of cliche. Oh gosh, it was amazing!
Rating:4/5 stars

-"The Awakening"
If I had to compare The Awakening to the other stories, I'd say it was more... quiet. It was good, but didn't have tension, or action as such, but otherwise... it was okay.
Rating:3/5 stars

-"Dusted Dreams"
I really enjoyed this one; it was really well-written and was interesting. I would like to see where the plot would go!
Rating:3.5/5 stars

On the overall this collection of short stories is really good, and if you enjoy science fiction as well as horror, I strongly recommend this book to you! Trust me, it's real good!

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Endless possibilities. Dark natures and some dark solutions. Endless worlds gripped me from the beginning to the end of the book. My reaction...WOW! So intense, compelling and yet I was so ensnared I could not stop reading. From one story to the next you had to find out what was happening even if you didn't know how it would end. Exceptional Sci-fi writing, it's even scares you at the thought of "what if?" My imagination is working overtime.

**I was given this ARC by Peter Koevari Author of Dusted Dreams published in this book

[Carla D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a digital ARC from the author Peter Koevari.

Crítica completa em Pepita Mágica: http://pepitamagica.blogspot.pt/2016/...

actual rating: 3.5 stars

Horror, science fiction and fantasy are some of the genre I like to read, therefore, Endless Worlds Anthology – vol.I was a good bet. Peter Koevari (who I read his trilogy "Legends of Marithia") sent me this anthology to read and write an honest review, as I always do.

1) E. R. Robin Dover’s The Trees(Horror) ★★
2) S. J. Bryant’s The Unconnected (Science Fiction/Cyberpunk) ★★★★
3) James Peters’ Carbon to Carbon (Science Fiction) ★★★
4) Matthew Wright’s Missionary (Science Fiction) ★★½
5) Ken Mann’s Ravens Nest (Fantasy/Horror) ★★★½
6) K. C. May’s The Awakening (Science Fiction) ★★★★½
7) Peter Koevari’s Dusted Dreams (Horror/Science Fiction) ★★★★½

[Suzanne Marble · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from Peter Koevari
I loved this books, the worlds pulled you in and although some of them started slow and hard to get into it, they were worth the read and sends your imagination on a full speed run! It leaves a lot to imagine. Since I cannot write individual reviews on the stories I am going to do it here for Peter.
Dusted Dreams was amazing! The characters are so captivating and really catch not just your attention but your emotions. You really feel for the characters. It feels as if you are standing there next to them, hearing the scratching. I mean like feeling the pain and not being to fix it. It throws your imagination into overdrive. Leaving so much to explore in this world makes it worth continuing on. Words Vary and the imagery help bring this story to life. Even the Dialogue brings you deeper into the action. Peter has outdone himself again!

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Free ebook version from author in exchange for an honest review*

I found Endless Worlds Volume I to be quite enjoyable. Like most collections of short stories, there were great stories and then there were some that I did not like. Overall I would give it just under 4 stars and would recommend it to any fan of fantasy and science fiction. I feel they will certainly find much to like in the book. Each story had a different rating so I will give those during the review.

1) The Trees by E.R. Robin Dover: This story received 2 stars. To me this was the least enjoyable of the stories. It had me wonder why it was chosen as the lead story since I would think that would turn people off of reading the rest. Maybe it sets the expectation so low that the other stories seem even better in comparison? The premise of the story did not interest me. The characters felt weak, almost stereotypical and their conversations did not feel real to me. Furthermore, perhaps it was my perception of where their names came from, but I found it annoying rather than interesting.

2) The Unconnected by S.J. Bryant: I give this story 4 stars. I found that this story really messes with your mind in a good way. It keeps you guessing, though in the end all the pieces fit perfectly. Perhaps there was one too many twists. The main character was superbly developed with easily understood motivations that make the reader wish to know more about her.

3) Carbon to Carbon by James Peters: This story receives 3 1/2 stars. Overall I enjoyed the story. There were many points where the author made me laugh out loud. The main character was well developed. There were points in the story where I felt it was a bit bland. Maybe expanding it would have made it better. The ending was good though.

4) Missionary by Matthew Wright: I gave this story 3 1/2 stars. The story line was good and the ending was superb. The author did a great job of keeping me guessing. My main problem with this story was that perhaps there was too much technical jargon. I found that detracted from the story for me.

5) Ravens Nest by Ken Man: I also gave this story 3 1/2 stars. The story definitely keeps you guessing. However there were many times I found myself saying that the character's actions and thoughts made no sense. Perhaps it really is as simple as the main character was insane. I just somehow think there was more levels to the story than what I am seeing.

6) The Awakening by K. C. May: I gave this story 4 1/2 stars. The story was well crafted. A very important lesson in life was embedded in the story revealed at the perfect pace. The more I think of the story, the more I feel there is more I have not even grasped. The characters were amazingly well developed, especially for a short story. This would have been my favorite in the book had it not been for the last story.

7) Dusted Dreams by Peter Koevari: This story receives 5 stars from me. I found it to be simply amazing. The story, a fresh blending of an alien invasion and the zombie apocalypse, completely captivated me. The characters were perfect and to me this is the right blending of technical information and story. The reader never once feels that the technical information is distracting from the story itself.

[David Monroe · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable collection of stories. All were well-crafted, some stronger than others, but well worth the read. As a collection, 4 out of 5 stars.
The Trees - E.R. Robin Dover. This story had a twilight zone feeling, a dark presence controlling people through the fruit of a pecan grove. Great concept, good reveal of what was going on, but the board meeting members were a little too interchangeable. Probably would have been stronger with fewer, deeper characters. 4/5 stars
The Unconnected – S. J. Bryant. I had mixed feelings on this one – interesting “Matrix” type story, and a good twist that truly surprised me (which was good) but I was left thinking “Don’t stop it there” and it ended like it was just getting the story started. 3.5 / 5 stars
Carbon to Carbon – James Peters. This one! A blast from start to finish with a character you want to hate but makes you laugh, and ends up with true character progression – rare in a short story. Sometimes a bit “choppy” with the changes of POV, but that’s a minor issue compared to the overall story and fun-factor. 4.5/5 stars
Missionary – Mathew Wright. A little heavy on the science and light on explaining some of the character’s motivations. I had to stop a few times and re-read a paragraph or two to be certain who was talking. Unfortunately for me, the reveal wasn’t a surprise as it reminded me of another story, but still an interesting take on the “what is intelligent life” question. 3/5 stars.
Raven’s Nest – Ken Mann. The darkest / most psychological story of the collection. Good reveal at the end as to what’s really happened, and just enough hints throughout to make the reader grin and think “should have seen that coming.” 4/5 Stars
The Awakening – K.C. May. There was some connection that I just missed with this one. Not certain what the missing piece was, but there was something else it needed, like another level of depth. The descriptions and detail was really good, I just didn’t get drawn in. 3/5 stars
Dusted Dreams – Peter Koevari. My second favorite of the group – this had the right mix of “Science” and “Fiction” for me – not so detailed that I felt it was a science class, just enough to create the setting and the “distance from home” sensation. The ending was satisfying, yet had the feel there was more to come. 4.5/5 stars

[Bikram · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had requested and received audiobook version of this book for free from the narrator, in exchange for an unbiased review.

I've developed a definite liking for short story anthologies since I've read some 5-6 anthologies so far and none of them have disappointed me, this Endless Worlds Volume I and II included.

I like Sci-Fi, I like fantasy and I like Horror. A book containing short stories from all these 3 genres is a must read for me. So I did. And I came out thoroughly entertained. Volume I has 7 stories from the above mentioned 3 genres. The very first story - “The Trees” was a little disturbing and weird. But the next two stories “The Unconnected” and “Carbon to Carbon” were superb. Those two are my favorite from this volume. Both of them have excellent story that blew my mind. The rest 4 stories were good too, but didn't match the high level of expectations set by these two.

David Swanson brought his best for this performance. Narrating all these different stories in different voices and emotions was no easy job, but he did it. Sure, had it been a multi-narrator book, it might've been a little better. But even with a single narrator of David's caliber, this book excels.

[Janice Spina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creepy and Shocking Stories that nightmares are made of!

Endless Worlds Volume 1 is a collection of seven stories that will give you nightmares even during the daytime. Once I began to read this book I was hooked and afraid to turn off the lights.

One story in particular shocked me and others gave me chills. These authors really dug deep to create the horror, fantasy and sci-fi that will frighten and at the same time delight fans of these genres.

I look forward to Volume 2 if I should dare to read! Creative and well written stories for horror, fantasy and sci-fi fans out there! Grab a copy today. You won't be disappointed.

[Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review is for the audiobook format.

This collection features seven scifi and horror-themed short stories. Each is written by a different author, but they all share David Swanson's thoughtful, professional narration. Previous reviewers have left detailed synopses for each story, which I won't attempt to rehash here. However, three stories really stood out to me for their uniqueness and for deserving to be longer, more full bodied stories.

▪️ My #1 is K C May's scifi story, The Awakening.
▪️ Second place goes to The Unconnected, a cyber scifi story by S J Bryant.
▪️ Finally there's Peter Koevari’s Dusted Dreams, a horror-tinged scifi story that had it all: zombies, aliens, AND a virus!

Some stories were better than others, but they all contain some form of interesting concept. I recommend reading or listening to this collection and finding your own favorite.

(I requested this free review copy audiobook and voluntarily posted this unbiased review.)

[Pat Cummings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of the stories in this collection were acceptable, but three were stellar. (Your mileage may vary.) I have opted to review only those three. They appear here in the same order as in the anthology. No other ranking is implied.

The Unconnected by S.J. Bryant

This dark tale of a daughter's mission to rescue her parents from their VR addiction reminded me of Spider Robinson's God is an Iron, and a little of Neo's escape from The Matrix.

Tanguin is no innocent dutiful daughter: she makes her living stealing from corporations. She must create her own hacking opportunities, sometimes with malicious set-pieces that unravel the lives of others a la Mr. Robot. We get brief glimpses of this in a single passage of Tanguin through a bar/restaurant that leaves chaos in her wake.

You'll have to draw your own conclusions about Tanguin's final fate. My take-away? God may not commit irony, but does possess a sense of justice.

Carbon to Carbon by James Peters

Mercenary Aegis has managed to bury his humanity underneath the cyborg-like enhancements that make him a killing machine. The killer machinery rescued him from a life of poverty as a congenital cripple, and made him valuable as a soldier.

Finished with his service, free to sell his abilities to the highest bidder, he doesn't question the morality of his tasks. He just does as he has contracted to do.

But deep inside him, the young boy Aegis once was still yearns for justice, and for something to believe in. Unfortunately for his latest employer, those old yearnings are about to encounter a missionary with a gospel uniquely shaped to connect with the boy inside him.

The Missionary by Matthew Wright

Mission ship Star Witch is unfortunate twice over. First, no sooner did their trip to rescue the vanished ship Annie (lost on a jaunt to a gas giant) bring them to Annie's last-known position, than the AI—which operates the ship and all its systems—died. And second, their ex-Navy supercargo, Cam Suttler, is a booze-hound who is only along (in the role of Chaplain) because his drinking buddy Jacob Greunt was the pilot on Annie.

Now someone needs to shake the crew out of their panic, or Star Witch will follow Annie into oblivion. For his sins, Cam is the only savior available.

This story is pure action (think Mission of Gravity, the Hal Clement classic), with just enough concept sauce to give it a nice flavor. The afterword gives the only hint of who the bad guy might have been, and it's worth every gripping minute of tense action to reach it.


Rescue, justice, sin and redemption: the stories I enjoyed most in this collection share them as a common thread. As other reviews show, you may find different favorites. Either way, my mission is complete.