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Forces of Magic #0.5
Glimpses: 16 Short Fantasy Stories
16 Short Fantasy Stories written exclusively for this anthology
Take a Glimpse into 16 fantasy worlds with this anthology of short fiction by some of the brightest new fantasy fiction talent.
Stories from: Adrian G Hilder, Cameron Wayne Smith, Craig A Price Jr, Eloise Hamann, J C Kang, Georgina Makalani, Kevin Partner, Kevin Potter, Killian C Carter, Nicholas Kotar, S K Randolph, Sarah KL Wilson, Shawn Robert Smith, Stefan M Nardi, Tom Hansen, Victoria DeLuis & Meg Cowley
Take a Glimpse into 16 fantasy worlds with this anthology of short fiction by some of the brightest new fantasy fiction talent.
Stories from: Adrian G Hilder, Cameron Wayne Smith, Craig A Price Jr, Eloise Hamann, J C Kang, Georgina Makalani, Kevin Partner, Kevin Potter, Killian C Carter, Nicholas Kotar, S K Randolph, Sarah KL Wilson, Shawn Robert Smith, Stefan M Nardi, Tom Hansen, Victoria DeLuis & Meg Cowley
179 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 29, 2017
94 people are currently reading
206 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Partner
120 books58 followersBe sure to follow me on BookBub for the latest releases and offers: https://scrib.me/bookbub
I write post apocalyptic science fiction both on my own account and with Mike Kraus, as well as space opera and fantasy. And one or two other bits and bobs.
Based in the south of England, I've been writing since my teens, alternating between funny and serious. In the mid 1990s, I became a regular columnist for PC Pro magazine and have written a number of business and craft books over the years.
Fiction is my first love, however - I hope you enjoy my voyages into an uncertain future.
I write post apocalyptic science fiction both on my own account and with Mike Kraus, as well as space opera and fantasy. And one or two other bits and bobs.
Based in the south of England, I've been writing since my teens, alternating between funny and serious. In the mid 1990s, I became a regular columnist for PC Pro magazine and have written a number of business and craft books over the years.
Fiction is my first love, however - I hope you enjoy my voyages into an uncertain future.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
January 25, 2019
This book was selected as the book of the month in one of my groups. If not for that, I probably never would have heard of this anthology, let alone read it. At the risk of being brutally honest, I don't think I'd have missed much if that had been the case.
There were a few good stories in here, but every single one needed an editor badly, and every single one could have done with being more than a glimpse of a story. There's an art to writing short short stories, and making it feel full and complete takes a lot of practice and skill. I think some of the authors in this anthology could hone their skills and get really good at it, but others probably have skills in other areas... like carpentry, or accounting.
Part of the problem that I had with this collection of stories is that they were all glimpses of larger stories the authors had written separately. And that is a double-edged sword - a claymore, if you will. (Sorry, but claymores were specifically mentioned in several of these stories, and it just stuck out to me.) In the very first story, we have what is pretty clearly a case of cultural appropriation. A white, blonde, green eyed woman with a Scottish name following traditional Japanese ceremonies and such. Because this is just a "glimpse" the reader doesn't know why she is doing this. I was initially forgiving of this, because I gave it the benefit of the doubt that the larger story would have reasonable explanation for how this Scottish woman became a Japanese-style Empress-tyrant... but then upon checking the authors page, it could be said that their writing appears to be quite a LOT of cultural appropriation - not just the larger story that this is a piece of, but other stories as well. I haven't read any of them, and maybe there IS a good explanation for it. But maybe not.
And that's the problem. If we only get a tiny piece of a story, we're left without context, and without a full understanding of what we should know in order to properly appreciate the story we're given. If these had been short stories unrelated to larger series, it might have been easier to make them full and complete on their own. But as it is, depending on how forgiving the reader is, it's a risk to offer a contextless fragment. If it's good on its own, great. But if it's not, and it's the readers initial introduction to the author's work, will they be curious enough to want to read more to see if it was a fluke, or would they just write them off and move on?
For me, the latter.
Highlights of this collection for me were "The Wolf of Wool Street" and "The Silence". Even these, which I feel were the best of the lot, still needed some clean up and fleshing out to really make them fully realized stories in their own right, but they were still good. Others either never captured my interest, were just downright confusing or poorly written, or were boring. Not that all of them were terrible, which is why I'm giving this 2 stars instead of 1, but ultimately, I think that the majority will probably be remembered more for their flaws than the story. Which is a shame.
I'll end on a positive and say that it was free, and the cover is pretty, though it's an ebook, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
There were a few good stories in here, but every single one needed an editor badly, and every single one could have done with being more than a glimpse of a story. There's an art to writing short short stories, and making it feel full and complete takes a lot of practice and skill. I think some of the authors in this anthology could hone their skills and get really good at it, but others probably have skills in other areas... like carpentry, or accounting.
Part of the problem that I had with this collection of stories is that they were all glimpses of larger stories the authors had written separately. And that is a double-edged sword - a claymore, if you will. (Sorry, but claymores were specifically mentioned in several of these stories, and it just stuck out to me.) In the very first story, we have what is pretty clearly a case of cultural appropriation. A white, blonde, green eyed woman with a Scottish name following traditional Japanese ceremonies and such. Because this is just a "glimpse" the reader doesn't know why she is doing this. I was initially forgiving of this, because I gave it the benefit of the doubt that the larger story would have reasonable explanation for how this Scottish woman became a Japanese-style Empress-tyrant... but then upon checking the authors page, it could be said that their writing appears to be quite a LOT of cultural appropriation - not just the larger story that this is a piece of, but other stories as well. I haven't read any of them, and maybe there IS a good explanation for it. But maybe not.
And that's the problem. If we only get a tiny piece of a story, we're left without context, and without a full understanding of what we should know in order to properly appreciate the story we're given. If these had been short stories unrelated to larger series, it might have been easier to make them full and complete on their own. But as it is, depending on how forgiving the reader is, it's a risk to offer a contextless fragment. If it's good on its own, great. But if it's not, and it's the readers initial introduction to the author's work, will they be curious enough to want to read more to see if it was a fluke, or would they just write them off and move on?
For me, the latter.
Highlights of this collection for me were "The Wolf of Wool Street" and "The Silence". Even these, which I feel were the best of the lot, still needed some clean up and fleshing out to really make them fully realized stories in their own right, but they were still good. Others either never captured my interest, were just downright confusing or poorly written, or were boring. Not that all of them were terrible, which is why I'm giving this 2 stars instead of 1, but ultimately, I think that the majority will probably be remembered more for their flaws than the story. Which is a shame.
I'll end on a positive and say that it was free, and the cover is pretty, though it's an ebook, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
January 21, 2019
Actual Rating: 2.6875 ~ Yes, I did the math!
I read this as the BotM option for one of my favorite groups. I am not going to lie; I am so glad to be done with this book! I thought a story a night would be fun ... not so much. The majority of these selections could have used some serious editing skills!
Here is how it played out:
1 - Star Reads: First, let me note that I was a lot more forgiving than some of my group-mates. That being said, the following stories just didn't make the cut. They were a mix of sloppy, confusing, boring, and/or forgettable.
The Erestuna; The Alchemy Accident (downgraded from 2); & Victoria's Grave
2 - Star Reads: This next group is the "I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it either" collection.
Blade and Bone; & Angles of Time (upgraded from 1.5)
3 - Star Reads: This group was okay. May have had an issue or two, but not enough to ruin the read.
The Killing Fields; Stolen Magic (downgraded from 4); Cimondeli (upgraded from 2.5); Reboot (closer to 3.5); Spots All Over; & Flight of Flame
4 & 4.5 - Star Reads: I really enjoyed these stories.
The Wolf of Wool Street (4.5); Metal and Stone (4); Forces of Magic: The Testing Book (4.5); & The Silence (4)
Finally, we have my favorite of the entire anthology, and the only 5-Star Read: Dance of Swords
I read this as the BotM option for one of my favorite groups. I am not going to lie; I am so glad to be done with this book! I thought a story a night would be fun ... not so much. The majority of these selections could have used some serious editing skills!
Here is how it played out:
1 - Star Reads: First, let me note that I was a lot more forgiving than some of my group-mates. That being said, the following stories just didn't make the cut. They were a mix of sloppy, confusing, boring, and/or forgettable.
The Erestuna; The Alchemy Accident (downgraded from 2); & Victoria's Grave
2 - Star Reads: This next group is the "I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it either" collection.
Blade and Bone; & Angles of Time (upgraded from 1.5)
3 - Star Reads: This group was okay. May have had an issue or two, but not enough to ruin the read.
The Killing Fields; Stolen Magic (downgraded from 4); Cimondeli (upgraded from 2.5); Reboot (closer to 3.5); Spots All Over; & Flight of Flame
4 & 4.5 - Star Reads: I really enjoyed these stories.
The Wolf of Wool Street (4.5); Metal and Stone (4); Forces of Magic: The Testing Book (4.5); & The Silence (4)
Finally, we have my favorite of the entire anthology, and the only 5-Star Read: Dance of Swords
Read
December 20, 2017I am one of the contributing authors to this fantasy anthology so will not leave a star rating.
Glimpses is now available free on Amazon and most other eBook retailers.
Glimpses is now available free on Amazon and most other eBook retailers.
March 19, 2019
DNF @24%
"The Killing Fields" by Sarah KL Wilson 1 star
I feel some kind of way about this one.
Let's start with the narrator: Empress Melanie MacIver. Who has green eyes (descended from a green eyed family) and seems to have a lot of Japanese cultural things going on: kimonos, katanas, etc.
But getting back to the name Melanie MacIver (from a quick google search):
So. We have a green eyed woman with a Scottish surname who rules a (culturally) Japanese Empire.
Yeah. That hurt my brain a bit. And it made me wonder about authorial intent. The narration certainly implies one of two endings - with the ending that we received the one that I expected.
There was not any text that discussed the founding of the Empire - which would inform the reader as to how a green-eyed Scottish woman became the Empress of a Japanese Empire.
Stolen Magic 2 stars
Blade and Bone 1.5 stars
WTF was going on here?????? I need people to stop trying to be clever. This was a bit of a hot mess on the comprehension level. Thanks for that.
Also, someone please explain to me the bone part.
"The Killing Fields" by Sarah KL Wilson 1 star
I feel some kind of way about this one.
The writing itself was fine but so much cultural appropriation made it difficult for me to fully enjoy. I did not notice a reason for the cultural appropriation - maybe its there and I missed it?
Let's start with the narrator: Empress Melanie MacIver. Who has green eyes (descended from a green eyed family) and seems to have a lot of Japanese cultural things going on: kimonos, katanas, etc.
But getting back to the name Melanie MacIver (from a quick google search):
The MacIver surname is thought to have derived from an Old Norse personal name Ivarr of uncertain origin. It became a given name in Ireland, Scotland and Wales before becoming a hereditary surname.
-houseofnames.com
The Maciver family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Maciver families were found in and Scotland in 1841 and Scotland in 1851 and Scotland in 1861 and Scotland in 1871 and Scotland in 1881 and Scotland in 1891 and Scotland in 1901. In 1920 there were 16 Maciver families living in Massachusetts. This was about 28% of all the recorded Maciver's in the USA. Massachusetts had the highest population of Maciver families in 1920.
-ancestry.com
The surname MacIver is an Anglicisation of the Gaelic MacÌomhair "meaning son of Ìomhar". The Gaelic personal name Ìomhar is derived from the Old Norse Ivarr.[3] An early man bearing the surname MacIver was Malcolm McIuyr, whose appears on a list of men in the Sheriffdom of Argyll/Lorne in 1292.[4]
-wikipedia.com
So. We have a green eyed woman with a Scottish surname who rules a (culturally) Japanese Empire.
Yeah. That hurt my brain a bit. And it made me wonder about authorial intent. The narration certainly implies one of two endings - with the ending that we received the one that I expected.
There was not any text that discussed the founding of the Empire - which would inform the reader as to how a green-eyed Scottish woman became the Empress of a Japanese Empire.
Stolen Magic 2 stars
Blade and Bone 1.5 stars
WTF was going on here?????? I need people to stop trying to be clever. This was a bit of a hot mess on the comprehension level. Thanks for that.
Also, someone please explain to me the bone part.
February 4, 2019
Edit: more like 1.5 stars, but annoying enough for me to round down. I don’t think the authors got what they expected when they gamed the vote on this. Too bad they forgot to get editors.
Currently reading for a BotM. May or may not read all of it.
The Killing Field by Sarah K.L. Wilson: 2 stars, barely
Stolen Magic by Meg Cowley & Victoria DeLuis: 1 star
Why are these sooooooo bad?
Blade and Bone by Adrian G. Hilder: 1 star
The Eresutna by Nicholas Kotar: 2 stars
Better than the last 2! Still bad.
I found the treatment of an autistic character by the author appalling and demeaning.
Wolf of Wool Street by Kevin Partner: 3 stars, much to my surprise
The Alchemy Accident by Killian C. Carter: 2 stars
Metal and Stone by Kevin Potter: 3 stars
Actually rather enjoyed this one. Needs some editing and someone to enforce a vowel limit on the names, but good story.
Cimondelli by S.K. Randolph: 2 stars
This reads like it was written by someone who has enough money to live on the ocean alongside Big Sur. Boring, scattered, boring again...
Angles of Time by Stefan M Nardi: 1.5 stars
This sure did take up several minutes of my life I will never get back.
Reboot by Eloise Hamann: 1 star
“I run like a woman escaping a rapist” is just not an OK turn of phrase for a throwaway exerpt designed to garner interest in a larger work. Or possibly at all. I really disliked this story.
Forces of Magic by Shawn Robert Smith: 1.5 stars
This was terribly boring, super predictable, and the pacing was awful.
Victoria’s Grave by Craig A. Price Jr.: 0.5 stars
Prose so sickly I longed for the death of everyone in the story. This was truly awful.
Spots All Over by Tom Hansen: 2 stars
I am filled with ennui.
Dance of Swords by JC Kang: 3 stars
I enjoyed this one. Not amazing, but enjoyable. Did use “summersaults” instead of “somersaults” though.
The Silence by Georgina Makalani: 2.5 stars
I enjoyed two in a row? Amazing! Still not good.
Flight of Flame by Cameron Wayne Smith: 1 star
And, we’re back to shit. It actually started with “set shortly after” as if the author forgot he was supposed to pretend this was an introduction to a world. It lost half a star right there. Then the main character was boring and predictable and supposed to be a badass, but was pretty much just a caricature. The other characters were also undeveloped. The story made no sense and don’t even get me started on the pacing.
Currently reading for a BotM. May or may not read all of it.
The Killing Field by Sarah K.L. Wilson: 2 stars, barely
Stolen Magic by Meg Cowley & Victoria DeLuis: 1 star
Why are these sooooooo bad?
Blade and Bone by Adrian G. Hilder: 1 star
The Eresutna by Nicholas Kotar: 2 stars
Better than the last 2! Still bad.
I found the treatment of an autistic character by the author appalling and demeaning.
Wolf of Wool Street by Kevin Partner: 3 stars, much to my surprise
The Alchemy Accident by Killian C. Carter: 2 stars
Metal and Stone by Kevin Potter: 3 stars
Actually rather enjoyed this one. Needs some editing and someone to enforce a vowel limit on the names, but good story.
Cimondelli by S.K. Randolph: 2 stars
This reads like it was written by someone who has enough money to live on the ocean alongside Big Sur. Boring, scattered, boring again...
Angles of Time by Stefan M Nardi: 1.5 stars
This sure did take up several minutes of my life I will never get back.
Reboot by Eloise Hamann: 1 star
“I run like a woman escaping a rapist” is just not an OK turn of phrase for a throwaway exerpt designed to garner interest in a larger work. Or possibly at all. I really disliked this story.
Forces of Magic by Shawn Robert Smith: 1.5 stars
This was terribly boring, super predictable, and the pacing was awful.
Victoria’s Grave by Craig A. Price Jr.: 0.5 stars
Prose so sickly I longed for the death of everyone in the story. This was truly awful.
Spots All Over by Tom Hansen: 2 stars
I am filled with ennui.
Dance of Swords by JC Kang: 3 stars
I enjoyed this one. Not amazing, but enjoyable. Did use “summersaults” instead of “somersaults” though.
The Silence by Georgina Makalani: 2.5 stars
I enjoyed two in a row? Amazing! Still not good.
Flight of Flame by Cameron Wayne Smith: 1 star
And, we’re back to shit. It actually started with “set shortly after” as if the author forgot he was supposed to pretend this was an introduction to a world. It lost half a star right there. Then the main character was boring and predictable and supposed to be a badass, but was pretty much just a caricature. The other characters were also undeveloped. The story made no sense and don’t even get me started on the pacing.
Read
January 11, 2019Last year, Kevin Partner reached out to myself, along with fourteen other fantasy writers, to create an anthology. The idea was to pool our resources, introduce our readers to each other, and help boost our visibility. Glimpses is what we brought to life.
The stories found within vary quite a lot in style, and are glimpses into each author's writing voice, characters, and worlds. Due to this incredible variation, I've decided to write a short summary review for each of these stories. If you like any of the summaries, go grab the book and read the whole story! Glimpses is free, after all!
1. The Killing Fields (Sarah KL Wilson)
Influenced by Japanese culture, this story is about a pair of warriors set to duel. It takes place in a slightly futuristic setting. Rather than a blow-by-blow recount of the fight, much of it is explained via kung-fu style move and stance names. The point of view is a villain.
2. Stolen Magic (Victoria DeLuis & Meg Cowley)
If you want to read about magic battles in the desert, you'll love this! Characters jump between realities a bit like the planeswalkers from MtG. Only instead of different planes, they bounce between different versions of Earth. The antagonist has a relic from his own Earth, and plans to combine it with the same relic from the protagonist's Earth. Two of the same magical artifacts combined will give the wielder ultimate power.
3. Blade & Bone (Adrian G Hilder)
Want war and magic? Read this! This sword-and-sorcery story will keep you guessing as to what is really happening. Set twenty-five years into a brutal war of magic and necromancy, someone plans an assassination.
4. The Erestuna (Nicholas Kotar)
Think magical school, quite a bit darker, and pummel it with Russian style. The Erestuna is a siren of sorts, and punishes those who fail to follow through on their promises. She also loves shish kabob.
5. The Wolf of Wool Street (Kevin Partner)
A comical story that plays on religion—especially zealots—and classic werewolves while conveying that not all life's answers are set in black and white. A very clever short tale that will give you a few laughs and ends with an A-grade punch-line.
6. The Alchemy Accident (Killian C Carter)
Mordecai is an alchemist. He has been captured by some comic-book style villains who plan to torture answers out of him. Using reserves of chemicals in his body, he manages to combine certain compounds to achieve amazing goals. Unfortunately, the goons keep knocking him down. Just when you think the spinning saw-blade will split him in two, a pixie rocks up to cause its own mischief.
7. Metal and Stone (Kevin Potter)
In a world where dragons watch over men, there are great dragons who slumber for long periods of time. One is awoken due to a great war, and travels beneath the ocean to heed the wisdom of an old friend. Things are not as they seem, and just when you think everything will turn out alright, the apocalypse happens. Bugger.
8. Cimondeli (S.K. Randolph)
A post apocalyptic story about people living in a place called the Haven. Desty and a couple of her friends venture out from their underground safety. They meet a transforming dragon, called a Nalmochee, go on an adventure, and befriend a boy from another tribe.
9. Angles of Time (Stefan M Nardi)
If you are looking for something with an eldritch or noir theme, try this one. Buckley Grimes investigates a mansion after a bloody and distasteful occurrence. He discovers a small idol that one could only assume represents Cthulu, and is then attacked by a Hound of Tindalos.
10. Reboot (Eloise Hamann)
After a dreadful night and a morning where everything seems to go wrong, the protagonist of this story is down and out. She decides she'd rather be dead. Things get a little hairy, and she quickly changes her mind.
11. Forces of Magic (Shawn Robert Smith)
Winthrop and friends take a series of tests to see which magical order they belong to. Each order represents the elements, except one that represents death. During the testing, a big magical battle breaks out between the death mages and the other orders.
12. Victoria's Grave (Craig A. Price)
A warrior reminisces over his wife (Victoria!) and kids. Reliving the final moments of their life, and his encounter with the lizardmen-like creatures called draeyks.
13. Spots All Over (Tom Hansen)
A fellow named Joe travels around searching for injured gnomes. He wants to bring them to his ranch and protect them—even though they turn invisible and never interact with him. When returning from this particular adventure, a gremlin sneaks into the ranch. A bloody battle ensues, and a faerie joins the battle.
14. Dance of Swords (JC Kang)
Like the first story, Dance of Swords has a heavy oriental influence. An evil overlord rules, and Kaiya, who can't use her normal powers to defeat him, offers to dance for him. During the dance, she lulls him into a false sense of safety and takes advantage of his state.
15. The Silence (Georgina Makalani)
Queen Melora speaks and prays to a collection of gods. One particular god is constantly in her ear, demanding all sorts of terrible ideas. Melora rebels, and in return the god plagues her family. The naughty god grows a little out of control, everything seems lost, then two greater gods appear and silence the evil one.
16. Flight of Flame (Yours truly, Cameron Wayne Smith)
Think of your favourite brutish monster slayer. Now, take them away from the action and throw them in a resort. In a volcano. That's how Flight of Flame commences! Sonja starts off quite a bit bored. Then, before she knows it, is flying through the sky on a wyvern piloting course. This is the first of eleven short episodes that eventually found its way into Holtur Stories.
Cheers to all the authors that put in their time and effort to make Glimpses the fun collection it is. Be sure to give each author a chance. Who knows, you may just find a new favourite book, series, or author!
The stories found within vary quite a lot in style, and are glimpses into each author's writing voice, characters, and worlds. Due to this incredible variation, I've decided to write a short summary review for each of these stories. If you like any of the summaries, go grab the book and read the whole story! Glimpses is free, after all!
1. The Killing Fields (Sarah KL Wilson)
Influenced by Japanese culture, this story is about a pair of warriors set to duel. It takes place in a slightly futuristic setting. Rather than a blow-by-blow recount of the fight, much of it is explained via kung-fu style move and stance names. The point of view is a villain.
2. Stolen Magic (Victoria DeLuis & Meg Cowley)
If you want to read about magic battles in the desert, you'll love this! Characters jump between realities a bit like the planeswalkers from MtG. Only instead of different planes, they bounce between different versions of Earth. The antagonist has a relic from his own Earth, and plans to combine it with the same relic from the protagonist's Earth. Two of the same magical artifacts combined will give the wielder ultimate power.
3. Blade & Bone (Adrian G Hilder)
Want war and magic? Read this! This sword-and-sorcery story will keep you guessing as to what is really happening. Set twenty-five years into a brutal war of magic and necromancy, someone plans an assassination.
4. The Erestuna (Nicholas Kotar)
Think magical school, quite a bit darker, and pummel it with Russian style. The Erestuna is a siren of sorts, and punishes those who fail to follow through on their promises. She also loves shish kabob.
5. The Wolf of Wool Street (Kevin Partner)
A comical story that plays on religion—especially zealots—and classic werewolves while conveying that not all life's answers are set in black and white. A very clever short tale that will give you a few laughs and ends with an A-grade punch-line.
6. The Alchemy Accident (Killian C Carter)
Mordecai is an alchemist. He has been captured by some comic-book style villains who plan to torture answers out of him. Using reserves of chemicals in his body, he manages to combine certain compounds to achieve amazing goals. Unfortunately, the goons keep knocking him down. Just when you think the spinning saw-blade will split him in two, a pixie rocks up to cause its own mischief.
7. Metal and Stone (Kevin Potter)
In a world where dragons watch over men, there are great dragons who slumber for long periods of time. One is awoken due to a great war, and travels beneath the ocean to heed the wisdom of an old friend. Things are not as they seem, and just when you think everything will turn out alright, the apocalypse happens. Bugger.
8. Cimondeli (S.K. Randolph)
A post apocalyptic story about people living in a place called the Haven. Desty and a couple of her friends venture out from their underground safety. They meet a transforming dragon, called a Nalmochee, go on an adventure, and befriend a boy from another tribe.
9. Angles of Time (Stefan M Nardi)
If you are looking for something with an eldritch or noir theme, try this one. Buckley Grimes investigates a mansion after a bloody and distasteful occurrence. He discovers a small idol that one could only assume represents Cthulu, and is then attacked by a Hound of Tindalos.
10. Reboot (Eloise Hamann)
After a dreadful night and a morning where everything seems to go wrong, the protagonist of this story is down and out. She decides she'd rather be dead. Things get a little hairy, and she quickly changes her mind.
11. Forces of Magic (Shawn Robert Smith)
Winthrop and friends take a series of tests to see which magical order they belong to. Each order represents the elements, except one that represents death. During the testing, a big magical battle breaks out between the death mages and the other orders.
12. Victoria's Grave (Craig A. Price)
A warrior reminisces over his wife (Victoria!) and kids. Reliving the final moments of their life, and his encounter with the lizardmen-like creatures called draeyks.
13. Spots All Over (Tom Hansen)
A fellow named Joe travels around searching for injured gnomes. He wants to bring them to his ranch and protect them—even though they turn invisible and never interact with him. When returning from this particular adventure, a gremlin sneaks into the ranch. A bloody battle ensues, and a faerie joins the battle.
14. Dance of Swords (JC Kang)
Like the first story, Dance of Swords has a heavy oriental influence. An evil overlord rules, and Kaiya, who can't use her normal powers to defeat him, offers to dance for him. During the dance, she lulls him into a false sense of safety and takes advantage of his state.
15. The Silence (Georgina Makalani)
Queen Melora speaks and prays to a collection of gods. One particular god is constantly in her ear, demanding all sorts of terrible ideas. Melora rebels, and in return the god plagues her family. The naughty god grows a little out of control, everything seems lost, then two greater gods appear and silence the evil one.
16. Flight of Flame (Yours truly, Cameron Wayne Smith)
Think of your favourite brutish monster slayer. Now, take them away from the action and throw them in a resort. In a volcano. That's how Flight of Flame commences! Sonja starts off quite a bit bored. Then, before she knows it, is flying through the sky on a wyvern piloting course. This is the first of eleven short episodes that eventually found its way into Holtur Stories.
Cheers to all the authors that put in their time and effort to make Glimpses the fun collection it is. Be sure to give each author a chance. Who knows, you may just find a new favourite book, series, or author!
September 14, 2020
By and large I enjoyed this collection of shorts and look forward to reading some more works by these authors. A few of them were more confusing than interesting, but as a whole I felt these were interesting introductions to sixteen different authors. Quite a few of them are clearly tasters of the authors main works and only intended to offer a flavour of the existing narrative though and didn’t always work as stand alone shorts.
The Killing Fields; 2.5 stars. Not my favourite of the bunch as I didn’t feel it worked as a stand alone. The world seems quite interesting though, even if there isn’t enough detail in the snippet here to develop the characters or the setting.
Stolen Magic; 3.5 stars. I found this short fascinating with the way the author played with connecting universes and alternate histories. I did feel that the ending and the final action was extremely rushed and anticlimactic however. I would however be interested in reading a longer piece by the author.
Blade and Bone; 1.5 stars. Whilst vaguely interesting, the writing style and continued use of ‘the man’ to identify the main character did my nut in. There was unfortunately therefore little to connect you to the characters and the plot seemed disjointed.
The Eresurna; 4 stars. I really enjoyed this short and it was one of my favourites. I liked the way the author merged reality and fantasy, even if some aspects were a little too far fetched and jolted me from my suspension of disbelief. I found the writing engaging though and I’ve bookmarked this author.
The Wolf of Wool Street; 3.5 stars. Another strong entry with an engaging writing story and some interesting twists and turns.
The Alchemy Incident; 1.5 stars. Not really sure what was going on with this one. There’s not a whole lot of story or world building here to speak of in honesty.
Metal and Stone; 2.5 stars. A lower rating because I’ve already read this as a chapter in the authors full length novel. It isn’t a stand alone short, it’s a subsection of an existing chapter and that didn’t work well for me even if it’s well written.
Cimondell; 4.5 stars. This is one of the strongest entries in my opinion. I was caught by the descriptions of the post apocalyptic world and felt the author used the short word count well to build the characters and the world. I’ve bookmarked this author.
Angles of Time; 1.5 stars. Interesting premise but not really a full story, more a snapshot that didn’t really showcase a world or characters.
Reboot; 2 stars. Another interesting premise and there’s a little more character development here but there isn’t anywhere near enough narrative. Not enough exposition and really limited tension.
Forces of Magic; 3.5 stars. I enjoyed the world building here and would likely read a full length novel set in the same universe. The action scenes were quite well written as well.
Victoria’s Grave; 1.5 stars. Maukish and faintly unpleasant. No real tension as you know everyone is dead from the start. Limited world building and the characters annoyed me.
Spots All Over; 4 stars. Funny and interesting with a clever merging of reality and fantasy. I really enjoyed this and have bookmarked the author.
Dance of Swords; 5 stars. Excellent world building and concepts. This was the stand out favourite from the collection, which is perhaps not surprising having read some of the authors longer works.
The Silence; 4 stars. Another strong entry here with a fascinating world and an engaging writing style. Another author bookmarked.
Flights of Flame; 2.5 stars. Less impressed here unfortunately. I’m not sure what the Holtur Enigma is and why this is after it, but I’m not sure I care. I enjoyed the depictions of the wyvern’s but that’s about it.
So this is a bit of a mixed bag, but it’s an interesting introduction to some new authors for me.
The Killing Fields; 2.5 stars. Not my favourite of the bunch as I didn’t feel it worked as a stand alone. The world seems quite interesting though, even if there isn’t enough detail in the snippet here to develop the characters or the setting.
Stolen Magic; 3.5 stars. I found this short fascinating with the way the author played with connecting universes and alternate histories. I did feel that the ending and the final action was extremely rushed and anticlimactic however. I would however be interested in reading a longer piece by the author.
Blade and Bone; 1.5 stars. Whilst vaguely interesting, the writing style and continued use of ‘the man’ to identify the main character did my nut in. There was unfortunately therefore little to connect you to the characters and the plot seemed disjointed.
The Eresurna; 4 stars. I really enjoyed this short and it was one of my favourites. I liked the way the author merged reality and fantasy, even if some aspects were a little too far fetched and jolted me from my suspension of disbelief. I found the writing engaging though and I’ve bookmarked this author.
The Wolf of Wool Street; 3.5 stars. Another strong entry with an engaging writing story and some interesting twists and turns.
The Alchemy Incident; 1.5 stars. Not really sure what was going on with this one. There’s not a whole lot of story or world building here to speak of in honesty.
Metal and Stone; 2.5 stars. A lower rating because I’ve already read this as a chapter in the authors full length novel. It isn’t a stand alone short, it’s a subsection of an existing chapter and that didn’t work well for me even if it’s well written.
Cimondell; 4.5 stars. This is one of the strongest entries in my opinion. I was caught by the descriptions of the post apocalyptic world and felt the author used the short word count well to build the characters and the world. I’ve bookmarked this author.
Angles of Time; 1.5 stars. Interesting premise but not really a full story, more a snapshot that didn’t really showcase a world or characters.
Reboot; 2 stars. Another interesting premise and there’s a little more character development here but there isn’t anywhere near enough narrative. Not enough exposition and really limited tension.
Forces of Magic; 3.5 stars. I enjoyed the world building here and would likely read a full length novel set in the same universe. The action scenes were quite well written as well.
Victoria’s Grave; 1.5 stars. Maukish and faintly unpleasant. No real tension as you know everyone is dead from the start. Limited world building and the characters annoyed me.
Spots All Over; 4 stars. Funny and interesting with a clever merging of reality and fantasy. I really enjoyed this and have bookmarked the author.
Dance of Swords; 5 stars. Excellent world building and concepts. This was the stand out favourite from the collection, which is perhaps not surprising having read some of the authors longer works.
The Silence; 4 stars. Another strong entry here with a fascinating world and an engaging writing style. Another author bookmarked.
Flights of Flame; 2.5 stars. Less impressed here unfortunately. I’m not sure what the Holtur Enigma is and why this is after it, but I’m not sure I care. I enjoyed the depictions of the wyvern’s but that’s about it.
So this is a bit of a mixed bag, but it’s an interesting introduction to some new authors for me.
January 11, 2019
Disappointing
Only the first story was well written, a true short story. The rest appeared to be previews. Maybe that was the original intent. I expected short story format. In addition. I felt like these writings were first ever attempts by the authors. Some were very juvenile in content.
Not impressed
Sorry
Only the first story was well written, a true short story. The rest appeared to be previews. Maybe that was the original intent. I expected short story format. In addition. I felt like these writings were first ever attempts by the authors. Some were very juvenile in content.
Not impressed
Sorry
January 13, 2019
I do love reading short story anthologies - but I'm afraid this one felt a little undercooked.
From the start, it hit a stumble - the opening story, The Killing Fields, by Sarah KL Wilson, is little more than a vignette set in her larger universe. Throw in a bit of weirdness in that the empire in the story is very much Oriental in nature but is headed by a woman with a Scottish-sounding name (without any explanation of how the two come together) and it's an awkward read.
The anthology stays awkward throughout - the fantasy focus isn't always very tight (one story even diving off into Lovecraftian lore), resolutions are a bit too quick and easy, and a few too many are footnotes to a larger universe without really giving us a grasp of the setting in the story itself.
Some are plain silly - The Wolf of Wool Street starts with a parody of having unwanted religious guests coming knocking at the door before introducing us to a werewolf by the name of... Woger. Who has a grandfather called Wandolph. It's a bit heavy-handed.
My favourite story from the anthology came quite late on - Dance of Swords by JC Kang is another encounter with Eastern fantasy, but done far better, as a dancer turns would-be assassin, losing herself in the power of her music even as she edges closer to vanquishing a dictator. It's without doubt the highlight of an overall disappointing collection.
From the start, it hit a stumble - the opening story, The Killing Fields, by Sarah KL Wilson, is little more than a vignette set in her larger universe. Throw in a bit of weirdness in that the empire in the story is very much Oriental in nature but is headed by a woman with a Scottish-sounding name (without any explanation of how the two come together) and it's an awkward read.
The anthology stays awkward throughout - the fantasy focus isn't always very tight (one story even diving off into Lovecraftian lore), resolutions are a bit too quick and easy, and a few too many are footnotes to a larger universe without really giving us a grasp of the setting in the story itself.
Some are plain silly - The Wolf of Wool Street starts with a parody of having unwanted religious guests coming knocking at the door before introducing us to a werewolf by the name of... Woger. Who has a grandfather called Wandolph. It's a bit heavy-handed.
My favourite story from the anthology came quite late on - Dance of Swords by JC Kang is another encounter with Eastern fantasy, but done far better, as a dancer turns would-be assassin, losing herself in the power of her music even as she edges closer to vanquishing a dictator. It's without doubt the highlight of an overall disappointing collection.
December 3, 2017
not sure if used to be ku, it's free day or permafree now, picked it up because one or more of the writers emailed out that this one needed to be read, and though hmmm already reviewed that one...nope, so here it is, well sorta, looking at books have reviewed might have been partner, have read a few of his and they are usually not on ku, so listed his books below well the ones have read, liked the others just well haven't read the others or a lot of their writing so going with this, did enjoy the anthology, those things can be 'iffy' with writers vs collections
16 Short Fantasy Stories written exclusively for this anthology
Take a Glimpse into 16 fantasy worlds with this anthology of short fiction by some of the brightest new fantasy fiction talent.
Stories from: Adrian G Hilder, Cameron Wayne Smith, Craig A Price Jr, Eloise Hamann, J C Kang, Georgina Makalani, Kevin Partner, Kevin Potter, Killian C Carter, Nicholas Kotar, S K Randolph, Sarah KL Wilson, Shawn Robert Smith, Stefan M Nardi, Tom Hansen, Victoria DeLuis & Meg Cowley
1 Stryke First, 2 Stryke Too, 3 Strike Alight
Glimpses: 16 Short Fantasy Stories
Amateur Grammatics
16 Short Fantasy Stories written exclusively for this anthology
Take a Glimpse into 16 fantasy worlds with this anthology of short fiction by some of the brightest new fantasy fiction talent.
Stories from: Adrian G Hilder, Cameron Wayne Smith, Craig A Price Jr, Eloise Hamann, J C Kang, Georgina Makalani, Kevin Partner, Kevin Potter, Killian C Carter, Nicholas Kotar, S K Randolph, Sarah KL Wilson, Shawn Robert Smith, Stefan M Nardi, Tom Hansen, Victoria DeLuis & Meg Cowley
1 Stryke First, 2 Stryke Too, 3 Strike Alight
Glimpses: 16 Short Fantasy Stories
Amateur Grammatics
January 18, 2018
Doorway to New Authors
I loved finding authors who were new to me. The stories were funny, thrilling and different. I found most of the stories whetted my appetite and made me want to read more from these writers.
I loved finding authors who were new to me. The stories were funny, thrilling and different. I found most of the stories whetted my appetite and made me want to read more from these writers.
January 15, 2018
A good book for light reading
Each story was entertaining and interesting, but this book was not a page turner. There are a few technical mistakes, but not enough to pull you from any story. Definitely good for light reading when you have time to kill, and some of the stories were exceptional enough to warrant a recommendation for anyone who enjoys fantasy stories.
Each story was entertaining and interesting, but this book was not a page turner. There are a few technical mistakes, but not enough to pull you from any story. Definitely good for light reading when you have time to kill, and some of the stories were exceptional enough to warrant a recommendation for anyone who enjoys fantasy stories.
January 24, 2018
***The review refers only to The Killing Fields by Sarah K.L. Wilson.
The Killing Fields is a short story, a prequel to the fantastic Matsumoto Trilogy. It occurs at the time of Neal Matsumoto the first pacifist Emperor. It addresses violent events preceding the declaration of pacifism for members of the ruling Matsumoto family. It provides an interesting insight into the history of the Matsumotos and a good basis for understanding the world in which Vera Matsumoto, the main character of the trilogy, lives.
The reading order of the series is as follows: The Killing Fields (Matsumoto Trilogy #0), Roman Adrift (Matsumoto Trilogy, #0.5) (even better if read after the book#1), The Ex-Pacifist (Matsumoto Trilogy, #1), The Splitting (Matsumoto Trilogy, #2), and The Matsumoto (Matsumoto Trilogy, #3). The three novels also come as a book set The Matsumoto Trilogy: Omnibus Edition (Matsumoto Trilogy #1-3). Amazing futuristic series and I highly recommend it.
The Killing Fields is a short story, a prequel to the fantastic Matsumoto Trilogy. It occurs at the time of Neal Matsumoto the first pacifist Emperor. It addresses violent events preceding the declaration of pacifism for members of the ruling Matsumoto family. It provides an interesting insight into the history of the Matsumotos and a good basis for understanding the world in which Vera Matsumoto, the main character of the trilogy, lives.
The reading order of the series is as follows: The Killing Fields (Matsumoto Trilogy #0), Roman Adrift (Matsumoto Trilogy, #0.5) (even better if read after the book#1), The Ex-Pacifist (Matsumoto Trilogy, #1), The Splitting (Matsumoto Trilogy, #2), and The Matsumoto (Matsumoto Trilogy, #3). The three novels also come as a book set The Matsumoto Trilogy: Omnibus Edition (Matsumoto Trilogy #1-3). Amazing futuristic series and I highly recommend it.
January 19, 2019
Glimpses offers exactly that: a brief peek into the writings of 16 authors penning fantasy worlds. Unfortunately for the reader, over half of the short stories on tap here appear to be no more than sample chapters taken from larger works, showing only a fight scene or a step in a quest completion, but not including character development or plot building. The short story is a tricky art form to master - the storyteller has to sketch out setting, characters, and motivation efficiently to build up a complete idea in just a few pages - and slicing out a half chapter from a novel is a lazy substitute. Much like a talented artist could create both a small but detailed drawing of a flower or an expansive oil painting of flowers in a vase, both lovely, if a sketch-sized slice of the painting were sliced out and presented as a complete work, it would lose context and scope, and be incapable of showcasing the artist's true skill. The authors that have chosen this route have really sold themselves short. Links back to each author's web page and kindle offerings at the end of each tale make it clear that Glimpses is intended as no more than a collection of kindle samples to determine if you'd like to keep reading, and overall, i don't.
abandoned
September 10, 2017"The Killing Fields" - the story of a literal battle between two Japanese houses. Someone is going to die at the end. Who will it be?
"Victoria's Grave" - not sure what the point of this story is. Don't read any further if you want to be surprised about what happens in the story ... This probably isn't really a spoiler since the story is labeled "Victoria's grave and the wife is named Victoria and it starts with the man digging a grave but just in case ... (SPOILER alert!!) It describes how much a man loves his family and then drops their gruesome deaths on the reader. I suspect it is a set-up for him to set out on revenge but I don't really want to read any more.
I apologize to the other authors in this anthology but I can not read any other stories and possibly be exposed to more stories for which the main theme is murder. Perhaps I have just been unlucky and picked the only two stories in the anthology that are so violent but I can not take that risk. Also if the theme of this anthology was horror and I did not realize it, I also apologize (I do not do horror) but I must rate this as one star because I do not like what I have read.
Update 8/29/17
I have decided to remove my goodreads rating for Glimpses since it isn't really fair to all of the authors to rate the entire anthology based on just the two stories that I didn't like. I have also decided that although I normally review/rate each book that I read I will not be rating anthologies. This will allow me the freedom to just read the stories that are clean (the only ones I am willing to read) in an anthology and ignore the rest. The only way that I will rate an anthology from here on out is if all of the authors have verified that the stories included in the anthology are free of sex, swearing and graphic violence.
"Victoria's Grave" - not sure what the point of this story is. Don't read any further if you want to be surprised about what happens in the story ... This probably isn't really a spoiler since the story is labeled "Victoria's grave and the wife is named Victoria and it starts with the man digging a grave but just in case ... (SPOILER alert!!) It describes how much a man loves his family and then drops their gruesome deaths on the reader. I suspect it is a set-up for him to set out on revenge but I don't really want to read any more.
I apologize to the other authors in this anthology but I can not read any other stories and possibly be exposed to more stories for which the main theme is murder. Perhaps I have just been unlucky and picked the only two stories in the anthology that are so violent but I can not take that risk. Also if the theme of this anthology was horror and I did not realize it, I also apologize (I do not do horror) but I must rate this as one star because I do not like what I have read.
Update 8/29/17
I have decided to remove my goodreads rating for Glimpses since it isn't really fair to all of the authors to rate the entire anthology based on just the two stories that I didn't like. I have also decided that although I normally review/rate each book that I read I will not be rating anthologies. This will allow me the freedom to just read the stories that are clean (the only ones I am willing to read) in an anthology and ignore the rest. The only way that I will rate an anthology from here on out is if all of the authors have verified that the stories included in the anthology are free of sex, swearing and graphic violence.
February 1, 2019
This book should be called "Teaser Trailers". A lot of the stories are parts of larger books/universes these authors write in, and we just get "glimpses" into those worlds - but a lot of them feel unfinished and not really "short stories", per se... so...
Here are the random comments I posted in the group about each story, which might or might not make sense out of context:
Killing Fields - 2.5 stars
I actually like the writing style. Bit purple, but evocative. But the cultural appropriation is annoyi g, and the fight scene was bullshit. Agree about the obvious ending.
Stolen Magic - 2 stars
What? Where are we? Why are we? So much confusion in the opening description.
Other than that, perfectly mediocre UF style story with search for the Macguffin and hackneyed villlain.
Blade and Bone - 1 star
Some tortured writing, which makes me realize why teachers don't like the passive voice. A twist should be sold in a better way than being purposely opaque amd convoluted.
Eresutna - 1.5 stars
Nyssa wrote: "I finally read The Eresutna. WTF did I just read? I don't understand this story at all. I mean I get what the Eresutna is supposed to be or do or whatever, but I don't understand the ending at all. Frickin' Shish Kabobs! What!?! "
I'm with you here. I don't understand this at all. It seemed to jump around a lot and shit made no fucking sense.
1.5 stars - .5 just because there should be more Russian folklore stories in the world.
Wolf of Wool street - 3.25 stars
Definitely the best of the lot so far. A complete story that makes some actual sense. I liked the dark pleasure of the ending.
Alchemy Accident - 2 stars
One of those ones that feels like a chapter of a book instead of a story. Knew what was going to happen with the potion from the start.
Metal and Stone - 2
Making a name out of repeating a bunch of letters reminds me of how my niece texts, and made me want to read it as a whine. Also, "you are the chosen one" blech. And the dialogue was wooden AF, but I tried to make allowances for archaicness.
Cimondeli - 2 stars, I guess.
Just kinda bored. Mary Sueish. Rando dystopia.
Angles of Time - 1.5 stars
Agreed with Becky - the writing is so, "He did this. Then he did that. He reached. He strained. He stopped for no reason."
Also with Ala about the repetitiveness. Once more, once more, once more...
Also, horror story with vaguely Lovecraftian elements then random aside about But why?
Reboot - 2.5 stars
Not sure how I feel about Reboot. I was starting to enjoy it, and then it just ends. Feels more like the beginning of a story, as opposed to, you know, an actual story. I feel cheated.
I suppose I'm meant to be interested enough to rush off and find more, but I'm too annoyed to bother.
Also, whoever thought the line about "I ran like a women running from a rapist" was a good idea for getting to a train is just so, so very wrong...
(Someone in the group joked that this book was like, "Manspreading, a horror story", which makes it better. LOL)
Forces of Magic (The Testing Book # 0.5) - 2.75 stars
At least the title of this one is honest about the fact that it's a prequel to a larger story. It was decent enough, maybe 3-stars worthy, but I'm knocking off .25 stars for predictability... because who didn't know that
Victoria's Grave - 1 star
Definitely the worst so far. Just...
At first I was like, ok, this is a bit purple, but not terrible, and then came the second page...
The whole tortured paragraph about crying.
A tomb is not the same as a grave.
Dude falls to his knees, but then turns to leave without standing.
He comes home and sees the kitchen fire is lit, but then wifey wakes and starts the fire.
And
And who does build a house with what seems like a weapon form of axe?
Spots all Over - 3.5 stars
This was cute. On the predictable side, but I liked the ending. It was sweet. Reminding me vaguely of Fablehaven.
Dance of Swords - 2.5 stars
The writing and the story was ok, overall, but I get kind of annoyed at the
The Silence - 1 star
What was the fucking point? Like Ala said,
Fuck you!
Flight of Flame - 1 star
Is she meant to be 12? Because (Claymores are fucking BIG, btw.
(I know she's not actually 12.)
The writing was weird - like, sort of historical and sort of modern?
Also, fuck the whole, "You're not like other girls, because other girls suck, obviously."
***
I went into this as objectively as I could, despite the fact that it won the group vote under questionable circumstances. But I swear, I really did try to be objective.
But the more I read the more annoyed I got, and by the end I just wanted it to be over.
Giving it 2 stars for the, like, 3 decent stories that are hidden within (and my average rating actually does come out to 2).
Here are the random comments I posted in the group about each story, which might or might not make sense out of context:
Killing Fields - 2.5 stars
I actually like the writing style. Bit purple, but evocative. But the cultural appropriation is annoyi g, and the fight scene was bullshit. Agree about the obvious ending.
Stolen Magic - 2 stars
What? Where are we? Why are we? So much confusion in the opening description.
Other than that, perfectly mediocre UF style story with search for the Macguffin and hackneyed villlain.
Blade and Bone - 1 star
Some tortured writing, which makes me realize why teachers don't like the passive voice. A twist should be sold in a better way than being purposely opaque amd convoluted.
Eresutna - 1.5 stars
Nyssa wrote: "I finally read The Eresutna. WTF did I just read? I don't understand this story at all. I mean I get what the Eresutna is supposed to be or do or whatever, but I don't understand the ending at all. Frickin' Shish Kabobs! What!?! "
I'm with you here. I don't understand this at all. It seemed to jump around a lot and shit made no fucking sense.
1.5 stars - .5 just because there should be more Russian folklore stories in the world.
Wolf of Wool street - 3.25 stars
Definitely the best of the lot so far. A complete story that makes some actual sense. I liked the dark pleasure of the ending.
Alchemy Accident - 2 stars
One of those ones that feels like a chapter of a book instead of a story. Knew what was going to happen with the potion from the start.
Metal and Stone - 2
Making a name out of repeating a bunch of letters reminds me of how my niece texts, and made me want to read it as a whine. Also, "you are the chosen one" blech. And the dialogue was wooden AF, but I tried to make allowances for archaicness.
Cimondeli - 2 stars, I guess.
Just kinda bored. Mary Sueish. Rando dystopia.
Angles of Time - 1.5 stars
Agreed with Becky - the writing is so, "He did this. Then he did that. He reached. He strained. He stopped for no reason."
Also with Ala about the repetitiveness. Once more, once more, once more...
Also, horror story with vaguely Lovecraftian elements then random aside about But why?
Reboot - 2.5 stars
Not sure how I feel about Reboot. I was starting to enjoy it, and then it just ends. Feels more like the beginning of a story, as opposed to, you know, an actual story. I feel cheated.
I suppose I'm meant to be interested enough to rush off and find more, but I'm too annoyed to bother.
Also, whoever thought the line about "I ran like a women running from a rapist" was a good idea for getting to a train is just so, so very wrong...
(Someone in the group joked that this book was like, "Manspreading, a horror story", which makes it better. LOL)
Forces of Magic (The Testing Book # 0.5) - 2.75 stars
At least the title of this one is honest about the fact that it's a prequel to a larger story. It was decent enough, maybe 3-stars worthy, but I'm knocking off .25 stars for predictability... because who didn't know that
Victoria's Grave - 1 star
Definitely the worst so far. Just...
At first I was like, ok, this is a bit purple, but not terrible, and then came the second page...
The whole tortured paragraph about crying.
A tomb is not the same as a grave.
Dude falls to his knees, but then turns to leave without standing.
He comes home and sees the kitchen fire is lit, but then wifey wakes and starts the fire.
And
And who does build a house with what seems like a weapon form of axe?
Spots all Over - 3.5 stars
This was cute. On the predictable side, but I liked the ending. It was sweet. Reminding me vaguely of Fablehaven.
Dance of Swords - 2.5 stars
The writing and the story was ok, overall, but I get kind of annoyed at the
The Silence - 1 star
What was the fucking point? Like Ala said,
Fuck you!
Flight of Flame - 1 star
Is she meant to be 12? Because (Claymores are fucking BIG, btw.
(I know she's not actually 12.)
The writing was weird - like, sort of historical and sort of modern?
Also, fuck the whole, "You're not like other girls, because other girls suck, obviously."
***
I went into this as objectively as I could, despite the fact that it won the group vote under questionable circumstances. But I swear, I really did try to be objective.
But the more I read the more annoyed I got, and by the end I just wanted it to be over.
Giving it 2 stars for the, like, 3 decent stories that are hidden within (and my average rating actually does come out to 2).
December 27, 2025
Glimpses is an ambitious and engaging fantasy anthology that lives up to its name, offering readers brief but memorable windows into sixteen distinct worlds. What makes this collection especially enjoyable is its variety each story brings a different tone, voice, and imaginative focus, ranging from mythic and lyrical to dark, adventurous, and quietly introspective. The short form works beautifully here, allowing each author to explore a single compelling idea without overstaying its welcome.
As an anthology, Glimpses succeeds in showcasing emerging talent alongside more established voices, making it an excellent discovery read. Several stories linger well beyond their final lines, leaving the sense that there is much more depth waiting behind the scenes of these worlds. The editorial vision is clear: this is not about one dominant style of fantasy, but about celebrating the genre’s breadth and creative freedom.
Whether read straight through or dipped into one story at a time, Glimpses offers a rewarding experience for fantasy fans who enjoy sampling new voices and ideas. It’s a generous, imaginative collection that invites readers to explore and perhaps find their next favorite fantasy author.
As an anthology, Glimpses succeeds in showcasing emerging talent alongside more established voices, making it an excellent discovery read. Several stories linger well beyond their final lines, leaving the sense that there is much more depth waiting behind the scenes of these worlds. The editorial vision is clear: this is not about one dominant style of fantasy, but about celebrating the genre’s breadth and creative freedom.
Whether read straight through or dipped into one story at a time, Glimpses offers a rewarding experience for fantasy fans who enjoy sampling new voices and ideas. It’s a generous, imaginative collection that invites readers to explore and perhaps find their next favorite fantasy author.
May 16, 2019
These are pretty good reads and a glimpse into the world that this author has created in a book. I'm not a big fantasy fan - but most of these stories were pretty enjoyable, a couple outstanding.
Stories I particularly enjoyed were:
The Eresutna - Nicholas Kotar
Metal and Stone - Kevin Potter
Cimondeli - S K Randolf
Angles of TIme - Stefan Nardi
Forces of Magic: The Testing - Shawn Robert Smith (probably will get book)
Spots All Over - Tom Hansen
Stories I particularly enjoyed were:
The Eresutna - Nicholas Kotar
Metal and Stone - Kevin Potter
Cimondeli - S K Randolf
Angles of TIme - Stefan Nardi
Forces of Magic: The Testing - Shawn Robert Smith (probably will get book)
Spots All Over - Tom Hansen
September 26, 2019
Oke, maybe I am warming up to short stories. Maybe because these are not super short stories (super short stories just leaves me hanging and wanting for more). Now i have just a few pages longer before the wanting starts.
“The killing fields” had me hooked for more! So bought the sucker and it is now on my TBR. Dance of Swords also left me wanting for more, but already own those so no growth of my TBR there. A great introduction to a multitude of writers.
“The killing fields” had me hooked for more! So bought the sucker and it is now on my TBR. Dance of Swords also left me wanting for more, but already own those so no growth of my TBR there. A great introduction to a multitude of writers.
September 14, 2020
Enjoyable compilation of short fantasy stories
As one might expect, these vary a bit but the general impression is of a great series of stories, prompting me to search out others by the various authors. I read these over a long period in time, dipping in whenever I was on my exercise bike! Therefore I cannot pinpoint individual likes or dislikes - too long ago. However I thoroughly enjoyed the book so please enjoy it for yourselves.
As one might expect, these vary a bit but the general impression is of a great series of stories, prompting me to search out others by the various authors. I read these over a long period in time, dipping in whenever I was on my exercise bike! Therefore I cannot pinpoint individual likes or dislikes - too long ago. However I thoroughly enjoyed the book so please enjoy it for yourselves.
October 13, 2023
Yuk-fuey! Not just your average collection of juvenile writing with horrendous plot errors! No, with this one you also get a good dose of does-not-even know the meaning of the words with each story! From a not-hero escaping from the shekels he's bound by, to "I realize it’s my snooze alarm amped up to break the sound barrier." It's clear this anthology was assembled from 9th grader Creative Writing classes.
December 26, 2020
Several of the stories in this book read like opening chapters of something bigger. Most of the authors were new to me and I was tempted to explore some of their works, further. The Killing Fields was well written - a good opening gambit for a collection- with poetic language and enough intrigue to keep the reader involved. Others were less engaging, and I have to admit that I gave up on a few.
May 5, 2021
Entertaining reads.
Seventeen very different enjoyable short stories, some are standalone, some are introductions to a book or series.
I enjoyed the different writing styles and opportunity to assess each author.
Note: some, but not all, links either do not work or lead to redundant websites.
Seventeen very different enjoyable short stories, some are standalone, some are introductions to a book or series.
I enjoyed the different writing styles and opportunity to assess each author.
Note: some, but not all, links either do not work or lead to redundant websites.
February 28, 2019
"Glimpses" sums it up--brief excerpts from longer stories, most of which, in my opinion, didn't quite make it as stand-alone short stories. It's more obviously a collection of teasers to advertise the longer books.
May 27, 2019
Stolen Magic by Meg Cowley & Victoria DeLuis: 5/5, Magical action/adventure story. Great clash between two people from different worlds. Fast, fun read.
September 18, 2019
The novel was certainly excellent.
September 27, 2021
It's a combination of 16 short stories - about 15 pages each. There are dragons, werewolves, witches along with stories in the style of fairytales.
Nice for when you want a quick read.
Nice for when you want a quick read.
January 20, 2022
Excellent variety of stories - I found several new authors to follow and I'm excited to read more of their work.
January 1, 2020
Some of the short stories were okay, but all but one or two needed proofreading, badly. If I could not get a proofreader who knew how to do it, I would not bother publishing.
July 3, 2019
I love reading short story anthologies but this one was more like a bunch of sample chapters.
They was not bad but it was lacking.
They was not bad but it was lacking.
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