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Strange Reports From Sector M
The light from an old man’s past catches up to him. A salesman deals in secondhand stars. An artificial-intelligence unit designed for war has second thoughts on the battlefield. An entire religion springs from long-forgotten superhero comics.
These tales and more may be found in the pages of Strange Reports from Sector M, a compilation of thirteen short stories, flash fiction, and novellas from the ever-moving mind of author Matt Carson. A complex mix of science fiction, urban fantasy, and horror, Carson’s stories offer intricate worlds where no matter what else changes, humanity continues to struggle with questions of courage, grief, and mortality—as well as our shifting, often arbitrary societal norms.
Discover a dying police officer who is given a choice between a slow, painful death and a moment of unbelievable ecstasy. Watch as a woman struggles to make humanity’s last act meaningful. Revel as a corporate dictatorship reaps a terrifying but just reward from its victims.
Reminiscent of the speculative anthology TV show Black Mirror, Strange Reports from Sector M offers opportunities for both introspection and action-packed adventure set against the most unpredictable and fascinating of landscapes—the ever-changing human mind.
These tales and more may be found in the pages of Strange Reports from Sector M, a compilation of thirteen short stories, flash fiction, and novellas from the ever-moving mind of author Matt Carson. A complex mix of science fiction, urban fantasy, and horror, Carson’s stories offer intricate worlds where no matter what else changes, humanity continues to struggle with questions of courage, grief, and mortality—as well as our shifting, often arbitrary societal norms.
Discover a dying police officer who is given a choice between a slow, painful death and a moment of unbelievable ecstasy. Watch as a woman struggles to make humanity’s last act meaningful. Revel as a corporate dictatorship reaps a terrifying but just reward from its victims.
Reminiscent of the speculative anthology TV show Black Mirror, Strange Reports from Sector M offers opportunities for both introspection and action-packed adventure set against the most unpredictable and fascinating of landscapes—the ever-changing human mind.
336 pages, Paperback
Published October 3, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 27, 2024
I like anthologies. I feel like they give us a chance to see our favorite writers experiment with things for which they aren't known and/or loved. As such, "Strange Reports from Sector M" is a gem, and you should definitely read it.
It's a collection of thirteen short works, broken into two groups: Really Short Stuff, and Not-So-Short Stuff. The Really Short Stuff takes up the first 50-ish pages of the book, and has some of the most interesting experimentation outside of Matt's bailiwick (military sci-fi, if you didn't know). An advertisement for used stars, sci-fi blues lyrics, and other treats greet you here, and can all be easily consumed in a single, long-ish sitting. I'm not a super fast reader, so your consumption rate may vary. The No-So-Short Stuff also has good variety, and I don't want to spoil any of it for you. There are a couple of military sci-fi shorts in here that are pretty fantastic, as well as a short that I would classify as sci-fi/horror, told in first person. I didn't have any problem getting through any one of the shorts in a single sitting, save for The Foeman's Chain (the final, and longest, story in the book). One other note on the writings themselves: as pretext to each story, Matt writes some insight into how/why he wrote each short, which I really enjoyed.
I procured both the printed and kindle editions, although I spent most of my time reading the printed one. The book is VERY well designed, including the cover art, paper stock, even the font selection. You should feel confident getting either edition, as both are high quality.
I'm not sure what else I can say to convince you to buy this book. It's a worthy addition to any sci-fi fan's collection, and can be had for the low-low price of [insert Amazon's current pricing here]. Do yourself a favor a get a copy of this book -- your happiness quotient is sure to increase!
It's a collection of thirteen short works, broken into two groups: Really Short Stuff, and Not-So-Short Stuff. The Really Short Stuff takes up the first 50-ish pages of the book, and has some of the most interesting experimentation outside of Matt's bailiwick (military sci-fi, if you didn't know). An advertisement for used stars, sci-fi blues lyrics, and other treats greet you here, and can all be easily consumed in a single, long-ish sitting. I'm not a super fast reader, so your consumption rate may vary. The No-So-Short Stuff also has good variety, and I don't want to spoil any of it for you. There are a couple of military sci-fi shorts in here that are pretty fantastic, as well as a short that I would classify as sci-fi/horror, told in first person. I didn't have any problem getting through any one of the shorts in a single sitting, save for The Foeman's Chain (the final, and longest, story in the book). One other note on the writings themselves: as pretext to each story, Matt writes some insight into how/why he wrote each short, which I really enjoyed.
I procured both the printed and kindle editions, although I spent most of my time reading the printed one. The book is VERY well designed, including the cover art, paper stock, even the font selection. You should feel confident getting either edition, as both are high quality.
I'm not sure what else I can say to convince you to buy this book. It's a worthy addition to any sci-fi fan's collection, and can be had for the low-low price of [insert Amazon's current pricing here]. Do yourself a favor a get a copy of this book -- your happiness quotient is sure to increase!
October 25, 2017
This is a fun, inventive read, with a fair (but by no means exclusive) focus on military science-fiction stories. Certainly, Carson's greatest forte is crafting an engaging action scene.
January 31, 2018
I generally do not review works of fiction, but after receiving this anthology as a gift I felt compelled to write about it.
Mr Carson achieves everything here I look for in good science fiction. Sci-Fi has long history of exploring what makes us human, beyond the shapes of our bodies. The short-form can be especially tricky for such exploration, but Carson masterfully plucks the proper emotional chords for each piece as appropriate. I have, in the weeks since I read these stories, found my mind turning to them again & again. They will certainly bear re-reading this year.
The stories span a variety of types of science fiction. My favorite may be Looking Back. Considering the themes of family relationships and the divide between the public & private individual, this story is both emotionally moving and thought-provoking. I think it has something for us, whatever stage of life we find ourselves in.
There is much more to say about how enjoyable a read this collection is, but it may be best to just recommend you read it and find your own favorites.
Mr Carson achieves everything here I look for in good science fiction. Sci-Fi has long history of exploring what makes us human, beyond the shapes of our bodies. The short-form can be especially tricky for such exploration, but Carson masterfully plucks the proper emotional chords for each piece as appropriate. I have, in the weeks since I read these stories, found my mind turning to them again & again. They will certainly bear re-reading this year.
The stories span a variety of types of science fiction. My favorite may be Looking Back. Considering the themes of family relationships and the divide between the public & private individual, this story is both emotionally moving and thought-provoking. I think it has something for us, whatever stage of life we find ourselves in.
There is much more to say about how enjoyable a read this collection is, but it may be best to just recommend you read it and find your own favorites.
May 27, 2019
I normally don’t like anthologies and really have to be in the right mood to read them. But as soon as I received this book, I was excited to crack it open. It was really great too. I loved that some pieces were longer than others and the writing really drew me in. I immediately felt for the characters. Great read. Totally recommend!
September 14, 2019
It was a great book of short and not so short sci-fi stories! I especially love that the author (Matt Carson) writes about what was going on in his mind while he was writing it! My favorite story out of them was the first of his not so short stories called Swan Song! I am glad I had the opportunity to read this book!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews