Movemind

by Robert New

Speculative Short Stories

As the characters views change, yours might too.

This twelve story collection is centred around the theme of being altered by a situation. In the acclaimed How to Win a War, a soldier experiences a strategy for ending wars that might just work. In The Patriotic Amnesiac, a mother voluntarily gives up her ability to form new memories with far-reaching consequences. A Queen and a Prime Minister plot against a President in Sever-Reign. The Legend of Legend is a light-hearted caper about an egg that contains a universal truth. In the dystopian The Second Fear a ministry attempts to produce fear in someone who is incapable of feeling it. In the closing story, Devilish Tricks, a deal with the Devil changes the life of Casimir Hendrix, but is it for the better?

Genres: Short Stories

234 pages, Paperback

Published May 31, 2018

About the author

When he was in high school, a dare escalated a little too quickly, and Robert made the state final in an interpretive dance competition. Thankfully, his teacher was okay with him chickening out of the main event, thus preserving his affection for education. Whilst not a direct consequence, Robert has since spent much of his life studying and has completed seven university degrees, including a PhD in Education. Robert has degrees in psychology, sociology, biology and education, all of which inspire his writing. In his stories, Robert aims to shift the perspective of the reader through blending in science, psychology and other research findings.
Robert studied Wado-Ryu karate for nearly twenty years and ran his own dojo in Perth for several years. However, he is not currently training.
Robert is kosmemophobic, meaning he has a fear of jewellery. He has no idea why; it just freaks him out.

Reviews

[Sarah Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Movemind is a collection of twelve short stories that have only one thing in common; they are all well-written and grippingly readable. They range from How to Win a War that has a wicked twist in the tale, to what I can only describe as literary fiction. LifeOpenBook is a fictional social media platform used to illustrate the merits of the claim that God fashioned man and the contention that humans created gods. Readers will have their own favourites. Mine was the heart-breaking La Criminal; anyone who’s every owned and treasured a dog learns that love is not forever, and compassion isn’t an easy road to tread.

[R.K.C. Puthran · Rating 4 out of 5]

12 short stories - all very engrossing and some with great twists in the end. The author has done a fabulous job and one can see the amount of effort that has been put in to achieve the desired impact. Combined with psychology, science and human emotions, most of the the stories tread a very fine balance and manage to stir the emotions within you. Well done Robert!

[Heidi J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you read the author’s bio, you can find out Robert New has degrees in psychology, sociology, biology, and education, but if you’ve read this fabulous collection of short stories, you might have already guessed that: they are smart, mind-bending, and often contain scientific or philosophical ideas and explore moral questions.

I was particularly intrigued by the stories in which New’s own beliefs come to the fore: “The Second Fear” and “Devilish Tricks” which examine the role of fear in shaping human behavior; “How to Win a War” and “The Principled Principal” which present case studies in how to turn enemies into friends; and “The Lost Chapter” in which New proposes a foundation for a more equitable political society.

If you enjoy having your mind stimulated and your normal way of seeing the world challenged, check it out!

[Smith Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Movemind by Robert New is a thought-provoking collection that explores how people are transformed by extraordinary situations.

What stands out is the variety ranging from dystopian scenarios to political intrigue and philosophical tales. Each story presents a unique concept, from memory loss to fear manipulation, while maintaining a consistent theme of psychological and emotional change. The blend of speculative fiction with deeper human questions makes it an engaging and reflective read.

[Shawn Falkner-Horine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Aborted after 4 stories. The mechanics are heavy-handed. The implied worldviews were an odd blend of borderline-progressive constructs built using regressive old-fashioned material. (For instance, one story featured social media presented in the role of a modern god, but then leaned into the tropes of a hysterical female and marriage as a zero-sum game.)

Not my cup of tea.

[Bonnya Ghose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the stories were really good, others were okay, but all of them were different from the "usual stuff".