Earth: Planetary Anthology

Planetary Anthology series #6

by Dawn Witzke (Editor), Jody Lynn Nye, Arlan Andrews Sr.

Earth: Planetary Anthology Series Volume 6. Welcome to Earth. We know so much about our home planet, yet so very little. From the ancient astronomers who sought to figure out our place among the stars to the modern day scientists studying the deepest oceans to those who looking for life on other planets, adventure awaits. In this anthology resides 18 stories of discovery and daring that exhibit the spirit of adventure that has led explorers to risk their lives trying to discover the mysteries and secrets of Earth.

Contents:
* Introduction (Earth) (2018) • essay by Dawn Witzke
* Silesian Treasure (2018) / short story by W. J. Hayes
* This Planet Is a Hole (2018) / short story by Lou Antonelli
* Extinction Point (2018) / novelette by Richard Paolinelli
* I Hate Mars! (2018) / short story by Arlan Andrews Sr. [as by Arlan Andrews]
* The Mantle of Gaia (2018) / short story by Jody Lynn Nye
* Reality Run (2018) / short story by Alfred Genneson
* The Lamp by Which My Feet Are Guided (2018) / short story by Rich W. Ware [as by R. W. Ware]
* Escape from the Lost Land (2018) / short story by Nathan Dabney
* Unacceptable Losses (2018) / short story by John M. Olsen
* Climate of Change (2018) / short story by Marie Genneson
* Welcome to Mars! (2018) / short story by A. M. Freeman
* The Dawn of Reason (2018) / novelette by Dan Gallagher
* The Hidden Conquest (2018) / short story by Hans Schantz
* Complicit in Their Bondage (2018) / short story by J. Manfred Weichsel
* Ringrun (2018) / short story by Ben Wheeler
* Xolotl Resurrected (2018) / novelette by J. D. Beckwith
*We'll Always Have Earth (2018) / short story by Bokerah Brumley

.

281 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 5, 2018

Reviews

[Dan Gallagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstandingly fun tales!

[Jeffrey Blehar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Superversive has been releasing anthologies for some time now, but this release is the first I've had the chance to read.
I will start by repeating the seemingly obligatory statement concerning anthologies: "Not all of the stories within resonate with every reader."
This statement is obligatory for a reason -- it's almost always true, and this anthology is no exception. I'll not spend time on the stories which didn't resonate with me -- not because they were poorly written or just plain bad, but because they just didn't hit home with me. I am not the biggest fan of straight futuristic space science-fiction. There's nothing wrong with it and there are exceptions to this rule for me. However, fans of this genre will undoubtedly love a lot of the stories I have chosen not to write about. Instead, I will fill this space writing about the stories which struck a chord with me as a fan of fantasy.
"Silesian Treasure" by WJ Hayes: This story sticks with me and I'm not sure why. I see influences of Douglas Adams and Luc Besson in the story (maybe it is just me injecting a certain visual style on the writing). The story centers on an RAF Captain at a business convention where he helps thwart a bizarre robbery. The story is entertaining and filled with absurdities. It is a space heist story with tongue planted firmly in cheek for the duration of the ride.
"The Lamp By Which My Feet Are Guided" by R.W. Ware: A Post-Apocalyptic action story with plenty of action. Something out of Mad Max (More Road Warrior than Fury Road). The story follows a member of the resistance known as the Mavericks as he attempts a rescue. The story is long on action but does leave ample time for the characters to bond, which allows for the climax to have the desired emotional impact.
"Escape From the Lost Land" by Nathan Dabney: This is a great action-packed Lost Worlds story in line with Arthur Conan Doyle and Jules Verne. I loved what there was of it. The story focuses on a mere snippet of the adventure. The story, as much as I liked it made me yearn from what came before...or after.
"The Dawn of Reason" by Dan Gallagher: On its base level, it is a re-telling of the dawn of conscience and reason. On another level, it paints a beautiful picture of early mankind. Brilliant imagery and an imaginative look back at man's ancestors. One of the best of the bunch.
"Complicit in Their Bondage" by J. Manfred Weichsel: This story, along with "The Dawn of Reason" are my favorite stories in the anthology. In this story, with a nod to H.G. Wells, a US soldier stumbles upon the unbelievable tucked away in the mountains of Afghanistan. The author manages to weave the unsettling with the whimsical to create unique and skin-crawling adventure story.
Planetary: Earth is well worth the read. I look forward to future releases (as well as going back to check out past releases).

[Daniel Yocom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Planetary Anthology: Earth. There is a wide variety of stories and style. Stories touch on current events and future possibilities that made me think about the topics and reflect on my beliefs.

The structure of the anthology was not as good as I was expecting. This is the second book of the Planetary Anthology Series I read and this one was created before the other. The over-arching theme was a little broken as I moved from one story to the next without a regular flow to the stories. This was a minor inconvenience when reading. I saw the anthology has been updated from the copy I have. Some of the issues I saw have most likely been addressed (I also like the new cover a lot more).

I recommend Planetary Anthology: Earth for readers who enjoy science fiction shorts with different perspectives of the world and people around us.

You can read the complete review at
https://guildmastergaming.blogspot.co...

[Jeff Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good selection of short stories. Pretty much liked them all and some were very good.