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Swift the Chase: Scenes from 9 Fantastic Stories
Magic—danger—and the thrill of the chase!
Experience the rush of racing across rooftops with thieves—or the desperation of fleeing an assassin who knows you a little too well. From the fish market of a tropical island sultanate, to the monster-filled alleys of a steampunk London, to a land where souls take different forms as they rise or fall through the layers of the world, this collection of chase scenes and vignettes set in nine distinctive worlds will leave you spellbound.
Find unexpected allies, unshakeable enemies, sudden twists and turns, and always the swiftness of the chase—whether you’re on the hunt, or racing for your life.
This sampler includes an exclusive bonus scene set during the events of Tea Set and Match by Casey Blair, available for free online, and a scene from an unpublished novel by Rachel Neumeier not available anywhere else. The excerpts by Intisar Khanani, Raf Morgan, P. Djèlí Clark, Sherwood Smith, Joyce Chng, Melissa McShane, and Andrea K. Höst are from longer works that are available for sale at all major retailers.
67 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2019
40 people are currently reading
319 people want to read
About the author
Raf Morgan
5 books7 followersAlso publishes as R. Morgan
I’ve been preparing all my life to be a writer, though I didn’t know it. Like that time I volunteered to protect sea turtles on a beach in Costa Rica and wound up with half my body in her nest at 3 am with a blue plastic bag under her butt to catch her eggs to relocate them so poachers couldn’t find them. Those nests are deep! Those sea turtles are big! Or living in Bangkok, Thailand, which is where I am now for my day job. (I’m a USAian.) You never know what’s going to happen here and every day is an adventure. Once we hired a driver to take us to the beach and he removed the steering wheel from the dashboard. While we were driving!
Mostly I’ve worked as a technical editor and a translator, but I’ve also worked as a dog walker (sometimes taking 11 dogs to the park at once, but usually only two or three) and in a district court. One time, I was asked by a judge to interpret for a woman who only spoke Portuguese even though I don’t speak Portuguese. He had decided that Spanish (which I speak as a second language) was close enough because it was an emergency. I had to go change my shirt after that, I was so nervous about messing it up.
None of these stories have made it into my books yet, but the settings of the different places I’ve lived often do. The desert in my first book, The Desert Wall, is a mashup of the Sonoran and the Chihuahuan Deserts (I’ve lived in Tucson, Arizona, and Monterrey, Mexico, too).
I don’t have a picture of me on my website or social media because of my day job situation. I hope you enjoy the picture of the saguaro cactus. They’re protected by federal law, live to be 200 years old and their flowers are pollinated by bats. I think that’s pretty cool.
I’ve been preparing all my life to be a writer, though I didn’t know it. Like that time I volunteered to protect sea turtles on a beach in Costa Rica and wound up with half my body in her nest at 3 am with a blue plastic bag under her butt to catch her eggs to relocate them so poachers couldn’t find them. Those nests are deep! Those sea turtles are big! Or living in Bangkok, Thailand, which is where I am now for my day job. (I’m a USAian.) You never know what’s going to happen here and every day is an adventure. Once we hired a driver to take us to the beach and he removed the steering wheel from the dashboard. While we were driving!
Mostly I’ve worked as a technical editor and a translator, but I’ve also worked as a dog walker (sometimes taking 11 dogs to the park at once, but usually only two or three) and in a district court. One time, I was asked by a judge to interpret for a woman who only spoke Portuguese even though I don’t speak Portuguese. He had decided that Spanish (which I speak as a second language) was close enough because it was an emergency. I had to go change my shirt after that, I was so nervous about messing it up.
None of these stories have made it into my books yet, but the settings of the different places I’ve lived often do. The desert in my first book, The Desert Wall, is a mashup of the Sonoran and the Chihuahuan Deserts (I’ve lived in Tucson, Arizona, and Monterrey, Mexico, too).
I don’t have a picture of me on my website or social media because of my day job situation. I hope you enjoy the picture of the saguaro cactus. They’re protected by federal law, live to be 200 years old and their flowers are pollinated by bats. I think that’s pretty cool.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
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October 15, 2019I am so thrilled to be part of this collection! I love the concept of a sampler of chase scenes as an action-packed way to meet new authors, and this collection definitely delivers a fantastic breadth of stories to your fingertips. I hope you'll take a chance on it and discover some amazing talents to follow!
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October 4, 2019Nine glimpses of chase scenes from different fantasies, offered for free!
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October 9, 2019I enjoyed being part of this scene sampler. Some of the authors I'd never heard of before being invited to participate, some of them I have long admired, but all of them are so talented. I've added a lot of books to my teetering TBR pile!
September 24, 2019
Full disclosure, I am one of the authors in this anthology and may be biased accordingly =). But if I do say so myself, this is a great introduction to work by some truly fantastic authors!
November 13, 2023
Aku butuh waktu 5 hari untuk menyelesaikan buku yang mana nggak nyampai 100 halaman ini. Bisa dibilang ini adalah kumpulan cerita pendek dari berbagai macam penulis dengan genre yang berbeda-beda.
Aku nggak tahu sih ya, apakah memang ceritanya yang menurut aku tidak berkesan, atau memang something wrong with me. Cuman dari sekian banyaknya cerita yang disajikan di sini nggak ada satu pun yang bikin aku "connect". Bahkan beberapa kali aku tuh agak selip membayangkan adegan-adegan yang ada di sini sampai akhirnya aku aktifin mode audiobook demi bisa menyelesaikan buku ini dengan segera.
Im so sorry but I couldn't enjoy this book...
2,5 stars.
Aku nggak tahu sih ya, apakah memang ceritanya yang menurut aku tidak berkesan, atau memang something wrong with me. Cuman dari sekian banyaknya cerita yang disajikan di sini nggak ada satu pun yang bikin aku "connect". Bahkan beberapa kali aku tuh agak selip membayangkan adegan-adegan yang ada di sini sampai akhirnya aku aktifin mode audiobook demi bisa menyelesaikan buku ini dengan segera.
Im so sorry but I couldn't enjoy this book...
2,5 stars.
September 1, 2021
Interesting snippets of stories. I absolutely loved the first few.
October 3, 2019
A book! That I'm in! That I made happen! I'm biased for myself but especially 5 stars for all the terrific authors who went in on this project of love that I dreamed up. It's a great introduction to these authors' work, especially if you like chase scenes (which I do, obviously).
October 11, 2019
Love the snippets! I'm quite sure I just found a bunch of new authors to follow, and read a few glimpses from some favorite authors' works!
October 14, 2019
What a wonderful selection of stories to make you carefree Chasing over rooftops and more. This is what the magic in books is all about. Don’t miss out.
October 29, 2025
Average gut rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Overall CAWPILE rating: 3.79
Spice: 🌶️
Book synopsis: This is a collection of nine chase scenes, with seven taken from larger works as a snapshot to hook you in, and two bonus chase scenes exclusive to this collection. Each chapter starts with a small preamble setting the scene so you're immersed in the chase.
Book review: Overall, I enjoyed this unique collection. Four chase scenes stood out with their vivid worlds and plots that make me want to go out and read the rest of the book.
Individual reviews:
1. Sunbolt by Intisar Khanani - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis: Street thief Hitomi runs for her life through the markets of Karolene as she's pursued by the Arch Mage Blackflame's guards who single her out for her foreign ancestry. But little do they know the secrets she must protect.
Review: This scene was a great hook to grab my attention! Vivid writing, the hints of an underground community silently rising up against a warlord, and a chosen one not yet revealed. I'd be interested in reading the full story.
2. The Desert Wall by Raf Morgan - ⭐⭐
Synopsis: In a small desert town, orphan Malenie is cornered by bullies for her reddish skin, her anger blazing from their taunts.
Review: This was a little too short to hook me in as it didn't give a sense of the story outside her skin colour being different, and nothing really happened. The excerpt was less of a chase scene and more of a failed alleyway fight.
3. Daring to Chase by Casey Blair - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis: With an assassin spy chasing her, witch Lorwyn flees into the dangerous Cataclysm realm only to find the spy already there. But what information is he trying to get (or give) her?
Review: A romance chase scene with two stubborn love interests set on keeping their feelings hidden? Yes please! This was so good and has me hooked for Book 1 and 2!
4. World of Tiers by Rachel Neumeir - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis: Chased by soldiers and a fierce dragonelle, siblings Vích and Lahn split up as one stays in the human tier while the other drops into the dark downbelow tier. But what follows downbelow?
Review: So much detail! This is a vividly written world with so many places and concepts I want to know more about. Definitely a book I need to add to my TBR!
5. The Angel of Khan el-Khalili by Phenderson Djéli Clark - ⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis: In the dead of the night we search through Cairo's marketplace for the Angel of Khan el-Khalili.
Review: I liked the rich African setting with its curious mix of ancient and futuristic technology. However, this was not a chase scene but just a young girl asking one market owner for directions.
6. Lhind the Thief by Sherwood Smith - ⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis: Disguised as a boy, street thief Lhind uses her wits (and a little magic) to steal enough coin to buy her safety. But can she let her guard down?
Review: I wish the world wasn't so empty and that the chase scene was much longer. However, the ending promises for some adventure!
7. Wolf at the Door by Joyce Chng - ⭐⭐
Synopsis: In old Chinatown, vigilante friends Jan, Long, Benjamin, and Kiat shift into their wolf, fox, bear, and dragon forms ready to take on evil ye gui. But what is the truth behind these wild spirits?
Review: This felt like a few different sections were chopped together rather than one scene so it made for an abrupt read. It was interesting that these chases were focused on the morals/message rather than good vs evil.
8. Pretender to the Crown by Melissa McShane - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis: On the run from Lord Adolon's soldiers, thief Willow North finds safety in the arms (and lips) of a stranger. But can she trust him?
Review: Kissing the enemy while running for her life - this sounds like a fun book! The magic system was very interesting, but the book blurb feels different to this scene.
9. The Pyramids of London by Andrea K. Höst - ⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis: A disappointing trip to the automaton workshops turns dangerous when Eluned, Eleri, and Grif spot a clue to an automaton mystery they should never have messed with.
Review: The setting for this was a little confusing, with the reader needing to quickly fill a lot of plot based on a few scraps of information. I did like the spine tingling feeling I got from the invisible being chasing them.
Overall CAWPILE rating: 3.79
Spice: 🌶️
Book synopsis: This is a collection of nine chase scenes, with seven taken from larger works as a snapshot to hook you in, and two bonus chase scenes exclusive to this collection. Each chapter starts with a small preamble setting the scene so you're immersed in the chase.
Book review: Overall, I enjoyed this unique collection. Four chase scenes stood out with their vivid worlds and plots that make me want to go out and read the rest of the book.
Individual reviews:
1. Sunbolt by Intisar Khanani - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis: Street thief Hitomi runs for her life through the markets of Karolene as she's pursued by the Arch Mage Blackflame's guards who single her out for her foreign ancestry. But little do they know the secrets she must protect.
Review: This scene was a great hook to grab my attention! Vivid writing, the hints of an underground community silently rising up against a warlord, and a chosen one not yet revealed. I'd be interested in reading the full story.
2. The Desert Wall by Raf Morgan - ⭐⭐
Synopsis: In a small desert town, orphan Malenie is cornered by bullies for her reddish skin, her anger blazing from their taunts.
Review: This was a little too short to hook me in as it didn't give a sense of the story outside her skin colour being different, and nothing really happened. The excerpt was less of a chase scene and more of a failed alleyway fight.
3. Daring to Chase by Casey Blair - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis: With an assassin spy chasing her, witch Lorwyn flees into the dangerous Cataclysm realm only to find the spy already there. But what information is he trying to get (or give) her?
Review: A romance chase scene with two stubborn love interests set on keeping their feelings hidden? Yes please! This was so good and has me hooked for Book 1 and 2!
4. World of Tiers by Rachel Neumeir - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis: Chased by soldiers and a fierce dragonelle, siblings Vích and Lahn split up as one stays in the human tier while the other drops into the dark downbelow tier. But what follows downbelow?
Review: So much detail! This is a vividly written world with so many places and concepts I want to know more about. Definitely a book I need to add to my TBR!
5. The Angel of Khan el-Khalili by Phenderson Djéli Clark - ⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis: In the dead of the night we search through Cairo's marketplace for the Angel of Khan el-Khalili.
Review: I liked the rich African setting with its curious mix of ancient and futuristic technology. However, this was not a chase scene but just a young girl asking one market owner for directions.
6. Lhind the Thief by Sherwood Smith - ⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis: Disguised as a boy, street thief Lhind uses her wits (and a little magic) to steal enough coin to buy her safety. But can she let her guard down?
Review: I wish the world wasn't so empty and that the chase scene was much longer. However, the ending promises for some adventure!
7. Wolf at the Door by Joyce Chng - ⭐⭐
Synopsis: In old Chinatown, vigilante friends Jan, Long, Benjamin, and Kiat shift into their wolf, fox, bear, and dragon forms ready to take on evil ye gui. But what is the truth behind these wild spirits?
Review: This felt like a few different sections were chopped together rather than one scene so it made for an abrupt read. It was interesting that these chases were focused on the morals/message rather than good vs evil.
8. Pretender to the Crown by Melissa McShane - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis: On the run from Lord Adolon's soldiers, thief Willow North finds safety in the arms (and lips) of a stranger. But can she trust him?
Review: Kissing the enemy while running for her life - this sounds like a fun book! The magic system was very interesting, but the book blurb feels different to this scene.
9. The Pyramids of London by Andrea K. Höst - ⭐⭐⭐
Synopsis: A disappointing trip to the automaton workshops turns dangerous when Eluned, Eleri, and Grif spot a clue to an automaton mystery they should never have messed with.
Review: The setting for this was a little confusing, with the reader needing to quickly fill a lot of plot based on a few scraps of information. I did like the spine tingling feeling I got from the invisible being chasing them.
September 1, 2020
As with any collection, some stories I liked, some I didn't like, and some were ok. The reason I only gave this 3 stars--and it's totally my fault for just buying the book because of one of the included authors and not actually reading the subtitle--was that it was a collection of chase scenes. Except for one short story, each one was a few pages from a larger work. There were a couple that caught my attention enough to make me want to check out the author's other writing, but mostly I was vaguely dissatisfied because the scene didn't give enough information to "get" the world or to see deeply enough into any of the characters to care what happened to them. It was an interesting concept, but not one that worked for me.
March 25, 2021
I mean, what’s not to love about a chase scene? The problem with this anthology, though, is that it’s just that—chase scenes from longer works. So they were fun to read, and I’m delighted to report that I’ve found several new authors that I’m excited to go get full books by, but it’s just the nature of the form that it’s hard to get invested or feel much payoff from disconnected scenes, as fun or well-written as they may be.
June 1, 2022
Entertaining listening 🎶🔰
Nine interesting will written action adventure thriller short stories by nine different authors. Each story line is stand alone with it's own characters and action. I would recommend this novella to readers looking for something different in the next read. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa as I do because of health issues. 2022 👒😉🐶🏡
Nine interesting will written action adventure thriller short stories by nine different authors. Each story line is stand alone with it's own characters and action. I would recommend this novella to readers looking for something different in the next read. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa as I do because of health issues. 2022 👒😉🐶🏡
July 5, 2022
Great overview of different books which have chase scenes. A rough plot outline was included at the start of each excerpt, and at the end there were options to keep reading. Wonderful way to be introduced to new authors, and get used to their different worlds and writing styles!!
November 24, 2020
I like the concept of sampling various books and authors. I definitely learned about some authors I would like to check out more. Worth the quick reads to meet new story makers.
June 22, 2021
These were good teasers. It felt a lot like a sampler platter of stories, which was fun. I'll be picking up a few of the actual books the excerpts were from soon.
October 5, 2024
i guess i'm not the target market for some random snippets of various stories bound into a book, couldnt been more careless for most of the stories.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews