What do you think?
Rate this book
Rambunctious
A powerful and poignant collection of memorable stories from an award-winning storyteller, Rambunctious: Nine Tales of Determination is charming, action-packed, frightening, and thoughtful by turn.
“Wilber’s voice (has) a kind of authority and compassion that have helped him carve out a niche identifiably his own.”—Locus Magazine
In these nine stories of determination, seemingly ordinary people find themselves in extraordinary circumstances as they confront their fears and embrace their challenges on a near-future Earth or an alternate-history past or even on a far distant alien world.
• A single parent with a Down-syndrome daughter considers what his life and career might have been as a parent and a pro football player in some alternate reality.
• A young girl on an isolated Florida island discovers that her quirky grandparents are even stranger than she thought.
• A high-school basketball player confronts the ghosts of her past.
• A young woman struggles to make peace with the horrors of her forgotten childhood.
• An elderly woman slides into dementia even as she finds some essential truths that were lost in the hazy mists of her memory.
• A baseball player becomes a spy during an alternate-history version of World War II, where he plays a pivotal role in stopping the Nazi war machine.
“Rick Wilber draws you in through his compassion for his characters and his keen eye for the familiar, and then he slips you sideways into places startlingly new, beautiful, and true. You finish these stories entertained, to be sure, but moved as well, and with your perspective forever widened.”— Gregory Norman Bossert, World Fantasy Award winning author
“There is a timeless feel to these stories of insiders, outsiders, family loved and family lost... Rick Wilber writes with verve and heart.”—Richard Larson
"Rick Wilber writes with heart and soul. His stories transport us to other worlds and alternate realities and yet somehow bring us closer to home. He is a master weaver of wonder. You'll love this book!"— Nick DiChario, Hugo and World Fantasy nominated author of A Small and Remarkable Life
"A major collection from what it's high past time to admit is one of our major writers. Wilber writes with literate flair, compassion, and a deep understanding of human psychology. Highly recommended!"—Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author of The Oppenheimer Alternative
“Wilber…will exhilarate, startle, and dazzle you”—Michael Bishop
“Rick Wilber…tells you the truth, a quality that be unsettling sometimes, but is never less than absolutely refreshing. Wilber knows how to do justice to the nuances of a complex story, and he deserves a huge readership.”—Peter Straub
“Brilliantly crafted, fiercely real… Relentless and original, this is science fiction that matters now. Highly recommended.”—Julie E. Czerneda
“Wilber’s voice (has) a kind of authority and compassion that have helped him carve out a niche identifiably his own.”—Locus Magazine
In these nine stories of determination, seemingly ordinary people find themselves in extraordinary circumstances as they confront their fears and embrace their challenges on a near-future Earth or an alternate-history past or even on a far distant alien world.
• A single parent with a Down-syndrome daughter considers what his life and career might have been as a parent and a pro football player in some alternate reality.
• A young girl on an isolated Florida island discovers that her quirky grandparents are even stranger than she thought.
• A high-school basketball player confronts the ghosts of her past.
• A young woman struggles to make peace with the horrors of her forgotten childhood.
• An elderly woman slides into dementia even as she finds some essential truths that were lost in the hazy mists of her memory.
• A baseball player becomes a spy during an alternate-history version of World War II, where he plays a pivotal role in stopping the Nazi war machine.
“Rick Wilber draws you in through his compassion for his characters and his keen eye for the familiar, and then he slips you sideways into places startlingly new, beautiful, and true. You finish these stories entertained, to be sure, but moved as well, and with your perspective forever widened.”— Gregory Norman Bossert, World Fantasy Award winning author
“There is a timeless feel to these stories of insiders, outsiders, family loved and family lost... Rick Wilber writes with verve and heart.”—Richard Larson
"Rick Wilber writes with heart and soul. His stories transport us to other worlds and alternate realities and yet somehow bring us closer to home. He is a master weaver of wonder. You'll love this book!"— Nick DiChario, Hugo and World Fantasy nominated author of A Small and Remarkable Life
"A major collection from what it's high past time to admit is one of our major writers. Wilber writes with literate flair, compassion, and a deep understanding of human psychology. Highly recommended!"—Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author of The Oppenheimer Alternative
“Wilber…will exhilarate, startle, and dazzle you”—Michael Bishop
“Rick Wilber…tells you the truth, a quality that be unsettling sometimes, but is never less than absolutely refreshing. Wilber knows how to do justice to the nuances of a complex story, and he deserves a huge readership.”—Peter Straub
“Brilliantly crafted, fiercely real… Relentless and original, this is science fiction that matters now. Highly recommended.”—Julie E. Czerneda
266 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 25, 2020
18 people want to read
About the author
Rick Wilber
78 books37 followers Rick Wilber's novel ALIEN DAY (Tor Books 2021) is the sequel to ALIEN MORNING (Tor 2016), which was a finalist for the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Novel of the Year. ALIEN DAY offers a wry near-future look at life on Earth and the alien home planet of S'hudon. On Earth, the ambitious TV celebrity and action hero Chloe Cary finds herself involved with Earth's jovial but deadly alien overlord Twoclicks and his son, The Perfection. On S'hudon, Chloe's boyfriend, Peter Holman, tries to rescue his sister Kait from the clutches of Twoclicks' evil brother Whistle; but finds out that it isn't Kait who needs to be rescued. The novel, says best-selling author Julie Czerneda, offers an "original, engaging, wonderfully complex alien world populated by unforgettable characters."
Wilber also recently co-authored (with Alan Smale), the alternate-history collection, THE WANDERING WARRIORS (WordFire Press, 2020). The book features "The Wandering Warriors" novella that first appeared as the cover story in the May/June 2018 edition of Asimov's Science Fiction magazine, and also has two additional stories, one from each author. Both authors have won the Sidewise Award for their alternate-history stories.
Also out in 2020 was the short-story collection, RAMBUNCTIOUS: NINE TALES OF DETERMINATION (Word Fire Press, 2020), which holds nine of Rick's favorite stories from more than fifty published over the past thirty years.
Rick recently edited the ebook anthology, MAKING HISTORY: CLASSIC ALTERNATE HISTORY STORIES (New Word City, 2019). The book reprints classic stories by writers Karen Joy Fowler, Gregory Benford, Kathleen Goonan, Harry Turtledove, Lisa Goldstein, Walter Jon Williams, Maureen McHugh, Nisi Shawl, Michael Bishop, Alan Smale, Rich Larson, Sheila Finch, Ben Loory, Nicholas DiChario, Michael Swanwick and Eileen Gunn, and editor Rick Wilber.
His collection, THE MOE BERG EPISODES (New Word City, 2018) reprints four alternate-history stories that first appeared in Asimov's Science Fiction magazine.
The author of some sixty published short stories, his most recent short fiction includes the novella, "Billie the Kid," forthcoming in Asimov's Science Fiction magazine, "Tin Man," co-authored with Brad Aiken, in the May/June 2021 Asimov's, the novelette "The Hind," co-authored with best-selling author Kevin J. Anderson, in the November/December 2020 issue of Asimov's, the short story, "False Bay," in the forthcoming anthology, MOVIES, MONSTERS & MAYHEM (WordFire Press, 2020), the novelette, "Ithaca," co-authored with Brad Aiken, in the May/June 2020 Asimov's), the story, "Donny Boy," in the Alternate Peace anthology (ZNB, edited by Steven Silver and Joshua Palmatier) and the novella, "The Secret City," in the September/October 2018 Asimov's, among others.
Rick's short story, "Today is Today," from the July 2018 issue of Stonecoast Review, has been reprinted in The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2019 (ed, Rich Horton) and in Lightspeed Magazine. His novella, "The Secret City," was runner-up for the Sidewise Award for Best Alternate History -- Short Form of 2018 and his story, "Something Real," won the Sidewise Award for Best Alternate History--Short Form in 2013.
He is the editor of the baseball fantasy anthology, "Field of Fantasies" from Nightshade/Skyhorse (2014), which reprints about two dozen baseball/fantasy stories by outstanding mainstream and genre writers from Stephen King to Karen Joy Fowler and and many more. He also edited 2011's "Future Media" (Tachyon) 2011, brings together classic works of fiction and non-fiction about the future of the mass media.
Rick's 2009 novel, "Rum Point," is a baseball/murder mystery/thriller from McFarland Books and his 2007 memoir, “My Father’s Game: Life, Death, Baseball” from McFarland Books, was called by best-selling author Peter Straub “a stunning book,” and one that “abounds with faith, heartbreak, love,
Wilber also recently co-authored (with Alan Smale), the alternate-history collection, THE WANDERING WARRIORS (WordFire Press, 2020). The book features "The Wandering Warriors" novella that first appeared as the cover story in the May/June 2018 edition of Asimov's Science Fiction magazine, and also has two additional stories, one from each author. Both authors have won the Sidewise Award for their alternate-history stories.
Also out in 2020 was the short-story collection, RAMBUNCTIOUS: NINE TALES OF DETERMINATION (Word Fire Press, 2020), which holds nine of Rick's favorite stories from more than fifty published over the past thirty years.
Rick recently edited the ebook anthology, MAKING HISTORY: CLASSIC ALTERNATE HISTORY STORIES (New Word City, 2019). The book reprints classic stories by writers Karen Joy Fowler, Gregory Benford, Kathleen Goonan, Harry Turtledove, Lisa Goldstein, Walter Jon Williams, Maureen McHugh, Nisi Shawl, Michael Bishop, Alan Smale, Rich Larson, Sheila Finch, Ben Loory, Nicholas DiChario, Michael Swanwick and Eileen Gunn, and editor Rick Wilber.
His collection, THE MOE BERG EPISODES (New Word City, 2018) reprints four alternate-history stories that first appeared in Asimov's Science Fiction magazine.
The author of some sixty published short stories, his most recent short fiction includes the novella, "Billie the Kid," forthcoming in Asimov's Science Fiction magazine, "Tin Man," co-authored with Brad Aiken, in the May/June 2021 Asimov's, the novelette "The Hind," co-authored with best-selling author Kevin J. Anderson, in the November/December 2020 issue of Asimov's, the short story, "False Bay," in the forthcoming anthology, MOVIES, MONSTERS & MAYHEM (WordFire Press, 2020), the novelette, "Ithaca," co-authored with Brad Aiken, in the May/June 2020 Asimov's), the story, "Donny Boy," in the Alternate Peace anthology (ZNB, edited by Steven Silver and Joshua Palmatier) and the novella, "The Secret City," in the September/October 2018 Asimov's, among others.
Rick's short story, "Today is Today," from the July 2018 issue of Stonecoast Review, has been reprinted in The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2019 (ed, Rich Horton) and in Lightspeed Magazine. His novella, "The Secret City," was runner-up for the Sidewise Award for Best Alternate History -- Short Form of 2018 and his story, "Something Real," won the Sidewise Award for Best Alternate History--Short Form in 2013.
He is the editor of the baseball fantasy anthology, "Field of Fantasies" from Nightshade/Skyhorse (2014), which reprints about two dozen baseball/fantasy stories by outstanding mainstream and genre writers from Stephen King to Karen Joy Fowler and and many more. He also edited 2011's "Future Media" (Tachyon) 2011, brings together classic works of fiction and non-fiction about the future of the mass media.
Rick's 2009 novel, "Rum Point," is a baseball/murder mystery/thriller from McFarland Books and his 2007 memoir, “My Father’s Game: Life, Death, Baseball” from McFarland Books, was called by best-selling author Peter Straub “a stunning book,” and one that “abounds with faith, heartbreak, love,
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 4, 2020
Each of the stories in this collection has three things in common.
The first thing is each of the stories has some science fiction as part of the story. However, while always there, if you’re like me and prefer your science fiction not be too far out there, whether that means too far in the future or into the vast reaches of the universe from Earth to be able to relate to, that wasn’t an issue here. Instead the science fiction aspects enhanced and emphasized the more important parts of the story.
Second, each of these stories was originally printed elsewhere, whether a magazine or a short story anthology of some kind. While I don’t know what the other stories Wilber had published over the thirty-year period these were drawn from, I know there were others that didn’t make the cut for whatever reason, and these felt like a “greatest hits” collection to me.
Which leads me to the third comment. Each of these stories was excellent. Sometimes a short story can feel like a bigger story that got cut short or that important details were dropped. Sometimes a short story leaves me wondering what the point was. These were all excellent, fully formed stories that would each be a satisfying read by itself. If you’re into short stories, especially if a taste of science fiction appeals to you, definitely grab a copy of this collection.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
The first thing is each of the stories has some science fiction as part of the story. However, while always there, if you’re like me and prefer your science fiction not be too far out there, whether that means too far in the future or into the vast reaches of the universe from Earth to be able to relate to, that wasn’t an issue here. Instead the science fiction aspects enhanced and emphasized the more important parts of the story.
Second, each of these stories was originally printed elsewhere, whether a magazine or a short story anthology of some kind. While I don’t know what the other stories Wilber had published over the thirty-year period these were drawn from, I know there were others that didn’t make the cut for whatever reason, and these felt like a “greatest hits” collection to me.
Which leads me to the third comment. Each of these stories was excellent. Sometimes a short story can feel like a bigger story that got cut short or that important details were dropped. Sometimes a short story leaves me wondering what the point was. These were all excellent, fully formed stories that would each be a satisfying read by itself. If you’re into short stories, especially if a taste of science fiction appeals to you, definitely grab a copy of this collection.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
May 23, 2020
The subject matter returns in Rick Wilber's writing: sports, disabilities, Ireland and Scotland, WWII, alien first contact. Most are character-driven stories, immersing the reader in whatever is of the time. Sometimes he plays with form, as in my favorite in this collection: Walking to Boston. A time travel story in which a couple lives simultaneously in the 1940s and the 1980s. Or in the opening story in the collection, Today is Today. More of a musing than fiction, I quite enjoyed the tone. I'd read Something Real before, and as fascinating as I find the historical Moe Berg, the twist Wilber adds makes it all the more cool. The semi-autobiographical Prices paints a touching picture of his father, with the cell phone call from the grave an ever-present element, not questioned, just utilized as a metaphor for memory.
Strongly recommended.
Strongly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews