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Looking for Life

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Strap in, turn down the lights, and enter worlds that will stretch your imagination to the full…

From a stranded alien comedian to the darkest depths of the human psyche; from a mind-blowing galactic adventure to clandestine extraterrestrial behavior on Earth. They’re all here and more in this spell-binding collection of seventeen short stories to keep you guessing at every turn.

With tales of alien invasion, deep space mystery, time travel, and dystopian future Earths, this is a collection which takes inspiration from the much respected ‘old masters’ of Science Fiction. Here be new realms to explore—can you cross the void and challenge your dreams?

273 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 27, 2020

110 people are currently reading
51 people want to read

About the author

Clayton Graham

10 books298 followers
As a youngster Clayton read a lot of science fiction. He loved the ‘old-school’ masters such as HG Wells, Jules Verne, Isaac Asimov, and John Wyndham. An award-winning author of science fiction novels, he has received many book awards including Author’s Show ‘50 great writers you should be reading’, Readers’ Favorite International Award finalist, and Book Excellence Awards finalist.

A background in aerospace engineering encourages his thoughts to surge skyward well beyond our universe. He delights in creating fantastic new worlds and the intriguing beings that inhabit them.

Clayton loves animals, including well-behaved pets, and all the natural world. He would likely love well-behaved alien animals, too!

You can follow Clayton on Facebook, X or Bluesky and check out his books and blog on his website.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
Profile Image for Bonnie DeMoss.
933 reviews183 followers
September 17, 2022
Looking for Life is a well-written collection of futuristic science fiction stories. Clayton Graham has talent, no doubt.

My problem with the stories is that almost all of them, with maybe one exception, took a pessimistic, negative approach, and they quickly became predictable for that reason. The author tends to like to set the reader up for the "Oke Doke," or "Gotcha" moment, and that becomes apparent from story to story. I started out praising the writing but by the middle of the book I was on guard for nasty surprises, and that continued to the end, to the point that the surprises were no longer surprises.

This book gets three stars for excellent writing talent, but loses two for predictability and constant negativity.

The author might want to stop torturing his readers with the "Oke Doke" and give them an actual positive ending at least once in a while. That would be a surprise.

I received a free copy of this book via Booktasters. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Ian Miller.
Author 16 books102 followers
November 3, 2020
This book is a collection of short stories written in the science fiction genre, with a few with an Australian flavour. Each has a simple plot, as a short story requires, and each ends with a nice twist. Although science fiction, there is little there in the word usage that will puzzle the reader, and actually the most unfamiliar word usage will be in describing parts of outback Australia. The various characters are highly suitable for the purpose of the story and usually fit well into the twist at the end. The writing is clear, as are the descriptions. I found them an enjoyable read, so well done.
Profile Image for Icy_Space_Cobwebs .
5,650 reviews330 followers
October 1, 2020
What exactly is special, and precious, about the work of Clayton Graham? In a world with a plethora of Science Fiction choices: Golden Age, Classic, Contemporary--what is the benefit for the reader of choosing to read Mr. Graham?


First of all, his Science Fiction is realistically imaginable, "could eventually happen," never so out-of-this-world we couldn't feature it. Second, his world building is scrumptious, it's subtle and precise, never verbose: just a few words, and "we are there. " Third, oh his characters! I love them, I admire this particular talent for delineation. He is a master of "show, don't tell," applying to the psychological as well as to the physical. Just as two wonderful examples, I give you "The Comedian " and the eponymous "Looking For Life." But don't rely on me: go read this collection of seventeen outstanding tales for yourself.
Profile Image for Niel (Thelectorem).
161 reviews2 followers
November 7, 2020
It's been 48 hours since I finished this book and between all this time I couldn't form any words to describe how amazing this book was! Even now all that I am going to do to justify my reading experience for this book—which I believe will not be enough for everything that I got from it. Space science and exploration are one of those topics I always love to discover in all the possible ways that I can, and its vastness always makes me believe that I will never be able to learn everything about it. All its related theories, speculations, and countless possibilities of how human species may survive in the future when the mother earth will give up on us and we will have to find our new home somewhere else, maybe in some other solar system or maybe...just too far away!

Author Clayton Graham's ‘Looking For Life’ tops on my list of most favorite collection of short stories by leaving behind Murakami's ‘Men Without Women’ and James Patterson's ‘Kill Or Be Killed’. It holds this place because of its seventeen short stories that are a marvelous blend of science fiction and technologies. Most of these stories had its premise around human's first encounter with aliens and many of them presented a dystopian world where we—humans— lost many of our resources and had to find new ways to make earth habitable one more time.

Here are all possible contents that these short stories are based on. If any of these contents fascinates you then this is the best pick for you.

•Time travel
•Alien invasion
•Cloning
•Interplanetary conflicts
•Tele-transportation
•Computerized planets
•Earth after human extinction
•Terraformed world
•Hybrid Collaboration Between humans and Aliens
•Regeneration of habitat
•Telepathic powers

These are just some common themes of the stories that I mentioned but in reality, these short stories are much more than a nerd like me can consume. The author has written them in a manner where he literally puts the reader in its premise and by the way he describes the world and scenes, it feels like to be in some intense virtual reality where the author lets his readers experience and witness those possibilities of future.

I didn't just read these books but learned many things about it as well and the best takeaway that I will always remember is from the story ‘Desperate Times’. It taught me something that I never cared to consider: if a person may time travel to a specific time, his intellect may affected by that time as well. Just like in that story when the protagonist time travels to 120 AD, he faces difficulty to recognise the language and signs of his machine because the intellect of 120 AD would certainly be unaware of that development in the language.

‘Desperate Times’ isn't the only story that blew my mind but ‘Looking For Life’, ‘Mother’, ‘The Visitor’, ‘The Whisper of Waves’, ‘Others of Our Kind’, ‘Worthy of Consideration’ and a few more were equally remarkable. The author's writing, language, the justification to all his characters—humans, robots, and even aliens, the pace of all stories, and the scenic portrayal of premises, everything about this book was flawless.

I am highly recommending this book if you are into various topics of science and contents like space and time travel, dystopia and sci-fi technologies excite that nerd within you.
Profile Image for Luis Humberto Molinar Márquez.
109 reviews16 followers
January 27, 2021
[English review + Reseña en español]

Looking for Life: A Collection of Science Fiction Short Stories, by Clayton Graham
Independient. 2020
202 pages
Science Fiction: Antology of short stories

This first edition of the Looking for Life anthology contains 17 excellent science fiction short stories written by Clayton Graham. Their plots revolve around space travel, time travel, possible futures, and distant planets. The stories address various themes ranging from climate change, utilitarianism and the desire for domination, to loneliness, the need for communion with the other and the survival of the group.

In Waiting for Water, Maria and Karl anxiously await the last chance to re-plant their fields after a two-year drought and an ultimatum from the government.
Looking for Life tells the story of Fantom, a man who awakens in a mechanical body with a mission to find life —any hint of life— on an unknown planet.
The Comedian is a tale about an excellent joke-teller on whom misfortune befalls.
In The Scorched Garden, Jay returns devastated, but with hope, to the moon in which he lived and worked very hard with his beloved, and that the war took from him.
In Mother, Elyon and Effy find uncomfortable vestiges of their people's past that certain people would rather ignore.
Desperate Times tells what happens when time traveler Phil forgets basic information about how to get back home.
In Dave and Goliath, Dave must change his hunting objective when his fellow expeditions begin to disappear.
In The Special Friend, Edward invites his friends from school to meet his non-imaginary rabbit friend.
Excerpt from 'Amidst Alien Stars' is part of the sequel to the author's first novel, 'Milijun'. In it, Jason tries to arrange a peer-to-peer chat with the alien race that has abducted him and other people.
The Decady Alien tells of the meeting between Jan, a veterinarian of alien species, and an amazing animal brought from planet Decady.
Mac tours the town of Marree in The Visitor, hoping to strike up a conversation with some form of higher intelligence.
Trial by Confession tells the story of Stuart, a man locked up for a crime that he cannot remember, and who hopes that his memory will return just in time to save him.
In The Whisper of Waves, Tomas is on the trail of a species that causes alarming changes in the Earth's temperature.
Others of Our Kind tells how the crew of Earth Explorer 54 is guided by an artificial device to the surface of a living planet similar to Earth.
In Worthy of Consideration, Julia has exceptional insight that she will soon have to put to use in a job that she will not be able to refuse.
In Birds of a Feather, Duane is sent to prison for a crime he did not commit, and is determined to escape.
Finally, in The Weak Shall Inherit, a floating city sails to an island where it must face an enemy it did not remember.

I highly recommend this book (whose admirable cover, by the way, is by Yvone Less), to anyone who loves space science fiction and short stories. Graham's storytelling quality is astonishing, and his ability to throw characters into dead ends in the blink of an eye is absolutely providential.

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Looking for Life: A Collection of Science Fiction Short Stories, de Clayton Graham
Independiente. 2020
202 páginas
Ciencia Ficción: antología de historias cortas

Esta primera edición de la antología Looking for Life contiene 17 excelentes historias cortas de ciencia ficción escritas por Clayton Graham cuyas tramas giran en torno a viajes espaciales, viajes en el tiempo, futuros posibles y planetas distantes. Los relatos abordan diversos temas que van desde los cambios climáticos, el utilitarismo y el deseo de dominio, hasta la soledad, la necesidad de comunión con el otro y la supervivencia del grupo.

En Waiting for water, Maria y Karl esperan con angustia la última oportunidad de volver a sembrar sus campos tras una sequía de dos años y un ultimátum del gobierno.
Looking for life relata la historia de Fantom, un hombre que despierta en un cuerpo mecánico con la misión de encontrar vida —cualquier indicio de vida— en un planeta desconocido.
The comedian trata sobre un excelente contador de chistes a quien sobreviene la desgracia.
En The scorched garden, Jay vuelve devastado, pero con esperanza, a la luna en la que vivió y trabajó durísimo al lado de su amada, y que la guerra le arrebató.
En Mother, Elyon y Effy encuentran vestigios incómodos del pasado de su pueblo que ciertas personas preferirían ignorar.
Desperate times cuenta lo que ocurre cuando el viajero del tiempo Phil olvida información básica sobre cómo volver a casa.
En Dave and Goliath, Dave debe cambiar su objetivo de caza cuando sus compañeros de expedición comienzan a desaparecer.
En The special friend, Edward invita a sus amigos de la escuela a conocer a su amigo no imaginario.
Excerpt from 'Amidst alien stars' forma parte de la secuela de la primera novela del autor, 'Milijun'. En ella, Jason trata de organizar una charla entre pares con la raza extraterrestre que los ha abducido a él y a otras personas.
The Decady alien cuenta el encuentro entre Jan, veterinaria de especies alienígenas, y un animal asombroso traído del planeta Decady.
Mac recorre, en The visitor, el pueblo de Marree con la esperanza de entablar conversación con alguna forma de inteligencia superior.
Trial by confession cuenta la historia de Stuart, un hombre encerrado por un crimen que no logra recordar, y que tiene la esperanza de que su memoria vuelva justo a tiempo para salvarlo.
En The whisper of waves, Tomas está tras la pista de una especie causante de cambios alarmantes en la temperatura de la Tierra.
Others of our kind relata cómo la tripulación del Explorador de la Tierra 54 es guiada por un artefacto artificial hacia la superficie de un planeta vivo similar a la Tierra.
En Worthy of consideration, Julia tiene una capacidad de percepción excepcional que pronto deberá poner en práctica en un trabajo que no podrá rechazar.
En Birds of a feather, Duane es enviado a prisión por un crimen que no cometió, y está decidido a escapar.
Finalmente, en The weak shall inherit, una ciudad flotante navega hacia una isla donde deberá enfrentarse a un enemigo que no recordaba.

Recomiendo ampliamente este libro (cuya admirable portada, por cierto, corre a cargo de Yvone Less), a todo aquel amante de la ciencia ficción espacial y los relatos cortos. La calidad narrativa de Graham es sorprendente y su capacidad de meter en callejones sin salida a los personajes en un abrir y cerrar de ojos es providencial.
Profile Image for Sergio Alvarado.
68 reviews4 followers
January 1, 2021
I’ve always thought that, when you don’t know an author, it’s always best to start reading their work through a collection of short stories, if they have published one; the logic behind this is that, if they’re able to engage me in their stories in that format (limited extension, not too much effort reading involved), then my interest will be piqued, and then I’ll pick with confidence their lengthier work.

This is what I had in mind when I picked Looking for Life, by Clayton Graham, from Amazon, in exchange for a review and I��ve to say that Mr. Graham has most definitely won a fan, as I was overtaken by his imaginative stories and his prose.

Looking for Life is a magnificent collection of short stories, seventeen to be precise, that leaves you wanting for more.

The author’s love for the Australian Outback is evident, and that’s one of the strongest suits in this collection. Clayton Graham found a way to catapult us into the future and, in some of those stories, imagines how life is going to be there, adding his own knowledge of the land and fauna in them, obtaining a resonating success.

I realize, having read a good deal of SF, that most authors would imagine a dystopic future for their stories, and this is where I particularly loved Mr. Graham’s stories: most of them look positively at what might happen in the future, and that was a breath of fresh air.

Take for example the first story in the book, Waiting For Water, in which a bleak panorama is presented, with a most surprising turn of events coming from an Artificial Intelligence!

That sets the tone for the rest of the book, and I loved discovering with each story the different tones each one has, some uplifting, some presenting how decadent civilization can become, others pointing to survival among the stars, all of them surprising and neatly written.

There’s one very peculiar tale –as in haunting and hard to forget– that in my opinion stands out in the book. Its name is The Decady Alien, a provocative story that leaves you full of wonder and awe, since the author touches so subtly on religion and human freewill, hard subjects to blend, and manages it magnificently.

In closing, I return to the first paragraph of this review: if you want to know an author, read a short story from them, and then make up your mind.

After reading Looking for Life, this concept in me is reinforced and, if you give him a try, you’ll be as interested in reading more from Clayton Graham as I’ve become.

Bravo, Mr. Graham! And thanks for the opportunity.
24 reviews1 follower
October 12, 2020
Looking for Life: A Collection of Science Fiction Short Stories
I am a fan of both short stories and science fiction, and Clayton Graham’s book, Looking for Life: A Collection of Science Fiction Short Stories certainly hits the spot.
The writing style employed by Graham is unique and powerful. His wording is beautiful and well-crafted, making the act of slipping into the worlds that he creates an easy task. The characters, situations, and places are all created with care and depth. I loved the style of this author.
Another aspect of Looking for Life that I liked very much was the fact that each of the stories is completely new feeling. I often find that stories included in short story compilations are too similar. As a result, the stories tend to bleed into one another.
That was not the case with Graham’s book. Each story is unique and takes on a life of its own. The author builds and develops each story quickly and efficiently, and each feels as if it has been in development for quite a while.
Another thing that I enjoyed while reading this collection of short stories was the mix of styles that the author uses to tell the stories. While each of the stories has its own style, Graham uses many literary devices within each story as well. To top it off, he does it quite convincingly.
The storytelling through dialogue, scene descriptions, thought processes, and perceptions of the characters throughout the stories is intertwined to keep things moving at a good pace. One of my personal favorites from this collection is The Scorched Garden, but Trial by Confession is a close second.
I would recommend this title to anyone looking for an immersive read in the science fiction genre that won’t take too long to complete. I would also happily give Looking for Life: A Collection of Science Fiction Short Stories five stars out of five.
Profile Image for Rosemary.
3,886 reviews71 followers
January 5, 2021
Looking for Life - a review by Rosemary Kenny

A fascinating collection of sci-fi novellas, by Clayton Graham, these tales of the sci-fi unexpected, explore the outer limits of space, the belief that 'we are not alone' and the truth within these tales is out there somewhere in our future.
Here are just some of the highlights...

(1) Waiting for Water: Set on future Earth near Uluru, Maria and Karl Kerr must reactivate their farm's irrigation system to avoid eviction.
Karl goes to the capital to plead for leniency; there he gets a surprising result.

(2) Looking for Life: Charles Fantom wakes after 150 years, to find his brain has been incorporated into an 'android astronaut'.
To 'pay' for it, he must go to another planet and retrieve any alien life form. Needless to say, things don't turn out as he expected.

(3)The Comedian: The target of an audience's laughter, has the last and longest laugh!

(4) The Scorched Garden: In the war of the worlds, can the last human on Uriel rely on reanimated clones to keep him company?

(5) Mother: On a future colony planet, two siblings go exploring a distant cave with their carer, (a talking 'roo)...what do they find and what changes on their return?

(6) Desperate Times: Such time (travellers) calls for desperate measures - bit who's the most desperate to get back to their own time?

(7) Dave and Goliath: Dave and his fur trapper team are hunted by Goliath, a gigantic machine that hunts then swallows them, one after another. When does Dave learn the awful truth of its origin?

(8) The Special Friend: Floppy Bunny is just Jimmy's invisible friend as far as his parents are concerned - but in reality he's far more than that!
26 reviews1 follower
October 27, 2020
In my personal and highest opinion, I think that having a collection of short stories for the science fiction genre, is absolute genius. What a better way to introduce newbies to the world of sci-fi than in perfect smaller doses so that it actually intrigues and appeases a newer audience than making them read a whole novel and tiring their brains with all of the jargon that comes along with the genre. Even for lovers of sci-fi, Looking For Life by Clayton Graham is the perfect little written piece to have on hand when you need some literary entertainment.

I’ve already read Amidst Alien Stars by Clayton Graham, and I can assure everyone that his immersive writing is consistent across this whole collection of short stories too. I like that his stories are embellished with such detail that you can picture everything perfectly as you read along. The adventures of each short story are unique to each other and creative, and the best part is I loved each and every story too. I was not bored by a single one. Each story had great structure, appropriate climax build and perfect endings.

Just like Graham’s other works, with the richness in detail, it may take some people a bit of concentration to get through but not as much as a novel-sized narrative, hence why I think the size of the short story format is so perfect. In saying that, I honestly cannot praise this book enough. I’m so obsessed with sci-fi short stories now that I am keen to buy more! I hope everyone enjoys this wonderful book as much as I did.
Profile Image for Maria Rivas-mc.
267 reviews8 followers
January 20, 2021
The author grew up a science fiction addict in Stockport, a large town in north western England, but has lived in Victoria, Australia, for almost 40 years. I suspect that Victoria’s varied climate provided inspiration for some of the detailed settings in these 17 amazing short stories.

These stories are gripping – often alarmingly so. I have no doubt that the fact he’s a retired aerospace engineer contributed to their frighteningly high credibility factor. I have my favourites; particularly the ones that have a positive spin, Waiting for Water, is one example, plus a few more. Frankly, though, the word ‘dystopia’ is what remained uppermost in my mind as I read ‘Looking for Life’. The worlds that Clayton Graham create are wastelands, sterile even; and, as earth’s climate crisis spirals out of control and artificial intelligence continues to advance, seem only too very possible. Imagine this dystopian reality paired with humans who are as corrupt, greedy, selfish, and murderous as they have always been and ‘despair’ is another word that comes to mind.

My personal squeamishness apart, the stories engage the mind and the heart and are highly recommended. I received this book as an ARC and voluntarily reviewed it.
Profile Image for Ronald.
149 reviews1 follower
October 9, 2020
“Looking for Life” is a collection of 18 short stories by Graham Clayton. I was first introduced to this author with his well-written book, “Saving Paludis”. It’s about the human conquest of an alien planet with a storyline that reminded me of the plight of American Indians during US pioneering expansion. Each story has sufficiently developed characters and a ponderous ending.

Writing short stories can be challenging. The character’s environment, character development, and storyline must be written concisely and entertainingly. Clayton has is a master at Sci-Fi short storytelling.

The 18 stories in the book take place in space, on earth, and in time. All of them include individuals whose thinking is restricted by inherent shortcomings identifiable as human nature. “Looking for Life” would make a good daily commuter’s companion as the stories are the right length, about a 30 to 45-minute read, and represent a perfect escape from daily servitude requirements.
Profile Image for Clabe Polk.
Author 22 books16 followers
October 10, 2020
Okay! Lovers of SciFi short stories, grab hold of your trousers, settle in your favorite reading chair, and push the “buy” button for Looking for life, Clayton Graham’s new short story collection. The best-selling author of Milijun, Saving Paludis, and Amidst Alien Stars adds another winning, entertaining collection to Silently in the Night.

Whether your tastes run to aliens stranded in the Australian Outback, or to exploring astronauts stranded to the mercy of an artificial AI-controlled planet, Looking for Life offers something ominous and suspenseful for just about every SciFi taste. With characters ranging from scientists to robots, and plots ranging from direct threats to dark conspiracies, these stories keep suspense high. The truth is, I couldn’t wait after finishing one tale to begin the next; I’d finished the book before I knew it and was looking for the next story.

So tighten your courage, and settle into your spacesuit, here we go into the unknown! 5-Stars.
871 reviews28 followers
November 13, 2020
I enjoy many literature genres and I usually read science fiction novels, but this is the first science fiction book I read with short stories. I could not be happier about my decision! Not only because the length of the tales allows you to enjoy different world buildings and imaginary scenarios, but also for the amazing writing style of author Clayton Graham.
Every story in “Looking for Life” is skillfully constructed and masterfully written. From my point of view, in Science Fiction, it is really important to describe in detail the characters and objects, the landscapes and the scenes, so readers can really get into that imaginary world. And that is completely accomplished in this book. Whether it is about aliens, future science, space and time travels, paranormal facts or dystopian futures; this author will really make you live that reality as you were there and leave you on the edge of your seat with every turn of the page.
Profile Image for Liz.
1,389 reviews32 followers
November 14, 2020
Over the years the Science Fiction genre has become one of my favorite genres. "Looking for life" is a collection of short science fiction stories, written by Clayton Graham.
Throughout the book, Clayton presents us 17 incredible stories, which, in my opinion, one is better than another. The stories are varied and very interesting, and they all have something in common: new realms to explore.
Let me tell you that I really enjoyed this book. The author knew how to compile fabulous stories in one single book. He has also managed to capture the essence of science fiction.
The characters are vivid and well described. The descriptions of the scenes, I must admit, are great. Clayton is undoubtedly very creative. I also really liked the cover, it certainly shows what the book is going to be about.
I recommend this compilation of stories to fans of the science fiction genre. I hope you like it as much as I did.
Profile Image for Amy Rienguette.
9 reviews1 follower
February 3, 2021
It's exactly what it describes, "A Collection of Science Fiction short stories". I do wish some of the stories where a little longer, I found a couple to be choppy in the story telling (meaning, I would have liked more details), however, overall I did thoroughly enjoy this. Normally, SciFi isn't my go to, but this has definitely opened me up to reading more styles like this. I enjoy statements like "A cream self-cleaning carpet ran from wall to wall", which just sounds like a lovely thing that we should just have in reality. My favorite story, hands down, has to be The Decady Alien. The character, Jan, is my favorite character. I fell in love with her almost instantly, and was brought into all of her emotions and thoughts. I truly wish the story extended a little further, with going back to Decady. I hope he truly is the Savior! I'm really happy this was one of the longer stories!

Overall, I do feel like this is a good quick read for the SciFi heart in you.
Profile Image for Alexander Pyles.
Author 12 books55 followers
October 17, 2020
Good collections are hard to come by, but LOOKING FOR LIFE by Clayton Graham is a fun variety of various sci fi tropes. Ranging from space colonization to aliens to AI, there is something for any avid reader of science fiction here. There are seventeen stories filled with action and adventure, yet a great admiration for those Golden Age writers as well.

This is a brief book of just over 200 pages, and so many stories, make these almost too short to really sink your teeth into. Luckily, Graham’s prose keeps the stories flowing from one to the next. This works for quick reading sessions and lets you dip in and out, with ease, which is perfect for a commute.

And the stories themselves are just fun. The characters are interesting and varied and carry you along with them. Graham knows how to keep his readers entertained and thrilled. Fantastic collection.
Profile Image for Celeste.
995 reviews26 followers
November 14, 2020
“Looking for Life” is a spine-tinkling, thrilling compilation of stories you mustn’t miss. I was a child when I received as a birthday present a copy of The Martian Chronicles. I especially remember how fascinated I was by those strange tales. From that moment, I became a fan of science fiction books. While reading these short stories by author Clayton Graham, I reminisced that feeling of being completely mesmerized by a story and not being able to take my eyes out of the pages. The stories present a myriad of different topics and characters. The reader will encounter tales of alien invasion, dystopian futures, time travel and space mystery.
The author has a great ability to raise suspense until the end of each of the stories and finally release it in the most surprising and satisfying ways for readers. So if you are a sci-fi lover I highly recommend you read this book.
Profile Image for Santiago Flores.
1,042 reviews11 followers
November 18, 2020
This is a great collection of short stories related to science fiction. Its name is “Looking for life” and it was written by Clayton Graham. Its cover captured my attention at first glance and I knew this would be a read that I would enjoy.
The author created great words where interesting stories take place, from aliens to galactic adventures and time travel, to mention some. This collection of short stories is great entertainment for the weekend. What I liked the most is that it is not a single story; we can take advantage of many interesting and enjoyable tales all together in a single book.
The author did a great job creating all the scenarios, all the stories and plenty of good characters with interesting backgrounds. I will recommend “Looking for life”, especially to those who are fans of science fiction movies and literature.
Profile Image for Ayush Chaturvedi.
1 review
March 31, 2021
The book is exactly what you want sci-fi to be -- Engaging, Gripping, and Fantastical!

I was skeptical initially when I started reading this book, not sure if I was interested in reading another sci-fi book. (Had just finished Ender's game before it).
But gave it a shot nevertheless.
And boy it didn't disappoint.
Amazing book.
All the stories are brilliant and engaging.
All the 17 stories are great but I especially loved the following -- "Looking for Life", "Waiting for Water", "The Comedian", "Mother", "The Special Friend", "Others of our Kind" and "Birds of a Feather"
Once you start a story, it's impossible to put it down.
It is what you want sci-fi to be -- Engaging, gripping, and fantastical!
This was my first book from the author, looking forward to reading many more from him!
20 reviews1 follower
October 7, 2020
In 202 pages “Looking for Life” tells seventeen wildly different short tales ranging from just 3 pages to around 20. Each well crafted tale was unexpectedly entertaining and thought provoking. Not usually one for heavy science fiction or short stories in general, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this collection! Sometimes it’s nice to be able to read a story from start to finish without having to invest 8 hours of your day. Also we may have been introduced to space Jesus so, that’s pretty neat. I definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for something thought-provoking and engaging that doesn’t involve a huge time investment. I recommend the Kindle version so you can easy toggle between your favorite stories.
Profile Image for Brenda.
1,348 reviews25 followers
November 16, 2020
What first caught my attention was the fact that it is a book of short sci-fi stories. As I never experienced this type of read before, I was a little intrigued on how the author was going to be able to develop this genre in only a few pages. I was really impressed; the stories make your imagination work building a really nice plot. The descriptions are very on point contributing to letting our mind visualize everything that Clayton Graham wrote.

It is a very enjoyable read, and so if you are looking for a book to explore this genre, this will be a very good option because as the stories are short, you’ll experience the sci-fi world one story at a time, not getting overwhelmed by a full novel.
9 reviews
January 27, 2021
I am someone who can enjoy reading books from all genres and SCI-FI is one of my favorites go to's and this book is one of those that will definitely keep your attention from the many tales that it has. Clayton Graham has did a wonderful job in putting this book together when it comes to a short story collection. All of the stories in this book keep your attention and will even pucker your buttocks up due to the thrill excitement that he has written in them. A lot of great suspense and action in all the stories to the point you just want to continue reading nonstop. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to sit back and enjoy some well written story telling. Kudos Clayton for putting this book together. i definitely look forward to more of his writings in the future !!!
Profile Image for Gordon Bickerstaff.
Author 25 books105 followers
January 28, 2021
New realms and environments to discover

This is a collection of 17 short Sci-Fi stories, and the breadth of topics covered is a strength, which pays homage to the origins of science fiction writing including time travel, alien invasion, and dystopian future. The stories are well crafted, easy reading, and fire the imagination enough for a quick appreciation of the situation and environment created for each story. Though short stories, there is plenty of suspense and intrigue to move them forward while still retaining enough contact with reality to make the situation plausible. My favourite; ‘The Scorched Garden’. Recommended.
Profile Image for Janalyn, the blind reviewer.
4,643 reviews141 followers
September 30, 2020
So many good stories!

If you weeks ago I got a horror anthology and every story and it was awesome. I thought how rare that you would get a book with every story by multiple authors would be great and then I got Looking For Life and I’ll be every story and here is great. Are usually read one or two, but in the case of this book I’ll read the whole thing. Which kind of makes me sad because what will I listen to tonight LOL!! If you love sci-fi do you self a favor and get this book I highly recommend it!
Profile Image for Kellie Aldrich.
24 reviews
October 19, 2020
I am so glad I took a chance on this book. Science Fiction is kind of a new interest for me so I wasn't sure how much I would like it but I really,really enjoyed it! Each story was entertaining and just the perfect length to keep me hooked. I love a short-story format because I can read one at each sitting and hear a whole story from start to finish.

Overall, I'm very pleased with this purchase. It's a book I plan to share with other Sci-Fi fans that I know. The writing and storytelling are on-point. I highly recommend this to all!
2,045 reviews8 followers
October 14, 2023
Audiobook: I really enjoyed this collection of science fiction short stories. All the stories were great, but there were a few that were my favorites. Although all the stories were part of the genre of science fiction, there were a multitude of different themes, characters, and incidents which kept the stories both exciting and entertaining. Susan Marlowe's narration was great, and her performance kept my attention. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review.
Profile Image for Mandy (MP Book Reviews).
4,939 reviews45 followers
September 17, 2020
This is a collection of 17 science fiction short stories. Each story is original in concept, full of clear and full descriptions of the characters, settings and events that happen, and each has its own unique twist at the end that will make you think "Hmm" at the end. I particularly enjoyed Mother, The Scorched Garden and The Special Friend (although I loved them all at some level. Definitely recommended.
Profile Image for T.N. Traynor.
Author 20 books45 followers
December 24, 2020
Perfect set of SciFi short stories

Perfect set of SciFi short stories. I really enjoyed being able to read one story a day if I wanted. Great mix of SciFi stories from space to different parts of Earth. Special abilities to aliens. End of the human race to evolution grand scale. Each story is complete, fascinating, unique and gets the brain cells wondering what happens next. This is an easy read and a great page turner.
Profile Image for CinderBelle615.
123 reviews8 followers
February 1, 2021
Ok. As an EFL teacher, I would LOVE to buy this book to share with my students.

Sci-fi intimidates me because sometimes you read authors that write in really complex dialogue or really difficult to imagine settings but I'm happy that I didnt find that in Mr Clayton's writings. I really liked cozying up reading each short story, it didnt make the book heavy. Each story was like biting in to a new piece of cake.

Pros

His writing style is BEAUTIFUL because of all the imagery. These are the authors that I feel should get more recognition in book world and booktube.

I liked the twist in each story, it really made each one unique and it was like a cliff hanger after each chapter, and i think that made me want to finish the entire book. I really really liked this book!


"Cons"

I didnt get emotionally invested in the characters as the stories were short, obviously so it didnt give me enough time to get to know them as I wanted to

I really would have loved to see entire novels of these stories, each short story left me wanting to know more!
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