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Spectrum: Short Stories of Science Fiction, the Unusual and the Unpredictable
Alien Harvesters are coming for Earth, ingesting one terraformed planet after another. A ghoul hungers for souls but still finds time to enjoy art. And a famous animated mouse struggles with a drinking problem.
Markey VI, an android on an orbiting space station, assists an artificial intelligence. David, the A.I., ponders the question of humanity's fate. The ultimate question is, "Should life be returned to Earth?" The answer is known as the Singular Conclusion. But the answer's impact reaches far deeper into Markey VI's electronic components and programmed logic than could be anticipated. And the android's final moments bring it closer to humanity itself.
In "Never Trust a Can Opener," a house mom questions her irrational fear of her can opener. Working up the nerve to finally serve tuna fish sandwiches to her family, she searches out help from an appliance superstore. It's only there that she discovers what may be the cause of her phobia.
Anna wants Gina to forget about Todd. She tells Gina a scary story about the Winter Revelers. They were a mysterious group that had disappeared years ago in the woods behind Anna's cabin. So what do the two women decide to do on a cold Saturday morning? They take a winter hike in the woods to search for the missing Revelers.
Spectrum is more than science fiction. It's also stories of the unusual. And it's unpredictable.
Markey VI, an android on an orbiting space station, assists an artificial intelligence. David, the A.I., ponders the question of humanity's fate. The ultimate question is, "Should life be returned to Earth?" The answer is known as the Singular Conclusion. But the answer's impact reaches far deeper into Markey VI's electronic components and programmed logic than could be anticipated. And the android's final moments bring it closer to humanity itself.
In "Never Trust a Can Opener," a house mom questions her irrational fear of her can opener. Working up the nerve to finally serve tuna fish sandwiches to her family, she searches out help from an appliance superstore. It's only there that she discovers what may be the cause of her phobia.
Anna wants Gina to forget about Todd. She tells Gina a scary story about the Winter Revelers. They were a mysterious group that had disappeared years ago in the woods behind Anna's cabin. So what do the two women decide to do on a cold Saturday morning? They take a winter hike in the woods to search for the missing Revelers.
Spectrum is more than science fiction. It's also stories of the unusual. And it's unpredictable.
- GenresScience FictionFantasy
330 pages, Paperback
Published December 3, 2020
10 people are currently reading
3959 people want to read
About the author
Michael Duda
5 books26 followersHis most recent stories, "The Sound of Blue" and A Metal Heart Shines Brightest, were awarded Silver Honorable Mention by Writers of the Future. This has fueled his passion for writing fiction.
He lives in Ohio with his wife, three dogs and two cats. He writes because his cat hates him. You can find out what he's up to at www.authormichaelduda.com.
He lives in Ohio with his wife, three dogs and two cats. He writes because his cat hates him. You can find out what he's up to at www.authormichaelduda.com.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 11, 2022
I'm not usually one for short stories, as I would much rather read 300+ pages within a single story than bounce back and forth between 15-20 different stories and worlds in the same amount of pages. That said, I have read some good anthologies in recent months, and I was looking forward to reading this one; it had an interesting-sounding premise, and I do enjoy short stories that have twists to them.
Unfortunately, I was disappointed. It started with the first story, in which I kept having to back up and listen to parts again because it just wasn't grabbing my attention. I still can't tell you what it was about beyond the fact that there were aliens. The second story was better, and it raised my hopes that perhaps the first story was just a weak start, and the rest of the stories would be improving. That was a false hope. Not only did they not get better, but there were several that had absolutely nothing to do with science fiction, unusual situations, or unpredictability. Those stories weren't necessarily bad, they just did not seem to belong in this anthology. For that reason alone, I'm giving this anthology 3 stars instead of 2 stars. That said, if I could award 1/2 stars, I would prefer to give this book 2.5 stars; for even while the stories weren't necessarily bad, they also weren't anything to write home about.
As I already stated, I listened to the audiobook version of this anthology. Well, I listened to most of it, but I frequently ended up reading along in the ebook while I was listening so that I wouldn't zone out, because the narrator - Benjamin Burnes - was boring to listen to. His pacing was slow, almost like he thought that slowing down would add gravitas to the words he was speaking. If that was the idea, he failed at it. His voice work wasn't necessarily bad, but when there were more than 2 female characters, it was difficult to tell who was speaking at times. In this case, reading along definitely helped. I'm guessing that Burnes is someone who knows the author, since he only has 4 audiobooks that I can find, and they are all books written by Duda. While that isn't a bad thing in and of itself, in this situation it is bad. After my experience, I'm certainly not going to listen to one of the other 3 audiobooks narrated by Burnes; I'm not even inclined to read any more of Duda's works.
Unfortunately, I was disappointed. It started with the first story, in which I kept having to back up and listen to parts again because it just wasn't grabbing my attention. I still can't tell you what it was about beyond the fact that there were aliens. The second story was better, and it raised my hopes that perhaps the first story was just a weak start, and the rest of the stories would be improving. That was a false hope. Not only did they not get better, but there were several that had absolutely nothing to do with science fiction, unusual situations, or unpredictability. Those stories weren't necessarily bad, they just did not seem to belong in this anthology. For that reason alone, I'm giving this anthology 3 stars instead of 2 stars. That said, if I could award 1/2 stars, I would prefer to give this book 2.5 stars; for even while the stories weren't necessarily bad, they also weren't anything to write home about.
As I already stated, I listened to the audiobook version of this anthology. Well, I listened to most of it, but I frequently ended up reading along in the ebook while I was listening so that I wouldn't zone out, because the narrator - Benjamin Burnes - was boring to listen to. His pacing was slow, almost like he thought that slowing down would add gravitas to the words he was speaking. If that was the idea, he failed at it. His voice work wasn't necessarily bad, but when there were more than 2 female characters, it was difficult to tell who was speaking at times. In this case, reading along definitely helped. I'm guessing that Burnes is someone who knows the author, since he only has 4 audiobooks that I can find, and they are all books written by Duda. While that isn't a bad thing in and of itself, in this situation it is bad. After my experience, I'm certainly not going to listen to one of the other 3 audiobooks narrated by Burnes; I'm not even inclined to read any more of Duda's works.
October 3, 2023
An unpredictable fictional feast...
"Spectrum: Stories of Science Fiction, Fantasy, the Unusual, and the Sometimes Ordinary" by Michael Duda is an engaging anthology of diverse short narratives that explore the extraordinary and the enigmatic. These tales delve into the human condition and the interplay between good and evil. Each story serves as an intricate character study, unraveling the complexities of desire-driven journeys.
Duda's storytelling is captivating and immersive, drawing readers into the narratives and holding their attention. While some stories may deviate from the promised themes, they offer different flavors within the collection's diversity.
"Spectrum" is a compelling anthology, inviting readers to explore a spectrum of emotions and themes. Its diverse stories, marked by unexpected intersections and haunting narratives, transcend traditional categorization, making it ideal for those who appreciate unpredictable short stories. This collection showcases storytelling's power to navigate science fiction, horror, and existential reflection, delivering a satisfying and diverse reading experience.
"Spectrum: Stories of Science Fiction, Fantasy, the Unusual, and the Sometimes Ordinary" by Michael Duda is an engaging anthology of diverse short narratives that explore the extraordinary and the enigmatic. These tales delve into the human condition and the interplay between good and evil. Each story serves as an intricate character study, unraveling the complexities of desire-driven journeys.
Duda's storytelling is captivating and immersive, drawing readers into the narratives and holding their attention. While some stories may deviate from the promised themes, they offer different flavors within the collection's diversity.
"Spectrum" is a compelling anthology, inviting readers to explore a spectrum of emotions and themes. Its diverse stories, marked by unexpected intersections and haunting narratives, transcend traditional categorization, making it ideal for those who appreciate unpredictable short stories. This collection showcases storytelling's power to navigate science fiction, horror, and existential reflection, delivering a satisfying and diverse reading experience.
March 19, 2021
I received this book through the Good Reads Firsf Reads Program in exchange for an honest review. I have been slogging through this book for a month and just can't finish it. There are a few good stories, but I didn't like most of them. I didn't have high hopes when the first story had characters called no-uns. Not very creative in my opinion. Some of LVSBWMBXbe fine with me if they were well written unfortunately, they are not. There is a story about "Mickey Mouse" (the author used a different name of course) being a drunk that didn't sit well with me. There was another story about a woman's fear of a can opener, which seemed silly.
That's not to say there weren't some good stories. There was a story about two women getting lost in the woods and the spirits of frozen people brought them home. Another about humans trying to take over another planet that I liked as well. Overall though, I wouldn't recommend this book.
That's not to say there weren't some good stories. There was a story about two women getting lost in the woods and the spirits of frozen people brought them home. Another about humans trying to take over another planet that I liked as well. Overall though, I wouldn't recommend this book.
April 13, 2022
Good short stories
I really enjoyed most of these varied stories. I especially appreciate Michael's explaining his thoughts on writing them. Good Job!
I really enjoyed most of these varied stories. I especially appreciate Michael's explaining his thoughts on writing them. Good Job!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews