Relics, Wrecks, & Ruins

by Aiki Flinthart (Editor), Ken Liu, Robert Silverberg

Futures and pasts, Fearless and Frightening.

Relics, Wrecks, and Ruins is a must-read collection for all fans of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. A celebration of legacy.
* Bizarre remnants of a lost civilisation emerge from the ice.
* The ghosts of a drowned town wait to be awakened.
* A witch with a dragon problem.
* What Elvis will do to protect his fellow artists from annihilation.
* An ancient spaceship carries the last, fragmented memories of Earth.
* Broken souls of the dead are passed on to the new-born.
…These and many more tales showcase the hopes, remnants, and fears of humanity.

Having been diagnosed with terminal cancer, Aiki Flinthart reached out for stories from as many of her favourite authors as would answer the call. And many did.
Between these pages you’ll find 23 stories by some of the world’s best science fiction, fantasy, and horror writers. Find new favourite authors and re-join old friends.
Their fabulous stories are threads woven with a sure hand into a tapestry of the weird, the worrying, and the wonderful that make up mankind.

Stories:

Washing the Plaid by Juliet Marillier
The Names of the Drowned are These by Angela Slatter
The God Complex by Jan-Andrew Henderson
A Malediction on the Village by Garth Nix
In Opposition to the Foe by Pamela Jeffs
The Echo of Love by Marianne de Pierres
16 Minutes by Jasper Fforde
American Changeling by Mary Robinette Kowal
Pattern on Stone by James S.A. Corey
The Wreck of the Tartarus by Lee Murray
Six-String Demon by Sebastien de Castell
The Shard by Ian Irvine
The Wind and the Rain by Robert Silverberg
Thaw by Mark Lawrence
Morgan of the Fay by Kate Forsyth
Geisha Boy by Kylie Chan
Cosmic Spring by Ken Liu
Dreams of Hercules by Cat Sparks
River of Stars by David Farland
The Mirror in the Mirror by Jack Dann
Relict (noun) A Widow; a thing remaining from the past by Alison Goodman
Heartbreak Hotel by Dirk Flinthart
The Movers of the Stones by Neil Gaiman

Genres: Fantasy, Short Stories, Science Fiction, Horror, Fiction, Anthologies, Speculative Fiction

382 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 31, 2021

About the author

Aiki lives in Brisbane, Australia, with her husband, (Ernest), teenage son (Leonidis - not their real names, obviously), aging dog and directionally-challenged fish.
In between being a wife, running a business full-time and helping Leonidis with homework, she squeezes in a few hobbies, including:
Martial arts, painting, writing, reading, bellydancing and playing three or four musical instruments. Occasionally she even sleeps. Very occasionally.

Reviews

[Mark Lawrence]

Edit: Aiki died the day after this was released.

See that "AND MORE..."?

That's me that is! I'm more! Specifically my latest Nona Grey story is more.

And here's the blurb that explains why I wrote a story for the anthology - use the link at the end to pre-order:

Having been diagnosed with terminal cancer, Aiki Flinthart reached out for works from as many of her favourite authors as would answer the call. And many did.

Futures and Pasts, Fearless and Frightening.

This is a must-read collection for all fans of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. A celebration of legacy and endurance.

• Bizarre remains of a lost civilisation emerge from the ice.
• The ghosts of a drowned town wait to be awakened.
• A witch with a dragon problem.
• What Elvis will do to protect his fellow artists from annihilation.
• An ancient spaceship carries the last, fragmented memories of Earth.
• Broken souls of the dead are passed on to the new-born.
• …These and many more tales showcase the hopes, remnants, and fears of humanity.

Between these pages you’ll find stories by some of the world’s best science fiction, fantasy, and horror writers. Find new favourite authors and re-join old friends.

Their 24 fabulous works are threads woven with a sure hand into a tapestry of the weird, the worrying, and the wonderful that make up mankind.

Grab a copy of Relics, Wrecks, and Ruins today. You’ll also help fund a mentorship in Aiki's name for emerging authors.

https://books2read.com/Relics



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[Renata · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Australian writer Aiki Flinthart was diagnosed with terminal cancer, she wanted to work on a final book as a literary legacy. Her shout out to writers who were willing to participate in a project was answered from around the globe. So, we have Garth Nix, Neil Gaiman, Lee Murray, Ken Liu, Ian Irvine, and several other authors from the fields of science fiction, fantasy, horror, experimental fiction, and speculative fiction coming together to support a fellow writer. And what a stunning display of literature has been brought forth for the reader!

Aiki's theme was relics, wrecks, and ruins - very narrow in itself, heightening the reader's curiosity into what the contributors could possibly have come up with. And they surprise you with one story after another! A magical carpet woven with stories that come alive, an underwater village of corpses, a submarine under attack by the real world and saved by a mythical one, a life composed of 16-second loops, a dog stealing enchanted artifacts, musicians conducting exorcisms through rock music. A world of witches and fairies, alien interactions and underwater adventures, past and future, the highest points in space and the depths of the oceans - Relics, Wrecks, & Ruins lives up to its task of creating a legacy.

Aiki Flinthart passed away yesterday. Her final creation is an astonishing work of art, considering the extraordinary circumstances of how it came into being. A must-read for all readers, irrespective of the genres mentioned above. It's just so well written! When it comes to anthologies, sourcing multiple writers with equal credibility is a task in itself. Add to that their numerous genres, the narrow scope of the theme, and the fact that they're scattered around the world and still working as a team. Flinthart could not have been prouder of the legacy she left behind.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s not often that I respond to a Twitter call out but Relics, Wrecks and Ruins caught my attention for several reasons. Of course I’m always eager to support Australian authors, several of whom are contributors to this anthology, and I’m trying to include more fantasy and science fiction in my reading, but I was also moved upon learning that this was to be the final project for Australian Sci-Fi novelist and the editor of this anthology, Aiki Flinthart, who has been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour, and that the profits from sales will fund a mentorship program for emerging writers in her name.

Relics, Wrecks and Ruins is an impressive collection of 24 short stories penned by a stellar range of authors including Australian writers Garth Nix, Kate Forsyth, Kylie Chan and international authors, Juliet Marrilier, Jasper Fforde, and Neil Gamain, among others who generously donated their work to the publication. The tales are loosely connected by the titular themes, exploring the relics, wrecks and ruins of the past and future, in this world and others. The stories cover almost every sub-genre of speculative fiction including horror, sci-fi fantasy, and dystopian.

As such, I think Relics, Wrecks and Ruins has something for everyone. There were several story’s that particularly appealed to me from both familiar and unfamiliar authors. Juliet Marrilier’s ‘Washing the Plaid’ is a charming, whimsical introduction to the anthology about a book lover discovering magic. A unique punishment devised by a future society features in 16 Minutes by Jasper Fforde. Fans of Julie Kagawa will enjoy Mary Robinette Kowai’s story, American Changeling where a human/faerie teenager is called upon to save the Seelie Queen. Lee Murray’s The Wreck of the Tartarus sees a submarine full of US sailors caught under a rockfall waiting for rescue. Readers familiar with Mark Lawrence’s Book of the Ancestor Trilogy will appreciate a Red Sister Story featuring Nona, Rulin and Clera called Thaw, and horror fans won’t want to miss Six Stringed Demon, where a rock band fights to exorcise a young boy in a hell of a battle by Sebastian de Castell. Aiki Flinthart has the honour of finishing the collection with a poignant story about birth, death, and humanity’s legacy.

Aiki Flinthart has successfully put together an exciting and powerful anthology with Relics, Wrecks and Ruins. A legacy to be proud of, it has my enthusiastic endorsement.

[L.E. Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just Read It

An astonishing collection gathered and shaped under extraordinary circumstances. Essential reading for sci fi, fantasy and horror fans. Do not miss this book!

[Runalong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relics, Wrecks & Ruins explores a great subject across SF, Fantasy and Horror with tales from Neil Gaiman, Ken Liu, Sebastian de Castell, James SA Corey, Mary Robinnette Kowal, Mark Lawrence and Jasper affords just to name a few. It is very very worth reading because as you would guess from those authors they’re bringing their A game - think many of you may want to have a look at this one!

Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...

[Asha - A Cat, A Book, And A Cup Of Tea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Relics, Wrecks, and Ruins is one of the most interesting SFF short story anthologies I’ve ever read, full of some wonderful authors and some really clever ideas.

Content warnings: Violence and death, including a surprisingly large amount of child death; demonic possession; gore/body horror.

I was tempted into this anthology by the absolutely star-studded author list – anything with Garth Nix, Mary Robinette Kowal, Sebastien de Castell and Juliet Marillier was definitely going to be on my radar. The editor, Aiki Flinthart, put it together after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, and the relics, wrecks and ruins of the title allow the stories to explore all kinds of endings, legacies, and remembrance in a way that feels very fitting for a last hurrah. The range of stories within those themes is enormous, ranging from high-tech sci-fi to cosy fantasy to historical-mythological tales to dystopia to contemporary horror. Several of the stories are hard to categorise, and many play with timelines and structure to create something unique. It’s definitely not the kind of book you can go into expecting to love everything, but there should be something here for most SFF fans – plus the sales will help fund The Flinthart Residency for upcoming writers.

The stand out stories for me were, in some parts, as I predicted. Garth Nix’s “A Malediction on the Village” is exactly the kind of slice-of-life fantasy I love, with a young witch sent to investigate a cursed village, bumping into local bureaucracy along the way; I would read books and books about protagonist Mari walking the line between mundanity and magic, if only he would write them! I enjoyed the gentle, book-loving magic of Juliet Marillier’s “Washing the Plaid”, which was so light with its fantasy touches as to be almost invisible, but had an overwhelming sense of comfort and possibility to it. I also thought that Sebastien de Castell’s “Six-String Demon” was a tour-de-force: a horror story about a rock-n-roll exorcism that genuinely frightened me and amused me in equal measure. Mary Robinette Kowal’s “American Changeling” is a clever take on the fae that will be fun for anyone who is about my age and grew up on endless YA fae urban fantasy from Holly Black and Julie Kagawa.

But there were some stories I wasn’t expecting to love – I can’t be called Jasper Fforde’s biggest fan, but I thought his “16 Minutes”, which looks at the novel prison/torture method of locking someone into a tiny section of the past, repeated millions of times until they crack, was a brilliant idea and well-executed. Aiki Flinthart’s “Old Souls” is a heartfelt story – about a woman whose job it is to transfer souls from grandparents to newborns – that would approach the realms of cosy fantasy if it weren’t so heartbreaking. One of my favourites in the whole collection was Alison Goodman’s “Relict (noun): A Widow”, an alternate history story with a fantastically cool heroine and a rollicking adventure plot; this is another story I’d love to see expanded into a novel or series! Marianne de Pierres’ “The Echo of Love” was a very entertaining story of a professor engaged to interview a possibly hostile alien, who falls in love with her; I didn’t understand all of the science at the end but I thought the emotional pull of the story was fab. Finally, I really loved the moody atmosphere of Dirk Flinthart’s “Heartbreak Hotel”, though I didn’t (and still don’t!) have the foggiest idea of what was going on! This is definitely an anthology where the science can get hard fast, and as someone who doesn’t usually do tech- or science-heavy SF, I sometimes had to accept I just wasn’t going to get it – but even in those stories, there was a lot to enjoy.

Stories that didn’t work so well for me were very much due to personal preference. I rarely think that any author can pull off a short story featuring their characters from an established series in an unrelated collection, as it usually requires some level of investment that only those who are already fans will have; so Mark Lawrence’s “Thaw”, which was a Red Sister story, was one I only skimmed, as I dislike the series. Some stories I felt lacked a certain resolution for me; several of them took a turn for the weird with a final twist, almost as if they were trying too hard not to be predictable. Angela Slatter’s “The Names of the Drowned are These” fell slightly flat in the twist for me, though the idea of a cursed, drowned town is a great one; Jan-Andrew Henderson’s “The God Complex” felt like a long build-up to a rather basic punchline, though again, I loved the concept. I was really enjoying the claustrophobic horror of the crashed submarine crew trapped underwater in Lee Murray’s “The Wreck of the Tartarus”, but the final scene completely undercut all of that for me with a real tone shift. Most surprisingly, I was only so-so on Kate Forsyth’s “Morgan of the Fay” – I love her writing and I’ve always adored Arthurian stories, but something about the voice just didn’t click for me. However, as with any anthology, the stories that speak to you are going to be different for everyone.

I’m so glad I took a chance on this anthology. The Garth Nix story is worth its weight in gold, and there are so many wonderful worlds, ideas, and concepts between the covers. This is truly speculative fiction in the grand classic tradition; many of these stories would not be out of place among the tatty yellow-spined anthologies of classic sci fi I adore. If you love stories about possibilities, the power of past and future, and the ultimate speculative question of what it means to be human, this is well worth your time.

[Kahlia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Aiki Flinthart’s book Blackbirds Sing and I was devastated to hear of her battle with terminal illness - but I thought the idea of this final edited collection of hers was delightful, especially since the money goes to funding a writers residency in Aiki’s name.

That said, a lot of the stories didn’t resonate with me (and I skipped a few particularly uninspiring - to me - ones). I also think 24 stories was perhaps too ambitious as it meant some of them were very short to avoid making this a behemoth. But, I wanted to note a few that I did really enjoy in the hopes of encouraging others to pick this collection up:

- The Names of the Drowned Are These by Angela Slatter is an atmospheric story set in rural Tasmania

- A Malediction on the Village by Garth Nix is a fun take on witches

- 16 Minutes by Jasper Fforde. Fforde does time loops, enough said

- The Mirror in the Mirror by Jack Dann is a trippy but contemplative piece about aging

- Old Souls by Aiki Flinthart herself, a bittersweet piece about loss, but also the hope of future generations

[Paula Boer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific read of a wide range of speculative fiction short stories by some of the world's current master storytellers. Even if you're not usually a reader of shorts, I highly recommend this engrossing collection, especially as all sales contribute towards a writers mentorship program in memory of the amazing Aiki Flinthart. She lives on in our hearts and in her words.

[Madeline Coelho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aiki Flinthart's anthology Relics Wrecks and Ruins was published just before her recent death from terminal cancer. Aiki said it was likely to be her last project before she headed off to Valhalla. In Norse mythology Valhalla is a majestic, enormous hall located in Asgard ,ruled over by the god, Odin. Chosen by Odin, half of those who die in combat travel to Valhalla upon death led by the Valkyries while the other half go to the goddess Frejya. In Valhalla the dead warriors join the masses of those who have died in combat.
Aiki acknowledges her 'wonderful, supportive, fun-loving husband and her loyal, huggable, strong son. This is not 'Mills and Boon' territory, nor is it for the faint-hearted.
It speaks of a post-Apocalyptic world, the genre of fiction taking place after the apocalypse, pertaining to the Apocalypse or biblical book of Revelations. Apocalyptic and post-Apocalyptic fiction is a subgenre of science fiction, science fantasy, dystopia or horror. Dystopia (opposite of utopia) is an imagined state or society in which there is great suffering or injustice, typically one that is totalitarian or post-Apocalyptic. Examples of this are '1984', 'The Handmaid's Tale', and 'Brave New World'. Aiki had to quickly ask her writer friends from around the world to contribute to her anthology.
'The Names of the Drowned are These' by Angela Slatter tells us of the ghosts of a drowned town who wait to be awakened.
'A Malediction on the Village' by Garth Nix talks about a witch with a dragon problem.
'American Changeling' by Mary Robinette Kowal tells of the first faerie born into the mortal world since the 'gate' closed.
'Six- String Demon' by Sebastien de Castell shows us hell with rock and roll music. An 8 year old boy is ill - pale with chemo or radiation. His parents are watching on. It is described as the 'gig from hell'. ' Grave Digger ' Joe Cocker and 'Scream out the Demon' Motley Crue.
Kyle, the boy, is floating 3 ft above the bed - this was an exorcism.
'The air was thick with a kind of green-black haze that stank of every kind of death and decay. Particles of puke, shit and urine floated around him like Saturn's rings'.
'Morgan of the Fay' by Kate Forsyth is a well-written short story about the faerie world.
"Heartbreak Hotel' by Dirk Flinthart (Aiki's husband) tells of an end of days scenario with twentieth century icons such as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis and Johnny Cash.
Finally there is Aiki's story 'Old Souls'. For those of you have read any of Aiki's previous works know that she liked to write about swords, scissors, and other 'sharp things'. This story is no exception.
Maya, the elderly soul-bringer, shuts the windows - best to keep out any wind-borne toxins left by the long-vanished, unsouled civilization.
Soul-breaker to soul-master. A pair of blue-metal scissors lies heavy in my hand, heavy and sharp. The cutting of so many cords and souls has yet to dull their edge.
Then we can save more people from this painful, unnecessary form of passing.
'I shouldn't have to replace one life with another. We have enough food and water to support bigger families. All lives are of value, not just the newborn. The family that helps a breaker to become a master is richly rewarded by the Council. Maya passes over to transfer your soul to the child. And it must be completed within half-hour of first breath or your soul-offering won't bind to her. A life for a life - an old soul into a new body. Gotta break and bind to keep the goodness in.
The pain of sliced flesh followed by the sharper, deeper, darker pain of carrying more and more pieces of other people's lives.
'The sound of my scissors cutting the throats of children who have no soul-giver.
Our world consists of a hundred and twenty villages. All that is left of humanity. A little over a hundred and twenty thousand souled people with the knowledge and wisdom not to repeat past mistakes.
Jena says this body is wrong for this world. But with all of my soul-shards in her, baby Jena will make wiser decisions than I did. With my blue-metal blades Veloni slices through scarlet linen and pink scar tissue and draws forth the first piece of someone else's soul. Bright and clean. Glittering in the half-light. Not a hint of darkness smudging it anywhere.

[Veronica Strachan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and eclectic anthology

Editor Aiki Flinthart has gathered an enviable collection of stories that truly define speculative fiction. Each has its self contained world, each prsents an individual narrative that whisks you from the here and now to the what if and when. And all of them leave you wondering - and wishing for more.
A great read.

[Samuel Poots · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories that are in here are all very good, but the ones that are great are brilliant.
A diverse collection of different stories, all from writers at the top of their game, standing as a fitting tribute to the skill of the editor.

Of particular note for me were "Washing the Plaid" by Juliet Marillier, "Six-String Demon" by Sebastien de Castell, and "Heartbreak Hotel" by Dirk Flintheart, none of whom are writers I had come across before so I was very happy to discover them here.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I was underwhelmed by this anthology. While there were some good stories, most did not work for me.

That said, Relict (noun) A Widow; a thing remaining from the past by Alison Goodman was so good I went out and read one of her novels. I wish there was more of this world because Regency England plus alien tech is just amazing.

I also enjoyed A Malediction on the Village by Garth Nix, which was all kinds of fun.

[Bookymonster · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading short stories. And I loved this bundle of short stories. There were real gems in here.
I loved 'Washing the Plaid', 'Malediction on the Village', 'Morgan of the Fay' and 'Thaw'.
Some stories, though great, were just not for me. I do not like dystopian stories and scyfi is hit or mis for me. So some stories were not my cup of tea. But overall, I loved it.

[Ken · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was in the mood for an anthology of short stories and the topic of Relics, Wrecks and Ruins is right up my alley. The selection of stories was quite nice. I didn't like all of them, but some I really liked. Overall I recommend this book if you want a nice mix of mystical, fantasy and sci-fi stories, all with a theme of the old and mysterious.

[Han Adcock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a nice curation of SF tales (most of it is sci-fi but there is fantasy and some horror elements) from a few familiar names (Neil Gaiman, Garth Nix, Ken Liu, Robert Silverberg) and some new faces I hadn’t known about before. It’s difficult to pick which story was my favourite. Would heartily recommend.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An impressive collection of short fiction with sufficient variety to cater for most tastes.

Stand-outs for me were 16 Minutes by Jasper Fforde, The Wreck of the Tartarus by Lee Murray, Six-String Demon by Sebastian de Castell and Relict:(noun) A Widow; A Thing Remaining From The Past by Alison Goodman.

Definitely worth your hard-earned coin.

[John Devenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and varied anthology. Like most books of its kind there is a wide variation in quality and style from one story to the next. Some here are excellent many are good and a few not so much. Buy overall it's well worth checking out for fans of speculative fiction.
3.5 stars

[Nuxyr · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5*
Great short story collection!
Although I kinda missed more science-fiction stories, I liked most of these.
Especially the ones by Sebastien de Castell, Alison Goodman and Aiki Flinthart herself.

[Marc Hilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book of short stories to be read late at night.

[Joseph J · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple fantastic stories and a couple mediocre. The rest were solid. I enjoyed it.

[Sanoo]

Washing the Plaid by Juliet Marillier
The Names of the Drowned are These by Angela Slatter
The God Complex by Jan-Andrew Henderson


A Malediction on the Village by Garth Nix - read on 2019-09-29 - 4 stars - That was an enjoyable read. Got more Good Omens vibes from it than from Good Omens itself. This is definitely a reminder that it's time for me to reread the Abhorsen series.


In Opposition to the Foe by Pamela Jeffs
The Echo of Love by Marianne de Pierres
16 Minutes by Jasper Fforde


American Changeling by Mary Robinette Kowal - read previously in Word Puppets


Pattern on Stone by James S.A. Corey
The Wreck of the Tartarus by Lee Murray
Six-String Demon by Sebastien de Castell
The Shard by Ian Irvine
The Wind and the Rain by Robert Silverberg

Thaw by Mark Lawrence - read on 2021-09-29 - 4 stars - Was wondering where it would go for a second there, but the ending really managed to bring everything back together. A fun ride with the Sisters on a merry-go-round. Feels a bit weird to read something new in this world after the ending to Holy Sister: things seem to have happened in the interim. Wonder if I'm missing some other short stories or whether there will be more in the future.


Morgan of the Fay by Kate Forsyth
Geisha Boy by Kylie Chan
Cosmic Spring by Ken Liu
Dreams of Hercules by Cat Sparks
River of Stars by David Farland
The Mirror in the Mirror by Jack Dann
Relict (noun) A Widow; a thing remaining from the past by Alison Goodman
Heartbreak Hotel by Dirk Flinthart
The Movers of the Stones by Neil Gaiman

[Clive F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half stars for this anthology of short stories, rounded up to four for the backstory: I know it was compiled as - almost literally - the dying wish of the compiler, Aiki Flinthart, and that's a lovely thing.

Some stories I loved - always nice to see another Nona Grey story from Mark Lawrence, for example - four stars for that one! 16 Minutes, by Jasper Fforde, is even better: a future where criminals are punished by being locked in endlessly repeated loops of time, living just a few minutes over and over again. Five stars there.

Others missed the mark for me, I'm afraid. Overall, definitely worth reading, but perhaps a shade more ruthlessness on the editing, and it'd have been happier with the rating.

[Mandy Partridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so touched by many of the stories in this anthology, but particularly but Aiki's story. Flinthart's speculative tale of a mid-wife who controls re-incarnation as a sacrament, is very deep in it's philosophising about human development, the quest for Peace, or the Kingdom of God, violence and enlightenment. An insightful gift from a writer facing her own mortality. I also loved Dirk Flinthart, Neil Gaiman, do yourself a favour and buy this book.