Light From The Dust - Sci-fi Anthology

by Matthew William Frend

Our universe; billions of galaxies, trillions of star systems – magnificently choreographed according to the laws of physics, but also an astounding paradox between chaos and beauty. Stars emit vast quantities of deadly radiation, or can explode as staggeringly violent supernovae that engulf their neighboring systems, while their host galaxies whirl and spiral their way out into an expanding universe.
No surprise that something as unlikely as intelligent life has sprung up to make it even more interesting...
• A future where cyborgs raise our offspring with dire consequences for the children.
• Colonizing new worlds made easy by fooling the native fauna.
• A decaying alien civilization on the brink of disaster – but the cure may turn out to be worse than the disease
• Humans evolve psychic abilities that threaten the existence of their own species.
• A scientist while developing a technology that will send us to the stars, has to fight for his life against a corporate takeover.

Light From The Dust reaches far out into the cosmos, and deep into the space between molecules. A collection of seven short stories from the aspiring mind of Matthew W. Frend that probe the boundaries of our universe and the lifeforms it has spawned.

Genres: Science Fiction, Anthologies

202 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 20, 2022

About the author

Matthew W. Frend has always had a passion for writing fiction. Drawing on his diverse background in information technology and military strategy, he created the Free World War series. He lives by the Benjamin Franklin credo of "Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing."
Following his time in the Australian Army, Matthew spent over twenty years as a computer programmer, and has lived in Australia, USA and Scotland. He has also been involved with equestrian sports at the grass roots level.

Reviews

[Susan Atherly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway.

All of the stories were written by Michael William Frend, some of which had previously appeared elsewhere.

Although they generally fall under the umbrella of Sci-fi, they fall under different sub-genres: horror, ecology, space opera, etc. This may be what I struggled with. Too much variety? I also felt that there were some pacing and rhythm issues within individual stories.

I enjoyed this and appreciated the gift!

[Taylor Merritt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This had so much potential, but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. The premise was fascinating, but the execution felt a little rushed. Some characters were underdeveloped, which made it harder to connect with them. Not bad, but not great either.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Light From the Dust by Matthew William Frend is a compilation of the author's original science fiction short stories, each independent of one another within the genre and each reading entirely as a stand-alone. Frend's stories embody a full range of speculative themes, from Introduced Species, where an evolutionary experiment on a colonized planet impacts the scientists in a deeply unexpected way, to The Signal from the Noise, where a quasi-relationship between the heads of two businesses in a merger sees both potentially compromised by a signal and an ice pick. All told, Frend gives readers seven stories and from this, seven different realities to get wholly lost in.

Light From the Dust is intelligent fiction at its finest. Matthew William Frend employs technical aspects in his work that push beyond the superficial “it is this way because I say so” suspension of disbelief required by many who write science fiction in a compact format. Instead, readers get a clear sense of the how alongside the all-important why, and as a result the overall story is elevated. My favorite is the first story in the compilation called Babysitters, which follows a test family where the parents have abandoned the responsibility of actual parenting, discipline in particular, in exchange for a carefree life. The AI who are doing the hard work for them aren't quite as reliable as hoped. This is an excellent anthology that provided a blissful weekend of enjoyable bite-sized reading that I have no doubt other lovers of the genre will enjoy as well. Very highly recommended.

★★★★★ Readers’ Favorite

[M.J. Schwer · Rating 4 out of 5]

hard core syi-fy like it once was.

Great small story collection with unique ideas and some heavy hitting science descriptions. However this author shares the issue Stephen King had to overcome…he hasn’t perfected the endings.

[Samara Frost · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had such an intriguing concept, but I found the execution to be lacking. The beginning was strong, immediately drawing me into the story, but somewhere along the way, it lost its momentum. The characters were likeable enough, but they didn’t evolve in a way that felt satisfying. The prose was solid, but there were times when it felt like it was trying too hard to be poetic. By the time I reached the end, I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed, though there were certainly some standout moments along the way.

[Nani · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Goodreads giveaway was sent to me as a Kindle version.
The author recently published collections of short stories in the science fiction genre. Characters and world development are well written, with detailed background in each tale.
The only criticism I have with this book is that it is only 202 pages in length.
Highly recommended for anyone looking for a quick but well-written read.

[Karina Woolslayer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bland, Purposeless

The writing was boring. The plots were thin and hollow and built up to no real conclusion or end. The stories seemed like bad attempts at dragging out thin concepts.

[Daniela Cantu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was completely captivated by this from the very first chapter. The emotional complexity of the characters and the intricate relationships were handled masterfully. It’s rare to find something that makes you both think and feel deeply.

[Jodie Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible journey from start to finish! The author’s attention to detail is remarkable, and the way the story unfolds is simply brilliant. It’s a perfect blend of excitement, heart, and thought-provoking themes. Highly recommended.

[Ali English · Rating 5 out of 5]

It started strong, with an engaging introduction and interesting ideas. But as the story progressed, it felt repetitive and lost some of the spark. It wasn’t terrible, but I was left wanting more from the plot and its resolution.

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Goodreads giveaway

Well written, thought provoking stories. I look forward to reading more by this author!