Saturn

Planetary Anthology series #11

by Bokerah Brumley (Editor)

Saturn: Planetary Anthology series #11. The Ringed Planet. Harbinger of ideas and wonder. The planet that gave birth to the modern era of science envisioning the myriad of multi-colored rings circling the planet, one of the reasons for the invention of the telescope and the second largest in our solar system. These are the stories of Saturn, the great Titan. Tales of time, age and endings.

Contents:
* Introduction (Saturn) • essay by Bokerah Brumley
* Father of the Gods / short story by Vonnie Winslow Crist
* The Lords of Titan / short story by G. Scott Huggins
* Horns of a Paradox (2018) / short story by Julie Frost
* They Also Serve / short story by Karina Fabian and Rob Fabian
* The Clockwork Copper and the Priestess of Mystery / novelette by J. M. Anjewierden
* The Price to Pay / novelette by J. F. Posthumus
* Paradox Jones and the Cowboys Mascot Gang / short story by Ben Wheeler
* Saving the Apostle / novelette by James Pyles
* Sennacherib and the Samurai / short story by Joshua M. Young
* Temporal Renegades (2019) / short story by Bokerah Brumley
* Doing My Job / short story by Dana Bell
* The Gardener of Saturn / novelette by A. M. Freeman
* You Will Be Uploaded / short story by Karl K. Gallagher
* Phantoms' Lodge / novelette by Richard Paolinelli
* The Grand Finale / short story by P. A. Piatt
* Mother of Dragons / short story by Carlton Herzog
* Beyond Metamorphosis / novelette by C. S. Johnson
* Lord of Age and Time / novelette by Denton Salle
* The Jewel from Beyond Time / short story by Arlan Andrews Sr [as by Arlan Andrews]
.

476 pages, Paperback

Published January 12, 2021

Reviews

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this collection. There's a wide variety of stories, and not all take place in space. There's as wide an array of settings as there are genres. You can easily jump from story to story, and pick and choose which ones resonate with you. I look forward to reading more by some of the authors I discovered in this anthology, and have already recommended the collection to friends. Would rate higher if I could.

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of stories is all centered around Planet Saturn. I enjoyed several of the stories with interesting twists on time travel and terraforming the moons around Saturn. I would recommend this book to any fan of science fiction. Until next time Happy Reading!

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting variety of science fiction stories, some based on or near Saturn, some based on the definition of the name which is based on the Roman god of wealth & agriculture. What about anthologies is that there is a variaty of stories so even if you don't like one, there are others you might like. I also like that these short stories give the reader a glimpse of the style of each author.

[Annie Lima · Rating 3 out of 5]

As usual with anthologies, some of these stories are better than others. I was surprised to find that not all of them have anything to do with Saturn. It was disappointing to discover that most of them have obviously not been professionally edited, and others contain completely unnecessary profanity that did nothing to add to the story or to character development. There are a few winners in here, but a lot of the stories just didn't grab me. I won't be seeking out any of the other anthologies in this series.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love sci-fi/fantasy anthologies. This one did not let me down in feeding my need for stimulation of my brain. From the opening words of the editor until the final story's last words, I was led on journeys to outer space and beyond, time travel, and other wonderful adventures of the mind.

[Lyndi Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I was under the mistaken impression that this book was a collection of stories about the planet Saturn. It isn't.
What it is, is a wonderful assortment of 20 science fiction and fantasy stories, SOME of which are, in fact, based on the lovely ringed planet. Others are about time travel, wizards, working in space, brain transplants... so much good stuff. You can even learn who the Chosen One is...and there isn't a midi-chlorian in sight. Bokerah Brumley, who in addition to editing the anthology, is apparently the "peafowl wrangler," has done a superb job giving us a little bit of everything.
The stories range in length, so there's one for every bit of time you might have, whether waiting in the car, COVID-style, for someone at the doctor's office, or that precious few minutes just before falling asleep. (but word to the wise-- DON'T read You Will Be Uploaded at bedtime!)
As a romance writer, one of my personal favorites was The Lords of Titan, by G. Scott Huggins, which shows just how far some men will go for love. I also really admired They Also Serve by Rob and Karina Fabian. Anyone who's been short might predict the ending of this one ahead of time. But each of the stories has its own appeal. Highly recommend!!

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saturn, the Ringed Planet. The planet that gave birth to the modern era of science envisioning the myriad of multi-colored rings circling the planet, one of the reasons for the invention of the telescope and the second largest in our solar system. These are the stories of Saturn, the great Titan.

I got chills just reading that blurb as I remember first hearing about Saturn as a child in school and wondering what caused those fascinating rings. (Yes, I was a science nerd.) Twenty authors have bundled 19 stories incorporating this theme with time travel, death, advanced age, young age, and a few more things in-between. Some of the stories use odd phrasing, and nothing jumped out at me as a particular favorite. But it’s still fun to see the authors’ interpretations of what “Saturn” sparks in their imaginations. Grab your copy and enjoy the variety!

[Barbara Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

These seventeen mostly family-friendly stories and one prose poem will fill a long weekend.

FATHER OF THE GODS by Vonnie Winslow Crist is a prose poem.

THE LORDS OF TITAN by G. Scott Huggins is an extraterrestrial love story between Rahila and Evan Ormerant.

HORNS OF A PARADOX by Julie Frost is set mainly in Memphis, Tennessee in 2013 with klutzy wizard Daffyd-ap-Calcas and his weasel familiar, Kolonok, assisted by Randy Joe Bob Clayton, and demonstrates some hazards of time travel.

THEY ALSO SERVE by Rob and Karina Fabian is about Lieutenant John Ezra as he counts the days until he can see Lieutenant Gilly Masters again except SHTF.

THE CLOCKWORK COPPER AND THE PRIESTESS OF MYSTERY by J. M. Anjewierden takes place on and about an airship.

In THE PRICE TO PAY by J.F. Posthumus, Isadora Maeve Magee Barick daughter of Bridget Kayleigh Magee does not wish to marry Darius Locke as arranged by her father Evander Barick.

In PARADOX JONES AND THE COWBOYS MASCOT GANG by Ben
Wheeler, we possibly find out why Paradox Q. Jones is in trouble with the? Dread Time Mandarin.

SAVING THE APOSTLE by James Pyles recounts the efforts of Moshe Ben Isaiah to reconcile HEBREW and Gentile Christians.

SENNACHERIB AND THE SAMURAI: A TALE OF METACHRONOPOLIS by Joshua Young bounces between Tesla-Pfizer in the 22nd century CE and Nineveh in the 8th century BCE.

TEMPORAL RENEGADES by Bokerah Brumley is set on Concord Station in the polar orbit of Saturn in 2465 with Archibald Kane and Earth.

DOING MY JOB by Dana Bell starts on Falconer, with Shadow as ship cat, heading for Rhea.

THE GARDENER OF SATURN by A.M. Freeman starts on March 14, 2660, on Pan, amid the rings of Saturn, as recorded by Issabella Shepard until 2717.

YOU WILL BE UPLOADED by Karl K. Gallagher is summarized in the title.
PHANTOMS' LODGE by Richard Paolinelli is a ghost story related by Eric Christopher, heir finder, about Michael Collier AKA George Parker.

THE GRAND FINALE by P.A. Piatt relates some news we didn't hear in 2017 about Cassini.

MOTHER OF DRAGONS by Carlton Herzog details what followed the Hydrogen Rush of 2137 starting on June 4, 2144.

BEYOND METAMORPHOSIS by C.S. Johnson is the tale of Grete, sister to Gregor Samsa.

LORD OF AGE AND TIME by Denton Salle is set in Fort Worth, Texas in spring and concerns Audrey Hayes and Ham Satus.

THE JEWEL FROM BEYOND TIME by Arlan Andrews is set in 1996 as author L.G. Crossley lies dying.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[C.S. Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy to be a part of this lovely anthology!