What do you think?
Rate this book
Noisy Alien Communicator: and The Visible Spectrum
Life got weird when BENT NOISE showed up with his homemade circuit board.
"Noisy Alien Communicator and The Visible Spectrum" is a short-story science fiction anthology. It asks essential and unanswerable will the future bring?What if we could summon aliens?Why am I so dizzy lately?
It's better than other books because it's got two parts. Most other books only have one. Or three. And there are pictures!
Debut authors in Alphabetical BitontiJackrabbitRobert V. KilroyBertram MontiekowiczParadox M. Pollack
NAC Device invented by Scott Armstrong, a.k.a. BENT NOISE.
Additional Illustration by Simon Adams.
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR NOISY ALIEN
“These humans are impetuous and must be destroyed! That’s why I pay taxes!”
-Rrrxx from the gas giant orbiting Rygar-42
“How have these foolish creatures survived this long?”
-Zilens from the Sigmoid quadrant
For more insanity, visit frankfordpublishing.com.
"Noisy Alien Communicator and The Visible Spectrum" is a short-story science fiction anthology. It asks essential and unanswerable will the future bring?What if we could summon aliens?Why am I so dizzy lately?
It's better than other books because it's got two parts. Most other books only have one. Or three. And there are pictures!
Debut authors in Alphabetical BitontiJackrabbitRobert V. KilroyBertram MontiekowiczParadox M. Pollack
NAC Device invented by Scott Armstrong, a.k.a. BENT NOISE.
Additional Illustration by Simon Adams.
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR NOISY ALIEN
“These humans are impetuous and must be destroyed! That’s why I pay taxes!”
-Rrrxx from the gas giant orbiting Rygar-42
“How have these foolish creatures survived this long?”
-Zilens from the Sigmoid quadrant
For more insanity, visit frankfordpublishing.com.
214 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 27, 2022
2 people are currently reading
3 people want to read
About the author
Matt Bitonti
3 books27 followersMatt Bitonti is a Philadelphia-based writer and founder of Frankford Publishing. Bitonti writes articles about NFL offensive line at footballguys.com and consults on documentaries for television. He studied English at Bowdoin College, and his soul is most comfortable among the pines. Besides authoring, he typesets and helps others publish their work.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 9, 2023
I am a great fan of Isaac Asimov and George Martin short sci-fi stories, which is why I liked "Noisy Alien Communicator: and The Visible Spectrum", despite the fact that some stories were really mediocre. Matt Bitonti and Jackrabbit were superb - great job, guys!
I liked the humor of Sending The Wrong Message. Together with A Walk Through Greenpoint they constitute the best part of the collection. I suggest Jackrabbit to continue writing in this genre and try writing a standalone novela or novel. I'll be more than happy to buy more books from this author!
I don't want to complain too much about the other stories, but I strongly recommend the authors to try and read their books in a third-person. Your story must be interesting not only for you, but also for the reader. Don't pour too much information over the reader and don't attack him with your personal believes and values. Readers don't like to be preached so aggressively.
I am giving this collection 5 stars because of the first 2 authors.
I liked the humor of Sending The Wrong Message. Together with A Walk Through Greenpoint they constitute the best part of the collection. I suggest Jackrabbit to continue writing in this genre and try writing a standalone novela or novel. I'll be more than happy to buy more books from this author!
I don't want to complain too much about the other stories, but I strongly recommend the authors to try and read their books in a third-person. Your story must be interesting not only for you, but also for the reader. Don't pour too much information over the reader and don't attack him with your personal believes and values. Readers don't like to be preached so aggressively.
I am giving this collection 5 stars because of the first 2 authors.
March 17, 2023
I won a digital copy of this book in a giveaway on The StoryGraph.
I wasn't really sure what to expect going into this book, but I do love sci-fi anthologies and was curious and excited for the different stories I would be able to enjoy.
The second half of this collection is just incredible. Powerful, impactful short stories with stunning, rapid world-building and characters that were immediately available to connect with. No reader was told about how people would behave at the end of the world, we were shown. I will absolutely be thinking of these short stories for a while and I'm sure they will pop into my head now and then, which to me is a true Hallmark of an excellent science fiction story. If you want to read this book I really recommend you read this section.
With all that being said, the first half of the book struggled with belabouring on how bad "humanity"-- and by humanity they mean modern-day America is--and how much less cool we are compared to aliens. I always take issue when characters go on rants on how "humans" behave even though 100% of the time they are describing how white Anglo-Americans behave. I find this especially disappointing in science fiction because how and why would you write about the viewpoint of aliens, but not consider let alone include the viewpoint of non-White, non-Anglo Americans? I find it particularly close-minded and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. If you are going to write about "humanity" you must consider countries and cultures outside of America.
The first section of the book also suffered from telling readers about the failures of "humanity" rather than showing, with a lot of monologues to, again, belabor the point. Readers are simply told that humans (remember, white Anglo-Americans) suck and why over and over again, without that really contributing to any kind of plot or character, let alone to a story. All of the stories in the first half dragged under these two things and I ended up skipping through some of them because I couldn't stand it.
I will definitely re-read the second half of this book at some point, and for that section alone I'm glad I read this book and now own it.
I wasn't really sure what to expect going into this book, but I do love sci-fi anthologies and was curious and excited for the different stories I would be able to enjoy.
The second half of this collection is just incredible. Powerful, impactful short stories with stunning, rapid world-building and characters that were immediately available to connect with. No reader was told about how people would behave at the end of the world, we were shown. I will absolutely be thinking of these short stories for a while and I'm sure they will pop into my head now and then, which to me is a true Hallmark of an excellent science fiction story. If you want to read this book I really recommend you read this section.
With all that being said, the first half of the book struggled with belabouring on how bad "humanity"-- and by humanity they mean modern-day America is--and how much less cool we are compared to aliens. I always take issue when characters go on rants on how "humans" behave even though 100% of the time they are describing how white Anglo-Americans behave. I find this especially disappointing in science fiction because how and why would you write about the viewpoint of aliens, but not consider let alone include the viewpoint of non-White, non-Anglo Americans? I find it particularly close-minded and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. If you are going to write about "humanity" you must consider countries and cultures outside of America.
The first section of the book also suffered from telling readers about the failures of "humanity" rather than showing, with a lot of monologues to, again, belabor the point. Readers are simply told that humans (remember, white Anglo-Americans) suck and why over and over again, without that really contributing to any kind of plot or character, let alone to a story. All of the stories in the first half dragged under these two things and I ended up skipping through some of them because I couldn't stand it.
I will definitely re-read the second half of this book at some point, and for that section alone I'm glad I read this book and now own it.
October 12, 2023
"Noisy Alien Communicator," penned by a group of talented authors, including Matt Bitonti, Jackrabbit, Robert V. Kilroy, Bertram Montiekowicz, and Paradox M. Pollack, is a unique and thought-provoking science fiction work. It's an anthology that combines distinct voices to craft a vivid and immersive narrative that explores various aspects of the future, human evolution, and the mysteries of the universe.
The book's structure allows readers to traverse multiple fascinating scenarios. It's a literary journey into an era where mankind has faced significant challenges, such as a shifting magnetic pole, an asteroid threat, and the necessity for adaptation. The book employs an assortment of captivating storylines to address these challenges, offering a dynamic blend of perspectives and themes.
The writing style is eclectic and flexible, adapting seamlessly to each new situation and character, providing an engaging and immersive reading experience. Each author brings their own unique voice and creativity to the table, resulting in a collection that's as diverse as it is captivating.
The storylines are thought-provoking, making you ponder the consequences of humanity's actions and what might occur when we're faced with the unexpected. Themes of resilience, adaptation, and evolution resonate throughout the book, and the characters are compelling and well-developed.
Whether you're a fan of classic science fiction or simply enjoy intriguing tales that make you ponder the future, "Noisy Alien Communicator" is an anthology that delivers a fascinating, entertaining, and sometimes chilling read. It's a testament to the power of collaboration among talented authors, and it's sure to leave you pondering the possibilities of the future long after you've finished reading.
The book's structure allows readers to traverse multiple fascinating scenarios. It's a literary journey into an era where mankind has faced significant challenges, such as a shifting magnetic pole, an asteroid threat, and the necessity for adaptation. The book employs an assortment of captivating storylines to address these challenges, offering a dynamic blend of perspectives and themes.
The writing style is eclectic and flexible, adapting seamlessly to each new situation and character, providing an engaging and immersive reading experience. Each author brings their own unique voice and creativity to the table, resulting in a collection that's as diverse as it is captivating.
The storylines are thought-provoking, making you ponder the consequences of humanity's actions and what might occur when we're faced with the unexpected. Themes of resilience, adaptation, and evolution resonate throughout the book, and the characters are compelling and well-developed.
Whether you're a fan of classic science fiction or simply enjoy intriguing tales that make you ponder the future, "Noisy Alien Communicator" is an anthology that delivers a fascinating, entertaining, and sometimes chilling read. It's a testament to the power of collaboration among talented authors, and it's sure to leave you pondering the possibilities of the future long after you've finished reading.
June 11, 2023
There’s a lot to enjoy in this anthology of highly creative short stories riffing on the themes of alien contact and humanity’s future away from Earth. The tone is generally quirky, sometimes downright bizarre, but there are also a few introspective, character-driven tales to keep the collection relatively grounded.
My personal favorites are the sweetly humorous Ground Lightning by Matt Bitonti, Jackrabbit’s insightful The Stripper Story, and Breach Horizon by Paradox M. Pollack, a mad but brilliant mash-up of Greek mythology and cosmic mystery, in which the titan Epimetheus takes center stage. Oddly enough, the latter is also the author of my least favorite story, Proof Through the Night, a free-association jumble of sci-fi ideas and culture references written in an ADHD style that left me skim-reading after a while. Then there’s The Search For Intelligent Life by Bertram Montiekowicz, which I loved until the actual close encounter at the climax. It quickly descended into a sneering, sanctimonious rant, which may or may not have been obnoxious by design.
Overall, it’s very much a mixed bag. There’s a great deal of skill, imagination and playfulness packed into this collection. They’re all talented writers. The blend of storytelling styles can be jarring, however. The more experimental entries seem to want to cram a novel’s worth of ideas into a single short story, making them borderline incomprehensible at times. Part 1, riffing on the Noisy Alien Communicator, is the strongest. But there are nuggets to be found throughout. Readers looking for offbeat sci-fi might want to give this anthology a whirl. It was a bit hit and miss for me, but I’m glad I read it.
My personal favorites are the sweetly humorous Ground Lightning by Matt Bitonti, Jackrabbit’s insightful The Stripper Story, and Breach Horizon by Paradox M. Pollack, a mad but brilliant mash-up of Greek mythology and cosmic mystery, in which the titan Epimetheus takes center stage. Oddly enough, the latter is also the author of my least favorite story, Proof Through the Night, a free-association jumble of sci-fi ideas and culture references written in an ADHD style that left me skim-reading after a while. Then there’s The Search For Intelligent Life by Bertram Montiekowicz, which I loved until the actual close encounter at the climax. It quickly descended into a sneering, sanctimonious rant, which may or may not have been obnoxious by design.
Overall, it’s very much a mixed bag. There’s a great deal of skill, imagination and playfulness packed into this collection. They’re all talented writers. The blend of storytelling styles can be jarring, however. The more experimental entries seem to want to cram a novel’s worth of ideas into a single short story, making them borderline incomprehensible at times. Part 1, riffing on the Noisy Alien Communicator, is the strongest. But there are nuggets to be found throughout. Readers looking for offbeat sci-fi might want to give this anthology a whirl. It was a bit hit and miss for me, but I’m glad I read it.
March 19, 2023
Noisy Alien Communicator: and The Visible Spectrum, or The NAC, is a fascinating and varied collection of short science fiction stories with an alien theme. The tales, by five impressively talented writers range from the darkly humorous Sending The Wrong Message, which opens the anthology, to the heart-breaking apocalyptic tale, Proof Through The Night, which brought a tear to my eye. All ten short stories are engaging and clever, some containing shared themes (such as the presence of asteroid Alexander) which loosely link the tales.
The alien worlds created are as fascinating as the future vision of the Earth is horrifying. All the little details ring true and the political comments thrown in add weight to a scenario for our future that really could happen. Sending The Wrong Message opened the anthology with an imaginative portrayal of an alien civilisation not unlike ours. With some wonderful one-liners, great descriptions, and starkly real comments on the destructiveness of the human race, this darkly humorous narrative is a memorable opening. The dark humour is then continued in Ground Lightning and The Search for Intelligent Life before the stories get darker and far more sinister.
This anthology is quirky, with diagrams and pictures and a random list of the best Sci-Fi books of all time slotted into the middle - not all of which I’ve read, sorry. It’s different and definitely thought-provoking. I recommend this book to all sci-fi lovers.
The alien worlds created are as fascinating as the future vision of the Earth is horrifying. All the little details ring true and the political comments thrown in add weight to a scenario for our future that really could happen. Sending The Wrong Message opened the anthology with an imaginative portrayal of an alien civilisation not unlike ours. With some wonderful one-liners, great descriptions, and starkly real comments on the destructiveness of the human race, this darkly humorous narrative is a memorable opening. The dark humour is then continued in Ground Lightning and The Search for Intelligent Life before the stories get darker and far more sinister.
This anthology is quirky, with diagrams and pictures and a random list of the best Sci-Fi books of all time slotted into the middle - not all of which I’ve read, sorry. It’s different and definitely thought-provoking. I recommend this book to all sci-fi lovers.
March 28, 2023
Noisy Alien Communicator: the Visible Spectrum is a creative mouthful of a title. It perfectly fits this anthology, as the stories within are imaginative as much as they are strange. I suspect these collections from lesser-known authors will become more popular now that the Kindle store no longer sells digital magazines—at least that is my hope! Did I like every story in this collection? Nope. But I can say the same for every edition of Isaac Asimov’s Sci-Fi and Clark’s World.
Without getting too into the weeds with the review, I will highlight what I liked and didn’t. Matt Bitonti’s Ground Lightning hits it out of the park. I could see this as an episode of Black Mirror. An author by the alias “Jackrabbit,” (awesome), writes two great ones: The Stripper Story, and the more introspective, psychological, A Walk Through Greenpoint. Both were extremely creative. I would love to see more of this author in the future.
The Search for Intelligent Life was interesting, but I felt too much of the author’s own ideological leanings shine through the alien. Breach Horizon for me was simply too hard to hollow. Perhaps this one needed its own novel so that the author could fully flesh out the ideas and storyline.
In summary, it’s pretty simple. If you love short sci-fi stories, this collection is really a no-brainer. I hope there is more to come!
Without getting too into the weeds with the review, I will highlight what I liked and didn’t. Matt Bitonti’s Ground Lightning hits it out of the park. I could see this as an episode of Black Mirror. An author by the alias “Jackrabbit,” (awesome), writes two great ones: The Stripper Story, and the more introspective, psychological, A Walk Through Greenpoint. Both were extremely creative. I would love to see more of this author in the future.
The Search for Intelligent Life was interesting, but I felt too much of the author’s own ideological leanings shine through the alien. Breach Horizon for me was simply too hard to hollow. Perhaps this one needed its own novel so that the author could fully flesh out the ideas and storyline.
In summary, it’s pretty simple. If you love short sci-fi stories, this collection is really a no-brainer. I hope there is more to come!
April 8, 2023
This collection of short stories leads off with a few geeky warnings conveyed in galactic-law language that sci-fi diehards will appreciate. It’s a cute and humorous way to begin several narratives that aren’t exactly edge-of-your-seat exciting but could appeal to the sci-fi sector of readers.
The illustrations that follow the geeky warnings look like architectural plans that I can’t make heads or tails out of. Deeper in, the book contains cool illustrations that complement the stories.
A bunch of these alien-oriented stories came off to me as muddled and lacking pizzazz because there’s too much telling instead of showing. I thought Jackrabbit had the two best pieces in the book – “The Stripper Story” and “A Walk Through Greenpoint” – because of the faster-paced writing and more titillating content. To their credit, these stories all have a human element to them with intentional messages ranging from philosophical to humorous to political.
The illustrations that follow the geeky warnings look like architectural plans that I can’t make heads or tails out of. Deeper in, the book contains cool illustrations that complement the stories.
A bunch of these alien-oriented stories came off to me as muddled and lacking pizzazz because there’s too much telling instead of showing. I thought Jackrabbit had the two best pieces in the book – “The Stripper Story” and “A Walk Through Greenpoint” – because of the faster-paced writing and more titillating content. To their credit, these stories all have a human element to them with intentional messages ranging from philosophical to humorous to political.
April 17, 2023
When I first picked up this collection of science fiction short stories, I was intrigued by the premise that each story would reference an alien communicator of some sort. This is an idea that's ripe for any number of inventive plots.
The stories in this volume (I understand there's another) are really a mixed bag for me. The first few start off quite interestingly, even containing flashes of humour here and there along with a healhy dose of the absurd. It takes a particular kind of reader to appreciate the imagination on display in these stories, and some of them really harken back to the more experimental age of science fiction storytelling of the 1970s.
The two stories by jackrabbit were the ones that really stood out to me, along with the final, chilling story. These three, along with the interesting first story are definitely worth reading.
The others I found had great world-building but weren't compelling in ways that made them memorable, or even all that interesting.
The stories in this volume (I understand there's another) are really a mixed bag for me. The first few start off quite interestingly, even containing flashes of humour here and there along with a healhy dose of the absurd. It takes a particular kind of reader to appreciate the imagination on display in these stories, and some of them really harken back to the more experimental age of science fiction storytelling of the 1970s.
The two stories by jackrabbit were the ones that really stood out to me, along with the final, chilling story. These three, along with the interesting first story are definitely worth reading.
The others I found had great world-building but weren't compelling in ways that made them memorable, or even all that interesting.
August 11, 2023
As someone who is a Huge Sci-Fan - this was an enjoyable read. There were some pretty in depth stories in this book. It kept me engaged and my imagination flowing.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews