The Shadow Galaxy: A Collection of Short Stories and Poetry

by J. Dianne Dotson

A mesmerizing first collection from the cross-genre author, science writer, and artist J. Dianne Dotson, THE SHADOW GALAXY features short stories and poetry spanning magical realism, science fiction, fantasy, horror, and Appalachian tales. With stories and poetry spanning three decades of work, the author taps into journeys both fantastical and deeply personal. Categories include Shadow Tales from the Sea; Other Tales of the Galaxy and a Place Called Earth; Into the Darkest Tales of Horror; Love and Other Traces of the Heart; Far Tales from the Ancient Mountains; and Resonant Some Poetry.

Among these pages, Dotson captures the longing, regrets, and dreams of those living by the sea, such as in "One Evening in Fogvale." In "RODER," a young woman risks her life to help find a robot who captured her heart. "Topaz Sundered" explores an exoplanet mining expedition gone horribly wrong. In "The Queen and the Mountain Laurel," a young Appalachian girl teaches her father an important lesson with the help of mountain spirits. The poem "Obsidian" eviscerates with raw pain from betrayal. Dotson weaves these and many other tales and poems of mysticism, exploration, horror, pain, nostalgia, and wonder, for no shadow can exist without light.

Genres: Poetry, Horror, Short Stories, Science Fiction, Fantasy

145 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 3, 2023

About the author

Follow me at Jendia Gammon. J. Dianne Dotson, who also writes as Jendia Gammon (Atacama, 2025, from Sley House Publishing; Doomflower, 2025, from Encyclopocalypse Publications), is the Nebula and BSFA finalist author of The Shadow Galaxy: A Collection of Short Stories and Poetry (Trepidatio Publishing), the four-book space opera series The Questrison Saga© (Heliopause; Ephemeris; Accretion; and Luminiferous), and The Inn at the Amethyst Lantern (Android Press). She is also a science writer and artist.

Visit her website at www.jendiagammon.com

Reviews

[Blaise · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://undertheradarsffbooks.com/202...

I received an ARC from Trepidatio Publishing in exchange for a honest review. This short story collection was a breath of fresh and just the kind of palate cleanser I needed. After reading my extensive list of epic fantasy giants which I love to pieces, this collection made me appreciated all the different stories fiction can offer. There is a story for everyone in the book and if you don’t find one right away, keep turning the page.

Since this is a collection of shorts, novella’s, and poems I can’t really discuss the plot or characters of any of the stories without giving away and spoilers. Instead, I wanted give an overview for how the collection is constructed and the beauty in the words waiting to be discovered. The first set of stories is geared more towards the horror genre with some spooky stories to get your blood pressure going. Then we alternated between sci-fi and fantasy in the next section and this was by far by favorite part. The two best stories in my honest opinion are here and so happen to be right next to each other. Void Mage was an awesome story about a girl walking by train tracks when a big boom appears out of no where. The other one is The Scaffold and this one was intriguing and scary. I sure hope the worlds get expanded for these two.

This was my first novel read by J. Dianne Dotson but it will surely not be the last. She has a sci-fi series I can’t wait to since my teeth into this coming year. Everyone will kind a story that resonates with them in this collect, just be sure to have your popcorn ready come March 3rd, 2023!

Cheers!

[Erik Martenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dark Corner of Space

Splendid little collection of sci-fi, horror, and poetry, and with a cover like that, who can resist? My favorite stories were One Evening in Fogvale, a John Carpenterish short story about a woman lost in the fog; and Overdue in Deep Space, because who wouldn’t want to explore a forgotten Library inside a hollow asteroid? I also enjoyed, as a big fan of Lovecraft, the one called The Glove and the Black Lantern. Looking forward to more books from J. Dianne Dotson.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a huge fan of Dotson’s Questrison Saga series, I jumped at the opportunity to read The Shadow Galaxy. At first, it caught me off guard as I expected the stories to relate to each other, but I quickly caught onto the rhythm and found myself living in each juicy moment. Some tales I’d even describe as emotions captured in vivid detail. Awe, fear, love, and loss come to mind as I put myself in the setting of each story. When I reached the end, there was a satisfying feeling that I experienced the full range of Dotson’s storytelling skills. I secretly hope that some of these shorts develop into full stories of their own. Whatever she writes next, I’m looking forward to savoring it.

[James Geary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shadow Galaxy was a great anthology of often wistful, sometimes disturbing, and always intriguing short stories that delved into the worlds of horror, of fantasy, and scifi and yet, taken together, still felt like a really cohesive collection. Many of them did really good job at hinting just enough to make the reader wonder, yet never revealing all. At the same, the more conclusive stories all felt very satisfying. I am really glad I read it, and looking forward to reading more of the author's books.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this collection of stories and poems. While the stories cover different subject matter, they all carry the childlike wonder of great storytelling. The author's prose is often lyrical as she creates worlds for her characters (and readers, as she takes you along) to inhabit.

This collection is a charcuterie board of delectable morsels. I devoured it in short order.
My spouse says it's Literary TikTok, and each story/poem is on your FYP (For You Page).

[Alan Dell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shadow Galaxy is a really nice short story collection featuring a mix of sci-fi, fantasy, horror, poetry and Appalachian mountain tales. It’s quite short, so I finished it in a day, but I found myself yearning for some of these stories to be expanded upon, because they’re so interesting.

I really enjoyed this collection. I’ve grown to love short story collections, and this is up there among the best of them. My favourites were, surprisingly, not necessarily the sci-fi stories. There was a spooky ghost pirate tale, and a Halloween horror that have both really stuck in my mind. The aforementioned The Queen and the Mountain Laurel was excellent, as was RODER. Unfortunately I can’t much comment on the poetry, as it’s not my kind of thing, but the other stories were fantastic. I was surprised at the section titled Other Moments: Traces of the Heart, because for whatever reason I was expecting it to be more romancey, and while the stories in there did lean in that direction, they were more bittersweet, whimsical, and magical. Still really enjoyable, just not what I had expected. The first story in the book, One Evening in Fogvale, I think comes out on top as my favourite of the bunch.

Overall, an excellent collection, a fast read, full of wonder, magic and whimsy. Highly recommended.

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely delightful collection riddled with magic - elements of horror, sci fi and fantasy, painted with a brush of starshine.

[Frasier Armitage · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shadow Galaxy isn’t so much a collection of short stories — it’s more like a cluster of stars, shining brilliantly, and these constellations are every bit as magical and magnificent as you’d hope for.

J. Dianne Dotson cut her literary teeth on a sprawling four-book space-opera series — The Questrison Saga. Now, she’s releasing a book of short stories that span romance, horror, sci-fi, and even some poetry. Yet, her transition from novels to shorts seems absolutely effortless.

The stories in The Shadow Galaxy reminded me of a highlight-reel. They’re all strong entries. There are classic sensibilities about the writing which give it a universal appeal. Each scene contains an underlying substance which is truly magnetic. It commands your attention. Some stories unfold in surprising ways, and some end exactly as you want them to, while others conclude with a sudden twist to leave your heart in your mouth. I’d happily read sequels to many of these tales, but there’s something really lovely about the way that the next scene in the drama is left open for the reader, tempting you to imagine what might occur beyond the page. It takes a real skill to pull that off with so few words.

Variety is not a problem here. Stories range from a robot romance to killer plant-monsters. I particularly enjoyed the Appalachian tales towards the end of the book. There’s a folklore-ish quality about them, and a sense of home and belonging that gave me a feeling of comfort.

But this collection isn’t a random hodge-podge of scenes slapped together in no particular order. Rather, the stories are tied together into a cohesive whole by how personal they feel. They go so much deeper than just the exploration of a cool concept, clever plot, or a gang of lovable characters. I felt a sense of connection to these stories, as if they’d been imbued with life. It was like they’d been carved out of the soul of an author who didn’t just write the words, but lived and breathed them onto the page. The profound sense of how personal these stories are really hit me. I could tell they mattered. They were important. And that sense of importance carried across the whole book. The evident love that’s gone into these tales reached inside of me, and pulled me into this galaxy, heart-first.

The Shadow Galaxy is a crowd-pleasing collection from an author who really knows her craft. But it’s more than that. It’s a beautiful reminder of the light we hold within us. J. Dianne Dotson has shared her light. She’s not just created a galaxy of stories, but she’s managed to capture the essence of a life across these pages. And for that, she is an absolute star.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Wonderful Collection of Short Stories

The Shadow Galaxy captured my imagination and took me on some strange and cozy journeys in my brain. Some of the later stories on Appalachia really sent me back to my childhood days in a small, rural town in the south. I would recommend this collection of short stories if you enjoy tales of the wondrous and magical, whether in space, a fantasy realm, a horror setting or in your own backyard.

[Lyndsey Croal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun, pacy, and inventive collection filled with stories and poems across lots of genres, sci fi, horror, literary, and fantasy. Some really cool concepts in these tales, and I sped through reading this in a couple of days.

[Carol Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a diverse collection of short stories. They cover the genres of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. My favorite was “Autumn’s Dusk”

[Cheryl Peña · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The writing put me right in the middle of the stories, and each one was just enchanting and breathtaking. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

[Rowan Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first read of Dotson's and I think it was such a good way to come to know her writing style and influences. There was the macabre in Appalachia, fantastical within an asteroid's belly, the scientific on far, distant worlds. I found hits of Ray Bradbury and Isaac Asimov, and loved all of them. If you are looking for one genre, this may not be for you, but for those who like flow and pull across genres, I would absolutely recommend.

[Clive · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and entertaining collection

Wide variety of fantasy, sf, horror and some nice personal stories and poems. A lot of them are quite short so it's a collection you can dip in or out of in brief moments. Overall it's a good read and quite imaginative. I will look for more publications by this author.

[Bradley Coyle-Nordell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been following this author for a long time, from the Questrison series to now. And these stories (and poems) showcase her talent as a new generation storyteller and visionary.

From the Appalachian mountains to love in the far future where one woman is able to see beyond a robots form into his heart and soul, to a grand party deep within the woods, Dotson takes readers through a true intergalactic journey, across planets and genres to showcase the power of storytelling and the heart of stars that exist in which one. There is a power to short stories that Bradbury and Asimov taught us, that at times, a novel can’t even tap into. A true story is powerful, whether it be 2000 words or 200,000 words. A true writer of short stories can excavate the power of that story in the brevity of their words. If you’re a fan of Bradbury, Asimov, Le Guin, or Martha Well, you need to add Dotson to your list. These stories (and poetry) reveal her strengths in character and worlds (that both feel far away and right at home), showcasing both love, exploration, and childlike discovery in all things beauty and right. As a writer myself, I believe a character is what makes a story, and Dotson is as good as any of classic scifi writers of our time.

And even with all that, you get the bonus poetry at the end. And as Dotson says in her poem Obsidian “I hold within my weathered hands, a heavy weight.” Well, for us readers, we hold within our hands that weight, and it is beautiful.

[Chris Langan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this collection of short stories and poems. Dotson's writing has an elegance that adds a lovely fullness to the settings and characters. "Rodor" stood out for me as an all too plausible premise with a lot of heart.

I must admit that I was a little skeptical when I saw some of the stories were only a page or two in length. But I am happy to admit that they were perfect bite-sized tales that lacked for nothing. In fact, those shorter stories brought a rare satisfaction when I was able to complete them during school pickup or waiting for dance class to be over.

Poetry is like a foreign language to me. I don't understand enough about it to know if someone makes a technical error, or a well-crafted masterstroke. But I do know when poetry sounds good and when it sounds bad and every poem in The Shadow Galaxy sounded excellent.

As with all great science fiction, this collection of stories and poems isn't just about starships and weird aliens and the pew pew pew. The characters and their struggles take center stage with captivating performances that will make The Shadow Galaxy a bright spot in anyone's reading list.

[KDS · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had not read anything by this author previously, but that will change following my introduction through this fantastic anthology. Not only does the author show great skill in structuring an anthology to tell its own story through a loosely connecting theme (in this case loneliness), they also show extraordinary versatility across a mix of genres and an ability to write a story of any length - whether ten pages or merely one.

Including tales stretching from the alien menace of ‘A Hard Landing’ and ‘Topaz Sundered’ to the heartwarming comfort of ‘A Void Mage’ and ‘Roder’, these stories create an important, evocative anthology, demonstrating a talent and a voice that will be talked about in a pantheon of some of the greatest writers in genre fiction.

[Karen Ramsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book!

Most of the short stories left me wanting more of the story. Will there be a continuation of any short stories here?

[Michael H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found J. Dianne Dotson and her creative work on social media and was inspired to seek out her sci-fi novels and short story collection.

The Shadow Galaxy is a collection of fictional short stories and poetry.

I was spellbound from the first story onwards. J. Dianne Dotson has a gift for creating compelling, thoughtful and original worlds for her characters to explore and she frequently invites the reader into complex worlds via intimate short stories. She has a talent for shifting genres; moving with ease and confidence between fantasy, science-fiction and horror settings.

Themes I noticed while reading included, passion for adventure mixed with exploring outside of normal conventions, characters speaking in their truth and/or searching for their truth if their voices are being limited, and in almost all of the stories, an inspiring sense of love, hope and optimism (yes, even in the bleak stories!).

I adored all of the stories but I think I was most drawn towards, 'One Evening in Fogvale', 'Void Mage', 'The Scaffold', 'Roder', and 'Stolen Art'. Also, as a Los Angeles resident, 'The River of Rubies' is one of the best metaphors for LA traffic I've read.

I'm looking forward to reading more of the author's work and am excited to see where her career takes her.

[Matt Adcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

In space, no one can hear you scream ’Ooooo that’s a cool collection of short fiction and poetry from the cross-genre author, science writer, and artist J. Dianne Dotson!’

Doesn’t matter because once you’re caught in this heavy-duty attention-grabbing black hole of short stories and poetry, you will hardly have time to realise that you’ve been whisked off to magical realms, haunted by some fascinating ‘what if’ horror and fantasy and made to search your heart by some Appalachian tales.

Writing as J. Diane Dotson, Jendia Gammon journeys beyond the conventions of average sci-fi, she trips the light of fantastical oddities and takes you kicking and screaming into some very unnerving places. It all feels deeply personal capturing emotions, longing, regrets, and escapism and it’s written in an engaging and readable style that you won’t easily tire of.

RODER is my favourite of the tales – it is the snapshot of a young woman named Roan who risks her life to help find a robot who captured her heart. It’s a gripping and heart-melting burst of joy – and worth the price of admission on its own!!

[R. D. Trimble · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have bought and read all of J. Dianne Dotson’s works. In this collection of stories, she steps out of the confines of space opera and delves into a variety of tales. I am 1/3 through and feel like an addict, wanting to go back for more. There is horror here, there is a sense of history, and more importantly, a feeling that after only a few paragraphs, you feel a connection with the characters, even the ruthless pirate Longshanks. Twists and turns are aplenty and I dare say Dianne has outdone herself! Another 5 star and I remain one of her biggest fans!

[R.T. Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although I was somewhat disappointed that it came to an end so quickly! There is truly a story or poem for everyone in this collection, from sci fi to horror to odes to the hills and mountains that characterize the Appalachian region of the U.S. It's hard for me to choose a favorite among this gathering. Every story stands on its own, and it was a pleasure to read this debut from a rising author.

[Jeremy Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This new collection by SF novelist Dotson is a lovely little treasure box of stories. I particularly love how no two are alike (although more than their share have an overwhelming sense of dread and mystery about them!) - each is a window into a new, sometimes dark, always intriguing universe.

[Craig Hoffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a nice mix of short stories and poetry. It has a folksy sort of feel for the author's youth. That was good. It was a bit sort, especially at the price point. But the eBook version was worth it in my view.

[Roy Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was s good collection of varied short stories.
Particular favorites were:
The Glove and the Black Lantern
Sourwood Honey Days
Autumn's Dusk

[Alan Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely collection of diverse lit. Well written and a joy to read. Superb!

[J. Cygal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me -- it read like a first draft. I'm glad others liked it.

[Vanessa Krauss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every short story in here was quite well-written, polished; covers the entire range of speculative fiction, from science fiction, to fantasy, to horror. But a few months out, I can't remember being in love with any enough to be like, "This is it!" And if I recall correctly, was also how I felt about it when I finished.
Fundamentally, it's fine. There's nothing wrong with it. And as there is a lot of content, you may find the one that jives with you.