Review: A Futuristic Mix of of Apocalyptic Stories
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 14, 2013
There are 8 stories of a almost identifiable future Earth. Thoughtful and for the most part attention grabbing, some are a little uncomfortable to contemplate.FIVE STAR STORIES:***** LUCKY LUCY - my favorite in this book. Set in a time when clones are common due to a shortage of breed-able women. Basically a surprise serial killer story, but with something "extra" that I haven't been able to quite define to myself - just can't come to grips with it - something disquieting about this story.***** GARDEN LIGHT - my next "fave". A very agoraphobic man picks up broadcasts on his home communications equipment of horrible future research. This story had the highest creepy factor for me - very strange indeed.To me the above 2 stories alone would be worth the price of this book!FOUR STAR STORIES:**** THE FUTURE GUN - an interesting "first contact" story where (apparently) the coming aliens are preparing their way through a unique preparation of translators.**** THE EARTH EQUATION - A future murder mystery mystery that is also a touching love story.THREE STAR:*** LIVE - a maze contest where people are fighting for their lives with no understanding of where they really are and how they got picked for this nightmare. This type story has been done before with various amounts of success and has been the subject of many movies. Nothing really new here but still an interesting rendition of the style.*** LATE RETURNS - a story of madness and addictions. I had difficulty understanding the kind of society where books and reading were so controlled?SEPARATE MENTIONS:'CATCHPHASE' and 'IN STORE' stories - I haven't evaluated these very well and have not assigned any of my personal star * ratings because I don't believe I understood either one of these. They seem to be stories of future warning but against what? Big box stores, product advertising? I may have to reread and edit this at a later time, maybe I'll get more out of them after "digestion"?NOTE---The stories take up about half the manuscript length. The other half are beginning chapters of Shane Brown's novels, FAST and PLAZA. Please, for your own enjoyment, give these a try (and I have no relationship to Mr. Brown, either blood, or financial) but these are great action novels. Finding a gem like PLAZA is why I try new authors all the time, always searching for the next great read.