Times of Trouble Anthology
edited by Lane Adamson
345 pages
$5.99 Kindle version
While I appreciate a good science fiction story every now and then, I'm not really a fan of the genre...and I'm even less of a fan of the sub-genre of time travel. So, imagine my absolute SHOCK that, not only did I enjoy this anthology, I had nightmares and weeks of extremely vivid dreams because of this particular story collection. That has NEVER happened before...not for so long, with such intensity. I give full credit to the authors - I would call them highly imaginative, but that would be an understatement.
HIROSHIMA SUNFLOWERS by Stephen Gaskell has an emotional depth that I would never expect in this genre.
PREVIOUS by David Gullen gave me mixed feelings: in the beginning, I hated the characters, hated the sterile environment of the future, but, towards the end, I loved the characters and their interaction with the past.
THE SCAVENGER by Michael C. Lea is a great interaction of multiple time-travelers...the disruptive timelines, the squid...outstanding imagery - hell, even We Will Rock You was a small detail that made a huge impression. Definitely one of my favorites.
LITTLE GIRL LOST by Jeff Drake is a mix of Hellraiser and Lovecraft.
A TORNADO IN TIME by Craig DiLouie has a great explanation of time travel consequences; one of the best stories in the anthology.
LET ME TAKE YOU THERE by Rakie Keig is a touching love story. Absolutely a five star story!
TO RUN INDEFINITELY by Brian P. Easton is another story that stands out. I thoroughly enjoyed the perspective of the character, Oris.
THE GRANDFATHER CLAUSE by Jason S. Hornsby is depressing beyond words.
TEMPUS FUGITIVE by Rob Pegler and Thom Brannan is a story of exploitation.
MANDATORY WAITING PERIOD by Aaron Polson is one hell of a family feud!!
SCREWING CHRISTA by Wayne Helge is one of the most twisted stories in the collection, and also one of the best.
FORGETTING by Frank Farrar focuses more on our perception of the past.
DECOHERENCE by Mark Harding is another favorite...I loved all the storylines!
HOUNDED by Joshua Reynolds is a dark and twisted mindscrew.
THE TRANSCENDENTAL MAN by Timothy Martinez has an ending that I found to be quite pleasing.
RABID SEASON by Matthew Baugh is freaking HILARIOUS!!
MULLIGAN by Peter Clines is simply BRILLIANT and sure to be a favorite with all readers.
FACES OF NEFERTITI by Ruth Nestvold is another five star story that I would like to see turned into a full-length novel.
BIODEGRADABLE by Gregory L. Norris truly stood out from all the others in the collection.
THE TIME TRAVELER'S LATE WIFE by Stan Timmons is a ZOMBIE story!!
A HATFUL OF YESTERDAY by Lane Adamson has a confusing ending that I'm still trying to work out...
AMONG FLOWERS AND BONES by Frank Summers is a quiet ending to the anthology.
Honestly, you don't even have to be a fan of science fiction to appreciate the creativity that went into each and every one of these stories. It's a fantastic mix of authors, and will most likely be my top pick of anthologies for 2015.
As always,
AstraDaemon
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