In a Nutshell: A short story focussed on regrets of the past and making amends even when it might be too late. By far, the best story of this collectiIn a Nutshell: A short story focussed on regrets of the past and making amends even when it might be too late. By far, the best story of this collection. Loved the emotions and the realism. Much recommended.
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Mina Pak Johnson, a widow after more than five decades of marriage, is clearing out her house before she is to move into a nursing home. At the back of her husband’s closet, she finds a picnic basket – an old forgotten wedding present from her mother. This discovery leads to the awakening of past memories and regrets. As Mina looks at the decisions of her youth with a guilty heart, she decides to finally do something that was intended but never done. The story comes to us in Mina’s third-person perspective.
This is the seventh and final story in the ‘Good Intentions’ series, described on Amazon as “a riveting collection of stories about the instincts, fears, and fierce love inherent in motherhood.’
Ladies and gentlemen, we finally have a winner in this series!
‘A Planned Occasion’ is the shortest story of this collection at just 27 pages, and yet, easily the most impactful one in terms of its implementation of the theme, its use of the plotline, the emotions it generates, the realistic characters, and the poignant ending. To be fair, the story is more about the regrets of couple-hood than the instincts and fears of motherhood as mentioned in the theme, but a part of the plot does deal with motherhood, so I’ll give it some grace marks.
Loved the title – so perfect for the story. Loved the Korean representation through the culture and the food. Loved the genuine marriage rep, complete with love, arguments, misunderstandings, open communication, patience, and forgiveness.
I am so glad I kept this story last! It’s great to end a series on a good note, even if the rest was forgettable. This is my first Angie Kim and I'd love to read more of her works.
Much recommended to those who love short stories of the women’s fiction genre. This tale gets a tad emotional (never soppy, though!), so if you are the crying kind, keep tissues around.
4.5 stars.
This standalone story is a part of the “Good Intentions” collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
In a Nutshell: A thought-provoking short story about the insecurities and resilience of motherhood. The epistolary format adds to the experience.
~~~~~In a Nutshell: A thought-provoking short story about the insecurities and resilience of motherhood. The epistolary format adds to the experience.
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Our unnamed narrator is a daughter, living miles away from the mother who has taught her everything she knows, right from basic chores such as cooking and cleaning to behavioural patterns such as staying quiet when your husband hits you and sacrificing your needs for the sake of your family’s. After marriage, the daughter begins to wonder if this is all there is to life. And if she can aim for more. As she writes to her mother about her thoughts over the years, she comes to understand intergenerational trauma, and how someone has to take a step to break the vicious cycle of quiet acceptance. The story is written in the first-person perspective of the daughter, as a letter addressed to her mother.
This is the fifth standalone story in the 'Good Intentions’ series, described on Amazon as “a riveting collection of stories about the instincts, fears, and fierce love inherent in motherhood.”
The synopsis indicates clearly that this story is going to be introspective, depicting the struggling emotions as well as the resilience of women caught in tricky domestic situations. The approach of presenting this story as a letter addressed to the mother is a clever one, as we feel like we get an inside view of the pain of the narrator as well her conflicting feelings over her mother’s statements.
The story addresses quite a few strong themes, including toxic parenting, intergenerational trauma, the desperate need for parental approval, mental health issues, and women’s liberation from restrictive traditions. It also shows how women overthink matters far more than men, and in the process hurt themselves more. The male-dominant Palestinian culture, which was so visible in this author’s ‘A Woman is No Man’, comes out clearly in this story as well.
There are many thought-provoking quotes in the book, some being lines by famed philosophers, and some being original thoughts within the story. One of my favourites is this: “Most of all, I wanted to unlearn all the shame. I wanted to learn how to love and honor myself so I could know how to love and honor my children.”
Within just 52 pages, Rum manages to convey convincingly a women’s emotional upheavals without even letting us know her identity. This lack of a name makes her experience feel personal as well as universal.
The ending is somewhat bittersweet, though I suppose it works decently for the story, culminating at a point of hope and dreams than at further perpetuating the negativities onto the next generation. But something about the ending doesn’t sit right by me. I am not a fan of the narrator’s decision. Not wanting to sacrifice any more in a marriage doesn’t mean that one ought to be totally selfish. Surely there is a middle-ground! I didn’t find that particular decision justified in the circumstances. A small complaint for an otherwise great short fiction.
Recommended to short story fans who enjoy culturally-inclusive writing.
4 stars.
This standalone story is a part of the ‘Good Intentions’ collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
Just one more story to go in this series. Will it be a 5 star? Time will tell!
In a Nutshell: A beautiful story about a mother’s love and sacrifice. Thought-provoking, sentimental and bittersweet. The ending didn’t work for me, tIn a Nutshell: A beautiful story about a mother’s love and sacrifice. Thought-provoking, sentimental and bittersweet. The ending didn’t work for me, though I am sure many readers will love it. Finally, this collection is swinging upwards!
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WWII-era France. Marie Vachon has been taking care of a little Jewish refugee named Josiane. After the death of her only son during the war, Marie immerses herself fully in taking care of the new child in her life. After three years, both Marie and Josiane love each other in a parental bond. Then comes the end of the war, and the news that Josiane’s mother is safe, and wants her child back. But is it that easy to give up on a piece of your heart? The story comes to us in Marie’s third person perspective.
This is the fourth standalone story in the 'Good Intentions’ series, described on Amazon as “a riveting collection of stories about the instincts, fears, and fierce love inherent in motherhood.”
Finally, I found a beautiful story in this collection, befitting the theme of motherhood and the sacrifices that are an inherent part of this role. Josiane and Marie’s strong bond comes out beautifully through the writing, as does the uncertainty Marie feels when she learns that Josiane’s mom is back. The story tackles the emotions of the characters well. I loved this line: “It isn't brave when it is the only thing to do.”
The author’s note reveals how Jewish children were parted from their parents during WWII to keep them safe. As she has already written historical fiction novels focussing on the downside of such incidents, she deliberately chose to write a happy-ish story about a child who was lucky enough to end up with a loving foster family and to focus on the foster mother for a change, as most such stories focus more on the child and the troubles they face away from their parents.
This would have rated higher for me had the ending been different. I don’t want to go into spoilers, so I can’t reveal much about why I was a bit disgruntled with it. But it felt too good to be true, and didn’t suit the realistic tone of the story. I know many readers will love it, so don’t be dissuaded by my downvote.
This is my first work by Kristin Harmel, and seeing how she presents her characters and their feelings, I am not surprised at her popularity among historical fiction readers. I’d love to read her full-length works.
Definitely recommended to short fiction and historical fiction fans, as long as you like sentimental stories.
4 stars.
This standalone story is a part of the ‘Good Intentions’ collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
In a Nutshell: A short story about a woman who suddenly discovers that her identity isn’t what she has been told. Thought-provoking. Does not follow tIn a Nutshell: A short story about a woman who suddenly discovers that her identity isn’t what she has been told. Thought-provoking. Does not follow the typical path of such stories. Leaves some questions unanswered. A good mood-read.
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About a year after her mother’s death, as Dina is making plans for her fortieth birthday, her stepfather reveals to her something that changes her entire perception of her childhood. As she struggles to make sense of what she knows through her memories and what she can recollect through some old photographs, Dina is forced to confront some hard truths about her past, and about what makes a mother a mother. The story comes to us in Dina’s second-person perspective.
This is the third standalone story in the 'Good Intentions’ series, described on Amazon as “a riveting collection of stories about the instincts, fears, and fierce love inherent in motherhood.”
I don't want to get into spoilers, so I’ll just say: the big reveal that changes Dina's perception of her identity is a fairly common one in women's fiction. However, the manner in which the author has tackled it in this story is uncommon, and that makes all the difference. Add in the fact that Dina is almost forty – an age when we already know who we are and where we belong, and what we have is an otherwise-mature person struggling to be mature while facing the unexpected.
The narrative being Dina's, and the storyline being about a life-changing reveal, the plot is mostly introspective, focussing on the past and trying to filter through the memories to get to the truth. The only key character other than Dina is 'Steppie', her stepfather, whose role also does not fit into how stepfathers are typically depicted in fiction.
With the other key characters being just alluded to, the journey traversed by this tale is one of whys and what-ifs. Dina attempts to fill in the gaps of her past, but with only Steppie around to fit in a few of the many missing pieces of the jigsaw, there are some unanswered questions even at the end. Then again, that’s how life functions - we don’t always find all the answers we are looking for.
The titular 'deluge' refers not only to the deluge of memories that flood Dina's mind but also to a physical deluge in the form of a river flood. In that sense, this story can be called the aftermath of a disaster, with the disaster being both natural and human-made.
The second-person point of view adds to our involvement by making us one with the narrative, even though we might not have gone through a similar situation in our lives. I'm anyway slightly biased towards this voice, and it's a bonus when an author handles it well.
Why not a higher rating then? Because of these issues: ...more
In a Nutshell: A short story that tells us more about Poppy, one of the minor characters in the novel, ‘The Ways We Hide’. Works perfectly as a standaIn a Nutshell: A short story that tells us more about Poppy, one of the minor characters in the novel, ‘The Ways We Hide’. Works perfectly as a standalone. The story has some interesting themes, but I would have like a greater exploration of certain emotions and a limited range of topics. Decent as a one-time read.
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1962, Virginia. Ever since the news highlighted some potential danger to the US through the USSR and Cuba, Poppy has been left unsure of her pregnancy. She wonders not just whether it is the right time to bring a child into the world, but also whether certain events from her past make her the right person to be a mother. As the story progresses, she realises that unless she faces the past, she cannot prepare herself for the future. The story comes to us in Poppy’s third person perspective.
This is the second standalone story in the 'Good Intentions’ series, described on Amazon as “a riveting collection of stories about the instincts, fears, and fierce love inherent in motherhood.”
The introductory note by the author reveals how she came up with the decision to write Poppy’s Story. Until I read this note, I had no idea that Poppy was a minor character in the author’s WWII novel, ‘The Ways We Hide’, a book I have read but only remember vaguely. Thankfully, the story is a standalone, and though there are allusions to Fenna Vos, the main character from the novel, there is no gap in understanding the events of this story even without knowing who Fenna is.
I liked Poppy’s character, especially her portrayal as a teacher and her struggle to accept some events from the past. However, as she takes so long to ponder over an important decision, a substantial portion of the story feels very repetitive in its exploration of her thoughts.
Moreover, the story took on too much. I don’t want to reveal much beyond the missile uncertainty, but there seemed to be a wide array of things troubling Poppy, and this overload of topics killed the importance of each individual issue.
One hurdle in connecting with Poppy came from my side. I have no idea about the “Cuban Missile Crisis” of 1962, and the story doesn’t offer any details except the bare minimum. (Not that I blame it – it is just a short story of 44 pages, after all.) Perhaps those who are aware of the events of 1962 will be able to understand the environment Poppy lives in and the reason for her reaction.
I did, however, connect slightly better with her fears about the impending motherhood. The world always seems a scary place when you think of bringing a baby into it, so it was interesting to see how Poppy grappled between her past trauma and her present confusion to ensure her future peace of mind. Then again, did I feel emotionally impacted by Poppy’s fears? No. Somehow, the writing keeps her distanced from us.
Poppy’s husband Everett could have been an interesting character, but we barely get to know him. The story is, as the title suggests, Poppy’s, and Poppy’s alone. But certain more details about their married life and Everett’s general nature would have helped us understand why she was so unwilling to trust him with her news. It couldn’t have been just that one reason.
All in all, a decent story with some good themes, but it doesn’t pack as big an emotional punch as I had hoped for. It might have worked better had I connected more with Poppy. If you read this, I hope you do. It’s free, so there’s nothing to lose at least in the financial sense.
2.5 stars.
This standalone story is a part of the ‘Good Intentions’ collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
This collection is not going well for me so far. Fingers crossed for the next story! All the remaining stories have strong ratings on GR, so I do have hope.
In a Nutshell: A thought-provoking short story about how second chances work. A bit stretched out in content, but great introspection.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~In a Nutshell: A thought-provoking short story about how second chances work. A bit stretched out in content, but great introspection.
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Autumn isn’t in a great emotional place. After eight years of marriage, her relationship with her husband seems to be almost dead. Combine this with the emotional baggage from childhood when her father abandoned their family for another woman and her mother became an alcoholic to cope with her grief, and the bittersweet news that Autumn is finally pregnant. Autumn thus has a lot to deal with. Can she let go of the past in order to give her future a better chance? The story comes to us in Autumn’s third person perspective across two timelines.
This is the sixth standalone story in the 'Good Intentions’ series, described on Amazon as “a riveting collection of stories about the instincts, fears, and fierce love inherent in motherhood.” (I usually go in series order, but this time, I decided to begin from the lowest-rated ones on GR and work my way upwards.)
There’s nothing bad per se about this story. It has some flawed humans. It sheds light on how childhood trauma can affect adult decisions. It describes the uncertainty of being the vulnerable one in a marriage. It shows the trauma of being forced to parent your parent. It highlights the emotional grief that can come after a loved one abandons you. It also shows how simple incidents in our day-to-day life can offer great learnings. This last point is depicted through Autumn’s work as a marine scientist. The past timeline serves to highlight the incidents that led to Autumn’s behaviour in the present timeline.
In other words, there are plenty of great arcs in this story. But when the page count is just 35 pages, it feels like a bit cluttered. There are too many subplots, and while the ending still handles the situation well, I felt like I couldn’t bond with any of the characters because of the hurried exploration of emotions. The writing was also needlessly poetic at times. While this is okay in long fiction, a short work with so many subplots doesn’t afford much leeway for metaphorical writing.
That said, the story fits the theme of the collection perfectly. Because of the introspective tone of the writing, the story offers an insight into Autumn’s journey of healing and forgiveness and also depicts the importance of communication. I even felt sorry for one character, but I totally understand where the other character was coming from – forgiveness isn’t always easy.
All in all, a decent introspective story. Not a must read but a good one when you need something to ponder over. Don’t pick it up if you prefer likeable leads.
3 stars.
This standalone story is a part of the ‘Good Intentions’ collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
In a Nutshell: A short story about a mother and daughter ready to begin the next phase of their lives. Interesting from start to end, but it never feeIn a Nutshell: A short story about a mother and daughter ready to begin the next phase of their lives. Interesting from start to end, but it never feels mind-blowing. End result: meh. A one-time read.
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Charlie’s mom Sandra is a successful magician who has been entertaining audiences for decades. Her special act is when she levitates in air, with no one able to understand how she defies gravity. After all these years in New York, Sandra has now approached Charlie with a bombshell: she is moving to Santa Fe. The timing couldn’t have been worse, as Charlie herself is expecting, and the house where she lives with her husband is still not done with renovations. The story comes to us in Charlie’s first-person perspective.
This is the first standalone story in the 'Good Intentions’ series, described on Amazon as “a riveting collection of stories about the instincts, fears, and fierce love inherent in motherhood.”
There are many good things about this story. The plot is steady from start to end. The characters are also interesting, what with one magician who has her secrets, one daughter who is apprehensive about the future , one husband who stays calm even in times of stress, and one contractor who seems to be least bothered about his commitments. The plot progression is good, and while there is no settled ending, it is still a decent one.
Despite all this, I was not that impressed.
The story leaves unanswered many things related to characters and their decisions in the past and the present. So somehow, there’s a feeling of incompleteness even after the story is complete. I wish that at least Sandra’s secret to “flying” successfully had been revealed, but like a true magician, she doesn’t spill the beans on her technique. As she was a first-time to-be-grandma, I was surprised how she chose the sixth month of her daughter’s pregnancy to leave the city she had been in all her life. Granted, she has the right to her own life, but surely there should have been some expression of regret for not being there for such a momentous occasion – the birth of her first grandchild.
All in all, this is a decent tale, but not impactful. It had tremendous promise, but it just didn’t meet the potential.
Works for a one-time read. At just 25 pages, it won’t take much of your time, and it won’t even stay in your head for a long time.
2.5 stars.
This standalone story is a part of the ‘Good Intentions’ collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
Kudos to the cover artist! This entire story series has stunning cover art.
A witty essay by George Orwell, taking a frank look at book reviewers and their tribulations.
If the above makes you think that this essay is sympatheA witty essay by George Orwell, taking a frank look at book reviewers and their tribulations.
If the above makes you think that this essay is sympathetic to book reviewers, well… not exactly. We do get some support through lines such as this one: “…the prolonged, indiscriminate reviewing of books is a quite exceptionally thankless, irritating and exhausting job. It not only involves praising trash […] but constantly INVENTING reactions towards books about which one has no spontaneous feelings whatever.”
But there is also enough light thrown upon the shortcuts taken by professional reviewers when they have to review material that they have no idea about, or worse, when they have to review an unappetising book without castigating it publicly.
The tone in the essay is sarcastically humorous, and strongly underlined with honesty.
Orwell’s literary work profile involved book reviewing, so the frustration in the essay possibly reflects his own.
Well… At least the reviewer in the essay is paid for his efforts.
3.5 stars.
This essay was first printed in The Tribune on 3rd May 1946.
On an aside, I wonder what Orwell would have had to say about ARC reviewers. And the book market as it is today. Were he alive, I would have insisted on a modernised sequel to this article.
Read eons ago. Realised just now that I haven't updated it on GR. Don't even remember the details except the poor tired boy on the rocking chair horseRead eons ago. Realised just now that I haven't updated it on GR. Don't even remember the details except the poor tired boy on the rocking chair horse! But a good classic short story. Ought to be free on various sites online as it is in the public domain....more
In a Nutshell: A bittersweet story filled with human emotions even though the central character is an android. This short story is a precursor to KlunIn a Nutshell: A bittersweet story filled with human emotions even though the central character is an android. This short story is a precursor to Klune’s ‘In the Lives of Puppets’. Much recommended to short fiction lovers, even if you haven’t read the book.
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After almost a decade of service in a factory, “Douglas”, an android, is given a week of mandatory vacation in the world before he has to return and be reprogrammed. What happens during this week?
Nothing can match the joy of reading a well-written story, long or short. And this, my friends, is an extremely well-written short story.
‘Reduce! Reuse! Recycle!’ is the precursor to TJ Klune’s ‘In the Lives of Puppets’. However, the story works perfectly as a standalone, and you won’t get any spoilers about the novel if you get to this first. (That said, if you still haven’t read the book, please do so!)
Anything I reveal about the plot will spoil the magic of first-hand reading. So better to read this 32-page short story for yourself and experience its beauty. The start of the story is a bit slow, but stick with it, because the journey gets poignant as it proceeds. The ending is bittersweet but perfect.
It is so strange that this tale gives rise to such a variety of emotions, even though the main character is devoid of human sentiments. You can’t help but root for Douglas. You share his thrill and heartbreaks as he progresses through that final week, though Douglas himself doesn’t feel anything. Or does he?
This is my first time actually *reading* TJ Klune. (I had read ‘In the Lives of Puppets’ through the audio version.) He seems to have a fondness for short sentences. I am not usually a fan of such staccato writing, but it works excellently for the story, probably because the third person voice is that of a robot. As is usual with this author’s works, the story is LGBTQIA+-friendly.
Strongly recommended to every short fiction lover. If you haven’t yet read a TJ Klune, this would be a great way of sampling his writing. And if you are already a fan, you definitely ought not miss this marvellous gem.
4.75 stars.
This story made its first appearance in the trade paperback edition of ‘In the Lives of Puppets’. However, as it is also available on the Reactor Magazine site (earlier called Tor.com), you can read it free online using the below link: https://reactormag.com/reduce-reuse-r...
The audio version of this story is narrated by Daniel Henning, and trust me, had I access to the audio version, I’d have definitely chosen to hear this tale because Henning is outstanding.
In a Nutshell: A long short story focussed on an elderly couple whose life changes after the wife is admitted to hospice care (possibly for Alzheimer’In a Nutshell: A long short story focussed on an elderly couple whose life changes after the wife is admitted to hospice care (possibly for Alzheimer’s) after almost fifty years of marriage. Good writing, unlikable narrator, overload of tropes, flat ending. Not a good start to my exploration of Alice Munro’s works.
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After almost fifty years of marriage, Grant has to let go of his wife Fiona when her memory issues lead to her being admitted to hospice care. When Grant goes to visit her after the mandatary one-month adjustment period, he is dismayed to find that Fiona is emotionally attached to another patient. As Grant ponders over their decades together, he realises what he needs to do to win back Fiona’s affections.
If the above makes you think that it is a story of love, you are not right. It is a story of hypocrisy.
This work explores the complications of human relationships, especially in the face of a challenge such as a devastating medical diagnosis. It presents a complex exploration of love, whether demanded, anticipated, or provided.
As this was my first Alice Munro story, I had had high hopes considering her stalwart reputation in short fiction. But I wasn’t blown away by this tale, which is really surprising as it promised to be emotionally intense. I think a part of the reason is that the characters didn’t endear themselves to me, despite their circumstances. Grant is especially annoying in the way he comments on women and their bodies without even realising his objectification. Typical of so many people of his generation! As the story comes from his third person perspective, it was tougher to connect with the proceedings as he seemed to ask for sympathy without deserving it. How can one sympathize with such a manipulative character, even when his machinations are subtle?
Another reason is that I am not fond of the infidelity trope, whether it is justified or not. And it is even more annoying when the infidelity is casually swept aside without any emotional evaluation.
The ending probably meant to be impressive but was just meh to me. A couple of my friends found it heartwarming, but I am stumped at that claim. Maybe I did miss something!
Basically, the writing style is good, but the characters are not appealing, the plot development is lacklustre, and the scene transitions are abrupt.
The title is a derivation from a children’s campfire song "The Bear Went Over the Mountain", which talks of a bear climbing a mountain with determination, only to find disappointment on the other side. Our bear in this case is Grant, who, at seventy years of age, has already climbed “over” the mountain, and still not happy with what he has, is constantly looking for and hoping for more.
A decent story if you want to try out this author’s writing, though I have no idea if it is among her acclaimed works or not. It’s free, so it’s not like you would lose anything. Frankly speaking, I was hoping for way better.
2.5 stars.
This story originally appeared in the December 27, 1999 issue of The New Yorker. You can read it online from this link: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
In a Nutshell: An intelligent sci-fi short story but essentially plotless. Suited to a mood when you just wanted to hear someone talk than for when yoIn a Nutshell: An intelligent sci-fi short story but essentially plotless. Suited to a mood when you just wanted to hear someone talk than for when you want to read some sci-fi action. I might have liked it better had I been prepared for something more introspective.
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There’s no plot! The entire story is a rambling narrative in the first person point of view of a sentient spaceship who reveals to us its origin at the hands of humans, the purpose behind its existence, and its current and future intent. All this is told to us while it is on a long journey lasting millions of years.
This is the sixth and final standalone story in 'The Far Reaches’ series, described on Amazon as “a collection of science-fiction stories that stretch the imagination and open the heart.”
In a Nutshell: An interesting character-oriented short story with a decent blend of science fiction, human flaws, and Afrofuturism sparkle. The endingIn a Nutshell: An interesting character-oriented short story with a decent blend of science fiction, human flaws, and Afrofuturism sparkle. The ending was a bit disappointing, but overall, it was still better than I had anticipated. (It helped to have low expectations.)
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Tornado Onwubiko, a young Nigerian girl, is one of only seven people from earth who have been genetically matched for an inter-stellar journey supposed to last ten years. Halfway into the travel, Tornado will be meeting the other six travellers for the very first time, at a location just outside of Jupiter’s gravitational reach. After five years of being isolated in their custom spaceships, how will the seven travellers react to human company, especially when their rendezvous is supposed to last only for a week? The story comes to us from Tornado’s first-person perspective.
This is the fifth standalone story in 'The Far Reaches’ series, described on Amazon as “a collection of science-fiction stories that stretch the imagination and open the heart.”
The first two stories in this collection were great for me and the next two were absolute duds. So I was a bit apprehensive about how this one would go. Thankfully, it was a pleasant enough experience, though it could have gone even better.
The story reads more like a drama, just with an unusual locational setting on the outskirts of Jupiter and some innovative spacecraft. It contains enough of sci-fi to make it feel like sci-fi and yet not so much as would boggle sci-fi newbies. As Tornado is a layperson who gets to travel in space because of her genetics than her geeky brains, she knows just the bare minimum of the science behind the customised spacecraft. Hence the content never seems too techy, though it is quite complex a concept. Of course, if you want more technical sci-fi content, you might be disappointed.
The sentient spacecraft, the seven ‘Miri’, are the highlight of this tale. Most of their functioning is kept off the page (for the above-mentioned reason), but whatever little we know about them is more than intriguing.
The plot focusses on the emotions and the people as much as on the tech, which also has emotions of its own. So overall, it feels more like a relatable human story than like an obscure sci-fi narrative. As this is a character-focussed piece, we get to know the various characters as well as possible within a 45-page narrative. The writing comes in Tornado’s first-person perspective, so her insights on the other travellers are our only clues to their behaviour. But each of them has a distinct personality, and not necessarily a goody-goody one, which makes their interactions interesting.
As is typical with African SFF authors, there is a strong focus on the local culture. The blend between the place and the futuristic scenario is impeccable. Afrofuturism holds one of the best aesthetics for me in sci-fi writing because of its intricate traditional + post-modern medley.
The main reason my rating dropped a lot was the final quarter, or rather two particular plot points in that section. One of these, I never enjoy as a trope. I don’t want to go into spoilers, so I’ll just say I wish the story had not gone in that direction. The other one was such a huge red flag that I didn’t understand why Tornado’s opinion about said person didn’t change after that incident. It was a trust-shattering event that passed by with barely any reaction. Would she have felt the same had it been her pet cat instead of the other (magnificent) pet?
There are a couple of things left unanswered, but not so much as to make you feel like the ending left you hanging. Then again, the plot points that aren’t tackled are significant ones, so if you want all I’s dotted and all T’s crossed, this story isn’t for you.
This author is highly acclaimed for her Afro sci-fi writing. While I do want to read her Binti trilogy and the Akata Witch series, I have experience her works only in her short fiction. Her story in the Black Stars series, ‘Black Pages’, was an absolute dud for me, while her short story collection, ‘Kabu Kabu’, went much better. Having read this story, I now have a better sense of her writing style and know that she will deliver on the SFF angle even when she doesn’t deliver on the plot development.
Recommended, but not as a must-read. It is a creative story that needs a bit more refining to be memorable. It would have been fabulous as a novel because there’s much to explore with the Miri concept.
3.5 stars, rounding down for Chandra. IYKYK.
This standalone story is a part of the 'The Far Reaches’ collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
In a Nutshell: A sci-fi short featuring a very unusual “alien” and their dreams and disappointments. Attempt to be deep but ends up bland. Might work In a Nutshell: A sci-fi short featuring a very unusual “alien” and their dreams and disappointments. Attempt to be deep but ends up bland. Might work better for those who enjoy pointless, philosophical tales.
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Plot Preview:
Narr is a slug-like “person” working for humans who came to their planet some years ago. The humans tower over Narr’s species in size, but within the aliens’ work group, Narr is the boss, directing their coworkers to dig and burrow in a better manner. However, when Narr discovers how shortlived their species is, they go on a mission to discover the truth about death and what can be done to extend life. Their quest involves a better future for themselves, their fellow locals, and for the humans as well. How will such a difficult journey of self-discovery pan out? The story comes to us in Narr’s first person perspective.
This is the fourth standalone story in 'The Far Reaches’ series, described on Amazon as “a collection of science-fiction stories that stretch the imagination and open the heart.”
In a Nutshell: A sci-fi story that is utterly muddled up in its intent as well as content. Plus, it was too YA for my taste, so not much chance of enjIn a Nutshell: A sci-fi story that is utterly muddled up in its intent as well as content. Plus, it was too YA for my taste, so not much chance of enjoying this.
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Plot Preview:
Several light years away from home, Ira has been given a second chance to be just a regular college student with all signs of his past locked. No more is he seen as a poster-child orphan adopted by a Genteel alien as a social experiment, nor is he the Earther who barely knows his planet, nor is he a criminal anymore. But when certain events begin to unravel Ira’s decision to stay away from trouble, he needs to figure out where his loyalties lie. The story is written in Ira’s first-person perspective.
This is the third standalone story in 'The Far Reaches’ series, described on Amazon as “a collection of science-fiction stories that stretch the imagination and open the heart.” Of the three stories I have read so far in this series, this is, by far, the worst one.
As the story comes to us in Ira’s first person point of view, and Ira happens to be a college student, we get to experience the negative side of YA writing, with barely any character development, loads of rambling, and a focus only on ‘I, me, myself.’ All this would still have been acceptable had we got to understand what motivated Ira. But the inner voice mumblings barely help us know the main character.
The premise could have saved this tale had it actually “stretched the imagination and opened the heart” as promised. But the Earthers and the Genteels are poorly constructed metaphors for the indigenous and the white colonists, and hence, within 35 pages, the story tries to throw in everything possible about cultural appropriation and the ills of colonisation without any eye on the plot development or story flow. No theme, no matter how well intended, works if it is shoved into our faces so vehemently and illogically.
Even a healthy dash of the genre might have helped the tale. But sci-fi isn’t just the random incorporation of terms such as “light years” and “aliens” and “holograph” while keeping the rest of the story focussed only on the character. There is barely any memorable sci-fi angle in this story. You could have just transported it to Africa or Asia or any other colonised location and it would be the same.
The ending was a surprise. Or rather, a shocker. What was the point of the story then if that’s the supposed solution?
The only reason this story gets two stars is for that premise highlighting the internal struggle faced by natives in the face of forced submission to the more powerful authorities, whether colonisers or own oppressive governments. To what extent do you compromise in order to survive? When do you finally say, ‘Enough is enough’? As the recent elections in Russia prove, survival sometimes involves taking a morally dicey decision if it can keep you and your family safe. Given a choice between choosing right and staying alive, most ordinary humans will opt for the latter.
In short, great intent, average execution. Not recommended except to those who want to read a free story.
2 stars.
This standalone story is a part of the 'The Far Reaches’ collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
In a Nutshell: A murder investigation… on an intergalactic spacecraft! I liked the investigation more than the revelation, but a good short story noneIn a Nutshell: A murder investigation… on an intergalactic spacecraft! I liked the investigation more than the revelation, but a good short story nonetheless.
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Plot Preview:
Ace works as a “janitor” on the intergalatic luxury cruise craft called Redundancy. Travelling faster than light, Redundancy transports its passengers within and across solar systems. During the journey through the void, it is effectively cut off from communication and external resources. So when a dead body is discovered in the ship’s “garden”, the upper deck concierge Tertio Polaris takes over the investigation. But Ace knows that she has to get involved. After all, she knew the passenger – a sweet old man; she knows much about murder investigation thanks to binge-watching her favourite detective show; and she doesn’t trust Tertio. The story comes to us in Ace’s limited third person perspective.
This is the second standalone story in 'The Far Reaches’ series, described on Amazon as “a collection of science-fiction stories that stretch the imagination and open the heart.”
The story has a good balance between science fiction and murder mystery, but rather than being restricted to these alone, it also offers an interesting insight into human beings and their emotions. The sci-fi elements are stunning, whether talking about the spacecraft or the various destinations or the impact of trans-galactic travel on the human body, or even the titular “void” – the dark part of space with limited galaxies or stars.
The murder mystery aspect is also mostly great, considering the constraints of length. We have only a few suspects because of the limited number of characters, but the investigation angle, though straightforward, holds attention.
The only part of the story I didn’t like was the resolution of the mystery, which turned out to be more typical than I expected from such an “stellar” setting. Regardless, I am not a mystery fan anyway, so I am not surprised at this outcome.
What makes the story more interesting is the characters. Right from a main character such as Ace to a minor character such as Abid, the humans on board have complicated personae. This is surprising for a short fiction work, where character detailing usually gets sidelined in favour of plot.
In short, I loved the sci-fi, liked the characters, found the mystery okay. A nice quick read at just 50 pages. Recommended to sci-fi fans, and those scifi-resistant mystery fans who might want to check out an unusual setting for their favourite genre.
3.75 stars.
This standalone story is a part of the 'The Far Reaches’ collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
In a Nutshell: A short story about an interstellar mission, or perhaps, a story about thousands of interstellar missions. Human emotions plus astronomIn a Nutshell: A short story about an interstellar mission, or perhaps, a story about thousands of interstellar missions. Human emotions plus astronomical challenges. Unusual, intelligent, thought-provoking. A good story for sci-fi fans.
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Plot Preview:
Roy Court and his crew are among the few chosen to be scanned and sent to Earth-like exoplanets in the hope of continuing the Earth’s civilisation on new abodes. The twist is that it’s not just one crew that has been sent. The whole team has been duplicated multiples times through the scans and each dispatched to a separate location in the far reaches of space. With so many possibilities for the future, humankind might have a good chance of success, right? Roy, meanwhile, is still battling remnant feelings for his ex-wife as scanned from his original Earth body. Can an old relationship be healed in a new world?
This is the first standalone story in 'The Far Reaches’ series, described on Amazon as “a collection of science-fiction stories that stretch the imagination and open the heart.”
There’s not much I can talk about this story without spoiling it. The preview above offers the essence of the premise, and the title tells you the result, “how it unfolds.”
This science fiction short has a lot of techie content (which, at times, gets overwhelming), but it doesn’t stop at being ‘astronauts surviving in space’. I love the way it explores human emotions and existential philosophy within the sci-fi structure. The non-linear narrative adds to the challenge as well as the charm.
The premise is so amazing that I wish this could have been a longer story. It has so much to offer! Regardless, the story also works in its current condensed form, but a few things are left to our imagination. In other words, it is an intelligent story and it trusts in the intelligence of its readers to fill in the gaps.
This is my first story by writer duo “James S.A. Corey”, who seem to have written a plethora of books in a long-running series titled ‘The Expanse.’ As I am not a fan of such extended works, I will just keep my fingers crossed that they will pen a standalone novel or another short fiction work in future so that I can read more of their works.
Definitely recommended to sci-fi short fiction fans looking for an unusual read. If you want a simple and straightforward space exploration story, stay away. This has been a great beginning to this series and I’m looking forward to find out what other far reaches await me in the remaining five stories.
4 stars.
This standalone story is a part of the 'The Far Reaches’ collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
In a Nutshell: A short story combining a psych thriller and a legal drama. Nicely written, but didn’t hit me as hard as I thought it would. Still, a dIn a Nutshell: A short story combining a psych thriller and a legal drama. Nicely written, but didn’t hit me as hard as I thought it would. Still, a decent finish to this Amazon story collection.
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Plot Preview:
Nick Collins has just been handed his first client accused of murder, a welcome change from his typical civil case clientele. As he strives to find the truth, he discovers that the small town in which his client Ryan is imprisoned has its own way of doing things. Unless he finds some concrete proof about Ryan’s innocence, Ryan seems to have already been judged guilty. Can Nick save Ryan? Is Ryan truly innocent?
This is the fifth and final standalone story in the 'We Could be Heroes’ series, described on Amazon as “a darkly inquisitive collection of short stories that examines heroic intentions versus their real-life consequences.”
I enjoy psych thrillers (when well written) as well as legal dramas. So this story should have been a winner. But somehow, the swing in tempo and style resulted in a hodgepodge reading experience.
With a title like this, I didn't know what to expect. The series has consistently focussed on people being ‘heroes’ and the outcome of their heroism, not always positive. In that sense, this story was more or less as expected. No surprises to offer, at all. Moreover, the title ‘Kill Night’ isn’t exactly indicative of the whole story, just of the first chapter.
Chapter 1, which comes from Ryan’s third-person perspective, is a cracker! I picked up this story before bedtime, and when I reached the end of the first chapter, I regretted not having waited till morning. However, the next chapter shifted gears into Nick’s pov, and when I say ‘shifted gears’, I don’t mean just the change of character perspective but also the change of genre into drama mode and the alteration of tone from dark to general. This immediately dampened the high, and I actually went to sleep in between the story at about the midway mark. Imagine that! Just a 58-page story and I still couldn’t complete it in one go!
I wish the whole story had retained the creep vibe of the first chapter. But it shimmies through typical territory until it revs up the tempo in the climactic scenes and suddenly becomes an action thriller. As such, the overall result was confusing. What was the story trying to be?
What was most disappointing is that many of the interesting sequences happen off the page. The story answers just as much as needed, and either explains the rest through the future conversations or leaves it for us to guess. While there are no major incomplete threads to the narrative, I still felt like it could have done better in this respect, especially in regards to the big reveal.
Not to forget, the forced potential romance annoyed me – I always turn into the Grinch when I see romance in a non-romance work, even if it is limited to the setting up of a first date.
In short, definitely interesting but not memorable. I might have enjoyed it better had it not been split across multiple and distinct writing moods.
I have seen good reviews of this author’s full-length works, but haven’t read any yet. Maybe this author writes novels much better than short stories. I hope to find out for sure some day!
3 stars.
This standalone story is a part of the “We Could Be Heroes” collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
Thus ends my tryst with the ‘We Could be Heroes’ series. Overall, it has been a good series for me. This was the lowest rated of the five stories, so no duds as such. Definitely recommend the series to short story lovers.
In a Nutshell: A standalone short story that has some predictable elements but still delivers a wallop of an impact. This series is making me shatter In a Nutshell: A standalone short story that has some predictable elements but still delivers a wallop of an impact. This series is making me shatter all my assumptions about heroes!
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Plot Preview:
After a life-altering tragedy ten years ago, Addison Blake left her hometown and never returned, even though she is still haunted by the ghosts of the past. But when a video showing a stranger rescuing an old man becomes viral, Addison, a freelance reporter, knows that she has to go back to interview the man she recognised as her old classmate. After all, this interview could mark the beginning of a new phase in her career. But has the trauma of the past really healed? Will this ‘breaking news’ finally save her, personally and professionally? The story comes to us in Addison’s first person perspective.
PSA: Go in blind!
This is the fourth standalone story in the 'We Could be Heroes’ series, described on Amazon as “a darkly inquisitive collection of short stories that examines heroic intentions versus their real-life consequences.”
It is easy to spoil this story, so I am going to keep this review short (Well! ‘Short’ by MY standards!) and vague.
When I picked up this particular Amazon Original Stories series, I was looking for something inspiring and heartwarming. ‘We Could Be Heroes’ is such a great title, but I should have realised the importance of the modal verb: ‘Could Be.’ This story is anything but heartwarming!
The thing is, the big reveal in this story isn't tough to guess. The minute you read a certain conversation, you know where the story is going. I almost sighed in frustration at seeing the twist being so apparent. BUT that's not all the story is about. And there are many more reveals along the way, not all of which are as easy to see coming.
Despite my initial guess about the twist being correct, I still relished this tale, and the main question it raises: Does one good act make you a hero?
Escaping past demons is never easy, and sometimes, whether you are able to do so or not is what makes a difference to your present peace of mind. That’s all I’ll say.
Recommended to all short story lovers who would like a dash of mystery mixed with a splash of musings about humankind (‘kind’ being a very ironic suffix choice considering the story.)
4.25 stars.
This standalone story is a part of the “We Could Be Heroes” collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
I've yet to read the final story of this series but based on what I've read so far, this is easily among the best series of the Amazon story collections.
This was my first J.T. Ellison story, and I'd love to read more by this author. If you have any tried-and-tested recommendations, please let me know in the comments!
In a Nutshell: Not the kind of story I expected in a series titled “We Could Be Heroes”, and that itself shows how preconceived our notions are about In a Nutshell: Not the kind of story I expected in a series titled “We Could Be Heroes”, and that itself shows how preconceived our notions are about certain topics. Fits the theme perfectly, if you look at it the right way. I enjoyed this! (I am an outlier on the positive side, for once! ...more
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