Intro
Hello beauties!
Welcome again to my own brand of mini reviews! I never thought I'd do minis, until I recapped a few of my long reviews in some digest post in 2014, and then guest-posted some shorties for a blogging event in 2015. And Karen from For What It's Worth started praising my short recs/recaps 😊. Just to be clear, I'm NOT taking a break from writing long reviews - no such luck LOL (though for anthologies, shorter books or books that I didn't enjoy/I don't have enough to say about, I decided to stick to minis). But while I'm making up my mind about a new book I've read, I might as well give you the short version 😉. Just be warned - this feature will be VERY random!
Note: all the mini blurbs (in italics) are of my own creation.
Note: all the mini blurbs (in italics) are of my own creation.
The Soul Box by Matthew Edwards (ARC Review)
★★★Five light-sci-fi stories dealing with future technology and/or playing with time - partly humorous, partly emotional, all-round though-provoking.
Rated 3.5 really.
First off...DISCLAIMER: I requested this title on NetGalley. Thanks to Troubador for providing a temporary ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way. This didn't influence my review in any way.
An intriguing debut anthology for a young writer who can only grow from here. These stories speculate on the future of technology, VR and AI while eliciting a reflection on grief, time, and the meaningfulness of our existence, though with an undercurrent of humour and levity.
In the titular story, a young girl reconnects with her dead father thanks to a device that can capture a soul...but there's a twist (that I saw coming), or better, a few (the rest of which I didn't). I wish that Edwards had chosen an older protagonist - a teen - for believability reasons, and I wasn't a fan of her sounding much older than she was, but I found The Soul Box to be a clever take on grief and legacy.
The Assassination of Valentin De Renard is more rooted in history than science, which is the main reason why I didn't particularly care for it, but as a reflection on historical biases (with a final twist), it works.
Both Ennui and The Future Problem put our relationship with time front and center, if in different ways, and to me, they're the stronger, most hard-hitting stories of the bunch. Would you want to speed up the boring parts of your life? Would you like to get advice from your future self to avoid problems and inconveniences? And what would that mean for your life? Timey-wimey paradoxes are fun, but if they double as a reflection on the meaning of existence, they're even better...
On a superficial level, One More Week is the most humorous story in the collection, but don't be fooled - there's a lot of substance under the romp facade. A company man is offered the virtual vacation of a lifetime, and will go to any lengths to have it extending far and beyond the allotted time. Part utopia, part dystopia, 100% cautionary tale, with an antihero you can't help but identify with.
Since I very much enjoyed the last three stories and had some issues with the first two, I'm keeping my rating a bit over the middle, but of course mileage may vary, and at least one thing is sure: if you're interested in sci-fi with a philosophical side, you'll find a lot to like in here.
Note: definitive review (I don't have enough to say to justify writing a full-length one later; also, due to time commitments, I've decided not to write full-length reviews anymore for short stories, novellas and anthologies, except in special cases or unless they're part of a series).
The Legend Liminal by Ren Hutchins
Three siblings whose life froze after their mother's death leave for a camper journey with a close friend, only to discover the true meaning of going off the grid.
A time-bending, eerie, fascinating little story with a strong Twilight-Zone vibe, doubling as a meditation on grief and being stuck in life, and packed with messy family (and friend) dynamics. The setting is top-notch, and its only fault is that it makes you crave for more (I wish we could have explored the labyrinthine motel hallways and the seemingly endless arcade room, though of course that was not the point). I would have liked a little more meat when it comes to the characters, and in that respect, I believe the story would have packed a stronger punch if it had been a little longer, but it does get its message across nicely, so I'm not complaining. Bonus points for the bi/nonbinary rep.
Note: definitive review (I don't have enough to say to justify writing a full-length one later; also, due to time commitments, I've decided not to write full-length reviews anymore for short stories, novellas and anthologies, except in special cases or unless they're part of a series).
★★★A couple of romantically involved high-school students who double as detective are hired by two schoolmates to investigate on an alleged infidelity and the break-in of a locker.
First off...DISCLAIMER: I received these short stories from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The Lancer and The Locker Door are early stories from the author of my beloved Deadgirl series. Johnson mixes up hardboiled thriller and teen fiction peppering them with sometimes over-the-top banter, and if the style and dialogue are somehow reminiscent of his above-mentioned series, the whole thing sounds like he's trying a bit too hard (plus I found the genre blend to be too ambitious). The two mysteries are fun though.
Note: definitive review (I don't have enough to say to justify writing a full-length one later; also, due to time commitments, I've decided not to write full-length reviews anymore for short stories, novellas and anthologies, except in special cases or unless they're part of a series).
So, have you read/are you planning to read any of the above? And if you have, what do you think of them? Do you post mini reviews? Do you like to read them?
Ooh, The Legend Liminal sounds really interesting! I might have to check it out.
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