Look, I’ve done this before. I should be over it by now.
I gotta check my email again.
Nope. Still nothing.
So for the last few years I’ve almost exclusively focused on self-publishing. That means that, for the most part, I get to move at my own speed. I don’t have to wait for someone else to get back to me. I know what I write will be published.
Last week, though, I saw some calls for stories that made me go, “Hm.”
It’s never a safe thing when a writer goes, “Hm.”
So I’ve sent a few more short stories out. I have no idea if they’ll be purchased. I have no idea what the market for short stories even really looks like anymore, as it’s not been my focus.
But when I focused on short stories lo, those many years ago, I jumped anytime my phone informed me I had an email. Was it one of the markets? Were they getting back to me? Did they accept the story?
Now, going back to it for a few stories, after having a literal bookshelf of my own novels on my wall, I thought that I could send these out and be done with it. Just let those percolate in the background while I got to work on the next novel.
Yeah. That didn’t work.
So, if you’re wondering if writers still get excited about sending out stories even after having published over a dozen novels?
I visit my local comic shop just about every week. I pick up single issues, but also a number of collections and original graphic novels. I figured this year, hey, why not also post some pellet reviews of those, too?
Superman has twelve months to live. He’s taken in too much solar radiation, and his body will not hold it. This book tells of his last days, how he reaches out to his arch nemesis Lex Luthor, how he makes peace with Lois Lane, and how he saves the world one last time.
I’ve heard such good things about this story. It’s often lauded as the best Superman story.
It’s good. I really enjoyed it. That said, it feels like “a modern take on the silver age,” which isn’t my style. Not bad. Not a waste of time. The best Superman story ever? Yeah, gonna disagree on that one.
Maggie’s made it to middle school, but she probably won’t survive it. The only way she can cope is by rolling her trusty twenty-sided die to tell her how well she’s going to get through any given task. But when she rolls a natural one, she knows everything is going to go badly. Can she escape her die’s pronouncements?
Oh, man. This book communicates anxiety so, so well. It’s a fairly simple story, aimed at young middle schoolers, so it’s not insanely deep. If you want a simple tale told well, I highly recommend this one.
Kori’s a girl who doesn’t care about being popular. Not like her sister. But when Kori starts exhibiting strange powers, her sister’s jealousy takes over. She’ll do anything to get powers, no matter the price. And when a band of other strange teens show up, Kori’s torn. Should she trust her brat of her sister, or these strangers?
Garcia and Picolo’s Teen Titans books have been a delight, and this one is no exception. They probably do read far better together, rather than spread out at one a year as I’ve been reading them as they’re released, but check them out.
The Catwoman is dead. Selina Kyle is dead. Except… maybe she’s not. Maybe she’s changed. Maybe she’s found a rundown neighborhood worth protecting. And maybe Catwoman’s old enemies won’t let her be the hero she might become.
For my money, this is the best era of Catwoman, as she turns into a wonderful hero. The art is hardboiled, the stakes are high, and Selina is just a wonderful character to know. That said, this edition includes some great stories… out of order. Had I not already known the order from reading the originals, I’d be really confused. So heads up on that!
The New World. So droll. So savage. Vampires didn’t bother with it for a long time. They played their games in Europe. And then they started coming to the New World to set up their old games in a new place. And then one turned the first American vampire. He broke all the rules. He didn’t play the games. And he set out to destroy them all. Starting in the Wild West and running through the 1930s, American Vampire is a gritty horror story with a new kind of vampire.
I’d heard great things about this series, and when it came out in these great $10 volumes—or at least the first collection of it did—I had no reason to say no. I’m glad I got it. This thing is intricately woven across decades with multiple characters that just are delightful in their evil. It’s not for everyone, but I’ll be getting the second volume.
Mariner wants to have a normal day, and you can help her! But no matter what choices you make, she winds up dead. What’s with that? The only way to save her and the crew of the Ceritos is to break the rules yourself and discover what’s wrong!
First, I love Star Trek. I’m partial to Lower Decks, the comedy set within the Star Trek universe. And then you make a choose-your-own adventure graphic novel? I’m sold! And to find the “winning” ending, you have to break the rules as the reader? Yeah. This one was made just for me, I’m pretty sure.
Paradise Island is a utopia. There is no crime, no sorrow, and eternal life for all. And then a man comes to Paradise Island, and with him, war and death. Diana must voyage to Man’s World and teach them the power of submissive love. Of course, men won’t appreciate the lesson much…
While I like Wonder Woman, this particular story had no interest to me. DC’s Earth One line sounded like a great idea, restarting their big properties set today, but the titles came out so sporadically I never got on board. Given the quality of this volume, I don’t feel I’m missing much. This felt just… weird. It’s very sexual and naïve at the same time, and I never quite got the vibe. It may be your thing; it wasn’t mine.
The City Enduring has shone in space for thousands of years. There hasn’t been a murder in five hundred years. Everything ends. Now Jo Mullein has been summoned to investigate. She’s a Green Lantern from earth, and she has attitude and creativity to spare. She’ll find the murderer, even if it means the end of the City Enduring.
This was another series I’d heard many praises for… and I agree with the praises. This is a science fiction murder mystery deliciously drawn and written. The various alien species are each unique in appearance and personality, which creates a setting that could only be done in science fiction. And even if you’ve never read Green Lantern, you could enjoy this. Jo is a space cop. There! That’s the background you need! Look, check this one out. It’s pretty awesome!
Abby owns a bookstore. She’s looking for love. Mark seems perfect. And then he reveals that he’s the Crusader, the biggest superhero in the world. Will their love last, especially when Abby gets jealous of Mark’s ex, the amazing Amazon?
I’ve read Zahler’s work before and always loved it. I’ve searched for this particular collection for years, and now I’ve finally got it! This is hilarious and heartfelt in all the right ways. Zahler determined to never show superheroics “on screen,” and it works so well. Abby does get to know Mark’s, um, coworkers, and their interactions with the normal world is uproarious. It doesn’t matter if you like superheroes. If you like comedic romance, you will love this.
In the Core, everything is falling apart. Jo is one of the mechanics that keeps things running, but she knows that it can’t last forever. The only way to repair what needs repairing… is to go topside. To the place with no law, where people battle for every mouthful of food. Except maybe it’s not what she’s always been told. And maybe she doesn’t have to depend on just herself to repair what must be fixed.
Yeah yeah yeah, “oh look, the world isn’t what she was expecting!” It’s a trope, and a good one at that, and Topside tells it really well. The creativity of the topsiders’ design is great (particularly the bounty hunter shark). The story is fairly simple, but well told. I’d suggest this one as a good one to grab.
The Avengers and the Fantastic Four are dead. All that remain to protect the planet are mutants and street-level heroes. They won’t be enough. New heroes must rise. And they do in the Thunderbolts, led by the mysterious Citizen V! The new superhero group capture the trust of the public. But they bring a terrible secret. These aren’t heroes, but villains set to conquer the world… and they’ll win, too.
I read the original issues back in the day, and I remember the twist identity of the heroes being insanely shocking. These comics mostly hold up, too, from the art to the story. I’m so glad Marvel is finally collecting these comics!
Catwoman has always been an intriguing foil for Batman. Here, she steps out in her first solo stories, revealing her origin and what truly motivates her. It’s not just stealing pretty things. She strives to protect defenseless women, too!
I really, really wanted to enjoy this collection more. However, well, I didn’t. The art is mostly cheesecake, and the stories run from decent to not being worth the paper. There are great Catwoman stories. Unless you’re a completist, this isn’t worth your time.
I’ve heard great things about the Acts of Vengeance crossover, where villains intentionally mixed up which heroes they attacked. I love that concept, too, so when I saw this collection at a cheaper price, I snapped it up. And it was… pretty decent! It’s not great, but was enjoyable. Seeing the Avengers battle Mole Man was fun.
This is one of Marvel’s Epic Collections, which are a blast. They don’t gather up single storylines, but a couple years of stories. If you want a good feel for any given era, these are very good collections to grab.
Spurs Jackson and his Space Vigilantes protect the earth from all sorts of unsavory aliens trying to make off with the pretty women of earth! This… this is a hoot. If you’re looking for serious science fiction, you won’t find it. If you’re looking for something that’s just fun, you’ll get what you’re looking for. It’s silly silver age comics trying something different. I’m so glad I got this collection!
I didn’t just read prose… I read some gaming books, too! I don’t talk about it as much on the blog (I should probably start), but I love games in general. My family plays a lot of board games. So, some gaming books for the year!
Sometimes you want to play a huge epic campaign that saves the world. And sometimes… you just want to make sure you get home in time for tea. In Halfjinks, players take on the roles of young hobbits that are more interested in mischief than saving the world. If you’re looking for a cozy game, this is it!
I loved this concept when I first read it on Kickstarter, and I’m glad I backed it. The game really is made for a cozy session or five. I also love that the core stats are Bravery, Cunning, and Good Sense. Also, your characters can’t die. If they get too uncomfortable, they just go home for dinner. Or second dinner.
Oh, if a player brings a treat to share, they get bonus points. They can’t bring pizza.
It’s on the cover. It’s in the very heart of the game. It’s basically a fancy version of war, but if you cheat and you don’t get caught, the game rewards you.
The players gather to explore the haunted house. And then it closes in on them. At least one of them will die. Probably all of them, really. But here’s the twist of this game: When a player character dies, they become a ghost that can choose to help or hinder the remaining live players.
Let the games begin.
First, I love the concept of this game.
Second, it uses a unique blackjack system instead of rolling dice. Love that.
And on top of that, the game includes rooms for every card of the deck, so as long as the players understand the basic system, they can play with no further prep time. Awesome!
The players gather. One of them has died. Who was this person? How were they tied to the players? That is what this game determines.
Oh, man. This is great. Each player gets a turn at telling a story at a wake. Together they create this dead person’s tale. This sounds like so, so much fun.
Seth has returned home for his grandfather’s birthday for the first time in almost a decade. He’s come with a plan, though. At dinner he announces: He has poisoned the meal. Everyone here will die in one hour. He has the antidote, though, and will share it if the person who hurt him the most will confess their crime to the family. With sixty minutes of life left, who will confess? And who will live?
I wanted to try a new-to-me genre. I usually stay in science fiction and fantasy. I picked up this novel at a small press stand at a renaissance faire. And is the book any good? I honestly don’t know if I can answer that question, as I’m approaching it as a newcomer to the genre. I saw the twist coming a mile away, but that may be because I’m trope-blind in this particular book. I also wasn’t a fan of the format; every-other chapter was a flashback, showing how Seth’s family had tortured him for years. So for me, it wasn’t great. For you? Maybe you’d like it far better!
Born of a miner and a Crow woman, Snow White must survive in hiding when her mother dies and her father remarries. She finds herself running from her father, trusting her skills with a gun, and finding what she needs to survive in the brutal old west.
Catherynne Valente has a very distinct voice. When you read one of her books, you know you’ve read something unique. That’s very true here. That said, unique doesn’t always equal awesome. I wasn’t enamored by this story, and there was very little linking it to the Snow White tales I know. It ended up disappointing me, as I often enjoy Valente’s works.
Some stories demand attention. They’re filled with personality, action, and even romance. This collection of tales includes crime, occult, sword and sorcery, science fiction, and fantasy yarns. Dive in!
This is the fourth Thrilling Adventure Yarns collection, and I’ve backed every single one on Kickstarter. If you’re a pulp fan, this is a fantastic series. That said, this is the weakest of the four. Even with it being weaker than the other three, I still had a blast reading the collection. I love that it feels pulpy as an artifact, too. The stories are printed in two columns per page, and the publisher even included ads that feel pulpy!
Some stories thrill you. They grab you and refuse to let go. This collection of stories run a gamut of genres, but all are designed to keep you reading!
Look! Another Kickstarter project! This is a CHONK of a book, coming in at over 50 stories and 500 pages. Many of them are great, and I’d eagerly read more of those authors’ works. However, there are also some clunkers there, too. Overall this was well worth it, and I’ll be backing a volume 2 should it happen.
Larry Brice has a thing for the ranch owner’s daughter, and she has a thing for me. Thing is, Brice has a temper. After he gets thrown out of the ranch, he decides to make a name for himself so he’s worthy of the girl’s love. He sets out to take down local bandits, joins them, runs off and joins another ranch, and faces even more complications before he can come home and hopefully rescue his love.
I picked this book up because it’s written by the same man who created Zorro, a favorite of mine. Unfortunately, this isn’t that great. The plot meanders, and the main character changes character so many times, I can’t help but feel that Johnston wasn’t paying attention to what he was writing. This one wasn’t worth my time, unfortunately.
Prudence thought they were fairy tales until one of them murdered her mother. Prue witnessed the attack. Mentally scarred, she sets out to make things right. Does she have any hope facing the werewolf Rougarou?
I grabbed this slim paperback at a thrift store, and I’m glad I did. Though the book is very short, it felt like a full adventure. I’m going to be keeping an eye out for the rest of this series. I really enjoyed it!
Marcus plays Aeneas on the biggest show on tv, but he hates it. Actually, he doesn’t hate it so much when the show stuck to the books, but now they’re past the content of the books published so far, and everything is going downhill. The only way he can deal with it is by writing fanfic trying to fix the problems the writers keep introducing to the show. But then he falls for another fanfic writer. How can he reveal who he really is? Meanwhile, April can’t reveal she writes fanfic. It could seriously damage her work persona. She longs to cosplay openly, though, if only she wasn’t so fat. But with the encouragement of a friend who also writes fanfic, can she gain confidence to be unapologetic?
I’ve only rarely read romance books. I am so not their target audience. However, the plot of this one grabbed me when I read the back of the book, so I thought I’d give it a try. This book was generally a blast. I really enjoyed both MCs. These were mature adults with real problems looking for romance. I never felt frustrated that they could fix things if only they would talk to each other. My only issue was that, for me, this book was pretty spicy. I’m not interested in reading that! For you, however, you might be interested!
Meg attends Oxford, exploring the great mysteries of physics. Her beloved little brother is dying, though. He finds hope in an odd little book: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. He begs Meg to ask the author, who is a professor at Oxford, where Narnia came from. She forces herself to find the professor and ask. He invites her to tea. He’s willing to talk about so many things… but not about Narnia. Why won’t the professor give her a straight answer? And why is her brother just as delighted in the non-answers she brings him?
I loved the concept of this book, exploring the life of C. S. Lewis from a different angle. The prose is brilliantly written, and Meg is an easy character to love. Still, when I finished reading the book, I felt… hollow. Despite being all about Lewis and Narnia, perhaps his best-known work, there is nothing about Jesus and precious little about any religion at all. It feels like Callahan, the author, or perhaps her editors or publisher, wanted to ignore that part of Lewis’s life. I’m mystified why they would do that and still purport to be about Lewis.
The world has changed. The old races are being reborn. Humans who catch the sickness, if they survive, become something older, like fae or dwarves or sirens. Dr. Michael Jones is the human specialist in old races and one of the few willing to work with them at the camp where many are taken. He must navigate political tensions and real suffering. And then a siren, angry at how humans are treating them, decides to strike back.
This is book two in the series Magorian & Jones. Like the first book, I love the concept, but I still don’t have a real good grasp of the characters. That said, the action is well paced, and I wasn’t bored at all. I’m planning to read book three.
I can’t say a whole lot about the book, because it’s not about the plot or the characters even. It’s about the vibe. And if you look at that cover and you say, “I have to read this book,” you’re right. This book is for you. That cover communicates the vibe perfectly.
Once Upon a Rose Once Upon an Apple Tales of Cake and Comfort Once Upon a Pumpkin By Gabrielle Landi
Welcome to Galamere, a land of caring lords and ladies who honestly try to rule their people well and with kindness. In such a land, it’s possible to find love, but it might take a little bit of magic. Each of these short novels follow one couple in this nation as they battle curses, stepmothers, and kidnappers to find true love.
I backed these projects on Kickstarter, and I’m glad they did. They’re Hallmark romantasy stories. You won’t find anything overly surprising or suspenseful, but you’re in for a lovely time. If you want something nice and laid back and whimsical, I recommend these short books.
In 1700’s California, a masked man rode the night on a black stallion, righting wrongs. He was the Whirlwind, hunted by the Spanish soldiers and beloved by the people! What no one suspects is that he is a simple servant at an inn, listening for clues for where to strike next. Beware evildoers! The Whirlwind rides!
Johnston McCulley also created Zorro, one of my favorite characters, and this feels like he was just tinkering with the basic ideas of Zorro. In fact, the first story in the collection could well be a Zorro story with the serial numbers filed off. Thankfully as the stories continue, the Whirlwind becomes more distinct. If you like Zorro, you’d probably enjoy this!
Captain Daniels doesn’t want another war with the Varapine. Not after the last one. He runs Alpha Centauri Station with his Varapine associates, a beacon of peace. Of course, not everyone wants peace. The station is attacked from within and without. Will Captain Daniels be able to prevent another war, or will be a pawn in making sure this will be the last one?
Sean is a wonderful human being. I’ve watched him on Trek Culture for quite a while, and wanted to support him more directly. Oh, look! He wrote a novel! The description makes it sound a bit like a Babylon 5 rip off, and it does start in a similar place. However, I wish he’d kept writing. There were plenty of unique aspects to his universe, and I wanted to keep voyaging with this crew. If you’re looking for something that tastes like the best of 90’s science fiction television, this would be a great place to go.
Roy hunts for his tribe, out in the deadly jungle of the ponics. But when he’s exiled, he kidnaps a priest and ventures to the land of Forwards. He must face mutants, telepathic rabbits, and a secret that will destroy everything he knows about the world.
I wish this novel had a different name. The title gives the twist away. Yep, Roy’s people had been living on a starship for countless generations and devolved into a hunter-gatherer society. If I hadn’t known that going in, I think I would have enjoyed this far more than I did. The novel came out in 1958, though, and I suspect the title was given so that readers would expect science fiction, which this definitely is. The book is honestly pretty neat; I just wish I hadn’t known the twist.
Far in the future, necromancers twist magic to destroy all humanity has made. Some stand against these dark forces, though. One wields a blade that can destroy anything. Another is an agent, ready with a sidearm. They circle around each other as they each hunt their prey, until together they destroy the greatest threat humanity has ever faced.
I wanted to like this book far, far more than I did. It’s solid sci-fi sword and sorcery. It has a pulpy 80’s vibe to it that appeals to me. This short story collection gathers together a number of tales set in the same universe. However, until the last story, I had no idea that there were two main characters! I thought they were the same guy! Each story by itself is a fun, action-filled adventure, but together it just kinda didn’t work for me…
As the Enterprise continues its voyage of exploration, it discovers the impossible: a human city that dwarfs anything supposedly created by man, cartwheeling toward destruction in a black hole. Even worse, most of the people inhabiting this massive space station believe that anything from outside the station must be devils here to destroy them. How will Captain Kirk save these people?
I picked this book up because of the author: David Gerrold, the man who wrote The Trouble with Tribbles, one of the best classic Star Trek episodes, and the delightful Chess with a Dragon. Unfortunately, while this novel is solid, it’s nothing to write home about. Maybe because it’s close in plot to Starship, a book I’d read just a short time before, this one didn’t hit me too much. I will still heartily recommend Chess with a Dragon, though!
Sasha doesn’t remember what happened, and she certainly doesn’t trust her boss, Rex Nihilo. After all, he’s the galaxy’s something-est conman. However, even though she’s missing a chunk of her memory, they’re off on another grift, attempting to solve a murder that hasn’t happened yet. Also, there might be some assassin robots. It happens.
Starship Grifters remains the funniest book I’ve ever read. A Scammer Darkly is book… five? In the series focusing on Rex Nihilo and his robot assistant, Sasha. And while there have certainly been diminishing returns in the series, it’s still hilarious. If you like comedic sci-fi, I recommend you check the series out.
The Waylock should have died. That was the way of things. And yet, here he was, alive, gathering enough resources to secure eternity. Anyone with enough resources could live forever, after all. At least, that’s how it was supposed to work.
I grabbed this because it advertised as the first novel written by Vance. (I have come to understand there is some disagreement on this claim.) Vance writes fantastic fiction. Every world is fully realized, and this is no exception. He sets up a terrible planet where anyone can live forever as long as they’re good enough. It was fascinating to see how cutthroat and joyless such a world is! I almost always recommend Vance, and here’s another that fits that pattern.
The Valiant was supposed to finally bring relief to a suffering world. Instead it signaled the end. On the day the rocket launched, portals opened up around the planet. Aliens invaded. They possessed those they desired, turning friends into enemies. One girl is taken back in time, three days before the invasion, to save her little brother. He’s to be the linchpin to fight the invasion back. She has three days to prepare. Thankfully, she can rewind time as many times as she’d like. Until the invasion finally figures it out and destroys her ability. This is her last chance. She’s failed so many times before. What makes her think this time will be any different?
So this novel felt like about fifty YA plots rolled into one. At the beginning, it felt a little patchwork, but by the halfway point, all the disparate elements melded and worked incredibly well together. I won’t call this the best I read this year, but it was worth the time. If you’re looking for a tension-filled YA novel, you could do far worse.
I don’t know what to say about this book, other than I read it and I remember enjoying it. However, the plots of the short stories didn’t stay with me… I’m sorry!
Jonathon Mast: Author 