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polarbear2023's review against another edition
Gave it a shot the stories are stupid
mialeyden's review
4.0
I read one of the author's short stories in another anthology (Howls From Hell) and loved it, so I decided to seek more of her work and I loved this book as well. The woman knows how to write a short story.
My favourite of this anthology were "The Space Between," "Gemini Syndrome" and "That which the Ocean Gives and Takes Away."
My favourite of this anthology were "The Space Between," "Gemini Syndrome" and "That which the Ocean Gives and Takes Away."
bookbrian111's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
demanley's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Solid little collection of short horror/sci-fantasy stories.
calebstephensauthor's review against another edition
5.0
Having discovered P.L. McMillan's work during my time as the Assistant Editor for Hinnom Magazine, I was quite intrigued to hear she was putting out her own collection, including a story Hinnom published - "The Space Between" - which left me disoriented in the best way possible upon reading. Needless to say, I got my fingers on this anthology as fast as I could. I was not disappointed.
The entire collection is fantastic, steeped in heavy doses of cosmic and sci-fi horror. That alone would be enough to win me over, but McMillan's unique plots and fresh twists provided the cherry on top. It's great, you can't tell where any of the stories will wind up. All you can do is buckle in and enjoy the ride. And enjoy it I did. Very much.
That said, my top three favorites (without giving spoilers) were:
That Which The Ocean Gives and Takes Away - A bittersweet tale full of melancholy and a fascinating encounter with a largely misunderstood creature.
Buzzkill - The absolute bizarre nature of this one, coupled with the themes of love and loss in a strange new world, left me shaken and wanting more. This story was like a high-quality shot of 100% bourbon: a welcome punch to the face.
Planet of the Hungry - A post-apocalyptic journey across a scorched landscape with an other-worldly visitor and a deformed donkey. Oh, and nanotech. What more can you ask for?
One should also take note of the art included before every story, illustrated by none other than McMillan herself. The drawings are stunning and provide additional texture. Loved them.
In summary, you can tell this collection was crafted with a lot of love. Pick up a copy for yourself and dive in! You won't regret it.
The entire collection is fantastic, steeped in heavy doses of cosmic and sci-fi horror. That alone would be enough to win me over, but McMillan's unique plots and fresh twists provided the cherry on top. It's great, you can't tell where any of the stories will wind up. All you can do is buckle in and enjoy the ride. And enjoy it I did. Very much.
That said, my top three favorites (without giving spoilers) were:
That Which The Ocean Gives and Takes Away - A bittersweet tale full of melancholy and a fascinating encounter with a largely misunderstood creature.
Buzzkill - The absolute bizarre nature of this one, coupled with the themes of love and loss in a strange new world, left me shaken and wanting more. This story was like a high-quality shot of 100% bourbon: a welcome punch to the face.
Planet of the Hungry - A post-apocalyptic journey across a scorched landscape with an other-worldly visitor and a deformed donkey. Oh, and nanotech. What more can you ask for?
One should also take note of the art included before every story, illustrated by none other than McMillan herself. The drawings are stunning and provide additional texture. Loved them.
In summary, you can tell this collection was crafted with a lot of love. Pick up a copy for yourself and dive in! You won't regret it.
bernt's review against another edition
4.0
Was underwhelmed with the first few stories but it picked up with the last handful. Some personal favorites were The Hungry World, Polychromatic Screams, and The Drought of Burham.
fatfatrat's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
cloudjp's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
johnyjoe's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0