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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
Theme: Characters deal with objects or beings displaced in time.
This is an excellent idea for an anthology. 'Temporal displacement' falls into that sweet zone where you have enough options to fuel a lot of ideas, but where you're restricted enough that these ideas would need to be innovative. Definitely one of the more interesting collections I've come across.
I'm not going to describe each of the individual stories, because (a) there are a lot of these and I try to keep my reviews as low effort as possible or I won't do them and (b) half the fun of this collection is in seeing how the concept is utilized.
Opinions on Individual Stories:
1. Reading Lists; 5 stars
I've read part of this anthology before and I still remember the entirety of this story because of how lovely the idea is. It's also both a you get a do over for life fantasy AND a love letter to libraries so honestly? It totally hit all my notes.
2. Salamander Bites; 3 stars
I really like the plot in this one- the idea is great and the execution is satisfactory. However, there wasn't enough connections with the characters to really make me invested. The author made a good choice with that ending too- it resolves the frustrated emotions from the rest of the story.
3. Black and White; 5 Stars
Another lovely story, with excellent focus on the emotions. I love how we got to see the characters and get attached to them before all the reveals started- very effective.
4. Dinosaur Stew: 4 stars
So this one is more tongue in cheek than most of the other stories. There's a lot of handwavium and people accept the plot elements too easily. It is, however, very light and very fun and I will not complain about that.
5. Not All Is As It Seems: 2 stars
This story is shoehorned in as part of a series and it really shows. I imagine the gratuitous number of characters we didn't get to really explore beyond their names are somehow part of the main series, but here they mostly just muddied the waters. It was also the least convincing use of these theme so far. But at least the vampires were entertaining, and I can never say no to a loyal doggie.
6. Batting Out of Order: 3 stars
I have to admit I'm not entirely convinced by this story? I really like the use of theme, but I'm a bit uh- weirded out by the ending?So the kid is going to purposefully let himself get fastballed to the head, putting him into something coma-adjacent, so that his family will get Together? Wouldn't being a pro baseball player of a Mom who loves baseball provide the same opportunities? Wouldn't it be better for- hell, wouldn't anything be better than putting yourself into a coma so your parents will talk again? I'm confused. And a little stressed out by his whole thought process.
7. Grand Tour; 5 stars
Grand fun is more like it. Emotionally reactive, set in a historical period with liberal use of more history, and a sweet story of financial success and true affection. We could do with more in these trying times.
8. A is for Alacrity, Astronauts and Grief; 5 stars
Once again, an excellent combination of applied timeywimey shenanigans and human emotions. Loved the protagonist's desperate feelings about her mother and nephew, and her grit towards the end because the stress dripped off the page. The decoded message was a great counterpoint to the story too.
9. The Spiel of the Glocken; 2 stars
This one focuses on romantic attraction between two people set against a backdrop of constantly changing temporal shifts. Sadly, it doens't have the time to develop either of these things properly- the constant switch in time periods left me thinking I was reading a quasi documentary full of names and references I didn't know, and the characters are mostly reacting to the plot, with no emotional stakes and no real personality. I think that last scene was cute, but it's not enough to make up for the rest.
10. The Passing Bell; 5 stars
A wonderfully creepy story about a small town with a disquieting bell. Our hero is resourceful, the conflict is emotionally driven, and there's an element of fatality to the parson that makes you want to smack him upside the head. Wonderfully entertaining, and perfectly paced.
11. Destination Ahead; 4 stars
Stressed out Dads on vacation with kid accidentally end up in the past. This story uses the stress of being stuck elsewhen to have the protagonists face their relationship problems, and does it fairly well. I also really liked Sondra.
12. Where There's Smoke; 3 stars
I always feel guilty rating something three stars because it was a good story, just not one for me. Once again a relationship takes the center stage, and it was a good relationship so I'm not complaining there. But there was barely anything in the temporal displacement category, which lessened my enjoyment a little. I did really like the authors writng style though- might have to check out more stuff by them.
13. Alien Time Wrap; 1 star
I thought the Jane Yellowrock story relied too much on an established universe and characters and then I read this one which told me that no, it could have been a lot worse.
I understand the strategic value in writing a tie in story as part of an anthology- it appeals to both old readers of the series and can bring in new readers. However, all I got from this one was a confusing summary of what I think was a pretty plot-relevant scene in the actual series, followed by scenes of the protagonist He mostly came across as a smug know-it-all, and the half-hearted attempts at and continuous references to feminism got on my nerves. (To clarify, I'm absolutely behind feminism, but I sometimes get mad at what people think qualifies for it.)
No protagonist, a presumably Latina/African-American maid in the 1940s needs more than encouraging words to actually become a scientist, and I despise her not getting credit for her work because that is one thing that could actually have helped. In addition, repeated assurances that your friend is a feminist followed by she realize she could trust guys because of Aerosmith lyrics is- ugh. I'm not making a judgement on the actual series but all of this stinks of performative white feminism (there was a scene at the end where the series MC convinces other aliens they were gods) focused mostly on being supportive and empathetic to the guys.
Either way, It definitely does not make for a good anthology story. It doesn't stand on its own, there are way too many extraneous characters and references to series canon, and the handling of sensitive issues was clumsy.
14. Cell Service; 2 stars
Yet another temporal shits cause people to rethink relationships story. The time shift idea is solid enough. What I don't buy is either of these people being happy in a relationship- everything about the phone calls addressed how happy they used to be and not the very real and very present problems the relationship is going through, so I really can't take this seriously.
15. Temporally Full; 3 stars
A little abrupt and too short to really develop the central relationship, but pretty good nevertheless.
16. Notes and Queries; 3 stars
Entertaining enough to read, but the ending left me hanging a bit too much. Felt more like the start of a story than a complete narrative.
17. Temporally Out of Odor: A Fragrant Fable; 4 stars
A really sweet, really sad story. Once again something that's negatively affected by the limited length, because I feel like there's a story here that could have been teased out for longer and been more fulfilling in a novella format. Still, it made me a little upset, and a left me feeling a little bittersweet.
This is an excellent idea for an anthology. 'Temporal displacement' falls into that sweet zone where you have enough options to fuel a lot of ideas, but where you're restricted enough that these ideas would need to be innovative. Definitely one of the more interesting collections I've come across.
I'm not going to describe each of the individual stories, because (a) there are a lot of these and I try to keep my reviews as low effort as possible or I won't do them and (b) half the fun of this collection is in seeing how the concept is utilized.
Opinions on Individual Stories:
1. Reading Lists; 5 stars
I've read part of this anthology before and I still remember the entirety of this story because of how lovely the idea is. It's also both a you get a do over for life fantasy AND a love letter to libraries so honestly? It totally hit all my notes.
2. Salamander Bites; 3 stars
I really like the plot in this one- the idea is great and the execution is satisfactory. However, there wasn't enough connections with the characters to really make me invested. The author made a good choice with that ending too- it resolves the frustrated emotions from the rest of the story.
3. Black and White; 5 Stars
Another lovely story, with excellent focus on the emotions. I love how we got to see the characters and get attached to them before all the reveals started- very effective.
4. Dinosaur Stew: 4 stars
So this one is more tongue in cheek than most of the other stories. There's a lot of handwavium and people accept the plot elements too easily. It is, however, very light and very fun and I will not complain about that.
5. Not All Is As It Seems: 2 stars
This story is shoehorned in as part of a series and it really shows. I imagine the gratuitous number of characters we didn't get to really explore beyond their names are somehow part of the main series, but here they mostly just muddied the waters. It was also the least convincing use of these theme so far. But at least the vampires were entertaining, and I can never say no to a loyal doggie.
6. Batting Out of Order: 3 stars
I have to admit I'm not entirely convinced by this story? I really like the use of theme, but I'm a bit uh- weirded out by the ending?
7. Grand Tour; 5 stars
Grand fun is more like it. Emotionally reactive, set in a historical period with liberal use of more history, and a sweet story of financial success and true affection. We could do with more in these trying times.
8. A is for Alacrity, Astronauts and Grief; 5 stars
Once again, an excellent combination of applied timeywimey shenanigans and human emotions. Loved the protagonist's desperate feelings about her mother and nephew, and her grit towards the end because the stress dripped off the page. The decoded message was a great counterpoint to the story too.
9. The Spiel of the Glocken; 2 stars
This one focuses on romantic attraction between two people set against a backdrop of constantly changing temporal shifts. Sadly, it doens't have the time to develop either of these things properly- the constant switch in time periods left me thinking I was reading a quasi documentary full of names and references I didn't know, and the characters are mostly reacting to the plot, with no emotional stakes and no real personality. I think that last scene was cute, but it's not enough to make up for the rest.
10. The Passing Bell; 5 stars
A wonderfully creepy story about a small town with a disquieting bell. Our hero is resourceful, the conflict is emotionally driven, and there's an element of fatality to the parson that makes you want to smack him upside the head. Wonderfully entertaining, and perfectly paced.
11. Destination Ahead; 4 stars
Stressed out Dads on vacation with kid accidentally end up in the past. This story uses the stress of being stuck elsewhen to have the protagonists face their relationship problems, and does it fairly well. I also really liked Sondra.
12. Where There's Smoke; 3 stars
I always feel guilty rating something three stars because it was a good story, just not one for me. Once again a relationship takes the center stage, and it was a good relationship so I'm not complaining there. But there was barely anything in the temporal displacement category, which lessened my enjoyment a little. I did really like the authors writng style though- might have to check out more stuff by them.
13. Alien Time Wrap; 1 star
I thought the Jane Yellowrock story relied too much on an established universe and characters and then I read this one which told me that no, it could have been a lot worse.
I understand the strategic value in writing a tie in story as part of an anthology- it appeals to both old readers of the series and can bring in new readers. However, all I got from this one was a confusing summary of what I think was a pretty plot-relevant scene in the actual series, followed by scenes of the protagonist
Spoiler
body hopping through history and changing things.No protagonist, a presumably Latina/African-American maid in the 1940s needs more than encouraging words to actually become a scientist, and I despise her not getting credit for her work because that is one thing that could actually have helped. In addition, repeated assurances that your friend is a feminist followed by she realize she could trust guys because of Aerosmith lyrics is- ugh. I'm not making a judgement on the actual series but all of this stinks of performative white feminism (there was a scene at the end where the series MC convinces other aliens they were gods) focused mostly on being supportive and empathetic to the guys.
Either way, It definitely does not make for a good anthology story. It doesn't stand on its own, there are way too many extraneous characters and references to series canon, and the handling of sensitive issues was clumsy.
14. Cell Service; 2 stars
Yet another temporal shits cause people to rethink relationships story. The time shift idea is solid enough. What I don't buy is either of these people being happy in a relationship- everything about the phone calls addressed how happy they used to be and not the very real and very present problems the relationship is going through, so I really can't take this seriously.
15. Temporally Full; 3 stars
A little abrupt and too short to really develop the central relationship, but pretty good nevertheless.
16. Notes and Queries; 3 stars
Entertaining enough to read, but the ending left me hanging a bit too much. Felt more like the start of a story than a complete narrative.
17. Temporally Out of Odor: A Fragrant Fable; 4 stars
A really sweet, really sad story. Once again something that's negatively affected by the limited length, because I feel like there's a story here that could have been teased out for longer and been more fulfilling in a novella format. Still, it made me a little upset, and a left me feeling a little bittersweet.
Read in one sitting which is not why I buy anthologies ... I just couldn't put this one down.
One of the best anthologies I have read in consistence of quality. I did not find a single one of poor quality and think at least a few will haunt me for a while. The only down-side is the temporal issues (the theme of the anthology being an artifact making time act wrong) was repetitive; and I am never a big fan of time-travel stuff. Which when I say, every short story in the book is good, means an anti-time sci-fi reader enjoyed the entire collection.
Highlights - Batting Out of Order by Edmund Schubert made me cry (again his short works stands out in an anthology, the man needs to write more and edit less); Black and White by David B Coe reminds us history may be hidden by those trying to rewrite the past, but it is never truly gone; Dinosaur Stew by Chuck Rothman is a lark straight out of the crock pot; The Passing Bell by Amy Griswwold is a strange action adventure; All is not as it Seems by Faith Hunter is an excellent addition to the Yellowrock universe; and Cell Service by Christopher Barili is one of the many "family" stories, because what reaches through time the most to affect us is our blood and our loves whether good or ill - one should always accept the call.
From crock pots to baseball cards, library rooms to parking garages, you never know when technology might have gone wrong ... or what the time stream may be doing to correct it. Each story is more imaginative than the last.
One of the best anthologies I have read in consistence of quality. I did not find a single one of poor quality and think at least a few will haunt me for a while. The only down-side is the temporal issues (the theme of the anthology being an artifact making time act wrong) was repetitive; and I am never a big fan of time-travel stuff. Which when I say, every short story in the book is good, means an anti-time sci-fi reader enjoyed the entire collection.
Highlights - Batting Out of Order by Edmund Schubert made me cry (again his short works stands out in an anthology, the man needs to write more and edit less); Black and White by David B Coe reminds us history may be hidden by those trying to rewrite the past, but it is never truly gone; Dinosaur Stew by Chuck Rothman is a lark straight out of the crock pot; The Passing Bell by Amy Griswwold is a strange action adventure; All is not as it Seems by Faith Hunter is an excellent addition to the Yellowrock universe; and Cell Service by Christopher Barili is one of the many "family" stories, because what reaches through time the most to affect us is our blood and our loves whether good or ill - one should always accept the call.
From crock pots to baseball cards, library rooms to parking garages, you never know when technology might have gone wrong ... or what the time stream may be doing to correct it. Each story is more imaginative than the last.
A very solid anthology. Most excellent, and a couple good, and one from a series I don't like. Despite the shared theme, they are very different feeling stories, and I read the anthology almost straight through. Fun thought exercise, with thoughtful, tragic, or amazing results.
Title: Temporally out of order
Series Number: Not a part of a series, though this is an anthology
Editor: Joshua Palmatier and Patricia Bray
Theme(s): Time is wibbily wobbily.
Reading Lists by Seanan McGuire
Short and reasonable. 7/10
Salamander Bites by Elecktra Hammond
Clever and enjoyable. 9/10
Black and White by David B Coe
Good. 8/10
Dinosaur Stew by Chuck Rothman
Cute and enjoyable. 8/10
Not All Is As It Seems by Faith Hunter
Despite the fact that it was a short story in the middle of two already released full length books it was easy to follow and get involved with the characters. 8/10
Batting out of Order by Edmund R. Schubert
Not my cup of tea. Not badly written per say, but.... 6/10
Grand Tour by Steve Ruskin
Wonderful. (Though might have gone with a different title.) 10/10
'A' is for Alacrity, Astronauts, and Grief by Sofie Bird
Excellent. Lots of visceral emotions. 10/10
The Spiel of the Glocken by Laura Resnick
Funny and reasonable. 8/10
The Passing Bell by Amy Griswold
Short and enjoyable. 9/10
Destination Ahead by Laura Anne Gilman
Slow start, but got better. Solid story, though might have done well with another edit for smoothness. 8/10
Where There's Smoke by Susan Jett
Loved it. 10/10
Alien Time Warp by Gini Koch
Did not enjoy this, though not badly written. 5/10
Cell Service by Chris Barili
Good story but not a satisfying ending. 7/10
Temporally Full by Stephen Leigh
Absolutely wonderful! 10/10
Notes and Queries by Juliet E. McKenna
Reasonable. 8/10
A Fragrant Fable by Jeremy Sim
Notably interesting take on the story idea. Very heartfelt when it could have easily been a humorous story. 9/10
Overall? The average is 8.23. Two stories I didn't particularly like, which is about expected for a book with 17 different stories. It's an excellent collection. Definitely looking forward to reading more collections from Zombies Need Brains.
Series Number: Not a part of a series, though this is an anthology
Editor: Joshua Palmatier and Patricia Bray
Theme(s): Time is wibbily wobbily.
Reading Lists by Seanan McGuire
Short and reasonable. 7/10
Salamander Bites by Elecktra Hammond
Clever and enjoyable. 9/10
Black and White by David B Coe
Good. 8/10
Dinosaur Stew by Chuck Rothman
Cute and enjoyable. 8/10
Not All Is As It Seems by Faith Hunter
Despite the fact that it was a short story in the middle of two already released full length books it was easy to follow and get involved with the characters. 8/10
Batting out of Order by Edmund R. Schubert
Not my cup of tea. Not badly written per say, but.... 6/10
Grand Tour by Steve Ruskin
Wonderful. (Though might have gone with a different title.) 10/10
'A' is for Alacrity, Astronauts, and Grief by Sofie Bird
Excellent. Lots of visceral emotions. 10/10
The Spiel of the Glocken by Laura Resnick
Funny and reasonable. 8/10
The Passing Bell by Amy Griswold
Short and enjoyable. 9/10
Destination Ahead by Laura Anne Gilman
Slow start, but got better. Solid story, though might have done well with another edit for smoothness. 8/10
Where There's Smoke by Susan Jett
Loved it. 10/10
Alien Time Warp by Gini Koch
Did not enjoy this, though not badly written. 5/10
Cell Service by Chris Barili
Good story but not a satisfying ending. 7/10
Temporally Full by Stephen Leigh
Absolutely wonderful! 10/10
Notes and Queries by Juliet E. McKenna
Reasonable. 8/10
A Fragrant Fable by Jeremy Sim
Notably interesting take on the story idea. Very heartfelt when it could have easily been a humorous story. 9/10
Overall? The average is 8.23. Two stories I didn't particularly like, which is about expected for a book with 17 different stories. It's an excellent collection. Definitely looking forward to reading more collections from Zombies Need Brains.
medium-paced
I backed this on Kickstarter after backing another project by the editors. This was really solid as an anthology and the thematic elements were quite strong in each story.
Only read the Jane Yellowrock story. Rating is not for the complete anthology
A fun and engaging anthology. Only two stories didn't work for me (interestingly both were set in the authors' pre-existing 'verses). Two made me cry: Sofie Bird's 'A is for Alacrity, Astronauts, and Grief' and Edmund Schubert's 'Batting out of Order', while Juliet McKenna's 'Notes & Queries' was a wonderfully joyous offering.