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A review by ally_camel
Chronology by Richard Roberts, J.E. Anckorn, Scott Nicholson, Tara Tyler, Julie Frost, Matthew S. Cox, Katie Young, J.P. Sloan, James Wymore, Piers Anthony, Tony Healey, Mark W. Woodring, Andrew Buckley, Darin Kennedy, Andrew J. Rausch, J.R. Rain, Wilbert Stanton, J.P. Moynahan, Nathan L. Yocum, Jordan Elizabeth, Stan Swanson, G. Miki Hayden, B.C. Johnson, Matthew Graybosch
2.0
I picked up Curiosity Quills thinking it was a collection of science fiction stories only. Unfortunately, I forgot that short stories, in my experience, are often meant to disturb the reader. Add to that, the collection included horror and fantasy, sometimes mixing all three together in one and you have another strange, disturbing collection. If you like that sort of thing, this book is amazing. If you don't, probably find something else.
"Wind-Up Hearts" (Stan Swanson) is an exception. A delightfully sweet story about two people who have traded their flawed, fleshy hearts for artificial, clock-like ones. They meet after their surgeries and begin a ritual of eating lunch together once week before winding up their hearts together. On this particular day, they reminisce about previous meetings over the past many decades: their first meeting, the gifts he tries to give her, the gifts she successfully gives him, the first time she let him wind up her heart. He always makes sure she remembers her key because she forgot it once.... 70 years earlier. She's rejected every proposal he's made even though there's no one else for either of them. And today will be his last chance to ask...
If you are a fan of horror, try "Inmate #85298" (Andrew J. Rausch). It's short but grusome. The condemned inmate can't die, but that won't keep his warden from trying. It's too much of an embarrassment to keep failing.
Or try "Strange Flesh" (Katie Young). It's the ultimate in cruelty to animals... or perhaps a new form of cannibalism?
Steampunk "Flight of the Pegasus" features a fight between a man healed by steam and a giant robot centipede. The ending suggests Darin Kennedy may have more to come.
Ditto with Andrew Buckley's "Whitechapel" (i.e. stay tuned for more). Jack the Ripper had a very good reason for killing those prostitutes. They were demons. Demons in diguise and without his actions the world would be the worse for it. I'm not so much a fan of Jack but the horse! A genius horse with Sherlock-like observation skills and the arrogance to match! That would keep me reading. Or perhaps the cultured bartender who owned the roughest bar in town but really wanted to be a musician. Pay your bill or he'll claim an arm instead.
These are only a few of what you'll find in Curiousity Quills.
"Wind-Up Hearts" (Stan Swanson) is an exception. A delightfully sweet story about two people who have traded their flawed, fleshy hearts for artificial, clock-like ones. They meet after their surgeries and begin a ritual of eating lunch together once week before winding up their hearts together. On this particular day, they reminisce about previous meetings over the past many decades: their first meeting, the gifts he tries to give her, the gifts she successfully gives him, the first time she let him wind up her heart. He always makes sure she remembers her key because she forgot it once.... 70 years earlier. She's rejected every proposal he's made even though there's no one else for either of them. And today will be his last chance to ask...
If you are a fan of horror, try "Inmate #85298" (Andrew J. Rausch). It's short but grusome. The condemned inmate can't die, but that won't keep his warden from trying. It's too much of an embarrassment to keep failing.
Or try "Strange Flesh" (Katie Young). It's the ultimate in cruelty to animals... or perhaps a new form of cannibalism?
Steampunk "Flight of the Pegasus" features a fight between a man healed by steam and a giant robot centipede. The ending suggests Darin Kennedy may have more to come.
Ditto with Andrew Buckley's "Whitechapel" (i.e. stay tuned for more). Jack the Ripper had a very good reason for killing those prostitutes. They were demons. Demons in diguise and without his actions the world would be the worse for it. I'm not so much a fan of Jack but the horse! A genius horse with Sherlock-like observation skills and the arrogance to match! That would keep me reading. Or perhaps the cultured bartender who owned the roughest bar in town but really wanted to be a musician. Pay your bill or he'll claim an arm instead.
These are only a few of what you'll find in Curiousity Quills.