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Dimensional Abscesses
Not all portals take you to nice places; some times they lead you to places you never expected. Even worse, you might end up somewhere you definitely didn't want to go...and you might never get home from. Dimensional Abscesses is a collection of ten stories that explore a few of these "bad" portals.
ebook
First published April 21, 2015
About the author
Michell Plested
23 books47 followersMichell Plested has been reading science fiction and fantasy since he was six years old, and writing for almost as long. He is an author, blogger, and podcaster living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. he writes in multiple genres, spending most of his time with science fiction, fantasy, and YA adventure.
Michell (Mike) has a Scouts and Zombies trilogy in print (Scouts of the Apocalypse), the first four books of a boy superhero Middle Grade series (Mik Murdoch, Boy Superhero), the first two books of a Steampunk series (Jack Kane) which he co-writes along with two new series that will debut this year (a Fantasy series and a Young Adult mystery series).
Michell (Mike) has a Scouts and Zombies trilogy in print (Scouts of the Apocalypse), the first four books of a boy superhero Middle Grade series (Mik Murdoch, Boy Superhero), the first two books of a Steampunk series (Jack Kane) which he co-writes along with two new series that will debut this year (a Fantasy series and a Young Adult mystery series).
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 23, 2015
I was a contributor and one of the editors of this book. I've got to say, I am extremely proud of how it turned out.
Multiple genre stories (ranging from fiction to Science Fiction to Horror to Epic Fantasy), some are light-hearted and some are quite dark. I dare say, there is something in here for everyone.
Multiple genre stories (ranging from fiction to Science Fiction to Horror to Epic Fantasy), some are light-hearted and some are quite dark. I dare say, there is something in here for everyone.
May 21, 2019
Inspired by a conversation about portals that take you to places you don't want to go, Hite and Plested have solicited a variety of fantasy and science fiction short stories that revolve around magic portals. From time-travelling scientists to adventurous cockroaches, these tales run the gamut.
Paradise Out of Order by Kevin Wohler: The first and what wound up being my favourite, Wohler's submission is set in a magical second-hand shop. Items have to be carefully monitored to prevent unexpected side effects, and often the owner stores items which have stopped...working correctly and which are no longer salable, or even touchable. Items like the Paradisus portal.
We'll Leave the Lights on for You by Phillip 'Norvaljoe' Carroll: Turns out humans aren't the only ones who dream of stumbling across mysterious portals to different lands. Cockroaches do too. Don't be surprised if you find yourself rooting for Emit and Giles as they spread their wings and explore the universe.
Inferno Land by Charlie Brown: As the title suggests, Brown takes Dante's classic The Divine Comedy and reimagines it as a very exclusive theme park with unexpected – and disturbing – souvenirs. Either an excellent rewrite or a travesty against a beloved poem. No middle ground here.
Welcome to the Deluxe Dairy by J R Murdock: Anyone with agricultural experience or a love of veterinary stories will find themselves rejoicing that no matter how bad their worst calving experience was, it wasn't “carnivorous cows” bad.
A Traveler's Tale by Christopher Hite: Will takes his job at the Regan Nuclear Plant very seriously. When one of his technicians reports a power fluctuation on a generator, Will makes troubleshooting that slight irregularity his first priority. What he finds nearly gets him killed.
The Realm of Fire by Dan Absalonson: His kingdom's wizard suddenly stricken ill, young Prince Drefan must assume the mantle of power. His first task? Travel to a blighted land and return with the magical object that provides the kingdom with warmth and magical resources. Oh, and don't get eaten.
The Plumbers Portal by Julayne Hughes: What if you didn't need an enchanted object to send yourself to mysterious places? What if all you needed was a sagging pair of jeans, a leaking pipe, and an incredibly hard head? Hughes' main character discovers plumbing's best-kept secret. Or gives himself so many concussions he hallucinates. One of the two.
Finding Olympus by Jeffrey Hite: When a couple demi-gods plan a mutiny, two humans are recruited. It's supposed to be a short visit to Olympus. It doesn't end that way.
Tunnel in the Sky by Michell Plested: This story sees futuristic scouts embarking on their first intergalactic camping trip, to the nature preserve planet of Garden. Of course the transport goes terribly wrong and the scouts are left in a gruesome battle for their lives on a hostile world.
Time Jack by D J Pitsiladis: The only story in the book with LGBTQ characters, Time Jack opens with Dr. Gorski and her assistant Pamela presenting the Science Council with a funding proposal in the hopes of advancing their time travel project to the human testing phase. The Council declines, citing safety concerns. Dr. Gorski and Pamela are devastated. They swear not to let their project die; they'll take the evening to regroup and return tomorrow to explore other funding avenues. But an impulsive decision by one precipitates a chain of events that proves the Science Council's concerns, while far surpassing their worst nightmares.
Minimal gore and mature themes combined with excellent creative chops make this a quick and tasty read for almost anyone looking for a quick sci-fi/fantasy snack. Need an excuse to spend an afternoon reading? Here you go.
Paradise Out of Order by Kevin Wohler: The first and what wound up being my favourite, Wohler's submission is set in a magical second-hand shop. Items have to be carefully monitored to prevent unexpected side effects, and often the owner stores items which have stopped...working correctly and which are no longer salable, or even touchable. Items like the Paradisus portal.
We'll Leave the Lights on for You by Phillip 'Norvaljoe' Carroll: Turns out humans aren't the only ones who dream of stumbling across mysterious portals to different lands. Cockroaches do too. Don't be surprised if you find yourself rooting for Emit and Giles as they spread their wings and explore the universe.
Inferno Land by Charlie Brown: As the title suggests, Brown takes Dante's classic The Divine Comedy and reimagines it as a very exclusive theme park with unexpected – and disturbing – souvenirs. Either an excellent rewrite or a travesty against a beloved poem. No middle ground here.
Welcome to the Deluxe Dairy by J R Murdock: Anyone with agricultural experience or a love of veterinary stories will find themselves rejoicing that no matter how bad their worst calving experience was, it wasn't “carnivorous cows” bad.
A Traveler's Tale by Christopher Hite: Will takes his job at the Regan Nuclear Plant very seriously. When one of his technicians reports a power fluctuation on a generator, Will makes troubleshooting that slight irregularity his first priority. What he finds nearly gets him killed.
The Realm of Fire by Dan Absalonson: His kingdom's wizard suddenly stricken ill, young Prince Drefan must assume the mantle of power. His first task? Travel to a blighted land and return with the magical object that provides the kingdom with warmth and magical resources. Oh, and don't get eaten.
The Plumbers Portal by Julayne Hughes: What if you didn't need an enchanted object to send yourself to mysterious places? What if all you needed was a sagging pair of jeans, a leaking pipe, and an incredibly hard head? Hughes' main character discovers plumbing's best-kept secret. Or gives himself so many concussions he hallucinates. One of the two.
Finding Olympus by Jeffrey Hite: When a couple demi-gods plan a mutiny, two humans are recruited. It's supposed to be a short visit to Olympus. It doesn't end that way.
Tunnel in the Sky by Michell Plested: This story sees futuristic scouts embarking on their first intergalactic camping trip, to the nature preserve planet of Garden. Of course the transport goes terribly wrong and the scouts are left in a gruesome battle for their lives on a hostile world.
Time Jack by D J Pitsiladis: The only story in the book with LGBTQ characters, Time Jack opens with Dr. Gorski and her assistant Pamela presenting the Science Council with a funding proposal in the hopes of advancing their time travel project to the human testing phase. The Council declines, citing safety concerns. Dr. Gorski and Pamela are devastated. They swear not to let their project die; they'll take the evening to regroup and return tomorrow to explore other funding avenues. But an impulsive decision by one precipitates a chain of events that proves the Science Council's concerns, while far surpassing their worst nightmares.
Minimal gore and mature themes combined with excellent creative chops make this a quick and tasty read for almost anyone looking for a quick sci-fi/fantasy snack. Need an excuse to spend an afternoon reading? Here you go.
August 11, 2015
I've never reviewed a short story anthology before, and short stories are not usually my thing, but I was interested in the subject matter of this one. What happens when a portal takes you somewhere you don't want to be? The most interesting thing about the anthology was seeing how each writer approached the topic as well as the places they wouldn't want to end up. There were some thought-provoking answers.
Some stories caught my interest more than others, but overall I enjoyed this anthology. Without wanting to spoil anything, I can at least say that the opening story was by far my favourite. The Dante's Inferno inspired story resonated with a long-held interest of mine. And the Plumber's Portal certainly made me chuckle. This anthology has a little something for everyone, so it's well worth taking a look.
Some stories caught my interest more than others, but overall I enjoyed this anthology. Without wanting to spoil anything, I can at least say that the opening story was by far my favourite. The Dante's Inferno inspired story resonated with a long-held interest of mine. And the Plumber's Portal certainly made me chuckle. This anthology has a little something for everyone, so it's well worth taking a look.
August 27, 2015
I'm a bit biased because one of the short stories in this book is mine, but I loved all of the other ones too! They were really cool and so very different from each other. They all had to do with characters going through a portal to a place you wouldn't want to end up at but the range of stories here is huge and it's really cool how different they all are. From fantasy to modern to a story where the main characters are cockroaches you'll find yourself traveling to strange places in this anthology. It was one interesting and fun adventure after another.
July 7, 2015
Short story anthologies aren't really my favorite form of reading. but I really enjoyed this one. I found the tales engaging and entertaining. The yarns spun range from whimsical to demented, but all were worth my (and your) time. Recommended.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews