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The Rogue Element
Rogue versus world. Who will win? New planets, hidden lands, and places no one would dare dream of arise from the elements of earth, air, fire, and water. Visions of the future where we verge on extinction and only daring can forge hope. Alternative realms on Earth lead to darkness. The Rogue Element “Patchworker 2.0”, “Corrosive”, “The Vagaries of Eloise Stanton”, and “The Wallows.”
Patchworker 2.0: Humanity is forced to live in domed cities as foul as the Earth we destroyed. Artificial Intelligence holds the remains of society together, and a special team of patchworkers keep the AI functioning at peak performance. Patchworker Evalyn Shore leads the investigation of a homicidal AI. The AI is taking over minds and leaving patchworkers as sacks of bio matter ready for recycling. Can Evalyn create the patch to repair the AI? Or will it kill her first?
Which seeds will aid Bex in saving her world? On an Earth ruined by long-forgotten ancestors, Bex sets off to establish a new homestead with her ideal man. The fact he’s a robot and has to everything she says is a dream. For a day. When she arrives at the plot of land, where she and her bot will nurture the precious seeds she’s been entrusted with, it’s already occupied. By a man. With radical ideas as corrosive as the air.
The Vagaries of Eloise Lucy’s family disappeared when she was a child, lost in a world of mirror. At every turn, she is confronted by images of her family in mirrors and panes of glass. Her experiments to bring them home continue to fail… until tonight. On the verge of at last being reunited, Lucy meets the woman who stands as the barrier between the two realms and the real battle begins.
The Ever wish for a new life? Evernee Weems wants to escape in this world in the worst way. Her daughter needs everything, the rent is being raised, Evernee’s job barely pays minimum wage, and she has little hope for better. Inside a puddle is a different reality, and she jumps in, happy to trade her problems for a life in which worries don’t exist. Will it turn out to be better?
Patchworker 2.0: Humanity is forced to live in domed cities as foul as the Earth we destroyed. Artificial Intelligence holds the remains of society together, and a special team of patchworkers keep the AI functioning at peak performance. Patchworker Evalyn Shore leads the investigation of a homicidal AI. The AI is taking over minds and leaving patchworkers as sacks of bio matter ready for recycling. Can Evalyn create the patch to repair the AI? Or will it kill her first?
Which seeds will aid Bex in saving her world? On an Earth ruined by long-forgotten ancestors, Bex sets off to establish a new homestead with her ideal man. The fact he’s a robot and has to everything she says is a dream. For a day. When she arrives at the plot of land, where she and her bot will nurture the precious seeds she’s been entrusted with, it’s already occupied. By a man. With radical ideas as corrosive as the air.
The Vagaries of Eloise Lucy’s family disappeared when she was a child, lost in a world of mirror. At every turn, she is confronted by images of her family in mirrors and panes of glass. Her experiments to bring them home continue to fail… until tonight. On the verge of at last being reunited, Lucy meets the woman who stands as the barrier between the two realms and the real battle begins.
The Ever wish for a new life? Evernee Weems wants to escape in this world in the worst way. Her daughter needs everything, the rent is being raised, Evernee’s job barely pays minimum wage, and she has little hope for better. Inside a puddle is a different reality, and she jumps in, happy to trade her problems for a life in which worries don’t exist. Will it turn out to be better?
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Published April 10, 2018
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7 people want to read
About the author
M. Pax
42 books297 followersM. Pax is author of the sci-fi series, The Backworlds, and the new adult urban fantasy Hetty Locklear series. A Browncoat and SG fan, she's also slightly obsessed with Jane Austen. In the summers she docents as a star guide at Pine Mountain Observatory where the other astronomers now believe she has the most extensive collection of moon photos in existence. No fear, there will be more next summer. She lives in stunning Central Oregon with the Husband Unit and two lovely, spoiled cats. Want to connect? Visit www.mpaxauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 17, 2018
There are four stories in this book and they move outside of the normal sci-fi that Mary writes in.
Patchworker 2.0
GR – 3
A – 4
A really solid story. Patchworkers are people who are specially trained to interact with the various AIs that run programs and machines inside the bio-domes people have been forced to live in because the planet has been ruined. That's a tired and overdone topic, but whatever.
Three Patchworkers have died after interacting with a certain AI and our MC is dispatched.
Corrosive
GR – 2
A – 3
In this story we're again dealing with a world that's toxic. People wear these bio-mechanical suits to protect them. If chosen by The Stewardry, they are assigned a Coda, life partner robot, and they are allowed to establish their own domed homestead.
When they arrive at the assigned coordinates there's already someone there and our MC discovers that this guy doesn't play by all the rules, and although his seditious acts violate those rules, they help to make the planet better.
The Vagaries of Eloise Stanton
GR – 3
A – 4
I really enjoyed this story about Lucy, a girl whose family vanished on a museum visit, and she's spent 15 years trying to make contact with them. She succeeds, but the outcome isn't what she'd hoped for.
The Wallows
GR – 4
A – 5
This was a fantastic story about a young mother with a minimum wage job, a busted car, too many bills, and little girl, and Social Services judging her every move. In the Wallow's she learns that despite all the problems in her life, she'd rather have them then not.
Patchworker 2.0
GR – 3
A – 4
A really solid story. Patchworkers are people who are specially trained to interact with the various AIs that run programs and machines inside the bio-domes people have been forced to live in because the planet has been ruined. That's a tired and overdone topic, but whatever.
Three Patchworkers have died after interacting with a certain AI and our MC is dispatched.
Corrosive
GR – 2
A – 3
In this story we're again dealing with a world that's toxic. People wear these bio-mechanical suits to protect them. If chosen by The Stewardry, they are assigned a Coda, life partner robot, and they are allowed to establish their own domed homestead.
When they arrive at the assigned coordinates there's already someone there and our MC discovers that this guy doesn't play by all the rules, and although his seditious acts violate those rules, they help to make the planet better.
The Vagaries of Eloise Stanton
GR – 3
A – 4
I really enjoyed this story about Lucy, a girl whose family vanished on a museum visit, and she's spent 15 years trying to make contact with them. She succeeds, but the outcome isn't what she'd hoped for.
The Wallows
GR – 4
A – 5
This was a fantastic story about a young mother with a minimum wage job, a busted car, too many bills, and little girl, and Social Services judging her every move. In the Wallow's she learns that despite all the problems in her life, she'd rather have them then not.
January 30, 2023
A short collection of four amazing speculative fiction stories. Each with their own unique setting and narrative.
Patchworker 2.0 takes place in a dark future where the Earth is immensely polluted and AI runs everything. Patchworkers are the few geniuses who are allowed to help fix the AI when something goes wrong. Evalyn is called in for an important job, but she may end up like her missing co-workers if she doesn't get it fixed. Awesome turn of events from sci-fi to almost an origin story feel.
In Corrosive, humans are trying to help fix the world by farming and cleaning the air and soil. Bex is given a robot husband and sent off to establish her own homestead. The story is sci-fi but has a great rustic feel. This is my favorite of the bunch.
Lucy's family has disappeared in The Vagaries of Eloise Stanton, and she has to try to work with the magic of a contraption to get them back. Steampunk and myths mix here, and they lead to an unexpected end.
Evernee wants to escape this miserable world, feeling like a failure since she can't properly provide for her daughter in The Wallows. But is this other realm really what she wants? An emotional journey with magic and fantasy.
Patchworker 2.0 takes place in a dark future where the Earth is immensely polluted and AI runs everything. Patchworkers are the few geniuses who are allowed to help fix the AI when something goes wrong. Evalyn is called in for an important job, but she may end up like her missing co-workers if she doesn't get it fixed. Awesome turn of events from sci-fi to almost an origin story feel.
In Corrosive, humans are trying to help fix the world by farming and cleaning the air and soil. Bex is given a robot husband and sent off to establish her own homestead. The story is sci-fi but has a great rustic feel. This is my favorite of the bunch.
Lucy's family has disappeared in The Vagaries of Eloise Stanton, and she has to try to work with the magic of a contraption to get them back. Steampunk and myths mix here, and they lead to an unexpected end.
Evernee wants to escape this miserable world, feeling like a failure since she can't properly provide for her daughter in The Wallows. But is this other realm really what she wants? An emotional journey with magic and fantasy.
April 9, 2018
Four short stories, each of which can be read in one sitting. I read an ARC and this voluntary review is my own opinion.
April 12, 2018
Four short stories that will give you a taste of what M. Pax can do with a tale. Well written and easy to read.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews