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Frontiers of Speculative Fiction #2
OCEANS: The Anthology
“It is an interesting biological fact that all of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears.
We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea--whether it is to sail or to watch it--we are going back from whence we came.”
- John F. Kennedy
Underwater cities, lost civilizations, crops, climate change, and dead zones.
In this collection of ocean-themed stories, twelve of today’s top speculative fiction writers explore our morality, our built-in societal restraints, and reflect upon our state of grace.
The waves roll in, the waves roll out.
“OCEANS: The Anthology” features stories from bestselling authors such as winner of the Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy awards Ken Liu, Rysa Walker (the Chronos series), Daniel Arthur Smith (Tales from the Canyons of the Damned), R.D. Brady (the Belial series), Alex Shvartsman (the Unidentified Funny Objects series), P.K. Tyler (the UnCommon series), plus six more of today’s top authors in speculative and science fiction.
Daniel Arthur Smith presents OCEANS: THE ANTHOLOGY, book2 of the 2 book Frontiers of Speculative Fiction series that began with the top-ranking CLONES: The Anthology!
We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea--whether it is to sail or to watch it--we are going back from whence we came.”
- John F. Kennedy
Underwater cities, lost civilizations, crops, climate change, and dead zones.
In this collection of ocean-themed stories, twelve of today’s top speculative fiction writers explore our morality, our built-in societal restraints, and reflect upon our state of grace.
The waves roll in, the waves roll out.
“OCEANS: The Anthology” features stories from bestselling authors such as winner of the Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy awards Ken Liu, Rysa Walker (the Chronos series), Daniel Arthur Smith (Tales from the Canyons of the Damned), R.D. Brady (the Belial series), Alex Shvartsman (the Unidentified Funny Objects series), P.K. Tyler (the UnCommon series), plus six more of today’s top authors in speculative and science fiction.
Daniel Arthur Smith presents OCEANS: THE ANTHOLOGY, book2 of the 2 book Frontiers of Speculative Fiction series that began with the top-ranking CLONES: The Anthology!
294 pages, Paperback
First published September 19, 2017
104 people are currently reading
363 people want to read
About the author
Jessica West
90 books262 followersJess is currently pursuing a state of self-induced psychosis (also known as writing).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
September 25, 2017
4.5 stars
This was a great collection of short stories centered around our oceans. There is a little bit of everything here: mythology, fantasy, mermaids, Sci-Fi, environmental issues, aliens, you name it! Even with a central theme, I loved how diverse this collection was! I rated several stories at 5 stars, which is not something I normally do in anthologies.
Review by stories:
Bug Eater by Nathan M Beauchamp 3.5 stars
This was a very inventive story with a good twist. I would have liked to know a little bit more about the main character.
Tide Sweeping by P.K. Tyler 4 stars
I really enjoyed this world and the plot of the story. This world could make a really interesting full novel.
The Titan's Daughter by Daniel Arthur Smith 4 stars
I enjoyed this take on Odysseus and Mythology!
Dancing in the Midnight Ocean by Caroline M Yoachim 3 stars
This story seemed to give me more questions than answers. I feel like I got to know Mariana more than the MC.
Siren Song of the Mississippi Queen by Hank Garner 5 stars
I really enjoyed this story! Great mystery and development.
The Hung for the Vigilante by Alex Shvartsman 5 stars
This was one of my favorite stories in this anthology! Absolutely loved the hilarity of this story, plus lots of great action. Really fun one!
Aquagenic by Will Swardstrom 4 stars
This story was really interesting. I had guessed the ending at the beginning, but still a fun read!
New Year's Eve by Joshua Ingle 5 stars
This was a very well crafted story. I loved getting the back story on the MC through flashbacks of one holiday. And a great ending, gave me hope!
Turtle by R.D. Brady 5 stars
This is one of those stories, that while kind of depressing, I hope will inform people of the true plight of our oceans. Those poor sea turtles!
Girt by Sea by S. Elliot Brandis 4 stars
Even thought this took place in the future, it did remind me of an old pioneering story, and those always interest me. The whole thing felt very real.
Full Circle: A CHRONOS Story by Rysa Walker 5 stars
Easily my favorite in this anthology, this story was a great set up for a new wave of CHRONOS tales! I really liked Maci, and her connection to Kate. Great writing, this felt so real!
Dispatches from the Cradle: The Hermit-Forty-Eight Hours in the Sea of Massachusetts 4 stars
I really enjoyed this futuristic story of a world that is almost all underwater, and where terraforming Mars has become a reality. Chilling.
This was a great collection of short stories centered around our oceans. There is a little bit of everything here: mythology, fantasy, mermaids, Sci-Fi, environmental issues, aliens, you name it! Even with a central theme, I loved how diverse this collection was! I rated several stories at 5 stars, which is not something I normally do in anthologies.
Review by stories:
Bug Eater by Nathan M Beauchamp 3.5 stars
This was a very inventive story with a good twist. I would have liked to know a little bit more about the main character.
Tide Sweeping by P.K. Tyler 4 stars
I really enjoyed this world and the plot of the story. This world could make a really interesting full novel.
The Titan's Daughter by Daniel Arthur Smith 4 stars
I enjoyed this take on Odysseus and Mythology!
Dancing in the Midnight Ocean by Caroline M Yoachim 3 stars
This story seemed to give me more questions than answers. I feel like I got to know Mariana more than the MC.
Siren Song of the Mississippi Queen by Hank Garner 5 stars
I really enjoyed this story! Great mystery and development.
The Hung for the Vigilante by Alex Shvartsman 5 stars
This was one of my favorite stories in this anthology! Absolutely loved the hilarity of this story, plus lots of great action. Really fun one!
Aquagenic by Will Swardstrom 4 stars
This story was really interesting. I had guessed the ending at the beginning, but still a fun read!
New Year's Eve by Joshua Ingle 5 stars
This was a very well crafted story. I loved getting the back story on the MC through flashbacks of one holiday. And a great ending, gave me hope!
Turtle by R.D. Brady 5 stars
This is one of those stories, that while kind of depressing, I hope will inform people of the true plight of our oceans. Those poor sea turtles!
Girt by Sea by S. Elliot Brandis 4 stars
Even thought this took place in the future, it did remind me of an old pioneering story, and those always interest me. The whole thing felt very real.
Full Circle: A CHRONOS Story by Rysa Walker 5 stars
Easily my favorite in this anthology, this story was a great set up for a new wave of CHRONOS tales! I really liked Maci, and her connection to Kate. Great writing, this felt so real!
Dispatches from the Cradle: The Hermit-Forty-Eight Hours in the Sea of Massachusetts 4 stars
I really enjoyed this futuristic story of a world that is almost all underwater, and where terraforming Mars has become a reality. Chilling.
September 26, 2017
I've always had a deep affinity with the ocean even though I live in the desert. For a time I even taught scuba diving and in my younger days traveled often to spend as much time as I could in the peace and serenity of the big blue. With that said, I truly enjoyed the short stories in this collection all sharing the common theme of the ocean.
Being a huge fan of Rysa Walker's, I immediately flipped to her story, "Full Circle", which was a new Chronos Files story set in the future. I enjoyed meeting Madi, one of Kate's descendents, and hope to see much more of this young lady.
There were quite a few stories in this collection that I really enjoyed! “Tide Sweeping” by P.K. Tyler was actually quite haunting and even though I read it several days ago, I can't get it out of my head.
Other favorites were “Bug Eater” by Nathan M. Beauchamp, “Dancing in the Midnight Ocean” by Caroline M. Yoachim, “Aquagenic” by Will Swardstrom, and “Turtle: An A.L.I.V.E. Story” by R.D. Brady (I can't stop thinking about that turtle!) Actually, I enjoyed most of the stories.
I loved many of the amazing concepts and ideas and would have enjoyed an entire book about some of these. Also, there are some great messages contained in this book.
Thank you to the authors for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Being a huge fan of Rysa Walker's, I immediately flipped to her story, "Full Circle", which was a new Chronos Files story set in the future. I enjoyed meeting Madi, one of Kate's descendents, and hope to see much more of this young lady.
There were quite a few stories in this collection that I really enjoyed! “Tide Sweeping” by P.K. Tyler was actually quite haunting and even though I read it several days ago, I can't get it out of my head.
Other favorites were “Bug Eater” by Nathan M. Beauchamp, “Dancing in the Midnight Ocean” by Caroline M. Yoachim, “Aquagenic” by Will Swardstrom, and “Turtle: An A.L.I.V.E. Story” by R.D. Brady (I can't stop thinking about that turtle!) Actually, I enjoyed most of the stories.
I loved many of the amazing concepts and ideas and would have enjoyed an entire book about some of these. Also, there are some great messages contained in this book.
Thank you to the authors for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 25, 2017
OCEANS: The Anthology is a collection of 12 short stories by 12 different authors, each with an ocean-based theme. This review is for the story "Tide Sweeping" by P. K. Tyler.
"Tide Sweeping": Dust and sand have devoured the Earth, leaving behind only pockets of salt water protected by Sweepers, loyal to the Tide.
Jasja has an unusual job. Known as the Sweeper, she keeps watch over the last Ocean on earth, located inside a Temple in the Arctic Desert. She is destined to live her life here, with no love, no children, and no distractions from her duty. But Frosten is proving to be a bit of a distraction as he performs his daily maintenance on the Temple. Today is the day of the Offering, which occurs once every twenty years. What is the secret of the Offering?
Jasja lives in a different time, as evidenced by the existence of the Arctic Desert. The author creates a vivid image of this future through her skillful use of language. Not wishing to give away too much, the world has come full circle, with this future world sharing some very disturbing similarities with ancient civilizations.
This is a compelling tale of responsibility, destiny, and duty. I would love this story to have been a bit longer, further exploring Jasja's past and especially her relationship with Frosten.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post (26 September): https://booksdirectonline.blogspot.co...
"Tide Sweeping": Dust and sand have devoured the Earth, leaving behind only pockets of salt water protected by Sweepers, loyal to the Tide.
Jasja has an unusual job. Known as the Sweeper, she keeps watch over the last Ocean on earth, located inside a Temple in the Arctic Desert. She is destined to live her life here, with no love, no children, and no distractions from her duty. But Frosten is proving to be a bit of a distraction as he performs his daily maintenance on the Temple. Today is the day of the Offering, which occurs once every twenty years. What is the secret of the Offering?
Jasja lives in a different time, as evidenced by the existence of the Arctic Desert. The author creates a vivid image of this future through her skillful use of language. Not wishing to give away too much, the world has come full circle, with this future world sharing some very disturbing similarities with ancient civilizations.
This is a compelling tale of responsibility, destiny, and duty. I would love this story to have been a bit longer, further exploring Jasja's past and especially her relationship with Frosten.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post (26 September): https://booksdirectonline.blogspot.co...
September 24, 2017
Review: OCEANS: THE ANTHOLOGY (Various Authors; edited Daniel Arthur Smith)
What a wonderfully imaginative, creatively speculative, multi-author collection! I loved it! I was intrigued by the title, as I have been an aficionado of the Apocalyptic and Post-Apocalyptic sub-genres for nearly six decades, and because over the last couple of years that interest has focused on rising sea levels, climate change, and Lovecraftian apocalypses. I found plenty to gratify my intrigue here, and OCEANS: THE ANTHOLOGY has found a place on my special rereader shelf. You can't go wrong here, as there is much from which to choose, all of it guaranteed to stretch the imagination.
Kindle release Sept. 26 2017
What a wonderfully imaginative, creatively speculative, multi-author collection! I loved it! I was intrigued by the title, as I have been an aficionado of the Apocalyptic and Post-Apocalyptic sub-genres for nearly six decades, and because over the last couple of years that interest has focused on rising sea levels, climate change, and Lovecraftian apocalypses. I found plenty to gratify my intrigue here, and OCEANS: THE ANTHOLOGY has found a place on my special rereader shelf. You can't go wrong here, as there is much from which to choose, all of it guaranteed to stretch the imagination.
Kindle release Sept. 26 2017
September 28, 2017
Evocative, mysterious, and brilliant writing
So far, I have only read two of the short stories, but they were really fantastic and very high quality Sci-fi with perhaps a touch of Fantasy. I really want to read the rest of them very soon.
I am a big fan of P.K. Tyler, and her story "Tide Sweeping" was everything I could have hoped for from this brilliant, innovative author. I was entranced by the mysterious story and lyrical prose. In the far future when the oceans have almost disappeared and deserts have crept over the world, a priestess called a Sweeper is the caretaker of the last bit of underwater ocean accessible to people. She is dedicated and considers the ocean to be a goddess. We experience her loneliness and longing for a normal life, but she is dedicated to fulfill her lifelong calling. She feels attuned to the ocean. A mysterious ritual that happens every 20 years is fast approaching. FYI, since this story has some violence, I would recommend it for teens and adults, not children.
"Aquagenic" by Will Swardstrom was a captivating story firmly set in modern America. We get to know a nurse in a psychiatric facility who befriends a perfectly sane woman who had been found on a beach without memories but with an allergy to water! Together, these two friends figure out her mysterious origins. The outcome blew my mind. I was really impressed with the characterization and the writing. I will have to look for previous stories by this author.
I received a free advanced reading copy from one of the authors, and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.
So far, I have only read two of the short stories, but they were really fantastic and very high quality Sci-fi with perhaps a touch of Fantasy. I really want to read the rest of them very soon.
I am a big fan of P.K. Tyler, and her story "Tide Sweeping" was everything I could have hoped for from this brilliant, innovative author. I was entranced by the mysterious story and lyrical prose. In the far future when the oceans have almost disappeared and deserts have crept over the world, a priestess called a Sweeper is the caretaker of the last bit of underwater ocean accessible to people. She is dedicated and considers the ocean to be a goddess. We experience her loneliness and longing for a normal life, but she is dedicated to fulfill her lifelong calling. She feels attuned to the ocean. A mysterious ritual that happens every 20 years is fast approaching. FYI, since this story has some violence, I would recommend it for teens and adults, not children.
"Aquagenic" by Will Swardstrom was a captivating story firmly set in modern America. We get to know a nurse in a psychiatric facility who befriends a perfectly sane woman who had been found on a beach without memories but with an allergy to water! Together, these two friends figure out her mysterious origins. The outcome blew my mind. I was really impressed with the characterization and the writing. I will have to look for previous stories by this author.
I received a free advanced reading copy from one of the authors, and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.
September 30, 2017
So far, I have read 3 of the stories in this Anthology.
Bug Eater by Nathan M. Beauchamp is an unusual look at how the human race might cope with the loss of food supply. Angi, a young woman determined to find the answer, is labeled a bug eater because of her experiments to develop an protein source by using bugs. Wonderfully written and thought-provoking look at what we might become.
Tide Sweeping by P.K. Tyler is typical of other works by Ms. Tyler: fairly dark, with mystical/spiritual aspects. Her characters in this story are wonderfully written. The story is great, but sad. I always enjoy Ms. Tyler's work....she never disappoints!
The Titan's Daughter by Daniel Arthur Smith is a retelling of Odysseus. Wonderfully done and well written. I was not really familiar with the tale of Odysseus and I still loved this story!
Bug Eater by Nathan M. Beauchamp is an unusual look at how the human race might cope with the loss of food supply. Angi, a young woman determined to find the answer, is labeled a bug eater because of her experiments to develop an protein source by using bugs. Wonderfully written and thought-provoking look at what we might become.
Tide Sweeping by P.K. Tyler is typical of other works by Ms. Tyler: fairly dark, with mystical/spiritual aspects. Her characters in this story are wonderfully written. The story is great, but sad. I always enjoy Ms. Tyler's work....she never disappoints!
The Titan's Daughter by Daniel Arthur Smith is a retelling of Odysseus. Wonderfully done and well written. I was not really familiar with the tale of Odysseus and I still loved this story!
October 8, 2017
OCEANS is another excellent anthology of science fiction/ speculative tales curated and published by Daniel Arthur Smith.
This collection of 12 short stories are all ocean themed, continuing on from the amazing book 1 CLONES and deal with very varied challenges, mysterious events and dystopian futures.
All of these stories are great page turners, but the most thought provoking in my opinion was Siren Song of the Mississippi Queen by Hank Garner, which was sourced by the air, landscape and old traditions of his home. A close second best for me was Girt by Sea by S. Elliott Brandis, which once again was written about his home -> Australia. It’s a timeless tale and needs a follow up!
This collection of 12 short stories are all ocean themed, continuing on from the amazing book 1 CLONES and deal with very varied challenges, mysterious events and dystopian futures.
All of these stories are great page turners, but the most thought provoking in my opinion was Siren Song of the Mississippi Queen by Hank Garner, which was sourced by the air, landscape and old traditions of his home. A close second best for me was Girt by Sea by S. Elliott Brandis, which once again was written about his home -> Australia. It’s a timeless tale and needs a follow up!
December 7, 2019
Book 89/55: Oceans: The Anthology (Frontiers of Speculative Fiction #2) by Jessica West (Editor). I didn't realize this was a dystopian collection of ocean related short stories until I finally opened it and started this journey. I think I was expecting more sea creatures because of the whale at the front but a few stories in and not many aquatic life forms. Still, very much enjoyable, I got to live in the ocean and I enjoyed that very much. A few stories hit home a lot more than others, it truly makes one think about the future of our oceans and its lifeforms that I so dearly love. Interesting collection, I recommend!
February 28, 2018
I don't know what happened here.
I love the ocean.
I love speculative fiction.
But this just didn't work.
The stories are beautifully written, but for me they just didn't seem to go anywhere. I'm not sure if I'm missing something that other people are seeing? I just couldn't get into this and struggled to the end.
I love the ocean.
I love speculative fiction.
But this just didn't work.
The stories are beautifully written, but for me they just didn't seem to go anywhere. I'm not sure if I'm missing something that other people are seeing? I just couldn't get into this and struggled to the end.
September 23, 2017
This anthology of short stories was a blast to read. All had a general ocean theme but how it was important to the story differed greatly. Some were fantasy, futuristic and some more dystopian in theme. I liked them all. I read it in one sitting as I kept saying one more before I stop. Great for a lunch time read. The authors views of the ocean were all unique. I enjoyed reading all of the short stories although I admit to liking some more then others. The first story was a blast. I recommend getting this anthology if you like short stories that are well written and a surprise when a new one begins.
September 27, 2017
Wonderful anthology from some imaginative authors. Every story is about the ocean and so well written you can almost hear the waves crash, and taste the salt on your lips.
September 20, 2017
A group of stories united by the theme of the ocean.
I had already purchased and read Clones: The Anthology so I looked forward to seeing what these authors would come up with for Oceans. I was not disappointed on the whole.
Some of the stories are enlightening, the state of our oceans are a disgrace. Some give hope, some are a dire warning. They are still entertaining and good to read.
I especially enjoyed the stories that involved sea creatures.
I had already purchased and read Clones: The Anthology so I looked forward to seeing what these authors would come up with for Oceans. I was not disappointed on the whole.
Some of the stories are enlightening, the state of our oceans are a disgrace. Some give hope, some are a dire warning. They are still entertaining and good to read.
I especially enjoyed the stories that involved sea creatures.
January 12, 2018
Overall a fantastic collection of stories. Very well done by both the authors, and the editor who arranged them.
September 28, 2017
Oceans an anthology of stories written by an awesome lineup of high quality authors is not one to be missed, with stories like:
Tide Sweeping by P K Tyler – That portrays Jasja a young sweeper who keeps the last ocean and leads the offering ceremony for this twenty years that will chose the next sweeper for Jasja to train. But there is always more to a story than I am willing to tell so you will need to read it to find all the exciting, and wonderful parts.
Siren Song of the Mississippi by Hank Garner – Is another wonder story that will call to you from the gulf and tell you of its history and wonder as it did to Will’s sister Gabby, oh how dolphins only try to root us to the real world but our minds know the truth no matter what.
Aquagenic by Will Swardstrom – show what happens when an amnesia patient who is allergic to water befriends a nurse and they both can’t stand their current situation and go for a change one a bit more extreme than the other as Cora, the patient, does everything she can to find out who she is.
Full Circle: A CHRONOS story by Rysa Walker – Madi lives in 2136 but when she stumbles across a CHRONOS key she accidentally travels back in time and ends up at the bottom of the ocean and almost kills herself in the process, lucky for her one of the people that finds her can help her get back home.
There are plenty more stories by many more great authors and all well written with ocean thymes, I wish I had half the imagination these authors have as I was so captivated not only by the character and places, but also by the tales, lore and meaning that each story had, it was so awesome. I love these anthologies as I always find new authors this way and that was true of this one as well.
Tide Sweeping by P K Tyler – That portrays Jasja a young sweeper who keeps the last ocean and leads the offering ceremony for this twenty years that will chose the next sweeper for Jasja to train. But there is always more to a story than I am willing to tell so you will need to read it to find all the exciting, and wonderful parts.
Siren Song of the Mississippi by Hank Garner – Is another wonder story that will call to you from the gulf and tell you of its history and wonder as it did to Will’s sister Gabby, oh how dolphins only try to root us to the real world but our minds know the truth no matter what.
Aquagenic by Will Swardstrom – show what happens when an amnesia patient who is allergic to water befriends a nurse and they both can’t stand their current situation and go for a change one a bit more extreme than the other as Cora, the patient, does everything she can to find out who she is.
Full Circle: A CHRONOS story by Rysa Walker – Madi lives in 2136 but when she stumbles across a CHRONOS key she accidentally travels back in time and ends up at the bottom of the ocean and almost kills herself in the process, lucky for her one of the people that finds her can help her get back home.
There are plenty more stories by many more great authors and all well written with ocean thymes, I wish I had half the imagination these authors have as I was so captivated not only by the character and places, but also by the tales, lore and meaning that each story had, it was so awesome. I love these anthologies as I always find new authors this way and that was true of this one as well.
September 27, 2017
Bug Eater by Nathan M. Beauchamp - A nice little story about a tribe living their meagre lives on the very edge of existance. I wasn't aware of Nathan's work before this story but it was a very pleasant and entertaining read.
Tide Sweeping by P.K. Tyler - Another nice story, lovely imagery about a Priestess waiting for her successor.
The Titan's Daughter by Daniel Arthur Smith - Gosh but this is odd. I was trying to place the story (I think it's Ulysses?). Not bad but not good either.
Dancing in the Midnight Ocean by Caroline M. Yoachim - another odd one, a tale of dreams and wanting by 2 undersea dwellers wishing for a better life. Weak ending.
Siren Song of the Mississippi Queen by Hank Garner - struggled and didn't finish this, didn't even complete 2nd section. Failed to draw me in.
The Hunt for the Vigilant by Alex Shvartsman - Actually my 2nd read of this as I beta-read it for Alex prior to submission. I see he kept some of my suggestions too. I had great fun reading this and enjoyed the in-story reference to Cixin Liu. I wasn't familiar with the Universe it's set in but that lack of knowledge didn't spoil my reading experience. I will say, I'm not a big Lovecraft fan but I still enjoyed this.
Aquagenic by Will Swardstrom - Literally lost me after the 1st sentance. Oh dear.
New Year's Eve by Joshua Ingle - Ahain, I stopped reading bearly a line in. Equally oh dear.
Turtle: An A.L.I.V.E. Story by R.D. Brady - This one lost my interest pretty quickly too. I made it 3 paragraphs in.
Girt by Sea by S. Elliot Brandis - Gave up on this in less than a minute.
Full Circle: A CHRONOS Story by Rysa Walker - Lost me as soon as I saw the story within a story.
Dispatches from the Cradle: The Hermit--Forty-Eight Hours in the Sea of Massachusetts by Ken Liu - The sheer length of the title put me off reading this. I read about a paragraph and realised I'd made the right decision to stop.
A mixed bag, some I liked, some I couldn't even finish or hardly start. Ken Liu is better than this offering as is Caroline M. Yoachim. I can't comment on the other authors I didn't like as I'd never heard of them. I'm not sure who compiled this anthology (the cover says Jessica West, never heard of her, sorry!) but I finished less than half the stories in it.
If I'd paid for it (I was given it a a freebie) I wouldn't have been happy. She clearly saw something in many of these stories that I didn't. Like the desire to finish them.
As with all anthologies, your mileage may vary.
Tide Sweeping by P.K. Tyler - Another nice story, lovely imagery about a Priestess waiting for her successor.
The Titan's Daughter by Daniel Arthur Smith - Gosh but this is odd. I was trying to place the story (I think it's Ulysses?). Not bad but not good either.
Dancing in the Midnight Ocean by Caroline M. Yoachim - another odd one, a tale of dreams and wanting by 2 undersea dwellers wishing for a better life. Weak ending.
Siren Song of the Mississippi Queen by Hank Garner - struggled and didn't finish this, didn't even complete 2nd section. Failed to draw me in.
The Hunt for the Vigilant by Alex Shvartsman - Actually my 2nd read of this as I beta-read it for Alex prior to submission. I see he kept some of my suggestions too. I had great fun reading this and enjoyed the in-story reference to Cixin Liu. I wasn't familiar with the Universe it's set in but that lack of knowledge didn't spoil my reading experience. I will say, I'm not a big Lovecraft fan but I still enjoyed this.
Aquagenic by Will Swardstrom - Literally lost me after the 1st sentance. Oh dear.
New Year's Eve by Joshua Ingle - Ahain, I stopped reading bearly a line in. Equally oh dear.
Turtle: An A.L.I.V.E. Story by R.D. Brady - This one lost my interest pretty quickly too. I made it 3 paragraphs in.
Girt by Sea by S. Elliot Brandis - Gave up on this in less than a minute.
Full Circle: A CHRONOS Story by Rysa Walker - Lost me as soon as I saw the story within a story.
Dispatches from the Cradle: The Hermit--Forty-Eight Hours in the Sea of Massachusetts by Ken Liu - The sheer length of the title put me off reading this. I read about a paragraph and realised I'd made the right decision to stop.
A mixed bag, some I liked, some I couldn't even finish or hardly start. Ken Liu is better than this offering as is Caroline M. Yoachim. I can't comment on the other authors I didn't like as I'd never heard of them. I'm not sure who compiled this anthology (the cover says Jessica West, never heard of her, sorry!) but I finished less than half the stories in it.
If I'd paid for it (I was given it a a freebie) I wouldn't have been happy. She clearly saw something in many of these stories that I didn't. Like the desire to finish them.
As with all anthologies, your mileage may vary.
September 27, 2017
If you enjoy speculative fiction short stories, I highly recommend this ocean-themed anthology. The stories are well-written, original, and often surprising. While there are many dark or violent moments in these stories, they are tempered with beauty, hope, and humor. Unlike many other speculative fiction collections I've read, this doesn't feel overly grim to me.
It would be hard for me to choose a favorite from this collection. The opening story, “Bug Eater” by Nathan M. Beauchamp, was a creepy dystopian with an unsettling twist at the end. I'm generally not fond of dystopian stories, but I liked this one.
I found the next story, another dystopian called "Tide Sweeping" by P.K. Tyler, to be sad but alluring. This story featured beautiful imagery and appealing characters who I longed to learn more about.
If you enjoy mythology and reimaginings of classic stories as much as I do, you'll likely appreciate Daniel Arthur Smith's lyrical "The Titan's Daughter."
“Dancing in the Midnight Ocean” by Caroline M. Yoachim uses an inventive take on mermaids to explore issues of love and beauty. I initially didn't like these characters much, but I warmed up to them, and I found the ending very satisfying.
"The Hunt for the Vigilant" by Alex Shvartsman is a humorous take on capitalism, magic, and eldritch horrors. I'm not sure how well this one will age, but it's fun to see a story that incorporates current events and pop culture icons in a collection like this.
I loved how Will Swardstrom used a real medical condition in such a creative way in "Aquagenic," a story that explores friendship and identity and purpose.
I received a free ARC of this book from one of the authors and volunteered to review it. The version I reviewed was generally well written, well edited, and cleanly formatted. I noticed only a few typos. This should be appropriate for a wide audience.
It would be hard for me to choose a favorite from this collection. The opening story, “Bug Eater” by Nathan M. Beauchamp, was a creepy dystopian with an unsettling twist at the end. I'm generally not fond of dystopian stories, but I liked this one.
I found the next story, another dystopian called "Tide Sweeping" by P.K. Tyler, to be sad but alluring. This story featured beautiful imagery and appealing characters who I longed to learn more about.
If you enjoy mythology and reimaginings of classic stories as much as I do, you'll likely appreciate Daniel Arthur Smith's lyrical "The Titan's Daughter."
“Dancing in the Midnight Ocean” by Caroline M. Yoachim uses an inventive take on mermaids to explore issues of love and beauty. I initially didn't like these characters much, but I warmed up to them, and I found the ending very satisfying.
"The Hunt for the Vigilant" by Alex Shvartsman is a humorous take on capitalism, magic, and eldritch horrors. I'm not sure how well this one will age, but it's fun to see a story that incorporates current events and pop culture icons in a collection like this.
I loved how Will Swardstrom used a real medical condition in such a creative way in "Aquagenic," a story that explores friendship and identity and purpose.
I received a free ARC of this book from one of the authors and volunteered to review it. The version I reviewed was generally well written, well edited, and cleanly formatted. I noticed only a few typos. This should be appropriate for a wide audience.
September 27, 2017
This is an excellent collection of speculative stories based on the theme of oceans. Some of these will open your eyes, particularly the issue of ocean conservation. Also a reminder of how the oceans are a huge part of Mother Earth, and are vital to an amazing amount of living beings' welfare and lives.
I need to say at this point that I am terrified of water, and have been from a very early age. I can't swim and am unable to go anywhere near open stretches of water. The stories are very well written and so detailed, realistic and atmospheric, that I actually felt myself physically 'backing off' whenever character(s) were near the water. Having said that, I really enjoyed this anthology and I didn't think I would because of my phobia. I did have to keep reminding myself that 'it's only a book!'.
I loved all the stories, but these were my particular favourites:
'Tide Sweeping' by P K Tyler
I have yet to be disappointed by anything this author writes. Her works are so unusual and unique, and she pulls you into her worlds from the first paragraph. Vivid language, scarily beautiful, and unfortunately every bit believable for a potential timeline.
'Turtle: An A.L.I.V.E. Story' by R D Brady
I'm a huge softy when it comes to animals of any kind and I'm sure I'm not the only one...ah, lovely Iggy. It is also the total chaos and devastation that we, as (supposedly) the most intelligent beings, cause to other species that we are reminded of in this story.
There's a photo doing the rounds at the moment of a tiny, beautiful seahorse carrying a Q-Tip. That made me so angry. Parts of this story made me angry too, particularly the turtle that Iggy found. Dear god... We have made our presence known on this Earth, good and bad. There are times I think that we are not worthy of our amazing home. This story completely backed up my thoughts.
'Aquagenic' by Will Swardstrom
Amazingly well thought out story for a real and debilitating condition. Dana gives Cora the time she needs next to the ocean to understand where she should be, and what she is. Wonderfully haunting.
A very easy five star award.
I need to say at this point that I am terrified of water, and have been from a very early age. I can't swim and am unable to go anywhere near open stretches of water. The stories are very well written and so detailed, realistic and atmospheric, that I actually felt myself physically 'backing off' whenever character(s) were near the water. Having said that, I really enjoyed this anthology and I didn't think I would because of my phobia. I did have to keep reminding myself that 'it's only a book!'.
I loved all the stories, but these were my particular favourites:
'Tide Sweeping' by P K Tyler
I have yet to be disappointed by anything this author writes. Her works are so unusual and unique, and she pulls you into her worlds from the first paragraph. Vivid language, scarily beautiful, and unfortunately every bit believable for a potential timeline.
'Turtle: An A.L.I.V.E. Story' by R D Brady
I'm a huge softy when it comes to animals of any kind and I'm sure I'm not the only one...ah, lovely Iggy. It is also the total chaos and devastation that we, as (supposedly) the most intelligent beings, cause to other species that we are reminded of in this story.
There's a photo doing the rounds at the moment of a tiny, beautiful seahorse carrying a Q-Tip. That made me so angry. Parts of this story made me angry too, particularly the turtle that Iggy found. Dear god... We have made our presence known on this Earth, good and bad. There are times I think that we are not worthy of our amazing home. This story completely backed up my thoughts.
'Aquagenic' by Will Swardstrom
Amazingly well thought out story for a real and debilitating condition. Dana gives Cora the time she needs next to the ocean to understand where she should be, and what she is. Wonderfully haunting.
A very easy five star award.
April 2, 2023
Primarily an outer space genre, science fiction rarely dips its toe into water. I love oceanic scifi, and looked forward to enjoying this anthology.
As with all anthologies, story quality varied across this book. In the worst tales, the authors lectured the reader, most often about climate change. Readers read fiction to be entertained. If they want an essay, they’ll turn to nonfiction. If fiction writers feel a compulsion toward activism, toward making a difference, they should do so with a light touch, not a hammer blow to the cranium.
The editor missed a few things. Ungrammatical sentences, odd phrasing, plot inconsistencies, ambiguous sentences, missing words and commas, and name misspellings. These minor and infrequent deficiencies won’t stop readers from enjoying the stories, however.
A few stories stood out for me in a positive way. “The Titan’s Daughter” by Daniel Arthur Smith provided a fascinating retelling of the Calypso scenes in Homer’s Odyssey. “Dancing in the Moonlight” by Carline M. Yoachin told of gilled humans, love, and beauty. “Siren Song of the Mississippi Queen” by Hank Garner presented a lost civilization communicating with a troubled person, and a brother’s devotion to his sister. “The Hunt for the Vigilant” by Alex Svartsman delighted me with secret magic, a submarine, aliens, and an underwater battle. “Aquagenic” by Will Swardstrom confronted the problem of a woman suffering from both amnesia and a severe allergy to water. “Full Circle: A CHRONOS Story” by Rysa Walker took me on an interesting time travel romp. “Dispatches from the Cradle: The Hermit—Forty-Eight Hours in the Sea of Massachusetts” by Ken Liu may have lacked action, but was beautifully written.
Though this collection could have been better, it will satisfy those readers—like me—who feel the call of the sea, but don’t hear many answers from the scifi shelves. I recommend it.
As with all anthologies, story quality varied across this book. In the worst tales, the authors lectured the reader, most often about climate change. Readers read fiction to be entertained. If they want an essay, they’ll turn to nonfiction. If fiction writers feel a compulsion toward activism, toward making a difference, they should do so with a light touch, not a hammer blow to the cranium.
The editor missed a few things. Ungrammatical sentences, odd phrasing, plot inconsistencies, ambiguous sentences, missing words and commas, and name misspellings. These minor and infrequent deficiencies won’t stop readers from enjoying the stories, however.
A few stories stood out for me in a positive way. “The Titan’s Daughter” by Daniel Arthur Smith provided a fascinating retelling of the Calypso scenes in Homer’s Odyssey. “Dancing in the Moonlight” by Carline M. Yoachin told of gilled humans, love, and beauty. “Siren Song of the Mississippi Queen” by Hank Garner presented a lost civilization communicating with a troubled person, and a brother’s devotion to his sister. “The Hunt for the Vigilant” by Alex Svartsman delighted me with secret magic, a submarine, aliens, and an underwater battle. “Aquagenic” by Will Swardstrom confronted the problem of a woman suffering from both amnesia and a severe allergy to water. “Full Circle: A CHRONOS Story” by Rysa Walker took me on an interesting time travel romp. “Dispatches from the Cradle: The Hermit—Forty-Eight Hours in the Sea of Massachusetts” by Ken Liu may have lacked action, but was beautifully written.
Though this collection could have been better, it will satisfy those readers—like me—who feel the call of the sea, but don’t hear many answers from the scifi shelves. I recommend it.
July 21, 2024
3.5, but rounding to 4
I brought this along on two beach trips over the course of a year or two and it was great beach reading - not too serious, good variety and, it's about the ocean, duh.
Some of the stories blew me away and the imagery, world and characters have really stuck with me. Others were not my cup of tea and were a slog for me to get through. I guess that's expected with an anthology, though, to some extent.
Lots of environmental themes, very "cli-fi," some great post apocalyptic stories and amazingly sci-fi including time travel, zombies, and space. Also some fun psychological themes too. And, of course, the ocean.
Some favorites:
Tide Sweeping by P. K. Tyler - only a small pool of ocean remains on a sand-covered earth. A few chosen "sweepers" protect the pool through intricate rituals in a temple devoted to the sea. Great world-building, imagery, and character-building.
Full Circle: A CHRONOS Story by Rysa Walker - a time-traveling, history-loving gardener encounters a cult. Feel like I can't say more without spoiling it. Fun sci-fi, loved the image of main character gardening in the dirt with all her fancy technology.
Dispatches from the Cradle: The Hermit - Forty-Eight Hours in the Sea of Massachusetts by Ken Liu - a woman travels from Venus to the ocean-covered Earth to live as a hermit amongst other tourists and "refugees" who live in floating island chains. Lots of fun imagery, characters, and food for thought in this one.
I brought this along on two beach trips over the course of a year or two and it was great beach reading - not too serious, good variety and, it's about the ocean, duh.
Some of the stories blew me away and the imagery, world and characters have really stuck with me. Others were not my cup of tea and were a slog for me to get through. I guess that's expected with an anthology, though, to some extent.
Lots of environmental themes, very "cli-fi," some great post apocalyptic stories and amazingly sci-fi including time travel, zombies, and space. Also some fun psychological themes too. And, of course, the ocean.
Some favorites:
Tide Sweeping by P. K. Tyler - only a small pool of ocean remains on a sand-covered earth. A few chosen "sweepers" protect the pool through intricate rituals in a temple devoted to the sea. Great world-building, imagery, and character-building.
Full Circle: A CHRONOS Story by Rysa Walker - a time-traveling, history-loving gardener encounters a cult. Feel like I can't say more without spoiling it. Fun sci-fi, loved the image of main character gardening in the dirt with all her fancy technology.
Dispatches from the Cradle: The Hermit - Forty-Eight Hours in the Sea of Massachusetts by Ken Liu - a woman travels from Venus to the ocean-covered Earth to live as a hermit amongst other tourists and "refugees" who live in floating island chains. Lots of fun imagery, characters, and food for thought in this one.
October 12, 2017
So much excellence, I feel cleansed by the oceans.
This book of stories, all touching an ocean, is refreshing, reviving, and a stark reminder that each of us is a steward of the planet. The tale entitled Turtle especially moved me to tears and frustration. How ignorant is mankind that we pollute this treasure, this jewel of a planet, our life sustaining oceans?
Each story hit me differently. I love Rysa Walker's Chronos books. So that was a favorite. If you haven't read any this will spark your curiosity!
Mr. Lui's story of a human hermit crab enchanted me. I would love to live in a submersible, but beyond that romantic dream his Walden-type prose as they float through a coral covered landscape as if it were a stroll through an autumnal wood caused my heart rate to mellow.
Several of my favorite indie authors are in this collection, and each story stands out in a significant way, each reminding me to get out of my own head and go walk on the beach.
This book of stories, all touching an ocean, is refreshing, reviving, and a stark reminder that each of us is a steward of the planet. The tale entitled Turtle especially moved me to tears and frustration. How ignorant is mankind that we pollute this treasure, this jewel of a planet, our life sustaining oceans?
Each story hit me differently. I love Rysa Walker's Chronos books. So that was a favorite. If you haven't read any this will spark your curiosity!
Mr. Lui's story of a human hermit crab enchanted me. I would love to live in a submersible, but beyond that romantic dream his Walden-type prose as they float through a coral covered landscape as if it were a stroll through an autumnal wood caused my heart rate to mellow.
Several of my favorite indie authors are in this collection, and each story stands out in a significant way, each reminding me to get out of my own head and go walk on the beach.
January 15, 2019
Really liked several of the stories particularly the Mage meets Cthulu story by Alex Shvartsman and the story about the elderly oceanographer who hits her head. My one major dislike was to see a fake Aristotle quote commonly used by racists and the alt right "Tolerance and apathy are the last virtues of a dying society" -Aristotle. This is not a quote by Aristotle. This is an easy check and obvious to anyone with a grounding in greek thought. I don't even think that if the quote was true it really applied to the story. An earlier quote to another story would've fit better or something about distributed responsibility. Anyway, excellent anthology and I'm a bit persnickety about quotes, fact checking, and research so most people will not care about that.
September 27, 2017
The Bug Eater by Nathan Beauchamp was incredible and the highlight of the anthology.I'm hoping the author will continue to write about these characters and the world he created.The other standouts for me are The Hunt for the Vigilant by Alex Shvartsman which left me hoping for more stories set in this world.Girt By the Sea by Elliott S. Brandis had me glued to the page.Turtle: An A.L.I.V.E. Story By R.D. Brady was touching and a wake up call to humanity.I also enjoyed rereading Dispatches from the Cradle:The Hermit;48 hours in the Sea of Massachusetts by Ken Liu.I received an arc from the authors for a voluntary and unbiased review.
September 24, 2017
There is something about the mystery of the ocean that calls to me... The birthplace of life. The vast might and majesty of a frontier which insignificant mankind has yet to fully explore, even though it laps upon our very doorstep...
Daniel has gathered some of my favorite authors together to explore this vast watery world, and boy do they ever deliver. From a Homeresque tale of loving and letting go, to stories of the Finned-People, to Climate Change and Deadly Pollution... It's all there!
So grab Oceans, and start your own exploration... You don't even have to get your feet wet...
Daniel has gathered some of my favorite authors together to explore this vast watery world, and boy do they ever deliver. From a Homeresque tale of loving and letting go, to stories of the Finned-People, to Climate Change and Deadly Pollution... It's all there!
So grab Oceans, and start your own exploration... You don't even have to get your feet wet...
June 10, 2018
Aunque fui atraída básicamente por el título y por Ken Liu, debo decir que fue una grata sorpresa encontrar tal variedad de excelentes historias y conocer tantos nombres nuevos.
Creo que había leído una o dos de la historias en otro punto, pero todas juntas en contexto me parecieron fabulosas. El mar es de las cosas que más me fascinan y me gustó poder leer sobre el desde varios ángulos y en diferentes estilos.
No estoy segura de si el resto de las antologías de Frontiers of Speculative Fiction son exactamente de mi interés, pero si tienen está calidad me apunto.
Creo que había leído una o dos de la historias en otro punto, pero todas juntas en contexto me parecieron fabulosas. El mar es de las cosas que más me fascinan y me gustó poder leer sobre el desde varios ángulos y en diferentes estilos.
No estoy segura de si el resto de las antologías de Frontiers of Speculative Fiction son exactamente de mi interés, pero si tienen está calidad me apunto.
July 2, 2019
I bought this anthology for $0.99 after reading Liu's anthology Star Wars: Journey to Star Wars: the Last Jedi - The Legends of Luke Skywalker to find out what "speculative fiction" was. Some of the stories were pretty interesting takes on the environmental future, nearly all of them were confusing, and overall I probably wouldn't recommend it.
July 9, 2020
This was really disappointing. I love fantasy and I love anything ocean related and was so excited to happen upon this collection of the two mashed together but it was a big let down. The majority of these stories were just so soft and uninteresting. I liked 5 out of 12 stories and even then I only really liked one.
The five I liked: Bug Eater, Tide Sweeping, The Titan’s Daughter, The Hunt for the Vigilant, and my favorite of them all Girt by Sea.
The five I liked: Bug Eater, Tide Sweeping, The Titan’s Daughter, The Hunt for the Vigilant, and my favorite of them all Girt by Sea.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2019
(more towards 1.25 because there were one or two decent stories in this)
Good idea, mediocre execution. There were a couple decent stories, but overall the writing was not that great, and often things got heavy-handed and melodramatic when discussing the oceans' future. An okay, like, beach read, I guess?
Good idea, mediocre execution. There were a couple decent stories, but overall the writing was not that great, and often things got heavy-handed and melodramatic when discussing the oceans' future. An okay, like, beach read, I guess?
December 30, 2019
As per usually the case for me with anthologies I found that some of these stories were great and others simply didn’t work for me. As a Sci-Fi collection for used on the oceans, many of the authors chose to tackle climate change in mentions or outright. There were many interesting takes on the topic both optimistic and... less so. Overall it was worth the read.
August 23, 2025
Excellent collection of stories. I enjoyed all of them and I love the short info on the authors at the end of each story. I plan to go back and check out those more in-depth. :)
My favorite stories are "Tide Sweeping" and "New Year's Eve".
Each story is different and all have a theme of the ocean, give it a good read!
My favorite stories are "Tide Sweeping" and "New Year's Eve".
Each story is different and all have a theme of the ocean, give it a good read!
September 27, 2017
A terrific anthology of stories dedicated to oceans! Ken Liu has gathered an amazing variety of fiction, all dedicated to the wonderfulness of the water! Some are sad, some are thrilling, but they are all entertaining!
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