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Release the Virgins
It was during a late-night conversation that the phrase "Release the Virgins" was spoken. Seemingly nonsensical, it stuck in our minds, and turned into a group project that would lead to an anthology.
We brought the idea to a crowd-funding site, which interested enough people to provide the seed funding to turn this anthology into reality. We took that springboard, and gave eighteen talented authors the task of writing a great story with only one guideline: the story had to include the phrase "Release the Virgins."
The results are surprisingly varied and creative: science fiction, fantasy, outright comedy, serious imaginings... in this anthology, you'll find Manhattan gangsters, sad superheroes, marathon-running aliens, teenage Cthulhu worshippers, ghost dinosaurs, computer hackers, and even a unicorn or two. And we think you'll agree: it's a good thing that phrase stuck in our minds.
stories:
Valedictory by Lawrence Watt-Evans
Sidekicked by Hildy Silverman
Command Decision by Steve Miller
Are You There, Cthulhu? It's Me, Judy by Beth W. Patterson
Innocence Lost by Gail Z. Martin
How Mose Saved the Virgins of Old New York by Allen M. Steele
The Fires of Rome by Jody Lynn Nye
Salvage by Shariann Lewitt
The Midwinter of Our Discontent by Keith R.A. DeCandido
Coming Attractions by Daniel M. Kimmel
Cracking the Vault by Matt Bechtel
The Coffee Corps by Alex Shvartsman
The Vestals of Midnight by Sharon Lee
Paradisiacal Protocols by Gordon Linzner
Brass Tacks by Cecilia Tan
Old Spirits by Brian Trent
The Running of the Drones by Patrick Thomas
Dangerous Virgins by David Gerrold
We brought the idea to a crowd-funding site, which interested enough people to provide the seed funding to turn this anthology into reality. We took that springboard, and gave eighteen talented authors the task of writing a great story with only one guideline: the story had to include the phrase "Release the Virgins."
The results are surprisingly varied and creative: science fiction, fantasy, outright comedy, serious imaginings... in this anthology, you'll find Manhattan gangsters, sad superheroes, marathon-running aliens, teenage Cthulhu worshippers, ghost dinosaurs, computer hackers, and even a unicorn or two. And we think you'll agree: it's a good thing that phrase stuck in our minds.
stories:
Valedictory by Lawrence Watt-Evans
Sidekicked by Hildy Silverman
Command Decision by Steve Miller
Are You There, Cthulhu? It's Me, Judy by Beth W. Patterson
Innocence Lost by Gail Z. Martin
How Mose Saved the Virgins of Old New York by Allen M. Steele
The Fires of Rome by Jody Lynn Nye
Salvage by Shariann Lewitt
The Midwinter of Our Discontent by Keith R.A. DeCandido
Coming Attractions by Daniel M. Kimmel
Cracking the Vault by Matt Bechtel
The Coffee Corps by Alex Shvartsman
The Vestals of Midnight by Sharon Lee
Paradisiacal Protocols by Gordon Linzner
Brass Tacks by Cecilia Tan
Old Spirits by Brian Trent
The Running of the Drones by Patrick Thomas
Dangerous Virgins by David Gerrold
248 pages, Paperback
Published January 2, 2019
45 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Michael A. Ventrella
38 books63 followersMichael A. Ventrella's humorous adventure novels include "Big Stick," "Bloodsuckers: A Vampire Runs for President," "Arch Enemies" and "The Axes of Evil."
He is the editor of many anthologies, including "Release the Virgins!," "Three Time Travelers Walk Into...", "Across the Universe" (with Randee Dawn) and the "Baker Street Irregulars" anthologies (co-edited with NY Times Bestselling Author Jonathan Maberry).
His web page is www.MichaelAVentrella.com and he can be easily found on Facebook and other social networking sites. His blog regularly interviews prominent authors.
Mike lives in the beautiful Pocono Mountains with a tolerant wife and four obnoxious cats. In his spare time, he is a lawyer.
He is the editor of many anthologies, including "Release the Virgins!," "Three Time Travelers Walk Into...", "Across the Universe" (with Randee Dawn) and the "Baker Street Irregulars" anthologies (co-edited with NY Times Bestselling Author Jonathan Maberry).
His web page is www.MichaelAVentrella.com and he can be easily found on Facebook and other social networking sites. His blog regularly interviews prominent authors.
Mike lives in the beautiful Pocono Mountains with a tolerant wife and four obnoxious cats. In his spare time, he is a lawyer.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 8, 2019
This released in the last day or so, and I got the heads'-up from Sharon Lee on FB. As with any anthology, some stories are better than others, and some are 'not so much', though this compilation has surprisingly few of those. I liked some stories so much I went looking for other stories/books by the authors, particularly Gail Z. Martin. The last story, by David Gerrold, was the least likable, IMO; it was mostly an exercise in raunchy puns of book/story titles.
Also as usual, the Kindle editors were out to lunch. Misspellings, missed words, wrong homonyms, yada.
Worth reading, and worth the cost of US$8.
Also as usual, the Kindle editors were out to lunch. Misspellings, missed words, wrong homonyms, yada.
Worth reading, and worth the cost of US$8.
March 7, 2019
This is one of the oddest anthologies I've read (or appeared in). The premise that the story (SF/horror/fantasy) must somehow include the line "Release the Virgins." AND it has to work as a story. I like to think my solution was particularly clever, but there's imagination to spare in the other stories, and since I know many of the other authors, I'm not going to play favorites. If you want to see how one idea gets filtered through 18 twisted minds, you'll have fun with this.
January 4, 2019
Anthology, usual mix of some good stories, some not so good. Mostly fantasy, some SF, some just silly.
March 6, 2019
With a premise like "just include the phrase 'release the virgins' at some point," you really don't know what you are gonna get. But this book is the whole box of chocolates, with solid stories that aren't just about the gimmick, and present worlds I'd actually like to see far more of. If you like any of these authors you'll undoubtedly tumble for the whole book, and even if you've never heard of one of them, if you're a SF/F/Horror fan -- this will provide hours of entertainment.
About halfway through the book I also discovered a bonus delight: Trying to guess just how the key phrase would fit into the story. The uses are as varied as the authors' personal styles, and sometimes they actually made me laugh. Dive in, and release your own virgins!
About halfway through the book I also discovered a bonus delight: Trying to guess just how the key phrase would fit into the story. The uses are as varied as the authors' personal styles, and sometimes they actually made me laugh. Dive in, and release your own virgins!
February 9, 2019
This is a fun read. There are 18 short stories by as many different SF authors. I found some new writers that I want to read more from (Hildy Silverman, Shariann Lewitt, Alex Shvartsman, Patrick Thomas), and I was surprised by the 18 different ways that the caveat from the title was used. Every story must use the phrase “Release the Virgins”. But no two stories used it in the same way. Only one story with unicorns was allowed. All in all, a really good collection of stories.
Of my favorites one involved drones and another Dunkin Donuts.
Of my favorites one involved drones and another Dunkin Donuts.
January 31, 2023
To be fair, I skipped a few of the short stories in this anthology, but I read about half of them. Mostly pretty funny and an enjoyable read. I just love the idea of a bunch of authors sitting around a bar and coming up with this idea of an anthology (and that some of the stories play off of that is awesome!)
January 6, 2019
Fun!
I bought this mostly to read Sharon Lee, Steve Miller and Jody Lynn Nye. I was pleasantly surprised, for the most part, by the rest of the stories. Various genres, all coming back to the main phrase. Worth the read!
I bought this mostly to read Sharon Lee, Steve Miller and Jody Lynn Nye. I was pleasantly surprised, for the most part, by the rest of the stories. Various genres, all coming back to the main phrase. Worth the read!
May 9, 2019
An odd mix of stories.
Many of the stories are funny, some are quite good. A few are painfully forced.
One story struck me as using rather anti-Semetic stereotypes in a way I did not find funny. Your mileage may vary.
Many of the stories are funny, some are quite good. A few are painfully forced.
One story struck me as using rather anti-Semetic stereotypes in a way I did not find funny. Your mileage may vary.
February 4, 2019
Sharon Lee - The Vestals of Midnight
Steve Miller - Command Decision
champignons
Steve Miller - Command Decision
champignons
April 30, 2019
Fun collection of short stories by some of my favorite authors.
September 20, 2023
Couldn’t get through it. And that is odd for me. I found the stories seem to have to really twist to get in the phrase, “release the virgins.” Just became way to contrived.
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January 19, 2019Some good stories, some not good. As it goes with anthologies.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews