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Speculative Horizons
Speculative fiction is wide in scope and styles, and Speculative Horizons showcases the talent and storytelling skills of five of the genre's most imaginative
In C. S. Friedman's 'Soul Mate,' it's love at first sight for Josie at the arts and crafts festival when she meets the handsome Stephan Mayeaux. It all sounds too good to be true until her newfound boyfriend starts to act strangely and unexplained occurrences begin to take place around her.
In Tobias S. Buckell's 'The Eve of the Fall of Habesh,' contragnartii Jazim must carry out one final assignment before the armies of the Sea People lay waste to the city he loves.
L. E. Modesitt, Jr. returns to the universe of his bestselling Recluce saga in 'The Stranger.' A young herder's existence will be forever changed by the unexpected arrival of the black-clad man recounting tales of angels living on the summit of the Roof of the World.
In 'Flint,' Brian Ruckley introduces us to a young and inexperienced shaman who must venture into the spirit world to discover the source of the sickness which afflicts his tribe before they are all wiped out.
Talk to any cop working for Homicide, Narcotics, or Vice, and they'll tell you that they get the worst cases imaginable. But in Hal Duncan's 'The Death of a Love,' you realize that they have nothing on Erocide.
In C. S. Friedman's 'Soul Mate,' it's love at first sight for Josie at the arts and crafts festival when she meets the handsome Stephan Mayeaux. It all sounds too good to be true until her newfound boyfriend starts to act strangely and unexplained occurrences begin to take place around her.
In Tobias S. Buckell's 'The Eve of the Fall of Habesh,' contragnartii Jazim must carry out one final assignment before the armies of the Sea People lay waste to the city he loves.
L. E. Modesitt, Jr. returns to the universe of his bestselling Recluce saga in 'The Stranger.' A young herder's existence will be forever changed by the unexpected arrival of the black-clad man recounting tales of angels living on the summit of the Roof of the World.
In 'Flint,' Brian Ruckley introduces us to a young and inexperienced shaman who must venture into the spirit world to discover the source of the sickness which afflicts his tribe before they are all wiped out.
Talk to any cop working for Homicide, Narcotics, or Vice, and they'll tell you that they get the worst cases imaginable. But in Hal Duncan's 'The Death of a Love,' you realize that they have nothing on Erocide.
128 pages, Hardcover
First published September 30, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 18, 2011
4.5 stars. This is an excellent collection of original short fiction by some of the best writers of speculative fiction writing today. Of the five stories contained in this slim volume (only around 120 pages), the only one I did not read was the one written by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. which was set in the Recluse universe. I have not yet read any of the Recluse titles and so will revisit that one after I am more familiar with the world. The other four stories listed below all ranged for very good to superb and are all worth reading.
“Soul Mates” by C.S. Friedman (3.5 to 4.0 stars). A suspenseful story about a woman who meets what she believes to be the man of her dreams (hence the title) until things begin to get very strange. I am a big fan of Friedman’s science fiction and it was nice to read something from her more in the fantasy/horror realm.
“The Eve of the Fall of Habesh” by Tobias Buckell (4.5 to 5.0 stars). My favorite story in the collection (tied with “Death of a Love” by Hal Duncan) is set in a world in which magic exists but the use of it takes a portion of the life force away from the user. The world described is fascinating but also very sad and Buckell does a great job infusing the story with this sense of hopelessness. The world created by this story is so intriguing that I have my fingers crossed that Buckell will use this as the source of a novel in the very near future.
“Flint” by Brian Ruckley (4.0 to 4.5 Stars). I have not read any of Ruckley’s novels (yet) so this was my first introduction to his writing. I was very impressed. The story is set in a pre-historic time and involves a young Shaman and his journey to replace the old shaman after his death and to be accepted by the tribe in that position. Very smart, well written and the magical elements are engrossing.
“Death of a Love” by Hal Duncan (4.5 to 5.0 stars). Tied with the Buckell story as my favorite in the collection, this superb story is told in the form of an extended monologue by a detective in the “Erocide” police squad who investigates the murder of relationships and loves that physically manifest themselves in the form of cupids. This one is very original, emotionally evocative and will really stick with you long after you finish it.
“Soul Mates” by C.S. Friedman (3.5 to 4.0 stars). A suspenseful story about a woman who meets what she believes to be the man of her dreams (hence the title) until things begin to get very strange. I am a big fan of Friedman’s science fiction and it was nice to read something from her more in the fantasy/horror realm.
“The Eve of the Fall of Habesh” by Tobias Buckell (4.5 to 5.0 stars). My favorite story in the collection (tied with “Death of a Love” by Hal Duncan) is set in a world in which magic exists but the use of it takes a portion of the life force away from the user. The world described is fascinating but also very sad and Buckell does a great job infusing the story with this sense of hopelessness. The world created by this story is so intriguing that I have my fingers crossed that Buckell will use this as the source of a novel in the very near future.
“Flint” by Brian Ruckley (4.0 to 4.5 Stars). I have not read any of Ruckley’s novels (yet) so this was my first introduction to his writing. I was very impressed. The story is set in a pre-historic time and involves a young Shaman and his journey to replace the old shaman after his death and to be accepted by the tribe in that position. Very smart, well written and the magical elements are engrossing.
“Death of a Love” by Hal Duncan (4.5 to 5.0 stars). Tied with the Buckell story as my favorite in the collection, this superb story is told in the form of an extended monologue by a detective in the “Erocide” police squad who investigates the murder of relationships and loves that physically manifest themselves in the form of cupids. This one is very original, emotionally evocative and will really stick with you long after you finish it.
October 1, 2010
Speculative Horizons is a lovely little anthology edited by book blogger Patrick St. Denis (of Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist fame). When the good people at Subterranean Press asked him whether he’d be interested in editing a short story collection, he understandably jumped on the idea (who wouldn’t?!), but asked that a portion of the proceeds be donated to breast cancer research. Not only is this an absolutely wonderful initiative, but it also means that you now have an excellent chance to buy a book and actually feel good about it.
This 128 page anthology contains five short stories by authors whose names many people who are interested in speculative fiction will instantly recognize: Celia S. Friedman, Tobias Buckell, L.E. Modesitt Jr., Brian Ruckley and Hal Duncan. Each story has a brief introduction by its author, and the book closes with an afterword by editor Patrick St. Denis, giving the reader a fun glimpse into the writing process and the making of this anthology. On to the stories!
The book opens strongly with Celia S. Friedman’s “Soul Mates,” a subtly terrifying story about a woman who falls in love with Stephan Mayeaux, a handsome stranger who seems almost too good to be true... until he starts behaving oddly. While this is probably the least substantial story in the collection, it does a wonderful job creating a menacing atmosphere right from the start.
Next up is Tobias Buckell’s “The Eve of the Fall of Habesh,” easily the strongest story in the collection. In the city of Habesh, magic is quite common — but using it removes a little bit of the caster’s life force. As a result, the city is filled with child-beggars resembling progeria victims — an image that’s going to stay with me for quite a while. The story’s main character is the corrupt contragnartii Jazim, an enforcer who is tasked with removing the magical abilities of anyone violating the rulers’ precepts. On the eve of a possibly devastating invasion by the Sea People, Jazim has to carry out one final assignment... This story has a beautifully melancholy atmosphere and one of the most interesting settings I’ve ever encountered in such a short piece of fiction. If there’s anything wrong with this story, it’s that it’s too short. Mr. Buckell, please consider writing a novel or, even better, a trilogy set in this fantasy world.
The middle story in the anthology comes courtesy of L.E. Modesitt Jr. and is set in the world of his highly successful Saga of Recluce. Confession: I am a big fan of the author, but I’ve only had the chance to read 4 books in this 15+ book series. One day soon, I will take a few months off and read the entire series. This story made me want to do this sooner rather than later.
Brian Ruckley’s “Flint” is a delicate story about a young shaman in prehistoric times, who is trying to win acceptance from his community after his mentor, the previous shaman, dies. While this is an enjoyable read, it’s probably the weakest story in the collection, although readers with an interest in prehistoric fiction will probably disagree with me.
Closing out the collection is Hal Duncan’s “The Death of a Love,” which is in essence a long, bitter monologue by a detective in the Erocide police department. This is really more a concept than a story, and it probably could have been trimmed by a few pages, but regardless — this is one of those stories you’ll never forget, and you’ll never look at images of Cupid the same way again.
And there you have it: five short stories ranging from good to stunning, and the chance to help support breast cancer research. Order your copy today.
(This review was also published on www.fantasyliterature.com)
This 128 page anthology contains five short stories by authors whose names many people who are interested in speculative fiction will instantly recognize: Celia S. Friedman, Tobias Buckell, L.E. Modesitt Jr., Brian Ruckley and Hal Duncan. Each story has a brief introduction by its author, and the book closes with an afterword by editor Patrick St. Denis, giving the reader a fun glimpse into the writing process and the making of this anthology. On to the stories!
The book opens strongly with Celia S. Friedman’s “Soul Mates,” a subtly terrifying story about a woman who falls in love with Stephan Mayeaux, a handsome stranger who seems almost too good to be true... until he starts behaving oddly. While this is probably the least substantial story in the collection, it does a wonderful job creating a menacing atmosphere right from the start.
Next up is Tobias Buckell’s “The Eve of the Fall of Habesh,” easily the strongest story in the collection. In the city of Habesh, magic is quite common — but using it removes a little bit of the caster’s life force. As a result, the city is filled with child-beggars resembling progeria victims — an image that’s going to stay with me for quite a while. The story’s main character is the corrupt contragnartii Jazim, an enforcer who is tasked with removing the magical abilities of anyone violating the rulers’ precepts. On the eve of a possibly devastating invasion by the Sea People, Jazim has to carry out one final assignment... This story has a beautifully melancholy atmosphere and one of the most interesting settings I’ve ever encountered in such a short piece of fiction. If there’s anything wrong with this story, it’s that it’s too short. Mr. Buckell, please consider writing a novel or, even better, a trilogy set in this fantasy world.
The middle story in the anthology comes courtesy of L.E. Modesitt Jr. and is set in the world of his highly successful Saga of Recluce. Confession: I am a big fan of the author, but I’ve only had the chance to read 4 books in this 15+ book series. One day soon, I will take a few months off and read the entire series. This story made me want to do this sooner rather than later.
Brian Ruckley’s “Flint” is a delicate story about a young shaman in prehistoric times, who is trying to win acceptance from his community after his mentor, the previous shaman, dies. While this is an enjoyable read, it’s probably the weakest story in the collection, although readers with an interest in prehistoric fiction will probably disagree with me.
Closing out the collection is Hal Duncan’s “The Death of a Love,” which is in essence a long, bitter monologue by a detective in the Erocide police department. This is really more a concept than a story, and it probably could have been trimmed by a few pages, but regardless — this is one of those stories you’ll never forget, and you’ll never look at images of Cupid the same way again.
And there you have it: five short stories ranging from good to stunning, and the chance to help support breast cancer research. Order your copy today.
(This review was also published on www.fantasyliterature.com)
July 23, 2014
"Speculative Horizons" has a striking and superb cover while on the inside page there is another illustration that is beautiful and adds to the theme of "strangeness" that is the only one I could think of after reading the five very diverse stories inside. Each story has a short introduction by its author talking a bit about its genesis, while the anthology ends with a note from the editor discussing how it came to be.
*******************************************************
Soul Mate by CS Friedman
In a contemporary urban setting, a young woman writer with a designer friend meets a striking man who owns an upscale gallery in their resort town and soon believes she has been very lucky to find a perfect "soul-mate" for her.
The story is exquisitely done and it flows inexorably toward the relatively familiar twist ending; despite that I could see very early where the story goes, it did not matter since the execution was perfect (A+)
*******************************************************
The Eve of the Fall of Habesh by Tobias Buckell
In a slightly ironic twist, this story uses a magic system quite similar to the one employed by CS Friedman in her latest mostly superb Magister series, where magic is paid by life shortening.
The overall thrust is quite different since in the settled cities of the coast who are under attack by the "sea people", magic is rationed by the state so to speak - partly due to its cost as above, partly due to the possible consequences if anyone gets too powerful - so everyone granted magical ability, is allowed only one "type" of such and teaching/sharing is heresy punishable by death.
The narrator is a special agent - contragnartii - of the government who has as his own power the ability to snuff the magic of others; while his city of Habesh prepares for siege, he is sent to "de-magic" a beggar who has unseemly abused his "air blast" ability. When some runaway children intervene, unexpected things start happening.
This is the best and most powerful story of the anthology both in content and in style and an A++ while I would love a novel based on its world.
*******************************************************
The Stranger by LE Modesitt
Set in the world of the Recluce Saga - on Candar at around the time the "Angels" came and defeated the might of Lornth and later destroyed Cyador - this is the familiar story of a mysterious stranger passing by and changing the lives of the local people who meet him.
A knowledge of the Recluce saga is not really necessary to enjoy The Stranger since after all we have seen its type both in various literary genres as well as on screen; since as usual execution matters considerably more than "originality", I quite liked this instance of the familiar story since it is very well done in LE Modesitt's clear prose.
For readers unfamiliar with Recluce, The Stranger may be the hook needed to try and discover why that fantasy series is so popular that so far it got some 15+ novels in various sub-arcs covering a span of 1800+ years (A)
*******************************************************
Flint by Brian Ruckley
A sort of Stone Age with magic story, I have to say I did not really care that much for Flint, but if you like its premise, it may work better for you. Both the naming conventions (Flint, Hare, Fifth Moon) and the style of the story did not quite work for me since I am not that big a fan of "natural state humanity" as opposed to "settled humanity" stories though it definitely makes for a change of pace and subject in the anthology (C)
*******************************************************
The Death of a Love by Hal Duncan
This short but dense piece reads more like one of the author's famous rants, profanities and all, than a story, though it's a kind of detective tale in an unusual context. I cannot say I cared that much for The Death of a Love as a story, but it made for an interesting 18 pages nonetheless since the author has quite an unique style. (B)
*******************************************************
Overall "Speculative Horizons" achieves a sense of "strangeness" and by mixing styles and subjects it offers quite a variety despite its relatively short 5 stories/120 odd pages. For me the first three stories - especially the superb first and awesome second - made it a worthwhile reading experience which ranks an A.
*******************************************************
Soul Mate by CS Friedman
In a contemporary urban setting, a young woman writer with a designer friend meets a striking man who owns an upscale gallery in their resort town and soon believes she has been very lucky to find a perfect "soul-mate" for her.
The story is exquisitely done and it flows inexorably toward the relatively familiar twist ending; despite that I could see very early where the story goes, it did not matter since the execution was perfect (A+)
*******************************************************
The Eve of the Fall of Habesh by Tobias Buckell
In a slightly ironic twist, this story uses a magic system quite similar to the one employed by CS Friedman in her latest mostly superb Magister series, where magic is paid by life shortening.
The overall thrust is quite different since in the settled cities of the coast who are under attack by the "sea people", magic is rationed by the state so to speak - partly due to its cost as above, partly due to the possible consequences if anyone gets too powerful - so everyone granted magical ability, is allowed only one "type" of such and teaching/sharing is heresy punishable by death.
The narrator is a special agent - contragnartii - of the government who has as his own power the ability to snuff the magic of others; while his city of Habesh prepares for siege, he is sent to "de-magic" a beggar who has unseemly abused his "air blast" ability. When some runaway children intervene, unexpected things start happening.
This is the best and most powerful story of the anthology both in content and in style and an A++ while I would love a novel based on its world.
*******************************************************
The Stranger by LE Modesitt
Set in the world of the Recluce Saga - on Candar at around the time the "Angels" came and defeated the might of Lornth and later destroyed Cyador - this is the familiar story of a mysterious stranger passing by and changing the lives of the local people who meet him.
A knowledge of the Recluce saga is not really necessary to enjoy The Stranger since after all we have seen its type both in various literary genres as well as on screen; since as usual execution matters considerably more than "originality", I quite liked this instance of the familiar story since it is very well done in LE Modesitt's clear prose.
For readers unfamiliar with Recluce, The Stranger may be the hook needed to try and discover why that fantasy series is so popular that so far it got some 15+ novels in various sub-arcs covering a span of 1800+ years (A)
*******************************************************
Flint by Brian Ruckley
A sort of Stone Age with magic story, I have to say I did not really care that much for Flint, but if you like its premise, it may work better for you. Both the naming conventions (Flint, Hare, Fifth Moon) and the style of the story did not quite work for me since I am not that big a fan of "natural state humanity" as opposed to "settled humanity" stories though it definitely makes for a change of pace and subject in the anthology (C)
*******************************************************
The Death of a Love by Hal Duncan
This short but dense piece reads more like one of the author's famous rants, profanities and all, than a story, though it's a kind of detective tale in an unusual context. I cannot say I cared that much for The Death of a Love as a story, but it made for an interesting 18 pages nonetheless since the author has quite an unique style. (B)
*******************************************************
Overall "Speculative Horizons" achieves a sense of "strangeness" and by mixing styles and subjects it offers quite a variety despite its relatively short 5 stories/120 odd pages. For me the first three stories - especially the superb first and awesome second - made it a worthwhile reading experience which ranks an A.
May 6, 2012
This is a group of 5 different fantasy short stories from C. S. Friedman, Tobias S. Buckell, L.E. Modesitt, Jr., Brian Ruckley and Hal Duncan.
Each of the stories has a short introduction from the author and then their story.
We have a story about someone who lives until he takes the soul from a person and becomes them, and then disposes of the body.
We have a story about a “contragnartii” who removes magical powers from those who do not use them properly and ends up working the wrong side of that equation.
We have a story about a stranger who while on the wrong side of the law is none the less very generous to a mother and her son after he takes refuge with them.
We have a story about a young shaman who has to prove that even though he is young he is able to fulfill his duties as a shaman to his village
We have a story about the death of love and it’s ramification, seen from the outside.
With 5 different authors you get 5 different stories, but they are all enjoyable to read and contemplate
Recommended
Each of the stories has a short introduction from the author and then their story.
We have a story about someone who lives until he takes the soul from a person and becomes them, and then disposes of the body.
We have a story about a “contragnartii” who removes magical powers from those who do not use them properly and ends up working the wrong side of that equation.
We have a story about a stranger who while on the wrong side of the law is none the less very generous to a mother and her son after he takes refuge with them.
We have a story about a young shaman who has to prove that even though he is young he is able to fulfill his duties as a shaman to his village
We have a story about the death of love and it’s ramification, seen from the outside.
With 5 different authors you get 5 different stories, but they are all enjoyable to read and contemplate
Recommended
June 2, 2013
Speculative Horizons is a lovely little anthology edited by book blogger Patrick St. Denis (of Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist fame). When the good people at Subterranean Press asked him whether he’d be interested in editing a short story collection, he understandably jumped on the idea (who wouldn’t?!), but asked that a portion of the proceeds be donated to breast cancer research. Not only is this an absolutely wonderful initiative, but it also means that you now have an excellent chance to buy a book and actually feel good about it.
This 128 page anthology contains five short stories by authors whose names many people who are interested in speculative fiction will instantly recognize: Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
This 128 page anthology contains five short stories by authors whose names many people who are interested in speculative fiction will instantly recognize: Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
February 23, 2011
Friedman's story was entertaining but predictable. Duncan's, the last one, was fantastic and original and worth checking the book out for. The middle 3 stories? Boring/fantasy/no compelling language to get me to keep reading, and with fantasy/otherworlds, you HAVE to write well and intriguingly right away or I'll just skip it, as I did with these. Fantasy fans may enjoy this more than I did (I checked this out because it didn't seem to be as SF fantasy based as it turned out to be).
April 27, 2011
A collection of science fiction/fantasy short stories, ranging from the good to the exceptional (Hal Duncan's biting and original "The Death of a Love," in which a special type of cop investigates the crime of Erocide). Got this from the library, but apparently the proceeds from the sale of this anthology go towards the very worthy cause of breast cancer research. Short, at 120 pages, but tasty and Recommended.
January 6, 2015
Great selection of short stories. Some tied in to existing series but never left the reader feeling like they missed anything. My two favorites in this book was "The stranger" by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. and "The Death of Love" by Hal Duncan. The later had me laughing while making a serious argument about relationship and love. In all this is a very nice collection of short stories and was a blast to read.
April 8, 2011
An extremely slim volume containing five short speculative fiction stories. Enjoyable enough ... glad I got it from the library because it's so small. The intros to the stories said that it was published in support of breast cancer awareness (I think) but that information doesn't appear anywhere on the cover, which was a mistake.
March 9, 2011
interesting, strange,---disturbing??
April 1, 2011
A couple of these short stories were very good. Worth checking out of the library, and not a very long time investment.
April 5, 2011
Very interesting and thought-provoking. Enjoyed all of the stories.
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November 16, 2017A unique book of short stories by 5 different science fiction writers. My favorites were 'The Strange' by L.E. Modesitt, Jr; 'Flint' by Brian Ruckley; and 'The Death of a Love' by Hal Duncan (my favorite of the selection).
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews