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Other Sides: 12 Webfiction Tales
The advent of digital publishing has seen the rise of a new breed of writers: independent, experimental and unfettered by convention. This brand new anthology features a small sampling of these very writers, in a speculative fiction collection that will capture the imagination and dazzle the senses. The storytelling genius in this collection is most evidenced by its memorable characters: a young woman haunted by her ex-boyfriend’s sweater, time travelers with a suspicious interest in babies, a gender-changing alien desperate to heal a loved one… In these stories, fourteen independent authors display the imagination, insight and wonderful originality that characterizes the unique world of online fiction.
114 pages, Paperback
First published October 13, 2010
11 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
A.M. Harte
11 books97 followersA.M. Harte is a London-based speculative fiction enthusiast and chocolate addict whose work includes the dark fantasy novel Above Ground and the zombie love collection Hungry For You. She is excellent at missing deadlines, has long forgotten what 'free time' means, and enjoys procrastinating.
[All my star ratings are reflective of personal opinion/enjoyment. 1 star = I read it all but wasn't a fan, 2 stars = it was okay, 3 stars = I liked it, 4+ stars = I ignored people to finish reading this.]
[All my star ratings are reflective of personal opinion/enjoyment. 1 star = I read it all but wasn't a fan, 2 stars = it was okay, 3 stars = I liked it, 4+ stars = I ignored people to finish reading this.]
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 17, 2010
I received a free copy of this book through First Reads
Other Sides is the first anthology to be published by Ergofiction, an online magazine and gathering place for readers and writers of webfiction. I’d not heard of webfiction before reading this, and in a slightly daft moment I thought it might be fiction about the internet. Not that that couldn’t be interesting, but no; webfiction, says editor Jan Oda after assessing the definition scuffle that naturally develops in any genre, is fiction “written to be published on the internet” in any form “as long as it tells a tale”. Novelr notes that it’s “always original; never derivative” – in other words, no fanfic. Webfiction is also known as webliterature, weblit or webfic, but some authors dislike the latter term because it’s a little too close to fanfic, which besides feeding off other people’s ideas, is also known for being rather crap. The point that I’m pleased to make here is that webfiction take writing and storytelling seriously; at least, that’s the impression I got from this entertaining little collection of bite-size short fiction, which you can download for free on Ergofiction’s site.
Honestly, I was sceptical about the quality of the anthology, but with good reason. The internet is undoubtedly a source of weird and wonderful things as well as a powerful means of defying the mainstream but it also allows people to make their drivel available to the world (actually, regular publishing is guilty of that too, but that’s another rant). I really shouldn’t have worried though – while the quality of webfiction no doubt varies, Ergofiction has skilfully cleaved signal from noise and compiled a very good collection that uses the “dwindling” form of print publishing, as Oda puts it, to introduce readers to authors who have “built worlds in their own little corner of the internet” (introduction). Each story is accompanied by a short bio on the writer and their fiction, as well as details of their website(s) should you wish to keep reading.
Other Sides starts out strong with Walking Home with Strangers, Zoe E. Whitten’s tale about an ex-thief’s encounter with a vampire. A proper, monstrous vampire, not an uber- sexy one who seduces said thief. Whitten uses an inventive narrative for her story, telling it with only one half of a conversation between two people. Dalston Junction by MeiLin Miranda is another gem, but it’s best enjoyed without a plot summary so I’ll just recommend that you not miss it. The Little Problem by MCM is probably my favourite – a very funny sci fi tale about a pair of intergalactic narcotics cops investigating some drug-smuggling alien gnomes.
On the more serious side, New Stories by M.C.A Hogarth uses a family drama with gender-changing aliens to strike a blow against tradition, religion and sexual inequality. Mifflin County Coke Blues by Isa K also criticises social convention, while M. Jones turns emotional and physical clutter into horror in The Junk Drawer.
Unfortunately some stories are a bit weak, resulting in my overall 3-star rather than a 4-star rating. It's not that any of these stories are bad or boring, but that feel too much like sample chapters from a novel, instead of complete stories in themselves. All of Other Sides' tales are on the shorter side of short story, but for some a few extra pages and a bit more world-building or narrative would have been very welcome. Both The Psionics: On the Road by G.L. Drummond and Sixth of November by Nancy Brauer feature teenage or twenty-something individuals with psychic powers, feeling a lot like scenes from the latest YA sci fi movie. Not really my thing, but I think it’s something YA fans would really enjoy and want more of. Ditto Poaching by Lyn Thorne-Alder and Chris Childs, which would appeal to older YA fantasy fans. It’s set in a highly competitive and hierarchical magic school, where some students are actually owned by others, seemingly as sexual pets. Told from the perspective of one of these ‘pets’, who thinks of herself as her owner’s girlfriend, it shows a glimpse of a twisted romance with the hint of social rebellion.
Two ‘less complete’ stories whose universes I personally would have preferred to explore more were In the Court of the Peacock King by Erica Bercegay and Charissa Cotrill (about a spy in a fantasy kingdom), and The Spaces in Between by T.L. Whiteman, where a beautiful assassin and her student argue about Creationism over dinner in a French restaurant while waiting for the opportunity to kill their demon target. The latter also won points with me when the student says of his target “It deserves to die worse than any of the others; it watches romance films for God’s sake” (78). Luckily, Whiteman has more fiction in this universe available on her website.
The collection rounds up nicely with Belonging by Ergofiction editor A.M. Harte, a biopunk story told at the moment the world becomes post-apocalyptic. It also has a nice little reference to the anthology itself, when the narrator spots a “slim volume called Other Sides” (113). Like the genetically engineered narrator, webfiction is fiction from ‘the other side’, independent, experimental, unbound by the demands of publishers or markets.
One thing I have to mention, because I was very impressed by it, is the quality of the writing, which is consistently good. Any one of Other Sides’ authors writes far better than some of the authors being paid millions today just for typing out what seem to be the first sentences to float lazily through their heads. But in Other Sides writing is respected as a craft, not clumsily wielded like some blunt storytelling tool.
I would certainly like to see more anthologies from Ergofiction. Lacking the time and patience to fully explore webfiction, I appreciate the passion that the editors have put into compiling this collection, giving new readers an excellent sampler, and hopefully winning the authors the attention they deserve.
Read more reviews on my blog Violin in a Void
Other Sides is the first anthology to be published by Ergofiction, an online magazine and gathering place for readers and writers of webfiction. I’d not heard of webfiction before reading this, and in a slightly daft moment I thought it might be fiction about the internet. Not that that couldn’t be interesting, but no; webfiction, says editor Jan Oda after assessing the definition scuffle that naturally develops in any genre, is fiction “written to be published on the internet” in any form “as long as it tells a tale”. Novelr notes that it’s “always original; never derivative” – in other words, no fanfic. Webfiction is also known as webliterature, weblit or webfic, but some authors dislike the latter term because it’s a little too close to fanfic, which besides feeding off other people’s ideas, is also known for being rather crap. The point that I’m pleased to make here is that webfiction take writing and storytelling seriously; at least, that’s the impression I got from this entertaining little collection of bite-size short fiction, which you can download for free on Ergofiction’s site.
Honestly, I was sceptical about the quality of the anthology, but with good reason. The internet is undoubtedly a source of weird and wonderful things as well as a powerful means of defying the mainstream but it also allows people to make their drivel available to the world (actually, regular publishing is guilty of that too, but that’s another rant). I really shouldn’t have worried though – while the quality of webfiction no doubt varies, Ergofiction has skilfully cleaved signal from noise and compiled a very good collection that uses the “dwindling” form of print publishing, as Oda puts it, to introduce readers to authors who have “built worlds in their own little corner of the internet” (introduction). Each story is accompanied by a short bio on the writer and their fiction, as well as details of their website(s) should you wish to keep reading.
Other Sides starts out strong with Walking Home with Strangers, Zoe E. Whitten’s tale about an ex-thief’s encounter with a vampire. A proper, monstrous vampire, not an uber- sexy one who seduces said thief. Whitten uses an inventive narrative for her story, telling it with only one half of a conversation between two people. Dalston Junction by MeiLin Miranda is another gem, but it’s best enjoyed without a plot summary so I’ll just recommend that you not miss it. The Little Problem by MCM is probably my favourite – a very funny sci fi tale about a pair of intergalactic narcotics cops investigating some drug-smuggling alien gnomes.
On the more serious side, New Stories by M.C.A Hogarth uses a family drama with gender-changing aliens to strike a blow against tradition, religion and sexual inequality. Mifflin County Coke Blues by Isa K also criticises social convention, while M. Jones turns emotional and physical clutter into horror in The Junk Drawer.
Unfortunately some stories are a bit weak, resulting in my overall 3-star rather than a 4-star rating. It's not that any of these stories are bad or boring, but that feel too much like sample chapters from a novel, instead of complete stories in themselves. All of Other Sides' tales are on the shorter side of short story, but for some a few extra pages and a bit more world-building or narrative would have been very welcome. Both The Psionics: On the Road by G.L. Drummond and Sixth of November by Nancy Brauer feature teenage or twenty-something individuals with psychic powers, feeling a lot like scenes from the latest YA sci fi movie. Not really my thing, but I think it’s something YA fans would really enjoy and want more of. Ditto Poaching by Lyn Thorne-Alder and Chris Childs, which would appeal to older YA fantasy fans. It’s set in a highly competitive and hierarchical magic school, where some students are actually owned by others, seemingly as sexual pets. Told from the perspective of one of these ‘pets’, who thinks of herself as her owner’s girlfriend, it shows a glimpse of a twisted romance with the hint of social rebellion.
Two ‘less complete’ stories whose universes I personally would have preferred to explore more were In the Court of the Peacock King by Erica Bercegay and Charissa Cotrill (about a spy in a fantasy kingdom), and The Spaces in Between by T.L. Whiteman, where a beautiful assassin and her student argue about Creationism over dinner in a French restaurant while waiting for the opportunity to kill their demon target. The latter also won points with me when the student says of his target “It deserves to die worse than any of the others; it watches romance films for God’s sake” (78). Luckily, Whiteman has more fiction in this universe available on her website.
The collection rounds up nicely with Belonging by Ergofiction editor A.M. Harte, a biopunk story told at the moment the world becomes post-apocalyptic. It also has a nice little reference to the anthology itself, when the narrator spots a “slim volume called Other Sides” (113). Like the genetically engineered narrator, webfiction is fiction from ‘the other side’, independent, experimental, unbound by the demands of publishers or markets.
One thing I have to mention, because I was very impressed by it, is the quality of the writing, which is consistently good. Any one of Other Sides’ authors writes far better than some of the authors being paid millions today just for typing out what seem to be the first sentences to float lazily through their heads. But in Other Sides writing is respected as a craft, not clumsily wielded like some blunt storytelling tool.
I would certainly like to see more anthologies from Ergofiction. Lacking the time and patience to fully explore webfiction, I appreciate the passion that the editors have put into compiling this collection, giving new readers an excellent sampler, and hopefully winning the authors the attention they deserve.
Read more reviews on my blog Violin in a Void
October 30, 2010
Twelve short speculative stories in a neat, well designed (and free) package. Let me say, I was a teeny bit dubious. Fear not, the Other Sides is a worthy read that went far, far above my expectations.
The book brings together a group of webfiction authors and their incredibly diverse spec fic stories. It manages to provide a broad cross-section of genres and styles and still maintains a choesive feel as a book/theme.
I found the writing inside to be incredibly sophisticated and entertaining. These are not hobby authors folks. The stories are professional and engaging and the voices are very polished.
Out of the twelve tales, all but two really hit a homerun for me. The two that didn't resonate were fine stories, but one just wasn't really my bag, and the other had some distracting and, I felt, clumsy point of view changes. Of the rest, however, the stories were more than just good reads, in fact, I found them impressive, fascinating and enchanting. And while I did find a few tiny typos, the whole book really had a polished, high quality overall feel.
From my viewpoint, the real shining stars were:
Dalston Junction by MeiLin Miranda: a sort of H.G. Wells meets Arsenic and Old Lace short about some really intriguing time taveling ladies.
The Little Problem by MCM
A fun frolick through the intergalactic war on drugs.
and
New Stories by M.C.A. Hogarth
A race of nomads struggle to learn a new kind of life.
Add to those a pair of Purgatory police, a woman who's clutter gets the best of her, the Peacock King and a thief playing neighborhood watch for vampires, and you'll see what I mean about great entertainment, quality stories and a lot of fun.
Pick it up. Read it. Pick your own favorites.
The book brings together a group of webfiction authors and their incredibly diverse spec fic stories. It manages to provide a broad cross-section of genres and styles and still maintains a choesive feel as a book/theme.
I found the writing inside to be incredibly sophisticated and entertaining. These are not hobby authors folks. The stories are professional and engaging and the voices are very polished.
Out of the twelve tales, all but two really hit a homerun for me. The two that didn't resonate were fine stories, but one just wasn't really my bag, and the other had some distracting and, I felt, clumsy point of view changes. Of the rest, however, the stories were more than just good reads, in fact, I found them impressive, fascinating and enchanting. And while I did find a few tiny typos, the whole book really had a polished, high quality overall feel.
From my viewpoint, the real shining stars were:
Dalston Junction by MeiLin Miranda: a sort of H.G. Wells meets Arsenic and Old Lace short about some really intriguing time taveling ladies.
The Little Problem by MCM
A fun frolick through the intergalactic war on drugs.
and
New Stories by M.C.A. Hogarth
A race of nomads struggle to learn a new kind of life.
Add to those a pair of Purgatory police, a woman who's clutter gets the best of her, the Peacock King and a thief playing neighborhood watch for vampires, and you'll see what I mean about great entertainment, quality stories and a lot of fun.
Pick it up. Read it. Pick your own favorites.
November 1, 2010
When I was first asked to review Other Sides, I had to do a double take. I honestly had never heard of Webfiction before. Of course that made me all the more determined that I would read it. You know me.
Now? Now I'm a proud member of the Webfiction society. There isn't enough to say about how amazingly written these stories are, and how easy they are to become obsessed with. You meet the characters in a small installment and suddenly there is a burning need to find out more about them! Webfiction is, hands down, fantastic.
To get back to the actual anthology, Other Sides is an extremely engrossing read. There are stories from all across the Speculative Fiction universe, including my favorite: snarky alien races. The authors chosen for this anthology are some of the best out there. The writing is perfection, and the length of the stories is just enough to get you hooked before they leave you wanting more! Multiple cliffhangers anyone? My favorite story by far was that by MCM (who coincidentally will be interviewed on my blog tomorrow) titled "The Little Problem". I don't want to spoil it for you, but suffice it to say that I was literally laughing out loud as I read this one. Also, I now want a garden gnome.
There are 12 stories to sate your palette, and even if you are a bit skeptical I can assure you that this is worth your time. Other Sides is a brilliant anthology, and it is sure to bring new fans to the genre of Speculative Fiction and Webfiction! That being said, if you are already a fan of Speculative Fiction you need to give this anthology a read. I promise you'll fall in love and bookmark all the websites to read more.
Now? Now I'm a proud member of the Webfiction society. There isn't enough to say about how amazingly written these stories are, and how easy they are to become obsessed with. You meet the characters in a small installment and suddenly there is a burning need to find out more about them! Webfiction is, hands down, fantastic.
To get back to the actual anthology, Other Sides is an extremely engrossing read. There are stories from all across the Speculative Fiction universe, including my favorite: snarky alien races. The authors chosen for this anthology are some of the best out there. The writing is perfection, and the length of the stories is just enough to get you hooked before they leave you wanting more! Multiple cliffhangers anyone? My favorite story by far was that by MCM (who coincidentally will be interviewed on my blog tomorrow) titled "The Little Problem". I don't want to spoil it for you, but suffice it to say that I was literally laughing out loud as I read this one. Also, I now want a garden gnome.
There are 12 stories to sate your palette, and even if you are a bit skeptical I can assure you that this is worth your time. Other Sides is a brilliant anthology, and it is sure to bring new fans to the genre of Speculative Fiction and Webfiction! That being said, if you are already a fan of Speculative Fiction you need to give this anthology a read. I promise you'll fall in love and bookmark all the websites to read more.
Read
October 6, 2010I'm biased! This collection contains one of my short stories, "Belonging".
November 15, 2010
I was lucky enough to get my hands on this via goodreads. It's not actually a book, but a collection of short stories from a number of authors.
We've all heard of bloggers who review books, but have you ever heard of blogs in which the blogger actually writes them? Me either!
The 12 short stories I read in this book were amazing! Every one of them so unique and completely different from the next.
At Ergofiction.com you can read tons of stories and participate in daily activities.
I highly recommend this for anyone who's dreams are to be published one day and even those who just love to write.
We've all heard of bloggers who review books, but have you ever heard of blogs in which the blogger actually writes them? Me either!
The 12 short stories I read in this book were amazing! Every one of them so unique and completely different from the next.
At Ergofiction.com you can read tons of stories and participate in daily activities.
I highly recommend this for anyone who's dreams are to be published one day and even those who just love to write.
February 2, 2016
I read this book for a challenge where I needed to read an anthology of short stories. I don't remember how I stumbled across it, but I'm almost positive I decided to read it because it was available for free on Goodreads. But I'm so glad I did.
Other Sides is a speculative fiction collection that includes fantasy, science fiction, vampires, time travel and more. Some are clever short stories and others are prologues or excerpts of the authors' bigger webfiction stories.
I definitely picked up a few new authors who I'll be following and reading in the near future. I definitely recommend this if you're looking for a quick read and for some new authors!
Other Sides is a speculative fiction collection that includes fantasy, science fiction, vampires, time travel and more. Some are clever short stories and others are prologues or excerpts of the authors' bigger webfiction stories.
I definitely picked up a few new authors who I'll be following and reading in the near future. I definitely recommend this if you're looking for a quick read and for some new authors!
November 6, 2010
I was sent this through Goodreads' First Reads program thing, which was awesome, as was the book itself! I've heard of webfiction before but don't know much about it; this collection definitely piqued my interest. The short stories were very unique, and the length of them ideal for leaving you wanting to read and know more about the characters and their tales. Each piece was set in a different, not-quite-normal (or insanely abnormal) world, and it was really refreshing to be able to dive into those places and to get to know their inhabitants.
October 7, 2010
I'm in this along with 14 other writers of some of the best web serials around. Some of the stories are stand-alone (like mine); others are part of their serials (like Bercegeay and Cotrill's "The Peacock King"), all are worth reading.
Read
October 7, 2010Full disclosure: I contributed the short story "Sixth of November" to this anthology. I'm fortunate to be in such august company!
December 30, 2010
I've really liked this one. Winning it on a giveaway was a treat, but reading it... I can sure say it was a real delight. It's been some time since I read something as refreshing as this. The stories go away from reality, everything is balanced and well described. I've just changed my opinion about thrillers.
Their book itself is just a compilation of short stories written by experimental writers... That's what I've come to understand at least from reading its description. Experimental or not, the stories are pretty good. Most of them are side stories from greater series their authors are working on. That's both great and a bit disappointing. Great cause it leaves more to search and find out. Disappointing... well, it leaves you wishing for more. And if you've got little time, it can be a real bugger. Getting past over it is no big deal, but it's not always pleasant to end a story in a cliff hanger situation and having to search for some more. Aside that, I'd like to praise the authors for their work. Real entertaining and a nice read. Keep it up.
And, to please the law and the Goodreads' giveaway terms and conditions, I have to state that I've received this copy of Other Sides thanks to their great giveaway system. Thanks a lot, guys.
Their book itself is just a compilation of short stories written by experimental writers... That's what I've come to understand at least from reading its description. Experimental or not, the stories are pretty good. Most of them are side stories from greater series their authors are working on. That's both great and a bit disappointing. Great cause it leaves more to search and find out. Disappointing... well, it leaves you wishing for more. And if you've got little time, it can be a real bugger. Getting past over it is no big deal, but it's not always pleasant to end a story in a cliff hanger situation and having to search for some more. Aside that, I'd like to praise the authors for their work. Real entertaining and a nice read. Keep it up.
And, to please the law and the Goodreads' giveaway terms and conditions, I have to state that I've received this copy of Other Sides thanks to their great giveaway system. Thanks a lot, guys.
November 3, 2010
I was invited to be a part of this anthology, and submitted a short from The Psionics, One for the Road. So of course, I'm biased and rather honored to be included among such great talent.
The other stories are top-notch tales that take the reader on an exciting ride into a wide range of worlds spun from fertile imaginations.
If not biased, I'd give it five stars. Since I am, four stars. =)
The other stories are top-notch tales that take the reader on an exciting ride into a wide range of worlds spun from fertile imaginations.
If not biased, I'd give it five stars. Since I am, four stars. =)
Want to read
October 6, 2010PDF version from author/editor
Read
October 6, 2010Added!
October 19, 2010
Extremely biased--I wrote the short story Junk Drawer for this anthology :D
October 7, 2010
Also biased; this contains my short story "Poaching."
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews