vaderbird's review against another edition
3.0
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
lpcoolgirl's review against another edition
5.0
I only read Jury Duty from this, but it was a great story, loved seeing Harry deal with this mundane situation!
philantrop's review against another edition
4.0
This is another short story by Michael which he published separately as part of one of his Kickstarter campaigns.
It’s about Troth, a previously minor Non-Player Character (NPC), who “lives” in a Massively Multi-player Role Playing Game (MMORPG) and suddenly develops sentience.
The premise is interesting and the story well-told (how could it not be, it’s a Sullivan!). It’s just that it’s a bit... short. Given that this is a short story, well, I guess I’ll let it slide... ;-)
Recommended to anyone with 30 minutes to spare.
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It’s about Troth, a previously minor Non-Player Character (NPC), who “lives” in a Massively Multi-player Role Playing Game (MMORPG) and suddenly develops sentience.
The premise is interesting and the story well-told (how could it not be, it’s a Sullivan!). It’s just that it’s a bit... short. Given that this is a short story, well, I guess I’ll let it slide... ;-)
Recommended to anyone with 30 minutes to spare.
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evp's review against another edition
3.0
I struggle to see how a compendium can be given 5 stars, as there is always going to be variability in quality of short stories. I found this a long read, because it is hard to motivate to finish the crappier stories and sometimes hard to motivate beginning a new story in case it isn't very good. And then I'd find a good story and finish it in no time at all.
I'll review the 5-star stories; the whose authors I now want to read:
Stories are Gods, Peter Orullian - 5 stars - The main story focused on a debate between philosophers. The world was really interesting, with a mysterious magic affecting it. Very easy short story to get into, and a really interesting concept.
River and Echo - John Marco - 5 stars - A really sweet story about a child and his robot (yet based in a seeminly medieval world), who were sole survivors of a plague.
An unfortunate influx of Filipians - Terry Brooks - 5 stars - Hilarious characters, especially the gnomes, and a cute story. Reminded me a lot of Pratchett.
Uncharming - Delilah S. Dawson - 5 stars - A really interesting perspective from a dark, rapist, wizard. Interesting world, as well.
Fiber - Sean McGuire - 5 stars - Really enjoyable zombie cheerleader story. Like many of the stories I didn't like, much of the story consisted of a (very Buffy-esque) fight scene, but there was a lot more preamble and the fight wasn't overdrawn. Very good.
The ethical heresy - Sam Sykes - 5 stars - Finally, a good story emerges from the wilderness (the previous 4-5 stories were not good). Followed a small quest rather than a fight scene. Interesting world with politics that I want to delve further into. Main character was funny in his ineptitude. Enjoyed a lot.
Small kindness - Joe Abercrombie - 5 stars - A story of an ex-thief who had to steal once again. I enjoyed the characters, as expected from Abercrombie. The only story to have an LGBTQ character, which I appreciated.
The siege of Tilpur - Brian McClellan - 5 stars - Another battle scene, though somewhat different. The writing style was very easy though and the little I saw of the powder magic makes me want to read more from this world.
Jury duty - Jim Butcher - 5 stars - Whilst I'm not a fan of werewolf/vampire stuff, this kept my attention and the addition of wizards helped. A (presumably quite powerful) wizard is on a mortal jury for a murder, and he decides to investigate for himself. Kept me interested from early on.
Less interesting stories
Madwalls - Rachel Caine - 3 stars
A dichotomy of paradigms - Mary Robinette Kowal - 4 stars - Quirky (sci-fi space pirate painting), and I liked it, but too short for 5 stars.
Son of Crimea - Jason m. HOUGH - 3 stars
The way into oblivion - Harry Connolly - 2 stars
A good name - Mark Lawrence - 3 stars
All in a night's work - David Anthony Durham - 4 stars
Seven times - Tim Marquitz - 2 stars
The hall of the diamond queen - Anthony Ryan - 1 star
The farmboy Prince - Brian Staveley - 3 stars
Heart's desire - Kat Richardson - 0 stars
The game - Michael J. Sullivan - 1 star
The rat - Mazarkis Williams - 3 stars
Mr Island - Kristen Britain - 4 stars
The dead's revenant - Shawn Speakman - 3 stars
I'll review the 5-star stories; the whose authors I now want to read:
Stories are Gods, Peter Orullian - 5 stars - The main story focused on a debate between philosophers. The world was really interesting, with a mysterious magic affecting it. Very easy short story to get into, and a really interesting concept.
River and Echo - John Marco - 5 stars - A really sweet story about a child and his robot (yet based in a seeminly medieval world), who were sole survivors of a plague.
An unfortunate influx of Filipians - Terry Brooks - 5 stars - Hilarious characters, especially the gnomes, and a cute story. Reminded me a lot of Pratchett.
Uncharming - Delilah S. Dawson - 5 stars - A really interesting perspective from a dark, rapist, wizard. Interesting world, as well.
Fiber - Sean McGuire - 5 stars - Really enjoyable zombie cheerleader story. Like many of the stories I didn't like, much of the story consisted of a (very Buffy-esque) fight scene, but there was a lot more preamble and the fight wasn't overdrawn. Very good.
The ethical heresy - Sam Sykes - 5 stars - Finally, a good story emerges from the wilderness (the previous 4-5 stories were not good). Followed a small quest rather than a fight scene. Interesting world with politics that I want to delve further into. Main character was funny in his ineptitude. Enjoyed a lot.
Small kindness - Joe Abercrombie - 5 stars - A story of an ex-thief who had to steal once again. I enjoyed the characters, as expected from Abercrombie. The only story to have an LGBTQ character, which I appreciated.
The siege of Tilpur - Brian McClellan - 5 stars - Another battle scene, though somewhat different. The writing style was very easy though and the little I saw of the powder magic makes me want to read more from this world.
Jury duty - Jim Butcher - 5 stars - Whilst I'm not a fan of werewolf/vampire stuff, this kept my attention and the addition of wizards helped. A (presumably quite powerful) wizard is on a mortal jury for a murder, and he decides to investigate for himself. Kept me interested from early on.
Less interesting stories
Madwalls - Rachel Caine - 3 stars
A dichotomy of paradigms - Mary Robinette Kowal - 4 stars - Quirky (sci-fi space pirate painting), and I liked it, but too short for 5 stars.
Son of Crimea - Jason m. HOUGH - 3 stars
The way into oblivion - Harry Connolly - 2 stars
A good name - Mark Lawrence - 3 stars
All in a night's work - David Anthony Durham - 4 stars
Seven times - Tim Marquitz - 2 stars
The hall of the diamond queen - Anthony Ryan - 1 star
The farmboy Prince - Brian Staveley - 3 stars
Heart's desire - Kat Richardson - 0 stars
The game - Michael J. Sullivan - 1 star
The rat - Mazarkis Williams - 3 stars
Mr Island - Kristen Britain - 4 stars
The dead's revenant - Shawn Speakman - 3 stars
philantrop's review against another edition
4.0
This is another short story by Michael which he published separately as part of one of his Kickstarter campaigns.
It’s about Troth, a previously minor Non-Player Character (NPC), who “lives” in a Massively Multi-player Role Playing Game (MMORPG) and suddenly develops sentience.
The premise is interesting and the story well-told (how could it not be, it’s a Sullivan!). It’s just that it’s a bit... short. Given that this is a short story, well, I guess I’ll let it slide... ;-)
Recommended to anyone with 30 minutes to spare.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
It’s about Troth, a previously minor Non-Player Character (NPC), who “lives” in a Massively Multi-player Role Playing Game (MMORPG) and suddenly develops sentience.
The premise is interesting and the story well-told (how could it not be, it’s a Sullivan!). It’s just that it’s a bit... short. Given that this is a short story, well, I guess I’ll let it slide... ;-)
Recommended to anyone with 30 minutes to spare.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram