dharaiter's review against another edition
4.0
I don't even remember how I landed on this series, but I am so glad I did. It was refreshing to read new voices in the SFF genre. I didn't enjoy all the stories, which is always given when it comes to compilation of short stories, but there were few that touched me immensely. Moonlight one, Gator (because dinosaurs), The Armor Embrace, Acquisition, A Glowing Heart, and The Dragon Killer's Daughter were some of my favorites. It's interesting that these favorites ranged from Hard sci-fi to fantasy to horror.
I definitely need to check all the volumes.
I definitely need to check all the volumes.
theskinofa_killer_'s review against another edition
5.0
This is the second collection I've read from this competition and I was not disappointed. The short stories and the artwork in this anthology is amazing. I loved everything. I have to say, I am amazed at how much emotion is jam-packed into such small works. It's definitely worth the read.
comicbookchick25's review against another edition
3.0
Writers of the Future 33
Moonlight One
4/5 stars
I'm not usually a big fan of Sci Fi so I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. It's basically a married couple on the moon and the husband ends up dead and you have to find out how if they're the only two people on the moon. It was intriguing and I liked the contact from earth, it made me excited to continue on.
The Armor Embrace
3/5 stars
I loved the emotion and characterization in this one with the robot turned father and the little girl that's basically the only thing that keeps him going, but felt like it was too short and technical to be fully enjoyed.
Envoy in the Ice
3.5/5 stars
This one was odd, but I think my favorite so far. With a strange alien inhabiting earth and this crew taking a journey inside it? It was... Weird. But also interesting that in that society there were people who chose to form a religion around him and worship it like a god. It was confusing at times but pleasant?
Search for Research
4/5 stars
Loved his advise on writing. Would totally read a book about the craft by him.
The Devils Rescue
1/5 stars
Felt too confusing, like it was trying too hard and I didn't have any idea what the hell was going on except pirates.
Tears for Shülna
4.5/5 stars
Shit this was beautiful. A mermaid killing the man she loves. The drawing was super pretty as well.
The Drake Equation
4.5/5 stars
Holy shit this one was good. Best scifi story so far. Hot aliens. And brings good commentary on humanity.
Acquisition
5/5 stars
Hands down my favorite of the bunch. Very Supernatural meets Anna Dressed in Blood vibes. Really loved it.
Obsidian Spire
4/5 stars
Would totally read a full book of this.
A Thousand or so Words of Wisdom
3/5 stars
Interesting but kinda pretentious.
Gator
4.5/5 stars
Loved this. It felt like an episode of the X Files but with dinosaurs.
A Glowing Heart
2/5 stars
Pretty illustration, but the story felt uncomfortable.
The Long Dizzy Down
1/5 stars
I could not with the narration.
The Woodcutters' Deity
2.5/5 stars
The writing was beautiful but I didn't care for the story.
How to Become an Illustrator
2.5/5 stars
Cute general concept bit considering I don't want to be an illustrator I didn't really connect with it.
The Dragon Killers Daughter
4.5/5 stars
I wasn't sure what I was expecting with this one but I was pleasantly surprised.
Useless Magic
2/5 stars
Writing was good and it started off interesting enough but I wasn't feeling where it was going.
Adramelech
1/5 stars
Eh.
The Fox, the Wolf, and the Dove
1/5 stars
Wasn't feeling it.
The Magnificent Bhajan
4/5 stars
The last few before this were eh but they definitely ended with a bang. I loved the Arabian feel and the illustration and yes I really cared for the old man.
Moonlight One
4/5 stars
I'm not usually a big fan of Sci Fi so I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. It's basically a married couple on the moon and the husband ends up dead and you have to find out how if they're the only two people on the moon. It was intriguing and I liked the contact from earth, it made me excited to continue on.
The Armor Embrace
3/5 stars
I loved the emotion and characterization in this one with the robot turned father and the little girl that's basically the only thing that keeps him going, but felt like it was too short and technical to be fully enjoyed.
Envoy in the Ice
3.5/5 stars
This one was odd, but I think my favorite so far. With a strange alien inhabiting earth and this crew taking a journey inside it? It was... Weird. But also interesting that in that society there were people who chose to form a religion around him and worship it like a god. It was confusing at times but pleasant?
Search for Research
4/5 stars
Loved his advise on writing. Would totally read a book about the craft by him.
The Devils Rescue
1/5 stars
Felt too confusing, like it was trying too hard and I didn't have any idea what the hell was going on except pirates.
Tears for Shülna
4.5/5 stars
Shit this was beautiful. A mermaid killing the man she loves. The drawing was super pretty as well.
The Drake Equation
4.5/5 stars
Holy shit this one was good. Best scifi story so far. Hot aliens. And brings good commentary on humanity.
Acquisition
5/5 stars
Hands down my favorite of the bunch. Very Supernatural meets Anna Dressed in Blood vibes. Really loved it.
Obsidian Spire
4/5 stars
Would totally read a full book of this.
A Thousand or so Words of Wisdom
3/5 stars
Interesting but kinda pretentious.
Gator
4.5/5 stars
Loved this. It felt like an episode of the X Files but with dinosaurs.
A Glowing Heart
2/5 stars
Pretty illustration, but the story felt uncomfortable.
The Long Dizzy Down
1/5 stars
I could not with the narration.
The Woodcutters' Deity
2.5/5 stars
The writing was beautiful but I didn't care for the story.
How to Become an Illustrator
2.5/5 stars
Cute general concept bit considering I don't want to be an illustrator I didn't really connect with it.
The Dragon Killers Daughter
4.5/5 stars
I wasn't sure what I was expecting with this one but I was pleasantly surprised.
Useless Magic
2/5 stars
Writing was good and it started off interesting enough but I wasn't feeling where it was going.
Adramelech
1/5 stars
Eh.
The Fox, the Wolf, and the Dove
1/5 stars
Wasn't feeling it.
The Magnificent Bhajan
4/5 stars
The last few before this were eh but they definitely ended with a bang. I loved the Arabian feel and the illustration and yes I really cared for the old man.
michaeldrakich's review against another edition
4.0
I picked up this book at the AD ASTRA Conference in Toronto. There were a number of successful authors there to promote the book. Not only are there seventeen short stories to enjoy, but a number of anecdotal reports on writing and illustrating. These reports were: SEARCH FOR RESEARCH by L. Ron Hubbard, A THOUSAND OR SO WORDS OF WISDOM by Anne McCaffrey, and HOW TO BECOME AN ILLUSTRATOR by Larry Elmore. I am not including a review of these reports as I suspect most readers are only interested in the stories. I rate the stories from 1 to 5 stars and came to a collective average of 3.3 stars, but there is a caveat. Three stories in this collection are strictly ghost/supernatural stories. The cover reads "THE BEST NEW SF & FANTASY OF THE YEAR". Although ghost/supernatural stuff may be considered alternative fiction, in my opinion they do not fall into the categories of SF or FANTASY. As a result these stories, regardless of their content and writer's skill only received 2 stars as they did not meet the criteria I applied. Should they have been ranked without the criteria, the average would have been higher. Therefore, my ranking of four stars is based on that detail and the fact that there were a plurality of 5 star pieces. All in all, a good collection worth buying. A big bonus is the wonderful artwork throughout the book. It's something you don't normally see.
Here are the individual ratings.
MOONLIGHT ONE by Stephen Lawson. A good start to a collection. This near future tale involves the first full-time inhabitants on the moon. Throw in some covert actions, a killing, some politics and you get one heck of a scifi thriller. 5 stars
THE ARMOR EMBRACE by Doug C. Souza. Military scifi with a flair. What happens inside a super soldier exoskeleton when the inhabitant is sorely injured? How does one deal with such a combo when they go AWOL? Home is where the heart is. 5 stars
ENVOY IN THE ICE by Dustin Steinacker. So some gigantic alien thingy lands in the Antartic, hates visitors, for some reason cannot be photographed from space and allows delegates once a year. I found the politics of the situation highly unlikely, the submissiveness of humanity totally unbelievable and the ending disappointing. 2 stars
THE DEVIL'S RESCUE by L. Ron Hubbard. I know this collection is sponsored by his estate and they deserve the right to include some of his work as well as an analogy on doing homework as a writer entitled SEARCH FOR RESEARCH, but I have difficulty accepting what I consider a ghost story with a supernatural flare as either science fiction or fantasy. A tale about the Flying Dutchman and the devil does not fit. 2 stars
TEARS FOR SHULNA by Andrew L. Roberts. Stories with selkies (mermaids) always have a fanciful aspect to them and this one is no different. It is not love that drives the story, but respect. 4 stars
THE DRAKE EQUATION by C. L. Kagmi. The equation doesn't deal with dragon-like creatures, but the number of technologically advanced species that exist. It addresses the age old premise of what other intelligent species think of humanity. 3 stars
ACQUISITION by Jake Marley. And so I understand the reason behind the L. Ron Hubbard ghost story as it lends support to this ghost tale and a man who can capture them. This one lacked enough details to flow well and still isn't scifi or fantasy in my book. 2 stars.
OBSIDIAN SPIRE by Molly Elizabeth Atkins. Standard Sword and Sorcery affair with a female warrior lead and the expected unskilled sidekick. Battle with a magically enhance grizzly bear is ho-hum. 3 stars
GATOR by Robert J. Sawyer. Robert was kind enough to autograph my copy of this compendium at the start of his short story. Gators in the sewers of New York. One of the great urban myths. But what if it is true? Or maybe something not quite a gator, but similar? 5 stars
A GLOWING HEART by Anton Rose. The struggle of a youth to have to kill a majestic magical light-hawk to save his mother. 4 stars
THE LONG DIZZY DOWN by Ziporah Hildebrandt. So far, this collection has been pretty good. I guess somehwere they figured they needed to throw in a stinker. The story is told from the POV of a character who receives chemical impulses from a ship to induce happiness, sadness, strength, violence and more. The character thinks and speaks in such a disjointed way to make the entire story unenjoyable. 1 star
THE WOODCUTTERS' DEITY by Walter Dinjos. This piece sounded so much like an old folklore tale. Old gods, chosen ones, the intervention of creatures of the wild, all lend essence to this story. Because of its folklore nature I was tempted to discount this as neither science fiction nor fantasy and score it low for failing to meet the criteria, but in the end I relented and accepted it. 5 stars
THE DRAGON KILLER'S DAUGHTER by Todd McCaffrey. Very standard dragon fare with the highly predictable supposedly surprise ending. It's a meh. 3 stars
USELESS MAGIC by Andrew Peery. Old witches and warlocks are unable to pass on their skills to their children. Some accept it, some don't. It was tough to relate to the characters and the story failed to excite. 2 stars.
ADRAMELECH by Sean Hazlett. A story of demonic possession and the curse associated with it. Clearly a story falling into the supernatural genre and once again something that falls outside the criteria I consider necessary to qualify as either science fiction or fantasy. 2 stars
THE FOX, THE WOLF, AND THE DOVE by Ville Merilainen. A nice piece of high fantasy with three young girls on a mission to revive the world tree. Although the longest piece in this collection, I feel the author could achieve so much more converting this work to a full length novel. There were a few places where things could have been fleshed out more and I was left with too many unanswered questions at the end. 4 stars
THE MAGNIFICENT BHAJAN by David VonAllmen. What's left in the career of an old magician losing his mojo. Chasing phantoms? Or is the threat real? 4 stars
Here are the individual ratings.
MOONLIGHT ONE by Stephen Lawson. A good start to a collection. This near future tale involves the first full-time inhabitants on the moon. Throw in some covert actions, a killing, some politics and you get one heck of a scifi thriller. 5 stars
THE ARMOR EMBRACE by Doug C. Souza. Military scifi with a flair. What happens inside a super soldier exoskeleton when the inhabitant is sorely injured? How does one deal with such a combo when they go AWOL? Home is where the heart is. 5 stars
ENVOY IN THE ICE by Dustin Steinacker. So some gigantic alien thingy lands in the Antartic, hates visitors, for some reason cannot be photographed from space and allows delegates once a year. I found the politics of the situation highly unlikely, the submissiveness of humanity totally unbelievable and the ending disappointing. 2 stars
THE DEVIL'S RESCUE by L. Ron Hubbard. I know this collection is sponsored by his estate and they deserve the right to include some of his work as well as an analogy on doing homework as a writer entitled SEARCH FOR RESEARCH, but I have difficulty accepting what I consider a ghost story with a supernatural flare as either science fiction or fantasy. A tale about the Flying Dutchman and the devil does not fit. 2 stars
TEARS FOR SHULNA by Andrew L. Roberts. Stories with selkies (mermaids) always have a fanciful aspect to them and this one is no different. It is not love that drives the story, but respect. 4 stars
THE DRAKE EQUATION by C. L. Kagmi. The equation doesn't deal with dragon-like creatures, but the number of technologically advanced species that exist. It addresses the age old premise of what other intelligent species think of humanity. 3 stars
ACQUISITION by Jake Marley. And so I understand the reason behind the L. Ron Hubbard ghost story as it lends support to this ghost tale and a man who can capture them. This one lacked enough details to flow well and still isn't scifi or fantasy in my book. 2 stars.
OBSIDIAN SPIRE by Molly Elizabeth Atkins. Standard Sword and Sorcery affair with a female warrior lead and the expected unskilled sidekick. Battle with a magically enhance grizzly bear is ho-hum. 3 stars
GATOR by Robert J. Sawyer. Robert was kind enough to autograph my copy of this compendium at the start of his short story. Gators in the sewers of New York. One of the great urban myths. But what if it is true? Or maybe something not quite a gator, but similar? 5 stars
A GLOWING HEART by Anton Rose. The struggle of a youth to have to kill a majestic magical light-hawk to save his mother. 4 stars
THE LONG DIZZY DOWN by Ziporah Hildebrandt. So far, this collection has been pretty good. I guess somehwere they figured they needed to throw in a stinker. The story is told from the POV of a character who receives chemical impulses from a ship to induce happiness, sadness, strength, violence and more. The character thinks and speaks in such a disjointed way to make the entire story unenjoyable. 1 star
THE WOODCUTTERS' DEITY by Walter Dinjos. This piece sounded so much like an old folklore tale. Old gods, chosen ones, the intervention of creatures of the wild, all lend essence to this story. Because of its folklore nature I was tempted to discount this as neither science fiction nor fantasy and score it low for failing to meet the criteria, but in the end I relented and accepted it. 5 stars
THE DRAGON KILLER'S DAUGHTER by Todd McCaffrey. Very standard dragon fare with the highly predictable supposedly surprise ending. It's a meh. 3 stars
USELESS MAGIC by Andrew Peery. Old witches and warlocks are unable to pass on their skills to their children. Some accept it, some don't. It was tough to relate to the characters and the story failed to excite. 2 stars.
ADRAMELECH by Sean Hazlett. A story of demonic possession and the curse associated with it. Clearly a story falling into the supernatural genre and once again something that falls outside the criteria I consider necessary to qualify as either science fiction or fantasy. 2 stars
THE FOX, THE WOLF, AND THE DOVE by Ville Merilainen. A nice piece of high fantasy with three young girls on a mission to revive the world tree. Although the longest piece in this collection, I feel the author could achieve so much more converting this work to a full length novel. There were a few places where things could have been fleshed out more and I was left with too many unanswered questions at the end. 4 stars
THE MAGNIFICENT BHAJAN by David VonAllmen. What's left in the career of an old magician losing his mojo. Chasing phantoms? Or is the threat real? 4 stars
manwithanagenda's review against another edition
1.0
I read the first few stories in here and I liked them, I read some others and I didn't like them. There were two problems: I don't like short story collections much to begin with, and this has L. Ron Hubbard's name emblazoned on the cover. I just won't be seen with this in my hands.
biblioshark's review against another edition
3.0
I have had this anthology on my TBR for years now and have finally gotten around to reading it. Like most anthologies, there were stories that I loved, liked, and did not care for. I will say that I think that this collection of stories and the authors that were chosen for the L. Ron Hubbard Award is a great thing for aspiring authors and is a great way for people to get to know some new authors. I do not have any kind of review of my thoughts for each story I like because that would just take way to long, so below are the stories that I enjoyed and will be checking more out by these authors:
-The Amor Embrace by Doug C. Souza
-The Drake Equation by C. L. Kagmi
-Acquisition by Jake Marley
-Gator by Robert J. Sawyer
-A Glowing Heart by Anton Rose
-Adramelech by Sean Hazlett
-The Magnificent Bhajan by David Vonallmen
-The Amor Embrace by Doug C. Souza
-The Drake Equation by C. L. Kagmi
-Acquisition by Jake Marley
-Gator by Robert J. Sawyer
-A Glowing Heart by Anton Rose
-Adramelech by Sean Hazlett
-The Magnificent Bhajan by David Vonallmen
mburnamfink's review against another edition
4.0
Writers of the Future is one of the few contests targeted explicitly at early career writers, with realistic financial rewards rather than "exposure" (people die of exposure, you know). Stories are chosen by a panel of scifi elders quarterly. With such a collection, there's going to be a lot of variance, but I enjoyed 7 of these 8 stories.
I'd like to call out for special attention "The Shadow Man" by Donald Mead, which is a creepy and wistful look at life in Hiroshima after the nuclear bomb, and "The Assignment of Runner ETI" Fiona Lehn, which has a great Hunger Games style athletic-competition as public policy endurance race at the center of a story about teamwork and human limits.
I'd like to call out for special attention "The Shadow Man" by Donald Mead, which is a creepy and wistful look at life in Hiroshima after the nuclear bomb, and "The Assignment of Runner ETI" Fiona Lehn, which has a great Hunger Games style athletic-competition as public policy endurance race at the center of a story about teamwork and human limits.
angielisle's review
4.0
I avoided this series for a long time because L Ron Hubbard's religious cult scares me. Then, I received two volumes (29 and 30) in exchange for reviews. I adore short stories and this series definitely delivers high-quality stories presented by the winners of the annual Writers and Illustrators of the Future contest.
Like many anthologies, there's the occasional tale that I can't get into - not because the writing is poor but because of my inability to relate to the characters or the topic. There are also essays on writing and publishing - some are helpful, reminding me of handy tips and hints, and some are skimmable shameless self-promotions.
But, at the end of the day, there are a lot of great writers featured here and no Scientology so I have commenced with reading the series backwards.
Like many anthologies, there's the occasional tale that I can't get into - not because the writing is poor but because of my inability to relate to the characters or the topic. There are also essays on writing and publishing - some are helpful, reminding me of handy tips and hints, and some are skimmable shameless self-promotions.
But, at the end of the day, there are a lot of great writers featured here and no Scientology so I have commenced with reading the series backwards.
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