A review by laffingkat
Oceans by P.K. Tyler, S. Elliot Brandis, Hank Garner, Alex Shvartsman, Jessica West, Caroline M. Yoachim, Will Swardstrom, Rysa Walker, R.D. Brady, Daniel Arthur Smith, Ken Liu, Nathan M. Beauchamp
5.0
If you enjoy speculative fiction short stories, I highly recommend this ocean-themed anthology. The stories are well-written, original, and often surprising. While there are many dark or violent moments in these stories, they are tempered with beauty, hope, and humor. Unlike many other speculative fiction collections I've read, this doesn't feel overly grim to me.
It would be hard for me to choose a favorite from this collection. The opening story, “Bug Eater” by [a:Nathan M. Beauchamp|8405810|Nathan M. Beauchamp|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1463516484p2/8405810.jpg], was a creepy dystopian with an unsettling twist at the end. I'm generally not fond of dystopian stories, but I liked this one.
I found the next story, another dystopian called "Tide Sweeping" by [a:P.K. Tyler|14678447|P.K. Tyler|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1448410086p2/14678447.jpg], to be sad but alluring. This story featured beautiful imagery and appealing characters who I longed to learn more about.
If you enjoy mythology and reimaginings of classic stories as much as I do, you'll likely appreciate [a:Daniel Arthur Smith|6893816|Daniel Arthur Smith|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1410184442p2/6893816.jpg]'s lyrical "The Titan's Daughter."
“Dancing in the Midnight Ocean” by [a:Caroline M. Yoachim|4412920|Caroline M. Yoachim|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1454339768p2/4412920.jpg] uses an inventive take on mermaids to explore issues of love and beauty. I initially didn't like these characters much, but I warmed up to them, and I found the ending very satisfying.
"The Hunt for the Vigilant" by [a:Alex Shvartsman|4063834|Alex Shvartsman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1461291789p2/4063834.jpg] is a humorous take on capitalism, magic, and eldritch horrors. I'm not sure how well this one will age, but it's fun to see a story that incorporates current events and pop culture icons in a collection like this.
I loved how [a:Will Swardstrom|7123793|Will Swardstrom|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] used a real medical condition in such a creative way in "Aquagenic," a story that explores friendship and identity and purpose.
I received a free ARC of this book from one of the authors and volunteered to review it. The version I reviewed was generally well written, well edited, and cleanly formatted. I noticed only a few typos. This should be appropriate for a wide audience.
It would be hard for me to choose a favorite from this collection. The opening story, “Bug Eater” by [a:Nathan M. Beauchamp|8405810|Nathan M. Beauchamp|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1463516484p2/8405810.jpg], was a creepy dystopian with an unsettling twist at the end. I'm generally not fond of dystopian stories, but I liked this one.
I found the next story, another dystopian called "Tide Sweeping" by [a:P.K. Tyler|14678447|P.K. Tyler|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1448410086p2/14678447.jpg], to be sad but alluring. This story featured beautiful imagery and appealing characters who I longed to learn more about.
If you enjoy mythology and reimaginings of classic stories as much as I do, you'll likely appreciate [a:Daniel Arthur Smith|6893816|Daniel Arthur Smith|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1410184442p2/6893816.jpg]'s lyrical "The Titan's Daughter."
“Dancing in the Midnight Ocean” by [a:Caroline M. Yoachim|4412920|Caroline M. Yoachim|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1454339768p2/4412920.jpg] uses an inventive take on mermaids to explore issues of love and beauty. I initially didn't like these characters much, but I warmed up to them, and I found the ending very satisfying.
"The Hunt for the Vigilant" by [a:Alex Shvartsman|4063834|Alex Shvartsman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1461291789p2/4063834.jpg] is a humorous take on capitalism, magic, and eldritch horrors. I'm not sure how well this one will age, but it's fun to see a story that incorporates current events and pop culture icons in a collection like this.
I loved how [a:Will Swardstrom|7123793|Will Swardstrom|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] used a real medical condition in such a creative way in "Aquagenic," a story that explores friendship and identity and purpose.
I received a free ARC of this book from one of the authors and volunteered to review it. The version I reviewed was generally well written, well edited, and cleanly formatted. I noticed only a few typos. This should be appropriate for a wide audience.