A review by ltg584
Clones: The Anthology by P.K. Tyler, Hank Garner, Jessica West, Joshua Ingle, Susan Kaye Quinn, Samuel Peralta, Rysa Walker, R.D. Brady, Daniel Arthur Smith, Michael Patrick Hicks, Nathan M. Beauchamp
5.0
I will update the review as I slowly get through the various stories.
5 STARS: I obviously went for Awakening by [a:Susan Kaye Quinn|4094557|Susan Kaye Quinn|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1277246178p2/4094557.jpg] first. She's a personal favorite of mine. ;) Plus, knowing that it takes place in the Singularity universe ([b:The Legacy Human|25223919|The Legacy Human (Singularity #1)|Susan Kaye Quinn|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1427389810s/25223919.jpg|44578929]), I may have gotten a little giddy.
Creative? Without a doubt! Each of the short stories from the Singularity series have all been loosely linked together, though usually don't contain overlapping characters. They simultaneously offer a unique view of the same world. Now I'm doubly excited to read the third book! I hope all these new characters play a part!
The story can be read as a standalone, but it would be greatly expanded by reading the first two books first. There are brief hints at the overall plot, but nothing that would be frustrating for first-time readers.
Admittedly, this story was a little heartbreaking. Sister Amara's world is unbelievably small. She's part prisoner, part science experiment, trapped in an Ascender facility with her sister clones. The cold injustice of how they are treated is gripping. I spent the whole book looking for a way out for the sisters.
4 STARS: The Replacement Husband by [a:Nathan M. Beauchamp|8405810|Nathan M. Beauchamp|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1463516484p2/8405810.jpg] - This was a new author for me. I definitely enjoyed the writing style, though a little predictable.
Jasmine's husband has died in an accident, but his clone will have almost all the same memories. Cloning humans isn't a new concept, but I felt like Beauchamp was able to give it a unique spin. I wish this one was longer! Definitely an author I'll have to watch out for.
4.5 STARS: Next up was All These Bodies by [a:P.K. Tyler|14678447|P.K. Tyler|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1448410086p2/14678447.jpg]. I have read a few short stories by P.K. Tyler before, and have always been pleasantly surprised. Or rather not surprised? Because now I have high expectations of her! She has yet to disappoint. :P
The best thing about All These Bodies is that it leads into her upcoming novel! YAY! I will most definitely be following this one into the rest of the story. Parts of it were a little vague, leaving me wondering about alien species and interstellar travel, but that only whet my appetite for more! It's the creepiest of the bunch so far, and it's pulling me further into the anthology...
3 STARS: Eve's Children by [a:Hank Garner|7922481|Hank Garner|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1421182269p2/7922481.jpg]. I felt like there was a much larger story looming in the shadows, and I really wish I could catch more of a glimpse. The clones theme was largely hinted at, but if I were to read this story out of context, I would have lost the story's meaning.
4 STARS: Black Site by [a:Michael Patrick Hicks|7909523|Michael Patrick Hicks|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1402922716p2/7909523.jpg]. Gross. Sooooo deliciously gross. The graphic descriptions are exactly what I needed to get the complete imagery of this story. I'm gonna slap a mature audience warning on this one. Much darker than the other stories so far.
4 STARS: Like No Other by [a:Daniel Arthur Smith|6893816|Daniel Arthur Smith|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1410184442p2/6893816.jpg]. This one almost managed to slip past me, and it wasn't until I looked back over the Contents that I noticed this poor story back at the beginning. And I'm so glad I went back for it! Like No Other is told from the perspective of a young girl, living in a world where genetic manipulation and cloning are everyday occurrences. Though it may be commonplace, the science is not accepted by all.
The story held a certain innocence, in that a child can not possibly grasp the full meaning, and the reasons for what is happening. The author captured that innocence perfectly. We are never given the little girl's name, which holds a very powerful message about identity. I really wish there was more to this story, or at least some kind of epilogue, to give me a wider view of the world and a possible happy, if not satisfying, outcome.
4.5 STARS: Fahrenheit 1451 by [a:Samuel Peralta|4210465|Samuel Peralta|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1442521426p2/4210465.jpg]. Two words: Too. Short. I absolutely loved the author's writing style, and I was pulled in by the teasing plot. But that's the problem! I was pulled in! And then I wasn't given enough! GAH! The ending was so abrupt, it felt like running full-tilt into a brick wall. There's nothing left for me to do but shake it off... and beg the author to tell me more.
4 STARS: B.E.G.I.N. by [a:R.D. Brady|7127850|R.D. Brady|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1371045586p2/7127850.jpg]. This one was a lot more centered around the military than the previous stories. It was an intense viewpoint to take, and the politics behind cloning are undoubtedly realistic, though fictitious. In fact, there was a large amount of fact put into the story, and it was obvious that some serious author research happened. Very excited to read the sequel, A.L.I.V.E.
5 STARS: Splinter by [a:Rysa Walker|6581077|Rysa Walker|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1457717313p2/6581077.jpg]: Woooo! I think I may have found a new favorite author! This isn't about clones in the traditional sense, but it involves time travel!! Notoriously difficult to keep timelines and paradoxes in line, Rysa has managed to create a unique set of time travel rules that, quite simply, blew my mind! There is zero chance of me not digging into her Chronos series to get the rest of that story!!
2 STARS: The Vandal by [a:Joshua Ingle|15072519|Joshua Ingle|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1463493366p2/15072519.jpg]: I'm sorry to say this wasn't my favorite. It's a very deep discussion between a husband and wife, arguing nurture vs. nature. Chase and Alice are woken up in the middle of the night by an intruder, who happens to be Chase's younger clone. They then get into a dispute over what to do with said intruder. Chase argues that his clone has only become a criminal because of how he was raised, and that his decisions are therefore not entirely his own. Can he be held to blame for his actions?
4 STARS: Confessional by [a:Daniel Arthur Smith|6893816|Daniel Arthur Smith|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1410184442p2/6893816.jpg]: This one was unique, even among all of the other original stories in this collection. Confessional is told in three parts, spread out through the book, and each scene is over all too soon. My curiosity is most definitely piqued, and I would love to know more... but at the same time, I'm enjoying coming up with the backstory surrounding these brief glimpses.
5 STARS: I obviously went for Awakening by [a:Susan Kaye Quinn|4094557|Susan Kaye Quinn|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1277246178p2/4094557.jpg] first. She's a personal favorite of mine. ;) Plus, knowing that it takes place in the Singularity universe ([b:The Legacy Human|25223919|The Legacy Human (Singularity #1)|Susan Kaye Quinn|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1427389810s/25223919.jpg|44578929]), I may have gotten a little giddy.
Creative? Without a doubt! Each of the short stories from the Singularity series have all been loosely linked together, though usually don't contain overlapping characters. They simultaneously offer a unique view of the same world. Now I'm doubly excited to read the third book! I hope all these new characters play a part!
The story can be read as a standalone, but it would be greatly expanded by reading the first two books first. There are brief hints at the overall plot, but nothing that would be frustrating for first-time readers.
Admittedly, this story was a little heartbreaking. Sister Amara's world is unbelievably small. She's part prisoner, part science experiment, trapped in an Ascender facility with her sister clones. The cold injustice of how they are treated is gripping. I spent the whole book looking for a way out for the sisters.
4 STARS: The Replacement Husband by [a:Nathan M. Beauchamp|8405810|Nathan M. Beauchamp|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1463516484p2/8405810.jpg] - This was a new author for me. I definitely enjoyed the writing style, though a little predictable.
Jasmine's husband has died in an accident, but his clone will have almost all the same memories. Cloning humans isn't a new concept, but I felt like Beauchamp was able to give it a unique spin. I wish this one was longer! Definitely an author I'll have to watch out for.
4.5 STARS: Next up was All These Bodies by [a:P.K. Tyler|14678447|P.K. Tyler|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1448410086p2/14678447.jpg]. I have read a few short stories by P.K. Tyler before, and have always been pleasantly surprised. Or rather not surprised? Because now I have high expectations of her! She has yet to disappoint. :P
The best thing about All These Bodies is that it leads into her upcoming novel! YAY! I will most definitely be following this one into the rest of the story. Parts of it were a little vague, leaving me wondering about alien species and interstellar travel, but that only whet my appetite for more! It's the creepiest of the bunch so far, and it's pulling me further into the anthology...
3 STARS: Eve's Children by [a:Hank Garner|7922481|Hank Garner|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1421182269p2/7922481.jpg]. I felt like there was a much larger story looming in the shadows, and I really wish I could catch more of a glimpse. The clones theme was largely hinted at, but if I were to read this story out of context, I would have lost the story's meaning.
4 STARS: Black Site by [a:Michael Patrick Hicks|7909523|Michael Patrick Hicks|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1402922716p2/7909523.jpg]. Gross. Sooooo deliciously gross. The graphic descriptions are exactly what I needed to get the complete imagery of this story. I'm gonna slap a mature audience warning on this one. Much darker than the other stories so far.
4 STARS: Like No Other by [a:Daniel Arthur Smith|6893816|Daniel Arthur Smith|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1410184442p2/6893816.jpg]. This one almost managed to slip past me, and it wasn't until I looked back over the Contents that I noticed this poor story back at the beginning. And I'm so glad I went back for it! Like No Other is told from the perspective of a young girl, living in a world where genetic manipulation and cloning are everyday occurrences. Though it may be commonplace, the science is not accepted by all.
The story held a certain innocence, in that a child can not possibly grasp the full meaning, and the reasons for what is happening. The author captured that innocence perfectly. We are never given the little girl's name, which holds a very powerful message about identity. I really wish there was more to this story, or at least some kind of epilogue, to give me a wider view of the world and a possible happy, if not satisfying, outcome.
4.5 STARS: Fahrenheit 1451 by [a:Samuel Peralta|4210465|Samuel Peralta|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1442521426p2/4210465.jpg]. Two words: Too. Short. I absolutely loved the author's writing style, and I was pulled in by the teasing plot. But that's the problem! I was pulled in! And then I wasn't given enough! GAH! The ending was so abrupt, it felt like running full-tilt into a brick wall. There's nothing left for me to do but shake it off... and beg the author to tell me more.
4 STARS: B.E.G.I.N. by [a:R.D. Brady|7127850|R.D. Brady|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1371045586p2/7127850.jpg]. This one was a lot more centered around the military than the previous stories. It was an intense viewpoint to take, and the politics behind cloning are undoubtedly realistic, though fictitious. In fact, there was a large amount of fact put into the story, and it was obvious that some serious author research happened. Very excited to read the sequel, A.L.I.V.E.
5 STARS: Splinter by [a:Rysa Walker|6581077|Rysa Walker|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1457717313p2/6581077.jpg]: Woooo! I think I may have found a new favorite author! This isn't about clones in the traditional sense, but it involves time travel!! Notoriously difficult to keep timelines and paradoxes in line, Rysa has managed to create a unique set of time travel rules that, quite simply, blew my mind! There is zero chance of me not digging into her Chronos series to get the rest of that story!!
2 STARS: The Vandal by [a:Joshua Ingle|15072519|Joshua Ingle|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1463493366p2/15072519.jpg]: I'm sorry to say this wasn't my favorite. It's a very deep discussion between a husband and wife, arguing nurture vs. nature. Chase and Alice are woken up in the middle of the night by an intruder, who happens to be Chase's younger clone. They then get into a dispute over what to do with said intruder. Chase argues that his clone has only become a criminal because of how he was raised, and that his decisions are therefore not entirely his own. Can he be held to blame for his actions?
4 STARS: Confessional by [a:Daniel Arthur Smith|6893816|Daniel Arthur Smith|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1410184442p2/6893816.jpg]: This one was unique, even among all of the other original stories in this collection. Confessional is told in three parts, spread out through the book, and each scene is over all too soon. My curiosity is most definitely piqued, and I would love to know more... but at the same time, I'm enjoying coming up with the backstory surrounding these brief glimpses.