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Review of “The Colossus Stops” by Dafydd McKimm

The Colossus that has circled the waters outside the island three times a day as long as anyone can remember has stopped. From birth, the people know the sound of its great gears, forever turning, as it protected the island from pirate ships. On the day before yesterday, the Colossus slowed, making only two rounds.Continue reading “Review of “The Colossus Stops” by Dafydd McKimm”

Review of “The History of the World in Four Sentences” by Liam Hogan

This history of the world is relayed as a bedtime story from a man to his great-granddaughter. She knows it as the story of the things their “an-ces-tors did wrong, an’ what our future is.” Annoyed, the great-grandfather tells the story in four short sentences. The little girl prefers the longer version with Adam andContinue reading “Review of “The History of the World in Four Sentences” by Liam Hogan”

Review of “Dial M for Martians” by Tina Connolly

The little green man approaches Spacetrader Dan with the promise of more cocktails and a business proposition. Dan’s only on his second. Once they’re inside his unmarked ship, the little green man promises Dan it will be the perfect crime. He wants to be rid of his third horizontal living companion. Dan needs a millionContinue reading “Review of “Dial M for Martians” by Tina Connolly”

Review of “CARE” by Eric S. Fomley

Balana sits on the couch in her sweatpants eating chocolate. She watches the same Dr. Who episode she watched the night before. Observing her behavior, her CARE unit determines she is sad. When it asks what is wrong, Balana tells it, “Nothing.” But her voice quivers. The CARE unit has been programmed to take careContinue reading “Review of “CARE” by Eric S. Fomley”

Review of “The Drums Drone Death” by J. Allan Dunn

Joseph Allan Elphinstone Dunn was born in Great Britain. He traveled to the United States and Hawaii. He spent time in Colorado and San Francisco and settled on the East Coast in 1914. He was a prolific author, writing some one thousand stories, roughly half of which were westerns. He also wrote adventure stories andContinue reading “Review of “The Drums Drone Death” by J. Allan Dunn”

Review of “Canaries” by JR Gershen-Siegel

The unnamed narrator and others have to leave when they came. She (or he?) takes her pet canaries and as much seed as she can carry. Others, she notes, takes clothes or emergency rations. A woman who had been rich on earth brought a bottle of perfume. The reader is not told who “they” are,Continue reading “Review of “Canaries” by JR Gershen-Siegel”

Review of “Have You Ever Not Seen The Rain?” by Martin Lochman

The rain keeps Eliza awake. She’s waiting for her sister, Kathleen, who should have been home two hours ago at a quarter past eight. Kathleen’s lateness reminds her of the evening ten years before when their parents were late. At first, it didn’t worry them, but as time wore on, they began to wonder. ThenContinue reading “Review of “Have You Ever Not Seen The Rain?” by Martin Lochman”

Review of “How Tolkein Saved the World” by Ahmed A. Khan

Kai Lung II unfurls his mat and gets set to regale the lad and lasses with tales filled with monumental happenstances, awe-inspiring wonders, and dubious morals. The dolphins, he tells his listeners, had had enough of humanity’s pollution of the ocean and sent an android scout to get the lay of the land. Its missionContinue reading “Review of “How Tolkein Saved the World” by Ahmed A. Khan”

Review of “On First Contacts and Second Chances” by Markus Lauerer

The story opens by telling the reader Earth’s first and only contact with an alien civilization has been a failure. This is not because of hostility. There was no threat to life as we know it, nor did an earth bug wipe the aliens out. We and the aliens, despite everyone’s best attempts, simply didn’tContinue reading “Review of “On First Contacts and Second Chances” by Markus Lauerer”

Review of “Traditional” by Todd Wells

Richard sulks on the edge of the bed. Amber tries to cheer him up. It’s their wedding night. It was a beautiful wedding, nice and traditional. Amber chose a quaint little church. They rode in a horse-drawn carriage rather than a limo. There are only two more things left to do. Of course, these days,Continue reading “Review of “Traditional” by Todd Wells”