Book #25: Tales of Wonder by Various Authors

Science Fantasy is the collision of science fiction and fantasy – where the impossible and the improbable come together. This is a universe of spaceships and sorcery, of mechanics and magic, where zeppelins soar through the ether and conjurers stalk dark tunnels with a ball of light in their fist. So cut loose, let slip the mooring ropes on your imagination, and join these nine authors as they set course for the horizon – and beyond.

Ricardo Victoria takes us to a landscape inspired by anime series and epic fantasy, in a world of biodomes and raiders, where a young woman may be all that stands between her people and starvation.

E.M. Swift-Hook brings us a slice of life from her Fortune’s Fools universe, in which ancient legends may just turn out to be very, very real.

Matthew Harvey takes us on a very improper adventure, in a steampunk universe of manners and melee, of power games and petticoats, where the Ladies Bierce must deal with an upstart assassin and all the inconvenient dangers that he brings.

Jessica Holmes brings us a tale of psychic powers and piracy aboard a futuristic vessel – but is this adventure too big for the captain to handle?

Rob Edwards launches us across the universe aboard an exploration vessel bound for disaster. Will magic be the crew’s salvation? Or the curse that drags them all down?

Leo McBride takes us to the end of all magic, with kill teams hunting down the last sorceror in future Britain – alongside his companion Maggie, can he slip away from the Techquisitors at their heels?

Brent A. Harris brings us a Dickens of a tale about an orphan named Oliver, who finds himself unstuck in time, and all because he has to prove himself by stealing a pocket watch that turns out to be very special indeed.

Terri Pray tells a tale of a researcher and his bodyguard, as he tries to make a breakthrough that will change the world, and she tries to keep him safe from those who want to kill him for the secret.

Jeff Provine launches us across the universe, on an impossible space mission skirting the edge of a black hole, that can only be survived by drawing upon Inuit legend. Do legends have real power, or is the crew’s faith misguided?

Nine tales of science. Nine tales of fantasy. Nine tales to make you wonder.

I received a copy of this book from one of the authors for an honest review. All that follows is my opinion and I had no compensation for this review.

The concept of Science Fantasy is intriguing. I’m not a big science fiction fan, but I do love fantasy. And before you ask, I consider Steampunk more as fantasy, but I can see why it would be Science Fantasy. And if that is the case, then I am not new to the concept.

Tales of Wonder is an anthology of nine stories from nine different authors. Each story has their own style, but the anthology works well. I have read quite a few anthologies from Inklings Press and to be honest, I have yet to read one where a short story didn’t fit with the rest of the collection. It’s almost as if there is one author instead of nine.

Don’t misconstrue that. I mean only that they are developed well together. Each story has their own world, concept, and voice that makes them as unique as the author.

I find that the easy flow between stories also helps with the speed of reading the book. It doesn’t take long to get halfway through the book in one sitting. I’m not finding myself needing a break between stories because the concept is just too much. I actually want to jump into the next story right away.

I am looking forward to the next Inklings Press anthology.