Shapers of Worlds
Ratings1
Average rating4
15
Ratings1
Average rating4
Within these pages lie eighteen stories, from eighteen worlds shaped by some of today’s best writers of science fiction and fantasy, all guests on the Aurora Award-winning podcast The Worldshapers during its first year. Some are international bestsellers. Among them are winners and nominees for the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, Aurora, Sunburst, Aurealis, Ditmar, British Science Fiction Association, and Dragon Awards. Some have been writing for decades, others are at the beginning of their careers. All have honed their craft to razor-sharpness. A teenage girl finds something strange in the middle of the Canadian prairie. An exobiologist tries to liberate a giant alien enslaved on its homeworld by humans. The music of the spheres becomes literal for an Earth ship far from home. A superhero league interviews for new members. Strangers share a drink on a world where giant starships fall. Two boys, one a werewolf, one a mage, get more than they bargained for when they volunteer to fight an evil Empire. A man with amnesia accepts a most unusual offer. A young woman finds unexpected allies as she tries to win a flying-machine race in steampunk London . . . Ranging from boisterous to bleak, from humorous to harrowing, from action-filled to quiet and meditative; taking place in alternate pasts, the present day, the far, far future, and times that never were; set on Earth, in the distant reaches of space, in fantasy worlds, and in metaphysical realms, each of these stories is as unique as its creator. And yet, they all showcase one thing: the irrepressible need of human beings to create, to imagine, to tell stories. To shape worlds.
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My honest rating would be more between 3.5 and 4, but since in general I've liked reading this book, I think a 4 stars is fair. :) I've backed this book on Kickstarter because I've seen Tanya Huff would be one of the writers and I did liked what she wrote (Call to Arms). I'm tempted to read her serie where her novelette takes place.
I won't write a review for each story, but I'll say that my other favorites are:
- The Tale of The Wicked, by John Scalzi. I know some said it was an ordinary space adventure with sprinkles of Asimov's laws and probably a bit cliché, but hey! Sometimes, that's all we need! lol What I really liked was it was very visual, with some twists and a nice ending. A movie could be made with this.
- The Knack of Flying, by Shelley Adina. Again, an ordinary steampunk story, but I love the characters, the relations between them, their will to help each other. Could easily be part of a larger story/serie.
- Welcome to the Legion of Six, by Fonda Lee. Just a fun superheroes story, but with the mundane decisons and lives aspect that we don't often see. No battle, but a glimpse in their lives when they need to recruit someone new.
- A Thing of Beauty, by Dr. Charles E. Gannon. The ending on that one brought me tears. I love the characters, their struggle. I found this story completed in itself, but I just found out that it takes place in one the author's serie, like for Tanya Huff's story. I'm also very tempted to read more of his works.
Those are my absolute favorites, but like I've said, it was a very nice read. They are maybe 4 stories that I didn't really liked. On 18 stories, that's quite good! And I'll like to mention that from what I've read on other reviews, my favorites aren't always others' favorites and vice versa. That's also good. That means it's an anthology where everyone can find something for them. Well, I like to think so anyway.
Sidenote: I've backed the 2nd Shapers of Worlds, and I'm quite happy to have done so. Can't wait for it! :D
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