Under Stars is an upcoming (releasing the 27th) SFF collection of KJ Kabza's work. Click the "Under Stars" tab for other posts involving this collection, which you should pre-order/purchase right now.
(Note: Do not base your interest in this collection exclusively on the reviews to follow. These are individual blurbs for some of the least significant stories in Under Stars. The stories reviewed do not represent the mean quality of the writing in this collection.)
"...In the Machine" is the story of a possessed self-checkout machine. It has an interesting voice to it (though there is a bit of language). The story's creative, I'll give it that.
"Light Years" is a fine drabble. It takes a great idea and runs with it as far as a story can in exactly 100 words. The poetic quality of drabble-length stories is exploited to great effect. Read it.
"The Expurgated Version" is cool in concept, but is a bit crude and jarring. Feel free to skip it.
"The Separatists" takes a common sci-fi short fic trope and manages to not wear it out. Predictable, but still recommended.
"Like Old People Do" has a very legitimate spec fic basis. It's an attempt to project the loss of verbal communication due to cell phones a few decades ahead. That I can respect. The actual content of the story is sketchy. It contains two levels of crudeness, both of which fit the story, but neither of which are necessary for the basic purpose of the story to be fulfilled.
Hmm, looks like an interesting read.
ReplyDeleteSarah Allen
(Writing Blog)
It sure is.
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