The Wichita Public Library has done several reading challenges over the years, and this time I am going to participate. The first item on the list that I'm checking off is the collection of short stories. Crafting a good short story is tough. Its easy to just keep chucking problems at characters and trying to fit too much in. A well done short though will open and close a universe in a way that leaves the reader satisfied, and wanting to hear more in the universe.
Right around Christmas I had seen someone tweet out a link to BAEN publishing free library. Its a collection of several books that start series or are free short story bundles for the most part. Its a nice way to check out if you like an author's style before needing to buy the book. I will warn you, several of these books have series that are more than 4 or 5 long, so if you like it you might end up investing quite a bit.
I chose the 2017 Short Story collection, and overall I was mostly pleased with the choice. For free, getting 16 stories is a nice bargain. I do think they should have changed the order a bit, since I think the collection starts a little weakly. The first, Does a Bear Shoot in the Woods? by Wen Spencer was intriguing, but overall was just a little too goofy for me. DEI Britannci really needed a follow up, since its just a prologue for a book. The Arenaverse story was poorly edited, and just made no sense. Into the Gonebeyond was the best of the lot so far, with some fairly well developed lines and a nice finish. Cutting Corners was a bit forgettable, since nothing of importance happens. Fire on the Hill needed a bit more fleshing out, and has a nice universe for future stories though. Feldspar and Bullet Catch are both award winners, and were pretty darn good. I also enjoyed Force Multipliers being What They are, although the heroes I think have too easy of a time. The Powhatan should have some follow up tales set in that world, with odd mutation people and the Romans being in North America. What We're Made Of might be the best in the book, posing some good ethical questions and good military tension, as well as hitting some harder sci-fi notes. Children of the Dust and The Blue Widow both I think warrant a read, and I need to find if there are more stories in those universes. CHildren of Dust combining a bit of a Dystopia and High Sci Fi feel, while Blue Widow deals in a world where ghosts and monsters are daily occurrences. The collection ends with a couple of duds though. Sufficient Unto the Day was odd, and fairly pointless over all. On Site for the Apocalypse I think breaks the cardinal rule of Short Stories by hitting you with a Continue Later at the climax. Either make it part of a larger book, or don't write it if the climax is read my next book.
Overall the collection was good, with some very strong entries and some very weak ones. The editing I must warn is in dire need, since in a few stories entire paragraphs were missing. For the price, you can't beat it though.
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