Monday, March 1, 2021

Review: Antiheroes (A Phoenix Fiction Writers Anthology)


About the Book
Seven science fiction and fantasy stories about antiheroes:

-A man determined to get justice for his family, no matter the cost
-A gynoid with two conflicting programming directives
-A teenage boy determined to protect the people who have become his friends
-A monster slayer who is not everything she appears to be
-A young cyborg who makes an unthinkable choice in hopes of a better future
-A mischievous shopkeeper trying to stay one step ahead of trouble
-A blood hunter who discovers a lie that will change the course of her life


My Thoughts

Antiheroes was another fantastic speculative fiction anthology from the Phoenix Fiction Writers. If you're a fan of the genre, I highly recommend it.

The Wolf at the Door by Kyle Robert Shultz – Beasts and monsters roam the Black Forest and Wilhelmina Grimm arrives to fight them. But is she really the hero come to save the day, or a vicious monster in disguise? I LOVED this story. The intro was hilarious but the story itself was a bit creepy and had some dark undertones. It was a very compelling read. I've thoroughly enjoyed everything I've read by this author and am eager to read even more. 5 stars

Vengeance Hunter by Hannah Heath – This was a unique and fresh take on vampires. I couldn't get enough of it and would love to visit this world again. Blood Hunters are given a list of criminals by the Guild. Their task is to hunt them down, kill them, and take their blood to feed their starving communities. But Hunter Ishtaka starts noticing that the criminals aren't acting very “criminal” at all. Something sinister is going on and Ishtaka is about to find out just what it is. 5 stars

The Word Thrower by Beth Wangler – After hearing of nefarious goings on at another Academy, Word Thrower student Dax goes undercover to investigate what's really going on. I loved the whole concept of word throwing. It was so fascinating. I wish the story had been just a little bit longer, but I enjoyed it a lot nonetheless. 4 stars

The Astoundingly Mortal Peril of Denna Dorwen by Nate Philbrik – After a rather unfortunate accident destroyed priceless books and scrolls, Denna has been paying the Iron Gleaners nearly her every cent to fix the damage she did. But her next payment is due and she doesn't have a spare iron to save herself. What's she to do but get the money by any means necessary. All the while, finding herself in increasingly ridiculous situations. This was absolute sheer fun. Totally ridiculous, but it did make me laugh on numerous occasions. 3.5 stars

Stealing Freedom by J.E. Purrazzi – A sequel to Purrazzi's story Stealing Life that was in the Undone anthology, this cyberpunk tale pulled me in and refused to let go. I loved revisiting this world. It was definitely more character driven than the previous one, but just as good (maybe even better). Koya has made it to America, having gotten away from the evil and corrupt Bakemono Corporation. He's finally found freedom, or so he believes. But he just can't seem to escape the many corporations and finds himself in another one's sights. When they task him with an unthinkable job, he wonders if this is any better than what he originally escaped from. 4.5 stars

Gynoid by K.L. + Pierce – This was quite an interesting read with a unique concept. It was a little confusing at times though. I think a longer format would've benefited it well and made it easier to understand the different organizations and their conflicting agendas. It dealt with some intriguing moral dilemmas and emotional conflicts that did keep me turning the pages. I wouldn't mind reading a longer story set in this world. 3 stars

Striker by E.B. Dawson – Danny's out for revenge for what happened to his family and will do anything necessary to achieve it, even sacrificing himself to the notorious Striker program. Danny had very strong motivations for doing what he was planning and it was thrilling to read the lead up to it's possible completion. It always amazes me how much story Dawson can pack into such a small space. She's quickly becoming one of my favorites. 4.5 stars

Four Stars

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