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Title: Dinner on a Flying Saucer

Author: Dean Wesley Smith

Narrator: Thaddeus R. R. Boyd

Format: Unabridged

Length: 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-04-13

Publisher: Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Publisher's Summary:

Sometimes, when a fella gets to help out with fightin' a war between two alien races, it's just not such a good idea to tell your wife. Sometimes the truth just isn't good enough.

A really fun short story by USA Today best-selling writer Dean Wesley Smith

Best-selling author Dean Wesley Smith has written more than one hundred popular novels and hundreds published short stories. His novels include the science fiction novel Laying the Music to Rest and the thriller The Hunted as D.W. Smith. With Kristine Kathryn Rusch, he is the coauthor of The Tenth Planet trilogy and The 10th Kingdom.

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Title: The Tales of the Last War

Subtitle: An Eberron Anthology

Author: Mark Sehestedt (editor)

Narrator: Kathleen McInerney

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-08-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 15 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Publisher's Summary:

The war to end all wars - or so it is hoped. For generations battle broke the once-proud kingdom of Galifar. As nation fought nation, adventure was never far away from those eager to find it.

Hunters of evil, seekers of fortune, loyal soldiers, and those just trying to stay alive. These are their tales. The Tales of the Last War.

Members Reviews:

Decent first anthology for Eberron

Tales of the Last War is the first anthology set in the new world of Eberron. There are a total of nine shorts stories within the pages. Some of the names have already had Eberron full length novels released, while others have not. This anthology is supposed to cover the time from the Day of Mourning to afterwards and the aftermath of that day. Instead of trying to write a full review for each story, I will try to give a small blurb for each and you can take it from there.

1. "Death at Whitehearth" by Keith Baker. This story was originally in a booklet that helped Wizards of the Coast promote the new Eberron world. Overall, the story is very average. I am not a fan of first person stories and that is just what this one is. Also, Baker seems like he wants to include everything Eberron has to offer into one short story and that makes it seem disjointed. The characters found in this story are the same ones found in Baker's Shattered Land trilogy, the first trilogy to be in Eberron. I give this story a 3 out of 5.

2. "Death before Dawn" by Paul Crilley. This is a fast paced story that has no qualms at flying through the storyline. For a short story, this one is very good. I found myself caring right away about Col and his situation. The ending was a little clichéd, but getting there was a lot of fun. I didn't think it possible to have that many twists in a short story. I rank this as the second best story in this anthology. 4 out of 5.

3. "The Blade of the Flame" by Tim Waggoner. In my opinion this is the best story of the anthology. I really enjoyed reading this one, good characters, solid plot line, and all weaved together to keep the reader interested. Also, the heroes found in this story will continue on in Waggoner's first full length Eberron novel Thieves of Blood being released in May 2006. I suggest reading this story before reading that novel. 5 out of 5.

4. "Distant Fires" by Aaron Rosenberg. A decent story, but once you finish reading it the plot seems rather contrived and the clichés that riddle this book take away some of the enjoyment factor. Eberron being a completely new world, should strive to be it's own entity not copy things that have done before. Sadly, that's what I feel this story did. 3 out of 5.

5. "The Veiled Charge" by David A. Page. This story is... odd, for lack of a better word. It's well written, but there are so many perception shifts at times it leaves the reader wondering just what is going on for a page or two, and with space at a premium in short stories that is not a good thing. There is nothing really special that sticks out with this story, but the author seems to have some promise. 3 out of 5.

6. "The Weight of Water" by Edward Blome. This was a fun story to read. Although, I must admit that while reading it I often felt like I was reading a Dragonlance story about gnomes.

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Title: The Search for Power

Subtitle: Dragons from the War of Souls

Author: Margaret Weis (editor)

Narrator: Arielle DeLisle

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-08-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 10 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Publisher's Summary:

The latest Dragonlance anthology, featuring an introduction by Margaret Weis.

This newest anthology focuses on the lives and ways of dragons in the era following the end of the New York Times best-selling War of Souls trilogy by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Edited by Margaret Weis and filled with a dozen stories from both well-known Dragonlance authors and a few newcomers, this is the first anthology to feature stories that take place in the current Dragonlance time period.

Members Reviews:

Great book

I am a DragonLance fan and have over 150 of them. I get most of them from Amazon. I arrived on time and looked brand new.

Worthy Follow-Up to Search for Magic

Similar in approach to the earlier Search for Magic (in which I note, for full disclosure of any potential bias, I had a story), The Search for Power: Dragons from the War of Souls probably does a somewhat better job of matching its title, with pretty much all of the stories, many by Dragonlance veterans, focusing on dragons in and about the period of the War of Souls. As is typical for these anthologies, styles and quality vary somewhat and each reader will have their own favorites. Among my favorites were "Loyalty" by Richard Knaak, "Inventory" by Jean Rabe, and "The Albino" by Doug Niles. Weaker stories included "Special Delivery" by Jeff Grubb (gnomes seem to be getting downright stupid, as opposed to just pre-occupied by their inventions, which is just not to my taste, though the writing is fine if that view of gnomes works for you) and "Marine Skies" by Lucien Soulban (lots of description, but still too confusing too often for me). All in all, worth the price if you are a fan of Dragonlance's War of Souls. Donald J. Bingle, Author of Forced Conversion.

A few clever stories amid the mediocrity

As seems to be the case with these collections published by Dragonlance, many of these short stories are told just for their surprise endings. And in many cases these twists make for a very memorable and quirky tale. However, a surprise ending can't save a dull plot and lackluster storytelling.

Among the gems in this work are Knaak's minotaur-esque study in 'Loyalty;' Jeff Grubb's off-beat gnomish concoction that begins, "It was raining pianos in Flotsam" (how can you beat an intro like that?), and Thompson's macabre 'Box.' There are some entertaining yarns by Dan Willis (Lake of Death), Douglas Clark (The Dragonslayers), and Jean Rabe (Inventory).

With the remaining 8 stories, mediocrity sets in. One or two aren't so bad (e.g. Chamber's 'At the Water's Edge'), but some are decidedly unreadable or horrible ('Wyrm's Claw Inn' by Horner and Soulban's 'Marine Skies'), and 2 I didn't even contend with (Niles' 'Albino' and Stein's 'Coin of Adament').

The 6 or so decent tales are worth the read, but with nearly 8 weak stories out of 14 total, you have to ask yourself whether the book is worth it.

good

i dont want to write a review i dont want to write a review i dont want to write a review

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Title: Realms of the Elves: The Last Mythal Anthologies

Subtitle: A Forgotten Realms Anthology

Author: Philip Athans (editor)

Narrator: Eileen Stevens

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-08-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 15 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Publisher's Summary:

The story of the elves of Faerûn stretches from the dawn of history to the battle for the future of a world in constant upheaval. Realms of the Elves, edited by Philip Athans, is the 11th anthology of stories from the Forgotten Realms. It serves as an anthology to The Last Mythal trilogy. Authors include Richard Lee Byers, Philip Athans, Lisa Smedman, Erik Scott de Bie, R. A. Salvatore, Ed Greenwood, and Richard Baker.

Members Reviews:

Three Stars

Nice read.

Pretty good, I think

I must say that Ms. Smedmen's story was the best in this book, which is saying something considering I'm a big Drizzt fan. Still, "Necessary Sacrafices" is a deep, compelling story that grabs you and doesn't let go. Even after I finished the story, it didn't let me go and I actually cried for the both the seen and unseen tragedy. To me, all of the characters were tragic, most especially in what they themselves didn't see or realize.

"Comrads at Odds" was a nice character builder and sneak preview. I was surprised to see the development of a heretofore minor character, but now I'm anticipating him playing a much bigger role in The Orc King. In fact, the potential for this guy is pretty damn good, and I hope he gets used more even if it isn't what I want/anticipate.

Most of the stories here are about average to good, and the reviewers before me have mentioned all the really good ones. This book is worth your time, if only for the nice little fiction bites it provides.

Epic Elven Adventure

Like elves? this is the anthology for you. Some really great stories. Phillip Athans, Richard Baker, and a Drizzt story tucked into the continuity of the the Lone Drow saga. Great read. Open it anywhere and you will find a gem.

greatest forgotten realms anthology

Realms of the Elves is the greatest Forgotten Realms anthology. All of the stories' characters are pretty unique and fun to read. I recommend this book to all Forgotten Realms, Dungeons & Dragons and fantastic literature fans.

Pretty Good

Here are my reviews of these seven not-so-short stories.

1. Traitors by Richard Lee Byers. I'm not a big fan of Byers' works, because I find his novels way too action oriented for my liking, with plot and character development often completely disregarded. I was pleasantly surprised by this story. A very strong story of conflicting loyalties. He kept a nice pace through all of 70 pages, and gave us a good ending. Indirectly touches the events in his Year of the Rogue Dragons trilogy. ****

2. The Staff of Valmaxian by Philip Athans. This story didn't sit with me, to be honest. Had a promising start, by completely faded towards the end, which was a big cliché by itself. **

3. Necessary Sacrifices by Lisa Smedman. A beautiful, sad story. The idea was simply great, but got a bit drawn out. Could have been shorter. A very good story, nevertheless. ****

4. The Greater Treasure by Erik Scott de Bie. The author shows us again that his storytelling is brilliant. The characters are interesting (if a bit annoying) and well fleshed out. It is worth the mention that this is maybe the most erotic story ever published by WotC. Very good.****

5. Comrades at Odds by R.A. Salvatore.

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Title: Broken World: Omnibus

Author: Andrew Biss

Narrator: Wayne Farrell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-13-12

Publisher: Andrew Biss

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Publisher's Summary:

Broken World: Three strange and darkly humorous dystopian tales of a world gone wrong...

"Cafe Grotesquerie"

In a broken world there exists a strange and sinister eating establishment unlike anything known or imagined - referred to in some quarters as Cafe Grotesquerie - where only the most discriminating and well-connected are privileged enough to enter its doors and devour its dark delicacies. Once inside, however, status still reigns supreme, and for one particular couple - Audrey and Aubrey - a hunger for power proves far more desirable than anything on the menu. But when confronted by a supercilious sommelier, the suspicious disappearance of their waiter, and civilization collapsing all around them, will they even be able to make it through dessert? Step inside and find out....

"Foreign Bodies"

Victoria and Max have just arrived at their hotel, La Guerre Sans Fin, ready to enjoy an exotic bargain-priced getaway in one of the less hospitable corners of the planet. Unfortunately for them, between what they perceive to be plagues of marauding insects and wildly erratic weather patterns, their holiday soon becomes a far more perilous enterprise than anticipated. When a group of local tribesmen appear on the scene, however, they at last begin to feel as though things are about to brighten up for them. And in this broken world of theirs, indeed they are....

"The Joneses"

Mr. and Mrs. Jones' zealous desire to be seen as doyens of the community lead them to undertake a misguided mission that rapidly spirals out of control. Their adoption of children from an impoverished part of the world was intended to bring them widespread admiration, but when their charges turn murderous everything starts to unravel. However, in spite of the grim realities that now confront them, they remain stalwart in their pursuit of a higher social standing. But is that really the smell of victory in the air...or did things just get a little too hot to handle?

Members Reviews:

A strange but wonderful collection

The best way to describe this collection of short stories is weird but wonderful. The writing is good and the narration is smooth. Wayne Farrell is good with strange, their is just something about his voice that suits that type of story. His narration is attention grabbing and it keeps you paying attention until the end. Definitely give it a try.

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Title: Vampire for Hire: First Four Short Stories

Author: J.R. Rain

Narrator: Anne Johnstonbrown

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 45 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-08-12

Publisher: J.R. Rain

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 73 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Publisher's Summary:

Four bestselling Vampire for Hire short stories, including:

Members Reviews:

A somewhat thin collection of vampire stories

The stories are all set in the world of Samantha Moon, soccer mom and vampire. I love the book series but these short stories, not so much. They add very little to what I already learned from reading the books. If you are determined to read everything in the series, go ahead. But, don't expect any big revelations. The stories consist of several strange events from Samantha's life, plus the short story "Teeth" that is Fang's origin story. "Teeth" was the most interesting of the bunch. Most of these stories are available on Audible as short stories available for individual purchase, read by different narrators. If you only want the story Teeth, that may be a better deal.

Short stories

A few fun short stories concerning the Vampire for Hire series. If you follow the Vampire for Hire series one of the stories is Fang's background.

A Novella at Best

Any additional comments?

A series of short stories set somewhere around book 5 plus a brief back story about Fang.

LOVE This Series!!!

Normally I don't like short stories - even by my favorite authors. There's just not enough there to get into. HOWEVER, I really LOVE the Vampire For Hire series and these are enjoyable companions to fill in the gaps between the regular series books. Very enjoyable!

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Title: Fantastic Imaginings

Subtitle: A Journey through 3,500 Years of Imaginative Writing, Comprising Fantasy, Horror, and Science Fiction

Author: Stefan Rudnicki (editor), Harlan Ellison (editor)

Narrator: Stefan Rudnicki, David Burney, Scott Brick, Cassandra Campbell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 22 hrs and 5 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-19-12

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 25 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Publisher's Summary:

Collected here are the stories, poems, and religious writings that preceded and helped form the science fiction and fantasy genres. The collection explores the key imaginative roots and their later literary permutations. The author list alone reads like a literary whos who and includes many writers not primarily known for their forays into the fantastic. Organized by topic rather than simple chronology, this volume allows the listener to trace the history of robots, aliens, and apocalypses up to some of their most recent manifestations.

Topic chapters and represented authors include "Transformers" (Card, Asimov, Rossetti), "Shocking Futures" (Swift, More), and "Traveling Fools" (Carol, Burroughs, McCaffrey). This definitive collection of science fiction and fantasy sources illustrates how earlier generations imagined the future.

Members Reviews:

Table of Contents

Courtesy of sffaudio:

INTRODUCTION

Lofty Ambitions by Harlan Ellison, read by Harlan Ellison

PART 1: THE MYTHS WE LIVE BY

A Youth In Apparel That Glittered by Stephen Crane, read by Stefan Rudnicki (poem)

After the Myths Went Home by Robert Silverberg, read by Stefan Rudnicki

Novelty by John Crowley, read by Harlan Ellison

Pan And The Firebird by Sam M. Steward, read by Stefan Rudnicki

Murderer, The Hope Of All Women by Oskar Kokoschka, performed by cast

The Touch Of Pan by Algernon Blackwood, read by Stefan Rudnicki

The Lost Thyrsis by Oliver Onions, read by Roz Landor

The Bacchae (excerpt) by Eurpides, performed by cast

PART 2: MYTHS THAT BITE

A Noiseless Patient Spider by Walt Whitman, read by Stefan Rudnicki

Mystery Train by Lewis Shiner, read by John Rubenstein

Continued On The Next Rock by R.A. Lafferty, read by Stefan Rudnicki

Diary Of A God by Barry Pain, read by Enn Reitel

The Repairer of Reputations (excerpt) by Robert W. Chambers, read by Stefan Rudnicki

The Yellow Sign by Robert W. Chambers, read by Stefan Rudnicki

An Inhabitant Of Carcosa by Ambrose Bierce, read by Danny Campbell

The Horla by Guy de Maupassant, read by Arte Johnson

PART 3: SHOCKING FUTURES

Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, read by Stefan Rudnicki (poem)

City Come AWalkin (excerpt) by John Shirley, read by Don Leslie

A Pail Of Air by Fritz Leiber, read by Stefan Rudnicki

The Machine Stops (excerpt) by E.M. Forster, read by Roz Landor

Looking Backward and Equality (excerpts) by Edward Bellamy, read by David Birney

Gullivers Travels (excerpt) by Jonathan Swift read by Scott Brick

Utopia (excerpt) by Sir Thomas More, read byChristopher Cazanove

Monument To Amun by Queen Hatshepsut, read by Judy Young

PART 4: TRAVELING FOOLS

La Bateau Ivre by Arthur Rimbaud, read by Stefan Rudnicki

Inspiration by Ben Bova, read by Stefan Rudnicki

The Bones Do Lie by Anne McCaffrey, read by Stefan Rudnicki

A Princess Of Mars (excerpt) by Edgar Rice Burroughs, read by John Rubinstein

The Great Stone Of Sardis (excerpt) by Frank R. Stockton, read by David Birney

Alices Adventures In Wonderland (excerpt) by Lewis Carroll, read by Michael York

Diary Of A Madman (excerpt) by Nicolai Gogol, read by Stefan Rudnicki

The Inferno (excerpt) by Dante, read by Stefan Rudnicki

The Odyssey of Homer (excerpt), read by David Birney

PART 5: TRANSFORMERS

The Stolen Child by William B.

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Title: Freedom, Spiced and Drunk

Author: M. C. A. Hogarth

Narrator: Moe Egan

Format: Unabridged

Length: 37 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-24-12

Publisher: M. C. A. Hogarth

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 7 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Publisher's Summary:

Kediil wants only to remain neuter and learn the secrets of herbs from its beloved Mardin. But upon reaching second puberty, Kediil turns female, and is forced to decide between accepting her new role in the family...or something unspeakable.

This story made the Tiptree Award's secondary reading list and was recommended for a Nebula after its publication in Strange Horizons. It is included in the print book collection Clays Beneath the Skies.

Members Reviews:

A Good Xenofiction Short Story

This short story is an excellently crafted tale about how a community would function with three distinct genders, and the coming of age of a young member of the community. The prose is almost poetic, this does occasionally become overblown, however.

My favorite aspect of this story is the fact that there is almost no exposition. That isn't to say that things aren't explained during the story, but that, there is never an info dump, or a period of dialogue when the characters tell each other what's going on, all of the dialogue feels natural. This is especially impressive considering how alien the characters are. And I mean that in the best way possible, they are aliens after all. Hogarth has created a believable, well thought out alien race that is still relatable.

Over all, this is a great story, and it has the added benefit of being a great introduction to the rest of the Jokka shorts.

An Amazing Tale

I loved this story more than I expected to. I made that snap judgement based on the cover (naughty, naughty, don't judge a book by its cover) which, while lovely, was so simple in design I assumed the story would be likewise simple.

The writing has a lovely literary tone with gorgeous description and metaphors but manages to avoid being the hard slog to read that some literary texts are to me. Add to this beautiful writing style a deeply detailed world with a very interesting type of non-human and you're in for a treat.

The themes of the importance of memory and freedom to choose are wonderful and woven into the tale well so they are clear to see, but you don't feel beaten about the head with them.

The whole piece is marvelous and I recommend it to anyone with an interest in the fantastic.

Beautiful and Intriguing

I am fairly new to Hogarth's fiction and was a bit hesitant to read this story. I knew nothing of the Jokka. This story was so well written that I feel much more knowledgeable after just this short piece. Hogarth is skilled at educating the audience while avoiding the dreaded "info dump" that is so common amongst less subtle writers. The writing is beautifully delicate. The story concerns gender issues, including that of a neuter (the third gender of the Jokka society), and thus uses the pronoun "it." Hogarth's skill with words makes the use of said pronoun flow perfectly, even for one who is not used to it.

The tale itself is beautiful. It is easy to relate to an individual who refuses to conform to what is expected by their society / family. To actually watch that same individual take action is breathtaking. I am afraid to say too much more because I do not want to spoil someone else's reading pleasure.

Recommended!

Breathtaking!

I took a chance on this story because the characters were so interesting.

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Title: Favorite Science Fiction Stories, Volume 6

Author: Richard Stockham, Robert Silverburg, Dave Dryfoos, Darius John Granger, Mack Reynolds, R. R. Merliss, Alan Nourse, Richard O. Lewis, Charles A. Sterns, Murray Leinster

Narrator: Cindy Hardin Killavey, Christopher Strong, Emmett Casey, Jim Roberts, Veronica Giguere, Kevin Killavey

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 09-21-12

Publisher: Jimcin Recordings

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 24 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Publisher's Summary:

Volume 6 contains the following 21 stories:

Members Reviews:

Another good one in this series.

What did you love best about Favorite Science Fiction Stories, Volume 6?

Variety of stories - and narrators

What did you like best about this story?

Many stories. Much variety. All good.

Which character as performed by the narrators was your favorite?

Hard to say. Again....variety is the big word here. Certainly did not get bored.

Any additional comments?

This series of SF stories continues to excel. Hope more are coming.

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Title: Favorite Science Fiction Stories, Volume 6

Author: Richard Stockham, Robert Silverburg, Dave Dryfoos, Darius John Granger, Mack Reynolds, R. R. Merliss, Alan Nourse, Richard O. Lewis, Charles A. Sterns, Murray Leinster

Narrator: Cindy Hardin Killavey, Christopher Strong, Emmett Casey, Jim Roberts, Veronica Giguere, Kevin Killavey

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 09-21-12

Publisher: Jimcin Recordings

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 24 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Publisher's Summary:

Volume 6 contains the following 21 stories:

Contact me for any questions: [email protected]