Light Reading Anthology 2

Stealing Light: A Raven Chronicles Anthology, Selected Work 1991-1996

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I'm super pissed that she dies in the end, because she was the only remotely interesting character in this story, even if she did end up falling in love with an idiot.

There was a time when the woods near Duva ate girls. And it was so, so good. It has all the elements of a perfect story: I love dark stories, and I especially love stories that make me squirm before I'm certain of what is happening because of the bad feeling I get in my gut. I will definitely keep my eye on Leigh Bardugo. Her prose is wonderful and haunting, and marvelously crafts the atmosphere for this story, making you shiver as Nadya walks through the woods of Duva and smell and taste the scrumptious stew Magda cooks for her.

I mean, most people who live in religious compounds like that don't believe in hospitals, right? And then Rance kills his father because he let Olivia - the aforementioned thirteen year old and the girl he was in love with - die. I mean, all that was great. Maybe that's a good thing, I'm not sure. The idea for the story was interesting, and the different effects that MORS had on people was, as well.

Massey was a complete sociopath, and her characterization was nicely done. I especially loved the scene when she's described as watching the bloodbath with her hands on the glass, as if she were looking at a Christmas window at a store. I also liked how isolated James is from his family by his experience - because they weren't there, and they can't possibly relate. Still, there was something about how this story was written, especially some of the dialogue, that irked me. Sometimes it felt forced, or just not right. I would've liked to have seen the scene where General Montez shoots himself be a little longer, so we could have appreciated the effect MORS had on him.

Stealing Light: A Raven Chronicles Anthology, Selected Work 1991-1996

Instead, it was very quick, and all of the sudden he's on the floor dead along with Privates Sands and Gruin and the two guards who'd also been in the room and it's all over. This, along with 'The Witch of Duva,' were probably my favorites from the anthology. I really liked the following line, spoken by Iko, the family's android: Sometimes I forget that I'm not human.

I don't think that happens to most androids. As a whole, this anthology was pretty great. It struck a good balance between sci-fi and fantasy, and stories that are set in the future, in the past, or in time indeterminate. Mar 05, Melissa rated it it was ok Shelves: Overall this anthology was pretty weak, but there was one stand-out story that I really enjoyed and have continued to think about. Legacy Lost by Anna Banks - I found parts of this story fascinating - like the general premise of the Syrena - but was thrown off by the ending and some of the writing.

The teaser for her novel - set in the same world - was interesting but not intriguing enough for me to have sought it out. The Witch of Duva by Leigh Bardugo- Hands down the best story in this anthol Overall this anthology was pretty weak, but there was one stand-out story that I really enjoyed and have continued to think about.

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The Witch of Duva by Leigh Bardugo- Hands down the best story in this anthology and the only story I'd heartily recommend to anyone. I'm always a sucker for a re-told fairy tale and you figure out pretty quick that this is a twisted Hansel and Gretel. But not in the way you think. This was by far the best written and most interesting story and the only one I'd bother re-reading. Prophet by Jennifer Bosworth- This one was ghastly and not in a good way. I got the concept quickly but found the writing mediocre to the point of being distracting.

While I read Cinder a few years ago, I didn't have strong feelings about the novel and I didn't love this story either. Oct 15, nizza rated it really liked it Shelves: I don't think I can write a review about this anthology without being in favor of Leigh Bardugo and Marissa Meyer I've always loved Bardugo and Meyer and reading their stories the second time around was just as fun as before! The other two, I couldn't finish reading as I felt disconnected with them Jan 02, Kira rated it liked it Shelves: If you have an ereader, I highly recommend you check it out, especially for Bardugo's story.

Oddly enough, the indi Overall: Oddly enough, the individual stories themselves aren't free. Prophet by Jennifer Bosworth Standouts: However, fate has other plans.

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If I was a bigger fan of mermaids, this story may have worked more for me. It was interesting, but not completely original. The world-building was clunkily inserted yet still left gaps in the readers' understanding. The prose vacilitated between needlessly wordy and beautiful imagery. She suspects the beautiful widow who is viying for her father.

I really enjoy fairytale retellings, especially those that turn fairytales on their heads. I was held rapt while Nadya discovered the secret behind the disapearances and discovers her place in the world.

I loved how Bardugo created a world and creatures different from traditional Russian folklore, yet one that fits right into the traditional mythology at the same time. I'm really excited to read her full-length novel set in this world, Shadow and Bone. Prophet by Jennifer Bosworth 2 Stars A teenage son of a cult leader comes of age and accepts his destiny. This is a very short story pages on my Nook and has hardly any time to develop the characters or for the reader to develop any sort of bond or emotional response. It's a very traditional villain origin story, but doesn't add anything new or do anything interesting.

It's competently written, but rushed. Considering I've read many similar stories with similar plot devices this fell flat. While this story was gripping and interesting, the more I thought about it, the more problems I had. How could blood type possibly cause aggression or hallucinations - things that are caused by the nervous system rather than the circulatory system?

There were also plot points that made no logical sense especially in a high-security military research facility. I didn't understand or connect with the POV character or his eventual decision and the rest of the characters were flat and stereotypical. Despite my many misgivings, the story kept me glued to the page. The narrative jumped back and forth between the report, flashbacks, and the current setting. A lesser writer could have muddled that terribly, but Laybourne does have storytelling skills. Also, the adult male protagonist says "a-hole" instead of "asshole" 3 times, making him sound like a year-old girl who is still uncomfortable with swearing.

Teenagers will not die if they read the word "asshole. Cinder tries to form relationships and find her place, while trying to adjust to life as a cyborg. I was drawn to this story because of the Asian-inspired sci-fi setting and the unique world-building. Meyer has a very easy voice that draws you in. However, I had assumed Cinder was Asian, but it is revealed that she is European. What a great anthology! I was really impressed by some of these authors, and I know I will be looking up most of the novels this anthology previews. I wasn't surprised I liked this story.

So when I realized this story was about mermaids merpeople? It helped that the plot was good and I What a great anthology! It helped that the plot was good and I related to the character of Grom. This was an excellent preview, and I'll definitely read the novel Of Poseidon. As soon as I read witch in the title of Bardugo's short story, I rolled my eyes. I'm not a supernatural person. I just don't have an interest! So when I saw the title of the story I was less than unenthusiastic about it. But I read it anyway, and I'm glad I did! It was a very good short story; I liked the surprise at the end and the characters were very real to me.

So, what about the Shadow and Bone preview? I was definitely surprised by how much I enjoyed that as well. I've seen Shadow and Bone everywhere lately, and always thought it wasn't my thing. But reading the first two chapters changed my mind. I'm very interested in reading the rest of the book. The Prophet prequel and preview of Struck by Jennifer Bosworth: These were very interesting.

I like how the prequel, The Prophet led up to Struck. It was cool to see how the Prophet came to be before seeing him in Struck. However, I don't think I will read Struck or look anything more up by this author. I just wasn't interested enough in the characters to keep reading. The short story, Dress Your Marines in White was intense! I really enjoyed reading that short. The preview of Monument 14 , however? It was still very intense and exciting, but I don't know if I'll actually read the whole book.

But it is going on my to-read list, for now anyway. Glitches prequel to Cinder by Marissa Meyer: The only reason I downloaded this book was for this story. I loved Cinder when I read it and I was ecstatic to read the prequel. It was worth it! There is a little bit more character development for the stepmom and dad, and I liked seeing how little Cinder adjusted to living with the family. Apr 10, Pamela rated it really liked it Shelves: I actually wanted to read almost all of these.

Actually, I can't believe I read the Anna Banks story in toto. She writes books about merpeople, which is totally fine, but they're also very romantic-he-looked-into-her-liquid-eyes-and-was-mesmerized-by-her-gently-curved-lips, if you know what I mean.

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I don't do that. My friends know I don't do that. Generally, all of that woo-wah lovey-dovey stuff introduces a angst, b a love trian Slight exaggeration. I mean, why add more unnecessary angst to your life unless it is angst Weetzie Bat-style, in which case, carry on?

I think some of these stories were individually available as well, but I liked having them all together in one free! First up, Anna Banks' Legacy Lost. So, I know Anna Banks' series is about merpeople called Syrena and it has very kissy-looking people on the cover. I know what I like and what I don't like, and I am just not a romance person. However, I read the story. It was intense, but not vomit-inducing. She's a daredevil and he's not, but I guess their babies are supposed to have mystical powers or something. I didn't read the full books and I think fans of those would appreciate this more.

I did, however, like the ending. But after this story I'm tempted to go and read the second two. Bardugo has a great command of the fairy tales she's working with, and the twist about who the monster really was floored me. Prophet by Jennifer Bosworth So, Jennifer Bosworth's full-length novel is Struck, which I just happened to put on display so it stuck in my mind. Her short story is an interesting exploration of extremism in religion.

The transformation of the main character from defiant boy to mad prophet is believable because of his extreme circumstances and unusual background. Bosworth paints a deft portrait of his family life with just a few paragraphs. I am a huge Monument 14 fan and this really rounded out the story. It's an explanation of the biochemical weapon that affects humans' by blood type. The official report v. This one was gritty and satisfying. Glitches by Marissa Meyer. Overall, I highly recommend this anthology. It's free on Google Books not a paid endorsement, etc.

Jul 25, Diana rated it liked it. The male lead is arrogant, bossy and too full of himself. The female lead started of good: I might as well have grabbed a paper from pubmed. But it was better than Legacy Lost so it gets two stars. Aug 29, Karen rated it really liked it Shelves: I was very pleasantly surprised when I started reading this. Not only do we have short stories but the added bonus of an excerpt of the book the short is based on. The stories vary in length as well as genre but all are from fairly new authors with a twist. While I enjoyed all the stories, I have to say that two were my favorites, though I will now be purchasing all the books the shorts were based on.

Oh my straining budget! I would love to lay out each story for you but that would be silly since I was very pleasantly surprised when I started reading this. I would love to lay out each story for you but that would be silly since you could simply purchase and read them for yourself. So instead I will give a brief synopsis of my two favorites. Legacy Lost by Anna Banks is a story about merpeople who reside under a thick ice cover. They have two kingdoms which in order to stay united pledge a child to marriage. In this case Grom, a prince of the Triton's has been told he must marry Nalia, a princess of the Poseidon's.

Since he knew he as a child and did not like her he is less than thrilled and she is not any happier since she does not like him either. This is a love story that holds the fate of an entire race in its hands. In "Dress Your Marines in White" by Emmy Laybourne you have the equivalent of a mad scientist who is so intent on human testing of her killer substance that she sees nothing else.

Her assistant is a family man who is so horrified by the results of their human testing he is going to a hypnotist to forget is asked to write a report. This is like the beginning of any apocalyptic story, you have a vial of something deadly and the question is, will it get out. In the past I have shied away from young adult fare but find that some of it is worth reading even for someone like me who is well past that particular phase.

May 19, Joy rated it it was amazing Shelves: What a great way to seek out the next great good book to read. This this is an anthology of five very fantastical stories. First, I thoroughly enjoyed "Legacy Lost" by Anna Banks and subsequent first chapter of Of Poseidon which I downloaded and read entirely before continuing to the next author's contribution. Too Grim for me. The third author, Jennifer Bosworth, is clearly a gifted writer. Her contribution, "Prophe What a great way to seek out the next great good book to read.

Her contribution, "Prophet" continued in the sample of her novel "Struck". The story just got too dark for my taste. However, her 1st chapter sample of Monument 14 is what I most appreciate from this author's contribution. I have that on my want-to-read list. Finally, Marissa Meyer's "Glitch" is simply so unique and engrossing that makes the full length novel Cinder a must-read.

Feb 08, Katie rated it it was ok Shelves: This is free to download.

I guess it was supposed to make me want to read more by these authors, but, uh, that didn't really work. I liked the premise arranged mating between people who hate each other! Anyway, then bad things happened and I didn't care. Sad and creepy and powerful. Prophet This is free to download. Anyway, this was another one where there wasn't really enough explained.

Well, this didn't really add anything to my understanding of Cinder, but it was nice. Jun 16, Devan rated it really liked it.

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I really enjoyed all the other companion short stories. It was fun seeing their feisty personalities clash and I can't wait to see what the future holds for these characters in Of Triton. After finishing this SS I actually felt some compassion for Rance. I want to know more about Olivia. She did it again! She is able to weave a little story into something awesome and disturbing all at the same time. A nice insight into the events leading up to M Overall, the short stories are a nice little extra treat after finishing the main courses.

Aug 27, J K rated it liked it. I'd already read two of these stories in the sequel anthology.

The first two stories here are the strongest. That said, this collection forms a really nice sampler of what's out there from Tor. This is a particularly sharp story reporting on a military experiment that goes horribly, horribly wrong don't they all! Mar 24, Ashley Herzig rated it really liked it Shelves: I liked the characters in this one, but the whole mermaid thing was a bit too strange for me and it was very short.

One of my favorite short stories of all time, the Witch of Duva retells the story of Hansel and Gretel with a twist. With great characters and beautiful prose, this story is a must-read for any fan of ya or fairytales. This story was very short, but still managed to have a strong plot line and intriguing characters. I really enjoyed the c Legacy Lost: I really enjoyed the creepy cult vibe and the ambiguous ending.

Interesting concept, but the structure so many flashbacks didn't work for me and it felt too long. This prequel to Cinder was poignant and well-written, but too short. I wish there had been more time to get to know the characters, especially Peony and Garan. Apr 01, Yvonne rated it really liked it Shelves: Definitely need to read more of her books Prophet by Jennifer Bosworth Again, couldn't quite get into it Dress Your Marines in White by Emma Laybourne Interesting writing style, made me intrigued to read more of what happens in this world, so Monument 14 jumped on my wishlist immediately Glitches by Marissa Meyer- I have to admit I was sceptical of the Lunar Chronicles, because often hyped books disappointed me Too bad I'm broke and can't order the rest in the series right away This collection of short stories is just the thing to wet the appetite for the fabulous offerings of Tor.

Whether you already a fan of the authors and their stories, familiar with a few, or new to them all. You are sure to find a treasure that you just can't pass up. Leaving no literary stone unturned; the editors and editors have even included snippets from the original full-length works referenced in each novella. This is a quick but very satisfying pages. Showcasing the story crafting brillian This collection of short stories is just the thing to wet the appetite for the fabulous offerings of Tor.

Distinct advantages to this approach come from properties of the web. Of course, after entries link to menus, the web still leaves plenty of room for revision and augmentation. I would not want to make an anthology such as this without considerable input from people whose expertise is greater than mine or whose opinions differ from my own. The degree of input varied considerably from one project to another, often depending on how much specific editors wanted to do themselves.

In some instances, sections were edited as a collaborative project; in others, I stayed out of the editorial process entirely. Making available work that is otherwise difficult to obtain has been important to me, and in the presentation of complete books on the web I have concentrated on two types: With a number of the poets whose work appears at the site, I have reproduced their early books completely, and included significant examples of work done throughout their lives, providing in-depth presentation of their development through their entire opus.

Differing publication strategies show work in different dimensions: Each approach implies that all work presented in one manner could also be seen from a different angle: Of marginalized work in the twentieth century, the most thoroughly abused and potentially valuable has been visual poetry. Some would see this as a genre of its own. You can make a good case for that, and so some editors and practitioners should.

I see it in a different context, or perhaps I should say a different set of contexts. Most art movements in the century — from the Futurisms to Language Poetry, Vorticism to the Beats, Dada to Fluxus — have first manifested themselves with a concomitant exploration of the graphic potentials of language. As they grew venal, this tendency was suppressed or relegated to a minor position or used as a form of coopting other movements. Concrete Poetry acted as a minor wing of Fluxus, and that is the type of visual poetry most familiar to the largest number of readers.

But the tendency has never been captured or owned by any one movement; instead, it has run through virtually all others in one form or another. Most movements in their creative phase have sought to transcend boundaries of culture and language and to try to tap universal tonalities and promote unimpeded interchange; in this respect, the graphic nature of the work has acted as one of its primary ambassadors. Perhaps Lettrism has followed the most curious path: If Lettrism has become the most vital of the movements that have included the union of word and image, it still has never owned the tendency.

The need for synthesis forms one of the grounding principles for movements in dynamic phases, and remains with those that keep their energy, while becoming suppressed in those that degenerate into fashionability or dogma. To me, the need to integrate reaches for the roots of written language and public performance.

This impulse includes a searching of the origins of art in previous ages. It also reflects the growing globalism of culture in the twentieth century. The expansion and intersection of cultures suggests the parochial nature of the English language and the Roman alphabet. A global environment needs more than a single alphabet and a single language to promote understanding and cooperation between peoples. As useful and magnificent as the Roman alphabet can be, it still cannot keep up with the complexities of the world in which we now find ourselves.

The web environment allows multiple configurations of media to function together, with no necessity for competition between them. When the web became widely accessible, it made possible the inexpensive reproduction of graphics, in monochrome and in color. I would not want to try to make an anthology of any twentieth century art form that did not include visual poetry. The web made such an anthology possible. In addition, the web seems to have run something like a parallel course with visual poetry.

It, too, seeks means of universal communication and a reintegration of modes of expression, and its polymath procedures run through all it carries. If visual poetry does not break out of its bounds via literary means, it may do so through the web itself. In any case, visual poetry and the web seem ideally suited to each other, both reflecting a world aching to go beyond the confines of isolated media.

A problem for me with the presentation of visual poetry has been the tendency to publish or show it in separate venues, as a genre of its own. Both approaches have their strengths and weaknesses. On the web, you can take both. However, it published little besides the work of members of the Shi Shi group. Other venues put forth good work covering a wide range, but only appeared briefly or at such erratic intervals that no one could rely on them.

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