Book Review: Boundaries Without: 2017 Anthology of Speculative Fiction edited by Cynthia Kraack and Steve McEllistrom
The loose theme of this anthology, per the introduction, is the different worlds and possibilities outside the borders of our consensus reality. Most of the sixteen stories in this book are new, but a scattering are older reprints.
The opening story is “An Inconspicuous Ring” by G. Bernhard Smith. A grad student discovers proof of extraterrestrial life, and also falls in love. This one made me uncomfortable–the main character is one of those fellows who isn’t good with women and hasn’t bothered to learn how to approach someone he’s attracted to in a respectful way. He only backs off when he has to deal with another man. But the story is clearly on his side.
The final story is “Shift” by Nancy Holder. An aging lobster fisherman starts noticing a wrongness about the lobsters he’s catching, and slowly that there may be something wrong with his community. Or maybe the problem is with him? Nicely spooky with a growing sense of dread.
Also good are:
“The Exclusive, True History of Dick Cheney, George W. Bush and the Secret Neocon Plan to Get Into Heaven” by Roger Barr, a silly story about government officials trying to rule lawyer their way out of damnation. Best part is that it’s not science fiction or fantasy, it could all be true, because you can’t prove it didn’t happen!
“Refugee in Paris” by Cynthia Kraack. An American couple is stranded in Paris when a plague breaks out, and they must survive until travel is no longer blockaded. A good look at both the mob fear and individual kindness found in disaster scenarios.
Less good are “Impulse Control” by CM Kerley about two jerks testing nanotechnology for an unknown party, which reads like an early chapter in a novel with characters doomed to die before we get to the protagonist, and “Divination by Water” by Pedro Ponce, a dream-logic story about people swimming in a location that’s only vaguely described.
Overall, it’s a decent enough anthology of mostly new material; check it out if you like any of the authors.
Thanks for reading/reviewing my story, “An Inconspicuous Ring.” I felt fortunate in being a contributor to this anthology. Hope the discomfort was short lived, and I hope it didn’t stop you from enjoying some of the other great stories in the book.
Best,
G. Bernhard Smith
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