Luminous Dreams by Alexa Piper


Luminous Dreams by Alexa Piper
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

When desire and lust combine in the dark imagination of the sleeping mind, the results burn hot as phoenix fire and take us on a journey to meet two lovers who are anything but human. We may find ourselves deep in the woods where dryads have been waiting to offer seduction under the cover of leaves, or we may find a candy trail we simply have to follow.
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These are nine stories of magic and magical things, of shapeshifters and fortune-tellers, of witches and their charms. Two women fall for one another even as two handsome vampires decide to share the woman they both claim, and a muse strikes inspiration in a dancer. Myth and dream meet love and lust in this collection of nine sensual stories which explore different worlds, different characters, and different constellation of lovers. Each story is a journey worth taking.

Dreams, both waking and asleep, can be powerful things. And Luminous Dreams gives you nine different stories of paranormal, myth, and fairy tales – ranging from Aurora, to Styx, to Hansel and Gretel. They also range from threesomes to FF or MM action.

Each story is different and erotic, so if that’s what you’re after, then you won’t be disappointed. For myself, although I enjoyed them, I wanted more. The line between reality and the dreamworld was blurred in some of the stories, intentionally, I think!

All in all, this was a different book that I enjoyed, and it gave me a sample of Alexa Piper’s writing style. If you like erotic fairy tales, then maybe you should give this one a chance!

Spirit in Time by Julie Howard


Spirit in Time (Spirited Quest Mysteries) by Julie Howard
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Time travel isn’t real. It can’t be real. But ghost-blogger Jillian Winchester discovers otherwise when an enigmatic spirit conveys her to 1872 to do his bidding. Jillian finds herself employed as a maid in Sacramento, in an elegant mansion with a famous painting.
The artwork reveals another mystery: Why does the man within look exactly like her boyfriend, Mason Chandler?
Morality and sin live side by side, not only in the picture, but also within her. As her transgressions escalate, she races the clock to find the man in the painting, and hunt down a spirit with a disconcerting gift.
But will time be her friend or foe?

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My review of House of Seven Spirits, the first book in this series, mentioned my desire to see more character development for Jillian. I was pleased to see her gradually begin to grow and change in this sequel as a result of her experiences. Just like it often happens for people in real life, her evolution was filled with stops and starts. She often needed to learn the same lesson more than once, but I did begin to see the progress with this character that I originally wished the audience could have observed in her first adventure. I will continue to hope for more advancements in this area for Jillian as this series hopefully continues, but I’m glad the author paid more attention to it here.

The mystery storyline wasn’t given as much time to shine as I would have preferred to see. While basic information was provided as needed, it seemed to me that the author could have gone into much more detail about why Jillian and her boyfriend were sent back in time and what they were expected to accomplish there. It would have been nice to dig into the hints about these things in greater detail.

Some of my favourite scenes were the ones that described the many ways in which life in 1872 was wildly different from how people live in the present day. This was especially true when it came to how women and people from minority groups were treated. Jillian’s reactions to the double standards and deep-seated prejudices of that era made perfect sense. It’s one thing to read about them in a history book and entirely another to experience them first hand, especially since the social safety net was so sparse back then. She had to adjust quickly to a world that was much harsher than our own in many ways. I appreciated the fact that the author took these things seriously and made them such an integral part of the plot.

This definitely can be read as a standalone work, but I would recommend also checking out House of Seven Spirits to anyone who wants to follow Jillian’s adventures from the beginning.

Anyone who enjoys history or paranormal mysteries should check out Spirit in Time.

The Hunter’s Heart by Astrid Sharpe


The Hunter’s Heart by Astrid Sharpe
Publisher: Totally Entwined
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

I thought my job sucked. But I’m about to be sold as a breeder to a seven-foot panther-man, so things can get worse…much worse.

Zensah is the reluctant leader of his almost extinct tribe. He’d thought he was paying passage for willing settlers not abducted females. If only he’d trusted his instincts and refused the trade. But then he would never have met Poppy, the brave human leader whose beautiful eyes burn with courage and defiance. She’s the only female he’s ever yearned to claim as his mate. But will she ever accept him?

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If you’re having a bad day then just consider how worse it could be. You could be minding your own business before being abducted by toads, to be sold to panthers. This is what happens to Poppy and the others in the first book in the Love After Earth series.

Zensah is the reluctant leader of Relicai and thought he was getting willing women who wanted to settle on their world, not abductees. Fortunately, our panthers are completely honourable, or at least, Zensah is. I’m not sure about the others, but I can’t wait to find out!

The relationship between Zensah and Poppy is a slow-burn, focusing more on Poppy’s growth as she learns how to survive in the sometimes harsh world of the Relicai. Without meaning to, Poppy has become the leader of the group of women, and she wants to be there on equal terms.

I loved the stories behind the crystals and the colours, and hopefully, I will learn more as the series continues. The world-building is exceptional, and I laughed aloud at the reference to AntMan!

All in all, this was a brilliant Sci-Fi read that kept me engrossed from start to finish, and has left me wanting more. A wonderful start to the series, and I can’t wait to continue with it. Absolutely recommended by me.

Fern and Otto by Stephanie Graegin


Fern and Otto – A Picture Book Story About Two Best Friends by Stephanie Graegin
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When best friends Fern, a bear, and Otto, a cat, go searching for an exciting story in the forest, they have different ideas about what that means. Fern thinks they should stop and watch a race between a tortoise and a hare, but Otto worries a tortoise is too slow to be exciting. Fern thinks the three brothers talking about how to build a house is incredibly interesting, but Otto isn’t convinced. Along the way, the two friends meet a little girl in red who is off to visit her grandmother (and a wolf headed the same way!); a cranky girl complaining that her porridge isn’t the right temperature; and many others. But it’s not until they run into a big scary witch that they both can agree that this is not the kind of excitement they had in mind. With irresistible illustrations and tons of charming details, this is a delightful fantasy adventure that proves the best adventures are the ones you share.

You never know what you’ll find in a magical forest!
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I was delighted by the many references to classic fairy and folk tales in this picture book. Most of them would be easy for kids to figure out, but there were one or two that were slightly more challenging in a good way. It was nice that the narrator trusted readers to make those connections on our own. There were certainly enough clues to do so. While I would be prepared to share the answers with preschoolers who might need a little help with the trickier ones, this is something I think they’d take great pride in figuring out on their own as much as possible.

There was a scene involving a witch that I thought was a tad too scary for this age group. As much as I enjoyed the references in that scene, it was something I’d tone down or maybe even skip over if I were reading this to the little ones in my life. With that being said, this was a minor blip in something I otherwise enjoyed quite a bit. Every child is unique and some of them may not be phased by it at all.

Fern and Otto’s friendship made me smile. They were always so kind to each other even when they disagreed about what they should do next or whether a particular experience in the forest would be a good thing to include in the storybook they were writing together. I thought they were a great example of what it should look like when friends disagree on something they both have strong feelings about. They both did a good job of communicating how they felt and working together to find solutions for their disagreements.

Fern and Otto – A Picture Book Story About Two Best Friends was a delightful adventure that should be read by fantasy fans of all ages.

Hunted: A Short Story by Brandon Tolin


Hunted: A Short Story by Brandon Tolin
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Shortly after the civil war a life weary and elderly hunter and trapper makes a fatal mistake during a hunting trip on the edge of civilization. The repercussions of this mistake will send the old man on a harrowing journey through an untamed wilderness where the elderly man begins to truly understand what fear can be as an unnatural legendary creature of folklore makes the hunter feel like the hunted.

Raise your hand if you think there’s something scary about being in the woods alone.
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Bernard’s biggest character flaw turned out to be something that could quickly spiral out of control in such a remote setting. I’ll leave it up to other readers to discover what that flaw was and why it was so dangerous. What I can say is that it was delightful to read about someone as complex and sometimes even a little exasperating as this protagonist. There were times when I wanted to gently shake him out of the terrible habits he’d created for himself after years of living on the fringe of society. In other scenes, I wondered about what his early life experiences were like and how they shaped his odd but unique personality. He had such a complicated relationship not only with himself but also with other people that it made me wonder if his biggest flaw was something he was born with or something he learned early in life. Finding an answer to that question wasn’t half as important as getting the opportunity to ponder it in the first place.

This short story contained numerous punctuation errors that I often found confusing and distracting. They were especially noticeable when it came to the author’s misuse of commas, although I noticed mistakes with several other types of punctuation marks as well. With another round or two of editing, this could have received a much higher rating from me as the storyline and character development themselves were well done.

The horror elements of the plot were scary and nicely written. Given the identity of the unnatural legendary creature of folklore mentioned in the blurb, I correctly assumed there would be some references to blood. Those scenes popped up a few times and were briefly graphic once or twice. I’m generally not a fan of gore, but I didn’t have a problem with them. They fit into the tone of the storyline nicely and were one of several techniques the author used to keep his audience on our toes.

Anyone who enjoys folklore or cryptozoology should check out Hunted: A Short Story.

The Secret Runners by Matthew Reilly


The Secret Runners by Matthew Reilly
Publisher: Pan McMillan Australia
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, YA
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Gossip Girl meets Mad Max in this breakneck thriller where the line between rich and poor is the line between life and death. You can’t buy your way out of the end of the world in this edge-of-your-seat adventure from an internationally bestselling author.

Rich vs. Poor. Life vs. Death.

When Skye Rogers and her twin brother, Red, move to Manhattan, rumors of a coming global apocalypse are building. But the ultra-wealthy young elites at their prestigious school keep partying like there’s no tomorrow–while the city around them starts to fall apart.

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Skye and her twin brother Red have moved to Manhattan with their mother and step-father and are starting their junior year at the most exclusive school – The Monmouth School. Full of the richest and most elite children even in a city known for their wealth, Skye and Red still find the usual high school dramas everywhere. Cliques. Bullying. Home work and classes. Yet when Red, and then later Skye, are invited to join the most elite and secret club of them all, neither know just how dramatically it will change their lives.

I’ve had this book on my to-be-read pile for a long time. Matthew Reilly is one of my top favorite authors and I always love his work. So when I needed a change of pace and something a little lighter and more adventurous I was delighted to re-find this on my pile. Known for his massive (and slightly crazy) adventure and action sequences as well as his rocket-fast pace I loved how this was clearly the author flexing some of his considerable skill and stepping a shade or two outside his usual routine. While the last third or so of the book is absolutely lightning paced and full of adventure and thrills (and I actually squealed with laughter when the ever-present grappling hook made an appearance), the book as a whole is a delightful and refreshing change of pace with a steady character and society type of set up and not instant crazy action from the first page. I feel the author handled this really well and while definitely a step out of the norm for him I still absolutely loved this book.

In many ways this read a little to me like a YA book – but one of the best sorts, one that an adult can thoroughly and shamelessly enjoy. Skye is a teenage girl and Reilly didn’t shy from that but also didn’t wallow in it either. The angst of teenage years and high school cliques, the drama of boys and periods and bullying and social status is all present but they are there to support and aid the story – not to BE the story. I loved this balance and personally found it really well handled. I totally get this won’t be every reader’s cup of tea – particularly some men who want a Jack West Jr (or Scarecrow) style of action/military style of story which is Reilly’s staple. But for me, personally, I really enjoyed it and found the different style and plot was a delightful breath of fresh air.

My only quibble (and it’s a small one) was that for the first half or so of the book I didn’t feel the relationship between Red and Syke as siblings/twins was really used to its full potential. While clear the two loved and supported each other, they pretty much led divergent lives – Red fitting easily in with the cool kids and dating one of the “mean girls” and Skye on the outside fringes. I found it somewhat odd that Red happily went his own path with the elite crowd and didn’t think much of dating a mean girl who clearly didn’t like Skye at all. I found myself frequently hoping that Red would share more of his experiences with Skye and open his world to her a little more and found it puzzling when for much of it (with a few notable exceptions) this didn’t come to pass. Admittedly once Skye was let into that clique about half way through the book, this did come to pass, but I couldn’t help but feel there was a lost opportunity for Skye and Red to have shared more of those secrets earlier on in the book.

For the final third or so of the book everything comes to a head and man it was a thrilling rush to the end of the story. Many of the plots and sub-plots that had been so carefully woven and created in the first two thirds of the book all come crashing together and the true Reilly style came out to play. I read the final part of the book late into the night, simply unable to put it down. It exceeded my expectations and I can’t wait to dive back in and re-read it and catch all those smaller tidbits you always miss on the first reading.

Exciting and adventurous, slightly futuristic but all too relevant and modern this is an exceptional story and an amazing read. Highly recommended.

Captive by Cheryl Brooks


Captive by Cheryl Brooks
Cat Star Legacy 3
Publisher: Derrymane Press
Genre: Erotic Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

She stole his freedom… He captured her heart

Moriconthan “Moe” Tshevnoe finds an outlet for his anger when a brawl breaks out in a dusty barroom on Haedus Nine. He joins in the melee with enthusiasm, until he is taken prisoner by a beautiful Zetithian woman with electric blue eyes.
Forced into hiding by the cruel tyrant who covets her, Klara Tavock must do whatever she can to survive. Impressed by Moe’s pugilistic talent, she captures him, intending to sell him as a gladiator slave. But there’s something about this sexy Zetithian she simply can’t resist.

The attraction between them is powerful and undeniable, but when Moe and Klara join forces with the local rebels, they trigger a revolution that could destroy them all…

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I am very biased. I adore the Zetithian heroes that Ms. Brooks has created. They’re so unique, fun and their ‘gifts’ are incredibly alluring. Moe, a/k/a Moriconthan Tshevnoe, the hero in Captive, continues the story many years after The Cat Star Chronicles ended. If readers remember the original series, Jack from Slave was an amazing heroine. Well, she’s Moe’s mom, so I guessed that this was going to be good. Yes, Ms. Brooks delivers another exciting, wonderful and well written romance adventure for fans to enjoy.

The author provided a story set in an unusual environment, a dying planet, but with a typical villainous megalomaniac with a twist. That twist isn’t revealed until almost the end, which is genius because it wasn’t just my own mouth hanging open in shock, it was all the characters in the book too. It turns out that the villain has ties to one of the characters in the previous series. It’s not a close connection, but enough to make the revelation even more fascinating. But, I digress. The romance is the focus.

Moe and Klara’s first meeting doesn’t go so well. In fact, it’s the heroine that starts off as being the enemy. Talk about kicking things off with a zing. The pace keeps up with the action; from running from Nedwuts, or from Pelarus, the creep who wanted Klara’s mom but is now after her, or trying to escape a palace filled with things to entice Klara to give up her resistance. The descriptions Ms. Brooks used to describe a dying planet were clear and depressing. As it should be, but it was made apparent even more by the revelations of one of the residents of the city – the planet used to have lots of water, vegetation and wildlife. What happened? Readers will find out when they read the book.

My favorite part of the romance between Moe and Klara is the progression of their bodies’ recognizing the other as mates. I grinned when first there was the hiss, then, oh my goodness, the purr. I adore that about the men of Zetith. It’s not just the purring though; the coup de grace is the effects of snard. It proves that Ms. Brooks has a brilliant mind. The idea of what it can do, and why it does what it does and the results of its effectiveness makes me wish something like that was real. Not chemically real but naturally real, like if guys like Moe and his kin actually existed – well, without the asteroid destroying their planet kind of thing.

Anyway, when Klara actually accepts and succumbs to the charms, purrs and sensual exposure of Moe’s snard, that was a pivotal moment of their romance. That is when Klara began to hope, to believe in Moe’s confidence and assurance that Haedus Nine could be saved, that they could leave the planet and she’d be able to explore and learn so many things about the bigger universe. But the biggest lesson that she could learn right then and there, is not only to trust in Moe but to believe in love and that Moe loved her and he could be counted on. She didn’t have to fight to survive alone. It’s those kinds of revelations that allowed Klara to grow, to think beyond the present and believe in a future. It sounds kind of deep for a sci-fi romance but that’s why this book gets high marks from me. It’s not just the hot times induced by the joys of snard that have me liking the novel, but the real emotion, trust, loyalty and sense of family that gave the story depth and strength. I mean, look at how Klara treats the Rackenspries. Ms. Brooks’ description of how they look at Klara melts my heart every time it’s mentioned in the story. It’s so sweet!

I’d be remiss if I didn’t congratulate Ms. Brooks on once again sprinkling Pop Culture references, this time from Dune, into the storytelling. I burst out in giggles when I realized what Moe was making reference to and I shook my head while chuckling. It was so cleverly done, I’m still grinning. Cheryl Brooks has a sense of humor I greatly appreciate and am so happy she shares it in her writing so we can enjoy it too.

Captive may be a short word for a title but the book itself is big; big in heart, hope, love, challenge, courage, adventure, and family. The writing is just as perfect as all the other books I’ve read by this author in the Cat Star series, and I can guarantee you that I’m a very happy reader. Captive is a must read book for reasons more numerous than what I’ve mentioned in this review. Moe and Klara’s romance is joining my keeper shelf along with the rest of Moe’s extended Zetithian family. I’m so happy!

Masquerade Season by ‘Pemi Aguda


Masquerade Season by ‘Pemi Aguda
Publisher: Tor Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

From Nigerian author Pemi Aguda comes “Masquerade Season,” a Tor.com Original short story

Pauly is a good son. When he brings home three beautiful Masquerades, he’s expecting that his mother will be proud of him. But when his mother begins asking favors of his Masquerades, he realizes that being a good son sometimes means disobeying.
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Pauly was such a compassionate and kind kid. These qualities of his even extended to people in his life who didn’t always have the best intentions. Seeing his consistency not only showed off his strong moral code, it made me like him even more. He was the sort of person anyone who needed help could rely on. What made him even more remarkable was that he’d developed these traits at such a young age!

It would have been helpful to have a deeper understanding of what a Masquerade was. I was thrown off by the early and often vague descriptions of it. While they did eventually become clearer, it sure would have been nice to have someone in this storyline explain what exactly they were and why they chose Pauly as their companion. Was it related to what a good person he was or was it a random choice on their part? I certainly don’t mind some unanswered questions in the speculative fiction I read, but I would have given this a perfect rating if it had been a little more forthcoming with its answers about the most important aspects of this creature.

The ending was well-written and suited the tone of this short story perfectly. It left me yearning for more in a good way. I was pretty satisfied with what I’d learned about Pauly and this magical version of Nigeria, but I also wished for a sequel about him and his Masquerades when he was older and perhaps lived on his own. He struck me as the sort of character who would only grow more fascinating over time.

I’d recommend Masquerade Season to anyone who enjoys modern-day fairy tales.

Claiming Her Bears by Skye MacKinnon


Claiming Her Bears by Skye MacKinnon
Publisher: Peryton Press
Genre: Erotic Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

One young woman on the run from her abusive uncle. Four bear shifters prepared to take her in. A post-apocalyptic world full of mythology, magic and hope.

Alone, frozen, and far from home, Isla finds herself in the care of four frustratingly sexy bear shifters. Together, they not only need to try to survive the disasters of a failing world, but also figure out why bear shifters have stopped reproducing. To save their species, Isla will have to sacrifice more than just her humanity… But there is light at the end of the tunnel and who knows, there may be new life in their shared future.

The Claiming Her Bears trilogy (previously known as The Drowning) features one sassy heroine and four sexy bear shifters (including a polar bear!). Prepare for strong alpha males with a trace of vulnerability, epic quests, very steamy scenes, Scottish landscapes, Celtic/Greek/Norse mythology, a post-apocalyptic setting and a happy end.

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The heroine is Isla, and Toben, Hunn, Ran and Finn are her mates. There are accent marks in the names of Hunn and Ran but I don’t know how to find the font that has them. Alis is a character that isn’t corporeal but very important and Bertrand, Arnold and Ruby are the other important secondary characters. They end up being a big family but before most get their happily ever afters, many challenges need to be overcome. The heroine, Isla, is the person with the most growth. She’s the main focus and she makes the biggest sacrifices to not only save her own happiness but everyone else she loves. It’s quite the adventure.

Since it’s reverse harem, four to one, you know there’s a lot of physical hijinks with the men servicing Isla when passions run high. There is no mixing up between the men, it’s purely focused on the heroine and yet the author didn’t go nuts with the bedroom antics. I was grateful for that because the plot conflicts were much more interesting and unique. There’s the bad guy in Canada, Glut and her daughters in the dream world, Isla’s tyrannical uncle, and the breaking of a curse that prevents werebear females from having cubs. They are left with remnants of the old world, certain foodstuffs and clothing left in abandoned houses. The cast of characters are facing the lack of electricity, running water and medicines, and simple things like chocolate that we take for granted in our time are almost impossible to find. Isla has memories of before, when the world was as we currently know it now, and yet she’s a survivor and has done alright for herself, but escaping her uncle was the best thing she ever did, even if she didn’t think she’d survive the choice.

I think the cutest part of the book is baby Ruby. She’s the result of Isla’s relationship with all four men. No one knows who the actual dad might be, but it’s a nonissue. The love that abounds is clear and wonderful. And, considering how special Ruby turned out to be, and the challenges Isla has in bringing up a cub is especially intriguing since the heroine at the start was human. I did say the heroine was the one that experienced the most growth, right? Well, going from human to not is truly fascinating.

I probably could review each book individually, but since I bought the one book that has all of them, and each one is a continuation from the previous one, it makes sense to recommend readers buy the big volume and read them all like I did. It’s a much better experience and a lot more fun. Of all of Isla’s mates, I actually couldn’t pick a favorite. However, the one that emotionally touched me the most was Ran. His story, when he finally reveals what happened to him as a cub, not only made me truly sad, but it made Isla sad and angry too. The author’s description during Ran’s recounting was powerful and effective, and even a bit disturbing.

There is a lot more I could say because there’s a richness in the storytelling when read as one volume. I heartily recommend paranormal romance fans grab the big book, with all 3 stories plus the novella, for a truly entertaining and fascinating reading experience. I think Claiming Her Bears is a perfect way to spend an afternoon. That’s what I did and I had a ball.

William Ottoway’s Utopia and Other Stories by Christopher Griffith


William Ottoway’s Utopia and Other Stories by Christopher Griffith
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Historical, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

‘Come, Manou, this is superstitious clap.’ So says William Ottoway to his island’s priest, for the modern world has surely extinguished any notion of the supernatural? But some who have lived before our technological revolution hold grave concerns about this new reality which has all but supplanted the numinous element of human existence. Despite warning from his best friend’s mother against attempting to replicate paradise, William puts faith alone in idealism to create a utopian society in the tropics. All seems well, until his serpent brother appears with temptation…

William Ottoway’s Utopia concerns the dream of a man who seeks to escape stresses of everyday life for promised ease in this world’s tropics; to his dismay, he is unable to flee influence of the one appliance which has arguably shaped all our experience in the last half century, the humble television set! William is a good man, but will he be ravaged and ruined by his brother Tom who brings discord and disharmony to his island paradise?

Rick With A (Bipolar) View details the experience of a young man suffering from bipolar disorder who wants to be a professional DJ. Unsure whether or not the repetitive beats of electronic music and his obsession with trance and techno may be the cause of his illness, he nevertheless accepts offer of a Friday night gig and ‘takes the roof off’ the nightclub, coming down back at home in glow and reflection of his achievement.

If all this sounds too intense then do please head over to Break Out the Bubbly!!, a comic piece set in a supermarket whose Manager is acting in very strange manner indeed. The initial boredom felt by our hero Emily is quickly shattered by Carol’s arrival and subsequent farce as she seems intent on closing the shop during opening hours to conduct inquisitions in the boardroom! The champagne keeps going missing, you see, and she needs to find the culprit. Is he, or she, a little closer to home than everyone thinks?

Fantasy for the next story, Saman’s Revenge, in which our titular hero is seriously miffed with the Earth-goddess Thera; she’s punished him an aeon ago for misdemeanour which he firmly believes really wasn’t his fault at all. Anyway, when you’re immortal and old as the hills themselves it doesn’t bother you too much to wait a few millennia before exacting your revenge on modern day teenagers Jack, Roxie, her boyfriend Mark and his brother Norman. But what is the young people’s relation to Thera, and temple ruins on top of the village hill, Shadyridge?
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Which leaves Young Shakespeare, my imaginative retelling of some of Will’s ‘lost years’ when he reached London; after all, who wouldn’t want to fall in love with Anne, listen in awe to Sir Walter Raleigh’s perorations on, well who knows, meet his future friend and rival Christopher ‘Kit’ Marlowe, then cogitate at length upon the Reformation against whose profound change the budding writer begins to conclude he might wish to work?

This is an excellent time to begin using your imagination.

I struggled to understand “William Ottoway’s Utopia” because of how sparsely it was written. So many of the sentences in it were either fragments or extremely short, and it wasn’t always clear to me how they fit together. It would have been helpful to have more details of the plot and character development. The bits and pieces I figured out about the island and the serpent were intriguing.

The main character in “Rick with a (Bipolar) View” wondered if his Bipolar disorder was going to affect his dreams of becoming a DJ. Like the first tale in this collection, this one was also so sparsely written that I had trouble following it at times. With that being said, I liked the main character quite a bit and hoped he’d figure out a way to follow his dreams. He certainly had the determination to do so!

As soon as I began reading “Break Out the Bubbly,” I began wondering what really happened to the missing champagne in Sheila’s struggling shop. Each character had their own opinion on this matter, and some of them expressed their views sharply. The more I read, the more curious I became to figure everything out. This tale was well written and included just enough mystery elements to keep me guessing.

Mr. Griffith’s writing style worked well with the fantasy elements of “Saman’s Revenge,” especially in the beginning when the narrator observed a battalion of mythological creatures fleeing a foe too terrible to describe. There were times when the plot wandered so far away from the original theme that it took me a while to figure out how it was all connected, but I did appreciate putting the pieces together once I had more information about what was going on with the characters.

“Young Shakespeare” was a tantalizing look at what Shakespeare might have been like as a young man. There was a twist here that I can’t mention without giving away major spoilers. What I can say is that it perfectly fit the opening scene that explored Shakespeare in his youth. I smiled when I made the connection between these two things and patiently waited to learn more about it.

William Ottoway’s Utopia and Other Stories was an eclectic mixture of tales that I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys reading a little bit of everything.