Stories of Aliens, Resistance and Survival at all Costs
July 13, 2015
The 14 SF stories in this alien invasion anthology deliver plenty of action and little else. The editors’ “Hunter X,” about a plot to murder an alien war hero, provides a kind of frame story for the other works. Human EMTs practice small-scale defiance in Rachel Howzell Hall and David W. Hall’s “Do No Harm.” An old holiday that originated on Earth provides the crucial distraction in a rebel plot in Lisa Morton’s “Union Day.” Intrigue drives the action in Rob Hunt’s “How the Game Is Played,” Cliff Allen’s “Strange Alliance,” and Richard M. Johnson’s “A Day in the Life.” Craig Faustus Buck’s “Second Coming,” about an alien scientist’s plan to clone Christ from the Shroud of Turin, and Howard V. Hendrix’s “Location, Location, Location,” with its plot to alter alien “hearts and minds” through “guided oneironautics” and bad TV, are played completely straight for all their overt wackiness. This forgettable collection attempts to explore classic SF themes, but it’s hobbled by weak worldbuilding, lackluster characterization, and an enemy that feels in no way alien.
January 25, 2016
This anthology pulls together writers to explore a shared universe where an alien race called the Makh-Ra took over humankind several decades ago. Each writer spins a tale about humanity trying to survive in a society dominated by aliens. Together, they present a fascinating series of exploits of characters who are surviving and resisting in an occupied zone. Voice actors Arsenault and Hinton prove capable narrators for the most part. Hinton excels when it comes to character voices, but his descriptive narration, while increasing the tension of a scene, can also push the listener away. Arsenault’s narration is more consistent as she reads in lively voice with a solid cadence that keeps listeners intrigued. A Polis paperback.