Fantastic Hope
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- $5.99
Publisher Description
A collection of sixteen sci-fi and fantasy stories edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author Laurell K. Hamilton and author William McCaskey.
A child’s wish for her father comes true. The end of the world has never been so much fun. Conquering personal demons becomes all too real. It’s not always about winning; sometimes it’s about showing up for the fight. It’s about loving your life’s work, and jobs that make you question everything.
In this anthology, seventeen authors have woven together brand-new stories that speak to the darkness and despair that life brings while reminding us that good deeds, humor, love, sacrifice, dedication, and following our joy can ignite a light that burns so bright the darkness cannot last.
Laurell K. Hamilton and William McCaskey are joined by Kevin J. Anderson, Griffin Barber, Patricia Briggs, Larry Correia, Kacey Ezell, Monalisa Foster, Robert E. Hampson, John G. Hartness, Jonathan Maberry, L. E. Modesitt, Jr., Jessica Schlenker, Sharon Shinn, M. C. Sumner, Patrick M. Tracy, and Michael Z. Williamson in this collection.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"You're holding hope in your hands," Hamilton writes in the foreword to this sweet escapist speculative anthology, which exclusively features tales with happy endings. This upbeat ethos is perhaps best demonstrated in Larry Correia's "Mr. Positive, the Eternal Optimist," a joyride of a story that manages to put a cheerful spin on a violent mugging. Kevin J. Anderson's fan-favorite zombie PI Dan Shamble returns in "Heart of Clay," a delightfully fanciful detective story that sees the peaceful coexistence of zombies, ghosts, and golems. "Not in This Lifetime" by Sharon Shinn follows a reincarnating pair of female friends, a breath of fresh air in this otherwise disappointingly male-centric book. Weaker tales include John G. Hartness's "Reprise" featuring his recurring character Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter and Robert E. Hampson's "In the Dust," both of which entertain but are too formulaic. The hard-earned happy ending of Kacey Ezell's thoughtful "No Greater Love" actually comes as something of a relief given the easy joy that precedes and follows it. Though the one-note optimism is best in small doses, this heartwarming anthology offers a temporary reprieve from reality.
Customer Reviews
This is not hope
I bought this because I love pretty much anything by Patricia Briggs and because with the quarantine I could use some hope and happiness. I’ve read 3 stories so far. These are not uplifting stories about hope. They’re well written and I did enjoy the story about Asil. But these are dark stories that have somewhat happy endings? I was looking for something to lift my spirits, if that’s what you’re looking for, I’d look elsewhere.