Synopsis:
How far would you go to find where you belong?
A shapeshifting alien changeling raised by humans. The “wicked” child selected as the village sacrifice. People trapped in rigid belief systems, oppressive regimes, well-intentioned families, complicated relationships, and their very own bodies.
Is it better to succumb and survive, or escape by staking everything on a slender hope?
What triumphs in the end, love or vengeance?
And if all that remains is ashes, is it still worth it?
Grapple with these questions by diving into twelve new science fiction and fantasy stories. Together is a Distant Star is a collaborative anthology that encompasses authors hailing from Europe to Australia, South Africa to South America, and celebrates a kaleidoscope of perspectives—female, nonbinary, BIPOC, queer, and more.
Featuring stories from: A.J. Calvin, V. Carvajal Leiva, Nancy Foster, Andrea Marie Johnson, Natalie Kelda, C.B. Lansdell, Karen Lykkebo, Erika McCorkle, Branwen OShea, Alyse Steves, Delilah Waan, and Isabelle Wagner.
Review:
I enjoyed this anthology. It is a great opportunity to read from many different authors that I’ve had my eye on in the indie community. Wildly different stories all very well told. I recommend Together is a Distant Star to anyone looking to dip their toes into the indie Sci-Fi and Fantasy (SFF) space. You’ll surely find at least one new favorite author.
Overall the structure was wonderful. I very much enjoyed that each story begins with an author’s note that includes their connection with existing works (or not). And like a perfectly curated set-list, I thought the order of the stories was brilliant.
I would have liked it if the stories more tightly fit their theme of togetherness or belonging. A couple of the stories only barely fit if you squint.
Reviewing an anthology is tricky, so I’m going to limit myself to a few thoughts on each story:
Tiiv Kaadan by A.J. Calvin – My personal favorite story of the anthology. Calvin expertly placed me in the shoes of alien playboy courting a potential date and left me dying to know more about their relationship and the world of Wraith and the Revolution, which is jumping to the top of my TBR (reading list).
Flight of the Guildmaster by C.B. Lansdell – A fascinating look at the mindset of a resyncrafter who performs horrific surgeries on sociopolitical foes. I loved this story and the implications for The Apidecca Duology, but there’s a caveat that one needs to have read Far Removed to understand its full impact.
Life of Golem by Nancy Foster – I love when stories are cyclical, where the ending connects back to the beginning. Life of Golem is a example of this done well (even though I saw the twist coming a mile away).
Vätter Child by Karen Lykkebo – Atmospheric and tragic, but satisfying all the same.
Polaris by Alyse Steves – Loved the themes of Polaris and the messy human emotionality bleeding into everything Mal does.
The Iron Queen by V. Carvajal Leiva – The Iron Queen reads like a mecha anime in the best way.
Marauding Ways by Natalie Kelda – Horrific. I was not expecting full on cannibalism, but Marauding Ways really makes you feel the desperation of starvation. A fascinating look at Iolanthe’s backstory.
Fire Burns the Night by Andrea Marie Johnson – Out of the frying pan into the fire. There’s a lot left unresolved, but I assume that’s because all the juicy conflict and self-doubt are in the pages of Shadows Dark and Deadly.
True Colors by Isabelle Wagner – A nice palate cleanser from the last few darker stories. Themes of family and mental heath really drew me into this one.
Deep Snow by Erika McCorkle – Perfect for readers looking for characters who struggle against the confines of societal expectations. I did want a touch more uniqueness from ice elementals as the non-human POV though.
This is the Worst Timeline by Branwen O’Shea – Complex inter-species negotiations with your significant other but in a different timeline. This one is hard to talk about with its premise of alternative realities. A wild ride. Seeing a bit more of the baseline reality and Kat’s relationship with Sev would have helped ground me before the alternate reality conflicts and helped me relate to the emotional beats, but then again, that would’ve been too much for a short story.
Rysere’s Glory by Delilah Waan – Touches on the emotionality of parenthood that most authors shy away from. Loved the political machinations. But there were times the complex magic system distracted from the gut-wrenching story. Overall great ending to the anthology.
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