Writers of the Future XXIII

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I have a huge backlog of books to read, among them a bunch of L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future volumes.

Anyways I just finished volume XXIII and there were several stories I really enjoyed (I liked them all, but a handful stood out for me).

The Sun God At Dawn, Rising From a Lotus Blossom by Andrea Kail. Interesting story about clones of famous people and the lives they might lead. The letters between Lincoln and Tutankhamun were intensely interesting.

The Frozen Sky by Jeff Carlson. Beautiful story about exploration of Europa and what happens to a researcher as she tries to survive contact with a rather unusual, but interesting alien race. This story completely absorbed me.

The Stone Cipher by Tony Pi. Stone statues begin communicating with people, albeit incredibly slowly. I really enjoyed this story, and felt like I was right alongside the main characters as they slowly unraveled the clues to determine what was actually happening.

Ripping Carovella by Kim Zimring. Story about a ripper (someone who can take ‘ability’ and implant it into another) as he works through issues with his past, particularly his mother’s death, and deals with the present and his dangerously artistic wife. Quite entertaining and a fascinating look at where exactly artistic ability might come from.

Saturn in G Minor by Stephen Kotowych. The story concerns a young man visiting a reclusive musician in orbit near Saturn in order to get an interview. During the course of the story he discovers that the musician intends to “play” the rings of Saturn. Very original and with a deep background, but one that properly resides in the background, letting the reader enjoy the story.

The Phlogiston Age by Corey Brown. Engaging tale of an alternative Earth where rockets will be powered by phlogiston. The characters are interesting, especially the conflict of the main character, a reporter who disagrees that funding the space program is something that should be done. Well-written and entertaining.