Angela Yuriko Smith

Worlds of Light and Darkness is a collection (Volume One) of short stories curated from DreamForge and SpaceTime. As with most anthologies of this type, it is a mixed bag of stuff. There are twenty stories in all, way too many to list individually. They run the gambit in the Fantasy and Sci-Fi genres. If you love both genres this is a collection you need to own.
One of the things I loved about the collection is the variety of stories. There were light hearted and quirky stories, such as The Feline, The Witch and the Universe about a feline familiar that goes missing. Smudge is the consummate cat personality and the reason I liked this story so much. In my mind, I can just see his smug little cat face.
A more speculative story, is The Spiral Ranch, in which cattle rustling is not a thing of the past but still very much alive in this version of the future. I liked the author’s vision of the future. Realistic and the plot was believable. Concise but well written short.
I enjoyed all of the stories. If I had to pick my favorite it would be Hands of a Toolmaker. It reminded me of a Twilight Zone episode. The MC, Silas, must decide if he wants to get “Tooled”. All children must make this decision when they turn fifteen years old. Tooling modifies the brain in order for it to be receptive to be programed for a specific job at a later date. To Silas, tooled individuals tended to talk like they are part of a “hive mind” and it makes him angry that it seems expected that he will get Tooled. He does not want this, instead he “wants to shake things up”. Liked that about this character.
This is a notable collection of short stories. They are thought provoking and highly entertaining. I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys Fantasy and/or Science Fiction.
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. For more of my reviews, and author interviews, see my blog at www.thespineview.com.… (altro)

Mae, a naïve and eager writer, hopes to boost her career from small town reporter, by researching the eerie disappearances (believed to be caused by the Jersey Devil Monster) that occurred in the woods of Whitesbog. While investigating the woods at night, she is captured by the mysterious monster, and her life becomes a nightmare. She is taken to a unfamiliar place with strange beings and happenings. (This is where I cringed and winced.) To say she was beaten is to put it lightly. She soon yearns to cover a mundane story for the paper. Moral – Be careful what you wish for. LOL

Pros:
Wow. This story was definitely different. I feel like I walked in on a horrible nightmare. As much as I tried and tried to pinch myself awake, the visions kept me hostage until Mae’s final end. It was definitely unpredictable – and not at all what I expected. (LOL)

The imagery in this story is vivid. I cringed and winced at Mae’s agony and it was easy to see this playing out like a mind-movie.

Cons:
I found the story interesting, but the repetition of Mae’s name was very distracting. The use of pronouns would improve it dramatically. The story was so fast-paced, which isn’t necessarily a con, but I wished for a pause, or change of pace here and there.

Overall:
Upon finishing the book, I wasn’t quite sure if I’d give it a 3 or 4 star rating. Now, after a few days of lingering mental images, I’ve decided to give it 4 stars for the lasting-effect factor. It was a fast read, and had unexpected turns. ;)

If you want a quick, powerful (and sinister) story, this is a good pick. If you are easily creeped out (me), then I recommend you don’t read it at night. The opening scene played out on the back of my eyelids when I went to bed. That’s a good thing I suppose. LOL… (altro)