A Mirror to Life by Jaine Fenn #scifi #postapoc

Title: A Mirror to Life
Author: Jaine Fenn
Genre: Scifi
Publisher: Daybreak Magazine
Available: Free from author's website (pdf)  18 pages
Rating: 5*
Rater: Pippa

Blurb:
I could tell you a few stories about Jaine Fenn (don’t mention the “Sex and the Singularity” panel), but I’ll refrain and concentrate on the story at hand: “A Mirror to Life”.
There are quite a few tentative links between “A Mirror to Life” and a certain story in the SHINE anthology (I’m intentionally being a bit coy: if you read the antho you’ll know which story I mean) that also involves Artificial Intelligences and religion.
In both stories, the Artificial Intelligences seem to have the best with both humanity and the Earth in mind. One major difference being, that while in the SHINE story the AIs wish to prove themselves as benign, in “A Mirror to Life” the AIs supposedly know what’s best for us.
Humanity, though, might disagree…

What I liked:
Another powerful short story to get you thinking. It reminded me of the film version of I, Robot, where the AI decided what was best for humanity was to keep us imprisoned in our homes to prevent any harm to us, with a touch of The Matrix.

What I didn't like:
At first I didn't quite understand the jumps in perspective, but it becomes apparent why as the story progresses.

In conclusion:
Another story to tug at the heartstrings. Post apocalyptic SciFi with a dark edge but also a glimmer of hope for humanity triumphing over the machines.

The Path to the Sun by Jaine Fenn #alternativehistory

Title: A Path to the Sun
Author: Jaine Fenn
Genre: Alternative History
Publisher: N/A
Available: Free from author's website (pdf)  16 pages
Rating: 5*
Rater: Pippa

Blurb: none available.

What I liked:
Wow, so this is not something I would have read before but picked up because I'm a Fenn addict and I've finished the Hidden Empire series. Very intriguing short based on the idea of the Aztecs being the victors against the Spanish instead of being wiped out, and a precursor to WWI. There's a heck of a lot of detail and emotion packed into these 16 pages, centred around an Aztec defector seeking sanctuary with the British government and offering flight technology to aid in the upcoming great war prophesied by his people.

What I didn't like:
Nothing. It just left me stunned.

In conclusion:
I'm honestly not sure who to recommend it to, so I'm just going to recommend it to everyone - it's short and it's free, so what do you have to lose by trying it?! I don't generally read historical or alternative history stories, but I loved this. Not only a great short but an intriguing idea, and very British in tone - if you don't like the idea of something written in early 20th century tone, then this might not be for you.

According to Plan by C.E.Kilgore #spaceopera #scifirom

Title: According to Plan (Corwint Central Agent Files) 1.2
Author: CE Kilgore
Genre: Scifi Romance/Space Opera
Publisher: Tracing the Stars
Available: Amazon $0.00 (Kindle) 52 pages
Rating: 4.5*
Rater: Pippa




Blurb:
Meticulous calculations, weighing the odds, setting up the pieces in proper order and making sure each step had a failsafe and an alternate path should things go unexpectedly. That was Jehdra Szina's forte, her prime skill and her true enjoyment from life. It was challenging, invigorating and empowering.
By the boasting of her superiors, she knew she was damn good at it too. Maybe too good. Maybe so damn good that she had become complacent and her subconscious had slipped on purpose in order to offer her up a real challenge for a change.
How else could she possibly explain the existence of the snoring smuggler next to her? Everything had been planned and accounted for. Everything but Trent.

What I liked:
Again, this is a side story in the main series, but is fine to read as a standalone. Unlike To Even Have Dreams, this one is a romance, which came as a relief after the total heartbreak of TEHD. I adored the super-snarky Jehdra and the razor sharp, flaming dialogue and interaction between her and Trenton. While I twigged the plot twist just before it happened, it was nonetheless delightful. The 'pigeons', despite their role, were bizarrely adorable.

What I didn't like:
Ugh, the head hopping. This is a recurring thing which I can generally ignore in Kilgore's writing simply because the characters are so indepth and the stories so compelling. However, it was more noticeable to me in this one and therefore just a smidge more annoying (hence the smidge under 5* rating on this one).

In conclusion:
Once again, a fast paced, totally beguiling SciFi romance with great characters, interesting aliens, extra fiery interactions, tension, and heartbreak, though with a satisfying (if surprising) HFN.

To Even Have Dreams by C.E.Kilgore #spaceopera

Title: To Even Have Dreams (Corwint Central Agent Files Side Story) 1.1
Author: CE Kilgore
Genre: Space Opera
Publisher: Tracing the Stars
Available: Amazon $0.00 (Kindle) 52 pages
Rating: 5*
Rater: Pippa




Blurb:

Dreams. Friendship. Love. As a Mechatronic Automaton, these elusive constructs maintained a barrier between Brel and his Organic crewmates aboard the Telasari. A single moment of connection threatened to tear that barrier down and expose him to the raw biting nature of emotions he had no way to logically define. As he fights to hold onto that connection to the very end, it leaves him doubting his preconceptions about the world around him, and about himself.

What I liked:
For a short story, this little space opera has the depth and emotional punch of a much longer work. You don't have to read the previous story (Ghost in the Machine) but I'd recommend you do. I adore Orynn, but I learned so much more about her from this story and the reason for some of her future reticence. Brel is the kind of hero I adore, and all the more admiral because he isn't human and therefore human emotions and values are not expected of him. Yet he has those qualities far more than the actual humans.

What I didn't like:
A smidge of head hopping - my major bug bear - but the majority is told from Brel's POV and the head hopping is minimal.

In conclusion:
This short story totally broke my heart. If you love stories about mecha/artificial humans/androids, but want emotional depth rather than it being based purely on sex, this is for you. Just don't hold your breath for even a happily for now as this is a tragedy, not a romance.