Book Reviews and More: At Homeworld's End - Richard Paolinelli

Saturday, 9 September 2023

At Homeworld's End - Richard Paolinelli - Dreams Of The Storyteller Book 7

At Homeworld's End

Dreams Of The Storyteller Book 7

Richard Paolinelli

Tuscany Bay Books

ASIN B0CD2QWY73

At Homeworld's End - Richard Paolinelli - Dreams Of The Storyteller Book 7

Prior to reading this I have read one other story by Richard in the anthology Cracked and have picked up several anthologies he has contributed to, that I have not got around to reading yet. I have also read 1 novel Galen’s Way, and picked up several of his other novels after reading it. After reading this and doing some research on all his books, several have jumped way up in my ‘to be read pile’. Richard is not only an author but the driving force behind Tuscany Bay Books, I have read many volumes from the Bay by a number of authors and all have been well worth the read. This was one of several new short stories that dropped in the collection Dreams Of The Storyteller. There are now 19 volumes in that collection, the first 2 date from 2014, 1 from 2022, and the rest have dropped in July/August 2023. After reading this story I went back and grabbed the whole collection. Much like I did with Declan Finn last year with reading a story a week until I had read his back catalogue, I plan to do the same with Paolinelli over the next year.

At the time of reading this I have read 314 books so far this year. And this is another very intriguing story from the pen of Paolinelli. I said in a previous review that I have been aware of Richard and his works for a few years now. It is my loss that I did not dig into his works earlier. The description of this story is:

“Earth, long into the future, has been abandoned by her children. As the swelling Sun reaches out to consume the planet, one of her children returns.

On Earth’s final day, she will not face her impending dissolution alone in the night.

This story originally appeared in Planetary Anthology Sol by Tuscany Bay Books in 2021.”

I have had that anthology for a while and look forward to rereading this story again when I get around to it. I have already read this story twice. I read it one day, and the next while driving I used adaptive technology and listened to it a second time. My 16 year old daughter who is not a big reader was intrigued by the story and we talked about it after we got home.

Again this story reminds me of some of Heinlien’s Lazarus Long stories or a Harry Harrison’s Stainless Steel Rat sequence, the fact that we are allowed into the mind of a man who will be the last man on Earth. The story was deeply moving. Thinking about our own impending death and living with purpose. A real Memento Mori feel to this story. The only thing missing would have been the rock on the cover looking sort of skullish.

This is a well written short story. It draws you in quickly, it keeps your attention. The main character is excellently written. I look forward to the other stories in this series and many of Richard's other series.

If you have not read anything by Paolinelli don’t make my mistake. Pick some up and give them a read now. There is a lot to choose from and I am sure you will be entertained. This was another great read. It is a story that leaves you desperate for more. A great read I can easily recommend. It is a wonderful story in a classic Science Fiction style. I can easily recommend this volume to fans of science fiction.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2023 Catholic Reading Plan!

For reviews of all books from Tuscany Bay click here.

Books by Richard Paolinelli:

Maelstrom

When the Gods Fell

The Calling

The Last Lonely Trail

A Zombie Christmas Carol

The Woman Returns

…

Infinity Series:

Escaping Infinity