Fire for Effect
Bayonet Books Anthology Book 7
Bayonet Books
ISBN 9781960016027
ASIN B0BTK6J9FH
This is the Third of Nine of the currently available Bayonet Books Anthologies I have read. Previously I read Storming Area 51 35 New Stories, and after reading that first one I picked up the remaining of the 9 currently available that I did not have yet. I love reading anthologies for a few reasons. In part to discover new authors, as I am always looking to add books to my ‘to be read pile’, secondarily I pick up anthologies because of contributors who are authors I already follow, and for this one I had picked up the first based on Declan Finn’s contribution, and finally, in part because short form fiction is a very different art form than longer prose. It requires tighter writing, quicker character development, and a very different skill set.
Book seven in this series as a whopping 800 pages, this one comes in at 578, the other I read, The Monster Within, came in at 284. So there is a wide variety in the lengths of the anthologies in this series. I did not know anything about this anthology when I picked it up, other than that Declan Finn had contributed a story. And I loved the other two from Bayonet Books. I had read all of his novels over the last year and am now working through all the anthologies he contributed to. This is the third such anthology. I have also picked up 2 of the more recent Bayonet Books Anthologies, this one, #7 The Monster Within and #2 Storming Area 51 35 New Stories, because Finn had contributed, but I have now pick up all in this series and give them a read. The description of this volume states:
“Let the explosions begin!
Humans have spread to the stars, taking their warlike nature with them. This anthology contains eighteen incredible tales. Heroic warriors wage intergalactic war against their unrelenting foe. Watch these men and women display wanton courage under fire, despite the odds!
Do your part to conquer the galaxy! Buy a copy today.”
The stories in the collection are:
Candy Shop - Jonathan Yanez
A Prelude to Valor - Josh Hayes
Bushido Jackson and the Jaiju Menace - C.J. Carella
Fortunate Son - Shane Gries
The Janus Anomaly - Joe Vasicek
Ash Roland - Scott Moon
The Hero of Azoth Zol - Tim C. Taylor
Silent Griffin - Robert Tillsley
Friggin’ Guard Guys! - Christopher DiNote
God Save the Queen - J. R. Handley
The Dragonslayers - Christopher Ruocchio
The Great Wide Open - Rick Partlow
Complacency’s Grave - Logan Scott
The Venusian Reptiles - Nathan Pedde
World of Embers - Nicholas Garber
Beginning of Chaos - JR Castle
The Battle Purple N- avin Weeraratne
Gates of Fire - Declan Finn
The contributors are:
Logan Scott
Navin Weeraratne
Nicholas Garber
Shane Gries
I have long been a fan of Military Science Fiction, going back to reading Pier’s Anthony’s Bio of a Space Tyrant as they were coming out in High School, and reading Heinlien’s Starship Troopers, and also reading the Orphanage series by Robert Buettner in University as a mature student. I really enjoyed this collection. Often when you read an anthology there are a few amazing stories several good stories and often a dud or two. That was not the case this time. They are all great stories. I loved many of them. I went to make a list of stand out stories and stopped when I hit 5 of them. They were The Venusian Reptiles, Candy Shop, The Janous Anomaly, Silent Griffin, The Great Wide Open and of course Finn's Gates of Fire. Seventeen great stories, but only four are new works for this collection. The rest appeared across 5 different anthologies. But in this collection they work together very well.
The stories in this collection are hard, gritty and filled with action, stories of battles, and battle suits, friendships and aliens. These stories are certain to entertain. For fans of true military science fiction works, these stories will be of interest. I can recommend this collection for tweens, teens young adults and adult audiences.
For all reviews of anthologies click here.
Bayonet Books Anthologies:
Contact This! A First Contact Anthology
From the Ashes
On Deadly Ground – A Heroic Last Stand
Deadly Enhancements
Slay Bells Ring – Operation Klaus
Zombies! Planet Zero
…
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