Book Reviews and More: Icarus Falls - Richard Paolinelli

Tuesday, 17 October 2023

Icarus Falls - Richard Paolinelli - Dreams Of The Storyteller Book 5

Icarus Falls

Dreams Of The Storyteller Book 5

Richard Paolinelli

Tuscany Bay Books

ASIN B0CD2MRN9C

Another great read from Paolinelli. I have now read six stories in this series. So far each story is very different, and they have all been excellent. My introduction to Richard’s works was a piece in the anthology Cracked. I have picked up several anthologies he has contributed to, that I have not got around to reading most of them yet. I have also read 2 novels, Galen’s Way, and Galen’s Blade. I picked up several of his other novels after reading the first Galen story. After the first few stories by Paolinelli I have read I am now trying to read one a week until I have read his whole back catalogue. Several of his stories and novels are now towards the top of 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 fifth of twenty story in this series, to date. It is one of several new short stories that dropped in the collection Dreams Of The Storyteller, in 2023. There are now 20 volumes in that collection, the first 2 date from 2014, 1 from 2022, and the rest dropped in 2023. After reading the first story I went back and grabbed the whole collection. And when writing this review found 1 more had released. Much like I did with Declan Finn last year with reading a story a week until I have read all Paolinelli has published.

At the time of reading this I have read 358 books so far this year, and this novella is one of the very intense. This is another excellent story from the Paolinelli’s pen. 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. Don’t make my mistake, pick some up and give them a read! The description of this story is:

“It was supposed to be Jim Watson’s final mission to space. But the catastrophic destruction of Earth’s massive space station has left Watson on the wrong side of a debris field encircling the planet.

Now he has a choice: Spend the rest of his life alone on the deserted Moon Base or risk a suicidal dive for the surface and home.

This story originally appeared in Planetary Anthology Series: Jupiter published first by Superversive Press in 2018 and then by Tuscany Bay Books in 2020.”

I do have that anthology as well as the rest of the Planetary Anthology Series, but have only read one of them thus far. This story was so good, I look forward to reading it again when I finally get to the Anthology it originally came from. But Back to this story.

There is a sense of foreboding from the very beginning of this story. When an order from the top comes down Kim Watson takes lead on a mission he had planned for a subordinate. A subordinate who Jim believes is due the recognition. But orders are orders and with short notice Jim preps for a final mission to space and the colony on Mars. The tip out and certification of the facility happen without incident. But a meteor that the tracking missed causes devastation. Not only for the largest human space station, for Jim’s flight crew, and for the colonist awaiting the final ok to head out. Everyone is trying to come up with daring and dangerous ways to save Jim, or not have him spend year alone. Who can come up with the best plan with the least risk. And will it succeed? To find out read this excellent Science Fiction Short story.

This is yet another great story from Paolinelli’s masterful pen. Like others in the series it draws you in quickly. I look forward to the other stories in this series and many of Richard’s other series. An excellent offering in a classic science fiction style!

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