Book Reviews and More: The Last Human - Richard Paolinelli

Friday, 1 December 2023

The Last Human - Richard Paolinelli - Dreams Of The Storyteller Book 8

The Last Human

Dreams Of The Storyteller Book 8

Richard Paolinelli

Tuscany Bay Books

ASIN B0CDRB73FV

When I started reading the Dreams of the Storyteller Series there were 18 volumes in the collection. Then it expanded to 20, and now it is compressed to 14. Six of the stories have been split off into a different collection called Sherlock Holmes Pastiches. I have read a number from each collection and I have picked up several anthologies that Paolinelli has contributed to, that I have not got around to reading yet. I have also read 2 novel, Galen’s Way, and Galen’s Blade and eagerly await the two forthcoming offerings in that series. I have also picked up several of his other novels after reading the first few stories in this series.

After having read a few of the stories by Paolinelli I am now trying to read one a week until I have read his whole back catalogue. Several of his stories and novels are 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 one of several new short stories that dropped in the collection Dreams Of The Storyteller. There are now , as mentioned, 14 volumes in that collection, the first 2 date from 2014, 1 from 2022, and the rest have dropped in 2023.

After reading the first 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 have read all he has published.

At the time of reading this I have read 417 books so far this year. This is another excellent story from Paolinelli’s masterful 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:

“Anne Fontana needed a getaway, a vacation all to herself. But some vacations are just too short.

When she returns to civilization she discovers that the world has changed. To her horror, she discovers that she alone holds the power to save humanity, or change it irrevocably and she must choose before time runs out.

This story originally was published in Planetary Anthology Uranus by Tuscany Bay Books. It is republished here with permission.”

This story has a unique premise. And with how much I read that is saying something. The world has changed over a weekend. A scientist is one of very few people not impacted. She holds the power of reversing the change or embracing it. But will humanity still be humans if she embraces it? To find out what she decides and why you will need to read this excellent story.

This is another great short story, one that leaves you wanting more. This was a story that as soon as I finished it; it went back into the ‘to be read’ pile. I have a feeling that once I have read the 16 volumes in the Dreams of a Storyteller Series, I will circle back and reread them in publication order. This is a fantastic story in a wonderful collection. I can easily recommend it for fans of science fiction, classic scifi, or anyone who loves a great short story!

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