Seasons Unceasing: A Worldsmyths Anthology

“Exploring the “contradictions of life and time” through speculative fiction, Worldsmyths has curated a truly seamless collection of new and experienced authors. Each story in this anthology was extremely entertaining and of the highest quality. I wish I had the word count to show appreciation for all twenty-four authors and their work. However, since this is a limited space, I’ve selected three I most want to showcase. As a confessed logophile, I most appreciate stories that balance superb storytelling with meticulous word choice. “Master of Time” by James Dorr was an exquisite interpretation of the concept of time through perception housed in a flawless #fantasy narrative. I particularly enjoyed the subtle hint at a larger, more epic story outside the awareness of the main character. Another story that caught my attention was “The May Child” by Cassandra Solon Perry. The whimsical and lyrical language was breathtaking. The narrative voice was vibrant and evocative of fairytales read by fairy godmothers. Reminiscent of Lewis Caroll’s Alice in Wonderland and Watership Down by Richard Adams, this was a truly sweet fable. “Oddity of Life” by Barry Charman was perhaps my favorite of the #sciencefiction in these pages. While not the most exciting in terms of “action”, there was a serious intimacy to the cycle of apathy and hope, symbolized by the story content, that was most convincing. The syntax in this piece was practically poetical at times which, while unexpected, was delightful. I’ve only mentioned three stories, but honestly, there wasn’t a manuscript in this book that didn’t impress me. In all, I highly recommend this collection to lovers of well-written stories.”