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Evolution: Vol. 1 by Lane Diamond
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The first story, “If I Should Die,” by Amanda Papenfus, was very well-written. It gives a brief glimpse into a girl’s life as she deals with the hopelessness of her cancer prognosis, and yet the ending was inspiring.
The second story, “The Last Earthling,” by D.T. Conklin, was a difficult read for me because of the setting conflicting with my belief system. However, you have to give credit to the story living on in my mind’s spare moments for more than a week later. The story was well-written, with empathetic characters in a creative world, so I kept reading. The ending had the type of surprise you hope for in good fiction, and is left open for your interpretation. I spoke with the author, D.T. Conklin, and he mentioned how this story highlights how important forgiveness is to him. In that we both agree, and this story is highly recommended because of the type of discussion it evokes. Read it and tell D.T. I sent you.
The third story, “Timothy,” by Anjuli Bowen, is fantastic. I love the concept of a man who doesn’t age, and who decides one day to bring the sand jar that keeps him alive outside and risk dying. Emotional and satisfying.
Lane Diamond‘s story, “One Last Thought,” is a complex picture in prose of a man’s dependency on a woman. The twist surprised me, but I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to take from this story. I can’t really get into it without spoiling the twist though.
Jeffrey B. Burton‘s story, “A Building This Size,” is a mystery built on clever dialogue that emphasizes the power and motive behind what isn’t said. I really enjoyed this one as well. There is definite reread value on this one. I even made his story a Saturday Spotlight post, and highlighted his future and published novels.
“Courage through Fear” by Ruby Standing Deer. This story caught me off guard with fear and concern for the main character. This 21 year old girl grifting cross-country with alcoholic husband finds out too late the cost of their freedom. Emotional attachment and the temptations for survival prevent her from escaping just as they would anyone else in her situation. This is a story that will keep your firm attention till the end. There is a brief content warning, though I won’t say what to keep the surprise.
Ruby has a book out with Evolved Publishing called Circles. In her bio, she says “Life presents us a path; how we choose to navigate that ‘circle’ is up to us.” I would say this philosophy is part of what nailed me into the hero’s quest in “Courage through Fear;” I was captured by her dilemma and cared deeply for her to find her way to safety. I imagine her novel, Circles, will evoke the same sense of connection with the main character’s quest. I’m in contact with Ruby for a future Saturday Spotlight post and possible reading.
Overall, I rated this anthology as a 3.8, but will round up to give it 4 stars because I really enjoyed reading it. There are three five star stories in here, “Timothy,” “A Building This Size,” and “Courage through Fear.” The rest are good stories, and with this variety, I imagine you might find more five stars than I did.