| Title | : | Borderlands Anthology (The Actuator, #1.5) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Format Type | : | Kindle , Hardcover , Paperback , Audiobook & More |
| Number of Pages | : | - |
| Publication | : | First published September 10, 2014 |
In “Remembering Emily,” Sara Wolf brings us a tale describing the horror of a world split by the Actuator. Daniel’s girlfriend, Emily, is in danger in some faraway place. Worse, she might forget Daniel before he can reach her. Fighting against the Actuator’s attempts to enforce a new reality to block him, he must find a way to rescue Emily before it’s too late.
Matthew Cox explores Cyberpunked China in "Stolen Orchid,” where a man finds his wife has become a ghost due to the Actuator's powerful reach. His only hope of saving her is to cross the border with a mobster bearing down, facing precarious fate in an unfamiliar realm.
In “The Blackbird’s Tale,” Dan Willis relates the plight of a Machine Monk named David, who works his way through obstacles to reach Chicago. Why? To find an Actuator Key—one that takes the form of a small bird statue.
Nathan Yocum explores the plight of Oren Smith Wessely as a man with no past, trapped in the twisted, kaleidoscopic realm of steampunk Arizona in “Dream Journal.” Dark dreams haunt Oren’s nights…but what happens when those dreams suddenly come to life? Certainly nothing good.
Mara Valderran’s “The Austenation” is a tale where Pride and Prejudice meets werewolves in the English countryside of the Victorian era. Dealing with the strict social mores of the day, along with lycanthropic consequences, the story’s young heroine is forced to do what was often unthinkable in that era: take matters into her own hands.
In “Escape,” Patrick Burdine explores the fate of a group of teenagers caught in a town without mothers, and where all the fathers have turned into faceless, soul-sucking monsters. When one girl’s eighteenth birthday marks the end of her existence, can they penetrate the steel-walled town’s borders before it’s too late?
“The Ritual” is the tale brought to us by Whitney Trang, where the Actuator brings imagined horrors of a haunted house in Japan to life. A young woman’s quest means facing a ghost bent on sacrificing her sister in a ritual to save himself and his family.
“The Gatekeepers of Change” is James Pratt’s short chronicle about a man dressed in black, and who rises to importance after the Great Actuation. Suddenly aware of the great powers and wider universe now available to him, the man enacts his plans.
“The Ringer” is Craig Nybo’s tale about a detective in New Orleans facing zombies and other undead monsters as he assists a client in taking on her crime lord husband. The huge fee adds plenty of incentive…if he can live long enough to spend it.
A Soviet soldier guarding Chernobyl from people too foolish to stay away from the radiation forms the basis of Jason Purdy’s “Anna and Lena.” When the soldier abandons his post, he soon discovers that he is the last living person in the area. Poisoned and growing weaker by the moment, he must find someplace safe across the border before he perishes.
Jenny Persson brings us the story of a teen suddenly thrust into Viking Sweden in “Once upon a Frozen North.” The teen finds her modern way of thinking brings only misery. But the girl is cunning. Soon after her ritual into womanhood, she looks to the steampunk airships just across the border as a means for her escape.
Jay Wilburn takes us along the harrowing journey of drug addicted Travis, as he traverses the Actuator-ravaged American South in “Halfway.” The journey becomes an opportunity to reconnect with the people lost to him by addiction…. But in the end, will he find the lasting peace he seeks?
The author Juhi’s “The Search for Punarnav” takes us far away to India, where a man seeks to become a healer. To do so, he faces the daunting task of eluding the many dangerous Hindu mythological creatures brought to life by the Actuator.
Jason A. Anderson brings us “15 Seconds of Fame.” Unlike the title’s standard definition, this tale takes place in Steampunk London. A detective risks life and limb to save a child from her mob boss father. Not an easy task, especially when it means finding a way to also save the child’s mother from violent retaliation.
In “Forever Young,” Wilbert Stanton explores the fate of an old man who finds himself young again, after paying his life’s savings to gain admission into an exclusive realm. However, when he meets a new love, he soon learns the real cost of immortality, and whether or not he is willing to pay for it.
Last, but not least, we have James Wymore’s tale, “Cult of the Actuation.” A Machine Monk, captured just east of the base, calls for help. Dragon Star comes to the rescue… but is soon distracted by a religious cult surrounding the mouth of a cave near one of the Actuator’s borders. Ultimately, the cult leader decides that the Machine Monk and Dragon Star pose a threat, and orders their execution. A dicey situation at best.
Borderlands Anthology (The Actuator, #1.5) Reviews
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Borderlands Anthology (The Actuator #1.5) by James Wymore and other great authors is a collection of great stories by the masters of sci-fi. I had a real hard time deciding which was a favorite because I loved all of these stories. All were strange and unique, things I love in sci-fi. After giving a lot of thought, I think I liked "Stolen Orchid” and “The Blackbird’s Tale” the best but it was very difficult to choose. Great stories for great authors, the reader can't lose!
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Excerpt from my review - originally published at
Offbeat YA.
Pros: Eclectic bunch of stories, covering a wide range of genres and (fictitious) eras. We get a glimpse of how the Change affected some people unaware of the Actuator's existence. But one doesn't necessarily have to be familiar with the series in order to read this collection.
Cons: Not every genre tackled in here can be everybody's cup of tea. The quality (and most of all, originality) spectrum varies from high to less impressive.
Will appeal to: Those who like eclectic short-story collections. Those who want another perspective about the Actuator.
First off...DISCLAIMER: I am a semi-regular reviewer of Curiosity Quills titles (like this one), but if you look back at my ratings, this never prevented me from being unbiased. And all the books I received from them were generously sent with no strings attached.
Note: Apparently, an earlier version of this book featured a story called Cult of the Actuation instead of Cyber Cowboy (both by James Wymore). Judging from the blurb for the first story, it has been later incorporated into Book 1 of the series, Fractured Earth, providing its new ending. Cyber Cowboy was originally included in the Curiosity Quills anthology Primetime (2013).
WAR OF THE WORLDS
Sort-of-disclaimer: I usually don't read anthologies, unless they 1) contain stories by one of my favourite authors, 2) are part of a series I'm reading (like in this case), or 3) have a unifying theme that calls to me like a siren song (like the excellent Windows into Hell, also by Curiosity Quills Press). The reason why I'm wary of short-story collections is that, most of the time, I don't enjoy them as much as novels. They need to be as homogeneous as possible (which isn't an easy feat), or at least to have a strong common theme. The stories in Borderlands loosely fulfill my second condition in that they all give us a taste of the life right after (or simply after) the Change, that is, after the Actuator (a reality-bending machine) has turned the whole world into a patchwork of different, often plain weird realities. On the other hand, such a premise gives the authors ample freedom when it comes to creating a bunch of worlds at odds with one another, or playing with any genre or trope under the sun. This probably accounts for my having mixed reactions to these stories, since some of them are not my scene, but it's not the only reason. I'll come back to that in a minute, but first off, let me tell you that despite my overall rating, there are a few gems in here. [...]
Whole review
here. -
In Fractured Earth, the Actuator split the world into different realities. A few people are trying to get the Keys that the Machine Monks created when they activated the Actuator. They need the Keys in order to restore the world to the original reality. The task seems insurmountable, but they have to try.
Borderlands gives a peek at some of the other realities and the people who inhabit them. 16 short stories tell of what’s going on in various parts of the world since the accident that changed everything.
Remembering Emily by Sara Wolf ~ Love really is a powerful emotion.
Stolen Orchid by Matthew Cox ~ Very Sci-Fi.
The Blackbird’s Tale by Dan Willis ~ Not a big fan of noir, but this is pretty good.
The Dream Journal by Nathan Yocum ~ I couldn’t make sense of this one.
The Austenation by Mara Valderran ~ A mixing of the literary world. Not bad.
Escape by Patrick Burdine ~ Creepy and…creepy. But good.
The Ritual by Whitney Trang ~ Another horror realm.
The Gatekeepers of Change by James Pratt ~ This reminds me of the show Supernatural and one of my favorite guest stars. I’m not saying who though.
The Ringer by Craig Nybo ~ I like detective stories especially when mixed with paranormal. Clever.
Anna and Lena by Jason Purdy ~ Wow. This is grim. And sad.
Once Upon a Frozen North by Jason Persson ~ Who doesn’t like Vikings?
Halfway by Jay Wilburn ~ Eeeep! Horror fans need to read this one.
The Search for Punarnav by Juhi ~ Hindu mythology made real. I love mythology but having it real is a bit too scary an image for me.
15 Seconds of Fame by Jason A. Anderson ~ Another detective story. I mentioned I like those, right?
Forever Young by Wilbert Stanton ~ Interesting concept.
Cult of the Actuation by James Wymore ~ Ah! The aftermath of book 1 with Red and Dragon Star. Likey likey! -
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers).
Although reading anthologies with recurring themes running through them is fairly normal, I think this might be the first anthology I’ve read with short stories all set in the same kind of universe. Even so, I felt it was really good that each story was unique enough to provide a different perspective… while still staying true to the core plot.
I found it interesting how some people were aware of the split in their realities, while others weren’t. There were a couple of stories where I found myself getting a bit confused, because there seemed to be nothing indicating that there was any kind of change. But for the most part, I understood what was going on.
There were some stories which, I felt, stayed true to the culture of the place in which they were set. The Ritual was one of those. Apart from a few instances of using Japanese words (presumably, they would be speaking in Japanese, so using it once or twice makes no sense), I felt that the world came across as real enough that my suspension of disbelief about the whole plot was easy.
I did think that some of the stories were a bit too short and could have been expanded, since they seemed to cut off rather abruptly. The one with werewolves and Jane Austen was quite an interesting storyline, but I was hoping for a bit more of the story, rather than what seemed to be a lack of conflict.
I felt there was quite a nice mix of genres in this book and although it takes place after the first book set in this world, I still found it easy to follow.
Halfway was quite a strange storyline and I found myself cringing at some of the descriptions used. There were parts of it that were almost bittersweet, though, and I would have liked to see some more of that.
Cult of the Actuation is quite a creepy story, but it does have some characters who I would like to see more of. All told, I’d like to read the first book in this series and any follow-ons at some point in the future. This is quite an interesting idea that provides a good reason for creating a world with a huge mix of genres. It’s a very unique idea that I felt was carried across really well. -
It is difficult for me to pinpoint which story I liked the most. Each one was written very well and were quite entertaining, and I enjoyed them all.
There is a common theme that runs through this anthology, and each one of the authors tweaked their characters and their settings around that theme. It actually seems like each of the stories play off of each other in an odd way, almost as if one can’t exist without the other. I do think some of the stories could have been expanded. Some felt flat. Some ended abruptly. A few left me thinking “huh?”, but overall, it was a good anthology.
Some of my favorite stories were:
Remembering Emily by Sarah Wolf. I love the author’s voice and descriptions. Beautiful imagery here and the story is vibrant.
Stolen Orchid by Matthew Cox is one of the coolest cyberpunk stories I’ve ever read and it also played with my emotions.
The Austenation by Mara Valdarran was pure brilliance though I do think there could have been a bit more conflict. Jane Austen fans…you’re going to LOVE this one.
Escape by Patrick Burdine gave me the creepy willies. Seriously, don’t read this right before you go to bed. Not a good idea.
Halfway by Jay Wilburn. Ok, so this story freaked me out. There are clowns and peculiar lighting and odd people. There’s an Edward Scissorhands feel to the story, and it left me feeling numb. Well-written and freaky creepy.
Fifteen Seconds of Fame by Jason A. Anderson. A great story of one woman’s decision to defy the mob and help a little girl find her mom. Fast moving with an enjoyable, satisfying ending.
These are only 6 out of 20 amazing and unique stories. While I liked some better than others, I am sure everyone who loves these genres will find something to enjoy.
I give four stars to this anthology. Thank you Curiosity Quills Press for providing me with a free copy of this anthology in exchange for an honest review. -
*I received a free e-copy of this anthology in exchange for an honest review.
This is a fun and entertaining collection of stories from so many great authors. Each world within the Actuator universe is brought to life with highly creative imagery. The descriptive styles of many of the authors are vivid, and each story carries a distinct flavor. Characters are introduced with peculiar obstacles that challenge their goals, lives, and relationships in, at times, deeply humanizing ways. Also, there were lots of dragons. Dragons make everything awesome. Here are highlights of some of my favorite stories in the lot:
I loved Sara Wolf’s ability to bring the sensory aspects of the Actuator world to life with intriguing and beautiful descriptions woven seamlessly into Daniel’s urgent quest to find his girlfriend in “Remembering Emily.”
Matthew Cox’s “Stolen Orchid,” also has fabulous descriptions of an Oriental cyberpunk world, and I found the plight of the characters heart-tugging.
“The Blackbird’s Tale” by Dan Willis is an intriguing noir adventure. One of my favorite aspects was the black and white movie effect of the setting zone the main character, David, crossed into.
Mara Valderran’s “The Austenation” was just plain brilliant. I was entertained by the Pride and Prejudice-specific twist to this world alone.
“Escape,” by Patrick Burdine was awesomely creepy.
I enjoyed the rather bleak, post-apocalyptic style world of Jason Purdy’s “Anna and Lena.”
Juhi’s “The Search for Punarnav” had a cool setting in which a man is trying to diffuse a bomb in an Indian bazaar one moment, and finds himself in an old-fashioned realm of myth with a whole new set of dangers the next.
There is truly something for everyone to like in here. Great stories. Highly recommended reading! -
What I Thought:
I enjoyed this anthology a lot. It was the first anthology I have read, and at first I wondered whether or not I would be a fan. I have just gotten into short stories, and really love them, especially when you are short on time, and only have a little bit of time to read. I was extremely impressed with the collection of stories in this anthology. They all had a core common subject, with the same 'reality' or universe being the setting. It was an odd commonality, but it did tie the stories together and also meant that they weren't boring and repetitive.
I really liked the selection of stories in the anthology. I found them a mix of exciting, emotional and full of creative plots.
I loved the fact that I could read a story in one sitting, but I still knew I had something to come back to. I also loved that I could skip around and choose the story I wanted to read, without worrying about missing a plot point. It gave me a sense of control over my read for the night, plus I knew, in some way, I'd be returning back to the universe that underlies the whole of the anthology.
Each story was great in length, making them good for times when I didn't have a lot of reading time. They also had plenty detail to make the stories believable, interesting and fun to read. Rather than, like most short stories, a lot of detail being left out and the pace of the story being swift, these stories all managed to have a swift pace and still get in all the detail I would want. I think having a sole editor was key to this, to ensure a certain flow of the stories.
Overall, I really enjoyed the anthology and would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of sic-fi, or any of the many genres covered by the stories, the full list is above. -
This is a DNF for me. Not that it was bad, more that I lacked motivation. It seems I'm not an anthology type person. But here are my thoughts on what I did read:
Remembering Emily - Great opening story. Sweet ending.
Stolen Orchid - Well written, but I'm not into cyber punk.
The Blackbird's Tale - A bit longer than the first two. This one delves into the Actuator story, while also giving a classic 30's/mobster crime tale. Enjoyed.
The Dream Journal of Oren Smith Wessely - Again, not really my genre, but well written.
The Austenation - I thought this one was fun. An interesting spin on Pride and Prejudice with werewolves. -
This wonderful anthology allows readers to travel to worlds ranging the imaginative spectrum.
There is something to be found for every reader. From steampunk to historical.
Though the worlds may be different, the underlying theme of human sacrifice is a unifying thread which works to link the tales.
This is a surprising treasure trove of originality that will make a welcome addition to any library. -
I received a complimentary copy to read and review. It has stories that will appeal to all types of readers. I couldn’t put it down. I love all the stories in it. Each story has great characters that the authors have created. There are great twists and turns within each one of them. Add it to your TBR list you won’t be disappointed. I look forward to reading more books by each of the authors.
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I would like to thank Curiosity Quills Press for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an open and honest review.
This is a rather entertaining and well thought out anthology that encouraged authors and (I believe) fellow fans of the first ‘The Actuator – Fractured Earth’ novel to have a go at helping to reshape the world after the ‘Great Event’… or whatever it was called when the Actuator was let loose on the planet. Trust me, all of what I just said made sense if you’ve been reading this series. And if it doesn’t make sense – go read the series… it’s worth it! ;-)
As with the majority of anthologies I’ve read, this one had its good and bad moments. It had its stories I never wanted to end and those I was happy to see the back of. What can I say, I am a fan of anthologies… but I am also fickle and do enjoy how you can pick and choose with them.
I totally loved the whole concept of this book. Talk about fan fic at its best! It has made getting back into the second book in the series a little harder as I have to focus back to the original style of writing from Mr James and Mr Wymore. Not that I don’t mind their style, I was just enjoying the mixture of talents and styles shown in this anthology.
Would I recommend this book to others? Yes I would. Though only if they had read ‘Fractured Earth’ first so they had the background basics this set of short stories is based on. But, yes, I really do recommend people give it a read. An anthology is a terrific way to get to know authors you may not have heard of before – that alone is a good enough reason to recommend it!
Would I buy this book for myself? Possibly. I mean, if I decided to own the whole of the Actuator series, then absolutely yes I would want this one as part of it… but as I’m still seeing how the series as a whole progresses, I’m still undecided about whether it’ll make it onto my virtual shelves any time soon.
In summary – as anthologies go, this was a good one. A great mixture of different writing styles and stories all following the underlying theme of the earth after the Actuator fractured it. A good little stepping stone to bide your time with while waiting for book two in this very interesting series. -
Interesting but too short variations
the short interpretations were interesting but too short to lead anywhere.
Some were very interesting but then just stopped,drove me nuts.
