Shaykitteh's World of Books

I've recently become hooked on anthologies, finding the experience of reading connected short stories to be an excited way to learn about new authors and become reacquainted with worlds I already enjoy. The newest addition to my kindle is The Time Travel Chronicles, part of The Future Chronicles. I have enjoyed every one of the Chronicles I have picked up, and this was no exception.

The collection starts out with a bang... or rather, a blink. Extant, by Anthony Vicino, takes us into a world where the gifted can freeze time, race through it, or blink to the past. But not everything is perfect... can knowing that you're saving the world make up for the horrifying consequences? (5 Stars)

Gambit by Rysa Walker is the second book of the collection, and asks the question that everyone wonders: can you safely change the past to make the future your own? And... if you can, should you? When I completed this story, I immediately bought the first 2 books of the author's CHRONOS series, which tells you how much this premise intrigued me. (5 Stars)

Were unicorns supposed to be on Noah's Ark? Beasts of the Earth by Ernie Lindsey answers that question, and more. (4 Stars)

Excess Baggage takes us into a whirlwind of a tale, where a boy is swept away into the past accidentally. The ending of the story leaves so many possibilities open to fuel the imagination, allowing the reader to wonder not only about the fates of the travelers, but also the world left behind. (4 1/2 Stars)

Stefan Bolz's The Traveler made me cry... it's a bittersweet story about loss, and the lengths that someone will go through to say goodbye. (5 Stars)

Eighty-Three is a story with twists and leaps through time, showing us a man who randomly jumps into his past and future, interacting with the world-to-be, or that left behind. But it is true, or just a delusion? (4 1/2 Stars)

Everyone dreams of living forever... or to somehow jump into a better future. But what if the future isn't what you imagined it would be? Though I had a premonition of what the ending of Life/Time in the New World would be, it was so well-written and had such an edge of truth to it that I can confidently say that it was one of my favorites in the collection. (5 Stars)

I've been a fan of Robert J. Sawyer's work since I picked up his WWW Trilogy a few years back, so I wasn't surprised that I enjoyed his short story, Just Like Old Times. This was a fun tale about an alternate death sentence, leaving us to wonder if the past could change the present. (4 1/2 Stars)

Shades is the tale of a boy who can't stay still.. but not by his own choice. Every five years, since his birth, all proof of his existence is wiped clean and he finds himself ten years in the future, with no past, no family, and no hope of a normal life. Can he find the courage to take control back? (4 1/2 Stars)

The smell of blood on the beach foretells a day of horror, when humanity will go back to try to change the past. The Nothing Gate is a morbid tale that leaves you to wonder about the fate of both the main character and the world itself. (4 1/2 Stars)

Meddler by Ernie Luis is another favorite... when you combine a drug dealer with a conscious with time travel, nothing could possibly go wrong, right? I look forward to looking into more books by this author! (5 Stars)

I'm still trying to figure out my feelings toward The Diatomic Quantum Flop. This is a story that will leave you thinking about the possibilities hidden within the human mind while simultaneously wondering what happens next. While I enjoyed this tale, it was a little chaotic to be a favorite of mine, but was still an excellent and intriguing tale. (4 Stars)

Red Mustang is a standout piece in a collection full of stories that shine. What happens if an action of yours not only ruined your life, but the lives of those around you? If you could go back to that moment and relive your life, knowing that you do now, would you? (5 Stars)

Hereafter by Samuel Peralta is a perfect story to close out the anthology, drawing us into a family tied together by time travel. Not only is the timing of the travel clearly thought out, but the impact on the people involved is so well described that this story made me cry as well... not once, but twice. This author will play with your heartstrings while making you wonder about what the future holds. (5 Stars)

At the end of this collection, I'm left with fourteen outstanding tales, and nothing that I would rate less than four stars. I am very happy that I was given an opportunity to read this book, and I look forward to reading more by all of these authors in the future.

While I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book for review purposes, I have also pre-ordered the anthology because I loved it so much. The good news is that you can buy it too... it's currently listed for pre-order on Amazon for only $0.99! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B016XIY2EC/