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Katherine "Kitty" Katt #11.1 (Alien Time Warp)
Temporally Out of Order
It’s frustrating when a gadget stops working. But what if the gadget is working fine, it’s just “temporally” out of order? What would you do if you discovered your cell phone linked you to a different time? Or that your camera took pictures of the past?
In this collection, seventeen leading science fiction authors share their take on what happens when gadgets run temporally amok. From past to future, humor to horror, there’s something for everyone.
Join Seanan McGuire, Elektra Hammond, David B. Coe, Chuck Rothman, Faith Hunter, Edmund R. Schubert, Steve Ruskin, Sofie Bird, Laura Resnick, Amy Griswold, Laura Anne Gilman, Susan Jett, Gini Koch, Christopher Barili, Stephen Leigh, Juliet E. McKenna, and Jeremy Sim as they investigate how ordinary objects behaving temporally out of order can change our everyday lives.
Introduction copyright © 2015 by Joshua Palmatier
“Reading Lists” copyright © 2015 by Seanan McGuire
“Salamander Bites” copyright © 2015 by Elektra Hammond
“Black and White” copyright © 2015 by David B. Coe
“Dinosaur Stew” copyright © 2015 by Chuck Rothman
“Not All Is As It Seems” copyright © 2015 by Faith Hunter
“Batting Out of Order” copyright © 2015 by Edmund R. Schubert
“Grand Tour” copyright © 2015 by Steve Ruskin
“‘A’ is for Alacrity, Astronauts, and Grief” copyright © 2015 by Sofie Bird
“The Spiel of the Glocken” copyright © 2015 by Laura Resnick
“The Passing Bell” copyright © 2015 by Amy Griswold
“Destination Ahead” copyright © 2015 by Laura Anne Gilman
“Where There’s Smoke” copyright © 2015 by Susan Jett
“Alien Time Warp” copyright © 2015 by Jeanne Cook (Gini Koch)
“Cell Service” copyright © 2015 by Christopher Barili
“Temporally Full” copyright © 2015 by Stephen Leigh
“Notes and Queries” copyright © 2015 by Juliet E. McKenna
“Temporally Out of Odor: A Fragrant Fable” copyright © 2015 by Jeremy Sim
In this collection, seventeen leading science fiction authors share their take on what happens when gadgets run temporally amok. From past to future, humor to horror, there’s something for everyone.
Join Seanan McGuire, Elektra Hammond, David B. Coe, Chuck Rothman, Faith Hunter, Edmund R. Schubert, Steve Ruskin, Sofie Bird, Laura Resnick, Amy Griswold, Laura Anne Gilman, Susan Jett, Gini Koch, Christopher Barili, Stephen Leigh, Juliet E. McKenna, and Jeremy Sim as they investigate how ordinary objects behaving temporally out of order can change our everyday lives.
Introduction copyright © 2015 by Joshua Palmatier
“Reading Lists” copyright © 2015 by Seanan McGuire
“Salamander Bites” copyright © 2015 by Elektra Hammond
“Black and White” copyright © 2015 by David B. Coe
“Dinosaur Stew” copyright © 2015 by Chuck Rothman
“Not All Is As It Seems” copyright © 2015 by Faith Hunter
“Batting Out of Order” copyright © 2015 by Edmund R. Schubert
“Grand Tour” copyright © 2015 by Steve Ruskin
“‘A’ is for Alacrity, Astronauts, and Grief” copyright © 2015 by Sofie Bird
“The Spiel of the Glocken” copyright © 2015 by Laura Resnick
“The Passing Bell” copyright © 2015 by Amy Griswold
“Destination Ahead” copyright © 2015 by Laura Anne Gilman
“Where There’s Smoke” copyright © 2015 by Susan Jett
“Alien Time Warp” copyright © 2015 by Jeanne Cook (Gini Koch)
“Cell Service” copyright © 2015 by Christopher Barili
“Temporally Full” copyright © 2015 by Stephen Leigh
“Notes and Queries” copyright © 2015 by Juliet E. McKenna
“Temporally Out of Odor: A Fragrant Fable” copyright © 2015 by Jeremy Sim
294 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 25, 2015
About the author
Joshua Palmatier
50 books141 followersJoshua Palmatier started writing science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories in the eighth grade, when the teacher assigned a one page Twilight Zone-ish short story. He wrote a story about Atlantis. It was from the perspective of one of the inhabitants as he escaped in a spaceship, watching his world being destroyed by water from one of the viewports of the ship. He got an A. Joshua hasn't stopped writing since.
"The Skewed Throne" is Joshua's first published novel, but it's the fourth novel he's written. The sequels--"The Cracked Throne" and "The Vacant Throne"--are now all available. His next series--comprising the novels "Well of Sorrows," "Leaves of Flame," and "Breath of Heaven"--was initially published under the pseudonym Benjamin Tate, but is being released in June 2016 under his real name. He is currently hard at work on the third book in his latest series, "Reaping the Aurora," with the first book "Shattering the Ley" now available and the second "Threading the Needle" due out in July 2016. He's also managed to write a few short stories, included in the anthologies "Close Encounters of the Urban Kind," "Beauty Has Her Way," "River," and "Apollo's Daughters."
Joshua is also the founder of a small press called Zombies Need Brains, which is focused on producing SF&F themed anthologies. There are two anthologies currently available--"Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs Aliens" and "Temporally Out of Order"--with two new anthologies due in August 2016 titled "Alien Artifacts" and "Were-". Find out more about Zombies Need Brains at www.zombiesneedbrains.com.
Bibliography: Novels:
Throne of Amenkor series:
The Skewed Throne
The Cracked Throne
The Vacant Throne
Well of Sorrows series:
Well of Sorrows
Leaves of Flame
Breath of Heaven (forthcoming)
Novels of The Ley:
Shattering the Ley
Threading the Needle (July 2016)
Reaping the Aurora (forthcoming)
Bibliography: Short Stories:
"Mastihooba" in Close Encounters of the Urban Kind edited by Jennifer Brozek (APEX).
"Tears of Blood" in Beauty Has Her Way edited by Jennifer Brozek (Dark Quest).
"An Alewife in Kish" (as Benjamin Tate) in After Hours: Tales from the Ur-Bar edited by Joshua Palmatier & Patricia Bray (DAW).
"The River" in River edited by Alma Alexander (Dark Quest).
Bibliography: As Editor:
After Hours: Tales From the Ur-Bar (DAW)
The Modern Fae's Guide to Surviving Humanity (DAW)
Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs Aliens (ZNB)
Temporally Out of Order (ZNB)
Alien Artifacts (ZNB; forthcoming)
Were- (ZNB; forthcoming)
"The Skewed Throne" is Joshua's first published novel, but it's the fourth novel he's written. The sequels--"The Cracked Throne" and "The Vacant Throne"--are now all available. His next series--comprising the novels "Well of Sorrows," "Leaves of Flame," and "Breath of Heaven"--was initially published under the pseudonym Benjamin Tate, but is being released in June 2016 under his real name. He is currently hard at work on the third book in his latest series, "Reaping the Aurora," with the first book "Shattering the Ley" now available and the second "Threading the Needle" due out in July 2016. He's also managed to write a few short stories, included in the anthologies "Close Encounters of the Urban Kind," "Beauty Has Her Way," "River," and "Apollo's Daughters."
Joshua is also the founder of a small press called Zombies Need Brains, which is focused on producing SF&F themed anthologies. There are two anthologies currently available--"Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs Aliens" and "Temporally Out of Order"--with two new anthologies due in August 2016 titled "Alien Artifacts" and "Were-". Find out more about Zombies Need Brains at www.zombiesneedbrains.com.
Bibliography: Novels:
Throne of Amenkor series:
The Skewed Throne
The Cracked Throne
The Vacant Throne
Well of Sorrows series:
Well of Sorrows
Leaves of Flame
Breath of Heaven (forthcoming)
Novels of The Ley:
Shattering the Ley
Threading the Needle (July 2016)
Reaping the Aurora (forthcoming)
Bibliography: Short Stories:
"Mastihooba" in Close Encounters of the Urban Kind edited by Jennifer Brozek (APEX).
"Tears of Blood" in Beauty Has Her Way edited by Jennifer Brozek (Dark Quest).
"An Alewife in Kish" (as Benjamin Tate) in After Hours: Tales from the Ur-Bar edited by Joshua Palmatier & Patricia Bray (DAW).
"The River" in River edited by Alma Alexander (Dark Quest).
Bibliography: As Editor:
After Hours: Tales From the Ur-Bar (DAW)
The Modern Fae's Guide to Surviving Humanity (DAW)
Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs Aliens (ZNB)
Temporally Out of Order (ZNB)
Alien Artifacts (ZNB; forthcoming)
Were- (ZNB; forthcoming)
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
June 2, 2018
Reading Lists by Seanan McGuire - 5/5 stars *FAVOURITE*
Salamander Bites by Elektra Hammond - 4/5 stars
Black and White by David B. Coe - 4/5 stars
Dinosaur Stew by Chuck Rothman - 4/5 stars
Not all is as it seems by Faith Hunter - 4/5 stars
Batting out of order by Edmund R. Schubert - 3/5 stars
Grand Tour by Steve Ruskin - 5/5 stars *FAVOURITE*
'A' is for Alacrity, Astronauts and Grief by Sofie Bird - 4/5 stars
The Spiel of the Glocken by Laura Resnick - 3/5 stars
The Passing Bell by Amy Griswold - 4/5 stars
Destination Ahead by Laura Anne Gilman - 4/5 stars
Where There's Smoke by Susan Jett - 4/5 stars
Alien Time Warp by Gini Koch - 2/5 stars
Cell Service by Christopher Barili - 4/5 stars
Temporally Full by Stephen Leigh - 5/5 stars
Notes and Queries by Juiet E. McKenna - 5/5 stars
Temporally out of Odor: A Fragrant Fable by Jeremy Sim - 1/5 stars
Salamander Bites by Elektra Hammond - 4/5 stars
Black and White by David B. Coe - 4/5 stars
Dinosaur Stew by Chuck Rothman - 4/5 stars
Not all is as it seems by Faith Hunter - 4/5 stars
Batting out of order by Edmund R. Schubert - 3/5 stars
Grand Tour by Steve Ruskin - 5/5 stars *FAVOURITE*
'A' is for Alacrity, Astronauts and Grief by Sofie Bird - 4/5 stars
The Spiel of the Glocken by Laura Resnick - 3/5 stars
The Passing Bell by Amy Griswold - 4/5 stars
Destination Ahead by Laura Anne Gilman - 4/5 stars
Where There's Smoke by Susan Jett - 4/5 stars
Alien Time Warp by Gini Koch - 2/5 stars
Cell Service by Christopher Barili - 4/5 stars
Temporally Full by Stephen Leigh - 5/5 stars
Notes and Queries by Juiet E. McKenna - 5/5 stars
Temporally out of Odor: A Fragrant Fable by Jeremy Sim - 1/5 stars
Read
April 15, 2020Not All is as it Seems by Faith Hunter — a story from the world of Jane Yellowrock 3.75 stars
The sudden appearance of a quaint teapot summons trouble in the form of two vampires to the home of earth witch Molly Everhart and her two children. With her husband, Big Evan, away on business, can Molly keep her death magics under control as she protects her family and solves the mystery?
The sudden appearance of a quaint teapot summons trouble in the form of two vampires to the home of earth witch Molly Everhart and her two children. With her husband, Big Evan, away on business, can Molly keep her death magics under control as she protects her family and solves the mystery?
September 25, 2020
Theme: Characters deal with objects or beings displaced in time.
This is an excellent idea for an anthology. 'Temporal displacement' falls into that sweet zone where you have enough options to fuel a lot of ideas, but where you're restricted enough that these ideas would need to be innovative. Definitely one of the more interesting collections I've come across.
I'm not going to describe each of the individual stories, because (a) there are a lot of these and I try to keep my reviews as low effort as possible or I won't do them and (b) half the fun of this collection is in seeing how the concept is utilized.
Opinions on Individual Stories:
1. Reading Lists; 5 stars
I've read part of this anthology before and I still remember the entirety of this story because of how lovely the idea is. It's also both a you get a do over for life fantasy AND a love letter to libraries so honestly? It totally hit all my notes.
2. Salamander Bites; 3 stars
I really like the plot in this one- the idea is great and the execution is satisfactory. However, there wasn't enough connections with the characters to really make me invested. The author made a good choice with that ending too- it resolves the frustrated emotions from the rest of the story.
3. Black and White; 5 Stars
Another lovely story, with excellent focus on the emotions. I love how we got to see the characters and get attached to them before all the reveals started- very effective.
4. Dinosaur Stew: 4 stars
So this one is more tongue in cheek than most of the other stories. There's a lot of handwavium and people accept the plot elements too easily. It is, however, very light and very fun and I will not complain about that.
5. Not All Is As It Seems: 2 stars
This story is shoehorned in as part of a series and it really shows. I imagine the gratuitous number of characters we didn't get to really explore beyond their names are somehow part of the main series, but here they mostly just muddied the waters. It was also the least convincing use of these theme so far. But at least the vampires were entertaining, and I can never say no to a loyal doggie.
6. Batting Out of Order: 3 stars
I have to admit I'm not entirely convinced by this story? I really like the use of theme, but I'm a bit uh- weirded out by the ending?
7. Grand Tour; 5 stars
Grand fun is more like it. Emotionally reactive, set in a historical period with liberal use of more history, and a sweet story of financial success and true affection. We could do with more in these trying times.
8. A is for Alacrity, Astronauts and Grief; 5 stars
Once again, an excellent combination of applied timeywimey shenanigans and human emotions. Loved the protagonist's desperate feelings about her mother and nephew, and her grit towards the end because the stress dripped off the page. The decoded message was a great counterpoint to the story too.
9. The Spiel of the Glocken; 2 stars
This one focuses on romantic attraction between two people set against a backdrop of constantly changing temporal shifts. Sadly, it doens't have the time to develop either of these things properly- the constant switch in time periods left me thinking I was reading a quasi documentary full of names and references I didn't know, and the characters are mostly reacting to the plot, with no emotional stakes and no real personality. I think that last scene was cute, but it's not enough to make up for the rest.
10. The Passing Bell; 5 stars
A wonderfully creepy story about a small town with a disquieting bell. Our hero is resourceful, the conflict is emotionally driven, and there's an element of fatality to the parson that makes you want to smack him upside the head. Wonderfully entertaining, and perfectly paced.
11. Destination Ahead; 4 stars
Stressed out Dads on vacation with kid accidentally end up in the past. This story uses the stress of being stuck elsewhen to have the protagonists face their relationship problems, and does it fairly well. I also really liked Sondra.
12. Where There's Smoke; 3 stars
I always feel guilty rating something three stars because it was a good story, just not one for me. Once again a relationship takes the center stage, and it was a good relationship so I'm not complaining there. But there was barely anything in the temporal displacement category, which lessened my enjoyment a little. I did really like the authors writng style though- might have to check out more stuff by them.
13. Alien Time Wrap; 1 star
I thought the Jane Yellowrock story relied too much on an established universe and characters and then I read this one which told me that no, it could have been a lot worse.
I understand the strategic value in writing a tie in story as part of an anthology- it appeals to both old readers of the series and can bring in new readers. However, all I got from this one was a confusing summary of what I think was a pretty plot-relevant scene in the actual series, followed by scenes of the protagonist He mostly came across as a smug know-it-all, and the half-hearted attempts at and continuous references to feminism got on my nerves. (To clarify, I'm absolutely behind feminism, but I sometimes get mad at what people think qualifies for it.)
No protagonist, a presumably Latina/African-American maid in the 1940s needs more than encouraging words to actually become a scientist, and I despise her not getting credit for her work because that is one thing that could actually have helped. In addition, repeated assurances that your friend is a feminist followed by she realize she could trust guys because of Aerosmith lyrics is- ugh. I'm not making a judgement on the actual series but all of this stinks of performative white feminism (there was a scene at the end where the series MC convinces other aliens they were gods) focused mostly on being supportive and empathetic to the guys.
Either way, It definitely does not make for a good anthology story. It doesn't stand on its own, there are way too many extraneous characters and references to series canon, and the handling of sensitive issues was clumsy.
14. Cell Service; 2 stars
Yet another temporal shits cause people to rethink relationships story. The time shift idea is solid enough. What I don't buy is either of these people being happy in a relationship- everything about the phone calls addressed how happy they used to be and not the very real and very present problems the relationship is going through, so I really can't take this seriously.
15. Temporally Full; 3 stars
A little abrupt and too short to really develop the central relationship, but pretty good nevertheless.
16. Notes and Queries; 3 stars
Entertaining enough to read, but the ending left me hanging a bit too much. Felt more like the start of a story than a complete narrative.
17. Temporally Out of Odor: A Fragrant Fable; 4 stars
A really sweet, really sad story. Once again something that's negatively affected by the limited length, because I feel like there's a story here that could have been teased out for longer and been more fulfilling in a novella format. Still, it made me a little upset, and a left me feeling a little bittersweet.
This is an excellent idea for an anthology. 'Temporal displacement' falls into that sweet zone where you have enough options to fuel a lot of ideas, but where you're restricted enough that these ideas would need to be innovative. Definitely one of the more interesting collections I've come across.
I'm not going to describe each of the individual stories, because (a) there are a lot of these and I try to keep my reviews as low effort as possible or I won't do them and (b) half the fun of this collection is in seeing how the concept is utilized.
Opinions on Individual Stories:
1. Reading Lists; 5 stars
I've read part of this anthology before and I still remember the entirety of this story because of how lovely the idea is. It's also both a you get a do over for life fantasy AND a love letter to libraries so honestly? It totally hit all my notes.
2. Salamander Bites; 3 stars
I really like the plot in this one- the idea is great and the execution is satisfactory. However, there wasn't enough connections with the characters to really make me invested. The author made a good choice with that ending too- it resolves the frustrated emotions from the rest of the story.
3. Black and White; 5 Stars
Another lovely story, with excellent focus on the emotions. I love how we got to see the characters and get attached to them before all the reveals started- very effective.
4. Dinosaur Stew: 4 stars
So this one is more tongue in cheek than most of the other stories. There's a lot of handwavium and people accept the plot elements too easily. It is, however, very light and very fun and I will not complain about that.
5. Not All Is As It Seems: 2 stars
This story is shoehorned in as part of a series and it really shows. I imagine the gratuitous number of characters we didn't get to really explore beyond their names are somehow part of the main series, but here they mostly just muddied the waters. It was also the least convincing use of these theme so far. But at least the vampires were entertaining, and I can never say no to a loyal doggie.
6. Batting Out of Order: 3 stars
I have to admit I'm not entirely convinced by this story? I really like the use of theme, but I'm a bit uh- weirded out by the ending?
7. Grand Tour; 5 stars
Grand fun is more like it. Emotionally reactive, set in a historical period with liberal use of more history, and a sweet story of financial success and true affection. We could do with more in these trying times.
8. A is for Alacrity, Astronauts and Grief; 5 stars
Once again, an excellent combination of applied timeywimey shenanigans and human emotions. Loved the protagonist's desperate feelings about her mother and nephew, and her grit towards the end because the stress dripped off the page. The decoded message was a great counterpoint to the story too.
9. The Spiel of the Glocken; 2 stars
This one focuses on romantic attraction between two people set against a backdrop of constantly changing temporal shifts. Sadly, it doens't have the time to develop either of these things properly- the constant switch in time periods left me thinking I was reading a quasi documentary full of names and references I didn't know, and the characters are mostly reacting to the plot, with no emotional stakes and no real personality. I think that last scene was cute, but it's not enough to make up for the rest.
10. The Passing Bell; 5 stars
A wonderfully creepy story about a small town with a disquieting bell. Our hero is resourceful, the conflict is emotionally driven, and there's an element of fatality to the parson that makes you want to smack him upside the head. Wonderfully entertaining, and perfectly paced.
11. Destination Ahead; 4 stars
Stressed out Dads on vacation with kid accidentally end up in the past. This story uses the stress of being stuck elsewhen to have the protagonists face their relationship problems, and does it fairly well. I also really liked Sondra.
12. Where There's Smoke; 3 stars
I always feel guilty rating something three stars because it was a good story, just not one for me. Once again a relationship takes the center stage, and it was a good relationship so I'm not complaining there. But there was barely anything in the temporal displacement category, which lessened my enjoyment a little. I did really like the authors writng style though- might have to check out more stuff by them.
13. Alien Time Wrap; 1 star
I thought the Jane Yellowrock story relied too much on an established universe and characters and then I read this one which told me that no, it could have been a lot worse.
I understand the strategic value in writing a tie in story as part of an anthology- it appeals to both old readers of the series and can bring in new readers. However, all I got from this one was a confusing summary of what I think was a pretty plot-relevant scene in the actual series, followed by scenes of the protagonist He mostly came across as a smug know-it-all, and the half-hearted attempts at and continuous references to feminism got on my nerves. (To clarify, I'm absolutely behind feminism, but I sometimes get mad at what people think qualifies for it.)
No protagonist, a presumably Latina/African-American maid in the 1940s needs more than encouraging words to actually become a scientist, and I despise her not getting credit for her work because that is one thing that could actually have helped. In addition, repeated assurances that your friend is a feminist followed by she realize she could trust guys because of Aerosmith lyrics is- ugh. I'm not making a judgement on the actual series but all of this stinks of performative white feminism (there was a scene at the end where the series MC convinces other aliens they were gods) focused mostly on being supportive and empathetic to the guys.
Either way, It definitely does not make for a good anthology story. It doesn't stand on its own, there are way too many extraneous characters and references to series canon, and the handling of sensitive issues was clumsy.
14. Cell Service; 2 stars
Yet another temporal shits cause people to rethink relationships story. The time shift idea is solid enough. What I don't buy is either of these people being happy in a relationship- everything about the phone calls addressed how happy they used to be and not the very real and very present problems the relationship is going through, so I really can't take this seriously.
15. Temporally Full; 3 stars
A little abrupt and too short to really develop the central relationship, but pretty good nevertheless.
16. Notes and Queries; 3 stars
Entertaining enough to read, but the ending left me hanging a bit too much. Felt more like the start of a story than a complete narrative.
17. Temporally Out of Odor: A Fragrant Fable; 4 stars
A really sweet, really sad story. Once again something that's negatively affected by the limited length, because I feel like there's a story here that could have been teased out for longer and been more fulfilling in a novella format. Still, it made me a little upset, and a left me feeling a little bittersweet.
August 3, 2020
This compact anthology was really enjoyable, where stories with lighter and more contempraneous themes dominated over square-jawed stuff. My personal favourites were:
1. Seanan McGuire's 'Reading Lists';
2. Elektra Hammond's 'Salamander Bites';
3. Chuck Rothman's 'Dinosaur Stew';
4. Steve Raskin's 'Grand Tour';
5. 'The Spiel of the Glocken' by Laura Resnick (Best of the lot);
6. Amy Griswold's 'The Passing Bell';
7. Laura Anne Gilman's 'Destination Ahead';
8. Christopher Barili's 'Cell Service'.
A nice, breezy, versatile anthology— that's my overall assessment.
Recommended.
1. Seanan McGuire's 'Reading Lists';
2. Elektra Hammond's 'Salamander Bites';
3. Chuck Rothman's 'Dinosaur Stew';
4. Steve Raskin's 'Grand Tour';
5. 'The Spiel of the Glocken' by Laura Resnick (Best of the lot);
6. Amy Griswold's 'The Passing Bell';
7. Laura Anne Gilman's 'Destination Ahead';
8. Christopher Barili's 'Cell Service'.
A nice, breezy, versatile anthology— that's my overall assessment.
Recommended.
July 10, 2022
Mini blurb: 17 stories dealing with time misplacement (more than with actual time travel), where everyday objects act as catalysts by bringing a piece of the past (or the future) with them...and sometimes change lives.
***
Rated 3.5 really.
As it often happens with anthologies, despite the unifying theme, the styles and genres are all over the place, and some of these didn't really work for me - though as a rule I love everything that's got to do with time travel or (in this case) time misplacement. (Then again, I'm probably more of a time-travel gal...🤔). Also, like other Goodreads reviewers have noted, there are a couple of series-tie-ins in here that don't quite belong with the theme itself (vampires? seriously???). Lastly, I skipped two of these stories: The Passing Bell because I don't like historical fiction, and Alien Time Warp because - despite its being one of the most sci-fi-oriented of the bunch, which would make it my cup of tea - the narrator got on my nerves from the start.
On the whole, the quality is more than decent, and the worst thing I can say it's that some of these stories are twists on overused tropes, like the navigator that points you to the past or the camera/phone that takes photographs of/receives messages from it. Some are definitely wild and/or absurdist, but in a good way, like Dinosaur Stew (on the funny side) and Temporally Out of Odor (inventive premise, both sad and heartwarming in the end - it went in a direction that I didn't expect). Some deal with family (conventional and not - I appreciated their having gay and trans main characters) and maybe force the happy ending's hand a tiny bit...One goes in the totally opposite direction, but still in order to guarantee a happy ending of sorts (family reunion) that shouldn't have come at the cost of the main character's sacrifice. Ultimately, Seanan McGuire's Reading List (the reason why I read this book) steals the scene. It's a lovely variation on casuality and being in the right place at the right moment with the right person to help you make the right choice, and a love letter to libraries - seriously, you can't ask for more.
Note: definitive review (due to time commitments, I've decided not to write full-length reviews anymore for short stories, novellas and anthologies, except in special cases or unless they're part of a series).
***
Rated 3.5 really.
As it often happens with anthologies, despite the unifying theme, the styles and genres are all over the place, and some of these didn't really work for me - though as a rule I love everything that's got to do with time travel or (in this case) time misplacement. (Then again, I'm probably more of a time-travel gal...🤔). Also, like other Goodreads reviewers have noted, there are a couple of series-tie-ins in here that don't quite belong with the theme itself (vampires? seriously???). Lastly, I skipped two of these stories: The Passing Bell because I don't like historical fiction, and Alien Time Warp because - despite its being one of the most sci-fi-oriented of the bunch, which would make it my cup of tea - the narrator got on my nerves from the start.
On the whole, the quality is more than decent, and the worst thing I can say it's that some of these stories are twists on overused tropes, like the navigator that points you to the past or the camera/phone that takes photographs of/receives messages from it. Some are definitely wild and/or absurdist, but in a good way, like Dinosaur Stew (on the funny side) and Temporally Out of Odor (inventive premise, both sad and heartwarming in the end - it went in a direction that I didn't expect). Some deal with family (conventional and not - I appreciated their having gay and trans main characters) and maybe force the happy ending's hand a tiny bit...One goes in the totally opposite direction, but still in order to guarantee a happy ending of sorts (family reunion) that shouldn't have come at the cost of the main character's sacrifice. Ultimately, Seanan McGuire's Reading List (the reason why I read this book) steals the scene. It's a lovely variation on casuality and being in the right place at the right moment with the right person to help you make the right choice, and a love letter to libraries - seriously, you can't ask for more.
Note: definitive review (due to time commitments, I've decided not to write full-length reviews anymore for short stories, novellas and anthologies, except in special cases or unless they're part of a series).
October 2, 2020
3.5 stars. I checked it out for the Seanan McGuire short story, but I ended up enjoying nearly all of the stories in this collection.
August 31, 2015
Read in one sitting which is not why I buy anthologies ... I just couldn't put this one down.
One of the best anthologies I have read in consistence of quality. I did not find a single one of poor quality and think at least a few will haunt me for a while. The only down-side is the temporal issues (the theme of the anthology being an artifact making time act wrong) was repetitive; and I am never a big fan of time-travel stuff. Which when I say, every short story in the book is good, means an anti-time sci-fi reader enjoyed the entire collection.
Highlights - Batting Out of Order by Edmund Schubert made me cry (again his short works stands out in an anthology, the man needs to write more and edit less); Black and White by David B Coe reminds us history may be hidden by those trying to rewrite the past, but it is never truly gone; Dinosaur Stew by Chuck Rothman is a lark straight out of the crock pot; The Passing Bell by Amy Griswwold is a strange action adventure; All is not as it Seems by Faith Hunter is an excellent addition to the Yellowrock universe; and Cell Service by Christopher Barili is one of the many "family" stories, because what reaches through time the most to affect us is our blood and our loves whether good or ill - one should always accept the call.
From crock pots to baseball cards, library rooms to parking garages, you never know when technology might have gone wrong ... or what the time stream may be doing to correct it. Each story is more imaginative than the last.
One of the best anthologies I have read in consistence of quality. I did not find a single one of poor quality and think at least a few will haunt me for a while. The only down-side is the temporal issues (the theme of the anthology being an artifact making time act wrong) was repetitive; and I am never a big fan of time-travel stuff. Which when I say, every short story in the book is good, means an anti-time sci-fi reader enjoyed the entire collection.
Highlights - Batting Out of Order by Edmund Schubert made me cry (again his short works stands out in an anthology, the man needs to write more and edit less); Black and White by David B Coe reminds us history may be hidden by those trying to rewrite the past, but it is never truly gone; Dinosaur Stew by Chuck Rothman is a lark straight out of the crock pot; The Passing Bell by Amy Griswwold is a strange action adventure; All is not as it Seems by Faith Hunter is an excellent addition to the Yellowrock universe; and Cell Service by Christopher Barili is one of the many "family" stories, because what reaches through time the most to affect us is our blood and our loves whether good or ill - one should always accept the call.
From crock pots to baseball cards, library rooms to parking garages, you never know when technology might have gone wrong ... or what the time stream may be doing to correct it. Each story is more imaginative than the last.
October 18, 2019
A fun and engaging anthology. Only two stories didn't work for me (interestingly both were set in the authors' pre-existing 'verses). Two made me cry: Sofie Bird's 'A is for Alacrity, Astronauts, and Grief' and Edmund Schubert's 'Batting out of Order', while Juliet McKenna's 'Notes & Queries' was a wonderfully joyous offering.
October 8, 2015
This is not my normal genre and I only read it because one of my favorite authors, Gini Koch had a story in it, Alien Warp. I loved that one, but was pleasantly surprised when the other stories held my attention. It's a fast read and great when you are looking for something a bit different to read.
August 4, 2017
This is a themed short story collection about Time Travel, but it’s all inadvertent time travel. That makes this collection unique, in my opinion. As is my custom, I will touch on each story in my review.
The first offering is “Reading Lists” by Seanan McGuire. There is a room in a library that is out of order due to a “causality problem.” 51-year-old Megan Halprin keeps taking out books, that show her to have taken it out already, and it’s five years overdue. A story of how reading can change your life, and the earlier, the better.
Chefs and foodies will really enjoy Elektra Hammond’s short “Salamander Bites,” all about an oven that causes one restaurant to open and another to close. It’s about honesty and skill, too.
“Black and White” by David B. Coe is a mystery. The camera her grandfather left Jesse take pictures of what happened 50 years ago. And those pictures of the past, taken today, explain why her grandmother hid some photos of something she was a part of then but ashamed of now.
A crock pot with a ‘factory defect’ that makes it bring things forward from the age of thunder lizards is the malfunctioning item in “Dinosaur Stew” by Chuck Rothman. Anyone who has ever raised rambunctious boys or dealt with unwanted pets will get a huge kick out of this one!
“Not All Is As It Seems” by Faith Hunter is a most excellent entré into the world of her paranormal novels. It’s a tempest about a temporally displaced teapot, or more properly about what possesses it.
Time travelling baseball cards ask a young baseball player to choose his fate in “Batting Out of Order” by Edmund R. Schubert. This is perhaps the deepest and most touching story in the volume. If writing gems like this is why he retired from editing at IGMS, I say, “more, please.”
Rather than a temporally malfunctioning camera, “Grand Tour” by Steve Ruskin features a historical-vision camera lucida, a device used to project a scene onto paper for sketching and painting. It only shows each scene from the past once. Well not exactly malfunctioning . . . it’s haunted, in a good way.
The temporally affected appliance in “’A’ is for Alacrity, Astronauts, and Grief” by Sofie Bird is a typewriter. A message from the future, and it would give too much away to say where and who in the future, helps a woman make a right choice in a dysfunctional family situation,
“The Spiel of the Glocken” by Laura Resnick is a madcap romp through a “what if?” scenario where a fancy European clockwork imported to grace a government building in a town’s center causes chaos. Each time the bell rings, another scene from local history happens in front of the eyes of a coffee shop patron and his barista. They disable the clock before the town dissolves under the weight of various temporal dangers.
Next in line is “The Passing Bell” by Amy Griswold, which features a temporally odd church bell, that rings a death knell before a death, spelling out many details about the death in a sort of code. Talk about foreshadowing! But there’s a twist at the end.
“Destination Ahead” by Laura Anne Gilman is about a malfunctioning GPS, that sends a modern family in its SUV back to pioneer days. A non-traditional family learns valuable lessons, and the nearly sentient GPS seems smug.
“Where There’s Smoke” by Susan Jett stars a temporally strange smoke alarm. It keeps going off at the same time every night, or should I say obscenely early every morning. The mystery has an interesting and happy ending.
The fantastic “Alien Time Warp” by Gini Koch is part of a larger universe. It’s class A, sweep-you-off your-feet writing about time loops and great characters and a telescope that looks across time-branched universes. If you liked Quantum Leap you’re going to LOVE this one.
“Cell Service” by Christopher Barili is the story of a couple, married ten years and in the process of divorce, that gets messages from themselves in the past on a series of old cell phones they were about to discard. Part Frequency, part Brainstorm, all wonderful
A parking garage is “Temporally Full” in a poignant little story by Stephen Leigh. And it allows a man to communicate to his father why he left and never came back before his dad died.
“Notes and Queries” by Juliet E. McKenna had perhaps the oddest temporally out of order story of the lot: an ATM that spewed bank notes from the past and the future. Once the busker main character realized that the crisp older notes were genuine, she bet a huge sum by asking the ATM to disgorge her daily limit of cash. If they were from the past, she’d be rich.
Last up we have a bit of medical whimsy, a temporally-out-of-joint prosthetic nose that lets a widower smell what life would have been like had his wife survived the car crash that also took his nose. Jeremy Sim’s “Temporally Out of Order: A Fragrant Fable” has more to it than that. Fittingly, for the end of the book, it’s about endings, beginnings and going on with your life.
A thoroughly enjoyable anthology.
The first offering is “Reading Lists” by Seanan McGuire. There is a room in a library that is out of order due to a “causality problem.” 51-year-old Megan Halprin keeps taking out books, that show her to have taken it out already, and it’s five years overdue. A story of how reading can change your life, and the earlier, the better.
Chefs and foodies will really enjoy Elektra Hammond’s short “Salamander Bites,” all about an oven that causes one restaurant to open and another to close. It’s about honesty and skill, too.
“Black and White” by David B. Coe is a mystery. The camera her grandfather left Jesse take pictures of what happened 50 years ago. And those pictures of the past, taken today, explain why her grandmother hid some photos of something she was a part of then but ashamed of now.
A crock pot with a ‘factory defect’ that makes it bring things forward from the age of thunder lizards is the malfunctioning item in “Dinosaur Stew” by Chuck Rothman. Anyone who has ever raised rambunctious boys or dealt with unwanted pets will get a huge kick out of this one!
“Not All Is As It Seems” by Faith Hunter is a most excellent entré into the world of her paranormal novels. It’s a tempest about a temporally displaced teapot, or more properly about what possesses it.
Time travelling baseball cards ask a young baseball player to choose his fate in “Batting Out of Order” by Edmund R. Schubert. This is perhaps the deepest and most touching story in the volume. If writing gems like this is why he retired from editing at IGMS, I say, “more, please.”
Rather than a temporally malfunctioning camera, “Grand Tour” by Steve Ruskin features a historical-vision camera lucida, a device used to project a scene onto paper for sketching and painting. It only shows each scene from the past once. Well not exactly malfunctioning . . . it’s haunted, in a good way.
The temporally affected appliance in “’A’ is for Alacrity, Astronauts, and Grief” by Sofie Bird is a typewriter. A message from the future, and it would give too much away to say where and who in the future, helps a woman make a right choice in a dysfunctional family situation,
“The Spiel of the Glocken” by Laura Resnick is a madcap romp through a “what if?” scenario where a fancy European clockwork imported to grace a government building in a town’s center causes chaos. Each time the bell rings, another scene from local history happens in front of the eyes of a coffee shop patron and his barista. They disable the clock before the town dissolves under the weight of various temporal dangers.
Next in line is “The Passing Bell” by Amy Griswold, which features a temporally odd church bell, that rings a death knell before a death, spelling out many details about the death in a sort of code. Talk about foreshadowing! But there’s a twist at the end.
“Destination Ahead” by Laura Anne Gilman is about a malfunctioning GPS, that sends a modern family in its SUV back to pioneer days. A non-traditional family learns valuable lessons, and the nearly sentient GPS seems smug.
“Where There’s Smoke” by Susan Jett stars a temporally strange smoke alarm. It keeps going off at the same time every night, or should I say obscenely early every morning. The mystery has an interesting and happy ending.
The fantastic “Alien Time Warp” by Gini Koch is part of a larger universe. It’s class A, sweep-you-off your-feet writing about time loops and great characters and a telescope that looks across time-branched universes. If you liked Quantum Leap you’re going to LOVE this one.
“Cell Service” by Christopher Barili is the story of a couple, married ten years and in the process of divorce, that gets messages from themselves in the past on a series of old cell phones they were about to discard. Part Frequency, part Brainstorm, all wonderful
A parking garage is “Temporally Full” in a poignant little story by Stephen Leigh. And it allows a man to communicate to his father why he left and never came back before his dad died.
“Notes and Queries” by Juliet E. McKenna had perhaps the oddest temporally out of order story of the lot: an ATM that spewed bank notes from the past and the future. Once the busker main character realized that the crisp older notes were genuine, she bet a huge sum by asking the ATM to disgorge her daily limit of cash. If they were from the past, she’d be rich.
Last up we have a bit of medical whimsy, a temporally-out-of-joint prosthetic nose that lets a widower smell what life would have been like had his wife survived the car crash that also took his nose. Jeremy Sim’s “Temporally Out of Order: A Fragrant Fable” has more to it than that. Fittingly, for the end of the book, it’s about endings, beginnings and going on with your life.
A thoroughly enjoyable anthology.
March 20, 2024
Very cool concepts and weird editing. Had to google that I wasn't losing my mind when it claimed that the Roaring Twenties occurred in the 1820s. Some real weird tones on feminist ideas, masculinity in the household, and sexuality...
Some really out there stories (3-4/5):
- Batting Out of Order
- The Spiel of the Glocken
- Destination Ahead
- Cell Service
- A Fragrant Fable
Some really unclear stories (1-2/5)
- Dinosaur Stew**
- Not All is as it Seems*
- A is for Alacrity, Astronauts, and Grief**
- Where There's Smoke
- Alien Time Warp*
- Temporally Full
- Notes and Queries
*These stories were set in a universe I knew nothing about, but the authors expected me to understand the most outlandish ideas and acronyms
**These stories were confusing/trite/annoying
But definitely some hidden gems (5/5):
- Reading Lists
- Salamander Bites
- Black and White
- Grand Tour
- The Passing Bell
Some really out there stories (3-4/5):
- Batting Out of Order
- The Spiel of the Glocken
- Destination Ahead
- Cell Service
- A Fragrant Fable
Some really unclear stories (1-2/5)
- Dinosaur Stew**
- Not All is as it Seems*
- A is for Alacrity, Astronauts, and Grief**
- Where There's Smoke
- Alien Time Warp*
- Temporally Full
- Notes and Queries
*These stories were set in a universe I knew nothing about, but the authors expected me to understand the most outlandish ideas and acronyms
**These stories were confusing/trite/annoying
But definitely some hidden gems (5/5):
- Reading Lists
- Salamander Bites
- Black and White
- Grand Tour
- The Passing Bell
December 6, 2022
As a person who´s first language isn´t english, I didn´t get the joke in the title until the first story - that "temporally" meant "out of time" and "temporarly" would be "for a short while" and the correct term. So, I expected a bunch of stories about broken devices and the trouble they caused. Like "the car wouldn´t start, so I missed a flight which turned out to crash" or just the usual "my handy broke and after a while of panicking I discover it´s not that bad".
I´ll admit, I´m not a fan of time-travel either. I like science, but sadly a lot of time-travel books lack proper research or at least a good explanation. But these one where good, maybe because there wasn´t the room for (wrong) explanations within the short stories, so they could focus more on the impact upon the characters.
I´ll admit, I´m not a fan of time-travel either. I like science, but sadly a lot of time-travel books lack proper research or at least a good explanation. But these one where good, maybe because there wasn´t the room for (wrong) explanations within the short stories, so they could focus more on the impact upon the characters.
November 29, 2017
Amusing, thought provoking, interesting, and funny, all sorts of stories, and not a dud among them.
I enjoyed this collection of stories, and if you're a fan of humor, space, science, fantasy, technology, and any number of other diciplines, you will to, not all stories will appeal to everyone, but this collection seems to have something that should appeal to most folks, so you're likely to find something here to suit your reading style, so feel free to add this one to your want to read list, you'll probably like it too.
I enjoyed this collection of stories, and if you're a fan of humor, space, science, fantasy, technology, and any number of other diciplines, you will to, not all stories will appeal to everyone, but this collection seems to have something that should appeal to most folks, so you're likely to find something here to suit your reading style, so feel free to add this one to your want to read list, you'll probably like it too.
July 16, 2022
This one is just fluff. Although I always enjoy visiting Molly and her family, there is nothing in here that adds to or advances the main story. Although it may be mentioned in a future story, if it is like the others, it will just be a passing remark that won't even make you think you've missed anything.
April 9, 2018
Several good ones, several okay ones, a couple I didn't finish. That's a pretty good score for a collection.
And as a fan of time travel stories, ALL of them were pretty original idea. A good collection
And as a fan of time travel stories, ALL of them were pretty original idea. A good collection
April 5, 2022
Uneven, some gems and some clunkers
There were a few fairly good stories in here, though none that stood out as the best I've read. There were some real boring and/or annoying stories, where the point was too obvious and dragged the story with it.
There were a few fairly good stories in here, though none that stood out as the best I've read. There were some real boring and/or annoying stories, where the point was too obvious and dragged the story with it.
August 5, 2017
Nice set of short stories with a time twist. Lots of different ideas on how time being "temporarily" out of order can affect people.
December 1, 2017
I picked this up for the Faith Hunter and Seanan McGuire pieces, but all of these were absolutely fascinating. Definitely an enjoyable read!
November 30, 2017
A wonderful concept with some fantastic stories.
May 14, 2018
Rated only for the Faith Hunter Story
August 19, 2019
just read the Jane Yellowrock story.
November 25, 2019
So much fun. Stories about time travel gone wrong.
September 1, 2020
Jane Yellowrock 8.1 Not all is as it seems
February 8, 2021
review of “Not All Is As It Seems” by Faith Hunter.
September 17, 2021
I just read Faith Hunter's story
February 22, 2022
“Reading Lists” by Seanan McGuire
December 8, 2022
I liked the Seanan McGuire story the best, of course
July 11, 2017
Fun read.
October 12, 2016
It could have been just a mismatch between subject and myself but I found many of the stories to be just 'meh' instead of really enjoyable.
March 9, 2017
I think three and a half on this one.
Some great writers here. Actually all the stories were well written. Different types of twists on the title, some really great and others, for me, not so great but still good. Great action scenes, descriptions and characters. The last story is different almost maybe humorous, but yet serious I thought.
Some great writers here. Actually all the stories were well written. Different types of twists on the title, some really great and others, for me, not so great but still good. Great action scenes, descriptions and characters. The last story is different almost maybe humorous, but yet serious I thought.
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