Dragon Springs & Other Things A Short Story Collection: Book #I
Fantasy Anthology, Fantasy Short Stories
Grey Sun Press
June 1, 2023
Kindle
233
Amazon
Review by Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
This is a collection of short stories by Raven Oak. The stories range from fantasy, post-apocalyptic and steampunk to name a few but there is definitely something for everyone. I will give a short review on each story in this book to hopefully pique your interest.
Mirror MeThis was a very interesting story about a policeman who when he looks into someone’s face sees his own. He calls it his mirror but, in reality, itis him seeing himself in the other person’s place, their pain, their hungerand their helplessness. Being a mirror and putting yourself in someone else’s shoes would most likely stopa lot of unnecessary pain inflicted on others.
Water the Fire A young man has become a victim to water damage, and he considers that it is caused by a water demon. Broken water heaters, hurricanes, overflowing toilets, none of the damage is attributed to anything he has done but insurance companies don’t care who caused the damage, only that they must pay. Hiring an exorcist as a last resort gives him the answers he has been seeking and it all points to fire.An interesting story of a battle between water and fire.
Alive The heroine of this story is Ida a character that appeared in Amaskan’s Blood. If you are familiar with that series, then you are familiar with Ida and will enjoy this story starring her. Ida has learned about women being killed, throats slit and then burned. The necks look like hers only she survived. She suspects that these dead women who resemble her are a calling card to bring her into the open so the first attempt on her life that failed would finally be successful. Her past has caught up with her, but she is a fighter and doesn’t intend to make things easy for her enemy.
Learning to Fly A wedding and buying a wedding dress are the happiest times in a girl’s life but Amelia has a dark cloud hanging over what should be her joy. Her father is dying from cancer and although he might not be able to walk her down the aisle, he is there to watch her try on wedding gowns. As a plus side woman Amelia tries on one dress after another and nothing works until her dad points out a special dress that is beyond their price range. The dress is perfect, she buys the dress, and her father dies in the store. When the wedding date arrives, Amelia learns that magic is real, magic that could change her life and future.
The Drive to Work This is a story about love and death. Helen had prepared Pierce’s breakfast every morning and driven him to work so that they could use the carpool lane, making their trip shorter. Years of the same routine suddenly would end.
The Ringers Fourteen-year-old Elise and her parents are moving to the Village of Dekwood for a new start, but it would prove to be a nightmare. Upon arriving in town, they are given a room in the inn and Elise’s hopes of going to school for magic just another disappointment. Magic is banned in Dekwood and school is considered unnecessary past an elementary education. Everyone is required to work, including children. Elise and her mother are assigned to work in the factory, and it didn’t take long to realize that Dekwood lacked any kind of joy. Then knowledge of the Ringers brought a whole new level of fear, five skeletal men sitting on horses whose job is to rid the town of unnecessary people.
Elise, despite her young years, is determined to find a way to stop the Ringers and bring peace to the village but it is a huge mission for anyone without the proper knowledge of dark magic, especially a child. This story elevated my rating for the entire book, it was scary filled with surprises, secrets and the bravery of a young girl who refused to accept a life of almost slavery and the constant fear of the Ringers ringing their bells a warning that someone would die.
Cookie Man A coffee shop is the inspiration for this story. A writer sees the customers as a vast look into humanity, all types of people enter for their cup of coffee and piece of cake. The writer sees an elderly man who comes in and meets a woman, he wonders if this is a friend or daughter but watches them. The man orders a chocolate chip cookie, and they sit and talk for a long time till going their separate ways. The writer’s imagination sees a story in this couple, and he writes his book while watching them.
Amaskan At the age of fifteen Shendra lost her parents and found herself homeless and starving. She was rescued from the streets by her older brother, a member of the Order of Amaska. For five years she trained to join the Order but unlike her brother she tried to accept the fact that she would be required to kill. She was finally assigned to kill a woman who owned a brothel and was accused of selling women. She would be accompanied by her brother who kept trying to get her to clear her mind of being a murderer and accept that she was following the King’s orders and bringing justice. This story is intended to shed light on Ida Warhammer from the series Amaskan Blood so if you are familiar with that series this story will be of interest.
Peace be With You, Friend Solar flares are bringing the end of the world. Litalle has reached the age of nineteen and hasn’t seen a human or animal for a long time. Litalle knows the end is near and she seeks shelter in a cave that is housing a dragon. The dragon is as hungry as she is and only one of them has the chance for a last meal and that is the dragon. This is a story of two living creatures, a dragon and a human, and what they do just before the end comes.
The Snark PixieMe struck her nose into other’s business over the internet but in real-life she was the total opposite. When her private domain is invaded by a Snark, she would learn a lesson courtesy of a little creature with wings.
Dragon Springs and Other Things Fifteen-year-old Jonna is a tinkerer and wants to build a dragon. Her father wants her to build a train but at her age a dragon is so much cooler. Her dragon is everything she could have hoped for, but her father is not happy and when the dragon lands in the middle of town and protects himself by burning down a house things go from bad to worse. Jonna’s dragon has caught the attention of the King and the first thing that goes through a king’s mind or anyone in control is “weapon”. Jonna is faced with a real problem turn the dragon over to the king or let it free. Adding to the dilemma is the fact that her actions could cause trouble for her father.
I loved this book of short stories and can’t imagine anyone not finding some stories that are just their cup of tea. Every story held my interest and as I mentioned some of the stories were about Ida from Amaskan’s Blood, one her background story that should be a huge interest to those familiar with the series. I also loved the fact that the author explained after almost each story how that story came to be.
ANTHOLOGY
