Susan Marie Groppi

Twenty Epics

Edited By David Moles and Susan Marie Groppi

Publisher: All Star Stories

Published In: Berkekey, California, USA / Basel, Switzerland

Date: 2006

Pgs: 363

Summary:

Epics have lost their charm. There was a time when you finished an epic. When an epic left you feeling not discontent and exhausted, but joyous, melancholy, rejuvenated, satisfied…left you feeling that you were a better person for the experience.

Twenty Epics attempts to bring that feeling back.

In ten thousand words or less.

The best of the lot…

Cup and Table-love the characters and the story. Has great sweep and impact.

Have You Any Wool-love the villains. The psychic aliens making the fairy tales and stories of cultures solid and using them against their enemies is an awesome weapon.

The End of the Road for Hybeth and Grinar-feels like a great, long term DND game that has reached a spot where it can end…or coalesce into a new beginning.

The Rose War-the feudals using their vampire roses to conquer their enemies…and their allies is awesome. When the rose men arise in service to their queen…and their queen lays down with them to introduce their blood…pulp…whatever into the genetic heritage of the noble family…well…the story is well done.

Choose Your Own Epic Adventure-I give credit to the author for attempting it. It’s disjointed and a hard read, but credit and appreciation for the attempt.

The Rider-you don’t know if she’s just crazy or if she is just one of those aspects of War’s ritual as she explains it. She’s not the Walker or the Runner. She’s the Rider and when she shows up, it’s too late for all the other stuff. Too late for good or bad…it’s just time to die. You know…unless she’s really crazy like the guy who she’s been hitchhiking with suspects…but isn’t sure.

The Muse of Empires Lost-mankind has fallen. The people who live beyond the atmospheres of the planets have lost touch with the mudbound…and the ships, asteroids, and planetesimal colonies have largely lost touch and cohesion with each other…to the point that many don’t even realize that they are living within asteroids or ships.

Five Hundred and Forty Doors-Vikings fans/family war veterans go to Valhalla and together set about stopping Ragnarok.

Life Sentence-Groundhog Day meets The Shawshank Redemption meets Benjamin Button meets Dorian Gray meets The Bridges at Toko-Ri.

The Last Day of Rea-is the fall of empire with barbarians at the gate with magic and flying carpets, spaceships, and lasers.


Genre:

Epic Fantasy, Science Fiction

Main Character:

N/a

Favorite Character:

Carlsbad from Cup and Table. He’s a tarry, black void like Plastic Man mixed with Proteus and Armus from Star Trek: TNG. He’s rumored to be a fallen god or the immortal evil that lurks in the hearts of men…but he acts to help the Doctor and the Table stave off doomsday.

Least Favorite Character:

Scott William Carter from Epic, The. It’s just Flowers for Algernon wrapped differently.

Favorite Scene:

The moment in The Muse of Empires Lost when Jemmi stood up to Yee.

Plot Holes/Out of Character:

Some of the stories never clicked, but no real plot holes.

Last Page Sound:

Pretty cool.

Author Assessment:

I would take a long hard look at the authors of the stories that I liked. There are some pretty damned good ones in this book.

Disposition of Book:

Keep it! Re-read it!… (mehr)