Quantum Zoo
(2014)An anthology of stories edited by D J Gelner and J M Ney-Grimm
From a ghost park to a time-travel penitentiary of murderers to a menagerie of Egyptian deities, Quantum Zoo presents 12 compelling stories involving 12 very different living exhibitions. Including a wonderfully atmospheric tale by Hugo- and Nebula-nominated Bridget McKenna.
THE STORIES
"A King in Exile" - Lady Penelope Smythe-Everton, a nineteenth century British aristocrat with a penchant for adventures to exotic locales, leads an unconventional life. When she brings home a very curious egg from one such excursion, the unconventional becomes...unique.
"Echoes of Earth" - Tentacle-laden aliens abduct family man Bill when he steps out for an evening jog. He awakens powerless, not in the pulp-classic alien embrace, but displayed in an interstellar zoo and tormented by the diverse alien species that pass through.
"Bestiarum" - Humanity's last survivors hurtle toward a barely-habitable planet light years away in a failing lifeboat, stressed from generations of wear-and-tear. When Zookeeper Thimet meets a group of schoolchildren in the ship's Bestiarum, one little girl's curiosity gets the better of her. What dangerous secret has Thimet been hiding for decades...?
"Ignoble Deeds" - Lila embarks on a disquieting errand to give her dying and troubled mother peace of mind. It takes every bit of craftiness and deceit she can muster to get inside the new tourist attraction that's set up shop in an old, abandoned zoo. You won't believe what happens once she does...
"At Home in the Stars" - When two manicure-loving, jacuzzi-seeking, pink cadillac-admiring friends tangle with the alien masters of the galaxy, who wins? The ladies? The aliens? Or good ol' human nature?
"The Most Dangerous Lies" - A new zoo puts some of history's most evil monsters on display for the public to see in the flesh, but is their newest addition - Jack the Ripper - too dangerous to be left to his own devices?
"Playing Man" - Corporate executive Jordem Lun revisits Earth during his annual vacation. Maintained as a vast safari preserve, the old home planet displays gorgeous scenery and breathtaking wildlife, but something mysterious acts in its shadows.
"You'll Be So Happy, My Dear" - An inexperienced starfarer seeks local help when her spaceship malfunctions near a backwater planet. The most prominent ad on the internet directs her to just the right repair shop. Or does it?
"Skipdrive" - Alien leviathans, discovered floating in space beyond the orbit of Neptune, provoke a "space race" between the competing nations of Earth. Maintenance Chief Eliza, half-cyborg and immune to the strange side effects of the skipdrive, suspects that the first ship on the scene - hers - just made a very big mistake.
"Demon Rising" - A monster lives under little Katherine's bed. She knows he means her no harm, but would anyone else agree?
"Your Day at the Zoo" - What if you inhabited the consciousness of a great cat or a lazily coiled serpent or a great ape for just one day? What would it be like?
"Serpent's Foe" - Bastet, divine protectress of the gods themselves, lies defeated in a cage. Trapped in beast form, imprisoned behind bars, and confused by nightmares, she longs for freedom.
* * *
A wonderful volume of exciting, enthralling short stories from a dozen of the hottest indie authors in science fiction and fantasy, all for one low price. Visit these 12 exotic worlds on a thrilling ride through Quantum Zoo!
Genre: Science Fiction
THE STORIES
"A King in Exile" - Lady Penelope Smythe-Everton, a nineteenth century British aristocrat with a penchant for adventures to exotic locales, leads an unconventional life. When she brings home a very curious egg from one such excursion, the unconventional becomes...unique.
"Echoes of Earth" - Tentacle-laden aliens abduct family man Bill when he steps out for an evening jog. He awakens powerless, not in the pulp-classic alien embrace, but displayed in an interstellar zoo and tormented by the diverse alien species that pass through.
"Bestiarum" - Humanity's last survivors hurtle toward a barely-habitable planet light years away in a failing lifeboat, stressed from generations of wear-and-tear. When Zookeeper Thimet meets a group of schoolchildren in the ship's Bestiarum, one little girl's curiosity gets the better of her. What dangerous secret has Thimet been hiding for decades...?
"Ignoble Deeds" - Lila embarks on a disquieting errand to give her dying and troubled mother peace of mind. It takes every bit of craftiness and deceit she can muster to get inside the new tourist attraction that's set up shop in an old, abandoned zoo. You won't believe what happens once she does...
"At Home in the Stars" - When two manicure-loving, jacuzzi-seeking, pink cadillac-admiring friends tangle with the alien masters of the galaxy, who wins? The ladies? The aliens? Or good ol' human nature?
"The Most Dangerous Lies" - A new zoo puts some of history's most evil monsters on display for the public to see in the flesh, but is their newest addition - Jack the Ripper - too dangerous to be left to his own devices?
"Playing Man" - Corporate executive Jordem Lun revisits Earth during his annual vacation. Maintained as a vast safari preserve, the old home planet displays gorgeous scenery and breathtaking wildlife, but something mysterious acts in its shadows.
"You'll Be So Happy, My Dear" - An inexperienced starfarer seeks local help when her spaceship malfunctions near a backwater planet. The most prominent ad on the internet directs her to just the right repair shop. Or does it?
"Skipdrive" - Alien leviathans, discovered floating in space beyond the orbit of Neptune, provoke a "space race" between the competing nations of Earth. Maintenance Chief Eliza, half-cyborg and immune to the strange side effects of the skipdrive, suspects that the first ship on the scene - hers - just made a very big mistake.
"Demon Rising" - A monster lives under little Katherine's bed. She knows he means her no harm, but would anyone else agree?
"Your Day at the Zoo" - What if you inhabited the consciousness of a great cat or a lazily coiled serpent or a great ape for just one day? What would it be like?
"Serpent's Foe" - Bastet, divine protectress of the gods themselves, lies defeated in a cage. Trapped in beast form, imprisoned behind bars, and confused by nightmares, she longs for freedom.
* * *
A wonderful volume of exciting, enthralling short stories from a dozen of the hottest indie authors in science fiction and fantasy, all for one low price. Visit these 12 exotic worlds on a thrilling ride through Quantum Zoo!
Genre: Science Fiction
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