Dagda Publishing may be a relatively new name coming from the UK, but I think that readers will do best not to forget it.
They asked me to review their "dystopian anthology", a roughly 200 page book featuring 15 amazing stories from thirteen very talented UK-based writers.
Dystopian sci-fi is a difficult genre to write about as a novel, but as a short story, the difficulty doubles. It hasn't been overdone, but its basic themes have been used in novels and films time and time again, so what I went into this looking for was, above all, originality; a fresh take on a popular and, seemingly limitless, theme.
I received more than orginality, I received a masterful collection featuring stories that ran the gamut from simply intriguing (a living city that will coddle its residents) to disturbing (a boy murders his bully by forcing him to breathe futuristic toxic air) and even touching (a teen girl trying to save her grandfather from being murdered because be can't afford to buy more years to live).
Each author brought a unique voice to all of his/her characters and almost all of the stories have a frightening sense of reality; we could very well end up run by a popular department store or have our air poisoned by dirty manufacturing companies.
Though these stories are entertaining pieces of fiction, I think readers will find a lot of appeal in their theme of corporate self-destruction. I know I did!
Collections by various authors so often contain a few duds. Tuned To A Dead Channel does not. It is a full-running battery of powerful stories that could stand alone if tried.
For fans of dystopian, steampunk or just a good story, pick this one up. You won't be disappointed!
5/5--excellent!
Purchase Tuned To A Dead Channel via:
Amazon
Amazon UK
Dagda Publishing Official Site
[…] anthology Tuned To A Dead Channel, published by Dagda Publishing. You can find my review of that HERE . One of those stories, “Welcome To Omni-Mart”, was one of the most memorable in that […]
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