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absolomb's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
bkkrueger's review against another edition
5.0
The stories by Howard Tayler and Dan Wells were very enjoyable, but the stories by Brandon Sanderson and Mary Robinette Kowal were amazing. Seeing how the authors do their brainstorming and editing processes was very interesting.
kells97's review against another edition
5.0
This is wonderful if you want more insight into writing processes. The anthology contains four short stories, but for each story first drafts, brainstorm sessions and edits are included. This gives you a really cool overview of how the stories came to be, and I really liked the insight.
idkwnisu's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
terraluft's review against another edition
4.0
This was 4.5 stars for me but only because I am a writer. The value of this book and seeing the behind the scenes process of a story growing from a brainstorming session through the many layers of editing and revision was nothing short of amazing. Interestingly, I really loved one author's story much more than the others and it wasn't Brandon's which is whose I was so looking forward to reading. If you want a taste of what it is like to be a writer, this is a great read. If you're looking for entertainment value, all you're really getting are four short stories from established and talented authors. Either way, hard to go wrong!
danstratton's review against another edition
4.0
I not only enjoyed the stories immensely, but the path to their creation. I appreciate the authors pulling the curtains back to see the messy process of creation. I appreciate their craft so much more. I know their intent is to inspire others to write. Sometimes it is just nice to sit back and enjoy watching an artist create. I find the process just as beautiful as the finished product. Thank you, Writing Excuses team. Now I'm out of excuses. Time to go write.
angelgrrl's review against another edition
5.0
"A Fire in the Heavens" — Really good. Really really good. I will have to read more by this author.
"I.E.Demon" — Short and cute. The title is clever once you've read it.
"An Honest Death" — Good.
"Sixth of the Dusk." — Over too soon. =\
"I.E.Demon" — Short and cute. The title is clever once you've read it.
"An Honest Death" — Good.
"Sixth of the Dusk." — Over too soon. =\
tome__traveler01's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
See my review for Brandon Sanderson's Sixth of the Dusk here.
The standout in this collection (and indeed what elevated it to 3.5 stars was Mary Robinette Kowal's A Fire in the Heavens. This was the first thing written by Kowal that was not co-written with Sanderson and it was a delight. I would like to see more from this world and I need to delve into the author's other works.
Dan Well's I.E. Demon is a solid enough 20 page short story, but a let down compared to the quality of his other writing which I have read.
Howard Taylor's An Honest Death is the first I have read by this author (and judging by his bibliography the only thing I will read) and it was okay. Not amazing, not bad.
Useful for writers (though skipped by me) is the back half of this book which included brainstorming sessions, early drafts, and editorial comments on all stories. I suspect this would be a valuable resource to aspiring writers.
See my review for Brandon Sanderson's Sixth of the Dusk here.
The standout in this collection (and indeed what elevated it to 3.5 stars was Mary Robinette Kowal's A Fire in the Heavens. This was the first thing written by Kowal that was not co-written with Sanderson and it was a delight. I would like to see more from this world and I need to delve into the author's other works.
Dan Well's I.E. Demon is a solid enough 20 page short story, but a let down compared to the quality of his other writing which I have read.
Howard Taylor's An Honest Death is the first I have read by this author (and judging by his bibliography the only thing I will read) and it was okay. Not amazing, not bad.
Useful for writers (though skipped by me) is the back half of this book which included brainstorming sessions, early drafts, and editorial comments on all stories. I suspect this would be a valuable resource to aspiring writers.