Shadow Lab: A Blackstone Publishing Anthology (Shadow Lab Anthologies)

Fans of short speculative fiction stories are in luck. New from Blackstone Publishing is Shadow Lab. Edited and curated by Brendan Deneen, this collection of seven short stories is as diverse as the authors. Writers include best-selling author Nicholas Sansbury Smith, award-winning author Brian Francis Slatter, YouTube comedian Tom Radford, and many more. These stories range from apocalyptic hell holes to first contact and from sci-fi to horror, with a mix of fantasy thrown in. Each story is a thrill ride, but it also makes the reader think, “What would I do in that situation.”

Smith’s submission is a continuation of his Hell Divers series. Radford explores the benefits and drawbacks of drinking alien waters. Ed Chow delivers a haunting tale of what would happen if we let our genes dictate who we are. Anything and everything could and does occur in this collection. Though there is not a designated theme for this anthology, Slatter might sum up this book best from a line from his story “Clouds,” “Everything’s changing, it’s no big deal.” For those who believe that change is inevitable and seek thrills in dark corners, look no further than Shadow Lab.