ePulp Sampler, Vol 1
(Not a review, just some notes to help me remember the things I've read. But written this way because it's the Internet, and some people will stumble across this page.)
This was a freebie online while I was searching for "dieselpunk". I didn't realize how old it was. It says "edited by Kilroy" but everything online credits it to John Picha. The splash page says created by John Picha, Matthew J. Davies and Russ Bopp, and N. R. Grabe. The copyright notice show those four wrote the five stories (Picha writing two).
There are five stories contained of varying lengths, with may be launchpads for other series. I haven't gotten to the point of checking that out yet.
"Rurik of the Demonwatch: Arena of Death", Russ Bopp. We never really find out what the demon watch do (other than watch and battle demons). Rurik is traveling through someone's realm when he's captured and put into the arena for the queen's amusement. He defeats one foe and is about to be beset with more with the queen's son jumps into the ring to challenge the queen. Rurik is told to leave but not come back through the realm again. Not much to it.
"Dead Reckoner: October 21, 1917", Matthew J. Davies. A man falls victim to an African tribe and its with doctor and suddenly finds himself in WWI (decades later). Trench warfare and mustard gas. He seems to die at the end. I thought he would go from battlefield to battlefield, continually suffering. It seemed incomplete.
"Wild Marjoram: The Pill", John Picha. In an alternate timeline, WWI lasted a lot longer, so science and innvation continued. Basically, dieselpunk. The Germans have taken over parts of New York City, and the French have a stronger presence in Canada. Majoram is a mechanic in Chicago where there are still gangs, including one for women. THis makes sense because most of the young men are needed for the war effort. It seems that women are also needed to have babies for the war effort, which seems to imply that no one believes that the war will end in the next two decades. The Pill in the title refers to an actual birth-control pill, but its one made of heavier metals, so it has side effects of discoloring eyes to gray, and well as providing something akin to Popeye eating spinach (to a lesser extent) and damaging bones. Women who take the pill won't have children, which is helpful when the gang girls work in a brothel. The "anti-Slates" attack, and there are moves by foreign gangs to take over Chicago, so a group makes their way to Canada.
Maybe it was less convulted than I'm making it sound, or maybe it's more. It seems more of an excerpt of a bigger story rather than a standalone story. I would've ended it sooner. I didn't hate it.
"Pandora Driver: Blind Luck", John Picha. The Green Hornet, but a girl in black, like a black cat. The story follows a Charm School girl who sneaks out of a dance with a charming boy who turns out to be a serial killer who can get away with what he does (he's interested on how a body's insides work) because no one interferes. No one responds to screams. Pandora arrives and fires a tranq gun but it doesn't penetrate the guy's coat. He flees and Pandora has to get the girl to the hospital. Meanwhile, a nearly blind homeless man hears the screams, is aware of the fleeing man, and fires a flare gun at him that wounds the man in the shoulder. The two end up at the same hospital. The girl doesn't know the boy's real name, but the police bring him in, telling the nurse that he's important (son of a senator or somesuch). Pandora gets lucky. The girl survives, gets to meet the homeless vet, and decides to give up on charm school.
Interesting story. I could read more of them before I decide. There was something there.
"Skyracos: Set Adrift", N. R. Grabbe. Rocketmen versus alien bugs. I skimmed to the end. A lot of action but I lot interest.
The collection was a mixed bag. I did appreciate the intros to all the stories by whoever "killroy" is. If he's one of the authors included, that would make some sense. If there are more free samplers available, I might check them out before I spend money on any of them. These are "old" now, so it's possible.
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