UNIOVERSE

This SF anthology creates a new universe for both readers and creators to explore.

Editors Hodapp and Viola present an expansive, “community-owned” franchise that comes with a glossary and set canon rules enabling the authors in the anthology to create their own in-universe stories and poems and allowing game makers, other writers, and artists to get involved in this media-bending adventure as well. To get the “Unioverse” rolling, and to give readers a taste of what sort of excitement can be found within the expansive setting, this book collects stories and poems from multiple authors. The yarns tell of colorful characters including Malcolm Orion, who is brave enough to investigate the strange, pod-like object humans found on Mars; Reyu the Reaper, who has been stuck in stasis for millennia and cannot remember his life before; Arky, who uses technology to restore his younger body; and Callum Emnat, who tries to discover how a glacier could drive an entire planet mad. Poems speak of the horrors of “Zero Hour” (“Gods, the fog got worse each time, murky and sometimes bloody in each new body”) and of “Those That Wear Skin,” invaders taking the appearance of the native peoples they infiltrate. Jennett’s beautiful full-color digital illustrations make the anthology a true multi-media experience. While each story can stand alone, as each author effectively gives the reader a taste of the larger world, there are connections between the pieces as some characters pop up in multiple entries (the poems may not always make sense to those that are unfamiliar with the larger concept of the Unioverse). Some may find the idea overwhelming, but what the creators have brought to life here is more than worth the effort.

An expansive SF anthology featuring stories and poems that will leave readers excited for the larger project.