Kindle Edition Amazon The Writings of A. K. Frailey The Writings of A. K. Frailey Short Stories Category:  Science Fiction Publisher: A. K. Frailey Books Type: Fiction Pages: 233 Copyright: April 13, 2023 ISBN-13: 9798987404713 Price: $4.99 (eBook) Science fiction OldEarth and Newearth characters short stories. Character and background stories from OldEarth and Newearth worlds.  Excerpt Bright flames flickered over huge logs set into a fireplace large enough to roast a full-grown ox. Lush tapestries and rich oil paintings adorned the lofty walls while heavy wooden trestle tables lined the perimeter. Appearing as an elderly human in a long robe, wearing a red skull cap, Abbas reclined on an ornate couch with enough pillows to satisfy a Greek god. Studying a painting—the Mona Lisa—propped on a stand at his side, he tapped his fingers against his lips, a minor scowl etched across his brow. Omega strode into the great hall, bent and kissed his father on the forehead, and tilted his head at the Mona Lisa. “Figure her out yet?” Abbas rose and waved a languid hand. “She’s not half as interesting as the men who find her fascinating.” Abbas pointed to the painting. “Do you know that Leonardo—the artist—painted her to represent the ideal of happiness?” A grin played on Omega’s lips. “He’s quite wrong. I believe I’ve discovered ideal happiness—in tears.”

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterfully written collection of stories!
have only read one novel from A.K. Frailey. But have intended to read more of them, and even have a few on my device ready to go. I have enjoyed many of the stories and reflections she has shared links to via social media, and greatly enjoyed them. Last year when I found out she had released It Might Have Been: And Other Stories and a collection of reflections, Heart Beats: Spiritual Being Human Journey. I immediately picked up both. I loved both of them. When I found out she had a new collection out, this volume, I grabbed it immediately and started reading it that day.

The short stories in this volume are:

Rain from a Cloudless Sky – Old Earth
Mirror Image – Old Earth
The Human Question – Planet Lux
Horizon Line – 34 years After Old Earth
Enemy Self
Dedication – Newearth
Invasion – Newearth
I Never Had A Son – Planet Lux
Alicina’s Journal – Newearth Year 25
Eldars – My Father’s Vision – Planet Crestar
Life of Gorth – Ingilium
Lugg the Mighty and the Oskilth Civil War – Planet Crestar
Omega’s Homecoming – Mystery Planet
Omega’s Creation – Mystery Planet
Hope’s Embrace: A Bhuaci Poem – Planet Helm
Save Our People From Despair – Planet Helm
This Devil Doesn’t Lie – Newearth
From Machine to Man – Newearth
Off-World Faith – Newearth
Romantic Reality – Newearth
Trust Me – Newearth
Never Forget – Planet Sectine II
Mirage – Mystery Planet
Mirage-Reborn – Newearth
Mirage-Reborn – We Are LuKan – Mirage Reborn
A New Life for Lucius Pollex – Space Alliance
Grace Nelson’s Murder – Newearth
Vera’s Wigs – Newearth
Jeremy Quinn – Bothmal Prison
Xavier Pax’s Illusion – Newearth Spaceship Docks
Yelsa’s Choice – Newearth
Jazzmarie – Spaceship Merrimack
Riko’s Uncle Clem – Newearth
Common Destiny – Newearth
Now I See – Old Earth
Out Last The Ages – Old Earth
They Might Be Right – Old Earth
Live – Old Earth
Impossible Beings – Old Earth
The Great Wall – Old Earth
We Would Cry – Old Earth
Of Gods and Men – Old Earth
That’s What Turns Heads – Old Earth
The Play Is The Thing – Old Earth
A Fresh Thought – Old Earth
Speck in the Universe – Old Earth
Live With That – Old Earth
A Tie That Can’t be Broken – Old Earth

The novella is:
To Make a Difference

Some of the characters and places in this collection are familiar from other works of Frailey’s that I have read. So in part, it was like a visit with old friends. This collection is just shy of 400 pages of masterfully written stories. It is immensely entertaining.

After reading this collection I need to bump her unread novels way up in my ‘to be read pile’. I would need to read the collection again in order to pick a favorite story. There were so may great ones in the collection. Again while reading this collection I also thought about J.F. Powers, Powers was a master of short fiction. In his lifetime of work, he published 2 novels, and 5 collections of short stories. But both novels had multiple chapters that had been previous published as shorter fiction. I would love to see some of these pieces resurrected into a larger work. And know that I need to read the entire canon of Frailey’s fiction to put all the different stories into place. This is a great collection of short fiction. I only wish there was an index, or table of contents, but other than that it is another excellent collection, that I highly recommend. Check it out I am certain you will not be disappointed.