Anthems Outside Time: and Other Strange Voices is a collection of science fiction, fantasy and horror short stories by American writer Kenneth Schneyer. It was first published by Fairwood Press in paperback and ebook in July 2020.
Summary
The book collects twenty-six short works of fiction by the author, most originally published in various genre magazines, anthologies and podcasts, together with an introduction by Mike Allen. Six of the stories had also previously appeared in Schneyer's first collection, The Law & the Heart: Stories to Bend the Mind & Soul (2014).
Contents
"Introduction: Anthems to Craft and Compassion" (Mike Allen) "Some Pebbles in the Palm" (from Lightspeed, July 2016) "Hear the Enemy, My Daughter" (from Strange Horizons, May 6, 2013) "Living in the Niche" (from Triptych Tales, December 1, 2014) "The Mannequin's Itch" (from The Pedestal no. 67, December 2011) "Lineage" (from Clockwork Phoenix 3, July 2010) "Keepsakes" (from Analog Science Fiction & Fact, November-December 2017) "The Last Bombardment" (from Pseudopod no. 459, October 9, 2015) "Confinement" (from SQ Mag, edition 2, May 2012) "Serkers and Sleep" (from Beneath Ceaseless Skies no. 96, May 31, 2012) "I Have Read the Terms of Use" (from Daily Science Fiction, December 3, 2013) "The Age of Three Stars" (from Daily Science Fiction, February 2012) "Keeping Tabs" (from Abyss & Apex, 4th quarter, 2011) "Selected Program Notes from the Retrospective Exhibition of Theresa Rosenberg Latimer" (from Clockwork Phoenix 4, July 2013) "The Plausibility of Dragons" (from Lightspeed, November 2015) "Calibration" (from Nature Physics, July 2008) "Levels of Observation" (from Mythic Delirium issue 0.3, January/March 2014) "Who Embodied What We Are" (initial publication) "Tenure Track" (from Cosmos Online, November 23, 2010) "The Sisters’ Line" (with Liz Argall) (from Uncanny Magazine, September-October 2015) "A Lack of Congenial Solutions" (from Humanity 2.0, October 2016) "Life of the Author Plus Seventy" (from Analog Science Fiction & Fact, September 2013) "You in the United States!" (from Procyon Science Fiction Anthology for 2016, 2016) "The Whole Truth Witness" (from Analog Science Fiction & Fact, October 2010) "I Wrung It in a Weary Land" (from PodCastle no. 330, September 27, 2014) "Six Drabbles of Separation" (from Trifecta XIII, "Stories from the Apocalypse" on The Drabblecast no. 172 (July 19, 2010) "Dispersion" (initial publication) "Acknowledgements" "About the Author"
Awards
"Selected Program Notes from the Retrospective Exhibition of Theresa Rosenberg Latimer" was nominated for the 2014 Nebula Award for Best Short Story and a finalist for the 2014 Theodore Sturgeon Award.
Reception
In a starred review, Publishers Weekly writes "Schneyer ... dazzles with this striking collection of 27 [sic] wide-ranging speculative stories. ... Each world is distinct and fully realized, and the astonishing variety of genre and tone on offer showcases Schneyer’s versatility. Inventive and resonant, this collection is sure to impress." The reviewer singles out "Keeping Tabs" ("emotional"), "Dispersion" ("intimate ... unsettling"), "The Plausibility of Dragons," "The Last Bombardment" ("chilling"), and "Life of the Author Plus Seventy" ("satirical") for particular comment.
Marlene Harris in Library Journal also gives the book a starred review, noting that it "features the author’s somewhat sideways view of the world," its science fiction of "the kind that dives deeply into the human side of the equation" and its "fantasies, even when they feature a monster or a dragon, depict the humans affected by those fantasy creatures. All are from the darker corners of the imagination, whether pain or grief or just plain evil, all are compellingly readable." Overall, she calls it "a strong collection, with fascinating viewpoints on the ways humans exhibit both humanity and inhumanity no matter the circumstances or the century. ... By turns prescient, heartbreaking, and provocative. Highly recommended for readers who want their speculative fiction to make them think—and think hard."