This second volume of stories by Raven Oak is better than the first, at least for me. Each tale is really well done -- there's not a clunker in the bunch. My favorite was "Loss of Luna" which really connected with me in a wistful way. Both books are an incredible pair of collections that will stay with me for a long time to come. Highly recommended.

This was a diverse collection of short stories - both in characters and sub-genre. I like that the stories are short enough that you can read one, set the book down, and pick it up again later when you only have time for a quick read. Although some of the themes are a bit dark, that doesn't make this any less of an enjoyable read. If you're into spec fiction that flirts with sci-fi, thriller, and horror elements, you're likely to enjoy reading this!

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed the first installment of short stories and this one was just as enjoyable. You don’t have to read one collection to enjoy the other. This has 11 short stories ranging from a few pages to a few chapters and is a bit more sci fi based but covers many different sub-genres. I really enjoyed Ol St. Nick, a space opera type of story with a mystery element; D.E.A.TH., a cool hacker mystery that anyone who works in software development can appreciate; and Hungry if you’ve ever owned a pet this one will resonate.

I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the author through these short stories. I really like that each story has an explanation at the end as to why it was written and where it was published initially. If you are looking for a great short story collection with a sci fi theme give this a try.

Space Ships & Other Trips is the second book of author Raven Oak’s short story collection. This collection doesn’t have a strong theme tying the stories together and the stories range from science fiction to dystopia to psychological horror. Like all short story collections, there are stories that I liked better than others and stories that I wish could have been full books. Some of my favorite stories include:

Loss of Luna: A lyrical story of Earth’s love for the moon. This story was sweet, timeless and explores loneliness and proximity.

Hunger: Explores our love and willingness to do anything for our pets as well as how technology can aid us in understanding them. A sweet and realistic tale for any cat owner.

Q-Be: A technological thriller that dives into our dependence on our phones. This story had characters that I could easily connect with and I would love to see this expanded into a longer book.

Ol’ St. Nick: An interesting take on Christmas traditions complete with space mobsters. I really enjoyed this spaceship mystery.

Scout’s Honor: A story set in a future world where cities have taken to the sky from the Last Cities of Earth Universe. I was quickly connected to the rag-tag group of characters, especially Scout.


This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

I'm giving the same review for collections 1 and 2:
A solid and varied collection of stories. I was a bit impressed. This author has imagination and knows how to create good stories. Nicely done.

Thanks very much for the free copy for review!!

This book was definitely a trip. As a former barista, a situation in the story "Mouth" was relatable, a little icky, and you'll have to read it to find out why. I can't stop thinking about it!.