What a great collection. As with any anthology, I had my favorites, but every story was still great. I sometimes end up skimming through stories if they don't hold my attention, and that was certainly not the case here. Each entry in this collection makes you think.It was especially fun to read the entries like Atonement, New Tricks, and Solatium that are not only written by authors I've read before but also take place in familiar universes (and even feature familiar characters or locations!).Ov...

Incredibly spine-tingling analogy - causing Thoughts (of "What if That Really HAPPENED?) and Thrills for this grateful ARC reader. I've honestly struggled for at least a week, trying to put into words something which will do this book the justice it is due - (Pun definitely intended) and can not come up with anything adequate enough to convey how thought-provoking this book has been for me. Having a small understanding of Law due to having worked in an Attorney's office (USA) when younger and as...

I should have written my review right after I finished reading this book because now I can hardly remember anything about it. I can only assume it is full of competent but uninspiring stories.

What a dark, thought-provoking read - and I enjoyed every minute of it. Several of these authors I've read before, a few were new to me, but even though the theme was the same, all the stories were diverse and compelling. Those that impacted me most were:Atonement by Lucas Bale: As someone who buys his freedom by being a bounty hunter, Lahm faces some hard realities and attempts to rectify actions in his past.Bang Bang by S. Elliot Brandis: Given the current political climate in this country, th...

(I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Lucas Bale in exchange for an honest review.)This anthology appealed to me because when I think of my usual reading and writing habits, ‘crime and punishment’ is at the heart at just about everything I enjoy in fiction. I recently had a conversation with a fellow reader readers about the ending of Breaking Bad. Not bothered about spoilers because he says he’ll never watch it, one of the first things he asked about Walter White was ‘Is there r...

Another speculative fiction anthology from much of the same team that brought us No Way Home. And it's another cracker. This time, the authors tackle the many faces of crime and punishment.All enjoyable stories (not to mention a cracking foreword!), but I think it's bookended by my favourites.It was great to hear a little more from Lucas Bale's Beyond the Wall universe - I have enjoyed that series, so a short story providing another window into it was a real treat. Alex Roddie's story was so dif...

Crime & Punishment was a delightful anthology to read.I really enjoyed reading Atonement by Lucas Bale,New Tricks by J S Collyer & Bang:Bang by S Elliot Brandis. It's interesting to see how each author expresses their interpretation of the theme of crime & punishment.I liked being able to enjoy stories by authors I already follow,and discovering new authors to enjoy in the future.I would recommend this book to every fan of the sci-fi genre. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an hone

Reading an anthology is one of my favorite ways of being introduced to new worlds, new ideas, and new authors. CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, with its eight stories by talented authors, is no exception.The collection starts out with "Atonement" by Lucas Bale, introducing us to a bounty hunter who must track down others to stay free himself. Showing that sometimes it's easier to let yourself see only the surface of things, but that you might lose your humanity in the process, this is a story of regret and...

Collected here are many of the same voices from No Way Home, a speculative fiction anthology inspecting the idea of being cut off. Here, the authors are exploring crime and its consequences, and I was blown away yet again by the imagination this group possesses.Atonement by Lucas Bale: Once again, Bale shows a deft hand at both painting lovely scenery, and creating characters that the reader cares for. Lahm's life has been anything but pleasant, and his choices are whittled down to betrayal vs b...

BANG-BANG BY S. ELLIOT BRANDISI purchased this anthology to read "BANG-BANG" by Author S. Elliot Brandis. While Mr. Brandis is a fairly new young Author, it is easy to see his growth from his earlier work "The Tunnel Trilogy". This book brings forth a frightening glimpse of a possible future that would stun most people on this planet. I was caught by the first page and had to read without stopping to the bitter end.Good Lord, could our future hold such atrocity? I believe, yes, there are people

This is a second anthology from a great group of writers. I’d have bought this for the first story alone. As I always find, some stories from a collection like this stick with me, mean more to me, than others. However, they are all a good read and a different interpretation of the theme.Atonement is set in the Beyond the Wall series of books and the reader is quickly drawn into the oppressive regime. Lahm buys his own freedom by working as a bounty hunter. Is he really free? This is perhaps more...

Crime and Punishment is a fantastic collection of eight short speculative fiction stories. All these stories are very well written. I'll focus on three of my favorites to hopefully encourage you to buy this collection.Atonement, by Lucas Bale. Lahm is a bounty hunter compelled to continue his work in exchange for freedom. This story focuses on a contract that takes him back to his home planet. He becomes increasingly unwilling to finish this contract and seeks a way out-but it seems there is no

I’ve enjoyed several themed short story anthologies recently. What I love is a seemingly narrow remit can create an amazing array of interpretations.Crime & Punishment is up there with the best. I’d be hard pressed to give an order of preference to the stories as they each have their own merits.Having said that, the highlights for me are;The foreword, by Samuel Peralta: It begins ‘They say that Karma is a bitch’. It draws you into the anthology and sets the scene with pizzazz, reminding me of th...