Remnants is a shared world anthology, featuring 14 tales of post-apocalyptic science fiction, heavy on the horror with a splash of supernatural. All of the stories in this anthology share a world that has been ravaged by monsters of an unknown origin. Differentiated into two groups, the aerial "swarm" and terrestrial "horde", these creatures have decimated the planet in a one-two punch. The swarm arrives in a pall of purple storms, stinging and shocking their victims with enormous stingers, heralding the arrival of the horde. The horde is made up of massive eyeless creatures with mouths filled with rows upon rows of teeth. Impervious to man-made weapons, the horde tramples everything in their path. Yet these stories are not really about the unfamiliar monstrosities. Instead, Remnants focuses on the people left behind, the survivors of this new insanity, the last remaining dregs of humanity. Each author attempts to define who the heirs of this new nightmarish world really are.

Resistance by Stephen Coghlan is our introduction to this alien new world and one of the longest stories in the anthology. After finding a lost girl, what lengths will a survivor with no previous connection go to protect her? After the lengthy read of Resistance, First Swarm by J.D. Sanderson with its telling of two photojournalists' encounter with the Swarm was shockingly brief, but not without influence. These first two stories are a detailed look into this horrific new apocalyptic world.

Heatwave by Aaron Lee, my least favorite in the collection, describes a blogger's statistical profile of death, a scorecard for the entire planet. His creation of a digital "thermometer" to show the world the rising fever of the planet, turns into a first look into the carnage of the Swarm, as he tries to uncover the truth of what's happening.

Then there are those stories in which the survivors rediscover their own humanity. In Megan by J.D. Kellner, a cuckolded husband fights not only the Horde but his own regrets and resentment. Civilian and military alike trapped within an underground bunker find a moment's happiness in the mundane in Against the Darkness by Stephen Coghlan. The Brood by Ian Fairgrieve gives us a prison escapee's encounter with not only the creatures but with the rubbish of humanity, reminding him to not let this current world change him. Rian's Path by D.W. Hitz again focuses on humans as a greater threat when society breaks down.

The supernatural aspect of Remnants becomes clearer in The Other Side by Michael D. Nadeau as 17-year-old Alana explores the spiritual realm created by the deaths of those around her. This story really introduces another facet to the anthology with those who find themselves walking on the other side of the spiritual plane and what continues to drive them once survival becomes a nonissue. The ghostly Love Song by Rachel Ford is one of the most poignant pieces in the anthology, with an eternal love song and protection from beyond the grave. It was easily one of my favorites. This Sheltered Isle by Benjamin Hope transpires another transcendent ghostly encounter in the isolated Ministry of Defense base on the isle of Hirta in Scotland. Echoes of Faith by Alan Provance also satisfies supernatural wantings with the folk tradition of giving offerings to the spirits for protection.

Then there are those stories of survival however small the odds. The Badlands by Crystal L. Kirkham is an entertaining read of a band of survivors with a unique way of fighting back. In The Forgotten by A.A. Rubin another group of survivors makes their stand against the creatures and one survivor gets a little help from an unseen source. A Final Longing by Stephan Coghlan is the most science fiction leaning piece of the collection and perhaps one that gives hope to a new life.

Remnants is the anticipated mix of compelling and mediocre short stories. Some are stories of survival and hope while others are of destruction and despair. The insinuation of the spiritual realm amongst the earthly devastation was an interesting juxtaposition and one that gave necessary relief to the doom and gloom. This anthology certainly depicts a radically different hostile world, but one in which each person has the opportunity to decide who they will be when their back is against the wall and little hope for survival is imminent.


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