In Memory: A Tribute to Sir Terry Pratchett

by Sorin Suciu (Editor), Laura May (Editor), Anna Mattaar

“In Memory” features seventeen unique takes on the theme of memory from authors spanning nine countries and four continents. Written in dear memory of Sir Terry Pratchett and with all proceeds going to Alzheimer’s Research UK, these seventeen tales of magic (and the occasional automaton) will move you from giggles to tears and back again.

"This book is a fitting tribute to Terry Pratchett, a little man with a great big heart and an imagination that could not be constrained within the boundaries of our world. His work reached out to millions and will in the future reach out to millions more. Memory is everything and Terry will always be remembered." - Robert Rankin


TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Thanks for the Memory Cards - Luke Kemp
The Heart of the Labyrinth - DK Mok
How Fell the Towers Three - Peter Knighton
Memoryarian - Scott A. Butler
There's a Tattoo, But the Robes Hide It - Mike Reeves-McMillan
The Shells of Lethe - Laura May
Ackerley's Genuine Earth Antiques - Michael K. Schaefer
The Chicken Gospel - Phil Elstob
Doris - Sorin Suciu
The Wondrous Land of Nib - Lyn Godfrey
Strangers - Robert McKelvey
The Tale of the Storyteller - Caroline Friedel
Bubble Trouble - Charlotte Slocombe
The Vividarium - Steven McKinnon
The Archive of Lost Memories - Anna Mattaar
If Only I'd Known - Simon Evans
The Olivie Crowne Affair - Choong Jay Vee

Genres: Short Stories, Fantasy, Anthologies, Humor, Science Fiction

310 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2015

About the author

A gamer by vocation and an office dweller by dint of circumstance, Sorin lives in beautiful Vancouver with his wonderful wife and their vicious parrot.

Born in Romania, Sorin stubbornly resisted the temptation to learn English for well over twenty years. When he finally gave in, it was not work or video games that weakened his resolve, but rather the mindboggling discovery of Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams and Monty Python. With such teachers, it is no wonder that, much in the same way some lucky people learn to ride before they walk, Sorin learned to be funny before being fluent (even if he says so himself).

A late bloomer, Sorin Suciu made his literary debut in 2013 with The Scriptlings, a tongue-in-cheek contemporary fantasy aimed at geeks and mortals alike.

Reviews

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Memory is a wonderful collection of stories in tribute to the late Sir Terry Pratchett. The running theme throughout the anthology is memory with each author crafting their own unique spin on it.

This is a strong anthology with seventeen enjoyable stories providing the reader with a rollercoaster of emotions: I laughed, I was shocked, I was impressed and I was moved.

I think fans of Terry Pratchett around the world will thoroughly enjoy these stories and with all proceeds going to Alzheimer's Research UK, it's an extremely worthy tribute to a much-missed Terry.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a huge diversity of tales, each of these seventeen authors have given their own tribute to Sir Terry Prachett with their words and their gift for creating fascinating stories! Each author has also left a side note to or about Sir Terry that are as heartwarming as the method they have chosen to assist in Alzheimer’s research. Each short story revolves around the theme of memory while running the gamut of styles. Prepare to laugh, chuckle, frown and have your heartstrings tugged as these talented people pour their hearts into their tribute.

There wasn’t a story that I didn’t enjoy, as each is written with confident strokes of each pen. This anthology is a wonderful escape by devouring each tale either in small bites or all at once, like a seventeen course meal!

From the first tale to the last, each is worthy of praise. Well structured, in an order that flows easily from author to author and style to style, I would highly recommend picking up In Memory: A Tribute to Sir Terry Prachett for the entertainment and the donation to Alzheimer’s Research.

I received this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Publication Date: October 31, 2015
Publisher: Sorin Suciu and Laura May
Genre: Anthologies & Short Stories
Print Length: 216 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Anna Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Memory: A Tribute to Sir Terry Pratchett contains 17 very diverse stories with one central theme: Memory, or the loss of it. If you were expecting that all of them would sound like Terry Pratchett, you'd be sorely disappointed - after all, these are very diverse authors from 9 countries and 4 continents. However, there are echoes of Terry in every single story that you read.
I started reading this book with the presumption that I would love it. After all, it was written as a tribute to Terry Pratchett, one of my favourite authors of all time.

Personal favourites of mine (in order of appearance) are The Heart of the Labyrinth (DK Mok), Ackerley's Genuine Earth Antiques (Michael K. Schaefer), The Tale of the Storyteller (Caroline Friedel), and The Olivie Crowne Affair (Choong JayVee). They're a very diverse group of stories - Storyteller is an enchanting fairy tale-like read; Olivie Crowne is witty and and a little crazy; Labyrinth harks back to a more medieval time; whilst Antiques is set so far in the future that earth is nothing but a dream.

Honourable mentions go to Memoryarian (Scott A. Butler), There's a Tattoo, But the Robes Hide It (Mike Reeves-McMillan), Strangers (Robert McKelvey), and The Archive of Lost Memories (Anna Mattaar). Tattoo actually reminds me a little of Diana Wynne Jones.

Overall, the anthology is a great one - one that I'd likely want to browse through over and over again. It's funny, it's engaging, it's also a little contemplative and bitter sweet.

----

I was going to delete my running commentary on the stories, but I guess I'll leave them as part of the review. (Minor cleaning up done)

Thanks for the Memory Cards: First story off to a shaky start, but I really liked how it went.
The Heart of the Labyrinth: Omigosh. Second story is awesome. *squeal*
How Fell The Towers Three: A bit shouty.
Memoryarian; There's a Tattoo, But the Robes Hide It: Nicely done
The Shells of Lethe: Reminds me of something. Not too sure I entirely like the tone it's written in. Was a bit disruptive at points.
Ackerley's Genuine Earth Antiques:I also really liked this one. This is a pretty good anthology. ahaha
The Chicken Gospel: Interesting in a very distracted kind of way. (Note: I liked this better on the second read than the first.)
Doris: Looked back at it to put a comment and did not strike me in any way positive or negative. Hum...
The Wondrous Land of Nib: I didn't like the switch at the end. I mean... if this is a Pratchett tribute, it really could have been done more stylistically over the whole short story.
Strangers: Strangers earns a heart!
The Tale of the Storyteller: Storyteller earns many, many hearts!
Bubble Trouble: A little ambivalent about Bubble. It started off great but I think it got lost halfway.
The Vivadarium: Meh.
The Archive of Lost Memories Liked it.
If Only I'd Known Not sure I got the reasoning behind this one.
The Olivie Crowne Affair OMIGOSH JAY VEE I LOVE YOU (I should probably delete this part of the review. lol)

[Ryan Attard · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are several things that are awesome about this: the diversity of the stories and the quality of writing to start with (which is impressive considering these are 17 different people, and yet managed to write at a consistently good level)

Most of these stories will make you laugh out loud, with the twists and turns, and language skills that would make Sir Terry proud.

Oh, and there’s the fact that these people took time out from their daily lives to help out with a noble cause is nothing short of commendable. This is the best way to honor a master wordsmith like Pratchett. Well done, Sorin, Laura and the rest of the authors.

[Raymond Vogel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an outstanding collection put together by Sorin Suciu (one of my favorite authors) and Laura May for a great cause. Most of these stories were built to be funny, with some having touching life lessons included in them, and they span multiple genres - from science fiction to fantasy to mystery. I'm sure you'll enjoy them as much as I did.

Although I have to admit to being only a recent convert to the fan club of Sir Terry Pratchett, I have seen the effects of Alzheimer's firsthand and couldn't think of a better cause to contribute to. For what it's worth, I'm also an author myself (check out Matter of Resistance).

To give credit and feedback to the individual authors included in the anthology, I've included comments on each short story below.

1. Thanks for the Memory Cards by Luke Kemp
(4 STARS) Thanks for the Memory Cards is a fun stroll down memory lane with a couple of unique and interesting characters.

2. The Heart of the Labyrinth by DK Mok
(5 STARS) The Heart of the Labyrinth is a creative blend of fantasy and humor from a promising author. The story includes a clever twist and a refreshing perspective on the often too-short memories of those in authority.

3. How Fell the Towers Three by Peter Knighton
(4 STARS) How Fell the Towers Three is a quick and engaging tale of ballads, flatulence, engineering, and historical context.

4. Memoryiam by Scott A. Butler
(4 STARS) Memoryiam is a well-written tale that will draw a good mixture of emotions from any reader.

5. There's a Tattoo, But the Robes Hide It by Mike Reeves-McMillan
(5 STARS) This intriguingly-named story is a quick, easy read with some amusing ideas blended seamlessly together to create an entertaining story.

6. The Shells of Lethe by Laura May
(4 STARS) The Shells of Lethe is an amusing and unexpected tale, with an interesting perspective on the value of memory.

7. Ackerley's Genuine Earth Antiques by Michael K. Schaefer
(4 STARS) This is a funny, clever, and well-written science fiction story. I particularly enjoyed the idea of the earth antique dealer.

8. The Chicken Gospel by Phil Elstob
(5 STARS) This was my favorite short story of the anthology. I thought it was brilliant. I dare say that Sir Terry would be pleased, as this author took a simple story of farm animals in a small town and gave them a beautifully complex and often-hilarious set of new dimensions.

9. Doris by Sorin Suciu
(5 STARS) Possible only for someone with his talent and dedication, Sorin Suciu manages to fit an epic concept into a tiny space with surprising ease.

10. The Wonderous Land of Nib by Lyn Godfrey
(5 STARS) This is a laugh-out-loud funny tale, with a creative twist to boot. A great short story!

11. Strangers by Robert McKelvey
(4 STARS) Strangers is a well-written "hang over" mystery with well-developed characters and the subtle trappings of a powerful life lesson.

12. The Tale of the Storyteller by Caroline Friedel
(5 STARS) This is a touching memoriam for Sir Terry and, for that matter, all of the great authors that inspire us.

13. Bubble Trouble by Charlotte Slocombe
(5 STARS) This is an engaging short story with excellent characters and plot symmetry. Well done!

14. The Vividarium by Steven McKinnon
(5 STARS) Be ready for a surprising mixture of highly imaginative and deeply philosophical writing.

15. The Archive of Lost Memories by Anna Mattaar
(5 STARS) This story draws you in with an unexpected and distinctly interesting story-within-a-story style.

16. If Only I'd Known by Simon Evans
(4 STARS) This is a well-though out, scientifically and philosophically interesting discussion on time travel and the nature of memory.

17. The Olivie Crown Affair by Choong Jay Vee
(5 STARS) Great short story! It includes a fun mixture of humor and action that kept me engaged and interested from start to finish.

[D. George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucky me received an ARC of this book for review, and I'm so glad I did. First of all, Sir Terry Pratchett (#GNUTerryPratchett) is one of my very favorite authors, and losing him to the embuggerance (as he called it; his Alzheimer's) was a blow. Second, I lost my grandmother to the embuggerance - the last few years of her life, she didn't even know who I was. Third, I'm thrilled to help promote a book whose sales will benefit Alzheimer's Research.

Now, as for the book itself: it features 17 stories by authors I'd never heard of, so it is a fun introduction to some new voices. (And from what I understand, some of these are being published for the first time.) Because memory was important to PTerry, and it is important to his fans, the theme of the book is "Memory", not just its title.

Now, you might expect that at least a couple of the stories would be rather... expected, you might say, on the topic of memory, like philosophically how it is formed, why it goes away, etc. But NO.... all of these stories have very unique (as in both new ideas and different from each other) takes on memory.

And... they are funny. Not all of them are laugh-out-loud, but all of them are amusing to some extent, and were clearly inspired by Sir Terry's humor and thoughtfulness.

The very first story in the bunch, "Thanks for the Memory Cards" by Luke Kemp - had me laughing out loud and reading bits to my husband, who also laughed. It is a story of friendship, and also how close friends think different things are important.

"How Fell the Towers Three" (Peter Knighton) is set in mid-evil times, and is an argument on how a proper ballad should be written.

Mike Reeves-McMillan's story, "There's a Tattoo, But the Robes Hide It" is quite clever, as is Laura May's "The Shells of Lethe".

I hope Michael K. Schaefer expands on his story, "Ackerley's Genuine Earth Antiques", because it is a post-apocalyptic tale without the apocalypse, and a really interesting take on the old trope of Earth ending and people having to leave it.

The final story in the collection, "The Olivie Crowne Affair" by Choong Jay Vee, makes fun of old people's failing memories, but in a really hilarious way. (And there are dragons involved.)

The rest of the stories are great too, but you'll just have to read the anthology to learn more.

Mind you: not all of the stories are perfect, probably because not all of the writers are native English speakers, but the overall collection and cause make this book worthy of 5+ stars.

[Laura May · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deserved warning that I edited this anthology, so all of the authors and stories in it are those which I was involved in choosing (and moulding, in a draconian, editor-like way). As such you should *probably* take this review with a grain of salt. All the same, this is an incredible bunch of stories supporting a worthy cause. Even though I read each piece over, and over (and over!) again, they continued to have the power to move me--I giggled, I laughed, I choked on my coffee, and found myself crying my eyes out on more than one occasion. I'm incredibly excited that we're now sharing this anthology with the public--it's a worthy tribute to a man who brought books, humour, and giant turtles to people all over the world.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fantastic collection of seventeen short stories all with the theme of memory. Each story has its own style, and they come from a range of genres. The collection is sad, funny, jolly and emotional all in one thanks to the wide range of ways in which each author handles the subject matter. And there is just a little bit of Sir Terry Pratchett running through each story, though that might not be a total surprise! :)

[Liliana Negoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe Sir Terry Pratchett would be thrilled by this tribute. It is a collection of exquisite stories, written in such a way that each of them drags you inside it and then builds its own room in your mind. And at the end of reading the book you find yourself to be the owner of a palace of marvelous spaces which you feel compelled to haunt over and over again, in order to relive all the things you lived when first read the stories. I found myself mesmerized by characters, by plots, by language, but most of all by the strong bond uniting these tales - the different styles of authors were like the harmonics of the same sound, completing it, making it a hole, reminding us of their origin. In this case, Sir Pratchett, who, again, I think is smiling up-there, after most certainly having read this collection! Congratulations to both Sorin and Laura - you did a great, GREAT job, and I hope with all my heart that your purpose will be achieved!

[Dave Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drawing on the literary legacy of Sir Terry Pratchett without being constrained by it, this anthology is filled with memorable speculative fiction (while avoiding that joke).

This review is based on an advanced review copy.

This anthology contains seventeen short stories in a variety of genres but united by the concept of memory.

‘Thanks for the Memory Cards’ by Luke Kemp: in a world where memory storage is ubiquitous, Johnny documents his entire life in tedious detail from going shopping to every spadeful of dirt removed while installing his pond. But when a foul crime makes the footage useful, will even he be able to take the tedium of watching it all again?

‘The Heart of the Labyrinth’ by DK Mok: the Devourer has lived in the heart of the Labyrinth of Varissen for decades, surrounded by the bones of adventurers drawn by rumours of great treasure. Until an adventurer arrives seeking not to defeat him but set him free.

‘How Fell the Towers Three’ by Peter Knighton: preferring imagery to accuracy, Lawrence finds his ballads greeted with praise and rage in equal measure. But when he omits the entire fourth tower of a castle on the grounds that three is a better number, the knights who took the tower have had enough.

‘Memoryarian’ by Scott A Butler: an agile and dextrous young man who values expediency over abstruse moral considerations, is offered a job by the Memoryarian, an immortal, magical, memory keeper. The job turns out to be easy enough it might be better than thievery, and why would someone steal memories anyway?

‘There’s a Tattoo, But the Robes Hide It’ by Mike Reeves-McMillan: the Dark Lord’s consort is tired of a life of evil schemes and megalomaniacal cackling, but betraying him will only lead to the forces of good prosecuting her for her part in the schemes – unless she accepts the deal offered by the God of Tricksters.

‘The Shells of Lethe’ by Laura May: when the townsfolk of Taomina discover seashells that can take away memories, they begin to edit out the worst ones. Then a few more that aren’t great. Then a few more.

‘Ackerley’s Genuine Earth Antiques’ by Michael K Shaefer: when humanity fled Earth, most historical records were lost. Centuries later, common Earth items are highly collectible, but aren’t always understood. So, when Rupert acquires a machine that lets people experience the memories of genuine Earth dwellers the opportunity seems to good to be true.
But is using a toothbrush really something you want to remember doing?

‘The Chicken Gospel’ by Phil Elstob: Old Cuthbert, benevolent deity of the donkeys of the Used Mule Emporium, has disappeared. Each of the donkeys has a different story about Cuthbert’s appearance and habits; but with no way for the donkeys to leave the barn, it falls to a rooster to find a trail amongst the endless myths.

‘Doris’ by Sorin Suciu: following a brief discussion of the morality of bar snack eating, an IT guy finds himself offered the answer to any question he wants by a man called Doris (not the girl’s name). Doris is happy to give him the lottery numbers, but suggests he asks something more adventurous.

‘The Wonderous Land of Nib’ by Lyn Godfrey: at irregular intervals, random people with no memory of their past drop onto the top of the towering pile of junk; and some of them survive the tumble to the bottom. The man in the check shirt is certain he knows who and what everyone is, but his pronouncements sound a little unlikely, and not all the arrivals are willing to share the world.

‘Strangers’ by Robert McKelvey: When Charles Rigby wakes up in a Low London alleyway, he discovers his memory of how he got there, and his shoes have been replaced by a splitting headache and an illegible receipt. Stumbling into a nearby office he discovers a private investigator so willing to help that even pointing out he can’t pay won’t shake the man.

‘The Tale of the Storyteller’ by Caroline Friedel: magic is disappearing from the world, not in a gentle trickle but a stuttering on and off. And each time the magic disappears, only a few people remember it was ever there. With his comfortable life as the son of a sugar miner a memory either way, a young boy decides to risk everything on a quest to find the source of magic.

‘Bubble Trouble’ by Charlotte Slocombe: Emma finds the sudden arrival of Zach, the God of Memory, a welcome break from the tedium of IT consultancy; and it doesn’t hurt that he’s gorgeous. But what sort of god needs IT support, and what is bubble computing?

‘The Vividarium’ by Steven McKinnon: two gods, one experienced and the other newly promoted, argue over the potential of storing all the memories that will have ever been. Leaving the fate of existence in the hands of the person least distracted by pictures of cats.

‘The Archive of Lost Memories’ by Anna Mattaar: Struggling to recall the answer he needs to pass his psychology exam, Robert finds himself in an immense file room containing everything anyone ever forgot; including a section devoted to storing each time he has forgotten previously coming. With the help of the file clerk, he answer he needs should be easy to find, but the answer he wants, what sort of person would work here, might be harder to find.

‘If Only I’d Known’ by Simon Evans: JoBeth, Margaret, and Prue have built a machine that sends the user into the future. Unfortunately, time travellers can’t bring back anything from the future, including any memory more detailed than a vague certainty they went into the future. So how can they prove it works?

‘The Olivie Crowne Affair’ by Choong Jay Vee: When Olivie Crowne
mistakes the Found Memories Bureau for a computer store, she ends up with entirely the wrong sort of memory upgrade. A situation only made worse by what sort of ram her computer now thinks it is.

While the anthology is dedicated to the memory of Sir Terry Pratchett, the stories are not pastiches of his works. Some of the humour, such as the eight-gig ram from ‘The Olivie Crowne Affair’ do echo Pratchett’s work, and echo it well. But not all the stories are filled with such jokes, or are even comedies at all. Therefore, the collection will not be without appeal to readers who prefer more serious speculative fiction.

As with any grouping of more than a few authors’ works, the breadth of styles, genres, and humours means it is likely that each reader will find some stories less engaging than others. However, each of the stories is both competent and tightly-written, so the word lull is more apposite than low.

The editors have also balanced the mix well, so readers who do choose to skip a story are likely to favour the next one and readers who don’t will not feel glutted.

While all proceeds are being donated to charity, the collection does not display the ‘good enough’ mentality of some charity anthologies, so would be worth equal consideration were it not charitable.

Overall, I enjoyed this anthology immensely. I recommend it to readers seeking short speculative fiction with a light edge.

I received a free copy from one of the contributors in exchange for a fair review.

[Patricia P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this book in return for providing a review. All opinions are my own.

These stories, like a good memory, are not to be devoured in one setting lest they overwhelm you. I had to take breathers while reading this anthology, and I have never done that before unless it was motivated by boredom or exhaustion. In Memory: A Tribute to Sir Terry Pratchett, is an anthology where each story begs to be savoured, lingering after its end.

Everyone in this anthology has nailed the Terry Pratchett irreverence, but most of all, I think, it is a fitting tribute to his memory. Each one has something to contribute to the anthology, but as usual, what one may like, another may not.

So it was with me and this anthology. I admit it was hard for me to get into Thanks for the Memory Cards by Luke Kemp, and How Fell the Towers Three by Peter Knighton, while funny, felt a little too familiar (as in the tropes and plot used). Strangers by Robert McKelvey was fun, but felt a little unresolved by the way it ended. Doris by Sorin Suciu was a fun read, and I loved the reference to TED talks.

Bubble Trouble by Charlotte Slocombe was a little of an unexpected heartbreak. Despite the peppy title, the premise was actually very tragic, and it was incredibly touching. Another one that tugged at the heart strings was Scott A Butler's The Memoryarian. The things one would do for a loved one…

The Vividarium was wonderfully vibrant and vivid, but it also felt incredibly petty. It's cute but just not to my taste. However, The Wondrous Land of Nib by Lyn Godfrey and If Only I'd Known by Simon Evans were. I thoroughly enjoyed both these stories, the Land of Nib making me feel guilty about my creations that have never seen anything beyond a few day's lights.

Laura May's The Shells of Lethe and Michael K Shaefer's Ackerley's Genuine Earth Antiques both deal with the consequences of deliberately forgetting. They also make me feel like these stories could be spun out into a novel or to a longer length. I'd like to wander more please.

The Chicken Gospel was a fun and enjoyable romp. I loved how looking at things from a different view changed and influenced the story so much. Caroline Friedel's The Tale of the Storyteller is a wonderful way to send #GNUTerryPratchett off, which is one of the reasons why I wished it had been at the END of the book instead of the middle. I admit, I teared a little.

I also love the fact that there are not one, but TWO stories about the Lost Memories' Department. Anna Mattaar's The Archive of Lost Memories is something that I wish existed in real life, if only because I am a busybody. :p In contrast, Choong Jay Vee's The Olivie Crowne Affair is a delightful take on missing memories. There's also a dragon involved. But more importantly, homicidal computers.

Now we come to the stories that I think had the most fleshed out worlds. These were stories I think most closely reminded me of the early Discworld novels; where less words were needed to explain the tropes, and so the story could get to the plot and twisting the trope quicker.

There's a Tattoo, but the Robes Hide It is one of those. I loved the humour, the wittiness, and the quiet desperation of the main character. While the ending may be predictable, it's not such a bad thing; I was more amused by the reactions of the cast.

The Heart of the Labryinth though, was simply incredible. This is my favourite story of the lot. How DK Mok crammed AN ENTIRE FANTASY NOVEL into a short story is mindblowing. It doesn't just talk about memory, but about overthrowing tyrants, making peace with your past, and did I mention an epic journey throughout the land? Among the people they rescued were the Kleptomaniac Kraken and the Judgemental Jellyfish, who eventually kept an eye on each other.

So get this Tribute to Sir Terry Pratchett, especially if you are a fan of his works.

[Joel Bethell · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Without language to give them shape, memories are just like houses with no walls. They’re merely events seeking to chain themselves together into causes and effects; survival unhindered by narrative.”

– Doris, by Sorin Suciu

Autumn is a great time to read a book about memories. This is my season and I thrive in October, the month that contains my birthday and my favorite holiday. The falling leaves, beautiful in their fiery decay and death, are an obvious trigger for nostalgia. I read my friend Sorin’s story in the early evening of the 30th of said month. My fingers were numb, my nose runny and my eyes watery from the chill wind. But my expression was a happy one, despite the faint remnants of skull face paint from my clumsy (and probably culturally insensitive) attempt at a “Day of the Dead” costume. I genuinely laughed out loud several times on the bus.

Sorin’s story, as did many others in this anthology, filled me somewhat paradoxically with both comedic and introspective thoughts about life, love and death. These tales are really clever and funny, thoughtful and uplifting. Each author is an expert at dishing out delightfully quirky metaphors and analogies. A few of the stories were absurdly appealing to me as a regular D&D nerd. I feel that this book contains jokes that every kind of geek will appreciate. There are many, many of them.

As the title suggests, In Memory is a large collection of short stories that pay tribute to Sir Terry Pratchett. The tales within ooze charm and wit. The editors are Sorin Suciu and Laura May. Sorin is a good friend of mine and is the author of the awesomely clever and funny book: The Scriptlings.

My review is of a pre-release PDF copy. Originally I was covering each story individually but it dawned on me that I would be spoiling something of the enjoyment of this densely packed collection. Every tale is worth your time; I even appreciated the ones that were a bit too absurd and gonzo for my tastes. Some of the stories were so surreal that I wasn’t sure what genre anyone would dare classify them into.

I must mention that I am not an avid reader of Pratchett’s. I’ve read the Colour of Magic and found it to be really funny and well-written. Most of my exposure to fiction is to Lovecraft, Gaiman, King, Bradbury, Hemingway and Barker. I’ve read a handful of books by Douglas Adams, though, so that’s probably close enough to “get it”. Anyway, because most of my exposure to tales with faint undertones of science fiction, fantasy or horror, I was expecting dark outcomes to even the most mundane suburban scenes. Needless to say I was happily surprised! Nothing was predictable or boring in these pages.

The core theme of “In Memory” is, well, memory or nostalgia. As I get closer and closer to my forties and my children gradually get bigger and smarter than me, I am often overcome with thoughts of the past rather than wary anticipation of the future. So with a tender heart I dove into this book: while there are many touching moments in these stories, the comedy was a welcome antidote to my anticipated melancholy.

Sadly I must keep this review brief because a mixture of sickness, overwork and child raising have whittled down my creativity and productive free time (little as there ever is). All that I can say is that I wholeheartedly recommend this anthology to anyone with a sense of humor, and appreciation for wit and an inkling for the fantastic, the bizarre and the cleverly absurd. It goes without question that if you’re a fan of Sir Terry Pratchett, you’re in for a treat; but even if you aren’t, I swear that you’ll have a good time.

All of the proceeds of this book go to Alzheimer’s Research UK, an organization which has given their blessing to this book. They were apparently Sir Terry Pratchett’s favourite charity. So on top of rewarding yourself with an excellent and often hilarious collection of short fiction, your money will go to a good and worthy cause.

[Anna Mattaar]

I wrote one of the seventeen stories in this book, but I'm not letting that stop me from reviewing the other sixteen, because they're awesome.

They're also very diverse: from fantasy to science fiction to general silliness, from mystery and action to thought-provoking and emotional pieces, sometimes all at the same time. While some of the stories are more my cup of tea than others, I enjoyed all of them, and some of them I loved so much that I immediately went to look if the author had written anything else. I was already excited to get a story published, but I'm even more excited now that I know the excellent company it's in, and I can't wait for it to be released so everyone else can read it too!

[Shen Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful tribute to a talented author. Anthologies are far from easy to put together, to make a collection of stories from different authors flow is no small task. Yet, Sorin and Laura have pulled it off.

Every story in this collection is exquisite, they stand alone as remarkable stories, all with something to say. They range from calm philosophical tales, to amusing science fiction, and quirky tales that you can't help but laugh at. The topic of memory is a wide-ranging one with many possibilities, and the authors have succeeded in producing something truly memorable. This anthology is something that I'll take great pleasure in re-reading and recommending to all and sundry.

[Marjolein · Rating 4 out of 5]

17 authors with each their own ideas about memory, their own writing style. The result shows huge differences but also some surprisingly similar ideas in the stories. All together the book was a pleasure to read and with the diversity in the stories I suspect it will be a pleasure to read for most people.

I have my favorite stories of course. Quite a few of them in fact. I think one especially deserves to be mentioned, not because it is so much better than my other favorites but because it is so different: 'The Tale of the Storyteller' by Caroline Friedel is a touching fairytale.
Another one I must mention is 'The Archive of Lost Memories' by Anna Mattaar. You may suspect from my last name that I am perhaps prejudiced in this case and if so then of course you are right. But I think I can see beyond my prejudice and that her story as well as her telling of it are indeed very good.
My other favorites I shall name in the order they appear in the book. The second story, 'The Heart of the Labyrinth' by DK Mok made me want to read more from this author and fortunately this is one of the authors who did publish more. 'Memoryarian' by Scott A. Butler I much enjoyed reading and 'There's a Tattoo but the Robes Hide it' by Mike Reeves-McMillan I found very good.
'If Only I'd Known' by Simon Evans has a fascinating view on time traveling and memory. And although I could see where it was going that didn't make me like it less. And the last story of the book, 'The Olivie Crowne Affair' by Choong Jay Vee is hilarious as well as good.

There are ten more stories than I mention. I hope and expect that other readers will choose a different selection of favorite stories. And I hope there will be many readers, Terry Pratchett fans as well as others who, may be, will become curious about Pratchett's books when they read what is written by authors who admire his work.

[ASVY · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful compilation of stories that teach lessons in love and friendship, while leading the reader through adventure after adventure. The diversity of the stories kept me engaged throughout and compelled to read on. The character development of each protagonist was well paced and inspired empathy. The language was rather witty overall and I found myself laughing out loud often. "The Heart of the Labyrinth" being my personal favorite. "Doris" was also a great story, with a well-written twist.

In addition, the notes about Sir Terry Pratchett are moving and inspiring.

Overall, I believe that fans of Sir Terry Pratchett will enjoy these 17 stories, much the same way they have enjoyed reading books written by him.

This book was provided to me as an ARC copy by Sorin Suciu, one of my favorite authors (I highly recommend reading "Scriptlings" by Sorin Suciu).

[Michael Schaefer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote one of the stories in this book, so I'm biased by default - nevertheless, I'm saying it out loud: it's a great anthology!

A lot of sweat, blood and tea (although some of the authors preferred coffee instead) went into writing, editing and publishing this book, and it's been worth it. The stories are as unexpected as they are creative, and each one has a different style and approach to the theme of 'memory'. Everybody will find his or her own favourite amongst the seventeen tales.

And I think it's a great way to pay tribute to Terry Pratchett, the man who gave us so many brilliant books and brought fun and magic to our 'roundworld'.

I hope you enjoy reading it!

[Fedor Podoprigora · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a set of short stories, which are quite different in style and take you to different times and places. There are two things, however, that the stories share. First – it’s all about memories (which is not a surprise, if you remember the title). And second – they are great. This is actually not a surprise either.
Obviously there is humor, in different quantities – from outright laughing out loud to somewhat sad smile. But you would definitely expect that from a tribute to Sir Pratchett. Not a lot of surprises in this review, are there?
And while I liked some stories more than others, the whole set is definitely a five stars book.

[Robert McKelvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I helped write this.

Obviously that may make me appear biased to some people, but I think this anthology is a real treat; it has something for everyone. It's funny, thoughtful and shows a real diversity of styles and skill sets. I can't wait to see what everyone else thinks of it. I've had a blast writing it and I hope you all have one reading it!

[Joke Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved all the stories in this book! Recommended for every Terry Pratchett fan and for everyone who is not a Terry Pratchett fan too.

[Caroline Friedel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two caveats upfront: First, I wrote one of the stories in the book. Second, I usually don't like short stories (ironic, isn't it?) and I usually don't read Fantasy (or SF) apart from Terry Pratchett. So, when I started reading the book, I was a bit nervous whether I would like the stories since obviously I wanted to like them. But what if I didn't?

But fortunately, that nervousness was completely unnecessary. The stories are awesome and I would have read them straight through if my body had not insisted on some sleep (bloody traitor). It was remarkable how diverse the stories are given that they all focus on the memory theme. They all found some unique angle to cover. In summary, I immensely liked the book and felt rather desolate when I had to turn the last page with no more stories to go. I will definitely read it again (and re-read, and re-read, and ....)

[Ira Nayman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dying is easy. Comedy is hard. And comedy combined with speculative fiction, whether fantasy or science fiction, is even harder.

I think of humour as drama plus: it has to do all of the same things as drama (have interesting characters and an involving plot) and it has to make people laugh. Humourous speculative fiction is drama plus plus: it has to have the same elements as drama, it has to make people laugh and it has to satisfy the expectations of the genre it aspires to. So, for example, a humourous science fiction story has to have time travel, robots or other elements specific to the genre, while a humourous fantasy story has to have witches, dragons and/or other elements specific to that genre. That’s a lot of balls for an author to juggle, especially in a short story; it’s easy to see why it often isn’t successful.

Knowing how hard the trick is makes it all the more amazing that an anthology like In Memory: A Tribute to Sir Terry Pratchett, edited by Sorin Suciu and Laura May, is so consistently amusing, with occasional touches of utterly hilarious brilliance. For readers who enjoy their spec fic with a dose of laughter, this is a must read.

As the title suggests, the anthology was pulled together shortly after the beloved fantasy author’s death as an homage to his work. The theme of the stories, the majority of which are fantasy although a small number are science fiction, is memory, an acknowledgement of the fact that Pratchett died of Alzheimer’s, a disease which destroys that most personal, intimate quality of human beings.

The variety of approaches to the theme of memory is breathtaking: from Luke Kemp’s “Thanks for the Memory Cards,” where a man with a chip in his brain that allows him to replay memories has to go back over them when he inexplicably finds a bullet in one of his pieces of lawn furniture to Peter Knighton’s “How Fell the Towers Three,” which details the negotiations between a bard, a king and some courtiers over how a successful battle will be remembered in song; from “There’s a Tattoo, But the Robes Hide It,” by Mike Reeves-McMillan, about a royal consort who is looking for a way to get out of her marriage to a brutal, but ultimately boring evil king, to May’s “The Shells of Lethe,” which is about two con artists who come upon a town where people use magical shells to suck bad memories out of their minds, making them ripe for exploitation. Despite what might seem to be a limited premise, there is little overlap or repetition in the stories.

Few of the stories deal directly with Alzheimer’s, preferring to use fantastical metaphors for memory loss (fantastical metaphors which, unlike the real disease, are often reversible). One exception is “The Tale of the Storyteller,” by Caroline Friedel. One day, a young man’s magical kingdom starts winking in and out of existence, being replaced by a bleak, mundane world. He seeks the magician who created the world and finds that the man’s magic is storytelling, but the storyteller is old and losing his memory (although Alzheimer’s is not named, he is clearly suffering from some form of age-related dementia), which is what threatens the magical realm. The trope of the world being created out of a story is quite worn at this point, but “The Tale of the Storyteller” has a new and welcome twist: when the young man takes over from the aging storyteller, renewing the world, readers are left with the positive message that although the storyteller (in this case, a metaphorical Pratchett) may die, storytelling will continue.

Each story is preceded by a short introduction by the author about its genesis, often referring to Pratchett as a seminal influence. It’s a bit odd, then, that few of the stories actually reference his work. There is the line, “‘Odd’ was part of the fabric of life here (though fortunately, this world did not require the help of large reptiles to carry it through space).” in Friedel’s story, and one or two others. This may, however, be for the best: it allows the authors to tell their own stories in their own voices rather than risk being seen as slavishly derivative.

Few of the stories achieve Pratchett’s sublimely consistent sense of absurdity, but this is to be expected (did I mention that this is hard?). Steven McKinnon’s “The Vividarium” is one exception: the God King of All the Universe (Dave) shows off a creation he is proud of to the Celestial Sculptur and Curator of the Cradle of Life (Sid), an object which contains all memories created throughout time and space. This story starts funny and just keeps getting funnier, as does Choong Jay Vee’s “The Olivie Crowne Affair,” about a woman who accidentally uses a computer programme to unleash a world-destroying mechanical bull created by Leonardo Da Vinci into the world.

Even if they do not live up to this standard, every story in In Memory has – ahem – memorably funny writing. The opening line of the collection, for example, from “Thanks for the Memory Cards,” is: “Neuroscience is both awe-inspiring and depressing, like a luxurious wall-to-wall carpet consisting entirely of kitten pelts.” Or, “His voice is deep and rugged – so manly that it must surely come with its own chest hair.” (“Doris,” by Sorin Suciu) Comic, yet somehow appropriate, metaphors abounded.

In some stories, the humour is built directly into the concept. In “Ackerly’s Genuine Earth Antiques,” by Michael K. Schaefer, for instance, the explanation for the uses of various objects which are common today but are rare in a future where humanity has left the planet Earth are hilarious.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I applied to submit a story to this anthology, but was politely rejected (the editors took the time to write to everybody who applied which, given the very tight deadline they had set for themselves, was admirable). I suppose this should have predisposed me to not liking In Memory, but, honestly, I’m starved for good humourous genre fiction, and this book is very good, indeed. And the best part? All proceeds from sales of the book will go to Alzheimer’s Research, UK, Pratchett’s favourite charity.

You do a good deed and get a great read – why haven’t you ordered In Memory already?

Originally published on the Amazing Stories Web site (http://amazingstoriesmag.com/2016/05/...) on May 10, 2016.

[Cathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There where a couple of stories I just couldn't get to grips with, but on the whole loved this collection.

[Jeffiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love collections of short stories, so when I saw this one in memory of Terry Pratchett with the proceeds going to Alzheimers research, I just had to have it. Like all collections, I liked some more than others, but overall really enjoyed reading them.

[Krysta Halye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to be the best collection of stories by assorted writers I have ever read. And they are all amateurs. I can tell that they all have a passion for the cause of eradicating Alzheimer's Disease

[Jamie Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A touching and heartfelt tribute to a great writer. In my opinion, I think Sir Terry Pratchett would have loved reading these himself.

[John Mount · Rating 5 out of 5]

It does what it says on the tin.

An enjoyable array of stories. I'm certain Sir Terry would approve. I suspect that L Space is filling up rather quickly.

[Kathleen Dixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

As in any collection of stories, there were some here that I really liked, some that were fine, and others that didn't appeal to me. That's fine - we should never expect to have exactly the same taste as anybody else. Any whether I liked all the stories or not, this is a worthy tribute to the late great Terry Pratchett. On top of that, I have added a few authors to read more of, so that's a bonus.

[Ben Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful & heartbreaking

[Robert Best · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great collection of short stories by some authors who I will check out.
Thanks so much for putting this all together to honor Sir Terry