Kirjahaku

Tine is detective, bureaucrat, family member, an Active agent of the Interplanetary Criminal Investigation Bureau on a planet with no crime and a physiological barrier to travel or immigration. Tine is also a monster: a hooved, troll-like person looked down upon by any of the galaxy's aesthetes who even know that his people, the Caliban, exist at all. When his boss sends him, at Tine's great personal cost, to investigate a disappearance on a planet renowned for the beauty of its dreamweavers and the dreams they create, Tine is an intruder in Paradise: ugly, base, fallible, vulnerable, principled--and ultimately forced to go far beyond his mandate to solve the crime and bring about some semblance of Justice. Or he might die trying, an exile despised by almost all around him. Lorina Stephens's scientific detective fantasy is an allegory of a person out of place who brings their anchor with them in the form of deep strength and clarity of character. Tine, the monster who can be nothing else but his pure Self, is brought face to face with Others whose selves prove to be masking the monstrous. Justice, we discover, requires cleverness, understanding and sacrifice--and Tine the Caliban must exert all three beyond his utmost in his journey toward the truth. In the process, both Tine and the reader re-assess what is ugly and what is beautiful, what is dross and what is worthy.

A new collection of 10 fantastika short stories by Lorina Stephens. Darkness and light. Wonder and sorrow. The ambiguity, sometimes, of reflected illumination. Dreams of the Moon.In this new collection, of both previously published and new short fiction, Lorina presents a progression from darker, sometimes horrific stories which explore religious mythology, mental health, and the beloved dead, to the more light-hearted explorations of spirit guides and illustrations made manifest.

In this her fifth book, Lorina Stephens presents a provocative anthology of speculative short fiction, from dystopia to utopia, written over the past 25 years. Some stories have appeared previously in publications such as On Spec and Sword & Sorceress X, while some make their debut. And the Angels Sang is a cornucopia of fractal glimpses into the mysterious, the fantastic, and surprises that lurk beneath the surface.Midwest Book ReviewLorina Stephens has proven herself an engaging author.The (Hanover) PostIt is often the case with contemporary Canadian authors that they have a tendency to punctuate their novels with long, psychological dissertations on mundane subjects. It's as if they feel that each everyday occurrence is fraught with deep sociological undertones. Lorina Stephens, fortunately, is free of such meanderings. She has a good economy of words and each paragraph contains vital information.Dan Pelton, Orangeville CitizenThe historical and fantastical seamlessly rub shoulders in this anthology of short, speculative fiction.Tracey Fockler, In the Hills Magazine, Winter Issue, 2008Lorina Stephens demonstrates mastery of distopian/strange fiction, sci-fi, and fantasy in this recent seventeen story anthology.GoodreadsStephens' creations pool into a cooling diversion while being highly meromictic.LibaryThing... a very engrossing, thought-provoking read.AmazonReally good science fiction and fantasy, in other words. Well worth reading. Masterful writing.Amazing Stories, Clubhouse Review