The Crossover Alliance Anthology - Volume 1 (Book Review)

Review by Kim Wicke

General Thoughts

With nine stories by seven different authors, this anthology offers a good mix of the speculative genres, from the barely-futuristic to the fabulous.  I am slightly disappointed that none of the selections scratched my itch for classic high fantasy, but the variety was wide enough that I was able to find other things I liked almost as much.  If your personal preferences run more towards sci-fi or horror, you probably won’t feel even that small lack, and there’s definitely at least a little something here for everyone.

Despite the variety on display, though, I did notice one odd similarity running through several tales.  Four out of nine stories contain the following formula: something bad happens to the protagonist’s daughter, which consumes said protagonist’s mind and drives all of his (or in one instance, her) actions.  After two stories in a row featuring this device, I started mentally bracing myself as soon as any character was revealed to have children.  Now, I don’t think there’s any deliberate agenda behind the overuse of this idea.  On the contrary, I suspect it’s just a slightly overgrown case of “write what you know.”  According to their bios, most of the authors are fathers themselves, so if you ask them to imagine something dark and terrible, naturally the first thing that comes to mind is a threat to their child.  That’s a very workable concept, and there’s nothing wrong with it- until everyone decides to use it at the same time.  It’s a fairly minor issue, and one that should be easy to fix in future collections, either by prompting the authors they have to stretch themselves a little bit further, or by adding some authors with different backgrounds, so that their experiences and comfort zones don’t overlap so much.

The biggest problem I have with this anthology is the editing, or rather, the lack thereof.  As an indie press, the Crossover Alliance is already fighting an uphill battle for credibility, and when a reader flipping through your book can find two typos before she even gets to the table of contents, that does not inspire confidence.  Some stories are markedly better than others in this regard, which makes me suspect that editing was left up to the individual authors, but even the better examples rarely make it three pages without an error.  Granted, none of these mistakes are comprehension-breaking (I always understood what the author was trying to say), but some of them are very basic problems, the sort of things that even MS Word should catch.  I know that editing services are insanely expensive, often prohibitively so, but I really don’t think this is a good place for the Alliance to cut corners.  Someone needs to be going over these manuscripts more carefully- not necessarily a certified professional, but someone armed with a good grasp of language, a style guide, and plenty of red pens.  (Do the publishers know an English teacher or an administrative assistant looking to make some extra cash?)  I know it’s still a major undertaking, but I really think little more quality control in this area would go a long way towards cementing the Crossover Alliance’s professional reputation.

That said, though, I’d still definitely recommend this book to anyone even slightly interested in Christian speculative fiction in general or the Crossover Alliance specifically.  If you thought that Christian “edgy” fiction is as weak as mom’s “spicy” cooking (there’s chili powder in there somewhere, really there is), these authors are ready to prove you wrong.  There’s some genuinely hardcore content here, responsibly handled, but pleasantly surprising.  Even better, this book makes a good sampler platter of the CA’s primary authors, and thus an ideal way to figure out which ones you’ll like best.  Publishing this anthology before any of their novels strikes me as a very shrewd marketing move on the part of the CA.  It lets the readers get a preview of each author’s style, genre preference, and intensity of content, pick out their personal favorites, and build anticipation for their solo releases.

Individual Story Reviews

Snow and Ash by Nathan James Norman

• Genre: Historical fiction
• Premise: When a Viking settlement embraces Christianity en masse, one old warrior chooses to become an outcast rather than convert.  Over a dying fire, he explains why.
• What I Liked: Norman has obviously done his homework on this culture, and doesn’t feel the need to polish it up for the sake of modern sensibilities.  Brutal acts are depicted in a spare, unflinching way, and not even the protagonist is allowed to get away with being nicer than he ought to be.  If ever a man needed redemption, it’s Erik Lambskin- but he doesn’t find it too quickly or easily.  Erik’s character development is gradual and believable, and the ending deftly avoids being too neat and cheerful next to the rest of the story.
• What I Didn’t Like: One of the antagonists’ early actions makes no sense to me, even after re-reading.  It creates a snag in their future plans for no obvious gain at the moment.  Also, I was disappointed in the lack of psychological depth given to the protagonist’s daughter.  She feels very flat to me, especially as compared to Erik, and I wish that her story and emotional journey had not been sidelined for the sake of his.  I’d really like to read a sequel from her perspective.
• Quality: 8.5/10 (A few issues, but still very satisfying.)
• Relevance: 10/10 (I don’t see how you can possibly discuss this story without discussing historical Christianity and the nature of faith.)

Doors of Babel by David N. Alderman

• Genre: Hard to pin down.  Post-apocalyptic sci-fi with a heavy western flavor and a few supernatural elements.
• Premise: A hired gun with nothing left to lose is offered an unusual job- and perhaps a reason to hope.
• What I Liked: Alderman’s style is detailed and atmospheric, giving readers a clear “mental movie” set in a dim and lurid world.  The genre mashup of the setting is definitely unique, and provides several interesting and unexpected elements.
• What I Didn’t Like: This story is meant to bridge Alderman’s Black Earth and Expired Reality series, and as someone unfamiliar with either, I was often lost.  Sometimes motivations or backstory are explained by referencing events and people I’ve never heard of (but that I assume are fixtures in BE-ER), which feels even more confusing than no explanation at all.  Several minor plot holes stack up to threaten the story’s stability, and the last 15% of the work abruptly changes viewpoint, protagonist, and plot, apparently in a rush to find its mark for the start of the next tale.
• Quality: 6.5/10 (Probably a point or so higher if you’re a BE-ER fan.  For the uninitiated, it feels more like a teaser trailer for the series than a standalone story.)
• Relevance: 7/10 (Issues of fatalism and hope are present for those who want to discuss them, but are unlikely to be the foremost questions on the reader’s mind.)

Broken by Travis Morrill

• Genre: Hard sci-fi
• Premise: A routine cargo run to Mars becomes the backdrop for a three-man play in space.
• What I Liked: Morrill is another author who knows his subject material backwards and forwards.  His extrapolations of near-future developments in technology and society are well-grounded and help further enhance the realism of the tale.  The banter between Paul and Sean also has a very natural feel to it.  The two genuinely sound like old friends.
• What I Didn’t Like: The jargon can sometimes become a bit thick, and one action scene is interrupted by a paragraph-long science lesson, deflating the tension.  Also, while Morrill cleverly subverts one overused trope, he gives in to several others.  A third-act change of heart feels rushed and a little contrived, and Daniel is too much of a Super Christian for my tastes.  His only flaw seems to be a tendency to let his zeal overtake his common sense, and I’m not sure that’s actually intended to be read as a flaw.
• Quality: 7.5/10 (A predictable but mostly solid piece.)
• Relevance: 10/10 (The subject of evangelism is inevitable in any discussion of this story.  Issues of faithfulness and prayer are also present.)

If It Causes You To Sin by Jess Hanna

• Genre: Psychological horror
• Premise: Racked with guilt and tormented by voices, a man fixates on a desperate solution.
• What I Liked: Hanna skillfully portrays a first-person descent into madness.  His use of some unpleasant imagery complements the unsettling tone of the narrator’s thoughts.  The story maintains an atmosphere of dread while still keeping an efficient pace, and the author’s very sensory, almost visceral style helps the reader not only see and hear, but also feel the events.  As to whether that immersive experience is always preferred…
• What I Didn’t Like: This story is definitely not for everyone, and I do not advise eating while you read it.  There’s one bloody and intense scene that I had to take a sentence at a time because I found it too disturbing to read all at once.  I’m not sure that level of gore was strictly necessary, but it was certainly effective in provoking a reaction.  I personally prefer the sort of horror that induces shudders rather than queasiness, but others may feel differently.
• Quality: 9.5/10 (Any horror story that gives the reviewer an actual nightmare deserves kudos.)
• Relevance: 8.5/10 (The titular bible quote is pervasive and significant, but doesn’t demand analysis.  Unfortunately, I can easily imagine some readers dismissing it as part and parcel of the narrator’s insanity.)

Blood Ace by Allan and Aaron Reini

• Genre: Military sci-fi
• Premise: A recently-promoted fighter pilot thirsts for glory, but his ambition may be his downfall.
• What I Liked: The Reinis write very smoothly for a two-man team.  The abrupt shifts in voice or tone that I’ve noticed in other collaborative efforts don’t trouble this story.  The action is fast-paced and the dialogue feels natural, especially when all three main characters are together.
• What I Didn’t Like: Sometimes the pace is a bit too quick.  The narration tries to help the reader keep up, but this sometimes results in the text flatly telling us things that I’d rather see for myself.  I think this story needed at least one more scene to better establish Dex’s character before testing it in the climax.  As it is, since I never found out why Dex wants to be an ace so badly, it’s difficult to empathize with him, and since I’ve never seen him display his flaws before, they seem like a third act surprise. 
• Quality: 8.0/10 (There’s the bones of a good morality tale here, but I wish there’d been more meat.)
• Relevance: 7.5/10 (Issues of pride and valuing the right things in life could occupy some discussion time.  The main characters are said to be “believers,” but their faith is so nondescript I’m not positive it’s meant to be Christian.)

Sanguinem Inimicum by Mark Carver

• Genre: Seems like high fantasy, but there’s a catch
• Premise: A small group of warriors struggles to hold off a monstrous army, hoping their reinforcements will arrive in time.
• What I Liked: The action in this story is intense and vivid, with moments that seem almost cinematic.  Carver employs some great dark imagery, and his concept for the enemy’s most dangerous power is unique and eerie.
• What I Didn’t Like: I won’t lie; the ending was a severe letdown for me.  It uses a storytelling technique that’s a particular peeve of mine, and it unfortunately discolors the whole experience in my eyes.  Also, while big on action, the tale comes up short on character.  The unnamed warrior is so intent on destroying the enemy that it’s hard to like him, and other characters get so little attention that it’s hard to care about them.
• Quality: 7.5/10 (Lots of good ingredients, but a few sour ones really hurt the mix.)
• Relevance: 8/10 (Issues of prayer, willpower, and divine intervention are definitely present, but the way they’re used in-story could potentially dampen discussion.)

Spellbound by Jess Hanna

• Genre: Psychological horror, with a pinch of dark fantasy
• Premise: A condemned woman tells the story of her crimes, and the terrible events that drove her to commit them.
• What I Liked: Hanna clearly has a talent for handling the dark and the strange.  The gradual introduction of unnatural elements into the narrative helps to slowly build the creepy atmosphere until the wrongness can no longer be ignored or explained away.  The author skillfully hints that while the narrator may not be entirely sane, hers is not the only disturbed mind in play, and offers the reader the opportunity to see at least two different viable stories from opposing perspectives.
• What I Didn’t Like: We get some tantalizing hints at the protagonist’s backstory that I wish had been explored more thoroughly.  I think knowing more about her history could have made her reluctance to act more sympathetic and her dread more palpable.  Also, there’s one odd contradiction in the framing device that I’m not sure can be blamed on an unreliable narrator.
• Quality: 8.5/10 (Not as gripping as his other story, but still very good.)
• Relevance: 6.5/10 (The nature of truth and the supernatural are touched on, but only obliquely.  The unreliable narrator pushes these topics even further from likely discussion.)

Proverbs – A Fairy Tale by Nathan James Norman

• Genre: A dark, twisted fable
• Premise: Dissatisfied with his dull life, a man finds himself increasingly attracted to his mysterious new coworker.
• What I Liked: Once again, Norman proves willing to go there when it comes to human depravity.  The disgusting imagery in the final act may gross out some readers, but perfectly illustrates the wretched results of sin.  While the story is clearly set in the modern era, the “fairy tale” subtitle is evident in the narration style, and the choice to adapt a lesser-known portion of the Bible further enhances the unique mix of elements present in this piece.
• What I Didn’t Like: Every once in a while, a turn of phrase just doesn’t work, and trying to parse out the intended meaning can break the spell of the narrative.  That and a couple minor inconsistencies make me think this story could have benefitted from one more revision.
• Quality: 8.5/10 (A creatively retold tale, with few missteps.)
• Relevance: 9/10 (The Biblical parallels are clear, with specific references included at the end.  Temptation and the nature of sin provide additional discussion material.)

The Spigot by David N. Alderman

• Genre: Part dystopian sci-fi, part dark fantasy (this seems to be the author’s signature brew)
• Premise: A lone, wounded man recounts his last days, wavering between life and death, despair and hope.
• What I Liked: Alderman’s setting and style continue to impress, with striking imagery, bizarre creatures, and a looming atmosphere of inevitability.  The description of the demonic factory is particularly well done- part industrial blight, part necromantic dungeon, all creatively horrible.
• What I Didn’t Like: The author does a better job of giving sufficient exposition than in his other story, but still leaves some points of confusion.  A main character does something so foolish and needlessly risky that I almost lose sympathy for her.  Also, this was another disappointing ending for me.  Besides perhaps being a literal deus ex machina, it requires the protagonist to not do the very first thing most people in his situation would have done.
• Quality: 7.5/10 (Some great ideas, but the structure is a bit shaky.  Again, Black Earth fans can probably add at least half a point here.)
• Relevance: 8.5/10 (Hope is a major theme, although the odd way it’s used in the resolution might lead some readers to dismiss it.  The nature of the apocalypse could also merit some discussion.)

Final Overall Rating

Average Quality: 8/10

Average Relevance: 8.5/10

The Crossover Alliance Volume 1 is currently available for purchase here.  At $13 for paperback and $4 for an e-book, it’s a little expensive for a short book (barely over 100 pages), but not unreasonably so, especially for a small press.  If you’re still uncertain about whether you want to spring for this book, or if you’re low on cash this month, you can hear a free preview of two of the stories in audio form over at the Untold Podcast: If It Causes You To Sin and The Spigot.

Find out more about the Crossover Alliance and their upcoming titles at their website, www.thecrossoveralliance.com, and come back next month for a review of their first novel release, David N. Alderman’s Black Earth: End of the Innocence.