This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite
Short Stories from Faraway Places II by Kevin O’Flaherty is a collection of short stories set in varied locations and time periods, examining characters’ interactions with their environments and communities. In Bizi Posa, the story follows Rory in Bilbao as he moves through relationships, work, and personal history, culminating in a metaphysical journey where past and present intersect through symbolic encounters in streets and shop windows. In Vincit Omnia Veritas, a German immigrant and former U.S. soldier navigates postwar Chicago, investigating criminal networks linked to missing women while contending with institutional corruption, using his skills and experience to maintain agency and uncover wrongdoing. Across the collection, O’Flaherty presents diverse protagonists dealing with memory, place, and circumstance, illustrating personal decisions, societal structures, and the intersections between everyday life and unusual events.
Kevin O’Flaherty’s Short Stories from Faraway Places II is a collection that transports readers into the lives of multiple characters, each reading independently and providing an exceptional amount of originality and full story arcs despite their moderate lengths. My favorite as a science fiction fan is Deus Ex Machina, which follows three storylines spanning Mars and deep space, including a research ship investigating mysterious deaths, interstellar crews managing catastrophic damage while seeking a new exoplanet, and a Mars expedition uncovering ancient fossils and lost civilizations. These storylines converge around technological marvels and surprising discoveries, creating unexpected connections and developments that I absolutely did not see coming. Every story in the anthology is brilliant, and O’Flaherty’s creativity is evident throughout. Overall, this is a deeply satisfying read, and I think those readers who enjoy a variety of tales in a single volume will find that in abundance here.
