Jeffrey Lyman

Immortal Evelyn and Other Tales of Dark Fantasy by Jeffrey Lyman is a captivating collection that showcases a range of dark, imaginative storytelling, each tale offering its own unique tone and perspective.

As a collection, one of its greatest strengths is its variety. Each story brings something different to the table—whether that’s atmosphere, character focus, or thematic depth—making it an engaging read that never feels repetitive. The dark fantasy elements are woven throughout in show more creative ways, blending the eerie, the magical, and the unsettling. show less

The title fits very well, but there’s also magic and echoes of Lovecraft.
These are five thrilling and well-written stories that captivate the reader.
A bridge-builder desperately tries to construct a bridge through the void to safe ground.
A man with a walking disability tries to stay alive in the Troll King’s arena.
A rescue mission for a ship trapped in the ice awakens gruesome creatures.
A photographer documents damage to a powered airship and discovers more than he wanted.
A thief is show more blackmailed into committing a theft and ends up in a sinister world.
Recommended! show less

An engrossing steampunk collection

This collection of five short stories explores a variety of intriguing steampunk ideas, not just airships. Each story is unique while still containing steampunk elements, and some also touch on magic and the paranormal.

I enjoyed all the tales and their unique approaches. Several conveyed a delicious sense of peril, sometimes even a dose of creepiness. And there was a bit of humor, too, unexpectedly jumping out to alleviate the disquiet.

The stories were show more well-written and drew me in quickly, although the last one seemed a little rougher than the others. It jumped around in a couple of parts and glossed over some events that seemed important to the story. But it still held my attention, and it had a great twist that I didn't see coming.

Overall, I enjoyed this collection of steampunk tales. It's varied and engrossing, an entertaining read. show less

Fantastic Tales of Steampunk has five great stories. The stories range wide from creating bridges to other places to ships locked in ice and wary of sea monsters to a photographer taking photos for a police investigation aboard a dirigible that flew through the Harrow.

My favorites were "The Troll King" and "The Ring of Hours and Seconds" . The Troll King is protected by steampunk armor and has an army of similarly suited ogres. Forty-eight young men of the kingdoms must survive three show more challenges against ogres taking place on land, in the air, and underwater. Few are expected to survive, but ogres can be beaten. The question becomes, can the Troll King be beaten as well?

The Ring of Hours and Seconds is owned by a necromancer and must be stolen by Toten to pay off his girl's gambling debts. The necromancer makes a counter-offer, asking Toten to take on a different challenge, which could clear the debt if successful, or possibly kill him.

A nice, varied collection of stories showing what steampunk can do. Great for readers new to steampunk. show less