This book is a collection of short stories that focus on the subject of alternate universes. Starting off with a story about what life would be like if the civil war never occurred, we than are introduced to a world where an alternate universe machine is invented. The next story tells of what might have happened if the Incas were never conquered and developed an advanced empire. Following that is a tale about a world where magic exists and the people who posses it are segregated, and than another story about magic, in a entirely different universe. The next short story tells of what might have happened if Hitler won the war, and the one after that, what might happen if religions were commercialized. The next story is set in World War 2, and men in the army are hearing music. After that is a tale about the path one family might have taken if certain events did not take place, and than another story about what might happen if a author discovered alternate versions of himself. Finally, there is a list of alternate universes our world might have taken.
While some of these stories were enjoyable, only a few of them really fit into the genera of alternate universes. In particular, "Csilla's Story" and "Winterborn" seemed to belong to the fantasy genera, and did not relate to the topic of the collection. While most of these short stories are appropriate for children, the story "Dog Eared Paperback of My Life" contained several explicit sex scenes, as well as frequent drug use and inappropriate language. It's extremely adult content makes this book unsuitable for children, which was it's intended audience. Also, the last short story was confusing and all over the place, further throwing off the intended affect of the book. The stories in this book were not memorable, except for the ones that left a bad taste in your mouth. I would not recommend this book for children, however, I doubt adults would enjoy it either, as most of the stories are not written with an adult audience in mind.
Reviewer Age:14
Reviewer City, State and Country: New Tripoli, PA United States Of America
