Great story concepts and ideas but found the writing lack luster. Felt like a chore to read these stories and I love short stories. I really don't know what it is about the author's writing I didn't enjoy. It could be the character dialogue but felt I was reading a synopsis of a better book/story rather than the actual stories. There were some stories that stood out more than others but there weren't too many. Wish I liked it more since other people seemed to like it better than me. ( )

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this as an Early Reviewer. No compensation was received other than the Amazon link to make the Kindle edition free to download (a $2.99 USD value).

This book was a joy to read! The writing was engaging and kept me turning the pages from start to finish. The characters were well-developed and the plot was well-crafted in each story and kept me guessing until the end. Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great read!

The title "Mindshards" immediately caught my attention. What an interesting word, and so many possibilities! It's the perfect title for Brian Burt's collection of short stories. I love a good short story, and this author doesn't disappoint. These stories cover a wide variety of genres, from fantasy to noir to horror. I found myself disappointed at the end of each story: I wanted more. If Brian Burt took each story and continued it - perhaps a novella? - I would buy each book. The first story, "Phantom Pain," takes place in New Orleans, a city I know and love. Burt captured the essence of the French Quarter, with all its mystery and color. This story ended much sooner than I would have liked. I'm impressed with any writer who can cover a variety of places and situations and genres, and make me believe he/she has a solid knowledge of each. Brian Burt does this. I will be reading more of his books! ( )

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this as an Early Reviewer. No compensation was received other than the Amazon link to make the Kindle edition free to download (a $2.99 USD value).

Mindshards is a collection of speculative short fiction stories. Like any collection, the tales did vary a little in quality, but overall the book is a good read. Some stories tend to stand out more than others, such as Equinox. This book has a nice range of sci-fi, fantasy, and almost horror-like tales to interest any reader.

Recommended for: those who enjoy short fiction, those who enjoy a variety of sci-fi subgenres, and those who enjoy some dark fantasy. ( )