Circle Spinner and Other Tales [Kindle Edition]

E. K. Baxter (Author)

Book Description

Circle Spinner and Other Tales by E.K. Baxter

Five fantasy and science fiction tales that will sweep you to other worlds.

A tired old woman is the only one who can save a city from the terrifying Pantheon. A boy walks the empty corridors of a starship with only his dog for company. A high-flying city worker learns that fairy tales really do come true. A young slave woman discovers that she carries a power that could set her free. A cyborg demon-hunter meets an angel who throws his world into chaos.

Step into the world of the circle spinner…

Circle Spinner and Other Tales is a collection which contains the following stories:

• Circle Spinner


• The Following Star


• One of Those Days


• The Blessing of Silence


• Fallen Angel

Read an excerpt:
I woke to the sound of screaming.
I was pretty sure it wasn’t me. High, shrill, continuous. No, definitely not me. Metallic, close to my skull. Of course. My proximity transceiver was going crazy. I should have realized. Damn, when had I gotten so sloppy?
Demon nearby! The transceiver screamed. Get up and fight!
I tried to obey but when I moved my legs, a wave of pain burned through my lower body. A damage report flashed in red letters before my eyes: compound fracture to left femur. Severe blood loss. Fracture to right patella. Ribs 4-7 fractured on left side. Punctured lung. Respiratory system compromised. Advice: Don’t move. Wait for evacuation.
Yeah, like I needed to be told. I knew I was beat up like hell. For a moment I teetered on the edge of consciousness. I couldn’t pass out again. If I did, I was dead. The demon was setting off my transceiver. That meant it was still alive. And close.

Other books by E.K Baxter

• Summer Storm, Book 1 of The Wrath of the Northmen (an epic fantasy series)


• Everwinter, Book 2 of The Wrath of the Northemen (an epic fantasy series)


• The Last Priestess, Book 1 of The Songmaker (an epic fantasy series)


• The Dragon Maker (a fantasy short story)

Product Details

• File Size: 269 KB
• Print Length: 101 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Elizabeth Baxter (April 28, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B007YQ1SY0
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #335,781 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Five tales to enchant and bewitch... July 3, 2012

By Freya Pickard

Format:Kindle Edition

Five stories set in times and places not of this world.

Five tales of characters you believe in from the start.

Five narratives that enchant and bewitch.

I am very critical of short stories. The form is difficult to write successfully and I often read short stories in magazines and think, "what was the point?" Not so with Elizabeth Baxter's tales.

All five stories are completely different, although they all read as though they are set in the future, or perhaps an alternative past. The author has envisaged very clear possible futures (or past times) for the human race; from space age travel to alternative realities invading our planet, from post nuclear communities to fighting machines in Holy Wars, to worlds where humans are not the dominant species.

Baxter gets inside her characters' heads, makes you feel their pain and exhilaration, causes the reader to want to read on beyond the stories' endings...

My favourite tale was "The Blessing of Silence". Sakara, the main character, is strong, despite being a captive slave of the dominant Telhut. A combination of fallen angel and vampires, the Telhut subjugate humans in order to play their war games. Sakara's talent is in her voice and its powers of healing. She is only allowed to speak before her master and repeatedly heals him and even brings him back from the dead. Her obedience to the Telhut is ensured by the threat of death to another human, Chandry, whom she loves secretly. When Chandry dies, Sakara discovers the power to heal can also hold the power to slay.

Succinct with no loose ends, Baxter's writing is some of the best I've read in recent years in the science fiction and fantasy genres.

Available on Kindle at Amazon.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Stories July 2, 2012

By Sheila Smiles

Format:Kindle Edition

Loved all the stories and hope the author writes a long book! I'll be sure to buy. Well written and entertaining-time flew by as I was reading them.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars enjoyable June 30, 2012

By vprestine

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Enjoyed reading this. Wasn't sure at first. Downloaded book because of cover. Turned out to be surprisingly good. Had trouble putting it down to get things done that needed to be.

5.0 out of 5 stars Good read! April 30, 2013

By PoppyBlossom

Format:Kindle Edition

I enjoyed this books and all it's short stories. I got to have more! Searching for the next book by this arthur.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great December 20, 2012

By mzgambler

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Good book to read when you only need a short story
to get you ready for bed. But, did not say they put
you to sleep! You might just sit up and read it all
before you lay down that sweet head!

3.0 out of 5 stars Circle Spinner and Other Tales December 15, 2012

By Kyrana Jones

Format:Kindle Edition

Circle Spinner and Other Tales is a collection of five short stories from author Elizabeth Baxter. Each tale, presented in the voice of the protagonist, places the reader directly into the drama as it is unfolding. In the style of a folk-tale, Baxter demonstrates her ability as a storyteller by providing strong imagery to involve the reader's senses and emotions in situations demanding personal sacrifice and courage in fantasy and science fiction settings.

As an appetizer to an adventure novel, it is easy to imagine these tales shared around a campfire or providing a bedtime story for early readers. However, adult readers may find this collection of tales simplistic as the author does not explore the depths of her characters or the settings in which they face and overcome adversity.

I highly recommend this collection for young teen readers and expect to see more of Baxter's tales in the future.

Circle Spinner and Other Tales

4.0 out of 5 stars Easy reading September 28, 2012

By Radek

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I enjoyed this series of short stories. The only comment I have is to expand on some of the ideas. The author has a very clear picture in her head as to what she wants to say, but it doesn't always come across. I had to reread several portions in order to understand what she meant. Once I had the concept, it was easy reading. Very fun. Very enjoyable. Imaginative. I'm looking forward to reading more of her work.

Do not expect a high level of character development or plot. These are basic ideas that she has put to paper. Hopefully, they will grow into stories of their own.

3.0 out of 5 stars If I didn't get this free... September 16, 2012

By Daniel Lovejoy

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a very short book with only a few stories. The only one that was partially worthwhile was the first (title) story.

I would have been very upset if I had paid for this. It has the feel of a self published book that was done in a hurry. A rewrite with the help of a professional critique would help a lot.

More About the Author

Elizabeth Baxter was born and raised in England. In her spare time she enjoys reading, hiking, traveling the world and watching England play cricket. She's been writing since she was six years old and plans to continue for as long as she's able to hold a pen (or a keyboard).