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The Mission Collection by Tara Basi - Reviews

by Asibor Eromosele Emmanuel (onlinebookclub.org)

The author's storytelling is daring and breaks away from traditional forms, immersing the audience in fantastical circumstances that defy the usual patterns of narrative. The Mission by Tara Basi is an anthology of short stories that takes its audience into a place of strange and sometimes bewildering events. My first thought about this book was that it was going to be a book filled with World War II scenes, the elimination of an expected target, etc., but it wasn't. The anthology opens with the intense narrative of Kevin's flight from a mental institution, where he was found in distressing conditions, engaged in board games with his late mother, who was preserved in a freezer. Mandy, a receptionist at the facility, becomes enamored with Kevin and devises a bold strategy to free him from the asylum's restrictions. This felt like a movie, I would say. I love the fact that the author used simple English for the readers to easily comprehend what she was trying to describe. The author's storytelling is daring and breaks away from traditional forms, immersing the audience in fantastical circumstances that defy the usual patterns of narrative. The initial tale establishes the mood for the subsequent stories, weaving elements of mental suspense and imaginative fiction. While this method may be invigorating and intellectually stimulating for some, it may present a challenge for others to connect the seemingly scattered threads of the narrative." I loved everything about the book from the beginning: how the author described everything that happened in detail, the suspense the story brought, which made me curious about what happened in the story, and then down to how the story ended. It was an amazing ride for me. I only wish there would be Part 2 of this amazing book. I didn't dislike anything about the book; the author was able to convey the message she was trying to convey to her audience, and I personally learned some life lessons from this book. The book is well edited and free from grammatical errors. I would rate this novel 5 out of 5stars and recommend it for anyone who enjoy reading nove

The Mission Collection by Tara Basi - Reviews

by STEPHENSAMUEL (onlinebookclub.org)

What I loved about the book is the author's ability to use different stories that are intertwined and together bring out critical aspects of our lives, such as the need for escape, the search for identity, finding purpose, creativity, leadership, and the search for meaning in our lives. The Mission" by Tara Basi is a science fiction collection targeting both sci-fi lovers and non-lovers of the genre. It includes long short stories, short stories, and a novella, with stories that explore both outer space and the inner workings of the mind. The stories feature a variety of elements, such as machines, aliens, prophets, battleships, and crews facing significant threats, all delivered in a mix of romantic, dark, and humorous prose. Each story outlines a complex plot with multiple characters and themes; however, each story forms a rich collection of interconnected stories. The author has used some fictional characters that bring out a well-developed, provocative, and relatable storyline, encouraging readers to see things from new perspectives. Each story has a unique voice, which makes the collection refreshing and captivating. Some of the main characters include Kevin, who is central to the overall plot. Kevin is the primary character who is on the run, suggesting a theme of escape and survival. The other main character, Lucy, is an artificial intelligence robot trying to establish her autonomy, identity, and purpose. There is also Reena, who is seen as creative and self-expressing, seeking to be acknowledged in her field. Another character in the overall plot is Norma Flynn, who faces significant challenges and decisions, bringing out the themes of responsibility, governance, and crisis management. Finally, we meet Sally, who brings out the theme of innocence while harboring darker, unexplained phenomena. The interlinking of these characters and their stories creates a multifaceted and engaging plot that explores deep and thought-provoking everyday life situations. In a nutshell, the book highlights the themes of escape, identity, purpose, creativity, leadership, and the search for meaning. What I loved about the book is the author's ability to use different stories that are intertwined and together bring out critical aspects of our lives, such as the need for escape, the search for identity, finding purpose, creativity, leadership, and the search for meaning in our lives. The language used is simple and easy to understand, making the book enjoyable to read. The plot is captivating and simplified. Although I found the book complex and challenging to read, it contained strong language, sexual references, violence, and adult themes, making it inappropriate for some readers. It’s a must-read for those who don’t mind the language and are lovers of the genre of writing. I commend the editor too, because the book is exceptionally edited. I recommended it to sci-fi lovers and those new to the genre. In my opinion, this book deserves 5 stars out of 5.

The Mission Collection by Tara Basi - Reviews

by seema Singhal (onlinebookclub.org)

Tara Basi’s “The Mission” is a daring amalgamation of dystopian fiction and dark humour that takes readers on an exciting journey through a peculiar world and eccentric characters. This novella intrigues with its imaginative twists and unsettling imagery, setting the stage for a series of stories that challenge conventional sci-fi narratives. The first story opens with Kevin's dramatic escape from a psychiatric hospital, aided by Mandy. Their journey of liberation and responsibility is not just about physical freedom but also about navigating the complexities of their evolving relationship amidst the chaos of promoting Kevin’s app. Mandy’s attraction to Kevin’s unique qualities adds depth to their dynamic, making their story both intriguing and heartfelt. The second story, "The New Me," introduces a profound exploration of Anthony and Alice’s desire to get back their youth and leaves some unanswered questions about the intricacies of revoking human mortality. My favourite "Moodiest," is about Reena's struggle with incurable melancholy and is a poignant dive into despair and the human search for hope. Her journey is a stark reminder of the depths of emotional pain and the often elusive nature of solace. "Captain Norma Flynn" offers a thrilling narrative of leadership and sacrifice, as the protagonist leads her crew in a final stand to defend Earth. The story is rich with tension and the high stakes of survival, showcasing Basi’s ability to write gripping action. The final story, "Sally and the Sixty-Four," centres on Delta's mysterious expedition, unravelling truths about Sally’s past and the challenges her companions face. This story blends adventure with emotional depth, providing a satisfying conclusion to the collection. Basi’s writing style is engaging and immersive. Each character’s journey is crafted with vivid descriptions and nuanced emotions, drawing readers into their struggles and triumphs. The diversity of themes, from liberation and responsibility to identity and despair, adds richness to the overall narrative. "The Mission" is exceptionally well-edited, with no noticeable errors. While profanity is present, it enhances the realism and emotional intensity of the stories. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for its thought-provoking themes, engaging storytelling, and richly developed characters. It is a must-read for fans of thought-provoking fiction that delves into complex themes and offers compelling, character-driven narratives.

The Mission Collection by Tara Basi - Reviews

by vikash_k (onlinebookclub.org)

"The Mission" is a captivating novella by Tara Basi that weaves together six distinct and compelling stories, each exploring various aspects of the human experience. The first story recounts Kevin's daring escape from a psychiatric hospital with the help of Mandy, leading them on a journey of liberation and responsibility. As they navigate their newfound freedom, Mandy becomes enamored with Kevin's unique qualities, aiding him in promoting his app while their relationship evolves amidst chaos. In "The New Me," Anthony faces the aftermath of a failed consciousness transfer procedure, leaving him in his old body while his younger self thrives. "Reboot" follows Lucy, a Can-Do robot, on a quest to find its creator, striking a deal with Kat and uncovering disturbing truths along the way. "Moodiest" delves into Reena's struggle with melancholy and her devastating realization about the incurability of her condition, leading her to a descent into darkness. In "Captain Norma Flynn," the protagonist leads her crew in a final defense against a threat to Earth, making tough decisions. "Sally and the Sixty-Four" follows Delta's mysterious expedition, revealing truths about Sally's past and her companions' struggles as they confront challenges on their journey. One of the standout features of "The Mission" is the diversity of themes explored in each story. "The Mission" tackles themes of liberation, responsibility, and the complexities of relationships, while "The New Me" delves into the concept of identity and the passage of time. Each story offers a unique perspective, adding depth and richness to the overall narrative. The author's writing style is particularly engaging and immersive. Tara Basi crafts each character's journey with vivid descriptions and nuanced emotions, drawing readers into their world. This makes the reader feel deeply invested in the characters' struggles and triumphs. Another merit is the meticulous editing of the book. It is exceptionally well-edited, with no noticeable errors, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable reading experience. I would highly recommend "The Mission" to readers who enjoy thought-provoking fiction that delves into complex themes and offers compelling, character-driven narratives. Each story is well-crafted and explores different facets of the human experience, keeping the reader intrigued from beginning to end. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. "The Mission" offers a compelling blend of thought-provoking themes, engaging storytelling, and diverse characters. Each story is unique and masterfully written, making it a memorable read that resonates long after the final page is turned. There is nothing that I found wrong with this book.

The Mission Collection by Tara Basi - Reviews

by raventaito (onlinebookclub.org)

The Mission by Tara Basi is a dark, science fiction anthology of thought-provoking stories that touch on themes of old age, machines, grief and the concept of God. Through intricate, unique storytelling and imagery, Basi challenges our conventional thinking and allows readers to rethink their perspectives on the human experience. While I won't delve deep into each story, I will summarize a bit in hopes that there's a little something for everyone and that you decide to give it a chance. Starting with the titled story, "The Mission" follows Kevin, who has escaped from a mental health facility and, with the help of a few quirky characters, develops a smartphone application. Not long after, the software unexpectedly becomes popular and Kevin quickly gains a following. Personally, I am not fond of how this story wrapped up. Kevin is certainly an interesting character, but I think there was potential to add more to the plot. "The New Me" is a dystopian story where we see an ailing, century-old Anthony struggle with the reality of what happens after undergoing treatment that gives him youth and a new body. This is a quick and simple read that puts the idea of old age and life extension into perspective. I found myself thinking of the concept of incarnation and humanity's obsession with not aging and potentially living forever, and only slightly empathized with the characters. "Reboot" is one of my favorites of this collection. The story follows Lucy, a "can-do" robot that has no qualms about killing while in search of her creator, and during her search, she uncovers the dark truths of the company that helped create her. I really enjoyed the interactions between the rogue Lucy bot and the humans she encounters. She is very clear about her agenda and will stop at nothing to ensure she gets things done. "Moodiest" was an interesting piece, but very relatable. Following Reena, an artist who's been having nightmares and can't process her irritability like everyone else; she seeks advice and treatment from an unconventional doctor. I think I resonated with this story and the main character more than I thought I would, but the ending was too open-ended for me. I am left with many emotions, and a question of what could have been done differently for Reena. I found "Captain Norma Flynn" to be an original and fun concept. Norma and her geriatric space soldiers are the final line of defense on Earth in an intergalactic war. Despite the ailments that comes with their old age, they put their all into this suicide mission. Elderly folk putting their lives on the line for their world, how can you not be interested to see where that story goes? I loved the different characters and their reactions during their intense battle. I wish it was longer, honestly. It would be cool to see the outcome of their fight. Finally, "Sally and the Sixty-Four," the longest of the six stories where we see an innocent and young Sally who is raised into a specific role that poses the questions of "who can you trust?" And "are the things we know really the truth?" I love the way Basi explores human evolution and seeking a purpose through Sally in this story. It's so captivating and the complexity sticks in my mind well after finishing. As far as I could see, there weren't any notable editing or grammatical errors. Basi wrote the settings, voices and personalities of each tales' characters to intentionally fit a specific portrayal she wanted readers to be aware of, and I do believe she managed to convey that well. This is surely not a light read with there being sexual content and dark themes, but I think it's good and recommend it to anyone open to the science fiction and psychological elements. I will forever love how Basi touches on aspects of identity, one's purpose, the need for escape, and even the nature of death without making it feel too heavy. I genuinely think this book receives a five out of five stars. It was complex, written well and did an amazing job with the imagery. As a whole, it's an original and compelling book with a variety of stories that explore outer space and the inner space of our minds that I truly believe was done very well. I am intrigued to see what else Tara Basi comes up with.

The Mission Collection by Tara Basi - Reviews

by Barry Jones 2 (onlinebookclub.org)

Through its darkly comic tone and absurdist approach, The Mission: Collection by Tara Basi leads readers across a surreal social critique landscape of wild scenarios. In this book, Kevin represents a man who deals with possessions from "The Missionary," while Mandy is his demented accomplice under the nickname NOC (Number One Convert). They try to head a bizarre cult-like group that might either save or destroy humanity according to The Missionary's periodically changing goals. When the pair starts enlisting their assortment of followers, the story takes a series of escalating, fragmented paths into progressively bizarre and ominous events. The story explores the societal preoccupation with leadership perspectives and manufacturing human desires using memorable characters. Reading this piece felt like an adventure that combined black satire, absurd jokes, and funny elements. Kevin and Mandy represent anthropomorphic versions of human personality traits because each of these conspicuous individuals demonstrates a control-based nature, manipulation capacities, and the pursuit of meaning. I appreciate how the author masterfully constructs a highly chaotic fictional universe that intensifies at every moment. Through its razor-sharp writing based on subversive wit alongside profound observation, the story includes surreal and fantastical elements. In the book, the author creates a self-aware first-person style that frequently disrupts traditional storytelling conventions. With the flow of characters’ inner thoughts, the book presents dynamic, unexpected descriptions that maintain reader excitement throughout the reading experience. The unique phrase "the sausage in the roll, the mole in the hole," at Kevin's escape experience, becomes humorous while retaining a whimsical mood. The conversations in these chapters deliver sharp exchanges through slang and playful content that represent the erratic nature of everyone involved. The chosen writing style simultaneously drives the quick pace of this work and escalates its comedic attributes. Despite its unorthodox writing techniques, along with laughable elements, the approach may result in confusion among readers who require traditionally structured plots. The stream-of-consciousness writing style properly demonstrates the character's emotional turmoil but simultaneously demands strained focus for understanding the book's main themes and message. This observation is to alert the prospective readers; it does not represent an objective flaw of the book but allows me to understand that the book is most suitable and can be easily read by readers familiar with experimental literature, dark comedy, or absurdist fiction. Aside from the book’s tendency to be most fitted for a particular level and nature of readers, I found no absolute flaws in its authorship. This book possesses flawless editing along with no detectable grammatical errors. I give the book a perfect 5 out of 5 stars. The audiences for reading The Mission: Collection by Tara Basi are lovers of tales with comical black humor alongside intellectual commentary. Members of literary communities who recognize experimental works along with dark comic or absurdist writers would find resonance with the book. Its underlying satire with unusual humor meshes perfectly with those who find pleasure in obscure stories containing deep symbolism.

The Mission Collection by Tara Basi - Reviews

by Del Lopez Maxson (onlinebookclub.org)

While this literary work is not for everyone, it does a great job of entertaining and making a reader think deeply, which is good. In The Mission: Collection by Tara Basi, the reader explores multiple short stories and a decent small novel. The stories lean heavily on sci-fi elements with a dash of psychology. The numerous main characters have distinct characteristics and arcs throughout, which create enjoyable and thought-provoking reads. In short, take a journey through the eyes of beings going through intense and stressful situations that might make you think deeply about death and the many forms of life. The author's ability to use literary elements to portray ideas and stories in such a short amount of time is a factor that makes this literature enjoyable due to its vivid emotional responses and use of literary elements.The literary techniques used in the book are also well implemented. Foreshadowing and simile are noticeable, for example, in the chapter names and descriptions. The tone shifting between the characters' points of view in some instances is also quite nice and can draw you in. All told, this leans on characterization and dialogue to pull a person. Even though the settings in the short stories are not as fleshed out as they are in the novel, this does help progress the plot and characters. The writing style could take a while to get used to, but otherwise, it is a nice piece of entertainment for most people. In short, the novel is by far the best written and most intriguing, with the short tales doing slightly less well. In conclusion, I would give The Mission: Collection five out of five stars. While this literary work is not for everyone, it does a great job of entertaining and making a reader think deeply, which is good. The grammar is good, and the writing style is consistent throughout. I would recommend this book to late teens and older who like to analyze what they read, especially mystery and science fiction.

The Mission Collection by Tara Basi - Reviews

by Karenina Carvalho (onlinebookclub.org)

The fantasy tales are well-written, creative, thought-provoking, and have just the right amount of acid humor. I loved reading The Mission by Tara Basi. The book is a collection of six fiction tales that explore the future of AI evolution and machine technology in addition to human behavior, moral values, and emotions. It reminded me of the series Black Mirror, where the episodes are all different, but they connect. The edition of the book is very well done and of excellent quality. Also, I could not find any serious errors, so I gave it a 5-star rating. The fantasy tales are well-written, creative, thought-provoking, and have just the right amount of acid humor. All stories from the collection have a dystopian future as the setting, and the author did an excellent job describing the detailed environment to create the scenario in which the stories take place. For the characters, regardless of whether they are human or not, the author brings aspects of human morality and emotions that lead us to reflect on ourselves and the path we are walking toward the future. The endings are always surprising, which motivates me even more to read his other work! The first story, which carries the same name as the book, is an adventure in which Kevin, a fugitive from a psych hospital, uses a game he developed to recruit many of the population for a worldwide mission. The New Me tells the story of an elderly, wealthy couple (Anthony and Alice) who decide to get younger versions of themselves. Downloading their conscience into their new twenty-something-year-old bodies is challenging, and they have to make a decision they were unaware of when they made the purchase. Reboot is about Lucy, a shrewd humanoid on a mission to find the access key that will reveal the truth about its real nature. This particular robot was designed to adapt and reconfigure itself according to the challenges ahead, overriding human commands to get what it wants. In Moodiest, Reena, a mother who has recently suffered a huge loss, tries to overcome her discouraged feelings in a challenging environment where everyone seems pleased and content. A mood specialist doctor will try to help her with his unorthodox methods. In the tale, Captain Norma Flyn, an elderly spaceship crew and their slightly disturbed captain (Norma Flyn) must save the Earth from an enemy attack. Sally and the Sixty-Four takes place millions of years in the future, in a world where no humans survived, but AI machines and their creations continued to thrive. Delta is a robot tasked with recreating humans to study and understand their creators. But in the long run, she creates an entire community of humans, with their qualities and defects, causing her to develop control methods to guide this new society. Of all of them, I enjoyed Sally and the Sixty-Four the most because of the theological aspect. Also, Delta's passion for scientific research of organic and living creatures is wonderful, for I have the same passion. During the millions of years she dedicated to finding answers to her numerous questions, we see the humanoid kindness and love toward these creatures. Like a loving parent, she tries to help humankind be saved and prosper, using technology to create the sovereign helper: a God and his Prophet. It was very entertaining to see how it all unwound. The book is best enjoyed by young adult audiences and genre enthusiasts. It is not suited for children due to the presence of swearing and sexual content. My only remark is about the way that the chapters are constructed. They are always written in the first person, but there’s no clear indication of whose thoughts and views are being expressed. That can be a little confusing until later in the text, when we can identify the character. Nonetheless, in some stories, I found the exact opposite. Some characters are so unique in their language that the distinction between them is obvious. This type of narrative is interesting because it brings the reader closer to the character's way of being. For me, it is a pleasant read for leisure moments. It’s safe to say I'll recommend it to friends and surely reread it.
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