Refugees and Other Stories

Shape-shifting beings and magical powers move in the natural world, and curious humans find unexpected roles to play in these stories from a celebrated author. Selkies and dragons have their tales to tell here. Ghosts and aliens with their own agendas and a troll interact with humans in stories that reference myths in new ways. Here, the reader will find reverence and reflection as well as adventure, and even humour.

Refugees And Other Stories is a collection of stories by author Celu Amberstone. Previously available only in anthologies and magazines, these stories are gathered together here for the first time. Drawing on her Indigenous and Celtic heritage, Amberstone writes powerful fiction subtly different from the usual science fiction or fantasy adventures. The introduction to her fine collection of stories is written by author and professor Dr Allan Weiss, whose specialization is in Canadian Literature.

Amberstone integrates her Celtic and Indigenous heritage into these stories. Her characters (whether human, alien, or mythic beings) are strangers in a strange land, at the intersection of the real world and words of magic - and if that makes you think of Heinlein and LeGuin, you are on the right track.

Amberstone's seductive and enthralling stories employ fantastic elements to balance the joy of kinship with the devastating effects of colonialism. A must-read collection! - Dr Joy Sanchez-Taylor, author of Diverse Futures, and professor of English at LaGuardia (CUNY)

"Refugees," by Celu Amberstone, throws readers on an emotional roller-coaster ride within a refugee culture that has been rescued, transplanted, and controlled by ambiguous benefactors from a post-apocalyptic Earth. - Quill and Quire

Amberstone's tales reflect real-world challenges and what it takes to overcome them. - Dr Allan Weiss, author and associate professor of English and Humanities, York University.

Also very strong is Vancouver Island writer Celu Amberstone's tale of human refugees living on an alien planet under the supervision of alien Benefactors ("Refugees"). Amberstone does a nice job of painting the shades of gray in her paternalistic society. Humans who have lived on Tallav'Wahir for centuries lead peaceful and happy lives, but they are utterly dependent on aliens to make all the decisions about what is in their best interests. And when a new shipment of refugees arrives from a dying Earth, their assumptions and their security are badly shaken. - Donna McMahon for SF Site

The benevolence of an alien race that helped them come to this place, and requires their obedience to rules, is questioned over the course of the story, as is whether harsh decisions aimed at ensuring humanity's survival are an acceptable price to pay. - James McGrath, reviewing "Refugees" for Journal of Postcolonial Theory and Theology