Short Universe

By Joshua Radburn

Phillos is the last Librarian - a globular race of humanoids charged with managing the Great Library. In fact, he's the last anything ever, or so he believes. One day, he hears footsteps.

The spectre responsible leads him to nine tattered books, hidden away in the Great Library's oldest recesses; Phillos makes the mistake of reading them.

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Short Universe details a series of misadventures across all of time and space. On our own little planet the misfortunes are uncountable, the depravity of our seediest neighbours without fathom, so it shouldn't surprise you to learn that circumstances seldom improve further afield. If anything, they get worse.

Thankfully for mortals, our lives are short, and our sufferings against war, corruption, madness, and hell fit snugly within these pages. You don't need warning because you already know, not all of these stories end well. Instead, take comfort in knowing that legacies are built in the fight against monsters and in the end those lives might not be so short after all.

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Short Story Synopses

The Great Library: Part 1

Phillos is the last living being in the entire universe, or should be. One day, he hears footsteps. After following the spectre responsible, he comes across nine tattered books within the Great Library under his charge. He makes the mistake of reading them.

Stupid

Rancid gangsters, giant space beasts, and the embrace of space without a suit - these are some of the kindest parts of Samson's day, which only gets worse when he stumbles upon a scuttling presence in the darkness of a Gov research facility.

The Bullet Boy

A ghost, who Dandy dubs The Bullet Boy, arrives at the youngster's home one day and begins to draw all over the house in chalk. Unfortunately, the seemingly harmless Bullet Boy isn't Dandy's only visitor.

Shuttle Spotters

A security guard with a shuttle spotting hobby is overjoyed when a legendary Hope ship cruises over the derelict building site he is being paid to protect. A strange rock breaks away from the ship and the night takes a darker turn when the guard and his partner go in search of it.

Family

A young Senthri princess is transferred to an off galaxy prison planet for committing mass murder. Her memory of the night is blotchy at best and, unfortunately for the prison planet's locals, the voices in her head have come with her.

Doctor Doctor

A man recounts the horrific details of his journey to Mandar where a crazed Military Doc has been logging medical reports long after the Gov's war is over.

Time and Space

After waking strapped to a chair with his legs removed, Jacob enters into a heated debate with an immortal being called Dreaden, hoping to stave off the eternal torture his captor has planned for him.

The Following

A high ranking military intelligence officer is forced to report on a secret occult experiment. With the outbreak of war around the corner, she isn't thrilled about such wastes of time.

Dead Flowers

Charged with the annihilation of the human race, a team of Nox Elite Guards chase the last remnants of the species to a mysterious dwarf planet. There, they encounter a group of whimsical creatures known as The Barney Men. They like to play games.

The Tragedy of Korr and Bani

The greatest bounty hunter in the universe finally captures the universe's greatest hero. The problem is she loves him and parting with him for her bounty will not be as easy as she had hoped.

The Great Library: Part 2

Phillos has finished reading the nine harrowing stories and he is no longer alone in the Library. A God has joined him.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1999734904
• ISBN13: 9781999734909
• Release Date: October 2017
• Publisher: J D Radburn
• Length: 292 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.0" x 8.0"