While waiting to get a copy of Cress by Marissa Meyer, I read all of The Lunar Chronicles short stories. You can read three of them for free on the Internet (check out the links below). The newest short story is only found in copies of Cress purchased at Target stores. Hopefully, this last short story will be offered for free in the future.
Title: Glitches
Title: Glitches
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Tor.com
Publication Date: December 2011
Length: 32 pages
Series: The Lunar Chronicles (#0.5)
Audio or Book: Book
Reason for Discovery: Internet
From GoodReads:
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. In Glitches, a short prequel story to Cinder, we see the results of that illness play out, and the emotional toll that takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch...
This novella gives you a glimpse of Cinder meeting her step-mother and step-sisters for the first time. It is a bit heartbreaking to see Cinder desperately vying for affection and not receiving it from her step-mother. Also, I liked seeing Cinder's step-mother grieve for her husband's death. In the original fairy tale, there was a little bit of love between Cinderella's father and his new wife. Cinderella's step-mother doesn't love Cinderella, but she is capable of love.
Overall, I enjoyed this glimpse into Cinder's "origin story." It is just a few moments from Cinder's first memories of life. I don't think there was anything really groundbreaking in it, but it will definitely help pass the time in an enjoyable way.
I give this story a 3 out of 5.
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Wattpad
Publication Date: January 2014
Length: 35 pages
Series: The Lunar Chronicles (#0.6)
Audio or Book: Book
Reason for Discovery: Internet
From GoodReads:
When android Mech6.0, saves the life of a handsome hardware engineer, her body is destroyed and her mechanics discover a glitch in her programing. Androids aren’t not meant to develop unpractical reasoning or near-emotional responses…let alone fall in love.
This was such an adorable story. Hans Christian Anderson knows how to write a depressing fairy tale, and Meyer doesn't shy away from The Little Mermaid's sad elements. This is not Disney's The Little Mermaid. Although Meyer's obsession with writing about androids that have human-like feelings is a bit tiring for me, I thought that the story was really strong and that it pulls on the heartstrings in the right way. This was a great stand alone story within The Lunar Chronicles universe.
I give this story a 4 out of 5.
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Wattpad
Publication Date: November 2012
Length: 18 pages
Series: The Lunar Chronicles (#1.5)
Audio or Book: Book
Reason for Discovery: Internet
From GoodReads:
It is time. The boy must leave his family to serve in the Queen's army. To be chosen is an honor. To decline is impossible. The boy is modified. He is trained for several years, and learns to fight to the death. He proves to the Queen—and to himself—that he is capable of evil. He is just the kind of soldier the Queen wants: the alpha of his pack.
Like Glitches, The Queen's Army gives the reader a glimpse of a beloved character's origin. This time, we get to see what Wolf's life was like prior to Scarlet. This was an interesting story, because you don't get too much information on how Wolf joined his pack. Also, I'm not sure if I missed this when I read Scarlet, but Wolf has a family member in his pack. Maybe I read Scarlet too fast? Anyway, it was neat learning about this family dynamic and getting more Lunar world building in The Queen's Army.
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Target
Publication Date: February 2014
Length: 42 pages
Series: The Lunar Chronicles (#3.5)
Audio or Book: Book
Reason for Discovery:
This is an exclusive short story that is only found in copies of Cress by Marissa Meyer that are purchased in Target stores.
This short story is about everyone's favorite Captain Carswell Thorne when he was a teenager and met Kate Fallow (she is referenced in Cress).
I loved this short story. My love of this story is definitely related to my love of Thorne. I love flirtatious, cocky spaceship captains. I have a long history of this. I loved Han Solo as a kid, and I really wanted to hang out with him and go on adventures. Interestingly, I didn't want to date Han Solo or want to date Carswell Thorne. They are too flirty for my tastes, but they would be fun on adventures. Okay, let's focus. The story is cute and shows the reader that Thorne was always thinking three steps ahead and has a head for the long con. Meyer does a nice job of balancing Thorne's rebellious attitude with having a good heart.
Right now, you can only get the short story in copies of Cress at Target stores. Like most short stories and novellas, you don't need to read this story to appreciate the series as a whole. At the same time, it is a super cute story, if you can get your hands on it.
I give this story a 4 out of 5.