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FALL
"John Wick meets Altered Carbon/Deus Ex Machina."
Mike Everest Evans
She survived the mission, the drop; the fall.
But what now? What can she do when the very thing that produced her new name left her scarred in far more ways than one?
Fight on, that's what. Seek out the next job. The next mission. Even if it means doing the despicable. Even if it means risking her life once again. For she risks it to protect the many at the cost of the few. For the greater good.
She'll be saving the next generation, after all...
...won't she?
Mike Everest Evans
She survived the mission, the drop; the fall.
But what now? What can she do when the very thing that produced her new name left her scarred in far more ways than one?
Fight on, that's what. Seek out the next job. The next mission. Even if it means doing the despicable. Even if it means risking her life once again. For she risks it to protect the many at the cost of the few. For the greater good.
She'll be saving the next generation, after all...
...won't she?
- GenresScience Fiction
24 pages, ebook
First published March 23, 2018
2 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
J.P. Ashman
9 books429 followersBorn Lancashire, England, J. P. Ashman is a Northern lad through and through. His parents love wildlife, history, fantasy and science fiction, and passed their passion on to him. They read to him from an early age and encouraged his imagination at every turn. His career may be in optics, as a manager/technician, but he loves to make time for writing and reading every day. Now living rurally in the Cotswolds with Wifey and their little Norse Goddess Freya, he's inspired daily by the views they have and the things they see, from the deer in the fields to the buzzards circling overhead.
Writing is a huge part of his life and the medieval re-enactment background and tabletop gaming lend to it; when he's not writing the genre, he's either reading or playing it. He plans to keep writing, both within his current series, and those to come, whether short stories or epic tomes.
Writing is a huge part of his life and the medieval re-enactment background and tabletop gaming lend to it; when he's not writing the genre, he's either reading or playing it. He plans to keep writing, both within his current series, and those to come, whether short stories or epic tomes.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 25, 2018
I received a review copy of FALL in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank J.P. Ashman for the opportunity. As this is a short story I will keep my musings brief too.
FALL is an excellent cyberpunk action thriller that follows a female soldier called Senfel. As the only survivor of her prior mission, she is still badly injured yet it is mentally where she is most scarred, continuously reliving the haunting and devastating scenario over and over. She seeks her employer looking to get back out into the field through any available work. She is given a difficult 'select target' objective to complete. This is essentially an assault on an assigned group of people from a particular planet and these jobs can have catastrophic consequences.
Following on from Dragonship and Grannit, this is the third Ashman short story that I have read and enjoyed. It is his first foray into science-fiction and the finest of his works that I've reviewed. After the first two sections which set the scene, FALL is an adrenaline-pumping, engaging and violent sci-fi thriller which highlights a gritty potential future for humanity. This brief narrative includes chaotic and destructive weaponry such as Shock-Maces and Shredder-Waves as well as advanced equipment such as electro-gauntlets and vision enhancing masks. The people using these items throughout though are still very human in nature and their emotions are relatable to modern day. We follow two point of view perspectives featuring characters on both sides of the raid which gives a great 360 view of all actions. With FALL, which highlights only one mission, Ashman creates a very believable dark and bloody world and I'd be interested to follow Senfel further in a full-length novel. The tale incorporates approximately six main characters and the author skilfully made me care about them in a short space of time. This is one of the reasons that the ending was so shocking and uncomfortable to read. The finale is poignant and completely unexpected. FALL takes less than an hour to complete and is an enjoyable, thrilling and brutal sci-fi tale. Recommend.
FALL is an excellent cyberpunk action thriller that follows a female soldier called Senfel. As the only survivor of her prior mission, she is still badly injured yet it is mentally where she is most scarred, continuously reliving the haunting and devastating scenario over and over. She seeks her employer looking to get back out into the field through any available work. She is given a difficult 'select target' objective to complete. This is essentially an assault on an assigned group of people from a particular planet and these jobs can have catastrophic consequences.
Following on from Dragonship and Grannit, this is the third Ashman short story that I have read and enjoyed. It is his first foray into science-fiction and the finest of his works that I've reviewed. After the first two sections which set the scene, FALL is an adrenaline-pumping, engaging and violent sci-fi thriller which highlights a gritty potential future for humanity. This brief narrative includes chaotic and destructive weaponry such as Shock-Maces and Shredder-Waves as well as advanced equipment such as electro-gauntlets and vision enhancing masks. The people using these items throughout though are still very human in nature and their emotions are relatable to modern day. We follow two point of view perspectives featuring characters on both sides of the raid which gives a great 360 view of all actions. With FALL, which highlights only one mission, Ashman creates a very believable dark and bloody world and I'd be interested to follow Senfel further in a full-length novel. The tale incorporates approximately six main characters and the author skilfully made me care about them in a short space of time. This is one of the reasons that the ending was so shocking and uncomfortable to read. The finale is poignant and completely unexpected. FALL takes less than an hour to complete and is an enjoyable, thrilling and brutal sci-fi tale. Recommend.
August 1, 2018
Now available as an Audiobook - my 5* is for my brilliant narrator, not me - I can't rate myself now, can I?
Because FALL is a short story, unlike a lot of audio books (trust me, I listen to a lot - and they're totally worth it to me) FALL is the price of a coffee, rather than dinner out (in Blackpool).
If you fancy hearing this fast-paced, action-packed, heart-wrenching short of mine via a fantastic narrator, check it out on Audible (or iTunes) through the following affiliate link of mine (I get a little extra something off Audible at no extra cost to you) and enjoy:
FALL - in your ears - for a mere £3.23 (grande coffee, granted) here!
Looking forward to some audio reviews soon.
Cheers folks,
JP
Because FALL is a short story, unlike a lot of audio books (trust me, I listen to a lot - and they're totally worth it to me) FALL is the price of a coffee, rather than dinner out (in Blackpool).
If you fancy hearing this fast-paced, action-packed, heart-wrenching short of mine via a fantastic narrator, check it out on Audible (or iTunes) through the following affiliate link of mine (I get a little extra something off Audible at no extra cost to you) and enjoy:
FALL - in your ears - for a mere £3.23 (grande coffee, granted) here!
Looking forward to some audio reviews soon.
Cheers folks,
JP
March 24, 2018
5 stars again!
I purchased this one for £0.99p from Amazon.co.uk yesterday morning and read it last night and have to say that I was disturbed by it. (That's not necessarily a negative, I'm just a sensitive sod)! Lol.
This isn't a spin-off from any of Ashman's other work, it is entirely separate and original. As I have said above, it is disturbing, but it is important for an author to be able to provoke an emotional response with their work, in my opinion.
With a female lead character, this is a desperate, violent, disturbing and action-packed short story. This is futuristic Sci-fi fantasy with a Cyberpunk ring to it, a slight swerve from Ashman's usual Grimdark fantasy.
I have read all the work released by JP Ashman so far and have yet to be disappointed. If you like futuristic Sci-fi Cyberpunk and if you have a strong stomach and nerves of steel, give Fall a try. I look forward to this author's next release.
I purchased this one for £0.99p from Amazon.co.uk yesterday morning and read it last night and have to say that I was disturbed by it. (That's not necessarily a negative, I'm just a sensitive sod)! Lol.
This isn't a spin-off from any of Ashman's other work, it is entirely separate and original. As I have said above, it is disturbing, but it is important for an author to be able to provoke an emotional response with their work, in my opinion.
With a female lead character, this is a desperate, violent, disturbing and action-packed short story. This is futuristic Sci-fi fantasy with a Cyberpunk ring to it, a slight swerve from Ashman's usual Grimdark fantasy.
I have read all the work released by JP Ashman so far and have yet to be disappointed. If you like futuristic Sci-fi Cyberpunk and if you have a strong stomach and nerves of steel, give Fall a try. I look forward to this author's next release.
April 22, 2018
Grim and compelling science fiction
Brutal and vividly realized, "Fall" paints a picture of a desolate future where a traumatized soldier goes back into the field for one more mission. We spend some time with her targets before fully realizing the stakes at hand, and the consequences of the mission are morally questionable at best.
This is my first exposure to Ashman's catalog, and this grim sci-fi novella shows off his skills at creating fast empathy with the characters and a strong sense of atmosphere. This is a tough story to digest, as its bleak path is certainly a possibility of where mankind could be headed some day.
Brutal and vividly realized, "Fall" paints a picture of a desolate future where a traumatized soldier goes back into the field for one more mission. We spend some time with her targets before fully realizing the stakes at hand, and the consequences of the mission are morally questionable at best.
This is my first exposure to Ashman's catalog, and this grim sci-fi novella shows off his skills at creating fast empathy with the characters and a strong sense of atmosphere. This is a tough story to digest, as its bleak path is certainly a possibility of where mankind could be headed some day.
March 19, 2018
I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
J.P. Ashman did it again. Something completely different than I've read by him so far and I loved it!
I always like a strong female character in a story and Senfel certainly is badass!
A story with some gruesome details that I won't spoil for you but was quite hard to read...
It also raises some interesting questions on right and wrong and I certainly hope there will be more to read about this storyline in the (near) future because I need to know more!
J.P. Ashman did it again. Something completely different than I've read by him so far and I loved it!
I always like a strong female character in a story and Senfel certainly is badass!
A story with some gruesome details that I won't spoil for you but was quite hard to read...
It also raises some interesting questions on right and wrong and I certainly hope there will be more to read about this storyline in the (near) future because I need to know more!
March 20, 2018
A quick, short read that packs a surprising amount of action and pathos into a relatively small page count. Loved it!
August 3, 2018
Actual rating 4.5
April 20, 2023
It is okay.
July 28, 2019
*Actual rating: 3.5
*Adaptation format that works best: Video game/Graphic novel
Ashman is an author who's been on my radar for quite some time, and I have to admit that his writing definitely did not disappoint. The story follows a traumatized marauder who survives a mission gone south where the rest of her comrades are slaughtered by aliens with mandibles. The writing depicts PTSD vividly and leaves no stone unturned in that regard, as you feel every grunt, every labored breath and every shot of pain through Senfel's broken body. The author's ability to portray physical and mental tribulations is out of this world. Moreover, the action scenes feel authentic and will not fail to stimulate a rush of adrenaline through unsuspecting readers.
Nonetheless, this short story leaves much to be desired because you're expected to fill in a lot of the blanks yourself, which has left me salivating for more. I would have loved this to be a full-fledged novel, where we get to explore this world further and in detail, understanding these different social ranks (Birthers & Platformers) and how they came to be, dive into the technologies of war and all the creatures that inhabit this bleak reality.
I hope there are more short stories in this universe because the premise is fresh and has a lot of potential to grow into a best-selling franchise.
*Adaptation format that works best: Video game/Graphic novel
Ashman is an author who's been on my radar for quite some time, and I have to admit that his writing definitely did not disappoint. The story follows a traumatized marauder who survives a mission gone south where the rest of her comrades are slaughtered by aliens with mandibles. The writing depicts PTSD vividly and leaves no stone unturned in that regard, as you feel every grunt, every labored breath and every shot of pain through Senfel's broken body. The author's ability to portray physical and mental tribulations is out of this world. Moreover, the action scenes feel authentic and will not fail to stimulate a rush of adrenaline through unsuspecting readers.
Nonetheless, this short story leaves much to be desired because you're expected to fill in a lot of the blanks yourself, which has left me salivating for more. I would have loved this to be a full-fledged novel, where we get to explore this world further and in detail, understanding these different social ranks (Birthers & Platformers) and how they came to be, dive into the technologies of war and all the creatures that inhabit this bleak reality.
I hope there are more short stories in this universe because the premise is fresh and has a lot of potential to grow into a best-selling franchise.
April 3, 2018
Exciting, dark and extremely interesting. I'd love to see more of this world.
September 14, 2018
Vivid and action-packed
A vivid, fast-paced, action-packed short story with an interesting and sympathetic main character. While a complete story, I'd love to read more about the world hinted at here and the characters inhabiting it.
A vivid, fast-paced, action-packed short story with an interesting and sympathetic main character. While a complete story, I'd love to read more about the world hinted at here and the characters inhabiting it.
May 25, 2018
A great piece of shoot em up sci fi short story!
March 25, 2018
Fall left me unfulfilled.
It will work brilliantly as the first chapter in a sci-fi novel but I think the premise is wasted as a stand-alone short story. Unless, of course, there are 'plans' for it that I am not aware of. It has a great lead character - broken in a number of ways (literally and figuratively), drop ship action, intriguing weapons (woo woo) and a good pacing. The action scenes reminded me of those in the Night's Dawn trilogy - original and inventive.
Great read but be warned, it will leave you feeling unfulfilled.
It will work brilliantly as the first chapter in a sci-fi novel but I think the premise is wasted as a stand-alone short story. Unless, of course, there are 'plans' for it that I am not aware of. It has a great lead character - broken in a number of ways (literally and figuratively), drop ship action, intriguing weapons (woo woo) and a good pacing. The action scenes reminded me of those in the Night's Dawn trilogy - original and inventive.
Great read but be warned, it will leave you feeling unfulfilled.
April 18, 2018
Short story - short review.
Heart pounding, pulse racing, visceral action. This is not a short story, this is more like a video game. The author sets the scene introducing the characters, then blows the doors off with a rapid-paced, violent attack sequence that will leave you gasping for more.
JP Ashman packs more action, character and story into 24 pages than some do in 240.
If you're a fan, read Fall. If you're not a fan, read Fall and become one.
PS JP, totally needs a soundtrack. Ace of Spades or Iron Fist would work.
Heart pounding, pulse racing, visceral action. This is not a short story, this is more like a video game. The author sets the scene introducing the characters, then blows the doors off with a rapid-paced, violent attack sequence that will leave you gasping for more.
JP Ashman packs more action, character and story into 24 pages than some do in 240.
If you're a fan, read Fall. If you're not a fan, read Fall and become one.
PS JP, totally needs a soundtrack. Ace of Spades or Iron Fist would work.
April 18, 2018
A brutal, nightmare-ish assault with a protagonist whose past never strays far from her thoughts.
Well written, with harsh pictures being painted by the page of the ugliness of war. An intriguing short that had me curious about the motivations behind our main player's actions, though the bleakness of the world we get a glimpse into may be a bit too much for me in the end.
Well written, with harsh pictures being painted by the page of the ugliness of war. An intriguing short that had me curious about the motivations behind our main player's actions, though the bleakness of the world we get a glimpse into may be a bit too much for me in the end.
March 30, 2018
A short but action filled sci-fi story from Mr Ashman. It hit all the right buttons & piqued my interest enough to read any novels set in this world - should they be written :) .
March 26, 2018
Excellent start
This was a whirlwind short story and we definitely need more of this world. I hope the author is working on a novel set here.
This was a whirlwind short story and we definitely need more of this world. I hope the author is working on a novel set here.
March 14, 2019
John Wick meets Altered Carbon/Deus Ex Machina in this savagely surreal short-story from J.P. Ashman. Senfel, a soldier-type who survived ‘the fall’, leaving her with survivor’s guilt, PTSD and the type of scars that you can see, is desperate for work. Desperate to prove that she can still work. So desperate, in fact, that she is willing to take on any work that she can get.
But, in a dystopian world of cybernetically-enhanced (read: manufactured) humans versus ‘naturals’, a ‘Select Target’ isn’t just any old work.
For a short story, FALL covers a lot of ground, both in terms of characterisation and world building. Much of the narrative is told through third-person limited from Senfel’s perspective, as she sets out on a ‘Select Target’ mission. Senfel is a welcome change as a leading lady, taking on the role of the familiar ‘jerk-merc’ in that she’s, well…a bit of a jerk who is also a mercenary, but it’s neither her gender or her profession that defines her. Nor is it the mental traumas that she suffers. Senfel is defined by her own true grit and gut.
And talking of grit and guts, the world building is full of it – not to labour the comparisons, but there’s a whole host of ‘x meets y’ on hand. Beyond my first comparison in the opening line, I’d liken FALL to Sin City meets Repo-Men in the world of Halo ODST, with a healthy dose of Black Mirror. FALL raises a grimdark mirror up to the face of our current reality and the state of the world we will pass on to the future if we continue down a path of self-assured destruction. A world in which the poor and rich divide widens, a world in which technological developments become technological dependencies, and a world in which life is taken – not given.
The sci-fi short has all the hallmarks of great heroic fantasy; hurt, hardship and heart(ache), with a grimdark helping of ‘the heresy of heroism’ namely in that one person’s heroine is another’s hellspawn.
With FALL, J.P. Ashman proves once again (off the back of his previous short ‘Dragonship’, which I loved!) that he is a master of constructing complex and comprehensive characters, stories, and entire worlds, all within the space of a few pages.
But, in a dystopian world of cybernetically-enhanced (read: manufactured) humans versus ‘naturals’, a ‘Select Target’ isn’t just any old work.
For a short story, FALL covers a lot of ground, both in terms of characterisation and world building. Much of the narrative is told through third-person limited from Senfel’s perspective, as she sets out on a ‘Select Target’ mission. Senfel is a welcome change as a leading lady, taking on the role of the familiar ‘jerk-merc’ in that she’s, well…a bit of a jerk who is also a mercenary, but it’s neither her gender or her profession that defines her. Nor is it the mental traumas that she suffers. Senfel is defined by her own true grit and gut.
And talking of grit and guts, the world building is full of it – not to labour the comparisons, but there’s a whole host of ‘x meets y’ on hand. Beyond my first comparison in the opening line, I’d liken FALL to Sin City meets Repo-Men in the world of Halo ODST, with a healthy dose of Black Mirror. FALL raises a grimdark mirror up to the face of our current reality and the state of the world we will pass on to the future if we continue down a path of self-assured destruction. A world in which the poor and rich divide widens, a world in which technological developments become technological dependencies, and a world in which life is taken – not given.
The sci-fi short has all the hallmarks of great heroic fantasy; hurt, hardship and heart(ache), with a grimdark helping of ‘the heresy of heroism’ namely in that one person’s heroine is another’s hellspawn.
With FALL, J.P. Ashman proves once again (off the back of his previous short ‘Dragonship’, which I loved!) that he is a master of constructing complex and comprehensive characters, stories, and entire worlds, all within the space of a few pages.
January 8, 2019
This short story was brutal and intense. I hope the author does more with this storyline.
January 27, 2020
A broken soldier getting back into the fight after a horrifying drop (“fall”) from the Platform to the planet surface nearly killed her. The memories of brutal combat– of drones and aliens and the destroyed bodies of her friends–haunt her every waking moment. She needs to find courage, to do what must be done for her people, and to face her memories for them. Fall is a wild sci-fi ride full of action.
Our protagonist Tal is engaging, her PTSD and her fight to find her old courage to do her job is presented in a way that felt fluid and believable to me. The secondary characters are a bit less 3D, but I didn’t mind that for this length story.
The thing Ashman has done brilliantly in this short story is skim the surface of his worldbuilding, his caste system and political / religious divides (plenty of perspective and grey moral areas to work with in there), and the greater threat to the world without being hamfisted. It’s deftly done and leaves me genuinely hoping we get more stories or novellas, whether they are about Tal or not.
My only other criticism is that a few sentences could have been tightened up here and there. Other than that, excellent.
Highly recommended with plenty in there for Grimdark SF fans to love. Grab your pre-order asap.
Originally posted on Grimdark Magazine.
Our protagonist Tal is engaging, her PTSD and her fight to find her old courage to do her job is presented in a way that felt fluid and believable to me. The secondary characters are a bit less 3D, but I didn’t mind that for this length story.
The thing Ashman has done brilliantly in this short story is skim the surface of his worldbuilding, his caste system and political / religious divides (plenty of perspective and grey moral areas to work with in there), and the greater threat to the world without being hamfisted. It’s deftly done and leaves me genuinely hoping we get more stories or novellas, whether they are about Tal or not.
My only other criticism is that a few sentences could have been tightened up here and there. Other than that, excellent.
Highly recommended with plenty in there for Grimdark SF fans to love. Grab your pre-order asap.
Originally posted on Grimdark Magazine.
May 7, 2021
Quick, entertaining listen. :)
April 17, 2021
A grim, intense and emotional science fiction war novella that should be experienced.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews