An Unsettled Score: The Collected Twisted Visions of Christopher L. DelGuercio

A collection of science fiction and horror short works

An Unsettled Score is an anthology of short works by award-nominated author Christopher L. DelGuercio. This, his first collection, includes twenty twisted visions of speculative fiction spanning thrilling adventures on far flung, alien worlds and dystopian futurescapes; to mind-bending surrealities and nightmarish encounters with evil; to the bitingly satirical and overtly comical, these dark-hearted tales of monsters and mayhems are designed to entertain and delight, to surprise and to move. Ranging from poetic verse and flash fiction to novella-length narratives, in the rich tradition of such shining stars of the short form as Bradbury, Ellison, Gaiman, King, Martin, and Vonnegut, we can add an exciting new collection, An Unsettled Score.

If you’re in the mood for a hearty stew of stories to feed your cravings for the bizarre, the wondrous, and the macabre, take a stroll through the twisted visions of An Unsettled Score.

Includes:

• Original Sin
• Dark Men, Dark Machines
• A Time Bully’s Report: August 13, 2046
• Eden Succeeding, CNY Book-of-the-Year nominated novella
• Man Farm
• Shi’roc-Su
• Béba Daio’s Inches
• The Starway Pass
• Marvels Of The Burger King Parking Lot
• The Book of Judy
• Every Good Stud Comes To His Senses

• Metal With Me

• The Arcadian Nights Of Rigel Kent
• Farewell Luther
• Two Cups
• Copycat Jack
• Unbreakable Yu
• A Portrait of The Artist As a Stung Man
• Heavy Is The Head
• Tempus Servivit
• Bonus: Intro by the author to each piece regarding seed conception, influences, and history.

Phase 5 Elements: Anthology 20, Transmutation 195, Other Worlds 57

Horror, science fiction, speculative fiction. Cosmology, galactic civilization, aliens, mutation, occult, reality manipulation, colonization, dystopia, humor, new weird.

Adult readers: violence; brief, mildly-graphic sexual situations; cursing; death; mutation; irreverence.

Praise for An Unsettled Score     

"Chris DelGuercio’s collection of short stories An Unsettled Score, takes the reader on a wild ride. These are dark and creepy tales, with a touch of surrealism, and more than a touch of twisted humor. DelGuercio is a master craftsman. His style is terse and distilled—not a word or sentence is wasted—and he has an ear for dialogue that rings true, regardless of character or setting. The collection is unified by DelGuercio’s unique sensibility, yet the stories are wonderfully varied, keeping the reading experience fresh and surprising. What a rich and mysterious imagination this author has."  --David G Moore, author, Kings Canyon, Stick People, and Harpies

“In this collection of original short pieces, An Unsettled Score, Chris DelGuercio provides a rich feast for the science fiction and horror fan.  His stories, poems and longer fiction offer enough variety to satisfy everyone with a taste for the bizarre, the offbeat and the truly terrifying.  Several of the stories, such as “Man Farm” and “Shi’Roc”, are very reminiscent of the works of the famed science fiction/horror writer Ray Bradbury (The Martian Chronicles) and display the same sense of carefully twisted reality that the master writer is known for.  In the former, a child plays with a version of an ant farm whose inhabitants are suspiciously…familiar.  In the latter, a seasoned hunter on a wild planet tracks a trophy animal with a surprising identity.

 “Several of the stories here are truly outstanding in terms of rising suspense.  In “Tempus Servivit,”    DelGuercio introduces us to a criminal sentenced to undergo an experimental treatment at a mysterious facility run by a much-too-dedicated team of doctors.  What seems like a godsend to the patient may actually be something quite different.  In my personal favorite story in the collection, “Unbreakable Yu,” a young woman forced into degradation uses her wits and powers of deception to attempt to secure freedom for herself and a remarkable creature. The highlight here: a tense battle between two trained animal athletes.  Finally, “Dark Men, Dark Machines” takes the reader on an intricate journey into an incredible world to reveal what it means to be human, as well as inhuman.

 “A few words about direct dialogue: These stories have it in spades.  Using large sections of dialogue intermingled with scenes of tension-filled description creates an engrossing dynamic that combines slowly unraveling details with throat-gripping action.  It’s a daring combo that makes DelGuercio’s prose stand out from that of many other fantasy writers.

“For all those who favor horror and science fiction – and all areas in between or intermingled – the stories in this collection will open new pathways of frightening discovery.  

--Megan Davidson, Author of Once a Rogue and The Thundering

 "Chris takes the reader on a grand and excellent tour of the genre. We grapple with time travel, space travel, aliens and androids, and even a few degrees of Kevin Bacon. His experience and joy of writing come through to give us what is truly a wonderful read." --Brian Barfoot

"Stephen King… Ray Bradbury… J. R. R. Tolkien… Christopher DelGuercio…  yes, DelGuercio deserves to be mentioned right alongside these other authors.  Not only is his work reminiscent of them, but like these other authors, DelGuercio creates his own fantasy worlds where he takes his readers on incredible journeys into the unknown.  In this collection, the reader can find flights of fancy, dystopian worlds, philosophical sensibility, and pure entertainment for those who love science fiction. Whether you choose to read just one story at a time as a delicious treat, or devour the entire book as a meal, I promise you will not be disappointed." --Jill LeClair

"Fantastic collection of fantastical stories!  

"There's something for everyone in Christopher L. DelGuercio's An Unsettled Score with its twenty (score, get it?) twisted tales of fantasy, science fiction, futuristic, dystopian worlds, and unsettling horror. Each original creation is more captivating than the last. DelGuercio does not disappoint!  His writing and storytelling are so immersive and so captivating, I found myself on various occasions not being able to wait to get home to finish a story or start the next one.

"The follow-up to his captivating novella, Eden Succeeding (an included bonus in this collection), DelGuercio's An Unsettled Score is a series of love letters and homages to some of fiction's masters like King, Asimov, Gaiman and Dick. Often, I found myself forgetting I wasn't, in fact, reading one of those authors, which can only be taken as the highest compliment to DelGuercio's gifted and dark imagination as he spins his original, fantastical yarns that immediately grab hold of you and, unapologetically, refuses to let go. From the first provocative entry, Original Sin to the unforgettable, captivating storytelling in the last act Tempus Sevivit, you will soon see why Christopher L. DelGuercio is quickly becoming the future of fantasy and horror fiction.      

"DelGuercio visits the well of the likes of Rod Serling (The Twilight Zone), Jeffrey Grant Rice (The Night Stalker) and Chris Carter (The X-Files) with twisty tales of science fiction, fantasy and make-believe... at times, set in a not-too-distant future. With a personal author's introductory origin story for each entry in this new collection, DelGuercio preps the safety harness of your roller-coaster car before launching you 20 times into the deepest corners of his imagination. So grab onto that harness, hang on tight and enjoy the ride!!"  --Scott Lombardo

"Full disclosure:  I am a sucker for speculative fiction with obvious ties to Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, and old episodes of The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. I don’t think this is a prerequisite for enjoying Chris DelGuercio’s new collection, An Unsettled Score.  But it does heighten the experience. It can be difficult to bring fresh ideas to oft-used sci-fi tropes such as time travel and failed space colonies, but DelGuercio manages to do just that.  There’s a little bit of everything here, too. Poetry, flash fiction, longer stories, and even a novella. While the genre is firmly sci-fi/speculative, DelGuercio also adds elements of fantasy, western, and horror to the mix. 

"The work is sometimes funny, sometimes dark, and sometimes a fascinating combination of the two. No matter how inventive the concept, the author never forgets to tell a good story. There are plenty of twists, turns, and surprises both delightful and troubling.         

"While this collection will make a good read for any lover of speculative fiction, I believe it would also be enjoyed by fans of good writing in general, as well as any one prone to embracing the strange thoughts that come to them in the middle of the night."  --Mike Seperak

Praise for Award-Nominated Eden Succeeding

"Chris DelGuercio has crafted a fascinating dystopia in Eden Succeeding, wonderfully describing a world that feels like an H.R. Giger painting. I am eager to read more from this upcoming author."  --David Peters, editor, Fried Fiction

 "The classic sci-fi trope--Earthlings colonizing an alien planet--finds new life in Christopher DelGuercio's debut novelette which offers a fresh, provocative, and chilling take on what it means to be human. From the ties that bind husband and wife to the concept of survival at all costs, DelGuercio superimposes society's most difficult ethical dilemmas onto a world in which change is the only constant--and places its moral compass in the stained and reluctant hands of The Meatman, a hero whose voice rings heartbreaking and true. While justice on this brave new world may be up for grabs, if there's any justice on Earth this edition will be the first of many subsequent visits to DelGuercio's dangerous and seductive Eden."  --Linda Lowen, award-winning author, columnist, and contributor

"A positively excellent story… kinky and evocative… without a single padded scene or wasted sentence… It's fast, fun action, but it ain't just filler. Every scene builds on the previous and informs the upcoming… The main characters are believable and nuanced and DelGuercio manages to create emotional investment within the framework of a sci-fi thriller. No small feat. I'm impressed… DelGuercio is one bright spot on a plate of nori. He's like salmon roe."  --TQR Stories

"Christopher DelGuercio's novelette, Eden Succeeding, is a chilling and creative work of speculative fiction. Full of luscious detail, disturbing and disturbed characters, and a haunting sense of dread that lingers long after the book is safely on the shelf. Eden succeeds, not only in completely engaging its readers but also by leaving them yearning for more."  --Megan Davidson, author of The Thundering