Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sagan’s Law | 2010 | Thomas K. Carpenter | Buy |
| 2 | The Price of Numbers | 2011 | Thomas K. Carpenter | Buy |
| 3 | The Cageless Zoo | 2011 | Thomas K. Carpenter | Buy |
| 4 | The Lorieme Job | 2012 | Thomas K. Carpenter | Buy |
| 5 | The Weight of Gold | 2013 | Thomas K. Carpenter | Buy |
| 6 | The Sky Mother’s Gift | 2013 | Thomas K. Carpenter | Buy |
| 7 | The Blood of the Gods | 2013 | Thomas K. Carpenter | Buy |
| 8 | The Virtues of Madness | 2013 | Thomas K. Carpenter | Buy |
| 9 | The Curse of the Gorgon | 2013 | Thomas K. Carpenter | Buy |
Thomas K. Carpenter’s short fiction covers a lot of ground. The nine stories and novellas published between 2010 and 2013 range from hard science fiction premises like Sagan’s Law to fantasy adventures like The Blood of the Gods and The Curse of the Gorgon. Several of these stories explore ideas that would later show up in his longer series work.
The collection gives a good snapshot of Carpenter’s interests during his early career — mathematical systems, mythology, alien encounters, and the cost of wielding power. Readers who know his novels will spot thematic connections, while newcomers get a sampler of his range.