What’s it like to be the first one to discover a new species, to see life take a form that no one else has ever seen before? In this anthology of innovative speculative writing and art, 18 contributors capture the moment of discovery and awe when we encounter a new species. By turns humorous, horrific, and awe-inspiring, their work invites you to turn a scientist's eye on the the world of the fantastical.

This anthology collects all 24 original stories from the third year of Diabolical Plots, an online magazine of science fiction and fantasy. Lovecraftian food bloggers, doors that bring back the dead, fantastical roommates apartment hunting in Brooklyn, oversea octopus explorers, sisterly love and rivalry in space, living breathing sweaters. The stories vary from humorous to tragic to thoughtful, from contemporary authors both new and established.The stories in this anthology are:

Terrorists attack the Princes, Outcasts build a new city, and the mage Pavresh discovers that Arcist Magic is more powerful than ever imagined.Pavresh spent the last 5 years exploring the mountains around the Eghsal Valley, seeking to expand Arcist magic by incorporating the foreign traditions of the mountain tribes. But he discovers these barbarian tribes might be more deeply connected to his own people than the official histories admit.Now news from home ...