Kindle Price: $4.99

Save $11.96 (71%)

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Maria V. Snyder
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Up to the Challenge Kindle Edition

by Maria V. Snyder (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 53 ratings
See all formats and editions
Magic, murder, mayhem and military missions gone sideways!

New York Times bestselling author Maria V. Snyder has written it all, proving she’s Up to the Challenge no matter the story.

Bringing together Maria V. Snyder’s many fantasy and science fiction short stories, this collection showcases her talent for crafting engaging worlds and is a perfect introduction for new readers as well as a must-have for her loyal fans.

Meet Mongrel as she protects an injured “dog” from those seeking to kill him in Mongrel. Fly through space with Sergeant Harris on a mission to defuse a bomb in Godzilla Warfare. Discover why fencing phenom Ava’s new and famous coach keeps wooden swords in his equipment closet in Sword Point. Follow Gwen, an exiled Fae princess, as she searches for her missing sister in Lost & Found, INC. And enjoy many more adventures that will keep you up late into the night!
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    440 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    April 1, 2022
  5. File size
    1207 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
Next page
Add a debit or credit card to save time when you check out
Convenient and secure with 2 clicks. Add your card

Customers who bought this item also bought

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Previous page
  1. The Study of Magic (The Study Chronicles: Valek's Adventures Book 2)
  2. The Study of Poisons (The Study Chronicles: Valek's Adventures Book 1)
  3. The Study Chronicles: Tales of Ixia & Sitia
  4. The Eyes of Tamburah (Archives of the Invisible Sword Book 1)
  5. The King of Koraha (Archives of the Invisible Sword Book 3)
  6. The City of Zirdai (Archives of the Invisible Sword Book 2)
Next page

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Bestseller Snyder (the Study series) enchants with an array of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror stories—14 drawn from nearly two decades of previous work and two original to this collection—united by protagonists who overcome steep odds to discover inner wisdom...Snyder vividly portrays the compassion and courage of her sympathetic characters and reveals their humanity and fortitude through taut and gripping speculative plots. This is a treat." Publishers Weekly

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09SP7WPR4
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Maria V. Snyder (April 1, 2022)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 1, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1207 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 440 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 53 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Maria V. Snyder

Maria V. Snyder

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

When Maria V. Snyder was younger, she aspired to be a storm chaser so she attended Pennsylvania State University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology. Much to her chagrin, forecasting the weather wasn’t in her skill set so she spent a number of years as an environmental meteorologist, which is not exciting ... at all. Bored at work and needing a creative outlet, she started writing fantasy and science fiction stories. Over twenty novels and numerous short stories later, Maria’s learned a thing or three about writing. She’s been on the New York Times bestseller list, won a dozen awards, and has earned her Master of Arts degree in Writing from Seton Hill University, where she is now a faculty member for their MFA program.

When she’s not writing she’s either playing volleyball or traveling (she's been to 65 countries so far and has no plans to stop!). Being a writer, though, is a ton of fun. Where else can you take fencing lessons, learn how to ride a horse, study martial arts, learn how to pick a lock, take glass blowing classes, and attend Astronomy Camp and call it research? Maria will be the first one to tell you it’s not working as a meteorologist. Readers are welcome to check out her website for book excerpts, free short stories, maps, blog, and her schedule at www.MariaVSnyder.com.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
53 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Deborah Blake
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun collection
Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2022
Verified Purchase
I've ready just about everything that Maria V. Snyder has written, so this book of short stories was a fun bonus. There was a lot of variation, and I loved her explanations of how each story came to be written.
Helpful
 Report
C. Abbott
5.0 out of 5 stars Shorts
Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2022
Verified Purchase
Lovely collection of short stories. I always love reading Maria’s books and I am glad these short stories are all together in one volume.
Helpful
 Report
risamyers
5.0 out of 5 stars Great stories
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2022
Verified Purchase
Engaging bite sized tales.
Helpful
 Report
TJ Mackay
5.0 out of 5 stars This book changed my mind on Anthologies… and in a big way!
Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2023
4.5/5.0

Given my proclivity against anthologies, that rating should mean a whole lot more than one would normally think. But, this book blows all my prejudices against the genre out the door! Each story, no matter how long or short, has a definite arc, conflict, great characters and a surprising amount of depth. Yeah, believe it or not, it has happened!! Short stories can be awesome! And so many in one book with each staying so well written? Well, only a master author could pull that off and Ms. Snyder is definitely one in my book. ;)

All the stories inside this super fun conglomeration are either fantasy or sci-fi in some way. There is such a wide variety of storylines, however, that almost any short story fan will find something to love. I’m now not sure whether to hang my all-hater hat up on anthologies, chock this one up to an amazing anomaly, or decide that - at least once in a while - miracles do happen. :)

(Oh, the 4.5 star? Just me being cranky cause…. Well, they’re still short.)
Helpful
 Report
David Krelfab
3.0 out of 5 stars Fun reading marred by self-pub errors
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2023
Snyder shows her talent across many genres, and makes even vampire and werewolf stories fun.
Overall I enjoyed the series, though two of the space opera stories were so similar, I couldn't finish the 2nd.
What marred an otherwise enjoyable book was the plethora of self-publishing & editing mistakes (misspelling, homonyms, wrong tense, etc.) that knocked me right out the story, and sometimes made me laugh (or groan in the case of "Welch prince") out loud. Be prepared for anywhere from 2-6 errors per story.
Helpful
 Report
GrantsPassOR
5.0 out of 5 stars Great short stories
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2022
I enjoyed every one of the stories in this book. And, especially appreciated the brief introductions to each. Definitely wanted several to turn into book length adventures!!!!
Helpful
 Report
Melinda Huther
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Amazing!
Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2022
Absolutely Amazing book!! I loved everyone of your short stories, you are an amazing author! Please continue writing so we can fall in love with your other books!!
Helpful
 Report
Amy
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful collection of stories!
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2022
Verified Purchase
Are you up to the challenge? Maria V. Snyder certainly is. This collection of short stories is filled with fascinating and exciting tales from across genres. Hands down, my favorite stories are “Mongrel” and “Mongrels”. As the name implies, they are connected, but I can’t tell you more without giving away the surprises. Evelyne, from “Capturing Images” has to think outside the box to solve her problem and you’ll never guess what she discoveries. “New Girl” has a bit to learn about making new friends and a bit of a chip on her shoulder. You’ll never believe the ending. “Godzilla Warfare” had a nice twist with Maria’s special brand of snark. Don’t forget to look for “Brand Spanking” New a little further in the book. “Berserker Eyes” also got my attention, as it will yours. There are more great stories, but you’ll have to read them yourself. Enjoy!
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Mrs. Vivienne Lamb
5.0 out of 5 stars Great anthology.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 26, 2024
Verified Purchase
I loved the short stories. Being a long time fan of the Study and Glass series it was good to read some different genres too.
Report
David Powers
4.0 out of 5 stars A very appropriate title
Reviewed in Australia on August 26, 2022
Verified Purchase
Sometimes an author is invited to write something for a specific anthology or outlet with a specific theme or a different subgenre. This can be a challenge - and in this volume Maria V Snyder shows she is Up to the Challenge.

A particularly rewarding feature is the introductions to the stories which explain the particular challenge - and how she met it or subverted it. Yes, when out of her comfort zone, Snyder thought around the challenge until she came up with an idea that would fit the venue and meet the specific requirements but still allow her the freedom to exercise her own unique gifts and connect to what she knows.

In some case, the challenge had unexpected results, she fell in love with a character and was inspired by the world - and it was the start of a new and ongoing direction.

There is a wide range of stories here and even if not all of them are for you, most of them should manage to connect - and some may have a lasting impact.
Report
Melissa
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing as always.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 19, 2022
Verified Purchase
Amazing book as always by Maria.
I was hooked from the first story.
I was left wanting more from many of the stories. Maria never disappoints.
Report
susan
5.0 out of 5 stars a really good set of stories
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 20, 2022
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed reading the stories in genres I hadn’t seen from Maria before. There wasn’t one that I didn’t want to go back and read again.
Report
Zoe
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful short stories
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 1, 2022
Verified Purchase
Found these short stories wonderful, and wanting more 🤩
Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report