Synopsis
Collects short stories exploring themes of time and space travel, self-discovery, and science and technology.
Reviews
Once again, Dozois serves up a pleasurable mix of established luminaries as well as the newer stars of the SF realm. In Dan Simmons's "Looking for Kelly Dahl," an elementary school teacher journeys from despair to love with a former student who has the ability to teleport to parallel earths where dinosaurs never fell, no one else exists or the 1970s never ended. Maureen McHugh also offers a tale of redemption in an alternate Civil War era, but this time, the underground railroad rescues white former slave owners who have relocated by the thousands to die of exposure on the frontier. In the tradition of the best SF, Geoff Ryman explores homelessness in a credibly violent future where beggars are routinely crucified by hungry mobs. Fans will especially appreciate Dozois's introduction of talented young writers who have yet to publish their own collections or novels. Notable among these is David Murasek, whose novella, "We Were Out of Our Minds with Joy," imagines the couple of the next century almost having it all?that is, until they are issued a permit to have a child. But the truth is that all of the 24 short stories or novellas are rewarding, which is really the most outstanding feature of this collection.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Twenty-four of 1995's best stories, selected by seven-time Hugo award-winning editor Dozois. Part of the contents will already be familiar to Kirkus regulars, since Ursula K. LeGuin's ``A Woman's Liberation'' appeared in her splendid Four Ways to Forgiveness (1995); while her ``Coming of Age in Karhide,'' along with Greg Egan's ``Wang's Carpets'' and Paul J. McAuley's ``Recording Angel,'' were featured in the wonderful New Legends (ed. Greg Bear, 1995). And Poul Anderson's ``Genesis,'' with Joe Haldeman's ``For White Hill,'' first saw daylight in the abstrusely imaginative Far Futures (ed. Gregory Benford, 1995). To mention some of the other, equally diverse and excellent, tales at random: Nancy Kress's ``Feigenbaum Number'' (chaos theory); Terry Bisson's nostalgia trip, ``There Are No Dead''; James Patrick Kelly's aliens and star-gateways, ``Think Like a Dinosaur''; Michael Swanwick's weird after-death existence, ``Radio Waves''; Pat Cadigan's virtual reality, ``Death in the Promised Land''; and David Marusek's information superhighway of the future, ``We Were Out of Our Minds with Joy.'' Essential reading. -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
From newcomers to veterans, 22 writers have crafted 24 short stories and novellas recognized for their excellence in themes such as hard science, pulp fiction, and first contact. The writers include Ursula K. LeGuin and Greg Egan, Joe Haldeman, Allen Steele, Poul Anderson, Terry Bisson, Maureen F. McHugh, and Mary Rosenblum. This well-chosen collection of 1995's best sf shorts is highly recommended.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Of the many best-of-the-year science fiction annuals, Gardner Dozois' reigns supreme. This year's offering features the usual balance of veterans, such as grand masters Ursula LeGuin and Poul Anderson, and newcomers--William Sanders and David Marusek, for instance. The generous selection includes diverse themes and writing styles, ranging from nostalgia in Terry Bisson's tale of three friends' return to a rejuvenating childhood shrine to rigorous hard sf in Greg Egan's tale about a computer that turns lethal when programmed to test an "impossible" theorem. Dozois introduces each entry with a brief biography of its author and concludes the volume with a very long list of honorably mentioned stories. As always, must reading for aspiring sf authors as well as fans and an indispensable addition to sf collections. Carl Hays
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