Sense of Wonder by Gardner Dozois

Author:Gardner Dozois [Dozois, Gardner]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ReAnimus Press

57

Solaris Rising 2: The New Solaris Book of Science Fiction, ed. Ian Whates. (Solaris, 978-1-78108-088-7, $8.99, 439 pages.) Cover art by Pye Parr.

F&SF, May/June.

Tor.com, April 3rd.

Tor.com, April 17th.

Tor.com, February 6th.

Tor.com, April 10th.

Tor.com, May 1st.

Tor.com, March 27th

Tor.com, March 6th.

Tor.com, May 8th.

Tor.com, May 14th.

Tor.com, April 24th.

The long-awaited Solaris Rising 2: The New Solaris Book of Science Fiction, edited by Ian Whates, is a good solid SF anthology, although, somewhat disappointingly after all the anticipation, there’s little here that is really exceptional. The strongest story is probably “Tom,” by Paul Cornell, the story of an unlikely romance between a human man and an amphibious alien woman, and what the hidden evolutionary motivation behind it might be. Also good is “The Lighthouse,” by Liz Williams, in which a lonely woman maintains a generations-long vigil against alien invasion in a desolate fortresses on an airless world, “With Fate Conspire,” by Vandana Singh, in which telepaths try to save a deteriorating future by influencing the past, “Feast and Famine,” by Adrian Tchaikovsky, in which space explorers encounter vacuum-organisms who might pose unexpected dangers, “When Thomas Jefferson Dined Alone,” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch, which offers an explanation for the ghosts who are sometimes seen in the White House, and “Manmade,” by Mercurio D. Rivera, a sensitive study of a psychologist who must try to deal with a suicidal AI. There’s also good work here by Nancy Kress, Robert Reed, Allen Steele, and others.

The best SF story published so far this year by F&SF features in a strong May/June issue, “Grizzled Veterans of Many and Much,” by Robert Reed, which examines a technological development in human evolution (basically, trading the rest of your life for the chance to burn very brightly for a short while) and the unexpected but profound effects that it has on human society; being as good a writer as he is, Reed, of course, doesn’t skimp on a powerful family drama while working out the long-term implications that computer-driven Transcendence has on society. Andy Stewart’s novella “Wormwood Is Also a Star” takes us to Chernobyl after the collapse of the Soviet Union, to meet a group of orphaned children who have been unexpectedly gifted with psychic abilities in the aftermath of the nuclear disaster, and to become embroiled in the story of doomed lovers struggling haplessly to free themselves from intricate webs of ambition, political corruption, and tragic family history. The family story is bitter and strong, but no explanation is ever presented for why the Chernobyl meltdown gave the children psychic powers or what the mysterious Bubble that sheltered them is, nor is it ever made entirely clear why they are all so intent on committing suicide.

There’s more SF than usual in the May/June F&SF, although none of it is as successful as the Stewart and the Reed (particularly the Reed). Rand B. Lee’s “Changes” takes us to an intriguing post-Apocalyptic future where the Great Probability Storm (origin unknown) has splintered the world into ever-shifting probability zones, slices of the past, future, or alternative presents, all of which interact with each other.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.