Cosmogramma

As a reader, I like short stories to have a thread in a book that joins them together. Whether the link is social, thematic, tonal, or anything else, it always feels like the best short stories connect together somehow. Cosmogramma doesn't do this, or if it does then the connections are not visible to me. The speculative fiction/science fiction elements alone are not enough to connect the ideas.

Some of the stories (Scarecrow in particular) build tension and connection to the characters well and are memorable, but others (such as the book's title piece) rely too much on explanation and don't allow the reader to infer anything, telling without showing. The writing is careful and readable throughout but never particularly daring or beautiful. In the end this was a book of disconnected parts for me, sometimes enjoyable but overall unrewarding. Might suit a science fiction fan more as this genre often forgives the points that I found unenjoyable.

Every book that you read over the next decade will be about the COVID19 pandemic - in one way or another. We all now live in the shadow of fear and death - and this is reflected in the fiction that people write.

Cosmogramma is an excellent collection of short stories. Frustratingly, each feels like the synopsis of the first half of a decent sci-fi book. Perhaps it's because we're only halfway through this global plague? It's slightly frustrating that we never reach the conclusion of the stories - especially as they're so robustly realised.

They're a good mix of stories. Past, present, future, off-world, aliens, mutants, robots, and mer-folk. It could almost be a full series of Doctor Who! As with any compendium, there's a couple of duff stories - but they're over quickly.

It's made me eager to read more of Newland's work.