Reviews and Comments

As with almost any anthology, there are some stories that really hit me, and others that felt flat for me. I'm sure the balance is different for every reader.

Overall, this is a great collection of various apocalypse stories and poems. Highly recommended for fans of the style.

Containing stories from Storm Constantine as well as from some of her more prominent collaborators, but also with some fan fiction (Constantine was famously supportive of her fan's writing in her universe), the styles can be a little inconsistent. But, it's great to read some of the stories of the early days, and some revelations are definitely made here.

This may not grab people who weren't already Wraeththu fans, but for those who are, it's a good addition to the main storylines.

While the ending felt a bit rushed, the overall story was good. Of course, my own career may color my perceptions quite a bit here, and those who are less well-versed in things such as "where the heck is the Barents" might be less generous with the writing. At many times, the novel felt more like the narrative underpinning one of our simulations, and not a thoroughly fleshed-out personal tale.

Despite any failings, the overall arc was satisfying, and also very plausible. The dependence on technology and exceptionalism is a potential problem for all modern countries, and the final "disposition of forces" shown in 2034 could just as easily have gone a number of different directions.

Recommended for fans of current and near-future military tactics and international politics.

I've loved Bif Naked the musician for 20 years, and now I love Beth the person as well. Such a touching and sometimes painfully honest memoir.

I just cannot get enough Murderbot. Great detective story, with the signature self-deprecating self-loathing we've come to expect. Still nameless, but getting more human with each story, I hope Wells has many more tales in this series.

Bear continues to impress with her utopian series. It's optimistic without being pollyanna, and we can all use some competency porn. People (of various species) doing their best in the universe - love it.

I love space opera, and I love stories that examine what it is to be human. Ancestral Night hits both those notes, and a few others (truly alien minds, transhumanism, extreme body modification, etc.).

There are at least one or two spots where I had to put the book down and wonder if Bear would really do this to me (or, her characters anyway), and just had to trust that she knew where the story needed to go. And it went. Looking forward to the second book, which I will be starting as soon as I hit "post" on this review!

Another fantastic entry in the saga of the Bell family and their journeys around the world. That western Africa route sounds far more exciting than I'd ever want to experience, but it's great to read about!

After years of dystopic views of the near-future, Brunner returned to his old stomping grounds of space opera, but of course merged with his later pessimism. Thankfully much less dour than "The Sheep Look Up."

It's hard to believe that KSR has been making me think and entertaining me for 35 years now, but it is definitely true. From his California trilogy in the 1980s to the Mars trilogy in the 1990s, to his alternate history "The Years of Salt and Rice," Mr. Robinson has been able to transport readers to so many other worlds and times it's impressive that he can continue to surprise. The Ministry for the Future starts just a few years in the future, is rooted in centuries of human disregard for the environment, and shows a plausible - if difficult - path to a better future. And it's a great story besides. I want to live in his world.