Reviews for Science fiction

The average rating for Science fiction based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2012-08-27 00:00:00 Dmitry Ter-ovanesyan I read this in my usual way of reading anthologies: all the way through, without skipping. This method has benefits and drawbacks, and it ended here with a read I really liked overall. I wouldn't say any of these stories were badly written; I wouldn't say that I enjoyed them all to the same degree. Below are my impressions in order of appearance (ratings are numbers of stars out of 5). Sex, Guns, & Baptists (2 stars): I felt the characters to be clearly developed through behaviors & word choices, which was good. I didn't see the world-building handled as well, though it started strong with the subbing in of Catholicism for a pink triangle. If you like private investigator Half in Love With Easeful Rock and Roll (4 stars): I started out disliking it on the introduction, but changed my mind with the first paragraph. Solid and evocative language, characters, and setting made this one a keeper. The poem fragments threw me off my rhythm a little, but I still enjoyed myself. Powertool (1 star): This felt to me like a story one either gets or doesn't, and I'm in that latter group. I suggest those who like nontraditional form give it a look. Time Gypsy (5 stars): Consistent characters and time travel ensured I had a great time. It managed the temporally displaced fish excellently, and in a way that highlighted the times and how they change. Lonely Land (3 stars): I loved the ending, which I won't spoil here. No such feelings for the protagonist; he skeezed me into nausea. Bile fascination was certainly at play for me here. The Rendez-Vous (3 stars): Weird, but in a good way. Describing it further might spoil, so I won't. Silent Passion (4 stars): From title to ending, it evokes a sense of beauty I usually associate with thunderstorms. I felt it bittersweet, so watch for that. Sun-Drenched (2 stars): It was okay, but I wasn't really feeling it. The Flying Triangle (1 star): Full disclosure: I'm not generally a fan of westerns. This felt like one, which is the first and last reason I didn't like it. Check it out if westerns don't out you out. Brooks Too Broad For Leaping (4 stars): Pitch dark and savory, an excellent story of being on the outside. There's also a lot of walking. Dance At The Edge (4 stars): The premise was strong enough to get me through the opening explanation, which is always good. I also liked seeing the protagonist grow, even if it felt abrupt a times. Love's Last Farewell (5 stars): I gave this 5 stars because that's as high as the scale goes. It's about loneliness and what happens when tolerance is no longer required. Reading it was listening to someone sing a coffin into the ground. On Vacation (4 stars): The mood whiplash this story provided woke me right up. I liked that it was so cheerful, while still providing an interesting story. The City in Morning (3 stars): I liked it even though I'm not sure I understood it. It's very philosophical. The State of Nature (5 stars): It uses a few words and one discussion to weave a world and its inhabitants. It doesn't declare a specific moral stance, which was good here given the actual complexity of the issues it handles. The Beautiful People (3 stars): I found the world disturbing but clearly envisioned. I didn't really like the people in that world, though, which contributed to my impressions on it. A Real Girl (5 stars): Poignant story of an organic A.I. that wants to be human. I think this story illustrated that she already is. Who Plays With Sin (5 stars): Corporate espionage, lawless regions in place of jail, hackers in high rises - this story had a veritable mix-topia of things I like to read about. Thunder, the POV character was definitely rounded enough to carry this story. Surfaces (3 stars): I'm fond of this story; speaking as it does of human complexity and expectations. It deals with families, and loyalty. Stay They Flight (4 stars): I hated the go-slow-go cadence of the story at first, but as I understood more I tolerated it and the changing pace. It certainly provided some empathy, at least, and the changes are gradual enough to not be jarring. It has a nontraditional form that is fairly obvious. Free in Asveroth (3 stars): I read it and found it haunting, but the more I thought about it the less I liked it. Explaining why would spoil it. Give it a look if you like journeys that illuminate.

Review # 2 was written on 2010-05-19 00:00:00 PAT MURPHY I can't possibly say something about every tale in this collection, but I will say it was phenomenal in general. A few really blew me away, however, like: Klage's "Time Gypsy" was one of the best of the lot - a time-displaced physicist sent back in time to the very oppressive 50's on a very specific mission, but finds love might mess up the plans - not to mention her only ticket back home to a more accepting time. Wonderfully written - this one really kept my interest and made me sad to see it end... O'Malley's "Silent Passion" was heartbreaking, wonderful, and very very touching - about a man and his deaf lover, who live on a world where the aliens present make such noise as would destroy the sense of hearing of anyone actually listening to it. Being torn between family, love, truth and lies of omission is just the start of this fabulous tale, and the alien extrapolation and metaphors are just astounding. The gentleness of the love in this story made me all teary-eyed. I believe this was my favourite of the bunch. Bamberg's "Love's Last Farewell," was dystopia at its finest - a scene from a world where genengineering makes Gay illegal, and "repairable," and told from the voice of the last gay man still alive. Really touching. But seriously - all are fantastic.