Reviews for The Avram Davidson treasury

The average rating for The Avram Davidson treasury based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2020-12-16 00:00:00 Richard Eidson Avram Davidson is fairly obscure to modern readers but was extremely well regarded and influential among his peers, which include some of the greats of both SFF and mystery fiction that emerged in the 50's and 60's. Most of his writings are short stories, published in the pulp publications of the day, but seem an odd fit for those audiences as there are no swashbuckling heroes, laser guns, rocket ships, or scantily clad damsels in distress to be found. To say that he's got a quirky style, rife with digressions and non sequiturs, is an understatement in the extreme, and it's clear why he's considered a writer's writer and saw only limited commercial success. The stories in this collection, each picked and introduced by a who's who of master authors including Robert Silverberg Ursula K. Le Guin, William Gibson, Poul Anderson, Gene Wolfe and many more aren't easily classified. There are elements of sci-fi, fantasy, mystery and what these days would be called magical realism. They represent a varied and odd assortment, but each has unique charm, wit and perspective. Some are ridiculous and farcical, others weighty and reflective. Few offer clear resolutions, rather Davidson's stories are about turning things upside down, asking uncomfortable questions, and the journey of discovery. All are wonderfully entertaining, intelligent and full of surprise, puzzlement and wonder.

Review # 2 was written on 2007-07-25 00:00:00 William Woolley Suppose you are the insomniac son of the world's funniest, smartest rabbi, who tells you bed time stories to get you to go to sleep, except they are so good, you never do. (And if that's not your idea of the best possible collection of American science fiction and fantasy short stories, I don't know how to help you.)