Starlight (Starlight (Tor Paperback))

Rating:
Summary: This is a very good anthology of unusual speculative fiction
Review: I approached this book with caution. There are many annual anthologies of science fiction or fantasy that now appear. Unfortunately, the mediocre quality of many of these anthologies makes one wonder about the state of speculative fiction. Starlight I doesn't fall into the trap of being a thematic collection. What Nielsen has done instead, is provide us with a breadth of very good work that isn't tied to any theme. These stories are here because they are flat out good. This is a wide ranging collection that cannot be defined as science fiction or fantasy. I am appreciative of Hayden because of the fresh new voices that appear here. Yet none of these stories by unknown writers tries to be something it isn't. They each share an understated committment to good writing and simple but substantive language. I highly recommend this anthology for readers of science fiction and fantasy, but especially for readers who might have shied away from a science fiction or fantasy themed anthology because of preconceptions of ridiculous space wars or sword and sorcery images. This is exceptional reading and one that should have a wide audience.

Rating:
Summary: It's been done (and done and done)
Review: It's particularly disappointing when editors touting themselves as experts can't be reliable sources for much more than safe picks. SF should be cutting edge. A little vision and originality would have saved it, and maybe 30 years ago it would've been less dull.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best science fiction/fantasy books of the year.
Review: Patrick Nielsen Hayden has selected a hugely entertaining collection of original short stories, impressive in their scope and the quality of their writing. If you like well-written literary science fiction and fantasy, this is the book to buy.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best science fiction/fantasy books of the year.
Review: Patrick Nielsen Hayden has selected a hugely entertaining collection of original short stories, impressive in their scope and the quality of their writing. If you like well-written literary science fiction and fantasy, this is the book to buy.