Five Star Science Fiction/Fantasy - Uncanny Tales [Hardcover]

Robert Sheckley (Author)

Book Description

Series: Five Star Science Fiction/Fantasy | Publication Date: July 2, 2003

His career has spanned more than 40 years, and run the gamut from mind-bending science fiction to celebrated fantastic parody, and everything in between. Seventeen stories covering Sheckley's output from his beginnings to his most recent work forms this brand-new collection. Uncanny Tales is the best short work from a speculative fiction master, with stories that explore every aspect of our universe. (20021201)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"From a darkly humorous tale of the power of words (Death and the Librarian) to a never-before-published response to events of September 11 (Ilion), Friesner's 12 stories illustrate the author's acutely sensitive vision of wonder in the everyday world... Known primarily for his 'Star Wars' novels... Zahn's short stories also deliver strong plots and memorable characters... Zebrowski's many novels (e.g. Macrolife) mark him as a visionary as well as a master of hard sf. The ten short stories collected in In the Distance provide a benchmark of his creativity... the author expands his concept of the human condition to embrace the stars. Part of Five Star's continuing commitment to showcasing the short fiction of the genre's most prominent author's, these three volumes belong in most libraries where short sf is popular."
-- Library Journal (December 2002) (Library Journal 20020615)

"...Part of Five Star's continuing commitment to showcasing the short fiction of the genre's most prominent authors, these three volumes (Death and the Librarian and Other Stories/ Star Song and Other Stories/ In the Distance, and Ahead in Time) belong in most libraries where short sf is popular."
-- Library Journal (December 2002) (Library Journal )

"Four more titles in Five Star's new series (God Is an Iron and Other Stories/ Generation Gap and Other Stories/ The Lady Vanishes and Other Oddities of Nature/ Suppose They Gave a Peace and Other Stories) of short fiction by noteworthy sf authors offer a variety of tales that illustrate the depth and staying power of the genre...Most of the stories in these volumes have only appeared in periodicals. Libraries wishing to augment their sf or short fiction collections should consider any of them."
-- Library Journal (June 2002) (Library Journal )

"...This new collection brings together sixteen potent, punchy stories that combine a willingness to see into vast cosmic depths with the kind of sidelong characterizations that make Sheckley's characters seem like a crowd of carnies from another age... makes the reader glad to be along for the ride."
-- wigglefish.com (August 2003) (Online )

"These stories may be new, but they read like vintage Sheckley, full of warmth, humor, and the understanding that, despite the occasionally brutal complications of the world, there is still fun to be had and connections to be made. An evening in the company of these stories is time well spent."
-- Locus (August 2003) (Locus )

Product Details

• Hardcover: 252 pages
• Publisher: Five Star; 1 edition (July 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 078625341X
• ISBN-13: 978-0786253418
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,035,627 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars the contributions rcross the speculative fiction spectrum, August 4, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Five Star Science Fiction/Fantasy - Uncanny Tales (Hardcover)

This sixteen-story collection shows the vast range of Robert Sheckley's works as the contributions range across the speculative fiction spectrum. Mr. Sheckley seems as comfortable writing in fantasy as much as science fiction, which this reviewer is more familiar with his novels in the latter genre. The well written tales focus on the minds of the key characters (not all human) who face adversity that are often colossal, but also achieving success. However, readers need to also understand that eleven of the tales were in other publications within the last five years with nine of these appearing in the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Subscribers of that magazine will already know how good Mr. Sheckley's shorts are while much of the rest of us for familiar with his novels and their movie adaptations will appreciate this anthology.

Harriet Klausner