"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 20050501)
"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 )
"A moving coming of age tale . . . I look forward to more from this promising new author."
-- Victoria Strauss, author of
The Burning Land"Josiah, a youngster on the verge of manhood, finds that his life is changed forever the day that Mireille enters the village of Fiam to claim her inheritance, a house. Fiam is not a comfortable place for Josiah, who, though he was born there, looks different from everyone else. Josiah lives with his mother, Ruth, a celebrated weaver. She never talks about why he looks like the enemy Sium defeated in war not long before he was born. Perhaps because he knows what it is like to be an outsider, he is the only one who helps Mireille set up her household. Soon he meets other newcomers: Caleb, a Meran missionary, and Crow, a young archivist whose job it is to remember part of the history of Sium. Life gets more exciting when Josiah discovers that Caleb is a distant cousin. When Caleb decides to return to his mission, he invites Josiah to meet the family he has never known in Mer, a country still considered to be the enemy by many in Sium. Fearing increasing political unrest and violence against archivists, Mireille, Crow?s guardian, decides to come along, bringing him with her.
On the journey, Josiah finds that he is the product of two cultures on the brink of war. Fiam represents what he has always known and accepted as true; Mer, his father's culture, represents the unknown, an exciting discovery that will complete his understanding of who he really is.
E. Sedia does not use much magic or fantasy to create the parameters of Josiah?s world; it is like a real place, and its magic comes through in the way the characters are forced to deal with the violence of war, the loss of innocence, and death. As Josiah travels with his cousin, he gradually discovers a true hero in Caleb, once a great warrior, who decided after a battle that his honor demanded that he care for the wounded of both sides. Josiah is excited to meet people like himself in Mer, as well as find honor and tradition. He also learns that war is inevitable between Sium and Mer, and he must decide on which side to fight. Since each culture holds places and people he has come to love, he feels that his choice will betray half of his heritage.
In ACCORDING TO CROW, E. Sedia has crafted a world similar to ours, with hints of the fantastic, but also with echoes of earth's early history in a time when the world was full of wonder. The directness and simplicity with which the story is told is appealing, and the characters are likable and easy to understand. Readers will follow Josiah as he grows into manhood, just as they follow their own children, seeing the world through their eyes. ACCORDING TO CROW is a good choice for a young adult reader, but complex enough to satisfy older readers as well. It will give all readers much to think about and discuss."
--
Romance Review Today, May 2005 (
Romance Reviews Today )
