Customer Reviews

Glass and Amber

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This is my favorite of the Cherryh short story collections, and a real collector's item. Only 1000 copies were printed, and each is individually numbered on the copyright page. The first 250 were autographed by Cherryh and sold in slipcases. This book contains seven short stories and five essays on science fiction. First is "Of Law and Magic," an excellent story about a wizardous lawyer, a desperate witch, and the laws of magic which entangle them. This is a creative story providing an unusual perspective on magic. "Homecoming" tells of an unmanned deep space probe, its discovery of alien life, and its journey home. It provides unique insight into the mechanical mind. "Romantic / Science Fiction" is a brilliant essay which traces the roots of science fiction to the old tradition of romantic literature. "The Dark King" is a powerful and compassionate retelling of the Sisyphus and Hades story. "Perspectives in SF" is a funny and uplifting essay on the place of science fiction in our society. In it Cherryh describes her early indoctrination into science fiction and discusses directions for science fiction in the future. "Sea Change" is a dark tale of the sea: one girl, two boys, and the nature of luck. "The Avoidance Factor" discusses the possibility of extraterrestrial life, and why we haven't found it. "A Gift of Prophecy" is a somewhat disturbing story of an oracular priestess set in the future. "The Use of Archaeology in Worldbuilding" illuminates Cherryh's science fiction in interesting ways, and will be fascinating to any serious fan. "Willow" is a story of a disillusioned knight in an encounter with a maiden, a mother, and a crone. "In Alien Tongues" is another essay of interest to any serious fan, outlining the construction of alien languages so central to the realism of Cherryh's worlds. "Pots" is the final and most enigmatic story in the collection, telling of the discovery of an abandoned planet (Earth?) by archaeologists seeking their own roots. If you ever have a chance to get your hands on this book, take it.