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Miracle and Other Christmas Stories (Bantam Spectra Book)
 
 
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Miracle and Other Christmas Stories (Bantam Spectra Book) [Hardcover]

Connie Willis (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)


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Book Description

Bantam Spectra Book November 2, 1999
The winner of multiple Hugo and Nebula Awards, Connie Willis has thrilled countless readers with her enthralling science fiction novels that entertain as well as enlighten. Now this superb writer captures the timeless essence of generosity and goodwill in a magical collection of Christmas stories that showcase her remarkable talent while taking us on breathless journeys to fascinating realms filled with wonder and joy.

This enchanting group of eight tales--two of which are original to this collection--begins with the title story, "Miracle," in which an office worker hopes that her handsome colleague will finally notice her at the company Christmas party. But her carefully devised plans go awry when her guardian angel takes it upon himself to show her the true meaning of love. In the cautionary tale "In Coppelius's Toyshop," the motto What Goes Around Comes Around serves as an eerie reminder to a jaded narcissist who finds himself trapped in a crowded toy store at Christmastime.

In the touching "Adaptation," the Ghosts of Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come pay a visit to a lonely bookstore clerk, who discovers that the best gift of all is to give--even when his one wish for the holidays doesn't come true. "Inn" presents the inspiring story of a choir singer who gives shelter on a cold winter night to a homeless man and his pregnant wife--only to learn later that there's much more to the couple than meets the eye. And "Epiphany" follows three unwitting, modern-day wisemen on a quest unlike any they've ever experienced.

A treasure to cherish anytime of the year, this collection boldly reimagines the stories of Christmas and serves as a testament to Connie Willis's unique genius and skill in bringing the extraordinary to life while conveying the power of human compassion and love.

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Connie Willis loves Christmas. "I even like the parts most people hate--shopping in crowded malls and reading Christmas newsletters and seeing relatives and standing in baggage check-in lines at the airport. Okay, I lied. Nobody likes standing in baggage check-in lines," she writes. Willis knows it's hard to write good Christmas stories: the subject matter is limited, the writer has to balance between sentiment and skepticism, and too many fall into the Victorian habit of killing off saintly children and poor people. Here she presents eight marvelous Christmas tales, two of which appear for the first time.

The stories range from "The Pony," about a psychotherapist who doesn't believe that Christmas gifts can answer our deepest longings, and "Inn," in which a choir member rehearsing for the Christmas pageant becomes part of the original Christmas story, to "Newsletter," where an invasion of parasitic creatures causes unusually good behavior in their hosts, and "Epiphany," a story of three unlikely Magi following signs through a North American winter toward the returned Jesus Christ. "Miracle" is a comic romance echoing Willis's favorite Yuletide movie, Miracle on 34th Street, and "Catspaw" is a homage to the traditional Christmas murder mystery with a sly, science-fictional twist. The collection also includes "In Coppelius' Toyshop," in which a bad guy is trapped in Toyland, and "Adaptation," a Dickensian story about what it means to keep Christmas in your heart.

Those who want only SF stories may find this collection lacking, but anyone who enjoys complex tales with true Christmas spirit will treasure it. --Nona Vero

From Publishers Weekly

The witty, literate Willis offers a wonderfully enjoyable ode to Christmas with this collection of eight fantastic seasonal tales. In "Inn," Willis turns what could have been a maudlin church choir story into a poignant tale with a time-travel twist. The title piece, "Miracle," is a screwball office comedy in which It's a Wonderful Life is soundly trounced in favor of Miracle on 34th Street, and the spirit of an ecologically aware surfer appears to give a reluctant heroine her heart's desire. A world-class jerk gets a Twilight Zone-like comeuppance in "In Coppelius's Toy Shop," while in the ominous "The Pony," the characters find exactly what they truly want under the tree. "Adaptation" blends literary and paternal love as two characters from Dickens's "A Christmas Carol" and a modern-day Scrooge become part of a lonely bibliophile's holiday. Throughout the book, Willis's well-crafted stories fuse traditional holiday plots with SF and fantasy elements to good effect. For example, her take on the British country-house Christmas mystery, "Cat's Paw," stars a world-famous sleuth and his slightly foggy assistant Abut it's set in a futuristic steel-and-glass manor and involves a plot that pivots around primate-rights activism. This is a collection that will entertain readers both in and out of season; and as a stocking-stuffer for SF fans, it's a merry delight. (Nov.) FYI: Willis's To Say Nothing of the Dog has won the 1999 Hugo Award for Best Novel.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 336 pages
  • Publisher: Spectra (November 2, 1999)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0553111116
  • ISBN-13: 978-0553111118
  • Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 1.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,644,105 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Connie Willis is an established author of many science fiction books, including THE DOOMSDAY BOOK, and winner of both the Nebula Award and the Hugo Award for best sf novel.

 

Customer Reviews

32 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.3 out of 5 stars (32 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Another Outstanding Collection!, December 30, 1999
This review is from: Miracle and Other Christmas Stories (Bantam Spectra Book) (Hardcover)
I have just finished "Miracle and Other Christmas Stories" today and I must say that "Epiphany" is one of the best short stories I have read by Ms. Willis (and that's saying a lot!). I find this story, along with my other favorite Willis story "Samaritan" found in the collection "Fire Watch", confirm that faith/spirituality and speculative fiction do mix, and quite well at that.

Sure, some of the stories are predictable ("Inn" and "In Coppelius's Toyshop") but "Adaptation" was a fresh approach to an old and well-told story. Ms. Willis has the ability to create characters that live and breathe. By the end of the stories, you feel you know the characters because they are us, or our neighbors, or co-workers, or family...or someone we wish we knew.

I have to dismiss someone's previous review of this collection as "shallow". On the contrary, there is a richness and depth to Ms. Willis and her work, which continues to grow with each new book and story.

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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Buy one for yourself and everyone you know!, January 5, 2001
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Connie Willis is, without a doubt, one of the finest writers of sci fi short stories out there right now. Almost every short story by her is really a delight to read, and this collection doesn't fail to meet that standard. What kind of stories can you expect here? A take off on the movie Miracle on 34th Street, a view of Revelation coming as a carnival, and many more. The only story in this collection that was not a perfect 10 from my point of view was Cat's Paw. I just could not get fully into the story and it was a little long for this collection. Willis speaks in the introduction of her love of the Christmas season and this really shines through in all of these stories. My favorite story in the collection is the final story about Revelation. It was one of the most insightful touching stories I have read this year.

In addition, if you normally read sci fi and would like to expose friends and family to sci fi, this is an excellent and gentle introductory collection and makes a convenient Christmas gift. No really bizarre aliens, no "hard" sci fi edge, just enjoyable reading. Great for sci fi aficionados and those new to sci fi as well!

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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Willis is one of the most underrated authors out there, November 2, 1999
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This review is from: Miracle and Other Christmas Stories (Bantam Spectra Book) (Hardcover)
While I've only just received up my copy of MIRACLE, I've read many of the stories in it, in Willis' yearly Asimov's stories. Let me just say this: Connie Willis deserves much more fame than she currently recieves, and the Christmas tales she has produced over the past few years are proof of why. The woman is a master of character, a great humorist, and a wonderful writer. Read this book, then go on and read her spectacular BELLWETHER.
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