Customer Reviews

The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction, Vol. 1

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

My criteria for endorsing anthologies is that I have to appreciate more than 50% of the stories inside, so I'm happy to report that I enjoyed 12 of the 16 stories in this volume, or 75%. Enough that I can heartily recommend it here.

Standouts for me include Paul Di Filippo's "Personal Jesus," which introduces us to the perfect combination of spirituality and technology, the godPod, "Zora and the Land Ethic Nomads" which returns us to Mary Turzillo's Mars of indentured homesteaders, and James Lovegrove's absolutely briliant "The Bowdler Strain," about which too much said could give the game away, but which I will say was $#!+ fantastic! I also admired what Tony Ballantyne was doing with his "Third Person," laughed out loud at Mike & David's PKD pastiche "Jellyfish," and was quite taken with Jay Lake & Greg van Eekhout's "C-Rock City." I'm still contemplating the ending of Neal Asher's "Bioship," and wish that the Wakowski brothers final Matrix film had looked a little more like Keith Brooke's "The Accord," a very interesting little piece that strikes me as an attempt to justify the ways of Agent Smith to man. So, all in all, certainly enough here to get my endorsement, and I recommend checking it out. Meanwhile, I understand a Solaris Book of New Fantasy is planned and I look forward to it enthusiastically.

This is a collection of sixteen stories by some of the best BL & Solaris Publishing authors. No need to worry that you will read stories from unknown writers, hoping to make it in the tough world of publishing. These authors have already proven their worth, most in Warhammer, W40K, Punktown, or some other well known series. Here is a list of the authors with a story in this book, as well as the title of a book s/he is known for:

Introduction by George Mann
Jeffrey Thomas (One of my personal favorites. Author of Deadstock.)
Neal Asher (Author of Polity Agent)
Jay Lake (Author of Mainspring) & Greg van Eekhout (Author of Show & Tell and Other Stories)
James Lovegrove (Author of Escardy Gap)
Paul Di Filippo (Author of Neutrino Drag)
Peter F. Hamilton (Author of The Dreaming Void)
Adam Roberts (Author of Gradisil)
Stephen Baxter (Author of Time's Tapestry)
Ian Watson (Author of The Inquisition War [W40K])
Mike Resnick (Author of the Starship series) & David Gerrold (Author of the War Against the Chtorr series)
Mary A. Turzillo (Author of Your Cat & Other Space Aliens)
Brian Aldiss (Author of Harm)
Keith Brooke (Author of Genetopia)
Simon Ings (Author of The Eye)
Tony Ballantyne (Author of Divergence)
Eric Brown (Author of Helix)

**** As with all anthologies, some stories are better than others. Every reader will have their personal favorites and possibly realize that there are a few other authors with writing styles they may wish to look in to. To me, the entire experience was like sampling various writing flavors to see which I loved best. I sincerely hope to see another such Solaris anthology in the future. ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

George Mann opens the collection by praising the short story format and science fiction for preserving it. This format is "just long enough to explore an idea, just short enough to pack an emotional punch." (p. 7). These sixteen stories are all readable and several are quite good.

Author bios are included in an appendix-like final chapter. The collection would be strengthened by moving the relevant bios to the beginning of each story and adding additional material about other works by each author.

Three representative stories:

Neal Asher's "Bioship" describes a relationship triangle between a ship's captain, an attractive passenger, and--the ship.

Stephen Baxter's "Last Contact" shows us a mother and daughter keeping in touch as the end of the world seems to draw closer.

Keith Brooke's "The Accord" takes another look at the implications of uploading our personalities into a virtual reality. This and two other stories have subsequently been combined into a novel, The Accord. Fair warning for those who might just prefer to read the novel.

This is a good collection and is recommended to science fiction fans of all varieties. Satisfied readers might want to follow up with The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction: Volume 2 and The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction Volume 3.

George Mann edits THE SOLARIS BOOK OF NEW SCIENCE FICTION, a fine short story collection featuring fine writers of the likes of Stephen Baxter, Eric Brown, Ian Watson and more. These stories explore the outer limits of the fantasy and sci fi genres, from a futuristic murder mystery to space opera - and all stories are original to this collection - a huge plus in a genre where reprints abound, making it a top pick any serious science fiction holding needs.

Purportedly a collection of unpublished stories by good SF writers. I recognize several of the authors, and can vouch for their having written first class fiction, but I found no evidence of it in this volume. When I read story collections, I give each story a reasonable number of page turns to hook me. If the story doesn't, I spit out the bait and move on. I have never (and I never say never) gone through any SF story collection without finding more than half that catch me. Sadly, not a one in this collection caught my attention. The only comparision I can make is to imagine what it must have been like to read a Soviet era newspaper. Flee this book. Flee!

A new original Science Fiction anthology from an English publisher, which the table of contents does reflect.

Getting a book you want it to be above average, unfortunately this one doesn't quite get there. For 16 stories, this is about what I would expect to get that basic 3.5 out of 5 rating:

10 above average stories, 5 average, 1 below average.

However, we get 8 above average, 6 average and 2 below average, for a story mean score of 3.34. This gives an adjusted score of 3.22.

So, basically this book is a 3.25 out of 5, definitely a bit better than mediocre or ordinary.

There are several good stories, but nothing over 4 that is likely to be remembered for a long time after you read it, as such.

As a comparison to the 3.22/3 out of 5, the first Fast Forward anthology, a competitor, was 3.53 mean score and 4 out of 5.


Solaris 1 : In His Sights - Jeffrey Thomas
Solaris 1 : Bioship - Neal Asher
Solaris 1 : C-Rock City - Jay Lake and Greg van Eekhout
Solaris 1 : The Bowdler Strain - James Lovegrove
Solaris 1 : Personal Jesus - Paul Di Filippo
Solaris 1 : If At First - Peter F. Hamilton
Solaris 1 : Distillation of Grace - Adam Roberts
Solaris 1 : Last Contact - Stephen Baxter
Solaris 1 : Cages - Ian Watson
Solaris 1 : Jellyfish - Mike Resnick and David Gerrold
Solaris 1 : Zora and the Land Ethnic Nomads - Mary Turzillo
Solaris 1 : The Lour Ladies of the Apocalypse - Brian Aldiss
Solaris 1 : The Accord - Keith Brooke
Solaris 1 : The Wedding Party - Simon Ings
Solaris 1 : Third Person - Tony Ballantyne
Solaris 1 : The Farewell Party - Eric Brown


The deathly smell of war can leave you feeling Blue.

4 out of 5


Barbed venomous response.

3 out of 5


Historical slave decisions.

3 out of 5


Tower of Babel $!^&*@# s*cks! No Batman, either.

4 out of 5


Deusex Mode decimation.

4 out of 5


Rewind personality advantage.

3.5 out of 5


12 step program.

3 out of 5


Ripped off.

4 out of 5


Remade impediments.

3 out of 5


Hi-ho, it is off to work we don't go, because I am just sitting in my house typing four pages. That is if copious amounts of drugs don't make this all too meta for anything to be anything.

3 out of 5


Camera kid clues radiant relief.

3.5 out of 5


Swinging away at the end.

2.5 out of 5


Proxy people.

2.5 out of 5


Pieces of the people smuggling puzzle.

3 out of 5


A walk-on part in the war, a lead role in the Sarge.

3.5 out of 5


Alien Resurrection.

4 out of 5