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mollyd's review against another edition
4.0
I skimmed some of the stories but several were excellent. I particularly liked Death on the Nile, Inside Job, The Winds of Marble Arch, Fire Watch, and All Seated on the Ground.
taxideadaisy's review against another edition
4.0
Substantial stories from a living Grand Master. The annotations are short and helpful. The editors kindly ease the reader's transition back to reality by closing the volume with three lively speeches.
aardrian's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
zlibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Connie Willis is a wonderful writer, and I would strongly recommend this collection to anyone who loves speculative fiction. Willis masterfully handles the short story structure, and her work is well researched and intellectually rigorous, yet emotionally engaging and imaginative. Her inclusion of history, literature, and popular culture makes the odd occurrences in her stories feel entirely possible. She also has a sly, delightful sense of satire that will engage readers who may be a bit leery of anything called science fiction or speculative fiction. As a librarian, I would enthusiastically recommend this collection for a fiction collection, but also to writing instructors. Willis' reflections following each story provide insight into the writing experience as well as encouragement to other writers.
routergirl's review against another edition
4.0
So good. So much better than Passage! Clearly Connie Willis hits a high stride on the short story.
adru's review against another edition
Mulle meeldivad väga Connie Willise lood rõõmsast ja meeleheite äärele viivast kaosest, millest jõuab viimaks selguse, avastuste ja (enamasti ka) romantikani. Osa lugusid kohe vaimustas (nt "Inside job"), aga kõik olid head.
qkjgrubb's review against another edition
4.0
I love Connie Willis!
This is really 4.5 stars! Now I'd never call myself a science fiction fan, but I do love smart, quirky, fun stories with messages, even if I don't agree with them. What a great collection!
This is really 4.5 stars! Now I'd never call myself a science fiction fan, but I do love smart, quirky, fun stories with messages, even if I don't agree with them. What a great collection!
ineffablebob's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Like most anthologies, this one has stories that work for some and not for others. For me, most of these were misses, I'm afraid. But there are a couple that I really enjoyed - Even the Queen and All Seated on the Ground were both great.