The Best Science Fiction Novellas of the Year 2

This installment from the late Mr. Carr continued the wonderful idea of gathering widely varied SF for readers' enjoyment. It contains five novellas, each of which makes this book worthwhile all by itself. "Enemy Mine," soon thereafter produced as the movie, IS different--much different--from the movie. The emphasis is on atmosphere and story rather than violence. Five stars. "Palely Loitering," taking its name from the second line of the poem *La Belle Dame Sans Merci,* is a STELLAR exploration of temporal travel and anomalies--along with very rich setting and emotion. Four stars. "Moon Goddess and the Son" reads as a down-and-gritty journey for a young girl who only wants the Moon and will do anything to attain it--Almost. Three stars. "Songhouse," by distinguished SF writer Orson Scott Card, is so lavish with a sense of the epic: without (the institution called the Songhouse, the galactic emperor), and within (personal journey of discovery and the development of a child prodigy). It is different from most SF you'll read. Four stars. "Ker-Plop" was described by Mr. Carr as succumbing to the "my alien artifact is bigger than your alien artifact" syndrome. It's pretty darn impressive, math-heavy in a few little parts, and ends with an unorthodox thought: the big-and-bad aliens may not be harmful, but we no longer have room for arrogance. Four stars. The symphony of these five works makes for a collection you can read again, and again, and again.


Genre: Science Fiction