Archive for the ‘Jonathan Strahan’ Category
New Hard SF Anthology from Solaris
Posted on: March 23, 2011
Engineering Infinity, edited by Jonathan Strahan
Published: Jan 2011 from Solaris books
where I got it: purchased new
why I read it: it’s this months’ SF book for my local SF reading club
Space ships, alien invasions, alien diplomacy, galactic empires, time travel, artificial intelligence, genetic manipulations, world changing ideas with life changing ramifications. This is what Hard Scifi is all about!
In the past, I haven’t been much for short stories, and I’m actively trying to change that. Anthologies especially are tough for me, as they always seem a mixed bag. You get some great stories that blow your mind, and some mediocre stuff. Reminds me a little of the old days of buying an album just for the one track that was in heavy rotation on MTV. Wow, I just dated myself.
Engineering Infinity is a new Hard SF collection, showcasing some of SF’s biggest names, such as Charlies Stross, Peter Watts, Karl Schroeder, Stephen Baxter, Gregory Benford, and Gwyneth Jones, just to name a few. Was the anthology a mixed bag for me? Yes. Did I discover some new-to-me authors that I plan to actively seek out? Yes, and more than I expected. Was there some stuff that just didn’t do it for me? Yes. Such is the challenge of the anthology – it simply isn’t going to be everything to everyone.
If you enjoy short stories and Hard SF, you will probably have a blast with Engineering Infinity. And if, like me, you’re trying to get more short stories into your life, this is a good place to start. Read the rest of this entry »
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