Invaders: 22 Tales from the Outer Limits of Literature
3 journalers for this copy...
I got this hefty softcover from Toadstool Books in Milford NH. It's a fun concept: an anthology of literary science fiction, stories by authors not primarily known for writing SF but who did produce tales that fit the genre. While some of the stories seemed to be a bit of a stretch, SF-wise, most were definitely SF, whether comedic, technical, soft-science-based, subtle, or just plain odd. The editor's introduction was enjoyable, including comments on many of the stories and on how and why they were selected.
My favorite stories include:
Jonathan Lethem's "Five Fucks", a surreal tale about the hazards of sex with strangers - though in this case the stranger is very strange indeed.
"LIMBs" by Julia Elliott takes the idea of cybertronic limbs to a senior citizens home, where the robotic limbs can give mobility back to the aged. There are other treatments being studied too, involving the restoration of memory, and the story's a touching mix of tech and human emotions.
W. P. Kinsella's "Reports Concerning the Death of the Seattle Albatross Are Somewhat Exaggerated" is by the author of Field of Dreams, and is - like so many of his stories - about baseball. Here, it's from the viewpoint of a team mascot, who just happens to be an extraterrestrial who... doesn't need as much of a costume as most mascots would. It's wacky, but with a tragic turn.
"Topics in Advanced Rocketry" by Chris Tarry takes reality-tv concepts into space, in the form of a bickering family with a bullied gay teen as they are about to take off in a rocket.
Karen Heuler's "The Inner City" was nominated for the Shirley Jackson award, and definitely has a Jacksonian vibe to it. A young woman desperate to find a job stumbles across some intriguing (and confidential) corporate paperwork on a city sidewalk curb, and uses the info to try and brazen her way into a very mysterious building. This seems to be working, until... it isn't.
"Monstro" by Junot Díaz puts a Caribbean spin on a kinda-sorta zombie plague (only it's more of a weird fungus that creates hive-minds, or... well, something else very strange). It's the narrator's tone that got me into the story, with its mix of languages and careless youthful attitude.
"Help Me Find My Spaceman Lover" by Robert Olen Butler is from his collection Tabloid Dreams - stories inspired by tabloid headlines. This one's what might happen if the typical tabloid-story characters had an actual close encounter.
My favorite stories include:
Jonathan Lethem's "Five Fucks", a surreal tale about the hazards of sex with strangers - though in this case the stranger is very strange indeed.
"LIMBs" by Julia Elliott takes the idea of cybertronic limbs to a senior citizens home, where the robotic limbs can give mobility back to the aged. There are other treatments being studied too, involving the restoration of memory, and the story's a touching mix of tech and human emotions.
W. P. Kinsella's "Reports Concerning the Death of the Seattle Albatross Are Somewhat Exaggerated" is by the author of Field of Dreams, and is - like so many of his stories - about baseball. Here, it's from the viewpoint of a team mascot, who just happens to be an extraterrestrial who... doesn't need as much of a costume as most mascots would. It's wacky, but with a tragic turn.
"Topics in Advanced Rocketry" by Chris Tarry takes reality-tv concepts into space, in the form of a bickering family with a bullied gay teen as they are about to take off in a rocket.
Karen Heuler's "The Inner City" was nominated for the Shirley Jackson award, and definitely has a Jacksonian vibe to it. A young woman desperate to find a job stumbles across some intriguing (and confidential) corporate paperwork on a city sidewalk curb, and uses the info to try and brazen her way into a very mysterious building. This seems to be working, until... it isn't.
"Monstro" by Junot Díaz puts a Caribbean spin on a kinda-sorta zombie plague (only it's more of a weird fungus that creates hive-minds, or... well, something else very strange). It's the narrator's tone that got me into the story, with its mix of languages and careless youthful attitude.
"Help Me Find My Spaceman Lover" by Robert Olen Butler is from his collection Tabloid Dreams - stories inspired by tabloid headlines. This one's what might happen if the typical tabloid-story characters had an actual close encounter.
I'm adding this to the To the Stars SF bookbox; hope someone enjoys it!
*** Released for the 2019 Science Fiction release challenge. ***
*** Released for the 2019 Science Fiction release challenge. ***
Received in the To the Stars: A Science Fiction Bookbox
I have decided to pass this book along for someone else to enjoy.
I have decided to pass this book along for someone else to enjoy.
I picked this book out of the sci-fi bookbox. I love that it is a collection of sci-fi-ish tales by authors who are not usually considered sci-fi writers. I think I'll enjoy it. Thanks, GoryDetails, I love that you always write good reviews :)
