"Have you ever wanted a faster-than-light trip to the future? Are you tired of reading science fiction novels that feel like they're taking literal eons to finish? These fifteen award-winning and bestselling science fiction authors, including Charlie Jane Anders, Alastair Reynolds, Yoon Ha Lee, Becky Chambers, Tobias S. Buckell, Ann Leckie, and Sam J. Miller, and more, are here as your speedy guides to infinity and beyond.
In "Zen and the Art of Starship Maintenance," a cloud-based contractor finds a human war criminal clinging to the hull of the ship. The clones of "All the Colours You Thought Were Kings," about to attend their coming-of-age ceremony, are plotting treason. During "A Temporary Embarrassment in Spacetime," two outlaws go on the run after stealing a device from a space cult.
Here are the new, adventurous―and most efficient―takes on interstellar battles, sentient spaceships, and political intrigue on a galactic scale. Discover where memories live and die, and where memes rise and fall in moments. Remember, the future is sooner than you think, and there's only so much time for visiting it."
I got an ARC of this book.
I have been converted to sci-fi for the space opera. Give me space operas or given a different, non-sci-fi genre. I recognized enough names on the cover to be incredibly excited. Becky Chambers is an instant read, even if her last series didn't land for me. Thankfully the short story in this one is from Wayfarer's, so I was set!
The names alone are a good reason to grab this book. Becky Chambers, T. Kingfisher, Charlie Jane Anders, Yoon Ha Lee, and Tobias S. Buckle are all authors I have engaged with. I believe I have reviewed them on all on here at one point. I am not used to getting an anthology with that many known to me authors. It felt like a safe bet. It really was a safe bet. The majority of the stories were incredible.
I limited myself to a story or two a day. I wanted to be able to enjoy the author's voice and really appreciate the story. Also gave me time to overload my TBR with more books I needed. Yoon Ha Lee really needs to be an author I prioritize.
I could be way off base, but the Chambers story felt like I had already read it. I could swear up and down that I had. Some basic googling when goodreads failed me, and I had read it in another anthology. An athology I got from the library solely to read the story. It felt like a let down that it was not a new Chamber's story. It was one I read years ago. I should have guessed when it was the same universe as the Wayfarer's that it was an older story. I didn't recognize any of the other stories.
Overall, it was a fun read. I recommend taking it slow and really savoring the voices. There are wonderful authors in this collection. I never know how to review an anthology. They are always hit or miss, but this was thankfully a lot more hit.
4 out of 5 stars. I would recommend this book.
You can buy the book here.
~Isaiah
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