Friday, January 30, 2009

Starry Review

I figured I'd post another review this week since I've got a decent number in the hopper, with a couple more to be written in the next few days. I don't read enough short fiction in the genre, as I've said before so I begain rectifying that very quickly this year when I read Jonathan Strahan's indispensable YA Science Fiction anthology from last year, The Starry Rift. I really think this book should be a must have for all fans of the genre, with all the great contributors like Neil Gaiman, Cory Doctorow, Ian McDonald, Scott Westerfeld, Alastair Reynolds and many more. Here's a bit from my review:

Ass-Hat Magic Spider by Scott Westerfeld (Uglies, Midnighters, The Risen Empire, Peeps) kicks off the anthology. The story here is no different showcases a hopeful future not just for humanity’s survival, but for the future and power of storytelling and books.

Garth Nix’s (The Abhorsen Trilogy & The Keys to the Kingdom) Infestation is a fun, unexpected, and engaging look at alien vampires (reminiscent of E.E. Knight’s Vampire Earth). There’s more to tell here and of the stories in this anthology, I think this is the one I’d most like to see expanded into novel length form.

The Starry Rift should remain a genre benchmark for years to com as an invitation to younger readers to sample some today’s most insightful and imaginative voices. Highly recommended.

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