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jonathanpalfrey's review against another edition
3.0
It's convenient to have most (unfortunately not all) of Vernor Vinge's short fiction together in one place, though I'd prefer to have it arranged in chronological order.
He started off as a writer of short stories, and he says himself that he had difficulty with novels, but I think it's fair to say by now that his novels are more impressive than his short stories. However, his novella "True names" (not included here!) was indeed impressive in 1981, and remains good.
The stories in this volume vary in quality but are all readable. My personal favourite is "The peddler's apprentice", although it was co-written with his wife and isn't typical of his work; I also like "The Blabber", in which the Tines and the Zones of Thought made their first appearance in fiction (although it turns out to be set much later in time than their other appearances!).
"The ungoverned", "Original sin", and "Fast times at Fairmont High" are interesting, and the latter won a Hugo award.
The rest of them are relatively minor stories, amiable enough, sometimes dated in content and style. I've read and reread them because they all come together, but I might not bother to buy them if they were sold individually.
He started off as a writer of short stories, and he says himself that he had difficulty with novels, but I think it's fair to say by now that his novels are more impressive than his short stories. However, his novella "True names" (not included here!) was indeed impressive in 1981, and remains good.
The stories in this volume vary in quality but are all readable. My personal favourite is "The peddler's apprentice", although it was co-written with his wife and isn't typical of his work; I also like "The Blabber", in which the Tines and the Zones of Thought made their first appearance in fiction (although it turns out to be set much later in time than their other appearances!).
"The ungoverned", "Original sin", and "Fast times at Fairmont High" are interesting, and the latter won a Hugo award.
The rest of them are relatively minor stories, amiable enough, sometimes dated in content and style. I've read and reread them because they all come together, but I might not bother to buy them if they were sold individually.
thomcat's review against another edition
3.0
Huge fan of [b:True Names|1280983|True Names|Vernor Vinge|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1224820322s/1280983.jpg|26477427]; just finished reading an earlier collection ([b:True Names... and Other Dangers|321005|True Names... and Other Dangers|Vernor Vinge|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1330657262s/321005.jpg|6670362]). This volume contains all of that, minus True Names itself. Stories later expanded to novels are mixed in with true short stories, and it was a fun read.
"Fast Times at Fairmont High" didn't work for me, but I still intend to read the novel ([b:Rainbows End|102439|Rainbows End|Vernor Vinge|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1316729149s/102439.jpg|3101132]) at some point. I believe my favorite story from the collection was "Gemstone".
"Fast Times at Fairmont High" didn't work for me, but I still intend to read the novel ([b:Rainbows End|102439|Rainbows End|Vernor Vinge|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1316729149s/102439.jpg|3101132]) at some point. I believe my favorite story from the collection was "Gemstone".
oleksandr's review against another edition
4.0
This is a collection of shorter works (from short story to novella size, mostly the later) of award-winning SF author [a:Vernor Vinge|44037|Vernor Vinge|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1215099239p2/44037.jpg]. I’ve read it after I enjoyed his Hugo-winning novels [b:A Fire Upon the Deep|77711|A Fire Upon the Deep (Zones of Thought, #1)|Vernor Vinge|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1333915005l/77711._SY75_.jpg|1253374] and [b:A Deepness in the Sky|226004|A Deepness in the Sky (Zones of Thought, #2)|Vernor Vinge|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1217218691l/226004._SY75_.jpg|1270006]. The collection contains almost all his smaller works written between the mid-60s and 2001. Moreover, each work had his preface and afterthought, which makes it even more interesting.
Here is a list of titles with short synapses with minimum of spoilers:
"Bookworm, Run!” a chimpanzee linked to ability-enhancing computer escapes the military base
"The Accomplice” it is 1993 (written in 1967) and someone stole computer time to do something artistic
"The Peddler's Apprentice”, written with his then-wife [a:Joan D. Vinge|32279|Joan D. Vinge|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1209914639p2/32279.jpg], the story of a mysterious trader and a young band planning to full him. I’d say quite a lot of the ideas (from free trade vs. totalitarian, to methods of control) were later re-introduced in [b:A Deepness in the Sky|226004|A Deepness in the Sky (Zones of Thought, #2)|Vernor Vinge|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1217218691l/226004._SY75_.jpg|1270006].
"The Ungoverned” an ode to anarcho-capitalism and its better protection against armed invasion, clearly showing his libertarian views
"Long Shot” a smallest possible viable interstellar colony written as a log of the delivery ship
"Apartness” after nuclear war, the Earth is governed by former smaller nations and one old group is found on the Antarctica
"Conquest by Default” the same setting as in the previous story but now human-like aliens from another planet invade the Earth. Problem of who prevents forming a strong group withing libertarian society to oppress others is thought out.
"The Whirligig of Time” another nuclear war and the revenge of the defeated
"Bomb Scare” during a war between to civilizations, the third group appears that can destroy both. A bit silly piece
"The Science Fair” a scientist ought to present something new on a regular fair…
"Gemstone” a granddaughter stays for a summer with her grandma to find out her secrets.
"Just Peace” an investigator from post-singularity Earth is rayed on a failed colony
"Original Sin” a reverse of ‘wise eternal aliens vs short-lived angry humans” trope with aliens that are even shorter living and more aggressive
"The Blabber” an addition to [b:A Fire Upon the Deep|77711|A Fire Upon the Deep (Zones of Thought, #1)|Vernor Vinge|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1333915005l/77711._SY75_.jpg|1253374]
"Win A Nobel Prize!” short humorous letter
"The Barbarian Princess” a strange world, where editor and publisher of fantasy pulps like Rad Sonya travels on a sea-ship with some semi-circus semi-science crew
"Fast Times at Fairmont High” teenagers do their school project in the near future with ubiquitous internet access
Here is a list of titles with short synapses with minimum of spoilers:
"Bookworm, Run!” a chimpanzee linked to ability-enhancing computer escapes the military base
"The Accomplice” it is 1993 (written in 1967) and someone stole computer time to do something artistic
"The Peddler's Apprentice”, written with his then-wife [a:Joan D. Vinge|32279|Joan D. Vinge|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1209914639p2/32279.jpg], the story of a mysterious trader and a young band planning to full him. I’d say quite a lot of the ideas (from free trade vs. totalitarian, to methods of control) were later re-introduced in [b:A Deepness in the Sky|226004|A Deepness in the Sky (Zones of Thought, #2)|Vernor Vinge|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1217218691l/226004._SY75_.jpg|1270006].
"The Ungoverned” an ode to anarcho-capitalism and its better protection against armed invasion, clearly showing his libertarian views
"Long Shot” a smallest possible viable interstellar colony written as a log of the delivery ship
"Apartness” after nuclear war, the Earth is governed by former smaller nations and one old group is found on the Antarctica
"Conquest by Default” the same setting as in the previous story but now human-like aliens from another planet invade the Earth. Problem of who prevents forming a strong group withing libertarian society to oppress others is thought out.
"The Whirligig of Time” another nuclear war and the revenge of the defeated
"Bomb Scare” during a war between to civilizations, the third group appears that can destroy both. A bit silly piece
"The Science Fair” a scientist ought to present something new on a regular fair…
"Gemstone” a granddaughter stays for a summer with her grandma to find out her secrets.
"Just Peace” an investigator from post-singularity Earth is rayed on a failed colony
"Original Sin” a reverse of ‘wise eternal aliens vs short-lived angry humans” trope with aliens that are even shorter living and more aggressive
"The Blabber” an addition to [b:A Fire Upon the Deep|77711|A Fire Upon the Deep (Zones of Thought, #1)|Vernor Vinge|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1333915005l/77711._SY75_.jpg|1253374]
"Win A Nobel Prize!” short humorous letter
"The Barbarian Princess” a strange world, where editor and publisher of fantasy pulps like Rad Sonya travels on a sea-ship with some semi-circus semi-science crew
"Fast Times at Fairmont High” teenagers do their school project in the near future with ubiquitous internet access
kaflurbaleen's review against another edition
4.0
Some of the stories I really liked, especially the last one, with the kids hiking around and planting networking/localizing pellets around a park. Other stories were kinda boring - too short and/or too manly (war strategies and whatnot)... I guess I'm partial to Vinge's stories about animals and young people.
lordofthemoon's review
4.0
Vernor Vinge is probably best known for his theory of the Technological Singularity, which is a point at which Human evolution and development hits exponential change, e.g. due to the development of hard AI or machine/Human integration, and we can't predict anything beyond it. This collection of Vinge's stories runs right from his early work in the '60s right up to the turn of the century and this theme of technological advancement up to Singularity is explored right the way through it. Another recurring theme was how social and economic structures could develop, with several stories using an 'anarcho-capitalist' framework which I found interesting, albeit somewhat alien (which was the point, I guess).
Being familiar with some of Vinge's other work, it was interesting to see how some of the stories were later developed, e.g. The Blabber being set in the [b:A Fire Upon the Deep|77711|A Fire upon the Deep|Vernor Vinge|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1287811152s/77711.jpg|1253374] universe and The Ungoverned threw some tantalising glimpses into the world of [b:Across Realtime|167844|Across Realtime|Vernor Vinge|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172356772s/167844.jpg|2234422], although each of these is also perfectly standalone, without having to be familiar with Vinge's novels. This is a good jumping off point into his work though, and if you went from here to the novels, there are several good links to choose.
Being familiar with some of Vinge's other work, it was interesting to see how some of the stories were later developed, e.g. The Blabber being set in the [b:A Fire Upon the Deep|77711|A Fire upon the Deep|Vernor Vinge|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1287811152s/77711.jpg|1253374] universe and The Ungoverned threw some tantalising glimpses into the world of [b:Across Realtime|167844|Across Realtime|Vernor Vinge|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172356772s/167844.jpg|2234422], although each of these is also perfectly standalone, without having to be familiar with Vinge's novels. This is a good jumping off point into his work though, and if you went from here to the novels, there are several good links to choose.
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