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infosifter's review
4.0
I've read two or three stories from this collection between the bigger books I've been reading for much of this year. I liked the majority of stories and found them interesting and thought-provoking. For me, the best science-fiction and fantasy short stories allow the reader to explore ideas, and on that basis this collection was a big success. I look forward to reading other collections developed by this editor.
stevendedalus's review
4.0
A very good collection of speculative fiction, with some bad reimaginings of classical tales and characters mixed in. Greg Egan's stuff is particularly good.
It's an old edition, but the endless smug referencing by science fiction writers of classical mythology, updating it to the future world, is insufferable to no end. Ooooh, you called a memory wipe "Lethe", you've updated The Odyssey to spaceships, aren't you just so educated and clever. That needs to stop.
But beyond that, there are some truly great stories, particularly by the all-too-infrequently collected women writers, that make the collection worthwhile.
It's an old edition, but the endless smug referencing by science fiction writers of classical mythology, updating it to the future world, is insufferable to no end. Ooooh, you called a memory wipe "Lethe", you've updated The Odyssey to spaceships, aren't you just so educated and clever. That needs to stop.
But beyond that, there are some truly great stories, particularly by the all-too-infrequently collected women writers, that make the collection worthwhile.
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