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lilyn_g's review
5.0
Trace the Stars is one of the most solid anthologies I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Although there were definitely stories I enjoyed more than others, together they form a compilation that is nothing less than a sheer delight to my sci-fi loving heart.
I appreciated that while this was a male-dominated anthology, it wasn’t the sausage-fest that so many anthologies tend to be. Of 17 stories, 7 were written by females. The book begins and ends with works from female authors. Also, there was the inclusion of a few stories that stepped outside of the Caucasian normalcy so often found in science fiction.
Glass Beads by Emily Martha Sorenson featured an Indigenous American in a leading role and acknowledges even as it tries to subvert the trope of the easily duped “Indian” on its head as the character is determined to not make the mistake so many of its ancestors did.
Neo Nihan by Paul Genesse shows us a reality centered on a Japanese colony on a distant planet that has been attacked by Earthlings (that also happens to be Japanese) and has us firmly rooting for the one woman who has the capability to save the colony.
Finally, Sea of Chaos by Julie H. West shows us re-imagined space navigation performed by one of the Puluwat people, using celestial navigation. The how of this took a moment for my brain to accept, but I ended up really appreciating it.
These, maybe in part because of their differences, were some of my favorite stories. However, I also loved Angles of Incidence by Nancy Fulda and The Ghost Conductor of the Interstellar Express by Brad R. Torgersen. Fulda gave us a translation problem solved by a brilliant but grumpy character who really prefers to work with dead things but will save the day if it’s really necessary. Torgersen’s work just embodied everything about science fiction that I loved. The technicalities of how to survive, the drama of the comet-catching, and, of course, the unknown.
Overall, Trace the Stars is an exceptional anthology. Definitely a must-have for your shelves if you’re a sci-fi fan.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review consideration.
I appreciated that while this was a male-dominated anthology, it wasn’t the sausage-fest that so many anthologies tend to be. Of 17 stories, 7 were written by females. The book begins and ends with works from female authors. Also, there was the inclusion of a few stories that stepped outside of the Caucasian normalcy so often found in science fiction.
Glass Beads by Emily Martha Sorenson featured an Indigenous American in a leading role and acknowledges even as it tries to subvert the trope of the easily duped “Indian” on its head as the character is determined to not make the mistake so many of its ancestors did.
Neo Nihan by Paul Genesse shows us a reality centered on a Japanese colony on a distant planet that has been attacked by Earthlings (that also happens to be Japanese) and has us firmly rooting for the one woman who has the capability to save the colony.
Finally, Sea of Chaos by Julie H. West shows us re-imagined space navigation performed by one of the Puluwat people, using celestial navigation. The how of this took a moment for my brain to accept, but I ended up really appreciating it.
These, maybe in part because of their differences, were some of my favorite stories. However, I also loved Angles of Incidence by Nancy Fulda and The Ghost Conductor of the Interstellar Express by Brad R. Torgersen. Fulda gave us a translation problem solved by a brilliant but grumpy character who really prefers to work with dead things but will save the day if it’s really necessary. Torgersen’s work just embodied everything about science fiction that I loved. The technicalities of how to survive, the drama of the comet-catching, and, of course, the unknown.
Overall, Trace the Stars is an exceptional anthology. Definitely a must-have for your shelves if you’re a sci-fi fan.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review consideration.
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