A review by he_slaughtered
A, B, C: Three Short Novels by Samuel R. Delany

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Delany's first three novels were amazing, as expected. On one plane, they're works of fiction with wonderfully rich characters with deep cultural context. The poetry, songs, myths, religion, etc. packed into these stories feel so fully fleshed out and fresh. On top of that, the political and philosophical queries give the stories such an important dimension. They feel real, and significant, Delany crafts worlds and characters who's conflicts can serve as both simple entertainment and also thought experiment, a theoretical exercise. The Ballad of Beta-2 is my favourite from this omnibus, though the others of course don't disappoint.