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A review by wealhtheow
Seeds of Change by John Joseph Adams, Blake Charlton, Ken MacLeod, Tobias S. Buckell, Mark Budz, K.D. Wentworth, Ted Kosmatka, Jay Lake, Jeremiah Tolbert, Nnedi Okorafor
4.0
A collection of stories about paradigm shifts. This is easily the best anthology I've read this year (although the single author collection [b:Pump Six|2819368|Pump Six and Other Stories|Paolo Bacigalupi|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51SDuDLIRSL._SL75_.jpg|2845301] still contains my favorite short stories of the year). The editor kept his choices to the best, not the biggest names, and thus captured some of the most innovative work in sf. Unlike pretty much every other anthology I can think of, there are no losers here--no stories that insulted or frustrated me, no lazy writing or poorly thought out plot points. These are stories with muscle and brain behind them, taking place all over the globe, all over the future.
The best:
"N-words" by Ted Kosmatka, is of course about racial prejudice, but also has a great deal to say about biology-as-destiny, and the effects of genetic diversity.
"Faceless in Gethsemane" by Mark Budz. A group has removed their ability to tell facial features and skin colors apart. A man tries to deal with his sister's choice to join the movement.
"Resistance" by Tobias S Buckell. A cameo appearance by Pepper does not distract from the work this story sets out to do: observe and pick apart the end results of a truly democratic republic.
The best:
"N-words" by Ted Kosmatka, is of course about racial prejudice, but also has a great deal to say about biology-as-destiny, and the effects of genetic diversity.
"Faceless in Gethsemane" by Mark Budz. A group has removed their ability to tell facial features and skin colors apart. A man tries to deal with his sister's choice to join the movement.
"Resistance" by Tobias S Buckell. A cameo appearance by Pepper does not distract from the work this story sets out to do: observe and pick apart the end results of a truly democratic republic.