association-list

Yet another Stra­han edited short story col­lec­tion. Since it’s a col­lec­tion, a list:

• The Lana­gan story here is vis­ceral and voicy and won­der­ful, for all that it leans ever so hard on its source mate­r­ial. People unfa­mil­iar the leg­ends old tes­ta­ment might be a little confused.
• I am glad to see new work from Tony Daniel. I wish there were more.
• The Schroeder story points to excit­ing new places for his Virga stuff, even if it isn’t his best work (he always feels a little con­strained in shorts).
• The Baxter reminds me a lot of a Ben­ford story about almost the same thing that I read just a few years ago, but I can’t remem­ber the name of it.
• WTF is going on with the end of the Reynolds story? Also if I have to read another story about a galac­tic empire held together only by a human male of exceed­ing grace and wisdom (I’m look­ing at you too, Mr. Scholes) I am going to vomit.
• Need to track down more stuff by Daryl Gregory.
• I am not smart enough for per­haps 40% of Jeff Ford’s sto­ries. This is one of those.
• Tighten, Moles, tighten! So very close, though.
• Ted Chiang makes peace with entropy.

Lots of good stuff here. An improve­ment, I think, on the first one. I have noth­ing to add to the gender bal­ance thing at this late date.