Fast Forward 2

This is a great collection of sci-fi stories from a wide range of talented (and award winning) authors. Some of the stories are a little, shall we say, challenging (to a somewhat-novice sci-fi reader), but in a good way. So creative! So thoughtful and interesting! I'd recommend this book to just-about any fiction fan - anyone with a hankering for something a little different.

I had high expectations for this anthology given how delightful Fast Forward 1 was, and they were absolutely met. The stories are far-ranging and all thought-provoking. "True Names," by Benjamin Rosenbaum and Cory Doctorow, the novella-length centerpiece of the book, is downright mindbending in its inventiveness, and incredibly engaging. "An Eligible Boy," by Ian McDonald, examines a near-future India, while Kay Kenyon's "Cyto Couture" focuses on the means of production of genetically-grown fashion. "Catherine Drewe," by Paul Cornell, opens the book with a British spy called to an interplanetary mission. Paolo Bacigalupi closes with "The Gambler," an examination of journalistic ethics versus the number of hits a story generates. I highly recommend this strong anthology.