The Starry Rift

This sci fi anthology is stronger than most I've read. As with all anthologies, for me there were stories I really liked, some I didn't like, and some I lost interest in after the first several pages. However, overall I found most of the stories engaging, and I was impressed by the skill of the writers. It's true that a few of the stories give the impression that they were rushed a little to meet the book's deadline, and could have probably used a little more "baking time in the oven." Sci fi, as portrayed in this anthology, is maturing - interesting plots and ideas are still there, but there is also strong character development and psychological depth. I am starting to keep an eye out for books edited by Johnathan Strahan. I appreciate that he doesn't seem to go out of his way to find stories where sex, language, or violence overshadow good storytelling. I found the following stories especially interesting and impressive in their skillfulness: "Ass-Hat Magic Spider" by Scott Westerfeld, "Cheats" by Ann Halam, "Anda's Game" by Cory Doctorow, "Sundiver Day" by Kathleen Ann Goonan, "Lost Continent" by Greg Egan, and "Infestation" by Garth Nix.

this book is very pleasant to read, although the story by stephen baxter was not as good as i had hoped. but others were very good such as cory doctorow's story. and the cover is ever so fun to look at.

THE STARRY RIFT is truly a collection of stories about today's ideals, dreams, and philosophies. Strahan did an amazing job collecting stories written by modern science fiction masters. The authors write beautifully, uniquely, and intriguingly. This anthology is masterful in representing different worlds and conceptions of worlds, covering everything from the real world to gaming to dreaming. The exploration of themes in the book cover everything from philosophy to the growing epidemic of obesity, from what is truly important to a person to who is truly important to a person, and from world economics to love. It is a book that really looks at the human spirit with hope and sees the future as a reality. Each story draws the reader in and makes them a part of the tale. There is a story for virtually every mood and topic one can come up with. Overall, it is a beautiful anthology. Reviewed by: Christina Tsichlis

All hail Awesome Alastair Reynolds, Modern Master Of the Spaceways. Now, that being said, apart from Cory Doctorow it is all downhill from there. Luckily, though, not too much of a slide, and in general, this is a high quality original anthology, averaging a considerable 3.69. There are some odd things about it, though. The editor says in his intro "that he "..turned to a handful of the best writers in the field asking them to write stories that would offer today's readers the same kind of thrill enjoyed by pulp readers over 50 years ago." Does he mean before Galaxy and Fantasy and Science Fiction? For a book produced for an audience where the introduction actually footnotes the terms space oprea and even, oddly enough, Cold War, perhaps a little more definition or explanation is wanted, for readers on that simple, young, or uneducated a level. If the gold Martiniere cover is supposed to indicate the Golden Age of SF, that may be too subtle for almost everyone. Noting people mentioning they use they got out of the basic list of further fantasy reading provided by Gary Gygax in the first edition of Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, that is an opportunity completely missed here, too. If this is a book designed to interest younger readers that need the basic level of footnote guidance given at the start, a list of possible work to check out is a basic requirement of such a book, as far as I can see. A self-promotional list of what each writer has done before is not the same thing, given however much if it is fantasy, or mainstream as Gwyneth Jones mentions. Have to commend Jeffrey Ford for pointing out an author that such readers may like to check out here, though. There's a complete blank double sheet of paper wasted at the end of this book, too. Why wouldn't you use it? Nothing about current magazine or other sources of stories, either. You do get, at least, a list of all the other books Strahan has edited right at the beginning, some of which of course will be relevant for readers looking for more stories. Now, the type of stories. Some of them are exactly what the editor said he was aiming for. Stephen Baxter, for example, gives it a humrous 110% if you like. Whereas as far as Kelly Link goes, it is much closer to 0%. In fact, you could go so far as to call her story 'Have Soccer Ball, Won't Travel'. I would think she would be about as far as you can get from a natural writer of that sort of science fiction, and as an example of such, she makes a sports reporter. Not a very good one at that, as it seems she is ignorant of a basic term like 'save' as far as goalkeepers go. There is no way such a kid as in that story would be. Despite all the namedropping of SF paperback authors in the actual story, she completely fails to get it. In fact, Kage Baker or Connie Willis, too of the women whose books were mentioned by her in the work would certainly have done a better job. Strahan's comment thanking about her 'persevering' suggests she might