Here, from the author of Desolation Road, are nine previously uncollected tales by one of the boldest new voices in contemporary science fiction. Filled with magic, humor and the stunning realism that can surface only in the most well-conceived fantasies, Ian McDonald's EMPIRE DREAMS is an exhilarating rollercoaster ride through the ever-changing landscape of the human imagination -- a ride that will eave you breathless with wonder and awe. You'll encounter:
A terminally ill boy who dreams himself to the brink of life in a space war game against a cancerous invader...
A wealthy composer who orchestrates a unique and hideous murder with the services of the Brothers Ho Taxidermists...but with unexpected consequences...
A newly widowed husband who seeks his wife on an island where the dearly departed live in a state of computer simulation...
And many more dazzling fantasies by a master dreamer whose vision will challenge, delight, and awaken you to the dark brilliancy of your days.
A terminally ill boy who dreams himself to the brink of life in a space war game against a cancerous invader...
A wealthy composer who orchestrates a unique and hideous murder with the services of the Brothers Ho Taxidermists...but with unexpected consequences...
A newly widowed husband who seeks his wife on an island where the dearly departed live in a state of computer simulation...
And many more dazzling fantasies by a master dreamer whose vision will challenge, delight, and awaken you to the dark brilliancy of your days.
Interesting selection of short fiction from an author who has developed on his early promise. Most of the themes McDonald has tackled over the course of his long career are here: the fine line between science and magic, the power of our dreams, the role that small nations, currently considered "inconsequential," might have in our futures.
McDonald has probably developed these ideas in more satisfying ways as his career has progressed, and some of them probably work better in his novels, where they can be given full expression. But, this volume is well-worth looking at as a taster of how it all began.
My particular favorite: "Empire Dreams (Ground Control to Major Tom)," because (a) how many science fiction stories are set in Northern Ireland? and (b) it is as heartbreaking now, given the current political climate (and the recent death of a young journalist in Derry) as it was 30+ years ago.
McDonald has probably developed these ideas in more satisfying ways as his career has progressed, and some of them probably work better in his novels, where they can be given full expression. But, this volume is well-worth looking at as a taster of how it all began.
My particular favorite: "Empire Dreams (Ground Control to Major Tom)," because (a) how many science fiction stories are set in Northern Ireland? and (b) it is as heartbreaking now, given the current political climate (and the recent death of a young journalist in Derry) as it was 30+ years ago.
