An excellent collection, with an intriguing premise. I didn't love every story, but I didn't feel that there were any duds -- every story felt like a thoughtful, imaginative response to the challenge: writing stories inspired by the elements of our solar system, major, minor and even man-made.
I was going to give this book 4 stars, out of sheer awkwardness, and the desire to resist "grade inflation," but then as I scanned the Table of Contents to remind myself of my clear favorites, I realized how many of the 17 stories made that cut -- and how strong and interesting were the ones that left me a little cold. I'm an old-fashioned girl, with old-fashioned desires of a story, and I do like something with a beginning, middle and an end (although not necessarily in that order), and perhaps a twist in the tale. I like good world-building, and a sense that there are layers to be unpeeled.
What I especially liked about The Lowest Heaven was that all of the authors neatly dodged the obvious: they all approached their assigned planet or other heavenly body with a sense of the intriguing possibilities beyond settlement, terraforming and Captain Fantastic exploration. Some of the stories were set in versions of our contemporary world, highlighting the heavens as a source of wonder, and metaphors for many aspects of our terrestrial lives. Some were set in a future in which space, and the work of man in space had become almost ordinary. Great variety.
My favorites were
Simon Morden's 'WWBD' (The commander of a mission to Mars with a moral quandary hallucinates the ghost of Ray Bradbury to give him advice. What's not to love?)
Maria Dahvana Headley's 'The Krakatoan' (Heartbreaking coming of age story, in which a youngster comes to terms with the faults and failings of the adults around her. Only just on the fringes of SF, but lovely.)
David Bryher's 'From This Day Forward' (Wicked, clever be careful what you wish for story)
S.L. Grey's 'We'll Always Be Here' (Crams a novels-worth of worldbuilding and drama into a small package. Killer ending.)
Matt Jones' 'The Comet's Tale' (Another one that is only on the fringes of SF, and a heart-breaker. I would suggest having a box of Kleenex close at hand. Beautiful "ripped from the headlines" story.)
Each story is accompanied by a lovely photograph from the collection of the Royal Observatory Greenwich, some very old, of the heavenly body that inspired it. And gorgeous cover art. All round, a book that is well worth having.
I was going to give this book 4 stars, out of sheer awkwardness, and the desire to resist "grade inflation," but then as I scanned the Table of Contents to remind myself of my clear favorites, I realized how many of the 17 stories made that cut -- and how strong and interesting were the ones that left me a little cold. I'm an old-fashioned girl, with old-fashioned desires of a story, and I do like something with a beginning, middle and an end (although not necessarily in that order), and perhaps a twist in the tale. I like good world-building, and a sense that there are layers to be unpeeled.
What I especially liked about The Lowest Heaven was that all of the authors neatly dodged the obvious: they all approached their assigned planet or other heavenly body with a sense of the intriguing possibilities beyond settlement, terraforming and Captain Fantastic exploration. Some of the stories were set in versions of our contemporary world, highlighting the heavens as a source of wonder, and metaphors for many aspects of our terrestrial lives. Some were set in a future in which space, and the work of man in space had become almost ordinary. Great variety.
My favorites were
Simon Morden's 'WWBD' (The commander of a mission to Mars with a moral quandary hallucinates the ghost of Ray Bradbury to give him advice. What's not to love?)
Maria Dahvana Headley's 'The Krakatoan' (Heartbreaking coming of age story, in which a youngster comes to terms with the faults and failings of the adults around her. Only just on the fringes of SF, but lovely.)
David Bryher's 'From This Day Forward' (Wicked, clever be careful what you wish for story)
S.L. Grey's 'We'll Always Be Here' (Crams a novels-worth of worldbuilding and drama into a small package. Killer ending.)
Matt Jones' 'The Comet's Tale' (Another one that is only on the fringes of SF, and a heart-breaker. I would suggest having a box of Kleenex close at hand. Beautiful "ripped from the headlines" story.)
Each story is accompanied by a lovely photograph from the collection of the Royal Observatory Greenwich, some very old, of the heavenly body that inspired it. And gorgeous cover art. All round, a book that is well worth having.
