Great Sci-fi stories that are full of surprises
924670
From the first story we are given a glimpse behind the curtain of an off kilter future. People who aren't supposed to be here for one reason or another. A wife struggles with the death and rebirth of her husband but her true struggle with death is an interesting one in The Replacement Husband. What a fun and cool story this one is, we can choose to comeback after death. Come on future! We also have clones of loved ones lost in a future that lacks tolerance, sadly this isn't that much different than today. This book makes us ask how do we know whats real, are we the clones or are we the ones who make them. Is the repeated struggle worth the outcome? Clones is full of sci-fi questions and answers, some of them are surprising and the stories a bit unsettling. Other stories feel like an episode of The Outer Limits taking us to the edge of what we think is possible. What is the origin of creation, how did it all begin and how will it all end. There are some really enjoyable stories to be discovered in this anthology. The story Splinter introduces clones by way of multiple instances of one person through time travel. This was a really fun story and cleaver as hell. It had my head spinning a bit was totally a fun read. Clones has a bunch of really good stories all with a different view on the subject of what is a clone and how they may someday be created
1345955
I really enjoyed discovering this set of short science fiction stories. They are all individual little gems with an interesting leading character, a good plot and a twist in the ending. I am surprised how the author manages to achieve so much in so few pages!
Despite the brevity of the stories they are quite thought provoking and I read all of them in just a couple of hours. One really made me chuckle as well with its ending.
This is quality writing and I recommend this book to everyone, including those who perhaps don't normally read science fiction.
4114859
Nathan Lowell does a great job portraying the lives of people who make a living doing the mundane chores that tie civilization together in an interstellar future. I love these books! These are enjoyable stories of what it may be like for ordinary people to work together to make a living in a future society. I highly recommend these stories to all. In this story, Captain Wang assumes command of a trader loaded with a problem crew.  How he turns the crew around into a winning team is a great yarn, one full of lessons about how to manage a group of people and turn them into a team to be proud of.  Wonderful!  Far different from most stories of the future.  No aliens, no wars, no military adventures, just pure, daily living plying the trade lanes of the Deep Dark.
2747174
This anthology contains quite a large number of stories. While I found a few completely worthless, most were enjoyable and a few were truly first-rate science fiction. Definitely worth the price of admission.
4952663
On the frozen surface of Titan, one of two women facing certain death snatches at the only hope she has left. Never mind, now, that it's the last thing in the universe she's ever imagined herself doing.
A psychically gifted boy learns to use his increasingly powerful talents more and more effectively, under the guidance of two scientists. One of whom is growing more and more attached to him, and he to her...
A habitat programmer's work goes haywire, producing an unexpected something that gives this collection its title.
Soul Solution, Boxboy, and Wildflower are my three favorites from Carl Rafala's dark tales of the future. Each story's scenario is distinct, finely drawn, and different from any of the others. While the short story format normally allows little room for character development, the people in these tales come quickly to life as the author builds their personas detail by carefully revealed detail.
I don't recommend reading all eleven of these stories in one sitting unless you're a die-hard fan of dark science fiction, because some of them are *very* dark. They are also well enough written to go on haunting you long after you've put the book down.
4507753
This collection of short stories is a real treat for anyone interested in stories with an alien twist. Harks back to the days of good old fashioned science fiction!
3303986
Each story in this book keeps you wondering what will happen next in their own way, with all the interesting twists carefully implemented in the world. Finding out concealed connections between the stories adds a distinct flavor to the overall story and pulls you deep into it.

If I were to point out the "might be" negative parts, I may warn other readers about the way author connects these stories. They aren't fed to the reader right away with obvious clues. You actually have to use your head and work them out. To be honest, I prefer these kinds of books instead of mindlessly reading, therefore, this is a plus for me.

I hope the author is planing on writing a series. I would like to explore more of this universe.
821669
The Power of Six is compilation of short stories that will blow your mind and make you think. What is reality and what is fantasy? Each story has a sci-fi undercurrent that will keep the reader glued until the climatic and satisfying finish.

Nicholas Rossis has proven he is a master of suspenseful sci-fi fiction. I have read three of this author's books and look forward to seeing what he will come up with next.

Highly recommend for all sci-fi lovers out there.
767181
I much prefer Niven's shorter, earlier, and solo efforts, and his first short story collection demonstrates why. This is a wonderful collection of short stories from Niven's Known Space universe, with stories ranging from the readable to the superb. There is an astonishing breadth of imagination displayed here, with not one but several alien races who are *alien*, in appearance, psychology and culture. And it's not just the aliens; Niven shows how human cultures have diverged during periods of colonial isolation, developing different moral codes.

They're all hard sf, but Niven is one of the authors who can populate his hard sf setting with plausible characters who feel like real people. There's also some thoughtful discussion of moral problems in a couple of the stories.

This collection is nearly forty years old as I write this, and it shows--there have been advances in technology that Niven didn't forsee, making for some oddly backwards technology in the stories. But science fiction isn't about predicting the future; it's speculation about possible futures and the people living in them. Good sf lasts even when it's overtaken by events in real life, and these stories haven't been harmed by the passage of time since they were written.

All in all, a well-rounded collection that shows what can be achieved with the short form in science fiction.
2455421
I didn't know what to expect when I started reading these stories but I was quickly pulled into fascinating little worlds. The descriptions were so vivid that reading these little gems felt like I was watching scenes from a movie. There was definitely a dark undercurrent to many of these stories and I was reminded of Flannery O'Connor and Guy Vanderhaege's writings as I read Dee's stories. I want to go back and immediately read Matachewan again which for me is the sign of good writing. Buy this collection if you want to be immersed into surprising and unusual worlds.
2326451
Galactic Energies is an inspiring collection of stories that delve into how technology changes lives. This is Science Fiction yet encompasses elements from other genres like Romance and Fantasy which makes it a far more varied read. I liked some stories more than others, Rewind was my favourite and a great story to lead into the book, however I enjoyed elements from each of them and could not fault any. Luca Rossi has a vivid imagination and a flair with words, I look forward to reading more of this author.
1007391
An excellent collection of stories that harkens back to Asimov, Heinlein, and Clarke. The stand-outs to me are Containment by Susan Kaye Quinn, 2092 by Rysa Walker, and Lulu Ad Infinitum by Ann Christy. While I enjoyed almost every story these three were very intelligent and well written. I must tell you that I am a devoted reader of anything that Ann Christy writes, but she excels in this genre as well as others. Well worth the price of admission and I have picked up several authors that I plan on reading through because of it.
709900
This is one of my favorite all time science fiction stories, with unexpected twists and turns and a rapidly expansive list of characters it keeps me in the story throughout the entire book!
917070
This is an excellent collection of hard sci-fi shorts. The stories start on a groudwork of scientific/mathematical speculations and soar from there, exploring a diverse range of themes. Egan can truly envelope you in another world, and show the consequences of the story's central idea.

Anyone with an innate curiousity for science/mathematics and a love of sci fi should definately check these out. I'm a little surprised that I'm the first reviewer.
3260665
I really enjoyed both the variety and the quality of these stories, a well-worth read for a mix of science fiction and fantasy.  I really liked "The Bulgarian Poetess," reprinted from a major magazine and honored with a "Year's Best Science Fiction" honorary listing. Definitely well-worth the price!
2860020
Just as I hope there are more of these storylines with these characters. Very exciting as well as intriguing with its plot twists. Plot twists that I might add were believable. This book is definitely a sci-fi adventure to be ranked with others, old and new: "Stranger in a Strange Land", "Puppet Masters", "Foundation", "2001", "2010", "Rendezvous with Rama", "Ringworld", all the "Star Trek" and "Star Wars" books, as well as books as new to the genre as "Advent of the Corps" and others.
2624421
What a surprise!! I was expecting little vignettes of Company life with the same roster of characters but the depth and variety of characters, settings and plots was simply stunning. Maybe it is true that the short story - as opposed to the novel, poem, saga, chant or song - is the real American art form. If so, then Ms. Baker has accepted that challenge with gusto.
The author is said to be a fan of the X-Files and in that show, one quickly grew tired of monsters and weirdos, yearning instead for the ever-changing, ever-evolving mythology which girded the series. The Zeus books follow a similar pattern. If "The Garden of Iden" is almost childlike - you might say innocent - the following tales evolved into philosophical treatises on the nature, reason and ultimate fate of time travel and, more than anything, the mysterious Chronos Corporation and its hidden agenda.
These are splendid stories although it is imperative that one is first acquainted with the preceding novels to which they allude. The sequence seems random but one discovers a serial-like order of presentation. The young lad with the extraordinary powers shows up several times and the attentive reader will discern both the hows and whys of his origin. Some of these stories sound boring in the extreme until the first paragraph. Suddenly you are caught in the web spun by the author and the only escape is finishing the tale.
Some are tongue-in-cheek (Lemuria), some are explanatory (Search for the Delacroix), others are reflective of the author's great interest in English history (Shakespeare). All possess that unique "Baker" quality that permeates her works - the excellent turn of phrase, the fidelity to the character and the times, the occasional surprise and the relentless movement of the logic to its conclusions, tragic, maudlin or triumphant. Many of these could easily be developed into novels, a task I hope the author will undertake in the future