Review by Stuart Mayne

This companion volume to Galactic North showcases Alastair Reynolds’ short fiction writing. Fifteen years of short work ranging from near future to deep time and space. In Reynolds’ universes there may be wars, there may be catastrophes and cosmic errors, but something human will still survive.

I loved Galactic North and was keen to compare Zima Blue with Reynolds’ other short fiction. This first thing that struck me was the near future brace of stories; one of which, ‘Cardiff Afterlife’, is new to this edition, having first been published in The Big Issue Cymru. That’s the Welsh edition btw. These two stories are a departure from the usual Reynolds’ fare, dealing with parallel worlds, and are an interesting counter point to his middle future work.

Also added to this edition are the story ‘Minla’s Flowers’ which first saw light of day in The New Space Operaanthology in 2007 and ‘Everlasting’, which is a story from Interzone 2004.

You want to write science fiction short fiction of the highest calibre? Then use Zima Blue or Galactic North as your inspiration. Alastair Reynolds is a master of the short fiction form and an aspiring science fiction writer will do worse than deconstructing his story structure.

Inventive, awe-inspiring storytelling that I've come to associate with Alastair Reynolds. ( )

http://www.fascinationplace.org/2006/... ( )