Crowther traces the development of his SF reading in the introduction, and looking for wonder, but this is one of the statements he finishes with: "What the great supporters of the field have always said is true: science fiction is the literature of ideas. Here are four more ... but they are four covering a whole host of styles and images and approaches to the field. Space Opera, Future Civilizations, Alien Invasions, Scientific Advancement, Political Chicanery, Human Relationship and even Police Procedural-they're all here. But then they would be ... because those are what science fiction is all about."

A rare sort of anthology this one, all novellas. A good one, too, at 3.50.

Futures : Watching Trees Grow - Peter F. Hamilton
Futures : Reality Dust - Stephen Baxter's
Futures : Making History - Paul McAuley's
Futures : Tendeleo's Story - Ian McDonald

War torture story.

3.5 out of 5

Who is scared of who, why?

3 out of 5

A Kenyan woman and her community come to terms with an alien infestation, as the outsider who fancies her adapts as well.

4 out of 5

Caesar murder, by Jupiter.

3.5 out of 5

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2008/07... (

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bluetyson | Jul 28, 2008 |

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Series (with order)

Foursight (2)

Canonical Title

Original publication date

2001

People/Characters

Important places

Important events

Related movies

Awards and honors

British Fantasy Award Nominee (Anthology, 2002)

Epigraph

"The drama's done. Why then here does any one step forth?"
—Making History

Dedication

For the Friday Shut-Ins
—Making History

First words

If I was dreaming that night I forgot it the instant when that blasted telephone woke me with its shrill two-tone whistle.
—Watching Trees Grow

An explosion of light: the moment of her birth.
—Reality Dust

I believe that I first saw Demi Lacombe at the gala reopening of the theater.
—Making History

I shall start my story with my name.
—Tendeleo's Story

Quotations

Last words

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Disambiguation notice

contains four novellas:
Watching Trees Grow by Peter F. Hamilton
Reality Dust by Stephen Baxter
Making History by Paul J. McAuley
Tendeleo's Story by Ian McDonald
with an introduction by Peter Crowther

Publisher's editors

Blurbers

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▾LibraryThing members' description

Book description

▾Book descriptions

Amazon.com Book Description (ISBN 0446610623, Mass Market Paperback)

This exciting volume contains four mind-expanding novellas of humanity's struggle for survival in the far future. Peter F. Hamilton's "Watching Trees Grow" In an era of immortality, murder is the ultimate crime, with no statute of limitations-but a relentless detective can pursue his quarry for centuries.

Stephen Baxter's "Reality Dust" A young man vows to investigate war criminals from Earth's alien occupation- even after humanity's past has been erased and reality itself may no longer exist.

Paul McAuley's "Making History" On a ravaged space colony, a historian from the winning side of The Quiet War sets out to chronicle the official story-but will history record the most important battle?

Ian McDonald's "Tendeleo's Story" An alien technolife overruns the African savannah and infects its people-and a preacher's young daughter is at the center of its interstellar transformation.

(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:58:12 -0400)

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