Ivor W. Hartmann

http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2761996.html

Lots of good stories here, some by writers who I had heard of, many that I hadn't. One or two fell slightly flat, sticking too close to standard sf tropes without bringing much extra to them. But most of them were very good - there is an early pairing of "Home Affairs" by Sarah Lotz and "The Sale" by Tendai Huchu which both look at bureaucracy; "Azania", by Nick Woods, looks at colonisation both in the sfnal and geopolitical senses; "Brandy City", by show more Mia Arderne, looks at virtual reality and addiction; and the closing novella, "Proposition 23" by Efe Okogu, has a world where citizenship and the right to live are being eroded by technology. I find it immensely reassuring of the future of sf that it speaks as a genre to many writers from the oldest of the continents, and I hope that European and American fandom can start to draw more from this well of talent. show less

Nice and timely collection, I'm really glad this exists. I particularly enjoyed the ones that focus on bureaucracy, corruption, and state/nation affiliation. I am not really a short story person, but I will certainly keep an eye out for full lengths by some of these authors.

2.5 out of 5 really. An uninspiring collection - some poor, one or two quite good, but nothing outstanding.

It's a collection with a pretty wide range, so the good news is, if you don't like a story, there's probably another one you might. I did particularly like "Home Affairs," by Sarah Lotz. YMMV.