Solaris Rising
★★★★★
I’ve not had much luck with anthologies, usually only finding one or two stories I enjoy among a sea of dross. I’ve had Solaris Rising on my TBR since I picked it up from Solaris Books at the London Worldcon, and I should have read it sooner! It’s a breath of fresh air, packed full of great stories, and a sprinkle of outstanding — highly recommended. Here are the highlights:
Yestermorrow, Richard Salter ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Since the slip, everyone is living their days out of order and not in sync. Each person knows a different cut of the future and the past. You might live one day with your second husband and the next with your first. A criminal would be in and out of jail. A novel’s worth of possibilities in this setup, which Salter explores through a police procedural.
Sweet Spots, Paul Di Filippo’s ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A boy discovers he can perceive the small acts that will trigger the chain of events to get his desires. Will he use his powers for good or ill?
The Incredible Exploding Man, Dave Hutchinson ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A scientific experiment goes badly wrong, ripping a hole in reality and bestowing godlike powers on the survivors.
Rock Day, Stephen Baxter ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A boy wakes to find the world has ended and he only exists as a companion for his dog. Hauntingly atmospheric.
Eluna, Stephen Palmer ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A coming of age in a far future where biotech ships mate on a transformed Luna. The worldbuilding is rich and ambitious, but the story is over just as we get comfortable with the strangeness.
Steel Lake, Jack Skillingstead ⭐⭐⭐⭐
After accidentally taking an experimental drug to inhibit sleep, a deadbeat dad starts lucid dreaming with potentially fatal consequences. Skillingstead writes a touching account of the relationship between an addict son and his failed father.
Eternity’s Children, Keith Brooke and Eric Brown ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A planetary way of life, built around the harvesting of an immortality drug, is coming to an end, and the bearer of the news has a life-changing decision to make.
For the Ages, Alastair Reynolds ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A crew visits a pulsar to leave a message for the far future sharing the secrets of the universe.
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A Smart Well-Mannered Uprising of the Dead, Ian Mcdonald ⭐⭐⭐ The Best Science Fiction of the Year Three, Ken MacLeod ⭐⭐⭐ The One that Got Away, Tricia Sullivan ⭐⭐⭐ Shall I Tell You the Problem with Time Travel? Adam Roberts ⭐⭐⭐ The Lives and Deaths of Che Guevara, Lavie Tidhar ⭐⭐⭐ Mooncakes, Mike Resnick, Laurie Tom ⭐⭐⭐ At Play in the Fields, Steve Rasnic Tem ⭐⭐⭐ How We Came Back From Mars, Ian Watson ⭐⭐⭐ You Never Know, Part Cadigan ⭐⭐⭐ Dreaming towers, silent mansions, Jaine Fenn ⭐⭐⭐ Return of the Mutant Worms, Peter F. Hamilton ⭐⭐
