Universe 2 - Softcover

The Universe series, comprising previously unpublished material, once edited by the late Terry Carr, was revived in 1990 by the Silverbergs (note the change in publisher from Universe 1). This edition has 22 variations, short and long, with the sf label flexibly applied. Some of the more intriguing entries: a murder mystery set aboard a Mars shuttle (Cary James); an alien contact/transcendence tale (Carolyn Gilman); absorbing xenology from Paula May; three more peculiar yet stimulating enigmas, courtesy of the redoubtable Brian W. Aldiss; and a witty parody of Tom Godwin's famous story, ``The Cold Equations'' (Deborah Wessel). Also on the agenda: surrogate soldiers; alien artifacts; curious aliens; a futuristic Miss Manners column; a postindustrial-future variant; sf ghosts; a mechanized future; musical space mysteries; alien invaders; plus the usual crop of unclassifiable weirdos. About average overall, with new ideas few and far between and a stale writers'-workshop air hanging over much of the proceedings. -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Carrying on the tradition established by Terry Carr's original Universe anthologies (1971-87), this second volume in the new series contains 22 original stories that, while eclectic in content, share an uncommonly high standard of style. From Sean McMullen's dark future where humans are literally small cogs in a great machine ("Souls in the Great Machine") to Lisa Mason's truly alien love story ("Triad"), this collection of tales by old and new authors showcases the ongoing vitality of imaginative fiction. Highly recommended where short stories are popular.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.