From Publishers Weekly
The perspiration as well as the inspiration that goes into good fiction is put under the critical microscope in this collection that presents 12 exemplary SF stories with commentary by their creators. Wilson, himself a mystery novelist (Death by Degrees) groups the stories by twos, according to six aspects of fiction: plot, character, setting, theme, point of view and style. The authors are either influential in the field (Greg Bear, Bruce Sterling, Joe Haldeman) or are known as writers' writers (Kim Stanley Robinson, John Kessel, Howard Waldrop). The tales range from symbolic imagery or magic realism (Lucius Shepherd, Karen Joy Fowler, James Patrick Kelly) to mainstream SF (Pat Cadigan, Greg Bear). Most, like Nancy Kress's "The Price of Oranges" or Pat Murphy's "Rachel in Love," combine SF and mainstream literary conventions. Each pairing is introduced by an essay from Wilson, and the book concludes with a lexicon of SF workshop terms from Bruce Sterling. SF fans and writers alike will find much of value here.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Editor Wilson, founding father of the long-running Clarion Writers Workshops for science fiction, is well qualified to compile this anthology that also affords its contributors' instructive behind-the-scenes comments on the sf writer's craft. A virtual who's who of major players in contemporary sf, the lineup includes James Patrick Kelly, Greg Bear, Kim Stanley Robinson, Joe Haldeman, and eight others; each provides insight on the composition of his or her story. Nancy Kress contributes wry social satire in "The Price of Oranges" when a septuagenarian travels to 1937 to kidnap a boyfriend for his granddaughter. Given the form of an academic book review, Bruce Sterling's "Our Neural Chernobyl" describes a future viral outbreak of elevated animal intelligence. Pat Cadigan's "Pretty Boy Crossover" describes the entertainment medium of the future, which involves downloading one's entire existence into a computer. Good reading and an indispensable resource for both aspiring sf writers and curious fans seeking enlightenment as to how favorite authors get and develop their crazy ideas.
Carl Hays
