Dealing in Futures

by Joe Haldeman

This stunning collection showcases 11 of Haldeman's best stories, that range through time and space, exploring the outer reaches of his phenomenal imagination, from planets beyond our wildest dreams to a nightmare future Earth all too close to home. Joe Haldeman is a Vietnam veteran whose classic novels The Forever War and Forever Peace both have the rare honor of winning the Hugo and Nebula Awards. He has served twice as president of the Science Fiction Writers of America and is currently an adjunct professor teaching writing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Contents:
* Introduction (Dealing in Futures) (1985) • essay by Joe Haldeman
* Seasons [Confederacion] (1985) / novella by Joe Haldeman
* A Tangled Web [Confederacion] (1981) / novelette by Joe Haldeman
* Manifest Destiny (1983) / short story by Joe Haldeman
* Blood Sisters (1979) / novelette by Joe Haldeman
* Blood Brothers [Thieves' World] (1979) / novelette by Joe Haldeman
* You Can Never Go Back [Mandella] (1975) / novella by Joe Haldeman
* More Than the Sum of His Parts (1985) / short story by Joe Haldeman
* Seven and the Stars (1981) / short story by Joe Haldeman
* Lindsay and the Red City Blues (1980) / short story by Joe Haldeman
* No Future in It (1979) / short story by Joe Haldeman
* The Pilot (1979) / short story by Joe Haldeman
* The Big Bang Theory Explained (1985) / poem by Joe Haldeman
* The Gift (1985) / poem by Joe Haldeman
* Saul's Death (1983) / poem by Joe Haldeman
* Afterword (The Big Bang Theory Explained / The Gift / Saul's Death) (1985) • essay by Joe Haldeman

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Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Short Stories, Collections, Audiobook, Anthologies

277 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1985

About the author

Brother of Jack C. Haldeman II

Haldeman is the author of 20 novels and five collections. The Forever War won the Nebula, Hugo and Ditmar Awards for best science fiction novel in 1975. Other notable titles include Camouflage, The Accidental Time Machine and Marsbound as well as the short works "Graves," "Tricentennial" and "The Hemingway Hoax." Starbound is scheduled for a January release. SFWA president Russell Davis called Haldeman "an extraordinarily talented writer, a respected teacher and mentor in our community, and a good friend."

Haldeman officially received the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master for 2010 by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America at the Nebula Awards Weekend in May, 2010 in Hollywood, Fla.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is good collection of Haldeman's short works, including a pair of good novellas, several excellent poems, some non-fiction, and a couple of his rare fantasy stories, as well as a handful of his character-driven hard-sf short stories. Something for everyone! It's a very good sampling of his very prolific 1975-1985 decade. Good stuff, as always.

[spikeINflorida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seasons: ☆☆☆
A !Tangled Web: ☆☆☆☆☆
Manifest Destiny: ☆☆
You Can Never Go Back: ☆☆☆☆
More Than The Sum Of His Parts: ☆☆☆☆
Seven and the Stars: ☆☆☆☆
Lindsay and the Red City Blues: ☆☆☆

[Janus Andersen]

God, gedigen science fiction, man kan slappe af med. Kun en enkelt novelle forvirrede mig, men det viste sig ikke at være et litterært valg, men 40 sider, der manglede i bogen.

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

As my first foray into Haldeman's writing, I was swept away with his twists and turns and original plots. Some stories were not overtly science fiction and I appreciated them equally. I was quite impressed with how much he could convey with so little and can't wait to pick up a novel to see where he takes me in a longer format. His experience as a Vietnam veteran really makes for a richer read when he writes about soldiers or some of the scenes where different cultures interact. The very first story is told from three different perspectives by a group of anthropologists who are doomed and desperately trying to record their experiences with a group of natives who have turned savage. It grabs you and takes you on a gritty dark ride and really sets you up for a great experience with the rest of the book which isn't necessarily as dark.

[Peter Tillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

His second (of 7) collections, and the first really first-rate one. Haldeman was hitting his stride then, and he'd published such classics as
• A !Tangled Web • (1981) • novelette
• You Can Never Go Back • [Mandella] • (1975) • novella
• More Than the Sum of His Parts • (1985)

Recommended.

Complete TOC and publication info: http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?9447

[STU · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite enjoyable.
Finding that while I enjoy epic fantasy series, I seem to prefer my sf as short stories.

Don't think too many of these will stick in my head for any amount of time. The one that was a cut from the Forever War probably stood out most to me.

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of SiFi short stories by My Favorite modern SiFi writer. Haldeman always does an excellent job no matter if it is hi novels or short stories. My favorite in this collection was a novella that was ties in with his Forever War novel. Very Recommended

[Chunyang Ding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this book almost exclusively because of the quality of “A !Tangled Web”, which I thought was brilliant and creative and interesting. The other stories are also creative, but deal a bit too strongly in describing the visceral sensations of the world. You Can Never Go Back was a rare outlier, for being able to capture war and future, but stories like More Than The Sum of His Parts just seemed like a perversion if the beautiful Flowers for Algernon.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good stuff - Haldeman is a consistently pretty good writer - with certain "dated" elements from the late Seventies / early Eighties. Let it not be said that Haldeman didn't try to imagine social advances along with technological advances, though!

Standouts were the first two "Confederacion" stories, and the FOREVER WAR novella "You Can Never Go Back."

3.5 stars rounded down.

HUNDRED BOOK CHALLENGE #5

[Jeff Daly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the softcover book. I've had it for years I think.

started:
finished: 2018-07-27.Jul.Fri 08:32:55

[Dak · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read it, my mind expanded, until it destroyed the universe. All die, O the embarrassment.

[Matthew Reads Junk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Average collection of short stories. Nothing that special

[Erik Graff · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Forever War impressed me so much that I've favored obtaining books by Haldeman over ones by most other science fiction writers. This collection, while I remember the cover, left me with no outstanding memories except of not much liking the poetry within it.

[Ipswichblade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like all short story books some are better than others but overall an enjoyable read

[Grant Spendlove · Rating 4 out of 5]

The three best stories in this book are: "Seasons," "A !Tangled Web," and "More Than the Sum of His Parts." The other stories are very good, but those three rocked.

[Up2orbit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gotta love Joe Haldeman. His greatest is still probably The Forever War, but this collection of short stories was really good too.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Haldeman is one of a shrinking pool of SF authors I still enjoy reading. A great collection of short stories and an alternate section of "The Forever War".

[Luís · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joe Haldeman is one of the best, right after the holy trinity of Clarke, Heinlein and Asimov.

Any Joe Haldeman is worth reading, most of the time it is fantastic!

[Elar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty neat and timeless short stories.

[Wyktor Paul]

Excellent stories and poems. One of the great sci-fi writers.
I'll certainly be searching out his other works.

[Greg Burrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful and creative collection of short stories. Even better are the introductions Mr. Haldeman gives to each story.

[Assaf · Rating 3 out of 5]

I heard this book as an audio Book and I was not impressed. I'm not sure if it was the stories themselves or the narrator but even so that some of the stories were better than the other none of them leave his mark. I give it 2.5 starts.