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Far Orbit Anthology Series
Far Orbit: Speculative Space Adventures
Modern space adventures crafted by a new generation of Grand Tradition science fiction writers. Smart, readable, and engaging stories that take us back to a time when science fiction was fun and informative, pithy and piquant—when speculative fiction transported us from the everyday grind and left us wondrously satisfied. Showcasing the breadth of Grand Tradition stories, from 1940s-style pulp to realistic hard SF, from noir and horror SF to spaceships, alien uplift, and action-adventure motifs, Far Orbit’s diversity of Grand Tradition stories makes it easy for every SF fan to find a favorite.
Featuring an open letter to SF by Elizabeth Bear and stories from Gregory Benford, Tracy Canfield, Eric Choi, Barbara Davies, Jakob Drud, Julie Frost, David Wesley Hill, K. G. Jewell, Sam Kepfield, Kat Otis, Jonathan Shipley, Wendy Sparrow, and Peter Wood.
“Daring adventure, protagonists who think on their feet, and out of this world excitement! Welcome to FAR ORBIT, a fine collection of stories in the best SF tradition. Strap in and enjoy!” – Julie E. Czerneda, author of SPECIES IMPERATIVE
“Successfully captures the kinds of stories that were the gateway drugs for many of us who have been reading science fiction for a long time. Well done!” — Tangent
Featuring an open letter to SF by Elizabeth Bear and stories from Gregory Benford, Tracy Canfield, Eric Choi, Barbara Davies, Jakob Drud, Julie Frost, David Wesley Hill, K. G. Jewell, Sam Kepfield, Kat Otis, Jonathan Shipley, Wendy Sparrow, and Peter Wood.
“Daring adventure, protagonists who think on their feet, and out of this world excitement! Welcome to FAR ORBIT, a fine collection of stories in the best SF tradition. Strap in and enjoy!” – Julie E. Czerneda, author of SPECIES IMPERATIVE
“Successfully captures the kinds of stories that were the gateway drugs for many of us who have been reading science fiction for a long time. Well done!” — Tangent
290 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
80 people are currently reading
329 people want to read
About the author
Bascomb James
6 books11 followersBascomb James is a clinical virologist, author, and editor who lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. His nighttime persona is a science fiction author, editor, and fan. Bascomb is the anthologist and editor of the Far Orbit anthologies published by World Weaver Press. The first Far Orbit volume, Far Orbit: Speculative Space Adventures was published in 2014 and has garnered many outstanding reviews. The second volume, Far Orbit Apogee was published in October, 2015. He recently guest edited the Hyperpowers anthology published by Third Flatiron Anthologies and the Last Outpost anthology will be published by Pushpin Books in the Fall of 2016.
A science-fiction fan since childhood, Bascomb credits his interest in science, engineering, and invention to the science fiction stories he read as a child. Bascomb blogs about writing, editing, storytelling, and life in a Northern tier state (Up North Stories) at http://www.bascombjames.com. He also tweets occasionally @BascombJ.
A science-fiction fan since childhood, Bascomb credits his interest in science, engineering, and invention to the science fiction stories he read as a child. Bascomb blogs about writing, editing, storytelling, and life in a Northern tier state (Up North Stories) at http://www.bascombjames.com. He also tweets occasionally @BascombJ.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 5, 2019
Far Orbit is a compendium of shorter stories that celebrate the “gee whiz” of science fiction during the “Golden Age.” These are fresh stories where science and discovery play a big role in the plot. My thanks to GR friend, Fiona, for pointing me in this direction.
For this review, I want to focus on.........
For this review, I want to focus on “Composition in Death Minor” by K.G. Jewell. The editors note that SciFi found some attraction to the “cynical and stylized perspective of classic noir fiction” and cite Jack Finney’s The Body Snatchers (1955), Harry Harrison’s Make Room! Make Room! (1966), and Phillip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968) as some of the best known examples.
This story is told from the perspective of cellist, Sophie Devine, who finds time between concerts to fit in an occasional assassination or two. According to the editors, she is “hard-as-nails… and doesn’t like assholes.”
‘“How much did they pay you to know where I was?” “Enough.” The kid smirked. “But I’ve got better gig. Quail wants to meet you. Get in.” He pointed at the auto-rickshaw. Sophie looked longingly at the hotel and imagined her bed inside, empty. She got into the rickshaw. This was her job.’
I was captivated by the style and the substance of a moon of Jupiter being run as a “company town.” Callisto (and CalistoCom) are well conceived and I enjoyed meeting Sophie Devine and hope this isn’t the only opportunity.
For this review, I want to focus on.........
For this review, I want to focus on “Composition in Death Minor” by K.G. Jewell. The editors note that SciFi found some attraction to the “cynical and stylized perspective of classic noir fiction” and cite Jack Finney’s The Body Snatchers (1955), Harry Harrison’s Make Room! Make Room! (1966), and Phillip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968) as some of the best known examples.
This story is told from the perspective of cellist, Sophie Devine, who finds time between concerts to fit in an occasional assassination or two. According to the editors, she is “hard-as-nails… and doesn’t like assholes.”
‘“How much did they pay you to know where I was?” “Enough.” The kid smirked. “But I’ve got better gig. Quail wants to meet you. Get in.” He pointed at the auto-rickshaw. Sophie looked longingly at the hotel and imagined her bed inside, empty. She got into the rickshaw. This was her job.’
I was captivated by the style and the substance of a moon of Jupiter being run as a “company town.” Callisto (and CalistoCom) are well conceived and I enjoyed meeting Sophie Devine and hope this isn’t the only opportunity.
December 3, 2018
This was a really enjoyable collection - while a couple of the stories skew slightly harder, the majority here are the kind of fun science fiction that's not afraid to pick up a raygun and head off to the latest archaeological dig site on Neptune.
There were a couple of standout stories, even in a good collection. Composition in Death Minor was a really entertaining take on space-noir, featuring an assassin with a heart at least slightly tinted by gold, and a cast of characters so real and compelling that I'm still wishing we could see them longer. From a Stone was a pre-first contact story, one of those on the harder end of the sci-fi scale, and a really interesting idea that just perked up all my brain cells.
Thank you too to the folks over at Spells, Space & Screams for an awesome group read :)
There were a couple of standout stories, even in a good collection. Composition in Death Minor was a really entertaining take on space-noir, featuring an assassin with a heart at least slightly tinted by gold, and a cast of characters so real and compelling that I'm still wishing we could see them longer. From a Stone was a pre-first contact story, one of those on the harder end of the sci-fi scale, and a really interesting idea that just perked up all my brain cells.
Thank you too to the folks over at Spells, Space & Screams for an awesome group read :)
December 2, 2018
Open for Business by Sam S. Kepfield ★★★★☆
“There’s no going back. Once people realize that it’s within reach, they’ll take it, because it offers freedom.”
I loved these guys, I hated these guys. They were very American.
I think it’s true that we will never get out there without major risks, will, and potential. But dude, did you really almost end all life on Earth for a profit?
Composition in Death Minor by K.G. Jewell ★★★½☆
“Sophie took special pleasure in executed contracts on assholes.”
When you are an assassin that means the job has to end a certain way, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself... or find a little wiggle room for good deeds.
Spaceman Barbecue by Peter Wood ★★★★☆
“You’re in Mentone, North Carolina. We have three filling stations and six Baptist churches. But no space port.”
Both Mentone and Hank needed the shakeup, and positivity, that Matt and his tenets of atomicism provided.
Obsidianite by Kat Otis ★★★★☆
With shades of Han Solo I enjoyed this woman driven story about space profiteers, adventure, danger, friendship, and delicious revenge!
Starship Down by Tracy Canfield ★★★★☆
“With the end of competition, bunny evolution ceased.”
For thousands of years the giant rabbits of Myosotis have existed in the gap between sentience and intelligence.
It’s Yee’s job to stimulate their minds and reignite evolution. Thousands have failed, but when Yee sees a spark she will break all the rules to fan it!
This had the kind of humorous ending I remember from the lighter one-off episodes of Star Trek.
Backscatter by Gregory Benford ★★★½☆
Prospector crash lands on an asteroid and makes a remarkable floral discovery!
A Game of Hold’em by Wendy Sparrow ★★★½☆
Space Western! Cowboy rides in, saves girl from terrible situation, they ride into the sunset to live happily ever after.
Yes, this kind of story is overdone.
Yes, I like this story.
From A Stone by Eric Choi ★★★★★
“It is information. An… an artifact of the mind.”
Hard SciFi! What an unexpected treat!
Government scientists on a routine asteroid sampling mission discover signs of life. But is it intelligent life?
A hot debate, a cool conclusion.
Charnelhouse by Jonathan Shipley ★★★☆☆
You can’t stop a story there!
No no no.
Give me the second half of the story of interstellar archeology and cosmic boogeymen and then I’ll give you the rest of the stars.
Bear Essentials by Julie Frost ★★★½☆
“[They] were about to make sure a downright evil place was going to get its comeuppance, without even breaking a sweat. He’d call that a win.”
I would too. This read like an episode of Firefly. High nerdy praise. 🤓
The Vringla/Racket Incident by Jakob Drud ★★☆☆☆
I’m not a fan of the epistolary style and there wasn’t enough to go on here anyway. Was this malicious human bigotry or a real danger? At least it was short.
A Trip to Lagasy by Barbara Davies ★★★½☆
“I know a reporter.”
His face paled. “You wouldn’t.”
When became clear that she would, he began to pace. “I suppose… an internal inquiry...”
It’s refreshingly #metoo to read about a woman standing up for herself. It’s also depressing to think this crap still goes on in hundreds of years.
People go to great lengths for orchids now so I’m not surprised at a future where botanists would traipse through Dagobah for a flower.
Saturn Slingshot by David Wesley Hill ★★★☆☆
A snapshot story of a long-haul solar-sail space ship swinging by Saturn and encountering pirates.
The pirates had that desperate Ringer quality from The Expanse series.
There was a bit of hard SciFi dabbed on but I think it neither added nor detracted from the story.
Average: 3.57
June 13, 2014
Okay, so it's too weird to review my own stuff, but I'll review all the other stories in this and the anthology as a whole.
The anthology on the whole is amazing. Anthologies typically are a mixed bag for how well stories fit a theme and the quality. I usually see anthologies like I see any artist's album--there'll be a few throwaway tracks used as filler. This anthology wasn't like that. I'm really impressed. It was cohesive in theme and, unless it's my own--which obviously I can't be objective on, there were no throwaway tracks.
No one has summed up individual stories, so I've done my poor best here, and I've also included my favorite quotes from each story. (I think I transcribed all the quotes exactly, but if anyone catches mistakes--I'll correct them because those are mine.)
1. Open for Business by Sam S. Kepfield: Entrepreneurs on Earth decide to mine an approaching asteroid by dragging it into Earth's orbit. *****
“Space is the new Old West.”
~
It was insanity, even after Terry’s explanation, but a very seductive insanity.
2. Composition in Death Minor by K. G. Jewell: An assassin visits an infected planet where the antibacterial’s addictive effects made it a commodity that was traded and stolen. ****
Playing classical cello was a lot like assassination.
~
“Do you know where the El Dorado is?”
The kid shook his head. “That’s not a place for ladies.”
“My mother has always wanted me to be a lady. Take me there anyways.”
3. Spaceman Barbeque by Peter Wood: A spaceman lands on Earth with his alien accoutrements which mean nothing to him if he can’t get home. His plight inspires the man he lands near. ****
Hank stared at Matt. If there hadn’t been a rocket ship in his backyard, he would’ve assumed that the stranger was a lunatic.
4. Obsidianite by Kat Otis: A signal calls a space trader to a planet with an erupting volcano. If she can grab the valuable obsidian or even the lesser obsidianite, she can make the trip worthwhile—even profitable, but first she has to confront a past she’d rather forget and which seems to be repeating itself. ****
Fourteen years of risking life and limb to turn a profit had definitely skewed her definitions of acceptable personal risk to the extremities of the human bell curve.
5. Starship Down by Tracy Canfield: A treaty with a greater alien race condemns a human medic to an internship among giant bunny aliens who only seem to mate and mimic. Without predators, it seems a great leap in evolution isn’t in the offing—especially when the nerdiest one can’t seem to catch a break. ***** (This was my personal favorite.)
Bunnytongue had three numbers: one, two, and many.
~
The other English post was a new overlay for the translation database, promising one hundred and five new synonyms for “to mate.”
6. Backscatter by Gregory Benford: Crash-landing on an asteroid made entirely of ice leaves the explorer searching for anything to keep her alive until their ship can find her. Things don’t look good—which her ship’s software is only too happy to inform her. But, over the next rise, the sun is coming up to shine on the icy planet. ****
She was cold, hurt, and doomed, but otherwise reasonably cheery.
~
Evolution never slept, anywhere. Even between the stars.
7. A Game of Hold’em by Wendy Sparrow When Moses shows up for a friendly game of Texas Hold’em at a Baruvian law-holder’s place, he discovers it won’t be friendly, and Martice lives outside the law. Even the game is rigged–the scheming dealer is a mute slave girl who, this time, has nothing to lose if she skews the game. (No rating since it's mine.)
The house always wins. In this place, the house would beat you and leave you broken and next to dead, but it would win.
~
Now, he’d just gone all in.
8. From a Stone by Eric Choi: Research explorers come across more than expected in an asteroid’s inner tunneling, but they have limited time to investigate while hampered by the red-tape and bureaucracy of those on Earth. ****
“I have no explanation at this time as to how these features were produced. This sounds crazy, but Ben… I don’t believe this is a natural phenomenon. This is something alien.”
9. Charnelhouse by Jonathan Shipley: A vacation on another planet turns into an archeological expedition with sinister results suggesting the former inhabitants of the planet, known as Necropolis, weren’t welcoming. *****
A thump followed her. Then a slow grinding sound. Then a sharp click. She picked up her pace. Around her, the echo of that click spread like a ripple in a pond. The feeling of wrongness crescendoed.
10. Bear Essentials by Julie Frost: When a transport freighter takes on delivering a cave bear to be worshipped but then killed, the crew has serious misgivings about the morality of their part in the transaction. *****
“Ain’t some gods famous for bein’ wrathful? I’d like ‘em to see what that looks like…”
11. The Vringla/Racket Incident by Jakob Drud: An epistolary narrative about a woman’s attempt to get one of the rare human babysitters for her child on an Earth being safeguarded by one alien race from another hostile alien race. *****
The Sensibi learn fast, and once they understood that wet insects aren’t considered a delicacy on Earth, they’ve stopped feeding them to the babies.
12. A Trip to Lagasy by Barbara Davies: A botanist is racing a former lover to find a Strangler Orchid on an alien planet with the help of a native guide. *****
The ‘Ministry of Foreign Affairs’—too grand a term for Lagasy’s one-man-and-his-dog outfit—had almost suffocated her with its red tape. Then there was the bored customs official at the dilapidated spaceport yesterday, who had amused himself by being obstructive.
13. Saturn Slingshot by David Wesley Hill: A space sailing ship carrying cargo breaks into the orbit of Saturn only to be attacked by pirates. *****
With a sidelong glance toward Jones, she sliced off an ear from each one and tucked the mementos away for safekeeping. Martians! He thought fondly, loving her ferocity as much as he feared losing her from the consequences of her bravery.
So, the result of those ratings divided by 12 (I'm excluding mine) is 4.6 well...4.583333..., so I'm rounding up to 5. Ha!(Look at me, showing my work...how awesome am I?)
Seriously, a great anthology. I hope there will be more anthologies like this one put out.
Edited to add: For those of my friends who are conservative or want to give this book to a younger audience, it's a mild PG-13 for profanity, content, and violence. It's a lot of fun, and I think a teen who enjoys Bradbury, Gaiman, or Douglas Adams would eat this up.
The anthology on the whole is amazing. Anthologies typically are a mixed bag for how well stories fit a theme and the quality. I usually see anthologies like I see any artist's album--there'll be a few throwaway tracks used as filler. This anthology wasn't like that. I'm really impressed. It was cohesive in theme and, unless it's my own--which obviously I can't be objective on, there were no throwaway tracks.
No one has summed up individual stories, so I've done my poor best here, and I've also included my favorite quotes from each story. (I think I transcribed all the quotes exactly, but if anyone catches mistakes--I'll correct them because those are mine.)
1. Open for Business by Sam S. Kepfield: Entrepreneurs on Earth decide to mine an approaching asteroid by dragging it into Earth's orbit. *****
“Space is the new Old West.”
~
It was insanity, even after Terry’s explanation, but a very seductive insanity.
2. Composition in Death Minor by K. G. Jewell: An assassin visits an infected planet where the antibacterial’s addictive effects made it a commodity that was traded and stolen. ****
Playing classical cello was a lot like assassination.
~
“Do you know where the El Dorado is?”
The kid shook his head. “That’s not a place for ladies.”
“My mother has always wanted me to be a lady. Take me there anyways.”
3. Spaceman Barbeque by Peter Wood: A spaceman lands on Earth with his alien accoutrements which mean nothing to him if he can’t get home. His plight inspires the man he lands near. ****
Hank stared at Matt. If there hadn’t been a rocket ship in his backyard, he would’ve assumed that the stranger was a lunatic.
4. Obsidianite by Kat Otis: A signal calls a space trader to a planet with an erupting volcano. If she can grab the valuable obsidian or even the lesser obsidianite, she can make the trip worthwhile—even profitable, but first she has to confront a past she’d rather forget and which seems to be repeating itself. ****
Fourteen years of risking life and limb to turn a profit had definitely skewed her definitions of acceptable personal risk to the extremities of the human bell curve.
5. Starship Down by Tracy Canfield: A treaty with a greater alien race condemns a human medic to an internship among giant bunny aliens who only seem to mate and mimic. Without predators, it seems a great leap in evolution isn’t in the offing—especially when the nerdiest one can’t seem to catch a break. ***** (This was my personal favorite.)
Bunnytongue had three numbers: one, two, and many.
~
The other English post was a new overlay for the translation database, promising one hundred and five new synonyms for “to mate.”
6. Backscatter by Gregory Benford: Crash-landing on an asteroid made entirely of ice leaves the explorer searching for anything to keep her alive until their ship can find her. Things don’t look good—which her ship’s software is only too happy to inform her. But, over the next rise, the sun is coming up to shine on the icy planet. ****
She was cold, hurt, and doomed, but otherwise reasonably cheery.
~
Evolution never slept, anywhere. Even between the stars.
7. A Game of Hold’em by Wendy Sparrow When Moses shows up for a friendly game of Texas Hold’em at a Baruvian law-holder’s place, he discovers it won’t be friendly, and Martice lives outside the law. Even the game is rigged–the scheming dealer is a mute slave girl who, this time, has nothing to lose if she skews the game. (No rating since it's mine.)
The house always wins. In this place, the house would beat you and leave you broken and next to dead, but it would win.
~
Now, he’d just gone all in.
8. From a Stone by Eric Choi: Research explorers come across more than expected in an asteroid’s inner tunneling, but they have limited time to investigate while hampered by the red-tape and bureaucracy of those on Earth. ****
“I have no explanation at this time as to how these features were produced. This sounds crazy, but Ben… I don’t believe this is a natural phenomenon. This is something alien.”
9. Charnelhouse by Jonathan Shipley: A vacation on another planet turns into an archeological expedition with sinister results suggesting the former inhabitants of the planet, known as Necropolis, weren’t welcoming. *****
A thump followed her. Then a slow grinding sound. Then a sharp click. She picked up her pace. Around her, the echo of that click spread like a ripple in a pond. The feeling of wrongness crescendoed.
10. Bear Essentials by Julie Frost: When a transport freighter takes on delivering a cave bear to be worshipped but then killed, the crew has serious misgivings about the morality of their part in the transaction. *****
“Ain’t some gods famous for bein’ wrathful? I’d like ‘em to see what that looks like…”
11. The Vringla/Racket Incident by Jakob Drud: An epistolary narrative about a woman’s attempt to get one of the rare human babysitters for her child on an Earth being safeguarded by one alien race from another hostile alien race. *****
The Sensibi learn fast, and once they understood that wet insects aren’t considered a delicacy on Earth, they’ve stopped feeding them to the babies.
12. A Trip to Lagasy by Barbara Davies: A botanist is racing a former lover to find a Strangler Orchid on an alien planet with the help of a native guide. *****
The ‘Ministry of Foreign Affairs’—too grand a term for Lagasy’s one-man-and-his-dog outfit—had almost suffocated her with its red tape. Then there was the bored customs official at the dilapidated spaceport yesterday, who had amused himself by being obstructive.
13. Saturn Slingshot by David Wesley Hill: A space sailing ship carrying cargo breaks into the orbit of Saturn only to be attacked by pirates. *****
With a sidelong glance toward Jones, she sliced off an ear from each one and tucked the mementos away for safekeeping. Martians! He thought fondly, loving her ferocity as much as he feared losing her from the consequences of her bravery.
So, the result of those ratings divided by 12 (I'm excluding mine) is 4.6 well...4.583333..., so I'm rounding up to 5. Ha!(Look at me, showing my work...how awesome am I?)
Seriously, a great anthology. I hope there will be more anthologies like this one put out.
Edited to add: For those of my friends who are conservative or want to give this book to a younger audience, it's a mild PG-13 for profanity, content, and violence. It's a lot of fun, and I think a teen who enjoys Bradbury, Gaiman, or Douglas Adams would eat this up.
December 7, 2018
My Ratings
1. Open for Business- 4 stars
2. Composition in Death Minor- 3 stars
3. Spaceman Barbecue- 4.5 stars
4. Obsidianite- 5 stars
5. Starship Down- 4 stars
6. Backscatter- 2.5 stars
7. A Game of hold 'em- 4.5 stars
8. From a Stone- 3.5 stars
9. Charnelhouse- 3 stars
10. Bear Essentials- 4 stars
11. The Vringla/Racket Incideent- 2 stars
12A Trip to Lagasy- 3.5 stars
13. Saturn Slingshot- 2.5 stars
Average 3.54
I really enjoyed and had fun with this anthology!
1. Open for Business- 4 stars
2. Composition in Death Minor- 3 stars
3. Spaceman Barbecue- 4.5 stars
4. Obsidianite- 5 stars
5. Starship Down- 4 stars
6. Backscatter- 2.5 stars
7. A Game of hold 'em- 4.5 stars
8. From a Stone- 3.5 stars
9. Charnelhouse- 3 stars
10. Bear Essentials- 4 stars
11. The Vringla/Racket Incideent- 2 stars
12A Trip to Lagasy- 3.5 stars
13. Saturn Slingshot- 2.5 stars
Average 3.54
I really enjoyed and had fun with this anthology!
January 12, 2019
✭✭½
“Open for Business”, Sam S. Kepfield (2014) ✭
“Composition in Death Minor”, K. G. Jewell (2014) ✭✭✭
“Spaceman Barbecue”, Peter Wood (2014). ✭✭
“Obsidianite”, Kat Otis (2014) ✭✭
“Starship Down”, Tracy Canfield (2008). ✭✭
“Backscatter”, Gregory Benford (2013). ✭✭✭
“A Game of Hold’em”, Wendy Sparrow (2014). ✭✭✭½
“From a Stone”, Eric Choi (1996) ✭✭✭½
“Charnelhouse”, Jonathan Shipley (2014). ✭½
“Bear Essentials”, Julie Frost (2014) ✭✭½
“The Vringla/Racket Incident”, Jakob Drud (2014) ✭½
“A Trip to Lagasy”, Barbara Davies (2014) ✭✭½
“Saturn Slingshot”, David Wesley Hill (2014) ✭✭✭
“Open for Business”, Sam S. Kepfield (2014) ✭
“Composition in Death Minor”, K. G. Jewell (2014) ✭✭✭
“Spaceman Barbecue”, Peter Wood (2014). ✭✭
“Obsidianite”, Kat Otis (2014) ✭✭
“Starship Down”, Tracy Canfield (2008). ✭✭
“Backscatter”, Gregory Benford (2013). ✭✭✭
“A Game of Hold’em”, Wendy Sparrow (2014). ✭✭✭½
“From a Stone”, Eric Choi (1996) ✭✭✭½
“Charnelhouse”, Jonathan Shipley (2014). ✭½
“Bear Essentials”, Julie Frost (2014) ✭✭½
“The Vringla/Racket Incident”, Jakob Drud (2014) ✭½
“A Trip to Lagasy”, Barbara Davies (2014) ✭✭½
“Saturn Slingshot”, David Wesley Hill (2014) ✭✭✭
July 23, 2014
Put aside all of your preconceived notions of what "sci-fi" is -- whether you think you love it or hate, it doesn't matter -- pick up this book and get to reading!
I have not enjoyed a sci-fi read this much in a really long time. Far Orbit takes the dreary, normally battle-filled genre and turns it completely on its head. With stories that are fun, hilarious and unexpected, there was a new adventure at every turn. I also loved the tidbits of history that preceded each chapter. It's always easy to forget how a genre has changed over the course of the years.
I have two favorite aspects of this anthology:
1) The fact that there was so much diversity. Not just by race and gender (which was so refreshing), but by the characters' backgrounds as well -- there were stories about entrepreneurs, ones about martians, ones about pirates (yes, pirates in space) -- I mean, there is never a lack of excitement when no two settings are alike.
2) The characters were believable and fleshed out -- even in such short stories -- not an easy feat, I can assure you! Each character could have had their very own spinoff and you would've wanted to read each one. It amazed me how these authors were able to cram so many wonderful character flaws and traits into so little time. Loved them all!
I have not enjoyed a sci-fi read this much in a really long time. Far Orbit takes the dreary, normally battle-filled genre and turns it completely on its head. With stories that are fun, hilarious and unexpected, there was a new adventure at every turn. I also loved the tidbits of history that preceded each chapter. It's always easy to forget how a genre has changed over the course of the years.
I have two favorite aspects of this anthology:
1) The fact that there was so much diversity. Not just by race and gender (which was so refreshing), but by the characters' backgrounds as well -- there were stories about entrepreneurs, ones about martians, ones about pirates (yes, pirates in space) -- I mean, there is never a lack of excitement when no two settings are alike.
2) The characters were believable and fleshed out -- even in such short stories -- not an easy feat, I can assure you! Each character could have had their very own spinoff and you would've wanted to read each one. It amazed me how these authors were able to cram so many wonderful character flaws and traits into so little time. Loved them all!
January 29, 2014
Fun, smart science fiction short stories. My favorite story was probably "Composition in Death Minor" or tough Janessa of "Obsidianite" or the bunnies of "Starship Down." "Bear Essentials" and "Spaceman Barbecue" were such fun and funny pieces. "Backscatter" was beautifully done and "From a Stone" had a beautiful sense of realism ... Oh, let's face it: I liked them all.
May 3, 2015
I received an ARC from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.
This is a really cool anthology of Grand Tradition science fiction. There were stories I definitely liked better than others, but I enjoyed the range of pieces included. On the whole, the stories contained realistic and 3-dimentional female characters,which I absolutely loved. James included a brief description of the style of the piece as well as a short biography on the author preceding each story. This worked ready well and added depth to the book as a whole. There was not a single story that I did not like, some I felt were just okay, most were good, and a few were extremely amazing. Four fell into the last category and include "Compositon in Death Minor", "Spaceman Barbeque", "From a Stone", and "A Trip to Lagasy". I would strong recommend these four stories. Here is my review for each story individually:
"Open for Business" (Sam S. Kepfield)- 2 stars- This was were much a Jules Verne style piece that had a good plot, but overall I didn't find very interesting.
"Composition in Death Minor" (K. G. Jewell)- 5 stars- Great storyline, beautiful imagery, poetic yet violent. And Sophie was a total bad ass.
"Spaceman Barbeque" (Peter Wood)- 4 stars- Very funny. Charming story.
"Obsidianite" (Kat Otis)- 3 stars- Pretty good. I liked the character development and plot issues.
"Starship Down" (Tracy Canfield)- 2-stars- One of my least favorites. The story did not interest me very much, but it had amazing world setup and great descriptions.
"Backscatter" (Gregory Benfold)- 2-stars- Another one I couldn't really get into. Really good characters though.
"A Game of Hold'em" (Wendy Sparrow)- 3-stars- This one was definitely strange. It was good, but at times I felt the author tried too hard.
"From a Stone" (Eric Choi)- 4-stars- Really cool story. Very open-ended, which was a little disappointing but a fantastic piece nonetheless.
"Charnelhouse" (Jonathan Shipley)- 3-star- Another cool story with a disappointing cliff-hanger ending. Really confusing though. Didn't seem to go into enough depth in characters' backgrounds.
"Bear Essentials" (Julie Frost)- 3-stars- Cute. A little predictable.
"The Vringla/Racket Incident" (Jakob Drud)- 3-stars- Really cool epistolary setup but the storyline was really confusing.
"A Trip to Lagasy" (Barbara Davies)- 4-stars- Great story. I love the different time frames going on between past and present.
"Saturn Slingshot" (David Wesley Hill)- 3-stars- Nice adventure plotline but lacked character development.
Overall I thought this was a great SF anthology and highly recommend it.
This is a really cool anthology of Grand Tradition science fiction. There were stories I definitely liked better than others, but I enjoyed the range of pieces included. On the whole, the stories contained realistic and 3-dimentional female characters,which I absolutely loved. James included a brief description of the style of the piece as well as a short biography on the author preceding each story. This worked ready well and added depth to the book as a whole. There was not a single story that I did not like, some I felt were just okay, most were good, and a few were extremely amazing. Four fell into the last category and include "Compositon in Death Minor", "Spaceman Barbeque", "From a Stone", and "A Trip to Lagasy". I would strong recommend these four stories. Here is my review for each story individually:
"Open for Business" (Sam S. Kepfield)- 2 stars- This was were much a Jules Verne style piece that had a good plot, but overall I didn't find very interesting.
"Composition in Death Minor" (K. G. Jewell)- 5 stars- Great storyline, beautiful imagery, poetic yet violent. And Sophie was a total bad ass.
"Spaceman Barbeque" (Peter Wood)- 4 stars- Very funny. Charming story.
"Obsidianite" (Kat Otis)- 3 stars- Pretty good. I liked the character development and plot issues.
"Starship Down" (Tracy Canfield)- 2-stars- One of my least favorites. The story did not interest me very much, but it had amazing world setup and great descriptions.
"Backscatter" (Gregory Benfold)- 2-stars- Another one I couldn't really get into. Really good characters though.
"A Game of Hold'em" (Wendy Sparrow)- 3-stars- This one was definitely strange. It was good, but at times I felt the author tried too hard.
"From a Stone" (Eric Choi)- 4-stars- Really cool story. Very open-ended, which was a little disappointing but a fantastic piece nonetheless.
"Charnelhouse" (Jonathan Shipley)- 3-star- Another cool story with a disappointing cliff-hanger ending. Really confusing though. Didn't seem to go into enough depth in characters' backgrounds.
"Bear Essentials" (Julie Frost)- 3-stars- Cute. A little predictable.
"The Vringla/Racket Incident" (Jakob Drud)- 3-stars- Really cool epistolary setup but the storyline was really confusing.
"A Trip to Lagasy" (Barbara Davies)- 4-stars- Great story. I love the different time frames going on between past and present.
"Saturn Slingshot" (David Wesley Hill)- 3-stars- Nice adventure plotline but lacked character development.
Overall I thought this was a great SF anthology and highly recommend it.
January 16, 2015
FAR ORBIT, in the words of its editor Bascomb James, is an anthology of what he calls Grand Tradition science fiction. The emphasis, he says, is on adventure with an emphasis on the human element.
And this anthology succeeds. It's "old-fashioned" SF, concentrating on storytelling and not on the complexity of its prose. In other words, it's the pure genre stuff, with spaceships and aliens and unknown worlds and all the things that attracted many of us to the field in the first place.
For me, highlights included "Open for Business," by Sam S. KIepfield, about the attempt to fetch an asteroid worth at least $10 trillion for the iron and precious metals within it, and Gregory Benford's "Backscatter," one of the few reprints, about a woman who is about to die after crash-landing on an asteroid who makes an unexpected discovery, and, no doubt, a bit of history.
There are a lot of asteroids in these stories.
Best of all, a second volume is on the way. I'll be looking forward to it.
And this anthology succeeds. It's "old-fashioned" SF, concentrating on storytelling and not on the complexity of its prose. In other words, it's the pure genre stuff, with spaceships and aliens and unknown worlds and all the things that attracted many of us to the field in the first place.
For me, highlights included "Open for Business," by Sam S. KIepfield, about the attempt to fetch an asteroid worth at least $10 trillion for the iron and precious metals within it, and Gregory Benford's "Backscatter," one of the few reprints, about a woman who is about to die after crash-landing on an asteroid who makes an unexpected discovery, and, no doubt, a bit of history.
There are a lot of asteroids in these stories.
Best of all, a second volume is on the way. I'll be looking forward to it.
January 20, 2015
This is a collection of modern science fiction in the classic style, it has a positive feel and dystopias aren't allowed, at least not in a grim pass the razor blades sort of way. I really enjoyed the collection and there are a few authors in there that I need to go and see what else they've written.
I bought this anthology because I have been thinking about submitting stories for publication, and I saw an article that there would be a follow-up anthology called Apogee from the same anthologist. Also I like reading science fiction, and short stories are easier to read when I'm studying (and I'm in the middle of B203, which is a real monster). Having read the stories in it I was inspired, I've outlined a story and written a couple of thousand words towards it.
I started reading this just before Christmas, and read the stories in one or two sittings each over the Christmas break, largely in snatched chunks between other things. A week or three after reading them a number still stand out. I'll outline them in order in the kindle version I read rather than ranking by preference.
'Open for Business' by Sam S Kepfield
A very believable take on how asteroid mining might start. A group of university friends with the right sort of degrees and work experience hatch a plan for grabbing an asteroid and putting it in orbit so that it can be mined. The consequences were very entertaining and absolutely what you might expect.
'Starship Down' by Tracy Canfield
A lovely take on intervention with less advanced aliens. In both cases. Humans are tasked with helping out a race of space rabbits (not actual rabbits, but their behaviours are similar) by more advanced aliens in return for technology. The main character is out on her own thousands of miles from the next nearest human and giving medical aid to the bunnies. She's also trying to teach them things that might be useful to advance themselves, like a concept of time and numbers bigger than 'some'. It reminded me of some of the Iain M Banks stuff I'd read in terms of the consequences of intervention in others affairs (although I cannot imagine Banks going there with giant bunnies!)
'A Game of Hold 'Em' by Wendy Sparrow
This is one that could just as easily be set in the pre-civil war Southern states of America. However it isn't a tale that's just had its setting switched. It shows a futuristic take on slave holding and the methods to keep people in thrall. Very thought provoking.
'From a Stone' by Eric Choi
How do you tell if something is natural or constructed by intelligence? This is a take on funding constrained scientific exploration of the solar system and an unexpected find. Bureaucracy gets in the way of a time constrained scientific mission, stopping on the way back from somewhere else the mission has 72 hours to catalogue the asteroid. After that the window for return to Earth is closed. The story is a detailed and believable first person one from the scientists. You get a sense of their wonder and excitement and wish to know more.
PS this isn't all the stories in the volume, just the ones that made me think and/or stuck in my head. I don't think any of the others were bad or not worth reading, these just stood out for me. Your mix may well be different.
I bought this anthology because I have been thinking about submitting stories for publication, and I saw an article that there would be a follow-up anthology called Apogee from the same anthologist. Also I like reading science fiction, and short stories are easier to read when I'm studying (and I'm in the middle of B203, which is a real monster). Having read the stories in it I was inspired, I've outlined a story and written a couple of thousand words towards it.
I started reading this just before Christmas, and read the stories in one or two sittings each over the Christmas break, largely in snatched chunks between other things. A week or three after reading them a number still stand out. I'll outline them in order in the kindle version I read rather than ranking by preference.
'Open for Business' by Sam S Kepfield
A very believable take on how asteroid mining might start. A group of university friends with the right sort of degrees and work experience hatch a plan for grabbing an asteroid and putting it in orbit so that it can be mined. The consequences were very entertaining and absolutely what you might expect.
'Starship Down' by Tracy Canfield
A lovely take on intervention with less advanced aliens. In both cases. Humans are tasked with helping out a race of space rabbits (not actual rabbits, but their behaviours are similar) by more advanced aliens in return for technology. The main character is out on her own thousands of miles from the next nearest human and giving medical aid to the bunnies. She's also trying to teach them things that might be useful to advance themselves, like a concept of time and numbers bigger than 'some'. It reminded me of some of the Iain M Banks stuff I'd read in terms of the consequences of intervention in others affairs (although I cannot imagine Banks going there with giant bunnies!)
'A Game of Hold 'Em' by Wendy Sparrow
This is one that could just as easily be set in the pre-civil war Southern states of America. However it isn't a tale that's just had its setting switched. It shows a futuristic take on slave holding and the methods to keep people in thrall. Very thought provoking.
'From a Stone' by Eric Choi
How do you tell if something is natural or constructed by intelligence? This is a take on funding constrained scientific exploration of the solar system and an unexpected find. Bureaucracy gets in the way of a time constrained scientific mission, stopping on the way back from somewhere else the mission has 72 hours to catalogue the asteroid. After that the window for return to Earth is closed. The story is a detailed and believable first person one from the scientists. You get a sense of their wonder and excitement and wish to know more.
PS this isn't all the stories in the volume, just the ones that made me think and/or stuck in my head. I don't think any of the others were bad or not worth reading, these just stood out for me. Your mix may well be different.
August 26, 2014
If Goodreads allowed it I would give Far Orbit: Speculative Space four and a half stars... but alas, it does not.
This is a really good anthology. Anthologies are (and I say this as someone who edits them and loves them) tricky creatures. Usually I'll like some of the stories but not others. Occasionally the spectrum of my opinions on the pieces is incredibly vast (love/hate) but usually it's tight (love/like/dislike). For this collection I didn't dislike any of the stories.
Trust me when I tell you this is noteworthy LOL
My favourite story was Wendy Sparrow's "A Game of Hold'em", but I also really liked Janessa from Kat Otis' story, "Obsidianite" and thought "The Bear Essentials" by Julie Frost was a super fun romp through space (I intend to read the free story from the same timeline as "The Bear Essentials" she's offering on her blog as well). Also? The bunnies from "Starship Down" and the ending of "Charnelhouse" won't soon leave my mind.
Don't think because I didn't single out a story I didn't like it, truth is, like I said, I liked each of the stories in this collection, just a few more than others.
It's a diverse collection of space adventures that I think any science fiction fan will enjoy.
Full disclosure: Far Orbit is published by the same company that published my most recent anthology, Fae. I don't see this as a conflict of interest though, just proof they have good taste in short story anthologies to get behind ;)
This is a really good anthology. Anthologies are (and I say this as someone who edits them and loves them) tricky creatures. Usually I'll like some of the stories but not others. Occasionally the spectrum of my opinions on the pieces is incredibly vast (love/hate) but usually it's tight (love/like/dislike). For this collection I didn't dislike any of the stories.
Trust me when I tell you this is noteworthy LOL
My favourite story was Wendy Sparrow's "A Game of Hold'em", but I also really liked Janessa from Kat Otis' story, "Obsidianite" and thought "The Bear Essentials" by Julie Frost was a super fun romp through space (I intend to read the free story from the same timeline as "The Bear Essentials" she's offering on her blog as well). Also? The bunnies from "Starship Down" and the ending of "Charnelhouse" won't soon leave my mind.
Don't think because I didn't single out a story I didn't like it, truth is, like I said, I liked each of the stories in this collection, just a few more than others.
It's a diverse collection of space adventures that I think any science fiction fan will enjoy.
Full disclosure: Far Orbit is published by the same company that published my most recent anthology, Fae. I don't see this as a conflict of interest though, just proof they have good taste in short story anthologies to get behind ;)
May 20, 2014
Far Orbit is a wonderful collection of short science fiction stories.
A few of the standout stories to me were:
Open For Business, by Sam Kepfield, is a tale of (practically current day) entrepreneurs starting up an asteroid mining company, and the fall out from doing so.
Composition in Death Minor, by Kevin Jewell, where a cellist assassin has to make a choice.
Spaceman Barbecue, by Peter Wood, is a Twilight Zone-esque throwback with a happy ending.
A Game of Hold'em, by Wendy Sparrow, is an Old West tale set on a colony world.
And I think my favorite was Bear Essentials, by Julie Frost, about a small trading vessel run by a grumpy man and his adult daughter, along with their small crew. This tale has them transporting a live bear from one world to another, along with an unusual passenger, and discovering something amazing along the way. I definitely want to read more stories about this crew (especially if that bear comes back).
Need a quick fix of good old-fashioned science fiction? Far Orbit is it!
An eARC of Far Orbit was provided to me by the publisher for review (thanks!).
A few of the standout stories to me were:
Open For Business, by Sam Kepfield, is a tale of (practically current day) entrepreneurs starting up an asteroid mining company, and the fall out from doing so.
Composition in Death Minor, by Kevin Jewell, where a cellist assassin has to make a choice.
Spaceman Barbecue, by Peter Wood, is a Twilight Zone-esque throwback with a happy ending.
A Game of Hold'em, by Wendy Sparrow, is an Old West tale set on a colony world.
And I think my favorite was Bear Essentials, by Julie Frost, about a small trading vessel run by a grumpy man and his adult daughter, along with their small crew. This tale has them transporting a live bear from one world to another, along with an unusual passenger, and discovering something amazing along the way. I definitely want to read more stories about this crew (especially if that bear comes back).
Need a quick fix of good old-fashioned science fiction? Far Orbit is it!
An eARC of Far Orbit was provided to me by the publisher for review (thanks!).
May 5, 2014
I was thrilled to win this in a Goodreads giveaway. Far Orbit is a terrific collection of the kind of science fiction short stories I grew up reading. The stories are varied in both setting and tone, but each and every one is entertaining and fun. These are Grand Tradition SF stories filled with hope and ideas. Stories meant to inspire a new generation of readers and writers to remember the wide-eyed wonder of the universe around us. My personal favorite story is probably Starship Down, but in truth I quite enjoyed them all.
July 16, 2014
A baker's dozen of evocative stories that took me back to my heart-pounding teenaged years of reading Grand Tradition adventure sci fi. I was truly impressed by the color, suspense, thoughtful science, and deft language in most of the stories; and overall, I was pleased by the variety of settings, plots, and characters. Merchant ships, space pirates, a Texas gambler, rival botanists, asteroid geologists, catacomb researchers, more.
September 16, 2019
A relatively good collection of thirteen short stories all having a space adventure theme.
The collection is preceded by a letter from Elizabeth Bear bemoaning the sorry state of science fiction. In truth, the letter is a bit of a downer, but the editor uses it as his reason to catapult this collection. Kind of a 'fight back' thing. So let's get down to reviewing each story individually.
OPEN FOR BUSINESS by Sam Kepfield. An entertaining tale of three friends who conspire to redirect a mineral-rich asteroid into orbit for the purpose of mining it. The tale is told in such a way as to make the reader believe such a thing might possibly be done. The fiction part is the asteroid described does not exist, although there are ones out there with then exact same properties so I imagine the author wanted to stay clear of using an existing one. Fun, and with a certain amount of homework done to be believable. It would fail the geek test because some of the scientific details are inaccurate. Don't stress the details. 4 stars.
COMPOSITION IN DEATH MINOR by K. G. Jewell. A high-end female assassin sent on a mission to the Jupiter moon of Callisto. The planet is under the control of your usual greedy corporation and the target is another woman who has stolen something that is harmful to the corporation. Throw in a world filled with health issues due to the environment and you get a remake of Total Recall with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Sorry, lacked imagination. I've seen this movie before. 2 stars
SPACEMAN BARBEQUE by Peter Wood. A spoof of the 1950's where UFO sightings were supposedly a daily occurrence. When one lands in the woods, the alien becomes part of society at the local eatery making barbequed pig while he waits for rescue. Funny, with a hint of sarcasm. 4 stars
OBSIDIANITE by Kat Otis. A space profiteer who lands on a planet named New Galilee where the settlement has been wiped out by a volcanic eruption. She seeks a piece of Galilean Obsidian. Of course, she has a competitor, her ex-husband who is your classic lousy guy, filled with the usual unredeemable faults. 3 stars
STARSHIP DOWN by Tracy Canfield. Although there are bunnies in this story, Watership Down it isn't. (A cute play on the title though). On a world filled with the dominant species as giant rabbits who only play and have sex, a scientist, with something akin to Star Trek's prime directive, is there to study them. Boredom and inquisitiveness lead to a change in her curriculum. Very imaginative. 5 stars
BACKSCATTER by Gregory Bedford. Lead with a burned-out star drive crashed on an alien asteroid, survival is the key ingredient and the only way to survive is a rescue. The problem is, no way to contact the rescue ship. Maybe somewhere, somehow, she can find an answer on the surface. 4 stars
A GAME OF HOLD 'EM by Wendy Sparrow. A Texan playing a dangerous game of Texas Hold 'Em. The gameplay is interesting but generally, it is the entire story. Outside of a setting on an alien world, this barely qualifies as science fiction. It's a meh. 2 stars
FROM A STONE by Eric Choi. An asteroid tumbling through the solar system has something strange about it. A newer looking meteor impact underneath an older one. That doesn't math out. Going down into this lower crater brings a surprise. Excellent technical details. The story leaves the reader with more questions at the end than there were at the beginning. 4 stars
CHARNELHOUSE by Jonathan Shipley. Underground catacombs on a foreign world are being studied with trying to understand the mystery of one empty room with the sudden appearance of an empty sarcophagus. A non-verbal alien race seems to know the answer, but aren't telling. You'll love the ending. 5 stars
BEAR ESSENTIALS by Julie Frost. This one felt like something out of the pulp magazines from the 30's. Space haulers with unusual cargo going to an unusual place. Through in a little intrigue and some weird religion and you get an old fashioned space thriller. 3.5 stars
THE VRINGLA/RACKET INCIDENT by Jacob Drud. An epistolary story, it's a short and comical microcosm examination of a small aspect of an alien invasion. You should get a laugh. 4 stars
A TRIP TO LAGASY by Barbara Davies. Quite simply, a female botanist Indiana Jones on an alien planet trying to find the elusive Strangler Orchid. Enter the arch-rival and the far too comparable references to Raiders Of The Lost Ark. Sorry, like a previous story here, just not original enough. 2 stars
SATURN SLINGSHOT by David Wesley Hill. More cargo haulers, only this time, the problem is pirates. Ar! Some decent details on the actual ship and the planned slingshot around Saturn for a speed boost combined with a hand to hand battle with the pirates make this swashbuckler entertaining. 4 stars
The collection is preceded by a letter from Elizabeth Bear bemoaning the sorry state of science fiction. In truth, the letter is a bit of a downer, but the editor uses it as his reason to catapult this collection. Kind of a 'fight back' thing. So let's get down to reviewing each story individually.
OPEN FOR BUSINESS by Sam Kepfield. An entertaining tale of three friends who conspire to redirect a mineral-rich asteroid into orbit for the purpose of mining it. The tale is told in such a way as to make the reader believe such a thing might possibly be done. The fiction part is the asteroid described does not exist, although there are ones out there with then exact same properties so I imagine the author wanted to stay clear of using an existing one. Fun, and with a certain amount of homework done to be believable. It would fail the geek test because some of the scientific details are inaccurate. Don't stress the details. 4 stars.
COMPOSITION IN DEATH MINOR by K. G. Jewell. A high-end female assassin sent on a mission to the Jupiter moon of Callisto. The planet is under the control of your usual greedy corporation and the target is another woman who has stolen something that is harmful to the corporation. Throw in a world filled with health issues due to the environment and you get a remake of Total Recall with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Sorry, lacked imagination. I've seen this movie before. 2 stars
SPACEMAN BARBEQUE by Peter Wood. A spoof of the 1950's where UFO sightings were supposedly a daily occurrence. When one lands in the woods, the alien becomes part of society at the local eatery making barbequed pig while he waits for rescue. Funny, with a hint of sarcasm. 4 stars
OBSIDIANITE by Kat Otis. A space profiteer who lands on a planet named New Galilee where the settlement has been wiped out by a volcanic eruption. She seeks a piece of Galilean Obsidian. Of course, she has a competitor, her ex-husband who is your classic lousy guy, filled with the usual unredeemable faults. 3 stars
STARSHIP DOWN by Tracy Canfield. Although there are bunnies in this story, Watership Down it isn't. (A cute play on the title though). On a world filled with the dominant species as giant rabbits who only play and have sex, a scientist, with something akin to Star Trek's prime directive, is there to study them. Boredom and inquisitiveness lead to a change in her curriculum. Very imaginative. 5 stars
BACKSCATTER by Gregory Bedford. Lead with a burned-out star drive crashed on an alien asteroid, survival is the key ingredient and the only way to survive is a rescue. The problem is, no way to contact the rescue ship. Maybe somewhere, somehow, she can find an answer on the surface. 4 stars
A GAME OF HOLD 'EM by Wendy Sparrow. A Texan playing a dangerous game of Texas Hold 'Em. The gameplay is interesting but generally, it is the entire story. Outside of a setting on an alien world, this barely qualifies as science fiction. It's a meh. 2 stars
FROM A STONE by Eric Choi. An asteroid tumbling through the solar system has something strange about it. A newer looking meteor impact underneath an older one. That doesn't math out. Going down into this lower crater brings a surprise. Excellent technical details. The story leaves the reader with more questions at the end than there were at the beginning. 4 stars
CHARNELHOUSE by Jonathan Shipley. Underground catacombs on a foreign world are being studied with trying to understand the mystery of one empty room with the sudden appearance of an empty sarcophagus. A non-verbal alien race seems to know the answer, but aren't telling. You'll love the ending. 5 stars
BEAR ESSENTIALS by Julie Frost. This one felt like something out of the pulp magazines from the 30's. Space haulers with unusual cargo going to an unusual place. Through in a little intrigue and some weird religion and you get an old fashioned space thriller. 3.5 stars
THE VRINGLA/RACKET INCIDENT by Jacob Drud. An epistolary story, it's a short and comical microcosm examination of a small aspect of an alien invasion. You should get a laugh. 4 stars
A TRIP TO LAGASY by Barbara Davies. Quite simply, a female botanist Indiana Jones on an alien planet trying to find the elusive Strangler Orchid. Enter the arch-rival and the far too comparable references to Raiders Of The Lost Ark. Sorry, like a previous story here, just not original enough. 2 stars
SATURN SLINGSHOT by David Wesley Hill. More cargo haulers, only this time, the problem is pirates. Ar! Some decent details on the actual ship and the planned slingshot around Saturn for a speed boost combined with a hand to hand battle with the pirates make this swashbuckler entertaining. 4 stars
June 22, 2020
‘Far Orbit: Speculative Space Adventures’ was prompted by an open letter to SF from Elizabeth Bear in which she said that it was all getting too dark and miserable. While admitting that there was room for such dystopian visions, she opined for more of the optimistic, upbeat yarns of successful go-getters that had prevailed in the early decades of the genre, up to the sixties. Editor Bascomb James took up the challenge and produced this book, specifically to give us stories in the ‘Grand Tradition’.
The first story certainly features successful go-getters. ‘Open For Business’ might have been titled ‘The Men Who Sold Asteroid 2009 BT.’ Sam Kepfield has a trio of entrepreneurs launching an expedition to stake a claim to this mineral-rich celestial body. Memories of Heinlein are inevitably invoked but the story is fresh and entertaining in its own right. Furthermore, it might come true and soon.
There are a couple of SF trader tales in the grand tradition here. In ‘Obsidianite’, author Kat Obis gives us Janessa, a feisty female profit seeker and her pilot, Darion. They answer a distress call from the colony of New Galilee but find the mission complicated by her ex-husband and an exploding volcano. A good plot with a neat twist in the tail.
Bitter ex-partners and rivals feature again in ‘A Trip To Lagasy’ by Barbara Davies. This time it’s scientists after a rare plant. I note that both these stories of vile old boyfriends are by women but wisely make no comment.
More trading in ’Saturn Slingshot’. Space piracy is often deemed far-fetched but David Wesley Hill makes it believable. Powered by a solar sail, the good ship Serendipity makes decade long voyages between the inner planets, the Jovian moons and the Kuiper belt. Captain D’Angelo Jones was born onboard, like most of the crew, nearly all of whom are related to him by blood or marriage. The author has a lot of hard science to put over but manages most of the info dump smoothly in the first four pages, leaving the rest for the pirate attack. With the captain’s fearless fighting wife in danger, it evolves into a surprisingly stirring yarn. As the world turns increasingly to fantastical galactic space opera, I find myself fonder of feasible fables set in our own solar system. (Frank Ochieng doesn’t have a monopoly on alliteration in reviews.)
‘Bear Essentials’ by Julie Frost is light entertainment about another trading ship, this one with a family on board. With not much work about Russell Fisk contracts to transport a bear to a monastery where it will be worshipped. I was pleasantly reminded of ‘Space Family Stone’ and ‘Jerry Was A Man’ by Heinlein. Stories in the grand tradition are bound to remind you of the old greats.
Arthur C. Clark, for example, was brought to mind by ’From A Stone’. Writer Eric Choi is an aerospace engineer, which lends a distinct air of verisimilitude to his story. The Harrison Schmidt is sent to investigate a rock that may have come from outside the solar system and the crew finds some interesting features in it. In truth, it’s ‘Rendezvous With Rama’ on a small scale but nicely done. The disparaging references to ‘government science’ are odd to me. Privatised science didn’t get us into space, though it may take us on the next steps for profit and certainly wouldn’t bother with exploration out of sheer curiosity. At least, the pro/private industry attitude is accompanied in several stories by an honest appraisal of just how brutal and inhuman profit-seeking individuals and corporations can be given half a chance.
As an example, Martice, the ruthless, slave keeping businessman in ‘A Game Of Hold’em’ by Wendy Sparrow. Texan Moses and his partner Ajax are trying to get beef import contracts for their company on the barren, dusty world of Baru. To ingratiate them with Martice, top man round them there parts, Ajax arranges a game of poker. The stakes get higher and higher as the game progresses. A nitpicker might say this isn’t really SF, just a cowboy yarn set in space but, consarn it!, it’s a great story and that justifies its inclusion anywhere. It would have made a fine episode of the late lamented TV series ‘Firefly’.
Assassins are not sympathetic characters for me but K.G. Jewell’s ’Composition In Death Minor’ is an interesting tale with a few intriguing twists. Sophie Devine is on Callisto to kill a female named Quail who stole from her client. The technological background seems authentic, as does the harshness of space exploitation managed by private enterprise, at least for the people on the bottom of the heap.
The uplift needed after such grimness is provided by Peter Wood’s ’Spaceman Barbecue’. Hank lives in a trailer near Mentone, North Carolina, a town with three filling stations and six Baptist churches but no spaceport. This is disappointing for Commander Matt Brannigan of Space Command when he crashes his rocket nearby. Gung-ho warrior Matt inevitably – deliberately? – reminds one of Buzz Lightyear but the story is very readable and great fun.
Klingon Scholar Tracy Canfield won favourite of the year 2008 for her story ‘Starship Down’ in an ‘Analog’ readers poll. In a future where humanity has been accepted into a Coalition of Planets, albeit as a junior member, Okalini Yee is studying Bunnies on the planet Myosotis. These are sentient but stupid herbivores who stand three metres high on their back legs. Read it and you’ll soon see why smart, nerdy ‘Analog’ readers would like this one. I did, too. (Isn’t it time ‘Analog’ went digital?)
‘Backscatter’ by Gregory Benford is hard, cold SF about a prospector stuck on a lonely asteroid after her ship crashes. ‘Charnelhouse’ is an alien tomb mystery by Jonathan Shipley. ‘The Vringla/Racket Incident’ is an amusing tale of alien babysitters told in letters by Jacob Drud. These round out the collection.
A jolly fine collection it is, too, a worthy response to Elizabeth Bear’s call to arms. The stories certainly fit into the ‘Grand Tradition’ and if that’s the kind of stuff you like – I do! – then it’s worth your money.
Eamonn Murphy
This review first appeared at https://www.sfcrowsnest.info/
The first story certainly features successful go-getters. ‘Open For Business’ might have been titled ‘The Men Who Sold Asteroid 2009 BT.’ Sam Kepfield has a trio of entrepreneurs launching an expedition to stake a claim to this mineral-rich celestial body. Memories of Heinlein are inevitably invoked but the story is fresh and entertaining in its own right. Furthermore, it might come true and soon.
There are a couple of SF trader tales in the grand tradition here. In ‘Obsidianite’, author Kat Obis gives us Janessa, a feisty female profit seeker and her pilot, Darion. They answer a distress call from the colony of New Galilee but find the mission complicated by her ex-husband and an exploding volcano. A good plot with a neat twist in the tail.
Bitter ex-partners and rivals feature again in ‘A Trip To Lagasy’ by Barbara Davies. This time it’s scientists after a rare plant. I note that both these stories of vile old boyfriends are by women but wisely make no comment.
More trading in ’Saturn Slingshot’. Space piracy is often deemed far-fetched but David Wesley Hill makes it believable. Powered by a solar sail, the good ship Serendipity makes decade long voyages between the inner planets, the Jovian moons and the Kuiper belt. Captain D’Angelo Jones was born onboard, like most of the crew, nearly all of whom are related to him by blood or marriage. The author has a lot of hard science to put over but manages most of the info dump smoothly in the first four pages, leaving the rest for the pirate attack. With the captain’s fearless fighting wife in danger, it evolves into a surprisingly stirring yarn. As the world turns increasingly to fantastical galactic space opera, I find myself fonder of feasible fables set in our own solar system. (Frank Ochieng doesn’t have a monopoly on alliteration in reviews.)
‘Bear Essentials’ by Julie Frost is light entertainment about another trading ship, this one with a family on board. With not much work about Russell Fisk contracts to transport a bear to a monastery where it will be worshipped. I was pleasantly reminded of ‘Space Family Stone’ and ‘Jerry Was A Man’ by Heinlein. Stories in the grand tradition are bound to remind you of the old greats.
Arthur C. Clark, for example, was brought to mind by ’From A Stone’. Writer Eric Choi is an aerospace engineer, which lends a distinct air of verisimilitude to his story. The Harrison Schmidt is sent to investigate a rock that may have come from outside the solar system and the crew finds some interesting features in it. In truth, it’s ‘Rendezvous With Rama’ on a small scale but nicely done. The disparaging references to ‘government science’ are odd to me. Privatised science didn’t get us into space, though it may take us on the next steps for profit and certainly wouldn’t bother with exploration out of sheer curiosity. At least, the pro/private industry attitude is accompanied in several stories by an honest appraisal of just how brutal and inhuman profit-seeking individuals and corporations can be given half a chance.
As an example, Martice, the ruthless, slave keeping businessman in ‘A Game Of Hold’em’ by Wendy Sparrow. Texan Moses and his partner Ajax are trying to get beef import contracts for their company on the barren, dusty world of Baru. To ingratiate them with Martice, top man round them there parts, Ajax arranges a game of poker. The stakes get higher and higher as the game progresses. A nitpicker might say this isn’t really SF, just a cowboy yarn set in space but, consarn it!, it’s a great story and that justifies its inclusion anywhere. It would have made a fine episode of the late lamented TV series ‘Firefly’.
Assassins are not sympathetic characters for me but K.G. Jewell’s ’Composition In Death Minor’ is an interesting tale with a few intriguing twists. Sophie Devine is on Callisto to kill a female named Quail who stole from her client. The technological background seems authentic, as does the harshness of space exploitation managed by private enterprise, at least for the people on the bottom of the heap.
The uplift needed after such grimness is provided by Peter Wood’s ’Spaceman Barbecue’. Hank lives in a trailer near Mentone, North Carolina, a town with three filling stations and six Baptist churches but no spaceport. This is disappointing for Commander Matt Brannigan of Space Command when he crashes his rocket nearby. Gung-ho warrior Matt inevitably – deliberately? – reminds one of Buzz Lightyear but the story is very readable and great fun.
Klingon Scholar Tracy Canfield won favourite of the year 2008 for her story ‘Starship Down’ in an ‘Analog’ readers poll. In a future where humanity has been accepted into a Coalition of Planets, albeit as a junior member, Okalini Yee is studying Bunnies on the planet Myosotis. These are sentient but stupid herbivores who stand three metres high on their back legs. Read it and you’ll soon see why smart, nerdy ‘Analog’ readers would like this one. I did, too. (Isn’t it time ‘Analog’ went digital?)
‘Backscatter’ by Gregory Benford is hard, cold SF about a prospector stuck on a lonely asteroid after her ship crashes. ‘Charnelhouse’ is an alien tomb mystery by Jonathan Shipley. ‘The Vringla/Racket Incident’ is an amusing tale of alien babysitters told in letters by Jacob Drud. These round out the collection.
A jolly fine collection it is, too, a worthy response to Elizabeth Bear’s call to arms. The stories certainly fit into the ‘Grand Tradition’ and if that’s the kind of stuff you like – I do! – then it’s worth your money.
Eamonn Murphy
This review first appeared at https://www.sfcrowsnest.info/
March 19, 2016
I needed this book. I didn't realize how much I needed it until I started reading the stories and realized I was mentally prepping myself for all negative outcomes. Sci-Fi has become littered with depressing stories and this book was just the antidote I needed for all that negativity.
Almost every story in this book left me feeling better than before I had read it. They are upbeat and hopeful about humanities chances without being sappy. There's still death and destruction, but you root for your heroes and don't feel traumatized afterwards.
Also, while every story deals with space, each story has a different aspect of space Sci-Fi. One story has a contemporary location and technology. One story is about space pirates. Another story is about space cowboys. There is so much variation on the theme of Positive Space Sci-Fi. It's awesome!
So if you're tired of scary, judgmental Sci-Fi, or if you want a collection of good reads, I highly recommend Far Orbit from World Weaver Press. I was so happy to read this book. It was a buoy in a time of grim, dark reads.
Almost every story in this book left me feeling better than before I had read it. They are upbeat and hopeful about humanities chances without being sappy. There's still death and destruction, but you root for your heroes and don't feel traumatized afterwards.
Also, while every story deals with space, each story has a different aspect of space Sci-Fi. One story has a contemporary location and technology. One story is about space pirates. Another story is about space cowboys. There is so much variation on the theme of Positive Space Sci-Fi. It's awesome!
So if you're tired of scary, judgmental Sci-Fi, or if you want a collection of good reads, I highly recommend Far Orbit from World Weaver Press. I was so happy to read this book. It was a buoy in a time of grim, dark reads.
August 31, 2014
Well, that was fun!
Late this afternoon, I bought Far Orbit, an anthology of "Speculative Space Adventures," edited by Bascomb James, to keep me company over the three-day Labor Day Weekend. Short stories, after all. Easy to put down and pick up again. Now what? Because I just finished it, swallowing it in almost one sitting (there was that pesky interruption of dinner).
Thirteen short stories, and not a clinker in the bunch. The book begins with an open letter from Elizabeth Bear to SF, reminding the genre that it's okay to have a sense of humor, to "...have a little pleasure again." And then the rest of the book goes on to prove just how good that can be.
Read the rest of the review at http://bit.ly/So3M2y
Late this afternoon, I bought Far Orbit, an anthology of "Speculative Space Adventures," edited by Bascomb James, to keep me company over the three-day Labor Day Weekend. Short stories, after all. Easy to put down and pick up again. Now what? Because I just finished it, swallowing it in almost one sitting (there was that pesky interruption of dinner).
Thirteen short stories, and not a clinker in the bunch. The book begins with an open letter from Elizabeth Bear to SF, reminding the genre that it's okay to have a sense of humor, to "...have a little pleasure again." And then the rest of the book goes on to prove just how good that can be.
Read the rest of the review at http://bit.ly/So3M2y
December 29, 2019
Open for Business by Sam S. Kepfield - 4 stars
Composition in Death Minor by K.G. Jewell - 3 stars
Spaceman Barbecue by Peter Wood- 5 stars
Obsidianite by Kat Otis - 1 star
Starship Down by Tracy Canfield - 1 star
Backscatter by Gregory Benford - 3 stars
A Game of Hold'em by Wendy Sparrow - 5 stars
From a Stone by Eric Choi - 1 star
Charnelhouse by Jonathan Shipley - 3 stars
Bear Essentials by Julie Frost - 2 stars
The Vringla/Racket Incident by Jakob Drud - 4 stars
A Trip to Lagasy by Barbara Davies - 3 stars
Saturn Slingshot by David Wesley Hill - 1 star
Composition in Death Minor by K.G. Jewell - 3 stars
Spaceman Barbecue by Peter Wood- 5 stars
Obsidianite by Kat Otis - 1 star
Starship Down by Tracy Canfield - 1 star
Backscatter by Gregory Benford - 3 stars
A Game of Hold'em by Wendy Sparrow - 5 stars
From a Stone by Eric Choi - 1 star
Charnelhouse by Jonathan Shipley - 3 stars
Bear Essentials by Julie Frost - 2 stars
The Vringla/Racket Incident by Jakob Drud - 4 stars
A Trip to Lagasy by Barbara Davies - 3 stars
Saturn Slingshot by David Wesley Hill - 1 star
December 31, 2014
Reminds me of the kind of Science Fiction I loved back in high school--smart, fun, sometimes funny, with great characters and a plot that is more important than the science (although the science is there, too!) My absolute favorite story is "Spaceman Barbeque," but I'm a bit partial to Southern fiction. If you're a fan of Star Wars, Star Trek, Dune, Farscape, or even Heavy Metal (the movie), you'll LOVE Far Orbit!
April 13, 2014
This anthology is a great mix of various SF subgenres with a story for everyone. Each story is unique while echoing some aspect of Grand Tradition SF. Thoroughly entertaining and fun.
October 17, 2023
I grew up on Asimov, Heinlein, and Clarke, and this selection of short stories took me back to the kind of stories I read then. A very enjoyable read.
December 21, 2019
This was a better collection of stories than the last anthology. This was not a surprise, as several of these authors were not new to publication. Spaceman Barbecue was light and frothy, harking back to the Golden Age. Backscatter, by Gregory Benford, was classic science fiction. The others were reasonably good, which is why I sped through it. Now it's on to Volume 2.
October 6, 2020
Outstanding
Above average anthology, especially at this price. I wish more of the good authors in this collection had novels published though
Above average anthology, especially at this price. I wish more of the good authors in this collection had novels published though
March 8, 2021
Not really my cup of tea. Nothing stood out, but I didn't need to skip anything. Nothing too deep. Essentially recent stories in old styles, so think the 1950s or thereabouts.
July 3, 2015
Far Orbit delivers on its promise: stories in the SciFi Grand Tradition, of hope and happiness and a bright future. I was especially interested to read the open letter to speculative fiction that laments the recent trend of darkness in the genres.
That being said, I'm a big fan of dark stuff. Horror, sometimes, if it's not gross, but mostly the deep stuff that makes you think. Or maybe makes you cry. Perhaps even the stuff the open letter refers to.
But just because something is lighter or ends on a happy note doesn't mean it's fluff. These stories are about something more--they explore character depth and diverse, fascinating situations.
My favorites were "Obsidianite," which was the most emotionally striking; "The Vringla/Racket Incident," which made me chuckle; and "Starship Down," whose alien life forms struck me as cool, since I'm a sucker for a good alien-life-form story.
That being said, I'm a big fan of dark stuff. Horror, sometimes, if it's not gross, but mostly the deep stuff that makes you think. Or maybe makes you cry. Perhaps even the stuff the open letter refers to.
But just because something is lighter or ends on a happy note doesn't mean it's fluff. These stories are about something more--they explore character depth and diverse, fascinating situations.
My favorites were "Obsidianite," which was the most emotionally striking; "The Vringla/Racket Incident," which made me chuckle; and "Starship Down," whose alien life forms struck me as cool, since I'm a sucker for a good alien-life-form story.
November 1, 2015
I have never been a Sci Fi reader, but was I was able to read a manuscript by Jonathan Shipley. Now, I read everything available from this writer. His characters are detailed and memorable. He brings strong, forceful, intelligent women to life. One of my favorite's characters is a vampire by the name of "Anton." Anton is soulful and deep. His proper English Witch "Aunt P" appears in "It Came from her purse." This is a must read.
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