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InterGalactic Medicine Show: Big Book of SF Novelettes
Welcome to the surprisingly potent world of the novelette. Too long to be a short story, too short to be a novel: the award-winning magazine Orson Scott Card’s InterGalactic Medicine Show (IGMS) has been an online haven for this powerful form of storytelling since 2005. Now the magazine’s editors have selected their all-time favorite science fiction novelettes and gathered them together in one Big Book of reading pleasure: IGMS: Big Book of SF Novelettes.
Anything that is remotely possible: Futures near and far, artificial intelligence and alien encounters, alternate time-lines and alternate theories about creating universes, planet-eating black holes and lunar race-tracks. It’s all here, under the big tent of Orson Scott Card’s InterGalactic Medicine Show…
Featuring stories by award-winning authors including Orson Scott Card, Wayne Wightman, Aliette de Bodard, Eric James Stone, Mary Robinette Kowal, Stephen Kotowych, Jackie Gamber, Greg Siewert, Jamie Todd Rubin, Brad Torgersen, and Marina J. Lostetter, plus an all-new original essay by Orson Scott Card called "Making Ender Smart."
Anything that is remotely possible: Futures near and far, artificial intelligence and alien encounters, alternate time-lines and alternate theories about creating universes, planet-eating black holes and lunar race-tracks. It’s all here, under the big tent of Orson Scott Card’s InterGalactic Medicine Show…
Featuring stories by award-winning authors including Orson Scott Card, Wayne Wightman, Aliette de Bodard, Eric James Stone, Mary Robinette Kowal, Stephen Kotowych, Jackie Gamber, Greg Siewert, Jamie Todd Rubin, Brad Torgersen, and Marina J. Lostetter, plus an all-new original essay by Orson Scott Card called "Making Ender Smart."
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 5, 2013
7 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
About the author
Orson Scott Card
881 books20.8k followersOrson Scott Card is an American writer known best for his science fiction works. He is (as of 2023) the only person to have won a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award in consecutive years, winning both awards for his novel Ender's Game (1985) and its sequel Speaker for the Dead (1986). A feature film adaptation of Ender's Game, which Card co-produced, was released in 2013. Card also wrote the Locus Fantasy Award-winning series The Tales of Alvin Maker (1987–2003).
Card's fiction often features characters with exceptional gifts who make difficult choices with high stakes. Card has also written political, religious, and social commentary in his columns and other writing; his opposition to homosexuality has provoked public criticism.
Card, who is a great-great-grandson of Brigham Young, was born in Richland, Washington, and grew up in Utah and California. While he was a student at Brigham Young University (BYU), his plays were performed on stage. He served in Brazil as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and headed a community theater for two summers. Card had 27 short stories published between 1978 and 1979, and he won the John W. Campbell Award for best new writer in 1978. He earned a master's degree in English from the University of Utah in 1981 and wrote novels in science fiction, fantasy, non-fiction, and historical fiction genres starting in 1979. Card continued to write prolifically, and he has published over 50 novels and 45 short stories.
Card teaches English at Southern Virginia University; he has written two books on creative writing and serves as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest. He has taught many successful writers at his "literary boot camps". He remains a practicing member of the LDS Church and Mormon fiction writers Stephenie Meyer, Brandon Sanderson, and Dave Wolverton have cited his works as a major influence.
Card's fiction often features characters with exceptional gifts who make difficult choices with high stakes. Card has also written political, religious, and social commentary in his columns and other writing; his opposition to homosexuality has provoked public criticism.
Card, who is a great-great-grandson of Brigham Young, was born in Richland, Washington, and grew up in Utah and California. While he was a student at Brigham Young University (BYU), his plays were performed on stage. He served in Brazil as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and headed a community theater for two summers. Card had 27 short stories published between 1978 and 1979, and he won the John W. Campbell Award for best new writer in 1978. He earned a master's degree in English from the University of Utah in 1981 and wrote novels in science fiction, fantasy, non-fiction, and historical fiction genres starting in 1979. Card continued to write prolifically, and he has published over 50 novels and 45 short stories.
Card teaches English at Southern Virginia University; he has written two books on creative writing and serves as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest. He has taught many successful writers at his "literary boot camps". He remains a practicing member of the LDS Church and Mormon fiction writers Stephenie Meyer, Brandon Sanderson, and Dave Wolverton have cited his works as a major influence.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 22, 2016
A solid collection of novelettes from the Intergalactic Medicine show online magazine:
“Sojourn for Ephah” – Religion and science clash in a far future when a monk rescues an alien with celestial powers. Very philosophical and memorable, although the ending did not ‘wow’ me.
“Brutal Interlude” – Depiction of a near-future society obsessed with reality television, violent rock music, and celebrity culture. Somewhat entertaining at first, but it runs too long and begins to sound like it was written by someone’s stuffy grandparent.
“Under the Shield” – An alternate universe in which Nikola Tesla invents the first weapon of mass destruction, the Bolshevik Revolution never occurs, and a World War breaks out between America and Czarist Russia. Thought-provoking, with a nice little mystery story embedded.
“Hologram Bride” – A young woman’s only chance to escape a dying Earth is a forced-match marriage with an alien. At first, the aliens seemed just essentially green-skinned humans with similar societies, customs, and biology as us. Stick with it, however, and different sexual nuances eventually become apparent. Still, the story reaches no farther than to be a thinly veiled narrative about overcoming prejudice. It could have benefited from more vigorous world-building.
“The Curse of Sally Tincakes” – A young hover-bike racer wants to become the first female to win the Armstrong Cup on the moon. There is not much science fiction in this simple story, other than the lunar setting, but the author gains a lot of mileage through effective character relationships.
“The Absence of Stars” – The strongest story in the book, and the closest to “hard” sci-fi. Pluto disappears as a result of a collision with a black hole the size of a basketball.
“Making Ender Smart” – Orson Scott Card narrates his insightful essay about how to make fictional characters seem smart. Includes a discussion about how Card drew leadership principles from his own life experience.
“Mazer in Prison” – A ‘must read’ for fans of the Ender series. Occurs between the 2nd and 3rd Formic Wars.
“When I Kissed the Learned Astronomer” – A light and fluffy cross between romantic comedy and first contact story.
“Body Language” – One of the strongest stories in the collection. Explores the impact artificial intelligence could have on performance art and law enforcement, plus it’s an effective thriller as well.
“Tabloid Reporter to the Stars” – I have read this story twice in other places, and I never liked it, but it improves thanks to strong audio narration.
“On Horizon’s Shores” – A challenging story operating on several levels. Two married xeno-biologists encounter an alien race so different from humans that they must actually change their bodies on a molecular level in order to find understanding. Against the backdrop of these biological changes, one xeno-biologist realizes his wife has changed emotionally as well, and their marriage may be over. This story is frustrating because so many questions go unanswered, but of course that is ultimately the whole theme—relationships are deep and changing and unknowable.
“Sojourn for Ephah” – Religion and science clash in a far future when a monk rescues an alien with celestial powers. Very philosophical and memorable, although the ending did not ‘wow’ me.
“Brutal Interlude” – Depiction of a near-future society obsessed with reality television, violent rock music, and celebrity culture. Somewhat entertaining at first, but it runs too long and begins to sound like it was written by someone’s stuffy grandparent.
“Under the Shield” – An alternate universe in which Nikola Tesla invents the first weapon of mass destruction, the Bolshevik Revolution never occurs, and a World War breaks out between America and Czarist Russia. Thought-provoking, with a nice little mystery story embedded.
“Hologram Bride” – A young woman’s only chance to escape a dying Earth is a forced-match marriage with an alien. At first, the aliens seemed just essentially green-skinned humans with similar societies, customs, and biology as us. Stick with it, however, and different sexual nuances eventually become apparent. Still, the story reaches no farther than to be a thinly veiled narrative about overcoming prejudice. It could have benefited from more vigorous world-building.
“The Curse of Sally Tincakes” – A young hover-bike racer wants to become the first female to win the Armstrong Cup on the moon. There is not much science fiction in this simple story, other than the lunar setting, but the author gains a lot of mileage through effective character relationships.
“The Absence of Stars” – The strongest story in the book, and the closest to “hard” sci-fi. Pluto disappears as a result of a collision with a black hole the size of a basketball.
“Making Ender Smart” – Orson Scott Card narrates his insightful essay about how to make fictional characters seem smart. Includes a discussion about how Card drew leadership principles from his own life experience.
“Mazer in Prison” – A ‘must read’ for fans of the Ender series. Occurs between the 2nd and 3rd Formic Wars.
“When I Kissed the Learned Astronomer” – A light and fluffy cross between romantic comedy and first contact story.
“Body Language” – One of the strongest stories in the collection. Explores the impact artificial intelligence could have on performance art and law enforcement, plus it’s an effective thriller as well.
“Tabloid Reporter to the Stars” – I have read this story twice in other places, and I never liked it, but it improves thanks to strong audio narration.
“On Horizon’s Shores” – A challenging story operating on several levels. Two married xeno-biologists encounter an alien race so different from humans that they must actually change their bodies on a molecular level in order to find understanding. Against the backdrop of these biological changes, one xeno-biologist realizes his wife has changed emotionally as well, and their marriage may be over. This story is frustrating because so many questions go unanswered, but of course that is ultimately the whole theme—relationships are deep and changing and unknowable.
March 21, 2025
Estaba algo preocupada porque pensé que iban a hacer historias médicas como terroríficas pero en verdad son bastante interesantes tranquilas e incluso muy espirituales.
November 13, 2020
As usual for anthologies, some are good, some are not. A few verge into fantasy instead of sci-fi, if that matters. A couple were strong right up to the end when they nosedived.
Sojourn for Ephah • (2012) • novelette by Marina J. Lostetter = 2.5 stars (mostly good/weird; terrible ending)
Brutal Interlude • (2011) • novelette by Wayne Wightman = 3 stars (but hated the end)
Under the Shield • (2011) • novelette by Stephen Kotowych = 1 star (blah)
Hologram Bride • (2009) • novella by Jackie Gamber = 4 stars
The Curse of Sally Tincakes • (2012) • novelette by Brad R. Torgersen = 3 stars
The Absence of Stars • (2009) • novelette by Greg Siewert = 4 stars
Making Ender Smart • essay by Orson Scott Card = 1 star
Mazer in Prison • [Ender's Universe] • (2005) • novelette by Orson Scott Card = 3 stars
When I Kissed the Learned Astronomer • (2007) • novelette by Jamie Todd Rubin = 4 stars
Body Language • (2009) • novelette by Mary Robinette Kowal = 3 stars
Tabloid Reporter to the Stars • (2007) • novelette by Eric James Stone = 4 stars
On Horizon's Shores • (2009) • novelette by Aliette de Bodard = 2.5 stars (another rough ending)
All of the audiobook narrators did a good job.
Sojourn for Ephah • (2012) • novelette by Marina J. Lostetter = 2.5 stars (mostly good/weird; terrible ending)
Brutal Interlude • (2011) • novelette by Wayne Wightman = 3 stars (but hated the end)
Under the Shield • (2011) • novelette by Stephen Kotowych = 1 star (blah)
Hologram Bride • (2009) • novella by Jackie Gamber = 4 stars
The Curse of Sally Tincakes • (2012) • novelette by Brad R. Torgersen = 3 stars
The Absence of Stars • (2009) • novelette by Greg Siewert = 4 stars
Making Ender Smart • essay by Orson Scott Card = 1 star
Mazer in Prison • [Ender's Universe] • (2005) • novelette by Orson Scott Card = 3 stars
When I Kissed the Learned Astronomer • (2007) • novelette by Jamie Todd Rubin = 4 stars
Body Language • (2009) • novelette by Mary Robinette Kowal = 3 stars
Tabloid Reporter to the Stars • (2007) • novelette by Eric James Stone = 4 stars
On Horizon's Shores • (2009) • novelette by Aliette de Bodard = 2.5 stars (another rough ending)
All of the audiobook narrators did a good job.
April 18, 2023
18 Another anthology of longer form short stories. Much better than the first that I read from the Orson Scott Card’s editorship. My favourites were Hologram Bride by Jackie Gamber “She shuffled inside. Her dress was a robe, and it hung off her frame and puddled around her feet, looking made for someone twice her size. Maybe over time she'd shrunk inside it and hadn't noticed. Her spine was arched, her hands withered.. But by far the best for me was Body Language by Mary Robinette Kowal. ”You can have control, but you won't have eDawg. Not unless it moves like me."
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November 6, 2023I took this out for Mary Robinette Kowal's Body Language.
I skimmed through a few other stories, but didn't settle to anything but Mary Robinette's story. Loved how her life as a puppeteer and voice artist informs this sci-fi story.
I skimmed through a few other stories, but didn't settle to anything but Mary Robinette's story. Loved how her life as a puppeteer and voice artist informs this sci-fi story.
June 13, 2018
I forgot I hadn't finished this. Read into that what you will.
December 10, 2019
Here are some very good short stories, and some not-so-good stories. A couple of the stories are by Card, even placed in the setting of the Ender's Game universe. Most are by other authors.
March 22, 2022
Enjoyed most of these! Don't read the last story last. "Tabloid Reporter to the Stars" ended up feeling like a very elaborate Ted and Fred joke but not entirely in a bad way
July 29, 2022
Good stories.
March 4, 2024
Et par av historiene var veldig bra!
September 16, 2015
This collection was a mixed bag. I will say that all of the audiobook narrators were excellent, which helped tremendously on those stories that seemed to be twice as long as they needed to be. For me, the split worked out to about a 1/3 being great, a 1/3 being tolerable, and a 1/3 being exercises in frustration. Card's essay about the writing process behind the Ender series really did not belong in this collection, but it was an overall interesting experience that allowed me to sample some authors new to me.
March 16, 2015
It's hard to rate an anthology. I'd give "Sojourn for Ephah" six stars if I could -- one of the best novelettes I've ever read.
Of twelve stories, there were two that didn't work for me and one I felt meh about -- so overall, nine great stories. It was especially fun to read a story about high-tech and high-stakes puppets from Mary Robinette Kowal, a professional puppeteer. Lots of great stuff.
Anyone who wants to borrow my copy, I annotated the TOC with individual ratings for stories.
Of twelve stories, there were two that didn't work for me and one I felt meh about -- so overall, nine great stories. It was especially fun to read a story about high-tech and high-stakes puppets from Mary Robinette Kowal, a professional puppeteer. Lots of great stuff.
Anyone who wants to borrow my copy, I annotated the TOC with individual ratings for stories.
October 11, 2016
Overall quality of selections: 3 stars.
“Sojourn for Ephah” = 3 stars
“Brutal Interlude” = 4 stars
“Under the Shield” = 2 stars
“Hologram Bride” = 2 stars
“The Curse of Sally Tincakes” = 1 star
“The Absence of Stars” = 3 stars
“Essay: Making Ender Smart” = 5 stars
“Mazer in Prison” = 3 stars
“When I Kissed the Learned Astronomer” = 2 stars
“Body Language” = 2 stars
“Tabloid Reporter to the Stars” = 1 star
“On Horizon’s Shores” = 4 stars
“Sojourn for Ephah” = 3 stars
“Brutal Interlude” = 4 stars
“Under the Shield” = 2 stars
“Hologram Bride” = 2 stars
“The Curse of Sally Tincakes” = 1 star
“The Absence of Stars” = 3 stars
“Essay: Making Ender Smart” = 5 stars
“Mazer in Prison” = 3 stars
“When I Kissed the Learned Astronomer” = 2 stars
“Body Language” = 2 stars
“Tabloid Reporter to the Stars” = 1 star
“On Horizon’s Shores” = 4 stars
February 9, 2015
Excellent compilation. Most of the novelettes deserve five stars. I gave the book as a whole four of five stars because two stories rated three stars and one rated two.
All I have to add is this: "Damn! Elvis!?" You'll get it if you read it. And you must.
All I have to add is this: "Damn! Elvis!?" You'll get it if you read it. And you must.
December 30, 2015
Fun and quick collection of short stories from various authors. Some are REALLY good. I also found the essay and the short story by Card pertaining to Ender's Game very interesting and well worth the read.
April 23, 2014
A good compilation but to be honest I liked the first novellas best I think the first and second one were my favorites by far.
October 13, 2014
favorite entries (no particular order):
-Hologram Bride
-Making Ender Smart
-Tabloid Reporter to the Stars
-Sojourn for Ephah
-Absence of Stars
-Hologram Bride
-Making Ender Smart
-Tabloid Reporter to the Stars
-Sojourn for Ephah
-Absence of Stars
October 2, 2015
The best ideas I have ever read. Very good collection.
December 3, 2015
Some of these stories were fantastic and I didn't want them to end. Other stories were rather dull. An interesting variety and worth the time if you like science fiction.
February 17, 2016
Read: "Making Ender Smart" essay, "Mazer in Prison." Attempted other stories not related to the Enderverse, but nothing held my attention long enough to finish.
October 28, 2016
Nice collection of stories. The Absence of Stars was by far my favorite! And Sojourn for Ephah was a close second. These two alone made it worth the read.
June 23, 2015
A real mixed bag of stories.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews