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Bikes in Space Volume 2
The second anthology of feminist-cycling-science-fiction short stories.
93 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
October 12, 2015
I don't quite remember how I found out about this Kickstarter, but Elly Blue, a Portland based publisher of cycling books and a regular 'zine, was requesting funding for her second anthology of feminist, cycling, science-fiction: Bikes in Space Volume II. Or "that dykes on bikes book" as a colleague hilariously referred to it when it arrived in the post. While it's certainly not my usual fare, it sounded like an intriguing enough combination – and I do like cycling, science-fiction, and women – so I signed up to get a copy of the anthology and a copy of Blue's previously published non-fiction book on cycling economics.
Unsure what to expect, I was picturing a 'zine as a low quality, hastily photocopied-and-stapled pile of A4 pages folded in half to make a 'book'. Instead what I got was a small, but elegantly printed and bound book. I'm unconvinced that the quality is anywhere near what I think of when I hear 'zine but I suppose that's the publisher's choice. The collection is a selection of, mostly, female authors (there appears to be one token male in there) presenting short stories featuring cycling in a science-fiction genre.
As with any anthology you're going to like some of them more than others, and this is no different. There are stories featuring cycle couriers of the future, races against Amazon drones, tales of daredevil races, depressing futures where cyclists have to wear full body armour, dystopias of older generations cycling off into the sunset and more. Strangely the one story I was expecting was the ideal of a golden age of the future where cycling is clearly the transport of choice simply because society has evolved to the point where they've all caught up with us... That said, there wasn't a single story that I didn't enjoy at all.
Does a male reader get to comment on how well the stories met the feminist brief? He probably shouldn't, although he's going to seeing as he paid his money and read, and enjoyed, it. None of the stories actually came off as particularly feministy at all – sure they all had female protagonists, and those protagonists weren't damsels in distress or Amazonian fantasies (well, except maybe in the first story) – but it didn't feel preachy, or like it was trying too hard to be political. Instead it was just a collection of enjoyable cycling-based science-fiction stories that just happened to feature female characters, and it's probably the better for it.
Unsure what to expect, I was picturing a 'zine as a low quality, hastily photocopied-and-stapled pile of A4 pages folded in half to make a 'book'. Instead what I got was a small, but elegantly printed and bound book. I'm unconvinced that the quality is anywhere near what I think of when I hear 'zine but I suppose that's the publisher's choice. The collection is a selection of, mostly, female authors (there appears to be one token male in there) presenting short stories featuring cycling in a science-fiction genre.
As with any anthology you're going to like some of them more than others, and this is no different. There are stories featuring cycle couriers of the future, races against Amazon drones, tales of daredevil races, depressing futures where cyclists have to wear full body armour, dystopias of older generations cycling off into the sunset and more. Strangely the one story I was expecting was the ideal of a golden age of the future where cycling is clearly the transport of choice simply because society has evolved to the point where they've all caught up with us... That said, there wasn't a single story that I didn't enjoy at all.
Does a male reader get to comment on how well the stories met the feminist brief? He probably shouldn't, although he's going to seeing as he paid his money and read, and enjoyed, it. None of the stories actually came off as particularly feministy at all – sure they all had female protagonists, and those protagonists weren't damsels in distress or Amazonian fantasies (well, except maybe in the first story) – but it didn't feel preachy, or like it was trying too hard to be political. Instead it was just a collection of enjoyable cycling-based science-fiction stories that just happened to feature female characters, and it's probably the better for it.
November 22, 2017
Tässä toisessa Bikes in Space -antologiassa on pitkälti sama meininki kuin ensimmäisessäkin: synkkiä postapokalypseja tai dystopioita. Juonenkehittely tuntuu monissa novelleissa jääneen vähän vajaaksi.
October 5, 2017
What a great little book! The book is a series of short stories. The stories are all set in the future and all have bikes in someway. I enjoyed this book a lot. Now I want to find an old bicycle, start riding again while singing "Born to be Wild" as I pedal away! Thank you Goodreads Giveaway.
September 28, 2017
(I won this book in a GoodReads giveaway)
I wasn't sure what this book was all about when it arrived, but bicycles + feminism turns out to be really great for story telling. It's a small book with little stories, but they all pack a serious punch in such a small space. I hope there are more volumes of this series!
I wasn't sure what this book was all about when it arrived, but bicycles + feminism turns out to be really great for story telling. It's a small book with little stories, but they all pack a serious punch in such a small space. I hope there are more volumes of this series!
February 3, 2019
Veldig sjarmerende novellesamling om kvinner, sykler og fremtiden. Kjøpte den for 40 kroner utafor en kiosk i Spanish Harlem, og føler jeg fikk valuta for penga og vel så dét. Jeg har ikke mye mer å si om boka, men jeg ser fram til å sjekke ut forfatterne som skrev novellene.
August 19, 2015
Super fun and creative and thoughtful!
March 27, 2020
What a little gem this book was! I swear it did for more me than intended and here's why: I came across it at the AWP book fair, my first time going, and I was just intrigued by the whole Microcosm Publishing table. It was so colorful, so fun, so not mainstream. You know how the novel Moxie has 'zines' as a big part of it? Those little subversive 'booklets,' if you will? Well, the Microcosm Publishing table was full of zines and it was such a thrill to come across something I haven't seen marketed everywhere and this book was a bit like that. It's a collection of flash fiction length pieces all set in the future and each has a bike in it somehow, and they were all brilliant! Not one of them was boring (you know how in short story collections, there is usually one where you're like ok... let's move along? Not here.)
Bikes in Space is printed by an imprint of Microcosm Publishing - Taking the Lane and now I'm legit obsessed (and have started bike riding again) because look at these quirky, fun titles: The Culinary Cyclist, Pedal Stretch Breathe (Basic yoga for people who ride bikes), Four Paws Two Wheels (dogs who love to go by bike, dogs that refuse to get near a bike, and dogs that chase bikes) and so on and so forth.
It's like a whole, fun new world of publishing has just opened up to me and I'm super excited about it! (so much so that I just ordered $80 worth of of booklets and zines from Microcosm!
Bikes in Space is printed by an imprint of Microcosm Publishing - Taking the Lane and now I'm legit obsessed (and have started bike riding again) because look at these quirky, fun titles: The Culinary Cyclist, Pedal Stretch Breathe (Basic yoga for people who ride bikes), Four Paws Two Wheels (dogs who love to go by bike, dogs that refuse to get near a bike, and dogs that chase bikes) and so on and so forth.
It's like a whole, fun new world of publishing has just opened up to me and I'm super excited about it! (so much so that I just ordered $80 worth of of booklets and zines from Microcosm!
October 28, 2017
Bikes in Space is back with another dozen smart, intersectional takes on the future, from near to distant, hopeful to disastrous, tragic to hilarious—all inhabited by badass women on bicycles! A bike messenger races toward glory, fueled by vegan donuts. A woman pedals across a nuclear wasteland for the chance to choose her own future—and identity. A young girl is the only person in her village who doesn't ride a bike. The world must face the consequences of most epic butt dial in the history of the galaxy. And many more!
October 13, 2017
I received a copy of Bikes in Space: More Feminist Bicycle Science Fiction through Goodreads giveaways.
Flash fiction at the intersection of feminism and bicycling. Intriguing starting point, very Portland. I struggle to have strong opinions about flash fiction as it's too short for me to get emotionally invested and few writers have the skill to pull it off in the first place. I wish some of the stories were much longer.
Flash fiction at the intersection of feminism and bicycling. Intriguing starting point, very Portland. I struggle to have strong opinions about flash fiction as it's too short for me to get emotionally invested and few writers have the skill to pull it off in the first place. I wish some of the stories were much longer.
January 13, 2018
I really enjoyed and recommend this engaging collection of 12 short stories. Although labeled “feminist Sci FI” because the stories are by women and about female characters, this collection is for all Sci FI and short story fans. Subjects span where old is new again, young coming of age, or a race against the drones. Of course the stories include multiple ages, times, status and locations. Enjoy!
October 11, 2017
I won this little "zine" in a Goodreads giveaway and I loved it. The volume is the perfect size for pocket or bag. The stories are the perfect length for taking a fun break or waiting for an appointment. Each story was well written with likeable main characters and enough plot twists to keep me entertained. I will keep an eye out for other works by these authors.
April 11, 2018
Feminist science fiction all dealing with bicycles. The book is a nice thing to hold. It is a lovely object. The stories are alright, nothing spectacluar but all readable. Nothing wrong with anyone. But reading the book was a nice experience.
May 2, 2020
Stories this short are about all my quarantined brain can handle right now. This was a fun little volume. My favorite stories were:
Racing the Drones, Caitlyn Giddings
From an Interview with the Famed Roller Sara Zephyr Cain, E.L. Bangs
Tabula Rasa, Gretchin Lair
Racing the Drones, Caitlyn Giddings
From an Interview with the Famed Roller Sara Zephyr Cain, E.L. Bangs
Tabula Rasa, Gretchin Lair
September 24, 2017
This is a goodreads win review. This is another collection of stories that are science fiction, bikes and women. A different type of book from what I usually read.
September 28, 2017
I won a copy of this book.
12 short science fiction stories about women and bicycles. "Grandma Takes Off" was my personal favorite.
12 short science fiction stories about women and bicycles. "Grandma Takes Off" was my personal favorite.
November 3, 2017
Good short stories. Book is rather small, can finish in an hour. Support the small puplisher.
March 4, 2020
Great book of short stories. Funny, inventive, and gritty.
February 10, 2017
Solid set of feminist sci fi short stories, with a running theme of bikes. A couple of them definitely left me wanting more!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews