Iterations

by Robert J. Sawyer, James Alan Gardner (Introduction)

Robert J. Sawyer - called "the dean of Canadian science fiction" by the Ottawa Citizen and "just about the best science fiction writer out there these days" by the Rocky Mountain News - won the World Science Fiction Society's Hugo Award for his novel Hominids and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America's Nebula Award for his novel The Terminal Experiment . Iterations is Sawyer's first short story collection, gathering 22 fantastic tales from such diverse places as Amazing Stories , the Village Voice , the Globe & Mail , and Nature . Among them, these stories
In Iterations , you'
Each story is accompanied by Sawyer's own commentary, and the collection is introduced by award-winning SF author James Alan Gardner.

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fiction, Fantasy, Canada, Collections, Anthologies

303 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Robert J. Sawyer is one of Canada's best known and most successful science fiction writers. He is the only Canadian (and one of only 7 writers in the world) to have won all three of the top international awards for science fiction: the 1995 Nebula Award for The Terminal Experiment, the 2003 Hugo Award for Hominids, and the 2006 John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Mindscan.
Robert Sawyer grew up in Toronto, the son of two university professors. He credits two of his favourite shows from the late 1960s and early 1970s, Search and Star Trek, with teaching him some of the fundamentals of the science-fiction craft. Sawyer was obsessed with outer space from a young age, and he vividly remembers watching the televised Apollo missions. He claims to have watched the 1968 classic film 2001: A Space Odyssey 25 times. He began writing science fiction in a high school club, which he co-founded, NASFA (Northview Academy Association of Science Fiction Addicts). Sawyer graduated in 1982 from the Radio and Television Arts Program at Ryerson University, where he later worked as an instructor.

Sawyer's first published book, Golden Fleece (1989), is an adaptation of short stories that had previously appeared in the science-fiction magazine Amazing Stories. This book won the Aurora Award for the best Canadian science-fiction novel in English. In the early 1990s Sawyer went on to publish his inventive Quintaglio Ascension trilogy, about a world of intelligent dinosaurs. His 1995 award winning The Terminal Experiment confirmed his place as a major international science-fiction writer.

A prolific writer, Sawyer has published more than 10 novels, plus two trilogies. Reviewers praise Sawyer for his concise prose, which has been compared to that of the science-fiction master Isaac Asimov. Like many science fiction-writers, Sawyer welcomes the opportunities his chosen genre provides for exploring ideas. The first book of his Neanderthal Parallax trilogy, Hominids (2002), is set in a near-future society, in which a quantum computing experiment brings a Neanderthal scientist from a parallel Earth to ours. His 2006 Mindscan explores the possibility of transferring human consciousness into a mechanical body, and the ensuing ethical, legal, and societal ramifications.

A passionate advocate for science fiction, Sawyer teaches creative writing and appears frequently in the media to discuss his genre. He prefers the label "philosophical fiction," and in no way sees himself as a predictor of the future. His mission statement for his writing is "To combine the intimately human with the grandly cosmic."

http://us.macmillan.com/author/robert...

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Iterations was Sawyer's first short fiction collection and reprints stories that first appeared from all the way back to 1980 up to 2000. Most are good solid science fiction, but he snuck in a few that I'd categorize as fantasy or horror and even one with no genre affiliation at all. Many won or were nominated for various awards, which he details in brief introductory notes to each entry. His style is pleasingly clear and direct and easy to follow with no flourishes or misdirection. Several featured dinosaurs, a staple of his early career, though my favorite is more of an alternates worlds story called Lost in the Mail. There are a couple of light-weight pieces, but overall it's a very enjoyable collection.

[Anne Patkau · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Iterations" by Robert J. Sawyer has clever, horror, and "hard scifi" based on possibilities suggested by physics research. Prejudiced against scary stuff and pro-ramps, my favorite is his first major sale 1987 #7 "Uphill Climb". Whether the pretty woman is related by blood or love is never specified, but she is obviously dear. A couple almost hopeful tales depend on the destruction of our Earth. The rest are dark, black, Halloween campfire material.

Intros backgrounding how or why, related to author's life, current events, unique, special, good, bad, liked, hated, relevance, meaning - are fewer than recitations - Mother Goose bought for 1980 90th Shoe Collection, dry unless you are/were part of the scifi community beyond occasional Mensa game night, summer BBQ, or Ad Astra convention, to recognize name-dropping. #3 Title is "riff on Tipler" - who? Big Bang Theorist consultation required. #9 longest title ... Luggage fit on the back of his business card in tiny font and inside a bon voyage card. #10 is riff on Ontario tourism and car licence plate slogan. Dinosaurs have an intense influence on his subjects. One of the reasons I could spell Tyrannosaurus Rex, and related saurs before kindergarten was my Sundays at the Toronto Royal Ontario Museum gazing at their ginormous skeleton. I love Rob dearly; he's a hometown boy all through.

Some Spoilers:

1 The Hand You're Dealt - Narrating cop uses geneticists "soothsayers" required at birth and 18 years on planet Mendelia to expose murderer and clone pedophile.
2 Peking Man - Neanderthal tribe converted to vampires intersperse with WW2 nocturnal man convincing researcher to file teeth straight on plaster casts of their skulls.
3 Iterations - Narrator kills selves in alternate universes who justly kill villain.
4 Gator - Museum paleontologist Ludlam tracking NY sewers for time-jumping piezoelectric discharges intersperse with sanitation worker at emergency with dinosaur tooth and munched leg. (He stays in alternate NY with beloved saurs.)
5 Blue Planet - Aliens Delp and Teltor welcome Earth astronauts to Mars. ("Welcome home" because Earth descended from life on Mars in their opinion,)
6 Wiping Out - Narrator soldier from war where alien species had to be exterminated experiences last flashback. (Process also eliminates memory of how to make weapon so humanity open to destruction, will kill no more alien races.)
7 Uphill Climb - Human Kivley denies saurian Obno permission to use her higher technical knowledge to upgrade helpful robot that cannot climb stairs. (Thus his lovely in wheelchair benefits from ramps installed worldwide for bestseller robots.)
8 Last But Not Least - Nerd Matt, always picked last on school phys-ed teams, as captain chooses all worst for his football team. (Laughs when leg broken as football "hero".)
9 If I'm Here, Imagine Where The Sent My Luggage - Mid-teleport, narrator accidentally compared "fat broad" to brontosaurus, now running for life from allosaur. (Thinking of giving Starport Toronto staff Hell while tele-jumping.)
10 Where the Heart Is - Narrator star explorer Carl returns after 150 years to find humanity all absorbed into world wide computer web mind. (Wendy, his love left behind welcomes him in.)
11 Lost in the Mail - Narrator technical writer gets more and more mail addressed to self as paleontologist, direction not taken. (Postman re-aligns and converges realities by end of day.)
12 Just Like Old Times - Cohen controls T. Rex to stay alive and kill pre-hominids intersperse with Judge who condemned the serial killer's mind to inhabit (supposed to die soon) dinosaur body in past.
13 The Contest - G. and D. use average John Smith to champion global battle. (God asks Devil for 2/3 when normal guy screws up like usual.)
14 Stream of Consciousness - Astronomer Raji, hoverjet pilot Tina, and medics Bancroft and Cardinal try to save wounded 6-limb alien using hand-held spectroscopes and microscopes. (Blood is intelligence in body shell.)
15 Forever - Astronomer Cholo saves island city of intelligent dinosaur civilization from swamping tidal waves by timely warning. (Queen rewards with giant statue.)
16 The Abdication of Pope Mary III - Because creator is physicist (all cardinals resign).
17 Star Light, Star Bright - Low gravity Dyson sphere habitat children with unburnt retinas (of narrator father) see stars and space-travel to "Dirt". (where chickens cant fly.)
18 Above it All - Suicide of not-alone Yuri on Miri intersperses with U.S. Colonel Rackham similarly terrified sent to retrieve body. (Rackham burns station flying back through atmosphere.)
19 Ours to Discover - Narrator adult helps boy Eric fascinated with unknown maple leaf open exit from Toronto dome and regain outer world. (New flag is maple leaf forever.)
20 You See But You Do Not Observe - Narrator Watson pulled into future with Sherlock Holmes to solve where aliens are. (Holmes deduces his return from death split realities and only his death can merge them before radio receiver built to contact aliens.)
21 Fallen Angel - Angela, daughter and youngest of acrobatic hi-wire Renaldo family deals with devil to remove her fear of falling. (Devil changes her to bat pinned to ferris wheel that never hits ground.)
22 Shoulders of Giants - Narrator Toby and copilot pretty Ling on first starship "Pioneer Spirit" with 40 frozen colonists revive at destination Tau Ceti after 1500 years. (Because Tau Ceti already settled in the meantime, citizens vote to give colonists fast new "Pioneer Spirit II" on one-way trip to Andromeda galaxy.)

[Riju Ganguly · Rating 5 out of 5]

These twenty-two stories were some of the most thought-provoking tales that I have read in a single-author collection. They were crisply written, without any unnecessary stuff to drag the core narrative down. They evoked sense of joy, horror, pathos. But above all they created a sense of wonder. Be it a Holmesian solution to the Fermi Paradox or the trials of pioneers out to colonise space, it’s the wry humour, genuine warmth and believable characters that compel us to read on— deep into the night.
Yes, this is one of the best scifi collections out there.
Highly Recommended.

[Chip · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you find Sawyer's typical stories interesting - sentient dinosaur, futuristic space-themes and conflicts with the devil, you'll enjoy most of the book. There a few really good ones, Just like Old Times and The Shoulders of Giants. Unfortunately, in my opinion, many of the early stories are not as good as the later. A pretty good collection of Sawyer novellas and ideas - many of which won some type of an award.

[The other John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was an impulse read. I was at the library for some reason or other and was loath to leave empty handed. This collection of short stories was there for the taking in the science fiction section, so I snatched it up. What can I say? I loved it! Not that it's such a big surprise. If you read a collection of short stories, the odds are fairly good that you'll find something enjoyable in it. Add the fact that these particular short stories are written by Robert J. Sawyer--who, despite his obsession with dinosaurs, is my current favorite living science fiction author--and the fact that I would enjoy it is almost inevitable. So what's to love? Well, a lot of things. There's dinosaurs, if you like that sort of thing. There's a tale of vampires. There's a murder mystery, and a botched execution. There are a couple of first contacts, a space war, two extended space journeys, time travel, a marketing executive with a hidden agenda and high school gym class. All of which is presented with Mr. Sawyer's gentle humor, likable characters and wonder-filled imagination. I may have to get a second job so I can indiscriminately buy books again.

[Shambhawi P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creepy to a fault. This one left me wondering about parallel universe for a long long time when I was a kid.

[Louis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Iterations and Other Stories by Robert J Sawyer is a nice collection containing 22 of his shorter works.

Mr Sawyer is one of my must-buy science fiction authors. He has never disappointed me with any of his longer works and this book provides evidence that his talents also encompass short stories.

If you are a fan of his, you should get this book. If you are not aware of his work, this is a great place to sample his work. Though note, once you get this taste, you may find yourself looking to his novels. And yes, they are wonderful!

[Heather Warner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enthralling short story collection by Robert J. Sawyer. Each story had a fascinating concept, they were all very different from each other and covered a variety of genres. I really enjoyed this collection and found all the stories to be quite thought-provoking. Robert J. Sawyer has quite an imagination!

[Alexander Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Series of short stories written by Canadian science fiction writer Robert J. Sawyer. Topics involve time travel, dinosaurs, space aliens and deep space exploration. Many of the stories won awards and I am not surprised by this since they are well written and entertaining.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fine short story collection from Canada's finest sci-fi author. As with his other collection, most of the stories hit the back of the proverbial net, my favourite being the last one, The Shoulders of Giants.

Ray Smillie

[NightAuditMan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm normally not a fan of short stories, but Sawyer really delivers on the short stuff. His works are always interesting and thought provoking, and this is just the same.

[Brian Gaston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sawyer doesn't write a lot of short stories but most of them are very good.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolutely fantastic collection of short stories by Robert J. Sawyer. Sawyer's writing conveys deep meaning while still being easily approachable and enjoyable to read.

[Sol]

"Uphill Climb"

[Fred Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great selection of short stories from Robert J. Sawyer.

Some of the stories are foundational in that what started out as a short story has been the source of full length novel later on by the author.

For each story the author describes how it came to be and any awards, and there are many, that it has won.

There are time travel stories, altered perspectives, and a broad range that will tickle anyone’s fancy.

There are 22 stories in total and they all have the touch of the author which includes relatable characters, a story arc that proceeds in a timely manner and a satisfying ending.

Highly recommended author.

[scherzo♫ · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Mir's interior was like everything in the Russian space program--rough, metallic, ramshackle, looking more like a Victorian steamworks than space-age technology." (from Above It All)

Also describes how these stories seem to me -- they have a more pedestrian imagination than I expect from SF.

Fallen Angel is based on this sculpture by Lisa Snellings:

[Bearcatgary · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a big fan of Robert J. Sawyer, I have only read his novels. I had acquired this book of short stories, but never had an opportunity to read it. I read one or two stories just to kill some time and a few days later ended up reading the whole book. The stories were really interesting and much better than I had expected. As with most Robert J Sawyer books, you end up learning a little science as well as being entertained. A great read.

[Dominick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sawyer’s short story collection is an odd mix. For a guy with a rep as a hard SF author, he offers up quite a wide range here (even one “mainstream” story, as well as a few fantasy works), some of which is excellent, most of which is very good, and only some of which is so-so—but the best ones are not, generally, the hard SF ones. Go figure.

[Doug Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection!

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book that's fun to read. Sawyer's ability to mix science with science fiction lets you really get into and belive his stories.

['Nathan Burgoine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another title from Canada's King of Science Fiction, "Iterations" is a collection of his short stories, and is a fine reminder of Sawyer's talent for short fiction as well as novels.

[Aero Windwalker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sawyer made some of our deeper fear alive on paper in the story Iterations. Like those deeper fears, the story does not make sense. It is a good amusement, however.

[David Giguere]

Good collection