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Pawn's Gambit: And Other Stratagems
This collection showcases the career-launching short fiction of Timothy Zahn, acclaimed author of Blackcollar, the Quadrail series, and the #1 New York Times bestseller Star Wars: Heir to the Empire
The pieces included in Pawn’s Gambit range from the adventure science fiction Timothy Zahn is famous for to post-apocalyptic tales and humorous fantasy. In “The Price of Survival,” an alien ship arrives in our solar system without hostile intentions—but with a desperate need that could destroy humanity. “The Giftie Gie Us” is set in a post-apocalyptic United States, in which two lonely survivors find love among the ruins. And in the title story, a human and his alien opponent face off over a game that will decide which one of them will return home—and which will not. This collection also includes the Hugo Award–winning novella Cascade Point and eight stories previously unpublished in book form.
The pieces included in Pawn’s Gambit range from the adventure science fiction Timothy Zahn is famous for to post-apocalyptic tales and humorous fantasy. In “The Price of Survival,” an alien ship arrives in our solar system without hostile intentions—but with a desperate need that could destroy humanity. “The Giftie Gie Us” is set in a post-apocalyptic United States, in which two lonely survivors find love among the ruins. And in the title story, a human and his alien opponent face off over a game that will decide which one of them will return home—and which will not. This collection also includes the Hugo Award–winning novella Cascade Point and eight stories previously unpublished in book form.
342 pages, Paperback
First published January 5, 2016
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1151 people want to read
About the author
Timothy Zahn
482 books8,546 followersTimothy Zahn attended Michigan State University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in physics in 1973. He then moved to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and achieved an M.S. degree in physics in 1975. While he was pursuing a doctorate in physics, his adviser became ill and died. Zahn never completed the doctorate. In 1975 he had begun writing science fiction as a hobby, and he became a professional writer. He and his wife Anna live in Bandon, Oregon. They have a son, Corwin Zahn.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
April 28, 2016
(I received a copy through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)
3.5 stars. Overall a decent collection of short stories, mostly science fiction, with some fantasy mixed in. I didn’t find any excellent, but none was really bad either, which makes for a good book to borrow, for want of actually buying it.
Some notes about the stories:
“The Price of Survival”: An interesting enough conundrum about how far two species are ready to go to survive. But while their representatives mourn about similar facts, the reasons that brought them to that point are different enough that it makes you reconsider the price to pay.
“The Giftie Gie Us”: I liked the idea behind the blind character. Still, it wasn’t my favourite story, probably because of the post-apocalyptic setting with its defined boundaries (Man hunts, Woman stays home… meh).
“The Final Report of the Lifeline Experiment”: Kind of a loaded topic here, however the experiment’s results may not be the ones you’d expect…
“Cascade Point”: One of my favourites. It deals with space travel/space bending/alternate realities gone wrong, as well as with the matter of one person’s happiness vs. the greater good. When the one person to be sacrificed will go back to a less than happy state, yet ignoring that choice will strip someone of their dignity, what should a captain choose?
“Music Hath Charms”: A bit of dark comedy here, that also raises the question of life’s worth in a different way. An alien artefact might actually kill thousands… or not?
“The President’s Doll”: Good idea (reverse voodoo, used to heal instead of harming), less thrilling execution. I’m not sure why. It just came out as flat for me.
“Clean Slate”: One of the fantasy stories, about a wizard who never got a chance to actually use his power to do good, and is ready to pay the price to do so at least once in his life, no matter what that price will be. Interestingly, the story made me think of Orson Scott Card’s writings about plot and world-building, and the author’s note confirmed why I had this feeling.
“Hitmen – See Murderers”: Another good idea that fell flat. What it posits gave me matter to think about, but the short story format didn’t leave room for more when it came to the flow of events, and I think a bit “more” would’ve been needed here to make this piece shine.
“Protocol”: In a colony where people live in fear of the mysterious Stryders, only very specific protocols allow them to survive encounters with those beings. However, what if the protocol were to fail, or if a yet undiscovered protocol was needed?
“Old-Boy Network”: Ethics and telepathy in a solar system where the wealthiest exploit whoever they want, in horrible ways. A bit heavy-handed in its criticism of ugly capitalism, though still another story that will make you think.
“Proof”: I could sense the ending coming. Still, it was a good game of cat and mouse, with reflections about whether we can trust what we see or not.
“The Ring”: A classical approach on the theme of boons and curses, of what price a man is ready to pay to get what he desires… but is it *truly* his heart’s desire?
“Trollbridge”: Urban fantasy story, about a lone troll desperately trying to protect “his” bridge, but up until now he hasn’t really bothered to wonder about other fae-like creatures. A somewhat light-hearted tale of survival in a modern world that will not leave any room to creatures of old… unless those very same creatures find another way.
“Chem Lab 301”: Not the most original plot ever, but a cute twist at the end.
“Pawn’s Gambit”: A study, through an alien-led experiment about gaming, of what would make another race dangerous or not in those aliens’ eyes… And Humans’ resourcefulness may be both an asset and a downfall here. Quite interesting, in part because the aliens’ point of view is somewhat valid, and in part because there’s still hope for humans to put their resources to witty uses.
In general, most of these stories tended to spin one or another aspect of what it means to be human, whether “a means to an end” is an appropriate way of living one’s life, about decisions and consequences, and how sometimes you may not have a choice--or may have to bend your thought processes to find another way. On the downside, some had less than stellar characters, who acted more like plot devices than real people, and weren’t very interesting.
3.5 stars. Overall a decent collection of short stories, mostly science fiction, with some fantasy mixed in. I didn’t find any excellent, but none was really bad either, which makes for a good book to borrow, for want of actually buying it.
Some notes about the stories:
“The Price of Survival”: An interesting enough conundrum about how far two species are ready to go to survive. But while their representatives mourn about similar facts, the reasons that brought them to that point are different enough that it makes you reconsider the price to pay.
“The Giftie Gie Us”: I liked the idea behind the blind character. Still, it wasn’t my favourite story, probably because of the post-apocalyptic setting with its defined boundaries (Man hunts, Woman stays home… meh).
“The Final Report of the Lifeline Experiment”: Kind of a loaded topic here, however the experiment’s results may not be the ones you’d expect…
“Cascade Point”: One of my favourites. It deals with space travel/space bending/alternate realities gone wrong, as well as with the matter of one person’s happiness vs. the greater good. When the one person to be sacrificed will go back to a less than happy state, yet ignoring that choice will strip someone of their dignity, what should a captain choose?
“Music Hath Charms”: A bit of dark comedy here, that also raises the question of life’s worth in a different way. An alien artefact might actually kill thousands… or not?
“The President’s Doll”: Good idea (reverse voodoo, used to heal instead of harming), less thrilling execution. I’m not sure why. It just came out as flat for me.
“Clean Slate”: One of the fantasy stories, about a wizard who never got a chance to actually use his power to do good, and is ready to pay the price to do so at least once in his life, no matter what that price will be. Interestingly, the story made me think of Orson Scott Card’s writings about plot and world-building, and the author’s note confirmed why I had this feeling.
“Hitmen – See Murderers”: Another good idea that fell flat. What it posits gave me matter to think about, but the short story format didn’t leave room for more when it came to the flow of events, and I think a bit “more” would’ve been needed here to make this piece shine.
“Protocol”: In a colony where people live in fear of the mysterious Stryders, only very specific protocols allow them to survive encounters with those beings. However, what if the protocol were to fail, or if a yet undiscovered protocol was needed?
“Old-Boy Network”: Ethics and telepathy in a solar system where the wealthiest exploit whoever they want, in horrible ways. A bit heavy-handed in its criticism of ugly capitalism, though still another story that will make you think.
“Proof”: I could sense the ending coming. Still, it was a good game of cat and mouse, with reflections about whether we can trust what we see or not.
“The Ring”: A classical approach on the theme of boons and curses, of what price a man is ready to pay to get what he desires… but is it *truly* his heart’s desire?
“Trollbridge”: Urban fantasy story, about a lone troll desperately trying to protect “his” bridge, but up until now he hasn’t really bothered to wonder about other fae-like creatures. A somewhat light-hearted tale of survival in a modern world that will not leave any room to creatures of old… unless those very same creatures find another way.
“Chem Lab 301”: Not the most original plot ever, but a cute twist at the end.
“Pawn’s Gambit”: A study, through an alien-led experiment about gaming, of what would make another race dangerous or not in those aliens’ eyes… And Humans’ resourcefulness may be both an asset and a downfall here. Quite interesting, in part because the aliens’ point of view is somewhat valid, and in part because there’s still hope for humans to put their resources to witty uses.
In general, most of these stories tended to spin one or another aspect of what it means to be human, whether “a means to an end” is an appropriate way of living one’s life, about decisions and consequences, and how sometimes you may not have a choice--or may have to bend your thought processes to find another way. On the downside, some had less than stellar characters, who acted more like plot devices than real people, and weren’t very interesting.
November 5, 2015
I wasn't a Timothy Zahn fan, though I recognized his name, but the book blurb intrigued me; the story descriptions sounded like ones I'd enjoy, even though I know that anthologies and author collections are a gamble 'cause sometimes only one or two stories are really good. However, I enjoyed all these stories; and although not every character is happy at the end because they don't--and can't--know what happened next, the endings are satisfying, and some are fun! The stories are all worth reading, but my favorites include Trollbridge, Chem Lab 301, and Pawn's Gambit. They're imaginative and well-written; I was impressed by the way some of them played out. And there are some interesting afterwords. Highly recommended.
March 5, 2019
A great collection of short stories that are generally on the sci-fi side of things, but don't stop short just because you see "sci-fi". These stories are really much more than that. One such story, "Hitmen-See Murderers" would make a wonderful Twilight Zone episode.
Timothy Zahn's creativity really comes through in this mix of shorts. Rather than a hodgepodge of storylines and ideas, they are all tied together under the theme of pawns playing their own game.
Certain stories goes beyond younger readers in content and language. Overall, I'd have to put this as an older teen to adult read.
Timothy Zahn's creativity really comes through in this mix of shorts. Rather than a hodgepodge of storylines and ideas, they are all tied together under the theme of pawns playing their own game.
Certain stories goes beyond younger readers in content and language. Overall, I'd have to put this as an older teen to adult read.
December 22, 2022
“Physical reality is never obligated to correspond with our theories and constructs.”
An adequate collection of short science fiction. Quality decreases deeper into the book, however the last tale, the eponymous “Pawn’s Gambit,” is the best of the bunch.
“You risked your life to try to save people whose music you don’t even like.” “People are people, no matter what their tastes are.”
Quibble: No one would fly the two hundred miles from Frankfurt to Stuttgart. Train or car would be faster.
“Not paranoid, you understand, just cautious.”
An adequate collection of short science fiction. Quality decreases deeper into the book, however the last tale, the eponymous “Pawn’s Gambit,” is the best of the bunch.
“You risked your life to try to save people whose music you don’t even like.” “People are people, no matter what their tastes are.”
Quibble: No one would fly the two hundred miles from Frankfurt to Stuttgart. Train or car would be faster.
“Not paranoid, you understand, just cautious.”
January 2, 2016
Pawn's Gambit: And Other Stratagems by Timothy Zahn is a very highly recommended collection of 15 short stories that were previously published in magazines from earlier in Zahn's career. Here they are gathered together for the first time in book form. The opportunity to read this collection was a treat for me. I enjoyed every single story. Admittedly I loved some more than others, as is the case with almost any collection, but there really wasn't a dude in this collection. These are hard science fiction stories with a few fantasy offerings. Every story was an excellent choice for the collection.
Contents:
The Price of Survival: The alien ship Dawnsent must scoop up fuel from suns to reach their final new home, but this action will doom life in the solar systems they go through. 1981
The Giftie Gie Us: After the Last War, a Soviet Nuke Bacteriological Barrage, the post-apocalyptic survivors include a disfigured man who offers help to a blind woman. 1981
The Final Report on the Lifeline Experiment: The Lifeline Experiment will end the abortion debate when a man telepathically attempts to answer the question, "When does a fetus become human?" 1983
Cascade Point: A cargo ships captain accepts paying passengers. Is it just a coincidence that the voyage developed problems when a psychiatrist and his patient are aboard? Hugo Award–winning novella; 1983
Music Hath Charms: The discovery of an old alien instrument, the Demonflute, may cause a resurgence in the much-loved-by-teens Thwokerjag music movement. 1985
The President’s Doll: The president's voodoo acupuncture doll has been stolen. 1987
Clean Slate: A wizard sets out to fulfill his oath by opening a mountain pass for an unappreciative town. 1989
Hitmen - See Murderers: The new phone books are out, but one of them isn't your usual phone book. 1991
Protocol: It's market day, but they must watch out for Stryders and follow the protocol. 2002
Old-Boy Network: The extremely wealthy use people as telepathic, personal terminals to insure privacy. 2002
Proof: Oregon's Hillcrest prison utilizes the CURL system (Cognitive Universal Reality Linkage) to control the prisoners, but Angel thinks she knows how to escape. 2004
The Ring: A man comes into possession of The Ring of the Nibelungs, which carries the power to create wealth. 2007
Trollbridge: A N.J. toll collector is a troll, but he may need to look for a new job. 2009
Chem Lab 301: A T.A. has 20 students and Rosie the lab in his chem lab. 2014
Pawn’s Gambit: An addendum to the Alien Research Bureau's 30th Annual Report brings humans to the attention of the director and the decision to test them is approved. 1982
I really appreciated all the stories included in this collection but perhaps liked The President's Doll the least. Some of the stories are humorous, or include humor, while others are thoughtful and point out larger implications to a situation. It has been noted that the protagonists in these stories are mainly men and some of them feel dated. As I was reading I was enjoying the stories, not looking for pc things to object to, and it didn't even occur to me to complain about the protagonists being mostly male. I didn't find the stories dated, per se; many were written in the 80's so sure, some things might feel dated to a much younger reader. For me this is a great collection and most science fiction fans are going to appreciate the stories collected here.
Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of Open Road Integrated Media via Netgalley for review purposes.
Contents:
The Price of Survival: The alien ship Dawnsent must scoop up fuel from suns to reach their final new home, but this action will doom life in the solar systems they go through. 1981
The Giftie Gie Us: After the Last War, a Soviet Nuke Bacteriological Barrage, the post-apocalyptic survivors include a disfigured man who offers help to a blind woman. 1981
The Final Report on the Lifeline Experiment: The Lifeline Experiment will end the abortion debate when a man telepathically attempts to answer the question, "When does a fetus become human?" 1983
Cascade Point: A cargo ships captain accepts paying passengers. Is it just a coincidence that the voyage developed problems when a psychiatrist and his patient are aboard? Hugo Award–winning novella; 1983
Music Hath Charms: The discovery of an old alien instrument, the Demonflute, may cause a resurgence in the much-loved-by-teens Thwokerjag music movement. 1985
The President’s Doll: The president's voodoo acupuncture doll has been stolen. 1987
Clean Slate: A wizard sets out to fulfill his oath by opening a mountain pass for an unappreciative town. 1989
Hitmen - See Murderers: The new phone books are out, but one of them isn't your usual phone book. 1991
Protocol: It's market day, but they must watch out for Stryders and follow the protocol. 2002
Old-Boy Network: The extremely wealthy use people as telepathic, personal terminals to insure privacy. 2002
Proof: Oregon's Hillcrest prison utilizes the CURL system (Cognitive Universal Reality Linkage) to control the prisoners, but Angel thinks she knows how to escape. 2004
The Ring: A man comes into possession of The Ring of the Nibelungs, which carries the power to create wealth. 2007
Trollbridge: A N.J. toll collector is a troll, but he may need to look for a new job. 2009
Chem Lab 301: A T.A. has 20 students and Rosie the lab in his chem lab. 2014
Pawn’s Gambit: An addendum to the Alien Research Bureau's 30th Annual Report brings humans to the attention of the director and the decision to test them is approved. 1982
I really appreciated all the stories included in this collection but perhaps liked The President's Doll the least. Some of the stories are humorous, or include humor, while others are thoughtful and point out larger implications to a situation. It has been noted that the protagonists in these stories are mainly men and some of them feel dated. As I was reading I was enjoying the stories, not looking for pc things to object to, and it didn't even occur to me to complain about the protagonists being mostly male. I didn't find the stories dated, per se; many were written in the 80's so sure, some things might feel dated to a much younger reader. For me this is a great collection and most science fiction fans are going to appreciate the stories collected here.
Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of Open Road Integrated Media via Netgalley for review purposes.
April 20, 2019
I still haven't figured out how to give star values to short story collections. Should it be for the best story in the collection? For the worst? This one ranges wildly.
Oddly, the stories that are the most "famous" were some that I liked the least. A general theme is that the stories were largely very clever conceits, but the author didn't necessarily know where to take them, so the stories were disappointing relative to the ideas that spawned them. None of these stories reach the level of quality of some of Zahn's novels, but the best of them were very enjoyable reads (I particularly liked Troll Bridge which tells the story of a troll from old faerie tales who gets a job collecting tolls at the George Washington Bridge as he tries to stay true to his nature and purpose while updating to the modern world).
Other strong stories tell the story of a paranoid man who finds a magical phone book that lists all the criminals in the city, and the unintended negative consequences as he tries to act on his newfound knowledge, a story of a psychic trying to identify when life begins in order to resolve the abortion debate, and a story of two alien cultures who have to weigh the lives of their own species against those of another sentient species (how many alien lives are we willing to sacrifice to save 100 human lives)?
Both the title story (pawn's gambit) and the most famous story (cascade point) have interesting premises, but neither is resolved in a satisfying way (no more here, lest I inadvertently include spoilers). And the other stories were generally less compelling to me.
So, my advice is that if you like ideas, pick up this book - every story has a fundamentally different idea/conceit, and Zahn's knack for identifying creative and unexplored questions is impressive. But if you're more story driven, skip this one, as the stories don't live up to the ideas.
Oddly, the stories that are the most "famous" were some that I liked the least. A general theme is that the stories were largely very clever conceits, but the author didn't necessarily know where to take them, so the stories were disappointing relative to the ideas that spawned them. None of these stories reach the level of quality of some of Zahn's novels, but the best of them were very enjoyable reads (I particularly liked Troll Bridge which tells the story of a troll from old faerie tales who gets a job collecting tolls at the George Washington Bridge as he tries to stay true to his nature and purpose while updating to the modern world).
Other strong stories tell the story of a paranoid man who finds a magical phone book that lists all the criminals in the city, and the unintended negative consequences as he tries to act on his newfound knowledge, a story of a psychic trying to identify when life begins in order to resolve the abortion debate, and a story of two alien cultures who have to weigh the lives of their own species against those of another sentient species (how many alien lives are we willing to sacrifice to save 100 human lives)?
Both the title story (pawn's gambit) and the most famous story (cascade point) have interesting premises, but neither is resolved in a satisfying way (no more here, lest I inadvertently include spoilers). And the other stories were generally less compelling to me.
So, my advice is that if you like ideas, pick up this book - every story has a fundamentally different idea/conceit, and Zahn's knack for identifying creative and unexplored questions is impressive. But if you're more story driven, skip this one, as the stories don't live up to the ideas.
December 28, 2015
This collection of fifteen short stories is a great introduction to the writing of Timothy Zahn if you are unfamiliar with his writing, as was I. I'm sure it will also be of interest to readers who are already familiar with his many works. The following is a listing of the stories and the year of their first appearance in print as provided by the publisher in the back of the book:
"The Price of Survival" - 1981
"The Giftie Gie Us" - 1981
"The Final Report on the Lifeline Experiment" - 1983
"Cascade Point" - 1983
"Music Hath Charms" - 1985
"The President's Doll" - 1987
"Clean Slate" - 1989
"Hitmen -- See Murderers" - 1991
"Protocol" - 2002
"Old-Boy Network" - 2002
"Proof" - 2004
"The Ring" - 2007
"Trollbridge" - 2009
"Chem Lab 301" - 2014
"Pawn's Gambit" - 1982
As you can see most of the stories were written some time ago and if you follow this author you may have already read some of them. They were all new to me and I thoroughly enjoyed how completely different each story was. They show me how Timothy Zahn has the ability to take ideas from all around him and turn them into entertaining reading. The stories are brief, but that's what you can expect from short stories and several of them I would like to see expanded into full novels or at least novella length. Surprisingly I don't think I had an absolute favorite; each story brought a new idea to life and doesn't connect with any other story in the collection. "Hitmen -- See Murderers" is the one which had me thinking about the underlying lesson longer than any other story, but they all had their own moment of making me think about life from a different perspective. This was an enjoyable reading experience, but because of the brevity of the stories none can go into great depth for world or character building. Just enough to make you see the situation through the eyes of a talented author.
I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley.
"The Price of Survival" - 1981
"The Giftie Gie Us" - 1981
"The Final Report on the Lifeline Experiment" - 1983
"Cascade Point" - 1983
"Music Hath Charms" - 1985
"The President's Doll" - 1987
"Clean Slate" - 1989
"Hitmen -- See Murderers" - 1991
"Protocol" - 2002
"Old-Boy Network" - 2002
"Proof" - 2004
"The Ring" - 2007
"Trollbridge" - 2009
"Chem Lab 301" - 2014
"Pawn's Gambit" - 1982
As you can see most of the stories were written some time ago and if you follow this author you may have already read some of them. They were all new to me and I thoroughly enjoyed how completely different each story was. They show me how Timothy Zahn has the ability to take ideas from all around him and turn them into entertaining reading. The stories are brief, but that's what you can expect from short stories and several of them I would like to see expanded into full novels or at least novella length. Surprisingly I don't think I had an absolute favorite; each story brought a new idea to life and doesn't connect with any other story in the collection. "Hitmen -- See Murderers" is the one which had me thinking about the underlying lesson longer than any other story, but they all had their own moment of making me think about life from a different perspective. This was an enjoyable reading experience, but because of the brevity of the stories none can go into great depth for world or character building. Just enough to make you see the situation through the eyes of a talented author.
I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley.
January 17, 2016
I had read several of these stories when they were first published and I liked them just as much reading them again now. Timothy Zahn is a master of the twist you don't see coming!
December 6, 2015
As always Timothy Zahn does not leave the reader wanting. A series of short stories that pack a great punch and leave the reader wanting more.
January 17, 2018
However did I miss this when it came out? Read all the stories, but I especially liked the title tale and Trollbridge and I bet you will, too.
June 12, 2020
Mixed bag! I know I say that with almost every short story collection but IT’S TRUE.
Standout stories for me were:
The Price of Survival
Cascade Point
Clean Slate
Trollbridge
Pawn’s Gambit
It was especially interesting reading the fantasy ones, which I haven’t seen TZ attempt before.
Standout stories for me were:
The Price of Survival
Cascade Point
Clean Slate
Trollbridge
Pawn’s Gambit
It was especially interesting reading the fantasy ones, which I haven’t seen TZ attempt before.
June 20, 2024
An almost perfect book of short stories. I enjoyed each of them immensely as they traversed sci-fi and fantasy genres. I’m amazed by many of the ideas the author explores and develops over a few pages.
Fantastic read, highly recommended.
Fantastic read, highly recommended.
December 22, 2015
Pawn’s Gambit and Other Stratagems is a collection of short stories by science fiction author Timothy Zahn. Most of the short stories are science fiction, although a few were fantasy. Some are new, and some were familiar to me from reading one of his prior collections. I didn’t find any of the stories fantastic, but there were some I liked and some I didn’t like.
Two stories address contact between humans and aliens. In a “The Price of Survival,” an alien spaceship travels by scoping up matter from stars. Unfortunately, the ship is aimed straight at our sun and will obliterate life in our solar system if it continues on its course. “Pawn’s Gambit” posits an alien race who psychologically evaluate other species by capturing subjects and making them play board games.
“The Giftie Gie Us” was one of the weaker stories in the collection. It predates the fall of the Soviet Union and explores a post-apocalyptic future brought about by nuclear war.
“The Final Report on the Lifeline Experiment” documents an experiment by the only certified psychic that has unintended consequences.
In the Hugo award winning novella Cascade Point, space travel is accomplished by jumping from point to point. All passengers and non-essential crew members will be put asleep for the process so as few people as possible see visions of their alternate selves.
“Music Hath Charms” was a light hearted story about an alien instrument being incorporated into a local type of music. Similarly light hearted, “Trollbridge” was an urban fantasy story about a troll who’s a toll collector on a modern day highway.
“The President’s Doll” posits voodoo and acupuncture being combined for medical purposes. But what happens when the President’s doll is stolen?
A wizard in “Clean Slate” wanders the world but never arrives in time to actually use his magic. The twist here was interesting, but I think there were some questions that should have been answered with regards to the plot.
In “Hitmen – See Murderers” a paranoid man finds a strange copy of the yellow pages that lists out the addresses of different sorts of criminals.
“Protocol” takes place on a colony planet wracked by the path of giant creatures called Stryders, who kill any human who doesn’t follow a strict protocol of behavior.
“Old-Boy Network” imagines trillionaires who use surgically created telepathy to avoid the review of the authorities.
In “Proof,” a serial killer attempts to escape from her prison, which is partly an illusion created by a chip implanted in her brain.
A stock trader in “The Ring” buys a mysterious Germanic ring, only to find that it is both a gift and a curse.
“Chem Lab 301” builds up to a reveal and a pun. There’s not much else to this story.
It’d been a while since I’d read anything by Timothy Zahn – since middle school actually. At this point in my life I’m noticing that the ratio of male to female characters is substantially skewed. I particularly noted issues in gender dynamics with the story “The Giftie Gie Us”. I don’t think the treatment of female characters was horrible, but it certainly could be better.
Overall, I would say that the collection is about average. Cascade Point was probably the best out of the bunch.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
Two stories address contact between humans and aliens. In a “The Price of Survival,” an alien spaceship travels by scoping up matter from stars. Unfortunately, the ship is aimed straight at our sun and will obliterate life in our solar system if it continues on its course. “Pawn’s Gambit” posits an alien race who psychologically evaluate other species by capturing subjects and making them play board games.
“The Giftie Gie Us” was one of the weaker stories in the collection. It predates the fall of the Soviet Union and explores a post-apocalyptic future brought about by nuclear war.
“The Final Report on the Lifeline Experiment” documents an experiment by the only certified psychic that has unintended consequences.
In the Hugo award winning novella Cascade Point, space travel is accomplished by jumping from point to point. All passengers and non-essential crew members will be put asleep for the process so as few people as possible see visions of their alternate selves.
“Music Hath Charms” was a light hearted story about an alien instrument being incorporated into a local type of music. Similarly light hearted, “Trollbridge” was an urban fantasy story about a troll who’s a toll collector on a modern day highway.
“The President’s Doll” posits voodoo and acupuncture being combined for medical purposes. But what happens when the President’s doll is stolen?
A wizard in “Clean Slate” wanders the world but never arrives in time to actually use his magic. The twist here was interesting, but I think there were some questions that should have been answered with regards to the plot.
In “Hitmen – See Murderers” a paranoid man finds a strange copy of the yellow pages that lists out the addresses of different sorts of criminals.
“Protocol” takes place on a colony planet wracked by the path of giant creatures called Stryders, who kill any human who doesn’t follow a strict protocol of behavior.
“Old-Boy Network” imagines trillionaires who use surgically created telepathy to avoid the review of the authorities.
In “Proof,” a serial killer attempts to escape from her prison, which is partly an illusion created by a chip implanted in her brain.
A stock trader in “The Ring” buys a mysterious Germanic ring, only to find that it is both a gift and a curse.
“Chem Lab 301” builds up to a reveal and a pun. There’s not much else to this story.
It’d been a while since I’d read anything by Timothy Zahn – since middle school actually. At this point in my life I’m noticing that the ratio of male to female characters is substantially skewed. I particularly noted issues in gender dynamics with the story “The Giftie Gie Us”. I don’t think the treatment of female characters was horrible, but it certainly could be better.
Overall, I would say that the collection is about average. Cascade Point was probably the best out of the bunch.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
November 18, 2015
Pawn’s Gambit and Other Stratagems is a collection of kick-ass science fiction stories, including a novella, produced digitally for the first time. This is the cool thing about Open Road Integrated Media: the publishers find outstanding work from the pre-digital era and bring it to present-day readers anew so that it can be widely read and appreciated all over again. But though these stories were written earlier, many of them have never been published in book form before. I got to check out the collection free in exchange for an honest review, and I struck oil. I wondered why I hadn’t found this writer earlier, since I have been known to binge on sci fi now and then since the 1990’s. What Zahn is best known for is the Star Wars series, which I didn’t read. In passing it by, I nearly missed a fine writer, and I will watch for him in the future.
The settings, situations, and moods within this collection are artfully staggered, ranging from the ethical and philosophical dilemmas that the fertile imagination runs up against when what if scenarios are presented, to surprisingly funny situations. I love the characters Zahn creates, and the way they drive his stories forward. From that first “multi-tentacled grin” of the “Sk’cee” in The Price of Survival, I was hooked. The Giftie Gie Us had an infuriating ending that left me thinking of alternative possibilities. My own personal favorite, Cascade Point, was apparently the favorite of many others also, because it won the Hugo Award in 1984.
A couple of times I noted some gender stereotypes, but for work of its time period in a genre rife with this issue—which is probably why I need time out from my sci fi binges to read other things—it was surprisingly muted. Of 82 marks I made while I read it, only 2 related to gender stereotyping.
There are no weak links, nothing that seems like filler in between good stories; everything here is strong. At a couple of points I had to bite back the urge to laugh out loud while cruising through late at night while my spouse slumbered next to me. My second favorite story is the title novella, Pawn’s Gambit; I found it unexpectedly hilarious.
This brilliantly crafted collection goes on sale January 5, 2016. The only real question for the science fiction lover is how you are going to wait that long. Mark your calendar; you won’t want to miss out on this one.
The settings, situations, and moods within this collection are artfully staggered, ranging from the ethical and philosophical dilemmas that the fertile imagination runs up against when what if scenarios are presented, to surprisingly funny situations. I love the characters Zahn creates, and the way they drive his stories forward. From that first “multi-tentacled grin” of the “Sk’cee” in The Price of Survival, I was hooked. The Giftie Gie Us had an infuriating ending that left me thinking of alternative possibilities. My own personal favorite, Cascade Point, was apparently the favorite of many others also, because it won the Hugo Award in 1984.
A couple of times I noted some gender stereotypes, but for work of its time period in a genre rife with this issue—which is probably why I need time out from my sci fi binges to read other things—it was surprisingly muted. Of 82 marks I made while I read it, only 2 related to gender stereotyping.
There are no weak links, nothing that seems like filler in between good stories; everything here is strong. At a couple of points I had to bite back the urge to laugh out loud while cruising through late at night while my spouse slumbered next to me. My second favorite story is the title novella, Pawn’s Gambit; I found it unexpectedly hilarious.
This brilliantly crafted collection goes on sale January 5, 2016. The only real question for the science fiction lover is how you are going to wait that long. Mark your calendar; you won’t want to miss out on this one.
February 10, 2018
Very excited to hear Zahn got a collection of older short stories published. He's got 4 other such collections, but they've all been out of print for so long that they're hard to find.
* The Price of Survival - Unbearably sad first contact.
* The Giftie Gie Us - The nuclear war has mutated us.
* The Final Report on the Lifeline Experiment - When does a fetus become human?
* Cascade Point - At first I thought this was gonna be Flowers for Algernon IN SPACE but then it twisted into something /r/GetMotivated could use.
* Music Hath Charms - SPACE HIPSTERS!
* The President's Doll - What do Haitian voodoo and accupuncture have in common?
* Clean Slate - An itinerant wizard has an unfortunate habit of always showing up *after* other wizards have already taken care of the problem.
* Hitmen--See Murderers - Once upon a time, if you wanted to hire a hitman, you couldn't just hop on the dark web and initiate a bidding war over who would kill your target for less, oh no. And you couldn't just hire a hitman from the phonebook...
* Protocol - We don't know what they are, we don't know where the come from, but they will kill you if you deviate from expected behavior in the slightest.
* Old-Boy Network - Previously read this in the Sol's Children (the solar system anthology). Oddly enough, Paul Krugman did his thesis on this: how do stock markets work in space?
* Proof - As long as prisoners don't realize the prison is fake, they'll basically jail themselves, right?
* The Ring - Extremely generic "be careful what you wish for" story.
* Trollbridge - It's rough being a troll in New York City, but when shit happens, is our hero really getting paid enough to deal with it?
* Chem Lab 301 - Science.
* Pawn's Gambit - In order to determine who is and isn't a threat, aliens go from planet to planet and kidnap people, forcing them to fight for survival. The loser is returned to their planet, the winner must keep fighting. This reveals vital clues to their species' personalities, which lets the aliens decide which planets to bomb and which to leave alone. Our hero doesn't want to lose and doesn't want to give the aliens the satisfaction. Brilliant story, vintage Zahn.
Some of these stories are dated af and it's obvious Zahn struggled to write women prior to Mara Jade. Still, most of it is great stuff.
* The Price of Survival - Unbearably sad first contact.
* The Giftie Gie Us - The nuclear war has mutated us.
* The Final Report on the Lifeline Experiment - When does a fetus become human?
* Cascade Point - At first I thought this was gonna be Flowers for Algernon IN SPACE but then it twisted into something /r/GetMotivated could use.
* Music Hath Charms - SPACE HIPSTERS!
* The President's Doll - What do Haitian voodoo and accupuncture have in common?
* Clean Slate - An itinerant wizard has an unfortunate habit of always showing up *after* other wizards have already taken care of the problem.
* Hitmen--See Murderers - Once upon a time, if you wanted to hire a hitman, you couldn't just hop on the dark web and initiate a bidding war over who would kill your target for less, oh no. And you couldn't just hire a hitman from the phonebook...
* Protocol - We don't know what they are, we don't know where the come from, but they will kill you if you deviate from expected behavior in the slightest.
* Old-Boy Network - Previously read this in the Sol's Children (the solar system anthology). Oddly enough, Paul Krugman did his thesis on this: how do stock markets work in space?
* Proof - As long as prisoners don't realize the prison is fake, they'll basically jail themselves, right?
* The Ring - Extremely generic "be careful what you wish for" story.
* Trollbridge - It's rough being a troll in New York City, but when shit happens, is our hero really getting paid enough to deal with it?
* Chem Lab 301 - Science.
* Pawn's Gambit - In order to determine who is and isn't a threat, aliens go from planet to planet and kidnap people, forcing them to fight for survival. The loser is returned to their planet, the winner must keep fighting. This reveals vital clues to their species' personalities, which lets the aliens decide which planets to bomb and which to leave alone. Our hero doesn't want to lose and doesn't want to give the aliens the satisfaction. Brilliant story, vintage Zahn.
Some of these stories are dated af and it's obvious Zahn struggled to write women prior to Mara Jade. Still, most of it is great stuff.
January 18, 2016
The first story in a collection usually sets the tone for the entire anthology, so a little sad that I didn't care for The Price of Survival. It was a little too science fiction-y for my tastes. Thankfully, the rest of the collection was more to my liking!
The Final Report on the Lifeline Experiment was an interesting take on the when-does-life-begin question. And I really loved the ending, which I didn't see coming at all. Love when that happens!
One of my favorite stories was Clean Slate, about a wizard trying to earn his title without falling victim to the Wizard's Curse. What is the Wizard's Curse? The price that the wizard must pay for the privilege of using his power. Never heard of such a curse, but loved it!
Some of the other stories that stood out for me were Protocol, Old-Boy Network, Proof, Trollbridge, and Pawn's Gambit. All different types of stories, but all original and interesting. More than a few of them had a neat little twist at the end, which I really enjoyed. Seems most of my favorites had a twist of some kind, so guess I like twists!
Even the stories I didn't particularly care for were well-written, so the author is obviously talented. Short stories are tricky, as you have to pack a lot of punch into a small space. Zahn proves himself very good at this!
While I'm pretty sure that this was my first Zahn book, it definitely won't be my last! I'm more of a fantasy reader than science fiction fan, but it looks like I still have plenty of options.
The Final Report on the Lifeline Experiment was an interesting take on the when-does-life-begin question. And I really loved the ending, which I didn't see coming at all. Love when that happens!
One of my favorite stories was Clean Slate, about a wizard trying to earn his title without falling victim to the Wizard's Curse. What is the Wizard's Curse? The price that the wizard must pay for the privilege of using his power. Never heard of such a curse, but loved it!
Some of the other stories that stood out for me were Protocol, Old-Boy Network, Proof, Trollbridge, and Pawn's Gambit. All different types of stories, but all original and interesting. More than a few of them had a neat little twist at the end, which I really enjoyed. Seems most of my favorites had a twist of some kind, so guess I like twists!
Even the stories I didn't particularly care for were well-written, so the author is obviously talented. Short stories are tricky, as you have to pack a lot of punch into a small space. Zahn proves himself very good at this!
While I'm pretty sure that this was my first Zahn book, it definitely won't be my last! I'm more of a fantasy reader than science fiction fan, but it looks like I still have plenty of options.
December 27, 2017
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
The pieces included in Pawn's Gambit range from the adventure science fiction Timothy Zahn is famous for to post-apocalyptic tales and humorous fantasy. In “The Price of Survival,” an alien ship arrives in our solar system without hostile intentions—but with a desperate need that could destroy humanity. “The Giftie Gie Us” is set in a post-apocalyptic United States, in which two lonely survivors find love among the ruins. And in the title story, a human and his alien opponent face off over a game that will decide which one of them will return home—and which will not. This collection also includes the Hugo Award–winning novella Cascade Point and eight stories previously unpublished in book form.
Anthologies / collections can always be fraught with danger - it is a very rare beast that pleases the reader with every single story.
And that is certainly the case here. A number of these stories are straight sci-fi but others delve into the world of fantasy as well.
There are some definite standouts - Hugo award winning novella "Cascade Point"; “Hitmen – See Murderers”; and “Music Hath Charms” were all favourites of mine. The inclusion of political stories seemed to be to the detriment of this collection - I really could have done without those...
Overall, a decent anthology of Zahn's shorter fiction - I wouldn't suggest reading them all at once, though - it can be just a bit much, to be honest.
Paul
ARH
The pieces included in Pawn's Gambit range from the adventure science fiction Timothy Zahn is famous for to post-apocalyptic tales and humorous fantasy. In “The Price of Survival,” an alien ship arrives in our solar system without hostile intentions—but with a desperate need that could destroy humanity. “The Giftie Gie Us” is set in a post-apocalyptic United States, in which two lonely survivors find love among the ruins. And in the title story, a human and his alien opponent face off over a game that will decide which one of them will return home—and which will not. This collection also includes the Hugo Award–winning novella Cascade Point and eight stories previously unpublished in book form.
Anthologies / collections can always be fraught with danger - it is a very rare beast that pleases the reader with every single story.
And that is certainly the case here. A number of these stories are straight sci-fi but others delve into the world of fantasy as well.
There are some definite standouts - Hugo award winning novella "Cascade Point"; “Hitmen – See Murderers”; and “Music Hath Charms” were all favourites of mine. The inclusion of political stories seemed to be to the detriment of this collection - I really could have done without those...
Overall, a decent anthology of Zahn's shorter fiction - I wouldn't suggest reading them all at once, though - it can be just a bit much, to be honest.
Paul
ARH
April 25, 2016
(A Kindle copy of this book was provided to me by NetGalley for review purposes. This review is essentially the same as the one I posted there.)
I've read and enjoyed Zahn's Quadrail and Dragonback series, so I had high expectations going in, and I was not disappointed. I'd even say that I prefer his short stories over his novels, even thought the Dragonback books in particular have a special place in my heart.
Zahn is best known for his space operas and sci-fi (particularly the novels he wrote for the Star Wars Expanded Universe), but this collection shows that he's more than capable of writing across a wide spectrum, from speculative ("Hitmen--See Murderers" and "The President's Doll") to what would now be classed as urban fantasy ("Trollbridge"). "The Final Report on the Lifeline Experiment" tackles what was then and still is a hot-button debate in a way that should both entertain, and give cause for thought to, readers on either side. (No spoilers.)
Readers who haven't heard of Timothy Zahn, or are curious about him but on the fence about starting one of his novels, will get a good taste of his writing style from "Pawn's Gambit" or "The Price of Survival." These stories also showcase one of the areas where Zahn really shines: dialogue and interactions between humans and alien species.
Longtime Zahn fans will of course want to check this one out, as will anyone who enjoys speculative, sci-fi, or short stories.
- Reviewed by Rachel C.
I've read and enjoyed Zahn's Quadrail and Dragonback series, so I had high expectations going in, and I was not disappointed. I'd even say that I prefer his short stories over his novels, even thought the Dragonback books in particular have a special place in my heart.
Zahn is best known for his space operas and sci-fi (particularly the novels he wrote for the Star Wars Expanded Universe), but this collection shows that he's more than capable of writing across a wide spectrum, from speculative ("Hitmen--See Murderers" and "The President's Doll") to what would now be classed as urban fantasy ("Trollbridge"). "The Final Report on the Lifeline Experiment" tackles what was then and still is a hot-button debate in a way that should both entertain, and give cause for thought to, readers on either side. (No spoilers.)
Readers who haven't heard of Timothy Zahn, or are curious about him but on the fence about starting one of his novels, will get a good taste of his writing style from "Pawn's Gambit" or "The Price of Survival." These stories also showcase one of the areas where Zahn really shines: dialogue and interactions between humans and alien species.
Longtime Zahn fans will of course want to check this one out, as will anyone who enjoys speculative, sci-fi, or short stories.
- Reviewed by Rachel C.
April 28, 2016
Part of my extremely positive opinion is finishing the last page of this collection while listening to the most triumphant part of this Shostakovich suite I played almost most recently with other people. (It is a collection of tunes from The Gadfly.) I was so excited about it that I haven't bothered to fix the messed up pagecount tally.
I liked the editor's decision to close the collection with the title story, to build the reader's anticipation. I think my favourite tale of the others in this collection was the one titled Protocol, but I think there's merit in looking at everything.
Going over my page-by-page comments I'm glad I persisted past "womb service" which nearly made me gag, for the other stories here almost over-made up for that.
But the other part of the extremely positive opinion is that I'm extremely fond of the mental quarrel which is chess, even if I'm not very good at it. I COULD become better at it, I GUESS, but that would seep into the time I want to apportion for everything else I have going on in my life, and there's only so much I can do in the limited time I have.
SOC: Ah, I see your point very clearly, like Tetris?
...hmm, I tend to rate everything I read highly. But if I decide it is worth picking up, then it most likely had a reason behind it...
I liked the editor's decision to close the collection with the title story, to build the reader's anticipation. I think my favourite tale of the others in this collection was the one titled Protocol, but I think there's merit in looking at everything.
Going over my page-by-page comments I'm glad I persisted past "womb service" which nearly made me gag, for the other stories here almost over-made up for that.
But the other part of the extremely positive opinion is that I'm extremely fond of the mental quarrel which is chess, even if I'm not very good at it. I COULD become better at it, I GUESS, but that would seep into the time I want to apportion for everything else I have going on in my life, and there's only so much I can do in the limited time I have.
SOC: Ah, I see your point very clearly, like Tetris?
...hmm, I tend to rate everything I read highly. But if I decide it is worth picking up, then it most likely had a reason behind it...
November 23, 2015
https://koeur.wordpress.com/2015/11/2...
Publisher: Open Road
Publishing Date: January 2016
ISBN: 9781504016209
Genre: SciFI/Fantasy
Rating: 2.8/5
Publishers Description: The pieces included in Pawn’s Gambit range from the adventure science fiction Timothy Zahn is famous for to post-apocalyptic tales and humorous fantasy. In “The Price of Survival,” an alien ship arrives in our solar system without hostile intentions—but with a desperate need that could destroy humanity. “The Giftie Gie Us” is set in a post-apocalyptic United States, in which two lonely survivors find love among the ruins. And in the title story, a human and his alien opponent face off over a game that will decide which one of them will return home—and which will not. This collection also includes the Hugo Award–winning novella Cascade Point and eight stories previously unpublished in book form.
Review: A collection of old short-fiction stories that “launched” the career of the author. Self-aggrandizement where is thy sting? Some were good, some were so-so. Pretty average fair when you add in a lot of phrasing to expedite the scenes (said softly, growled and murmured). Get it, don’t get it, no one will care.
Publisher: Open Road
Publishing Date: January 2016
ISBN: 9781504016209
Genre: SciFI/Fantasy
Rating: 2.8/5
Publishers Description: The pieces included in Pawn’s Gambit range from the adventure science fiction Timothy Zahn is famous for to post-apocalyptic tales and humorous fantasy. In “The Price of Survival,” an alien ship arrives in our solar system without hostile intentions—but with a desperate need that could destroy humanity. “The Giftie Gie Us” is set in a post-apocalyptic United States, in which two lonely survivors find love among the ruins. And in the title story, a human and his alien opponent face off over a game that will decide which one of them will return home—and which will not. This collection also includes the Hugo Award–winning novella Cascade Point and eight stories previously unpublished in book form.
Review: A collection of old short-fiction stories that “launched” the career of the author. Self-aggrandizement where is thy sting? Some were good, some were so-so. Pretty average fair when you add in a lot of phrasing to expedite the scenes (said softly, growled and murmured). Get it, don’t get it, no one will care.
November 11, 2015
Pawn's Gambit and Other Stratagems by Timothy Zhan- This is a short story collection by an author more recognized for his novel output, especially his Star Wars related material, but this in no way lessens his short-form output's quality or relevance. Yes, some of these stories may be a little dated, but good story-telling never goes out of fashion. In the title story, "Pawn's Gambit", a kidnapped man must form an alliance to save the Human Race. A fine tale nominated for a Hugo. In "The Giftie Gie Us" a blind woman can see through the eyes of whoever gets close to her. In the Hugo winning novella "Cascade Point" a space craft's drive allows the pilot to see the multiple possible outcomes of his actions, and he recognizes danger ahead. Not a bad batch to say the least. Each story has an author's afterword which I always find almost as interesting as the story. If you've enjoyed his Star Wars or Cobra books, you should give this a try
April 5, 2016
Timothy Zahn's short story anthology is mostly great, with stories like "The Price of Survival," "Cascade Point," "Protocol" and "Pawn's Gambit" showing off some beautiful, hard science fiction. (All three take place in space, which just happens to be my favorite topic.)
On the other hand, there are some stories where main characters are two-dimensional cutouts with lower-than-average intelligence. They seem to be more like moral parables than the science fiction today's reader is used to. "Hitmen - See Murderers" and "The Ring" were the two stories that seemed more like fables than stories, and they were rather hard to get through.
Fans of fantasy will enjoy "Clean Slate" and "Trollbridge." The former is somewhat of a "high fantasy" story, while the latter is a fun and easygoing tale of mythical creatures making the ends meet in a large modern city.
Overall, the anthology isn't perfect, but it'll make for a fun and entertaining read.
On the other hand, there are some stories where main characters are two-dimensional cutouts with lower-than-average intelligence. They seem to be more like moral parables than the science fiction today's reader is used to. "Hitmen - See Murderers" and "The Ring" were the two stories that seemed more like fables than stories, and they were rather hard to get through.
Fans of fantasy will enjoy "Clean Slate" and "Trollbridge." The former is somewhat of a "high fantasy" story, while the latter is a fun and easygoing tale of mythical creatures making the ends meet in a large modern city.
Overall, the anthology isn't perfect, but it'll make for a fun and entertaining read.
January 2, 2016
I received a kindle edition of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would write a review and post it on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon, my blog, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus pages.
I have read a number of novels by Timothy Zahn and always found that his books have been engaging and fast reads. This one was comparable to the previous works I have read.
This book is a series of short stories from the author's early career addressing a number of different situations. They cover fantasy, science fiction and mystery. They are also of varying lengths with some being able to be read in 10 minutes and others as long as 40 minutes. I was not disappointed in any of them. Overall is it a quick read with stories that hold your interest and attention.
I recommend this book for any fan of Timothy Zahn or science fiction/fantasy in general.
I have read a number of novels by Timothy Zahn and always found that his books have been engaging and fast reads. This one was comparable to the previous works I have read.
This book is a series of short stories from the author's early career addressing a number of different situations. They cover fantasy, science fiction and mystery. They are also of varying lengths with some being able to be read in 10 minutes and others as long as 40 minutes. I was not disappointed in any of them. Overall is it a quick read with stories that hold your interest and attention.
I recommend this book for any fan of Timothy Zahn or science fiction/fantasy in general.
January 6, 2016
Pawn's Gambit by Timothy Zahn
Zahn frequently poses questions on social issues. This book of short stories, almost novelettes, has some stories that make you think. Cascade Point or The Giftie Gie may have been my favorites of the book.
Giftie Gie points out the disabilities or differences are often used to discriminate when the differences are often self imposed. I really enjoyed the interplay between Neil and Heather. The Final Report on the Lifeline Experiment gave some thought to the ramifications of abortion. Cascade Point made one think about dimensionality.
Overall Zahn satisfied as he always does.
I recommend it.
I'm always shocked when I find an author without a website, particularly a scifi author, however I could not find one for Zahn.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TimothyZahn
Zahn frequently poses questions on social issues. This book of short stories, almost novelettes, has some stories that make you think. Cascade Point or The Giftie Gie may have been my favorites of the book.
Giftie Gie points out the disabilities or differences are often used to discriminate when the differences are often self imposed. I really enjoyed the interplay between Neil and Heather. The Final Report on the Lifeline Experiment gave some thought to the ramifications of abortion. Cascade Point made one think about dimensionality.
Overall Zahn satisfied as he always does.
I recommend it.
I'm always shocked when I find an author without a website, particularly a scifi author, however I could not find one for Zahn.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TimothyZahn
April 5, 2016
There are a collection of fifteen short stories including the author's 1984 Hugo winning novella "Cascade Point." There is skillful writing in each story he has written. This will be a treat to read to newcomers of this author and will delight his fans. These are not "current" stories but are written in the 1980/90's. Science fiction is not always what you think it will be. I know some folks don't like some of the stories in this collection. I would like to think that if you read science fiction, you know the unexpected does happen. Do read it as I think you will miss out on the author's writings.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
October 11, 2016
Pawn’s Gambit: And Other Stratagems is a collection of short stories and novellas, one of which won a Hugo Award, by Timothy Zahn. All have appeared elsewhere before being compiled into this book, with publishing dates ranging from 1981 to 2014. So, if you read a lot of his work chances are you’ll have come across at least a few of these before.
I’ve never read any of Timothy Zahn’s work before, and I’m tempted to read more of his work now. The stories were all written rather well – very easy to fall into, generally likeable characters, and hints at a much bigger world past what we see on the page. All fall within the science fiction and fantasy genres. I’d recommend giving this a read.
* I received this book from the publisher through a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.*
I’ve never read any of Timothy Zahn’s work before, and I’m tempted to read more of his work now. The stories were all written rather well – very easy to fall into, generally likeable characters, and hints at a much bigger world past what we see on the page. All fall within the science fiction and fantasy genres. I’d recommend giving this a read.
* I received this book from the publisher through a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.*
January 8, 2017
This is a versatile collection of short stories and a novella, and for those who haven't had much experience with Timothy Zahn's work, it will offer you a glimpse into his creative mind.
The stories in this book vary in length and subject matter from dark to funny to just strange, but in a good way. This author has a way of making the impossible seem believable and makes it fun for the reader. If you like sci-fi, this makes a great sampler.
I got a kick out of the endings of some of these stories. Some of them were cute and some of them left you wondering when you finished what would happen with the characters next.
Over all, this is a fun book that I think plenty of others will enjoy.
This review is based on a complementary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
The stories in this book vary in length and subject matter from dark to funny to just strange, but in a good way. This author has a way of making the impossible seem believable and makes it fun for the reader. If you like sci-fi, this makes a great sampler.
I got a kick out of the endings of some of these stories. Some of them were cute and some of them left you wondering when you finished what would happen with the characters next.
Over all, this is a fun book that I think plenty of others will enjoy.
This review is based on a complementary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
October 3, 2016
This is a Goodreads book.
There are 15 short stories . They are science fiction and fantasy. These are not genres that I would usually pick for myself.I wanted to read this book because these 2 genres are favorites of my grandson.
It took a lot of concentration to read the first story because when I read, I hear the words in my mind and the names I was almost unable to pronounce. The stories that were not space stories were very good. I especially enjoyed numbers 6 and 11.
In any compilation there are always some you like better than others. I enjoyed all but 2 and if you are a science fiction fan, I am sure you will enjoy these too.
I will give this book to my grandson as I am sure he will enjoy it.
There are 15 short stories . They are science fiction and fantasy. These are not genres that I would usually pick for myself.I wanted to read this book because these 2 genres are favorites of my grandson.
It took a lot of concentration to read the first story because when I read, I hear the words in my mind and the names I was almost unable to pronounce. The stories that were not space stories were very good. I especially enjoyed numbers 6 and 11.
In any compilation there are always some you like better than others. I enjoyed all but 2 and if you are a science fiction fan, I am sure you will enjoy these too.
I will give this book to my grandson as I am sure he will enjoy it.
December 29, 2016
Full disclosure, I received this book as a free giveaway on Goodreads.
Timothy Zahn is a well known name amoung Science Fiction readers. But this is the first time actually reading something by him, instead of about him.
15 short stories giving the reader a great deal of how Timothy is able to set up the world and tell a story simultaneously. The stories themselves are all very different but have two comon elements. There is a problem that must be solved right now, and there is more to the solution than it seems.
I enjoyed the stories, even the ones where I saw the solutions suprize before it was reviled. And only a couple times did I feel it was too obvious.
Great introduction to a very talented writer.
Timothy Zahn is a well known name amoung Science Fiction readers. But this is the first time actually reading something by him, instead of about him.
15 short stories giving the reader a great deal of how Timothy is able to set up the world and tell a story simultaneously. The stories themselves are all very different but have two comon elements. There is a problem that must be solved right now, and there is more to the solution than it seems.
I enjoyed the stories, even the ones where I saw the solutions suprize before it was reviled. And only a couple times did I feel it was too obvious.
Great introduction to a very talented writer.
February 2, 2016
Quirky and clever short stories from respected science fiction author Timothy Zahn, including his Hugo-winning novella, Cascade Point. Of the 15 stories, I’d already read 5 in previous collections of the author’s work. The others were new to me, but all have been previously published in book or magazine format.
Content ranges from aliens to post-apocolyptic to speculative to fantasy, and as the word “strategems” in the title implies, there’s often a puzzle that needs solving if the character is to survive. Definitely a good read, if a little on the pricey side.
[Review copy from my personal library.]
Content ranges from aliens to post-apocolyptic to speculative to fantasy, and as the word “strategems” in the title implies, there’s often a puzzle that needs solving if the character is to survive. Definitely a good read, if a little on the pricey side.
[Review copy from my personal library.]
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