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Torrente de fuego y otros relatos
Esta primera colección de relatos de Vonda N. McIntyre incluye tres de las más famosas novelas cortas de estos últimos años: "Aztecas", nominada para los premios Hugo y Nebula, describe una cultura interestelar en la que los vuelos por el espacio son de algún modo una prueba de resistencia. "Tapón Roscado" (seleccionada por Robert Silverberg para su antología The Crystal Ship ), es un relato de camaradería y sacrificio en un planeta carcelario. "De Niebla, Hierba y Arena", que obtuvo el premio Nebula, cuenta la prodigiosa historia de un auténtico curador en un futuro no demasiado distante.
Vonda N. McIntyre nació en Kentucky (EE.UU.); ha estudiado biología y genética, y es miembro de la Sociedad Cousteau y de varias organizaciones feministas. Ha publicado entre otros libros las novelas "The Exile Waiting" , y "Dreamsnake" ("Serpiente de Sueño").
Vonda N. McIntyre nació en Kentucky (EE.UU.); ha estudiado biología y genética, y es miembro de la Sociedad Cousteau y de varias organizaciones feministas. Ha publicado entre otros libros las novelas "The Exile Waiting" , y "Dreamsnake" ("Serpiente de Sueño").
285 pages, Paperback
First published December 5, 1979
11 people are currently reading
305 people want to read
About the author
Vonda N. McIntyre
159 books371 followersVonda Neel McIntyre was a U.S. science fiction author. She was one of the first successful graduates of the Clarion Science fiction writers workshop. She attended the workshop in 1970. By 1973 she had won her first Nebula Award, for the novelette "Of Mist, and Grass and Sand." This later became part of the novel Dreamsnake, which won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards. The novelette and novel both concern a female healer in a desolate primitivized venue. McIntyre's debut novel was The Exile Waiting which was published in 1975. Her novel Dreamsnake won the Nebula Award and Hugo Award for best novel in 1978 and her novel The Moon and the Sun won the Nebula in 1997. She has also written a number of Star Trek and Star Wars novels, including Enterprise: The First Adventure and The Entropy Effect. She wrote the novelizations of the films Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 1, 2024
A very solid collection of Vonda McIntyre's 1970's output, where each story restrains itself from the common zap-gun fireworks, genocidal wargames, and space operatic backstabbing so common to the pulp standards of the genre. Here, Vonda plays with the soul of science fiction, ruminating its emotional place in a fairly non-violent fashion, where the narrative focuses on the ostracized, mainly those humans who were re-engineered in labs, physically altered as their evolutions are fast-tracked so significantly that they find themselves blue-hearted loners and tender misanthropes. This is what some call overly-emotional (as Tom Disch stated of Vonda in his overview of SF, 'Stuff Our Dreams Are Made of'), yet I find it a near-classic of SF, stories far more New Romantic than New Wave. How science has rebranded the human body for space travel but has left the human soul intact. No doubt, there will be disillusion and strife.
'Fireflood' - a human in transition escapes the lab-camp where she became an elemental 'armadillo' of sorts. As she tries to rush to the peace-zone country, where winged humanoids fly freely, she is faced with the question of where she can find not only safety, but a place to call home.
'Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand.' What became the award-winning novel, DreamSnake. Here Vonda toys with a post-nuke landscape as a healer tries to save a sick child. She has 3 magical snakes (one extraterrestrial, the others re-engineered and magical) that help her heal the sick and dying. Heady stuff and heartfelt, and quite worthy of its praise.
'Spectra' - "I am dreaming. I reach out for something I have lost, something beautiful" opens this short about a humanoid confined to the slavery of a 9-to-5 existence.
'Wings' - an elder winged creature lives in solitude within a ruined, empty temple. All the others have left the planet (Earth, I assume) for further territories. When a young savage falls from the sky, this elder takes care of the youth and mends its broken wings, only to find themselves wishing they were in the stars, hope unbound, and not on a death planet waiting to perish.
'The Mountains of Sunset, the Mountains of Dawn' - an extension of the prior tale, 'Wings.' Now Vonda shows the perspective of those in-flight to new habitats. One in particular is an elder, an earth-born winged creature who pontificates the Earth it has left. She falls into a love affair with a younger passenger and not only re-discovers her passion and lust, but her sense of flight beyond the confines of a secluded generation ship.
'The End's Beginning.' Revised human now in the form of a dolphin. Yes, a dolphin. This one reads similar to the film, 'The Day of the Dolphin' in its execution of turning animals into assassins. Short and pungent, only held down by its ruminations to revolt.
'Screwtop' - a prison in a barren jungle. Three lovers figure out a plan to escape but question their own sense of duty, their own obligation to the countries they were borne from. Again, violence is limited, and the focus goes on faith and loyalty. Tender this is, but perhaps its own melodrama tinges the narrative a bit too blue. Really, everybody is so emotional, even the sadistic warden who simply wants to have a child and turns his back on violence.
'Recourse Inc.' - odd transition for Vonda here. This reads more like a Robert Sheckley or Kuttner tale. Playful anti-corporate absurdities told in the form of letters between a customer, the unruly banks overcharging, and a middle-man who might just be Satan. Strangely comic as if Vonda took a happy pill and experimented with satire all of a sudden.
'Genius Freaks' - a nice Northwest setting against the rain-grey mountains, where a young wanderer tries to escape the government who have fast-tracked her evolution and made her a genius. Kind of similar to Thomas Disch's 'Camp Concentration', but with the angst of a Gus Van Sant film. Solid soliloquy about vagrancy and identity. Bittersweet.
'Aztecs' - the longest and arguably the weakest story in the collection. A ship crew member becomes a pilot, a position that requires one to withstand sleepless hours of intense flight. And not only that, they have their heart and nervous system completely rewired in a deathwatch surgery not many survive. Before she embarks on her first mission, she meets a pacifist from the planet Twilight. They fall in love fast, fuck and ruminate, then fuck some more. And yes, like all forlorn lovers, our pilot's lab-designed evolution disallows anything meaningful. Be careful whose heart you touch. Simply, Vonda tells us again that science will change us, and that to survive, we can no longer pity the monsters we've become.
'Fireflood' - a human in transition escapes the lab-camp where she became an elemental 'armadillo' of sorts. As she tries to rush to the peace-zone country, where winged humanoids fly freely, she is faced with the question of where she can find not only safety, but a place to call home.
'Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand.' What became the award-winning novel, DreamSnake. Here Vonda toys with a post-nuke landscape as a healer tries to save a sick child. She has 3 magical snakes (one extraterrestrial, the others re-engineered and magical) that help her heal the sick and dying. Heady stuff and heartfelt, and quite worthy of its praise.
'Spectra' - "I am dreaming. I reach out for something I have lost, something beautiful" opens this short about a humanoid confined to the slavery of a 9-to-5 existence.
'Wings' - an elder winged creature lives in solitude within a ruined, empty temple. All the others have left the planet (Earth, I assume) for further territories. When a young savage falls from the sky, this elder takes care of the youth and mends its broken wings, only to find themselves wishing they were in the stars, hope unbound, and not on a death planet waiting to perish.
'The Mountains of Sunset, the Mountains of Dawn' - an extension of the prior tale, 'Wings.' Now Vonda shows the perspective of those in-flight to new habitats. One in particular is an elder, an earth-born winged creature who pontificates the Earth it has left. She falls into a love affair with a younger passenger and not only re-discovers her passion and lust, but her sense of flight beyond the confines of a secluded generation ship.
'The End's Beginning.' Revised human now in the form of a dolphin. Yes, a dolphin. This one reads similar to the film, 'The Day of the Dolphin' in its execution of turning animals into assassins. Short and pungent, only held down by its ruminations to revolt.
'Screwtop' - a prison in a barren jungle. Three lovers figure out a plan to escape but question their own sense of duty, their own obligation to the countries they were borne from. Again, violence is limited, and the focus goes on faith and loyalty. Tender this is, but perhaps its own melodrama tinges the narrative a bit too blue. Really, everybody is so emotional, even the sadistic warden who simply wants to have a child and turns his back on violence.
'Recourse Inc.' - odd transition for Vonda here. This reads more like a Robert Sheckley or Kuttner tale. Playful anti-corporate absurdities told in the form of letters between a customer, the unruly banks overcharging, and a middle-man who might just be Satan. Strangely comic as if Vonda took a happy pill and experimented with satire all of a sudden.
'Genius Freaks' - a nice Northwest setting against the rain-grey mountains, where a young wanderer tries to escape the government who have fast-tracked her evolution and made her a genius. Kind of similar to Thomas Disch's 'Camp Concentration', but with the angst of a Gus Van Sant film. Solid soliloquy about vagrancy and identity. Bittersweet.
'Aztecs' - the longest and arguably the weakest story in the collection. A ship crew member becomes a pilot, a position that requires one to withstand sleepless hours of intense flight. And not only that, they have their heart and nervous system completely rewired in a deathwatch surgery not many survive. Before she embarks on her first mission, she meets a pacifist from the planet Twilight. They fall in love fast, fuck and ruminate, then fuck some more. And yes, like all forlorn lovers, our pilot's lab-designed evolution disallows anything meaningful. Be careful whose heart you touch. Simply, Vonda tells us again that science will change us, and that to survive, we can no longer pity the monsters we've become.
September 12, 2025
Check out my full, spoiler free, video review HERE.
A uniquely dark and sometimes disturbing collection of 11 short stories from McIntyre. Most of these stories revolve around characters that are trying to cope with an ever-changing reality. A lot of the narrative deals with the interworking of the characters. The writing is great, and I enjoy the majority of these, but I spaced them out a bit due to the sometimes disturbing subject matter.
My favorites were:
• Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand (This is the first chapter of the novel Dreamsnake)
• Screwtop
• Fireflood
• Spectra
• Wings
A uniquely dark and sometimes disturbing collection of 11 short stories from McIntyre. Most of these stories revolve around characters that are trying to cope with an ever-changing reality. A lot of the narrative deals with the interworking of the characters. The writing is great, and I enjoy the majority of these, but I spaced them out a bit due to the sometimes disturbing subject matter.
My favorites were:
• Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand (This is the first chapter of the novel Dreamsnake)
• Screwtop
• Fireflood
• Spectra
• Wings
May 7, 2023
Full review: https://sciencefictionruminations.com...
4.25/5 (rounded up on Goodreads as it is SUPER rare to have such a uniformly brilliant collection of stories in one volume)
"After Vonda N. McIntyre’s passing in 2019, I made a promise to finally tackle her spectacular array of 70s fictions, including her Hugo and Nebula-winning Dreamsnake (1978). Her stories appeal to so many of my sensibilities. Her perceptive eye resides in interior spaces, the moody psychological landscapes of society’s pariahs and traumatized. Her work reflects the best of the New Wave. The prose rarely flashes with excessive experimental exuberance but [...]"
4.25/5 (rounded up on Goodreads as it is SUPER rare to have such a uniformly brilliant collection of stories in one volume)
"After Vonda N. McIntyre’s passing in 2019, I made a promise to finally tackle her spectacular array of 70s fictions, including her Hugo and Nebula-winning Dreamsnake (1978). Her stories appeal to so many of my sensibilities. Her perceptive eye resides in interior spaces, the moody psychological landscapes of society’s pariahs and traumatized. Her work reflects the best of the New Wave. The prose rarely flashes with excessive experimental exuberance but [...]"
March 3, 2019
I'm pretty sure I read this collection of short stories by Vonda N McIntyre about thirty years ago - some of them were definitely very familiar, though as I couldn't remember anything at all about some of the others I may simply have read them in anthologies. I bought a copy a few months ago, and when I heard last weekend that McIntyre was seriously ill with pancreatic cancer it seemed liked the right time to pull it out of the to-read pile.
There are eleven stories in the collection, including the Nebula Award-winning 'Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand', which later became the first chapter of McIntyre's Hugo and Nebula Award-winning novel Dreamsnake, following the journey of the healer Snake across a post-apocalyptic Earth. Apart from this, the stories that particularly stood out of me were the twinned 'Wings' and 'The Mountains of Sunset, the Mountains of Dawn', both telling stories of a race of winged aliens who have discovered spaceflight, one focusing on those left behind by the exodus into space and one following those who travelled, and the final story, 'Aztecs', about a space pilot discovering the extent of the sacrifices her career path demands of her*. The stories are often uncomfortable and dark in tone, and they often seem to end slightly short of an implied resolution, but they're beautifully written and interesting explorations of ideas.
*It's possible that it particularly struck me, right now, because in the world McIntyre imagines, the only way for pilots to survive the experience of being conscious during faster-than-light travel is to become independent of time and the rhythms of biological life, which is accomplished by having their hearts removed and replaced with a smooth, continuous pump, and this was very much on my mind anyway (she was one of our students). But it is one of the stories I remembered from my first reading, or at least I remembered the encounter between the older, more experienced woman and the young man who had no money because he came from a world where money was only required for inessentials, with food, clothing and shelter freely given, because that struck early-teens me as a pretty good foundation for a utopia.
There are eleven stories in the collection, including the Nebula Award-winning 'Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand', which later became the first chapter of McIntyre's Hugo and Nebula Award-winning novel Dreamsnake, following the journey of the healer Snake across a post-apocalyptic Earth. Apart from this, the stories that particularly stood out of me were the twinned 'Wings' and 'The Mountains of Sunset, the Mountains of Dawn', both telling stories of a race of winged aliens who have discovered spaceflight, one focusing on those left behind by the exodus into space and one following those who travelled, and the final story, 'Aztecs', about a space pilot discovering the extent of the sacrifices her career path demands of her*. The stories are often uncomfortable and dark in tone, and they often seem to end slightly short of an implied resolution, but they're beautifully written and interesting explorations of ideas.
*It's possible that it particularly struck me, right now, because in the world McIntyre imagines, the only way for pilots to survive the experience of being conscious during faster-than-light travel is to become independent of time and the rhythms of biological life, which is accomplished by having their hearts removed and replaced with a smooth, continuous pump, and this was very much on my mind anyway (she was one of our students). But it is one of the stories I remembered from my first reading, or at least I remembered the encounter between the older, more experienced woman and the young man who had no money because he came from a world where money was only required for inessentials, with food, clothing and shelter freely given, because that struck early-teens me as a pretty good foundation for a utopia.
July 20, 2018
A collection of the author's shorter fiction, including the story which became chapter one of her novel, Dreamsnake, which I have previously reviewed. Quite a few of the stories involve the misuse of genetically altered humans or in one case, dolphins, by humans for often negative ends. A couple are about a winged species and the relationship of a younger and older individual. Most involve relationships sometimes across what amounts to a species barrier.
The best, apart from 'Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand', the Dreamsnake story, is the final story 'Aztecs' about the sacrifice which people who want to become pilots of interstellar craft - the ones who are able to stay awake during transit when even the ordinary crew have to go into stasis or die - sometimes have to make.
I found the tone of the collection on the whole rather downbeat. On the whole a balancing out into a 3-star read.
The best, apart from 'Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand', the Dreamsnake story, is the final story 'Aztecs' about the sacrifice which people who want to become pilots of interstellar craft - the ones who are able to stay awake during transit when even the ordinary crew have to go into stasis or die - sometimes have to make.
I found the tone of the collection on the whole rather downbeat. On the whole a balancing out into a 3-star read.
September 13, 2024
Gracias, Sincri.
October 26, 2025
Let me start out by saying that not all of the stories hit the mark with me but in saying that this collection of stories, objectively speaking are simply phenomenal and are written with such passion. I say that because its clear Vonda McIntyre really put her heart and soul into every word. Her flowery writing style in describing appearances of the characters who inhabit beautifully constructed worlds is nothing short of excellent. Not once did she lose me. I'd have to say I was heavily invested all the way through and read the book in 3 days. What I also love about her prose is that not a word is wasted with each sentence being executed to damn near perfection. It is clear after reading this anthology why she has been the proud recipient of both the Hugo and Nebula awards for her novel (Dreamsnake) which I haven't read yet. I'll as always list my standouts from the book below.
1) Fireflood- The opening title story of the book and a real solid start to kick things off. The world building in this and her wonderful descriptive prose is second to none here. Fireflood is centered around a human woman who has been genetically engineered as a "digger" for a failed colonization project/mission. After escaping her servitude, she then begins to seek refuge among the "flyers," as they are known. The species are a graceful, winged humanoid species who are being exploited or so I could gather by their human counterparts. The genetically engineered woman ultimately finds the transition difficult and her new life which is full of unexpected challenges. This excellent story really fires home how we have always interfered with mother nature and we have this penchant for control, whether that be conquering other continents or in this case other worlds. Overall the story explores themes of identity, discrimination, and biological modification in a future society.
2) Spectra- Is a 6 page story about a girl cruelly enslaved to a machine that creates pleasure for others. McIntyre really hits home with this one and evokes emotional feelings from the reader. Well it did with me. Again we in 2025 aren't far off such a cruel technology although perhaps we are already there with smart phones? Written in 1972 and clearly Vonda was onto something here. Amazing stuff.
3) The mountains of sunset, the mountains of dawn- Probably my favorite out of the 11 and is a poignant intergenerational romance about a winged, taloned species traveling on a generation ship. The sad yet poetic tale focuses on a specific relationship between an older female and a younger male of the same kind who longs for his metamorphosis. Exploring themes of cultural loss and nostalgia for a lost world is nailed here not to mention Vonda's superb visceral style of story telling which highlights also the conflict between tradition and the desire for comfort and safety. Flawless and the strongest of the bunch in my opinion.
4) The End's Beginning- Most likely my second choice for favorite story for its originality and overall message. The story is about a dolphin which has sadly been turned into a weapon of mass destruction for humans. I especially found this one upsetting and unsettling although at the same time is written with a message of warning for the planet. In saying that however, the story also ends on a high note in that nature will always prevail when all is said and done. Truly amazing prose on show here by an especially gifted writer.
5) Screwtop- Centers around a female spaceport "rat" Kylis, who spent her childhood stowing aboard ships. Kylis is then captured for stealing passage and is imprisoned on a dire and unforgiving planet named Redsun, which is unbearably hot and filled with strange parasites such as fern plants, not to mention active volcanoes. Kylis meets two male prisoners who she forms a bond with and all are tested by a reptilian-like species who are the slave drivers of the planet. One of the longer stories in the collection filled with investable characters and wonderfully descriptive world building.
6) Recourse, Inc- This one focuses on a gentleman battling with computer-driven bureaucracy. The man is constantly being harassed after purchasing a zygomat and keeps receiving further bills with added charges and tax etc. This story is written as corresponding letters between him, the company and his legal representatives. Usually I'm not a fan of this style and format, however I surprisingly enjoyed the way in which this one was executed and delivered with a comical ending.
7) Aztecs- Concludes the collection and is a character-driven novella, which of course is the longest story in the book with an overall focus on love, loss and companionship. The plot is driven by protagonist Laenea and her difficult transition, her struggle to remain human. The story also explores her attempt at starting a relationship while grappling with the physical and psychological changes her newly acquired artificial heart brings.
In closing, if you want immersive and vivid story telling complete with investable, colorful characters and world building along with deep rooted messages for humankind then you really have to look no further. McIntyre is an exceptionally gifted writer as I've said and her creative mind shines through within this solid collection of stories mixing both science fiction and fantasy.
1) Fireflood- The opening title story of the book and a real solid start to kick things off. The world building in this and her wonderful descriptive prose is second to none here. Fireflood is centered around a human woman who has been genetically engineered as a "digger" for a failed colonization project/mission. After escaping her servitude, she then begins to seek refuge among the "flyers," as they are known. The species are a graceful, winged humanoid species who are being exploited or so I could gather by their human counterparts. The genetically engineered woman ultimately finds the transition difficult and her new life which is full of unexpected challenges. This excellent story really fires home how we have always interfered with mother nature and we have this penchant for control, whether that be conquering other continents or in this case other worlds. Overall the story explores themes of identity, discrimination, and biological modification in a future society.
2) Spectra- Is a 6 page story about a girl cruelly enslaved to a machine that creates pleasure for others. McIntyre really hits home with this one and evokes emotional feelings from the reader. Well it did with me. Again we in 2025 aren't far off such a cruel technology although perhaps we are already there with smart phones? Written in 1972 and clearly Vonda was onto something here. Amazing stuff.
3) The mountains of sunset, the mountains of dawn- Probably my favorite out of the 11 and is a poignant intergenerational romance about a winged, taloned species traveling on a generation ship. The sad yet poetic tale focuses on a specific relationship between an older female and a younger male of the same kind who longs for his metamorphosis. Exploring themes of cultural loss and nostalgia for a lost world is nailed here not to mention Vonda's superb visceral style of story telling which highlights also the conflict between tradition and the desire for comfort and safety. Flawless and the strongest of the bunch in my opinion.
4) The End's Beginning- Most likely my second choice for favorite story for its originality and overall message. The story is about a dolphin which has sadly been turned into a weapon of mass destruction for humans. I especially found this one upsetting and unsettling although at the same time is written with a message of warning for the planet. In saying that however, the story also ends on a high note in that nature will always prevail when all is said and done. Truly amazing prose on show here by an especially gifted writer.
5) Screwtop- Centers around a female spaceport "rat" Kylis, who spent her childhood stowing aboard ships. Kylis is then captured for stealing passage and is imprisoned on a dire and unforgiving planet named Redsun, which is unbearably hot and filled with strange parasites such as fern plants, not to mention active volcanoes. Kylis meets two male prisoners who she forms a bond with and all are tested by a reptilian-like species who are the slave drivers of the planet. One of the longer stories in the collection filled with investable characters and wonderfully descriptive world building.
6) Recourse, Inc- This one focuses on a gentleman battling with computer-driven bureaucracy. The man is constantly being harassed after purchasing a zygomat and keeps receiving further bills with added charges and tax etc. This story is written as corresponding letters between him, the company and his legal representatives. Usually I'm not a fan of this style and format, however I surprisingly enjoyed the way in which this one was executed and delivered with a comical ending.
7) Aztecs- Concludes the collection and is a character-driven novella, which of course is the longest story in the book with an overall focus on love, loss and companionship. The plot is driven by protagonist Laenea and her difficult transition, her struggle to remain human. The story also explores her attempt at starting a relationship while grappling with the physical and psychological changes her newly acquired artificial heart brings.
In closing, if you want immersive and vivid story telling complete with investable, colorful characters and world building along with deep rooted messages for humankind then you really have to look no further. McIntyre is an exceptionally gifted writer as I've said and her creative mind shines through within this solid collection of stories mixing both science fiction and fantasy.
June 10, 2017
Irregular como toda antología, pero con piezas extraordinarias.
November 22, 2025
This anthology is a testament to the author's imaginative breadth, her emotional intelligence, and her ability to fuse hard science fiction with intensely human concerns. Though best known for Dreamsnake and The Exile Waiting, McIntyre shines no less brightly in her short fiction.
This collection showcases her gift for crafting living, breathing worlds—ecosystems, cultures, and technologies that feel both strange and inevitable. Yet what lingers are not her settings but the emotional arcs of her characters, who are often caught at the crossroads of transformation.
The title story, “Fireflood”, is a masterclass in sensory storytelling. McIntyre creates a world of biological extremes, where landscapes burn and regrow in endless cycles.
Rather than focusing on spectacle, she roots the narrative in the intimate perspective of her protagonist, whose bodily and psychological adaptations to this world become metaphors for resilience, loss, and the price of evolution. McIntyre’s handling of bodily transformation is particularly noteworthy: she never sensationalises mutation but instead explores it as a lived experience, rich with both pain and possibility.
Throughout the collection, themes of autonomy, bodily agency, and self-redefinition recur. McIntyre’s characters frequently grapple with cultural norms that constrain their identities or destinies. Her protagonists push against these boundaries—sometimes quietly through small acts of defiance, sometimes explosively through extraordinary circumstances. This commitment to portraying interiority alongside grand scientific ideas sets her work apart from the more mechanistic science fiction of her era.
McIntyre also excels at exploring alienness—not only alien species but also alien emotions, alien societies, and alien physics. Yet her aliens are never caricatures. Instead, she approaches otherness with anthropological precision and empathy. Whether writing about symbiotic relationships, fluid genders, or non-human ecologies, McIntyre insists on complexity and mutual understanding. Her attention to biological detail reflects her background in genetics, lending authenticity to even her wildest inventions.
One of the collection’s most striking features is its tonal range. Some stories carry a sense of lyrical melancholy; others pulse with adventure, tension, or quiet introspection. All share a commitment to exploring the human consequences of scientific and cultural change. McIntyre avoids tidy conclusions. Many stories end with ambiguity—open doors rather than closed arcs—because transformation, for her characters, is never complete.
Her prose is elegant and precise. She writes with a clarity that allows even complex biological speculations to feel intuitive. Sensory detail is one of her greatest strengths: readers feel heat, taste salt, and sense textures and atmospheric shifts. This vividness makes her worlds immersive in a way few writers achieve in so few pages.
Emotionally, the collection is deeply resonant. McIntyre’s humanism shines through her explorations of love, grief, adaptation, and connection. Whether her characters are confronting societal oppression or navigating interspecies kinship, they do so with vulnerability and strength.
Ultimately, Fireflood and Other Stories stands as a powerful reminder of McIntyre’s influence on feminist and biologically rich science fiction. It is a collection that broadens the imagination while grounding every speculative leap in emotional truth.
For readers who cherish world-building that feels organic, characters who evolve in more ways than one, and prose that shimmers with intelligence and empathy, this volume is indispensable.
This collection showcases her gift for crafting living, breathing worlds—ecosystems, cultures, and technologies that feel both strange and inevitable. Yet what lingers are not her settings but the emotional arcs of her characters, who are often caught at the crossroads of transformation.
The title story, “Fireflood”, is a masterclass in sensory storytelling. McIntyre creates a world of biological extremes, where landscapes burn and regrow in endless cycles.
Rather than focusing on spectacle, she roots the narrative in the intimate perspective of her protagonist, whose bodily and psychological adaptations to this world become metaphors for resilience, loss, and the price of evolution. McIntyre’s handling of bodily transformation is particularly noteworthy: she never sensationalises mutation but instead explores it as a lived experience, rich with both pain and possibility.
Throughout the collection, themes of autonomy, bodily agency, and self-redefinition recur. McIntyre’s characters frequently grapple with cultural norms that constrain their identities or destinies. Her protagonists push against these boundaries—sometimes quietly through small acts of defiance, sometimes explosively through extraordinary circumstances. This commitment to portraying interiority alongside grand scientific ideas sets her work apart from the more mechanistic science fiction of her era.
McIntyre also excels at exploring alienness—not only alien species but also alien emotions, alien societies, and alien physics. Yet her aliens are never caricatures. Instead, she approaches otherness with anthropological precision and empathy. Whether writing about symbiotic relationships, fluid genders, or non-human ecologies, McIntyre insists on complexity and mutual understanding. Her attention to biological detail reflects her background in genetics, lending authenticity to even her wildest inventions.
One of the collection’s most striking features is its tonal range. Some stories carry a sense of lyrical melancholy; others pulse with adventure, tension, or quiet introspection. All share a commitment to exploring the human consequences of scientific and cultural change. McIntyre avoids tidy conclusions. Many stories end with ambiguity—open doors rather than closed arcs—because transformation, for her characters, is never complete.
Her prose is elegant and precise. She writes with a clarity that allows even complex biological speculations to feel intuitive. Sensory detail is one of her greatest strengths: readers feel heat, taste salt, and sense textures and atmospheric shifts. This vividness makes her worlds immersive in a way few writers achieve in so few pages.
Emotionally, the collection is deeply resonant. McIntyre’s humanism shines through her explorations of love, grief, adaptation, and connection. Whether her characters are confronting societal oppression or navigating interspecies kinship, they do so with vulnerability and strength.
Ultimately, Fireflood and Other Stories stands as a powerful reminder of McIntyre’s influence on feminist and biologically rich science fiction. It is a collection that broadens the imagination while grounding every speculative leap in emotional truth.
For readers who cherish world-building that feels organic, characters who evolve in more ways than one, and prose that shimmers with intelligence and empathy, this volume is indispensable.
April 22, 2018
This was my first foray into Vonda N. McIntyre's body of work, and I must say, I didn't come away disappointed. She tells stories that are so vivid that they're immersive, intensely atmospheric and mysterious and fascinating, as any good sci-fi world should be. Some stories have hardly any dialogue in them, which is something I've always liked, but which I guess is unpopular nowadays. I've read female sci-fi writers before, but Ms. McIntyre breaks the mold: her stories are approachable and resonant no matter what sex or gender you ascribe to, and her portrayals of men and women and their relationships (even in fantastic settings) are realistic and believable. I highly enjoyed this book, and would definitely read a McIntyre story again.
July 28, 2019
The second of four Vonda McIntyre books I was gifted, from a woman who had known the author.
Averaging out my ratings for each of the eleven stories, the collection gets about 3.5 stars. On the whole, I did enjoy it better than The Exile Waiting. Compared to other older SFF I've read, her works seldom felt dated. In fact, some elements felt pretty modern, such as environmental concerns, the use of electric rental cars in a LimePod-like system, and even a queer romance (in "Wings").
I enjoyed the novella at the end, "Aztecs," which is expanded into the third of the four books I have, Superluminal. It's particularly amusing to see a futuristic view of Seattle from the perspective of the late 70's. I look forward to reading that one next.
Averaging out my ratings for each of the eleven stories, the collection gets about 3.5 stars. On the whole, I did enjoy it better than The Exile Waiting. Compared to other older SFF I've read, her works seldom felt dated. In fact, some elements felt pretty modern, such as environmental concerns, the use of electric rental cars in a LimePod-like system, and even a queer romance (in "Wings").
I enjoyed the novella at the end, "Aztecs," which is expanded into the third of the four books I have, Superluminal. It's particularly amusing to see a futuristic view of Seattle from the perspective of the late 70's. I look forward to reading that one next.
August 25, 2023
Vonda offers a unique perspective and voice in Science Fiction. Her stories are heartfelt and captivating. The world she builds are palpable and inviting. At her best, all of her stories are too short, you want to stay for longer.
Highlights...
Dreamsnake - Second time reading this one. Can't wait to find a copy of the novel.
Wings - Beautiful story of two outcasts as the rest of their kind leaves the planet behind
Aztecs - Started very strong in Sci-fi but really boiled down to the main character and her changing literal and metaphorical heart.
One sidenote: The Timescape printing of this book is noticeably bad. Errors and typos and the formatting of 'Recourse Inc.' was so bad I couldn't finish the story.
Highlights...
Dreamsnake - Second time reading this one. Can't wait to find a copy of the novel.
Wings - Beautiful story of two outcasts as the rest of their kind leaves the planet behind
Aztecs - Started very strong in Sci-fi but really boiled down to the main character and her changing literal and metaphorical heart.
One sidenote: The Timescape printing of this book is noticeably bad. Errors and typos and the formatting of 'Recourse Inc.' was so bad I couldn't finish the story.
July 18, 2019
Another fine book from Vonda N. McIntyre. I don't even like snakes, but she made me cry for the character Grass in the story 'Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand'. I first read this book way back in 1979, and was immediately hooked on Ms. McIntyre's writing. We will all miss her forever & hold her stories close to our hearts.
December 23, 2018
2/10. Media de los 4 libros leídos de la autora : 5/10
No me gustó nada su colección de relatos (en general NO me gustan los relatos). SI logra subir hasta el 5/10 la media e la autora fue gracias a "La luna y el sol", muy bueno y el único suyo que recomiendo.
No me gustó nada su colección de relatos (en general NO me gustan los relatos). SI logra subir hasta el 5/10 la media e la autora fue gracias a "La luna y el sol", muy bueno y el único suyo que recomiendo.
November 26, 2024
I was introduced to this author when my book club read her short story about a healer who used snakes. I liked it so much, I felt inspired to read the whole collection, and I'm glad I did. McIntyre's stories are beautiful and haunting.
February 13, 2025
Collection of science fiction and fantasy short stories from the author published in the 70's, including two novellas. Three of the stories were nominated for various awards, including the novelette 'Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand' which won the Nebula award in 1974.
March 17, 2020
Varied anthology, mostly very good. Some interesting characters and ideas. Some good world building in the short story format. Looking forward to finding Mindsnake.
September 14, 2014
This is a collection of short stories. Most of them concern a protagonist who is isolated or outcast or separated in some from her environment. Most of the stories also involve a romantic relationship across cultural boundaries, or social boundaries, or age boundaries, etc.; the romantic relationships generally are unsustainable. The stories deal with a short period of time in the protagonists's lives, usually in a state of transition.
The best stories include: "Aztecs" in which the protagonist has been surgically altered to be a "pilot" for interstellar travel. "Of Mist and Grass and Sand" about a young travelling snake healer; she far more of a snake person than just a snake healer. "Wings" about a crippled "flyer" and potentially the death of a world. And "Fireflood" about a former person "Dark" who was altered to be burrowing creature for life on alien planets and her appeal to flyers for help in attaining her freedom and purpose in life.
The other stories are good too. Special mention should also be made for "Screwtop", "The Mountains of Sunset, The Mountains of Dawn" (also about flyers, this time ones who have left the possibly dying world).
One rather different story "Recourse, Inc." is completely different, and doesn't belong in this collection, but is short enough to not detract.
It seems like Macintyre is not very well known as a writer. Although not so prolific, she is, when at her best, one of the outstanding writers in science fiction. However, she is not as widely recognized as she deserves. (Witness the fact that no one else has bothered to post a written review to goodreads for this collection.) At any event, the writing in this collection is wonderful: often mesmerizing and evocative. I recommend it.
The best stories include: "Aztecs" in which the protagonist has been surgically altered to be a "pilot" for interstellar travel. "Of Mist and Grass and Sand" about a young travelling snake healer; she far more of a snake person than just a snake healer. "Wings" about a crippled "flyer" and potentially the death of a world. And "Fireflood" about a former person "Dark" who was altered to be burrowing creature for life on alien planets and her appeal to flyers for help in attaining her freedom and purpose in life.
The other stories are good too. Special mention should also be made for "Screwtop", "The Mountains of Sunset, The Mountains of Dawn" (also about flyers, this time ones who have left the possibly dying world).
One rather different story "Recourse, Inc." is completely different, and doesn't belong in this collection, but is short enough to not detract.
It seems like Macintyre is not very well known as a writer. Although not so prolific, she is, when at her best, one of the outstanding writers in science fiction. However, she is not as widely recognized as she deserves. (Witness the fact that no one else has bothered to post a written review to goodreads for this collection.) At any event, the writing in this collection is wonderful: often mesmerizing and evocative. I recommend it.
Read
December 12, 2015Having read "Of Mist..." in Pamela Sargent's astonishing "Women of Wonder" anthology, I bought this. And it was fine. '70s sci-fi fine. By the last story, the longest story, I was ready to jump ship. But, you know, even when it's about 55 pages, who, particularly with a Goodreads account, jumps ship at the last story? I'm talking I was halfway through the last story, "Aztecs," and ready to jump ship.
And I barreled through.
And the last story was so broad. So beautiful. It should have been a cheesy '70s sci fi love story, and somewhere along the way it became a story you know, you know, from your own life...
And I barreled through.
And the last story was so broad. So beautiful. It should have been a cheesy '70s sci fi love story, and somewhere along the way it became a story you know, you know, from your own life...
November 12, 2022
11 stories by McIntyre, her first collection, looks like her best stories from the 70s:
**** Fireflood (1979)
**** Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand (1973)
*** Spectra (1972)
**** Wings (1973)
**** The Mountains of Sunset, the Mountains of Dawn (1974)
*** The End's Beginning (1976)
*** Screwtop (1976)
** Only at Night (1971)
** Recourse, Inc. (1974)
*** The Genius Freaks (1973)
**** Aztecs (1977)
**** Fireflood (1979)
**** Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand (1973)
*** Spectra (1972)
**** Wings (1973)
**** The Mountains of Sunset, the Mountains of Dawn (1974)
*** The End's Beginning (1976)
*** Screwtop (1976)
** Only at Night (1971)
** Recourse, Inc. (1974)
*** The Genius Freaks (1973)
**** Aztecs (1977)
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