The Best of Kim Stanley Robinson

by Kim Stanley Robinson

The New York Times best-selling and Hugo and Nebula award-winning author delivers a stunning collection of his best short fiction, including a new, never-before-published story.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Short Stories, Anthologies, Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, Audiobook

404 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2001

About the author

Kim Stanley Robinson is an American science fiction writer. He has published 22 novels and numerous short stories and is best known for his Mars trilogy. His work has been translated into 24 languages. Many of his novels and stories have ecological, cultural, and political themes and feature scientists as heroes. Robinson has won numerous awards, including the Hugo Award for Best Novel, the Nebula Award for Best Novel and the World Fantasy Award. The Atlantic has called Robinson's work "the gold standard of realistic, and highly literary, science-fiction writing." According to an article in The New Yorker, Robinson is "generally acknowledged as one of the greatest living science-fiction writers."

Reviews

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be honest, I expected something else. Most of the stories are not even science fiction from my PoV. More likely they can be called speculative. Some are about war, others are writing experiments, there are also philosophical ones, debates on religion and some are indeed sci-fi.

Overall, there is a story for everyone in this collection, even for those not fans of SF. And of course, even if you don't like much the subject, you'll at least enjoy the writing and his astounding knowledge.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

KSR is an author not afraid to experiment, which has led to some flawed, ambitious, highly rewarding novels and some flawed flops, too, but he saves his most extreme experimentation for his short fiction.

The Martians is a brave collection that goes from the depths of awfulness (baseball on Mars, "poetry") to radical genius (the discovery of Martian nanobacteria told through abstracts from scientific papers, the Martian constitution in full).

This collection is the same: dreadful (same bloody baseball on Mars story, in fact), awe-inspiring (how history works - or doesn't - as exemplified by several alternative histories of the first atomic bomb drop on Japan). But mostly excellent. KSR themes all present and correct - Mars, ecology, (anti-)capitalism, music, mountaineering, California, science and society, story telling through character, epiphanies, exaltations, revelations. Also some things rarely seen in KSR's work - aliens, interstellar travel.

All the more shocking, then, that I found it discounted to only three pounds!

Strongly recommended for lovers of KSR or the short story form.

[Ben Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took a while to read this, savoring it, not putting it off. Again and again, the stories triggered my imagination and encouraged my sense of wonder and even hope.

There's a strong sense of history here, with The Lucky Strike, The Timpanist of the Berlin Philharmonic, 1942, and A History of the Twentieth Century, With Illustrations as standouts. The Lucky Strike moved me, pulled in my emotions and made me think about war and peace. These are common themes in Robinson's works, and he deals with them in creative ways rather than stereotypical ones. A History of the Twentieth Century... also moved me, this time by leading me with the main character toward despair, then taking me to wonder and hope. Great stuff. The Timpanist... wasn't nearly as emotional, but I listened to Beethoven's 9th while reading--not the recording from the story, I'm sorry to say--and it was fitting. Again Robinson has people dealing with war and evil, this time from inside of Nazi Germany, and trying to find a way to express beauty and transcendence, trying to communicate through the music that they aren't all there by choice.

In an interview for Shaman, KSR talked about how he viewed science fiction (maybe speculative fiction) as fictional histories. This comes through in these stories as well as his Mars Trilogy and 2312. I assume it does in his lots of his other novels.

The Blind Geometer and Escape From Kathmandu were some of my favorites from the collection. They've both got a strong sense of adventure and wonder, with gripping plots that pulled me right along. In The Blind Geometer, KSR uses his descriptive skills to tell what it might be like to be blind. In his notes at the end, he says this one is his way of doing an alien story. He got help from a blind man, as well, and used music as inspiration. The adventure of it, the almost detective style story worked for me. Yeti came to life in a wonderful way in Escape From Kathmandu. After reading it, Harry and the Hendersons came to mind. It was released just two years after this story was published, and I couldn't help but wonder if this story had some kind of influence. KSR's realization of the Yeti is much more satisfying to me, and his way of dealing with the clash between those who want to expose and those who want to protect works much better. The story's a long one, separated into chapters, and I remember thinking that the letter that made up an early chapter could stand alone. Still, the story was great.

A number of the stories here didn't have much fantastical or science fictional to them. Or, if it was there, it was quite subtle. Venice Drowned, another of my favorites, was like this. The water levels aren't contemporary, but are a relatively simple extrapolation from our current state. The story itself is mostly internal conflict as the boat pilot struggles with ideas of home and self identity. The stormy night has a fantastic feel to it, though everything about it fits in our realm. Overall, the story had the feel of a Gene Wolfe story to me, which is, of course, a good thing. At least half a dozen stories here have realistic feel to them. Robinson is typically thought of as a Science Fiction author, but, based on these, I'd love to read something "mainstream" from him.

Others worth mentioning:

Our Town. Even though the ending didn't work for me, reading this decadent future was disturbing and departed more from the realistic than usual. Themes of class, conscience, and freedom made it interesting.

Zürich and The Translator were the funniest stories in the collection. The former having a mythic feel to it, the later one a classic science fiction feel.

Even though the average of my ratings only came in near four stars, the strength of the collection (and here some kudos probably should go to Jonathan Strahan) makes it a strong five. Robinson is an author who, even though I wouldn't call him a master of the short form, still has a strong voice and mastery of the craft in general. There's plenty here and it's worth anyone's time.

[Peter Tillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very nice collection, selected by Jonathan Strahan, mostly from earlier Robinson collections. If you're new to KSR's short fiction, or to this author, this would be a good place to start. Robinson is a very good writer, and I enjoyed reading and re-reading almost all of these stories. My favorites? "Escape from Kathmandu" and "A History of the Twentieth Century, with Illustrations."

Robinson is not a prolific short-story writer; if you're a regular reader of short SF, you'll have seen many of these stories before. If you happen to own his earlier collection "Remaking History," note that there is a lot of overlap between that book and this.

Table of Contents:

page 1 • Venice Drowned • (1981) • novelette
19 • Ridge Running • (1984) • short story
33 • Before I Wake • (1989) • short story
43 • Black Air • (1983) • novelette • World Fantasy Award
67 • The Lucky Strike • (1984) • novelette
99 • A Sensitive Dependence on Initial Conditions • (1991) • short story
109 • Arthur Sternbach Brings the Curveball to Mars • (1999) • short story
119 • The Blind Geometer • (1986) • novella • Nebula Award
157 • Our Town • (1986) • short story
163 • Escape from Kathmandu • (1986) • novella
211 • Remaking History • (1988) • short story
223 • The Translator • (1990) • novelette
237 • Glacier • (1988) • novelette
257 • The Lunatics • (1988) • novelette
281 • Zurich • (1990) • short story
291 • Vinland the Dream • (1991) • short story
301 • A History of the Twentieth Century, with Illustrations • (1991) • novelette
329 • Muir on Shasta • (1991) • short story
339 • Sexual Dimorphism • (1999) • short story
353 • Discovering Life • (2000) • short story
361 • Prometheus Unbound, at Last • (2007) • short-short (previously uncollected)
365 • The Timpanist of the Berlin Philharmonic, 1942 • short story, first publication here.
381 • Afterword, by the author

[Michael Burnam-Fink · Rating 3 out of 5]

KSR is one of the acknowledged masters of contemporary science fiction. His Mars trilogy stands like a monument to ambition and understanding. That said, the short story is not his natural format. These stories feel cramped, hemmed in and ended before they reach their conclusion. Repetitions in themes and more annoyingly pacing become apparent: mountains, climate change, baseball, dreams, science, history-each story punctuated by a leaden last line. There are a few standouts, the award winning "Black Air", and goofy and enjoyable "Arthur Sternback Brings the Curveball to Mars", the paired ruinpunk stories of "Venice Drowned" and "Glacier", and the eerie dream-horror of "Before I Wake", but on the whole, the volume is puffed out with filler that sadly illuminates the limits of KSR's talents rather than his strengths.

[Adam McPhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Venetian freelancer scuba dives for artifacts. A man goes for a hike after having his brain repaired following a car accident. The backup crew of the Enola Gay has the chance to change world history. Slave miners on the Moon make a desperate bid for freedom. A peasant boy joins the Spanish Armada. An archaeologist in Newfoundland confronts a Scandinavian hoax dating back centuries. A blind mathematician falls for an unusual honeytrap. NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab Scientists are forced to cancel a manned Mars mission after the discovery of native bacteria. Yeti is kidnapped in Nepal. A Canadian family flees to a glacier-covered Boston at the dawn of a new ice age. A writer struggles with his history of the twentieth century. It's the best of Kim Stanley Robinson.

[Alex Lobko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Далеко не сф. Или как минимум далеко не стандартная сф. Половина рассказов вполне вписалась бы в «реалистический» канон.
Характерная супер-сила Робинсона: дать на экстра короткой дистанции очень выпуклую, проработанную и яркую картину незнакомых миров (будущее, луна или даже просто горный пик).
Написано богатым и сложным языком (через некоторые из рассказов мне пришлось «пробиваться», но это мой минус).
Ким Стенли Робинсон в первую очередь серьезный писатель, поднимающий сложные экосоциальные проблемы, иногда в фантастическом сеттинге.
Кое-где придется подумать.

Конкретно, этот сборник лично по мне неровный, моя оценка по ходу чтения колебалась от 2 до 5, к 3, и снова вверх. Теперь очень хочу прочитать какую-то из его крупных форм.

_____________

Venice drowned - душевная локальная меланхоличная картина климатического апокалипсиса. Для меня было слишком мало сюжетного движения

Ridge running - вообще на 99% сентиментальная проза про горный поход.

Before I wake - галлюциногенный хоррор с интересной идеей, но уж очень хаотичный

Black air - фантастические элементы, вдохновленные христианской символикой, ничего не добавляют этой новелетке про крушение непобедимой испанской Армады. Она была бы впечатляюще депрессивной и без этого. Но и так хорошо.

Lucky strike - !!! Лучший рассказ книги. Антивоенная притча в жанре альтернативной истории, сфокусированная на личности бомбардира, который должен был сбросить бомбу на Хиросиму. Особенно впечатляет читать из 2023 года

Sensitive dependence … - продолжение Лаки Страйк. Взгляд на исторические законы с точки зрения физики. Необычная форма рассказа и моральная дилемма планетарных масштабов.

Curveball - милая, но проходная вещица про бейсбол на Марсе. Ну или возможно просто я ничего не понимаю в этом спорте

The blind geometer - второй любимый рассказ. Шпионская история от лица слепого ученого; как сам автор писал - это его преломление сюжета про пришельцев, которые мыслят непохоже на нас. Заслуженная Nebula

Our town - всего 5 страничек, а очень мрачный эскиз возможного будущего

Escape from Kathmandu - а это, пожалуй, любимый (не лучший, а любимый) рассказ в сборнике. Во-первых, он очень душевный и гуманистический. Во-вторых, написан с невероятной любовью к Непалу, непальцам и горам. Несмотря на все (справедливые) подшучивания над местными дорогами, авиалиниями и сервисом. Неподдельный эффект узнавания). В-третьих, йети.

Remaking history - развлекающий/тельный быстрый рассказ (съемки кино на Луне), поднимающий тему роли личности в истории и откуда в нас берется (или нет) героическое. Довольно легко угадываемый сюжетный поворот. И все же милый.

Translator - почему-то ассоциируется с кем-то из золотого века фантастики. Азимов мог такое написать. Хитрость и белая ложь помогают избежать взаимного уничтожения двух инопланетных рас.

Glacier - грустный рассказ, очень настроенческий, за счет того, что он на очень малом объеме сочетает в себе глобальное (экологическая катастрофа) и индивидуальное (куда отдать кота при переезде…)

Lunatics - мрачнейшая история про рабство и чистую яростную месть за него (без борьбы за свободу), ни единого намека на светлый позитивный исход, да и что ожидать от мира, где свет используется как наказание

Zurich - короткий (10 страниц) кафкианский рассказ, который начинается очень смешно (юмор в целом нетипичен для Робинсона), а заканчивается грустно, метафоричной картиной горя из-за скорого расставания

Vinland the dream - короткий рассказ, который бы понравился Харари и Докинзу. Про важность «историй», которые человечество себе рассказывает. На примере викингов.

History of XXth century… - один из лучших рассказов, абсолютно реалистический. Написан в конце столетия и сфокусирован на всех его ужасах и тем не менее в конце главный герой находит в себе и для себя надежду на лучшее для 21 века. Что называется, так хотелось бы в это верить, читая после (почти) первой его четверти

Muir on Shasta - про одно из восхождений Джона Мьюра, натуралиста, апологета создания нацпарков; выбивается немного из сборника: не фантастика и не фантазия, нет сложных проблем. Очень на любителя.

Sexual dimorphism - очень странный рассказ про генетиков на Марсе, не получается сопереживать главгерою, и тема, гм, своеобразная, и итог (как я его понял) в лучшем случае противоречивый, в худшем - извращенский

Discovering life - отличнейший (короткий, но очень яркими мазками вводящий контекст и персонажей) рассказ про обнаружение жизни на Марсе и как это означает, что нам что-то придется делать в первую очередь с Землей.

Prometheus unbound. At last. - двухстраничная юмористическая зарисовка в формате отзыва на книгу про эволюцию научного сообщества. Очень смешно. И наконец-то позитивный взгляд на 21 столетие.

Timpanist of Berlin philharmonic, 1942 - не то, чтобы так автором предлагалось, но я читал этот рассказ под 9-ю симфонию Бетховена. И считаю, что только так и следует делать). Это мастерское описание мыслей литавриста во время выступления перед нацистами, где все переплетено: и восприятие самой музыки, и деталей своей партии (так похожей на звуки бомбардировки), и как себя возможно чувствовал Бетховен при написании, и ужасов обеих мировых войн, и преследования евреев, и ужаса смерти, и силы искусства, и тихого протеста.

[Janet Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really unexpectedly good, some of these. Especially “the blind geometrist” and “a sensitive dependence on initial conditions” (Hiroshima)

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stuff I Read - The Best of Kim Stanley Robinson by Kim Stanley Robinson Review

I picked this up looking forward to this year's WisCon, having had no other experience with the author. I must say, it's a good collection, heavy on the science fiction but with a nice human edge. There are obviously some things that seem to recur in the collection more than others, like mountain climbing, like the cold, some things like that, but it's still a lot of fun to read and there were some that really impressed me. Like with all collections, some stories were a little more misses for me, but not many.

"The Blind Geometer" was among my favorites in the collection, and I liked how it played around with mathematical ideas as well as sensation, featuring a blind protagonist. I also liked that it was something of a spy thriller, and that it had some room to play with that. There are gun fights! And sex! And just some solid storytelling with some interesting ideas. In a similar vein, but a much more ridiculous one, "Escape from Kathmandu" was hilarious. I liked the buddha-like yeti and the ridiculous characters. That I get to read the full book is an added bonus, because I did like the energy and hi-jinx of the story.

There are also a lot dealing wtih WWII, with war, with humanity as a whole. "Lucky Strike" is one of those, also the follow up story "A Sensitive Dependence on Initial Conditions." Both are good taken together, and a little less so taken apart. Though I much preferred "Rewriting History" to those because it argued for what role history has and how it is determined. All of them share some common elements, though, and it's fun to see the author circle back around to common themes.

Of course, "Zurich" and "The Translator" were two of my favorites as well, though for fairly different reasons. They were both rather funny, but I liked the way "Zurich" questioned the idea of immigration and what is foreign. "The Translator" was more of a funny story, a misunderstanding that wasn't really a misunderstanding, but I really liked both of them, and I rather liked the collection as a whole. As I said, there were a few that I wasn't quite as sold on, but overall there's a lot here to like.

And in the end this is a large collection, and that it had me nodding throughout, had me reading avidly to the end, is a testament to its strength. Because sometimes a collection this long could get a bit much. But there's some good variety and there are some central themes that make this worth the time of getting through it. It was a fun book, with some great stories, and as such I'm giving it an 8.25/10.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of short stories written over the past 30 years offers alternative history, utopia, dystopia, travel logs, and the trials of tribulations of a blind geometer and a totally clueless genetic researcher. I found it fascinating and entertaining. Robinson asks and answers more questions than this reader has ever imagined. The short story that made me laugh the most was the one about a double kidnapping of an abominable snowman. Alternative histories about the dropping of the atomic bomb (oops, I missed Hiroshima) shows how major changes in history can be traced back to the free will of individuals. Dystopias include futures with flooded artworks and impinging glaciers. The story that finished most differently than it started is about an author attempting to write about the twentieth century. Research leads him to all the wars and over 100 million deaths due to violence. Then a vacation to Scotland and the site of the oldest known stone village from over 3000 years old forces the author to view the century in a far more optimistic light.

One very nice touch are a collection of Robinson's impressions of each story at the end of the book. Once I discovered that, I referred to it after reading each of the short stories.

[Fred Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first introduction to Kim Stanley Robinson was with his Mars series – Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars.

What grabbed me as a reader was that although we were on another planet, and certainly that was the main driver of the story arc, it was the lucid depiction of the characters as people. Here were people I could relate to, and heck, these were people I could go to the pub or a restaurant with and have a great evening.

This ability of Kim Stanley Robinson to build a relationship between myself, and his characters, that was that strong was IMPRESSIVE.

I then read his series Forty Signs of Rain, Fifty Degrees Below, and Sixty Days and Counting and experienced the same deep affection with the main character.

I’ve tried to analyse what it is about the writing style that so linked reader to character and failing that I just decided to enjoy it, which I did.

This current book of short stories written from the 1980’s to the 21st Century all contain that same linkage between reader and character. And I’m not sure why I wouldn’t believe that is true of all his books.

So without hesitation I strongly recommend this book, along with the other six I have read, for great character driven science fiction stories

[Gendou · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like the worst of Kim Stanley Robinson! Not all these short stories were bad. But one of them was about Bigfoot, with a high dose of the noble savage myth. Yuck. One of them had aliens, which was kind of cool. Because aliens. Most of the content was sort of impenetrable poetic personal journey type stuff that didn't really make sense. Not enough Mars stuff in this collection to make it worth reading, if you ask me.

[Carly Kirk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting

I'm usually a big fan of short stories, but this collection left me a bit unsatisfied. There are probably only 3-4 that I'd be willing to reread. For the most part the author's writing style feels too "literary" for me and I don't know that I'd be interested in reading any of his actual full length books.

[Michael Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stan is best known for his award-winning “Mars” trilogy and the “Caifornias Triptych,” and for such other novels as The Years of Rice and Salt, but his short fiction is also first-rate, and the twenty pieces collected here are the best of those. The subjects he investigates run the gamut from the slow drowning of Venice because of global warming (the roots of which go back to his first visit there in 1977) to the nature of dreams and almost anything you can think of in between. The best things here, to my mind, are “Black Air,” an inside look at the Spanish Armada, which won the World Fantasy Award (and which reminds me a lot in its style of Howard Waldrop); “The Lucky Strike,” a what-if story about the bombing (or not) of Hiroshima which has much anthologized (and for very good reasons); and “Escape from Kathmandu,” which argues the necessity of preserving wildlife habitats by focusing on the yeti. Not everyone enjoys short stories, I know, but if you’re a science fiction reader, you really ought to try these. Some excellent stuff here.

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time reading KSR's short fiction. As with any collection, it's hard to nail it one every one, however for the most part I liked this a lot, and was satisfied. Then I got to the last story, about a performance of Beethoven's 9th in Berlin, 1942. Probably my favorite piece of music, and the story builds up to the bursting forth of ecstasy in the same way the symphony does. Sitting in a Starbucks, reading through tears, actual tears. KSR is a great writer anyways but this was exquisite, I have rarely been so moved by a story, maybe only the sadness and struggle and undercurrent of hope of Grapes of Wrath, and the sickening despair of 1984 have moved me so much. Buy this book for this story alone; you'll enjoy the others, but this is a masterpiece of writing, the beauty, the transcendence, it is the same ecstatic Romanticism of Beethoven, not translated to writing, but mirrored by it, captured by it.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a revelation for me. I'd been aware of Robinson's Mars trilogy, but haven't yet been motivated to read it. It will have to move further up the "to read" list based on my experiences of reading this anthology of his short fiction. While most of these stories were published years ago, many of their themes of environmental degradation, authoritarian regimes, devalued scientific research, and gender dynamics seen ripped from today's headlines. In some ways, these stories are unlike anything I've read before and I was constantly reveling in his creativity and the clarity of his writing. Apparently Robinson was heavily influenced by Philip K. Dick (another favorite) and it's possible to see some of the influence here. But he's far more measured than Dick and the beauty of his writing can't be overstated. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to read some science fiction with a difference.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Keep in mind, I'm more of a novel reader than short fiction. This collection is a mixture, some stories shorter, some relatively long. A few I wouldn't classify as science fiction. A few have a setting (such as a new glacier age) as the one element that would make it science fiction. Those which are more generally science fiction don't tend to have Robinson's "data dumping" or extensive references to science (although there can be extensive references to themes such as music.) There's variety in plots and settings.

[Kiril Valchev · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Best of Kim Stanley Robinson" събира най-доброто (според съставилия сборника Джонатан Страан) от кратките произведения на големия фантаст. Не са лоши, но ми липсваше размаха от романите на КСР. Темите, тонът и местата, на които ви захвърлят разказите, са най-разнообразни. От потопената (повече от обикновено) Венеция, през гонитба из Хималаите, до бейзбол на Марс. Най-много ми допаднаха две истории за личната отговорност на фона на бомбардировките над Хирошима и Нагасаки.

[The_J · Rating 3 out of 5]

When an author you appreciate and enjoy has a "Best of" hope is high. But the realism here is I hope this isn't his best, because much is mediocre at "Best". Read Gold Coast, instead, it is wonderful!

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blind geometor- 5* a must read

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

boo

[mandy broyden · Rating 5 out of 5]

His short fiction tends much more towards horror. But some great views and ways to approach moralities and events.

[Arthur J]

This is an in-depth look at a prolific writer. It's a must-read for any of his many fans.

[Shaughan Keaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like any anthology, there is some variance. Some of these are amazing, while there are a few that seem out of place. It is worth reading, though, for the great ones.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy short stories, and these are good ones. A lot of them are aligned with novels that I really enjoyed already. Thanks, Stan!

[Karl Schaeffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The length and breadth of Robinson’s stories are immense. All the stories are thought provoking. I liked Lucky Strike and Arthur Sternbach Brings the Curveball to Mars.

[Pablo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not enough of the things I look for. Moments of good, but a lot of fluff. 3 stars

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 4.5

A purely delightful read as big KSR fan! To witness his brilliance in short story form, instead of his usual long novels, is like watching a concert violinist play fiddle. It only enhanced my appreciation for the author's writing skills to see them in a different form.

There was a subtle sense of silliness in a number of the stories, which I think I enjoyed the most. KSR tends to be so logical and precise, that to see him present his sense of humor was wonderful. It was like seeing a professor off campus drinking with friends. "Escape from Kathmandu" is a great example of this. A silly premise, but still a story told with KSR's precision.

My overall favorites probably were "The Blind Geometer" and "The History of the Twentieth Century: With Illustrations." The first is fabulously crafted, a story I could "see" just as the blind narrator would have. The second is a classic KSR soul-searching-while-traveling, story. I want to agree with you, KSR, that I see man as basically good, but uff some days it is hard.

[Mykl Roventine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent primer into the breadth of styles KSR embodies. The short stories in this collection often veer wildly from traditional sci-fi conventions but fans of the genre will not be disappointed. I was surprised, and later impressed, at how much this felt like a multi-author compilation. Despite this, the hallmarks of why I'm such a fan were always there: strong character-based stories with science as a clever backdrop; occasional jaunts into alternate history; and so much detail you can just sink into and lose yourself.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first encounter with Robinson. His stories don't have much plot, but they're warm-hearted and hopeful towards their characters. I especially enjoyed the "Blind Geometer," with an earnest mathematician as the central character; and the fun loving story, "Escape from Kathmandu," which doesn't take itself seriously at all!

That said, I didn't read all the stories. A good number of them tend towards essay, not story, or the plot moves too slowly for my taste. Can't say I'm a huge Robinson fan.