Wasps at the Speed of Sound

by Derryl Murphy

Here are eleven short stories about the impact we have on our environment, and the impact our environment has on us. Species extinction, alien insurrection, the physical destruction of the Earth and more lead the way in this collection of EcoSF.

CURATOR'S NOTE (The Exclusive Dark Fantasy and SF Bundle)
«I've known Derryl Murphy since shortly after I started writing in the late 90's, and am proud to call this talented writer a friend. I read the title story of this powerful collection almost two decades ago when we both had stories in the now defunct magazine Oceans of the Mind. Two decades — and I still remember that story. That is the kind of writer that Derryl is. The stories in Wasps at the Speed of Sound are, in this era of human-driven climate change, even more relevant today than when first written. They show us, to quote Peter Watts in the introduction, "eleven ways for the planet to die." Watts describes Murphy as "another voice in the wilderness, showing us where we're headed." Here's your chance to read these wonderfully crafted and thought-provoking tales.» – Douglas Smith

ebook

First published February 1, 2005

About the author

Derryl Murphy lives with his wife, boys and dog in Saskatoon, where he is deeply involved in a life of soccer and writing. His short fiction has appeared in magazines and anthologies since his first sale in the early '90s. His first book, the collection of eco-SF Wasps at the Speed of Sound, was released by Prime Books in 2005, and in 2009 Cast a Cold Eye, a novella co-written with William Shunn, was released by PS Publishing.

Napier's Bones has just been nominated for Best Novel for the Aurora Award. For more information and for information on how to vote for Napier's Bones, please see http://www.prixaurorawards.ca/

Derryl has been nominated for the Canada's Aurora Award for an SF review column he wrote for The Edmonton Journal, for his short story "Body Solar," and for "Mayfly," a short story he co-wrote with Peter Watts.

Once upon a time Derryl was a photojournalist, but staking out murder sites to get a lousy picture was not the career he envisioned.

Reviews

[Isabel (kittiwake) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in return for a review, via the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.

Before I start down I look one more time in the stream. I can see nothing swimming in it, no fish, no beetle.
As I walk, I wish there were still birds to sing to me.

Eleven stories about the end of the world as we know it. Although the overall theme of the book is ecological disaster, apocalypse comes in many forms, from invading aliens, water shortages, and garbage-covered oceans, to swarms of huge insects and far future earth that is about to be swallowed by the sun. "What Goes Around" is a more light-hearted story and brings a bit of light relief to the book.

The only story I disliked was "Summer's Humans", which was inspired by Nadine Gordimer's story "July's People". The characters were unpleasant and the aliens' constant hair-shedding made me shudder in disgust (although that was probably the point).

My favourite story was The History of Photography, which was subtle and lyrical and poignant. The author said that when this story appeared in a photography magazine, the readers sent in lots of irate letters complaining about inaccuracies, as the magazine hadn't made it clear that it was fiction. "Those Graves of Memory" and "Wasps at the Speed of Sound" make up my top three.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasps a the the Speed of Sound by Derryl Murphy

This is the newest edition of Wasps at the Speed of Sound, with 11 short science fiction stories (the original had 10). All of the stories have an environmental warning but this enhances the stories rather than detracts from them.

My favourite story was the Blue Train in which most of humanity that still exists after an extreme water shortage travels the world on a gigantic train in search of water and their subsequent freedom from this train by one man who dared to question the company's monopoly on the earths water.

Murphy constructs the world of each story so well, with little extraneous language as possible so the reader can create a vivid image of their own. Truly a pleasure to read for any science fiction fan and possibly for any environmentalist too.

I received this book from Library Thing Early Reviewers

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great book of short stories, chosen as for the UNBC Reads campaign at the University of Northern British Columbia in 2007.