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The Best of James Van Pelt
From a giant spider that can't be ignored in a high school classroom, to humanity facing a mutagen plague, to the last two robots witnessing the end of the universe, this comprehensive collection includes sixty-two of the best stories from James Van Pelt's fertile and wide-ranging imagination that have appeared over the last thirty years in Asimov's, Analog, Realms of Fantasy, Weird Tales, Talebones, and numerous other science fiction and fantasy publications.
Included in this collection is a Nebula finalist, a Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award Finalist, numerous stories that were recognized by Analog or Asimov's readers as among the best of the year, along with titles that were reprinted in Gardner Dozois's Year's Best Science Fiction, and other year's best anthologies.
Included in this collection is a Nebula finalist, a Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award Finalist, numerous stories that were recognized by Analog or Asimov's readers as among the best of the year, along with titles that were reprinted in Gardner Dozois's Year's Best Science Fiction, and other year's best anthologies.
698 pages, Paperback
Published July 1, 2022
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September 6, 2023Very good science fiction stories by someone who is a writer and a High School English teacher.
Well worth reading.
Well worth reading.
November 23, 2024
My friend James Van Pelt is a "steely-eyed" writer man, and I am lucky, honored, glad, and lucky to know him. Yes, I know I said "lucky" twice. Try to keep up.
This massive volume took me years to read because I insisted on reading one story at a time, only one story at a time, and only when I had the time, energy, and attention to devote to the words. The time and exactitude were well spent, and I am here to encourage you to do the same. Read this book.
For me, from front to back, from early Jim to later James, I read stories of which I remembered reading earlier drafts, then published stories, and then, as yet another of this collection. Others were utterly new to me. Every one was filled with his genial wisdom and thoughtful presentation. Nice work, Jim.
I am not sorry to have finished the book because the words gave me more the first time than I will ever recover from a second reading, and today, I was able to make a list of some of my favorites.
In no particular order, here's the list: "Miss Hathaway's Spider," "What Weena Knew," "The Small Astral Object Genius," "How Music Begins," "Mrs. Hatcher's Evaluation," "My Father and the Moon Maids from Mars," and "The Hareton K-12 County School and Adult Extension."
By far, my favorite is the last. The story is full of the old odd light of places and people passing through them permanently and impermanently, and yes, I do especially like the stories that move me to tears. Well, that would be the last four on the list, but I was most moved by the last.
Knowing Jim is one of the pleasures of my lifetime, and now, you can, too. Start with the ones I liked most, you know, just because.
This massive volume took me years to read because I insisted on reading one story at a time, only one story at a time, and only when I had the time, energy, and attention to devote to the words. The time and exactitude were well spent, and I am here to encourage you to do the same. Read this book.
For me, from front to back, from early Jim to later James, I read stories of which I remembered reading earlier drafts, then published stories, and then, as yet another of this collection. Others were utterly new to me. Every one was filled with his genial wisdom and thoughtful presentation. Nice work, Jim.
I am not sorry to have finished the book because the words gave me more the first time than I will ever recover from a second reading, and today, I was able to make a list of some of my favorites.
In no particular order, here's the list: "Miss Hathaway's Spider," "What Weena Knew," "The Small Astral Object Genius," "How Music Begins," "Mrs. Hatcher's Evaluation," "My Father and the Moon Maids from Mars," and "The Hareton K-12 County School and Adult Extension."
By far, my favorite is the last. The story is full of the old odd light of places and people passing through them permanently and impermanently, and yes, I do especially like the stories that move me to tears. Well, that would be the last four on the list, but I was most moved by the last.
Knowing Jim is one of the pleasures of my lifetime, and now, you can, too. Start with the ones I liked most, you know, just because.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews