Night Shift

PM's Outspoken Authors #29

by Eileen Gunn

Wry, dark humor burnishes visionary SF in these often prophetic, sometimes troubling, but always fascinating tales that combine and masterfully conflate the disparate worlds of corporate tech and literary art. “After the Thaw” is a hi-tech take on an ancient immortality. “Terrible Trudy on the Lam” based on actual events, is a modern fable about a zoo escape, a private eye, a vaudeville act and keeping your mouth shut. “Night Shift at NanoGobblers,” written for a NASA website, is about asteroid-altering AIs and their world-weary earthbound handlers. “Transitions” deals with jet lag when your flight is decades late. Gunn’s long-awaited third collection is rounded out by incisive and affectionate portraits of her SF colleagues, mentors, and friends, beginning with Ursula Le Guin. All illuminated of course by our artfully intimate interview.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Science Fiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published August 16, 2022

Reviews

[Nora Suntken · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thirty or so pages of this collection genuinely had me debating just quitting. It wasn’t bad by any means, but I just wasn’t connecting with Gunn’s style or humor and did not care one bit about the essays—which I did not know would be included and was under the impression that this was a short STORY collection. All that aside, my opinion both of Eileen Gunn herself and her writing shifted drastically after “Night Shift at NanoGobblers”. At that point, I still wasn’t sold on her fiction style (still am not, to be honest), but as a woman who took mycology in college and had a slime mold pet of my own for a very short time that I was both in awe and terrified of, I am obsessed with the concept of the story. Slime mold robots and anthropomorphic AI? Sign me up. After that story, my opinion just continued going up. The interview with Gunn was deeply funny with quotes like “I made a deal with God: I would attend eight years of Catholic schooling, and if I still didn't believe in Him at the end of it, I wouldn't have to believe and would not be expected to repent on my death bed. I did, and I didn't, and I won't, and I am not planning to,” and “They taught me how to understand subjects I'd never studied and how to work with capitalists without becoming one.” Truly an icon. “Transitions” was an interesting story of a trip gone off course and ended up 20 years in the future that was surprisingly earnest. The next two essays that followed, “Joanna Russ Has Your Back” and “Into the Wild with Carol Emshwiller” were my favorite of the bunch, with the former being especially compelling since I read How to Suppress Women’s Writing while waiting at an auto shop one day a few years ago. The final story here, however, was my favorite by miles and miles and was inspired by real Tapir who escapes the zoo. “Terrible Trudy on the Lam” was incredibly funny with her roller skating career to newfound interested in being a PI. I’m glad I stuck with this despite my initial misgivings since it ended up being a really great collection by a woman I am now kind of obsessed with.

[Dan Trefethen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short book has a few short stories, a few essays, and an interview of the author. The stories are sharp, cleverly drawn, and somewhat subversive. The essays are mainly about authors who have passed on, and who wrote stories that were sharp, cleverly drawn, and somewhat subversive (Joanna Russ and Carol Emshwiller, not to mention Gardner Dozois who was known mainly for his editing despite having written many excellent stories). The full bibliography at the end is welcome, as it has a few web links to related sources such as the archive of the Infinite Matrix webzine that Gunn edited for many years.

[Michael Reilly]

This is one of the excellent short books in the "Outspoken Authors" series. Each book features a collection of short stories, nonfiction pieces and interviews by a science fiction author. The books run about 100 pages each. The series features challenging, out of the mainstream writers.

Eileen Gunn fits the profile. This collection features her interest in the idea that every type of life form has its own language. The longest story, "Night Shift at NanoGobblers", features a night shift technician getting conned by an intelligent communicative slime mold. The last story is a very funny surreal story about a tapir who escapes from the San Diego Zoo and becomes a noir type private detective.

The selection includes Gunn's tributes to some of her major influences, Ursula Le Quin, Joanna Russ, Carol Emshwiller and Gardner Dozois and an interview of her by Terry Bisson.

This is an excellent introduction to an author that I was not familiar with.

[Susan Emmet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the Outspoken Authors series.
Never heard of Eileen Gunn, but this brief anthology captures her outlook and scope of work quite well.
I always like the interviews, this one again with Terry Bisson.
Intrigued by "Night Shift at NanoGobblers" and "Terrible Trudy on the Lam,"as well as tributes to fellow writers of SciFi and other types of work like Carol Emschwiller, JT Stewart, Ursula LeGuin and Gardner Dozois.
Made me think about the wide influence writers have on each other and how it's okay to go quiet instead of feeling the need to "produce" new work at a steady pace.
Again, this is a fine series. I look forward to buying additional books at a local bakery/bookstore.

[Jordyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

My friend told me this is the kind of book that you either love or hate. I disagree. I found it underwhelming but fine - not necessarily something I found myself wanting to read, but I did want to finish it.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very brief collection of essays and short stories, it seemed like it had barely begun before it was over. The Night Shift at NanoGobblers story was excellent.

[Nav · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very slim volume of fun, fresh takes on topics ranging from AIs to gumshoes.

[Wole Talabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essays and stories that are like the woman herself, thoughtful, fascinating, funny and always interesting.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I realized before I bought this that it would be half profiles of authors and not just Gunn's stories.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing particularly interesting or political that warrants being in the collection but as I slog my way through the series this is primarily my opinion on the selections.