More Wandering Stars: An Anthology of Outstanding Stories of Jewish Fantasy and Science Fiction

by Jack Dann (Editor)

This stellar collection of Jewish science fiction and fantasy carries on in the tradition of its companion volume―the enduring classic Wandering Stars ―breaking new ground with every story. Trouble with mothers; invading aliens and demons; the arrival of the long-awaited Messiah ... all these phenomena and more are tackled in these tales from a creative group of extraordinary writers. We go to the edges of the universe, finding humor, pain and humanity in the unlikeliest of places and situations. Filled with wit, vigor and sharp insight, this is a fantastic feast for the imagination that will intrigue and delight everyone who picks it up, Jew and non-Jew alike.

Genres: Science Fiction, Jewish, Fantasy, Short Stories, Anthologies, Fiction, Judaism

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

Reviews

[Adrienne Scanlan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A disappointing successor to the original "Wandering Stars" anthology. True, this book had some stand-out stories, including Phyllis Gotlieb's "Tauf Aleph," the very challenging "Leviticus: In the Ark," by Barry Malzberg (as well as his "Isaiah"), and Mel Gilden's "A Lamed Wufnik," and Harvey Jacob's "Dress Rehearsal" was amusing. Too many stories had nothing to do with being Jewish (one Jewish-named character does not a Jewish story make if there's no examination, directly or otherwise, of what it means to be a Jew in space, in the future, or even in fantasy) and there was an over-emphasis on the Messiah, which is not a major part of American Jewish life or practice. (Yes, there are exceptions, but this is book review not a theological overview.) Overall, I wish Dann had simply left it at "Wandering Stars," which is a book that deserves to remain on shelves, read over and over again, for a long time to come.

[Alex Maslow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as the first, but good nonetheless

[rivka · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had the same issues with this one as the first one.

Only more so, which is not surprising, since this one includes a piece by Woody Allen.

So many of these authors think being Jewish is a matter of cliches and guilt! Even the one about the coming of the Messiah, which tries to contrast the Jewish view with that of the Christian POV-storyteller has a "Coming of Messiah" that is oddly Christian. The Jews give away all their stuff and get whisked into the sky. That's a Christian-second-coming tale, nothing Jewish about it. Where's Eliyahu haNavi (Elijah the Prophet) and Moshiach (the Messiah) riding on a white donkey? Where are the shofars and everyone going to the Land of Israel and the rebuilding of the Temple?

The other stories, with a couple of exceptions, aren't much better. To be Jewish (they imply) is to be clever, good with money, and have a mother who nags so thoroughly even death cannot stop her. gah!

[Mordechai Housman · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is utter garbage. The stories are written by people who know (or knew) next to nothing about Judaism, and some nothing even about Jewish life. Whoever wrote the blurbs before each of the stories seemed indeed to know something, though not perfectly. Some of the stories are unworthy of their authors.

[L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good collection. I'm not enchanted by editors who publish their own stories, much less who make theirs the longest in the book, but never mind. Ellison's piece is the best, as you'd expect.

[Anna]

Readercon : Tau Ceti : Gotlieb : Jewish robots