Dirty Tricks

by George Alec Effinger

In these eleven short stories by speculative fiction master George Alec Effinger, New York's populace must deal with the realities of a bi-polar existence; patients' brains are cut to tiny pieces in a clinical search for the medical definition of bliss; a little child's natural fear of the dark is exploded into new mind-bending phobias and a cartoon favorite pays a personal visit to an aging, aching fan. Humor, sheer audacity, and an eclectic array of human fears and expectations placed against each other all make this collection a perfect representation of Effinger's unique voice. He is a truly remarkable talent and one not to be missed.

Genres: Science Fiction, Collections, Fiction

ebook

First published January 1, 1978

Reviews

[Stephen Rowland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have an aversion to short stories but sometimes when a writer impresses me enough (and I've finished all of their novels) I will condescend to read a few. Effinger is as powerful in short form as he is in (many of) his full-length books. There are some duds here, as is inevitable, but I will still give the collection the highest rating due to the brilliance of several other stories. "Heartstop" is nearly novella-length, and it's not science fiction but horror (a genre I definitely think is below me) -- but it alone makes this collection necessary. "Contentment, Satisfaction, Cheer..." is one of the best things Effinger ever wrote (and he used several ideas in this one story in his novels "Relatives" and "The Wolves Of Memory"), "The Mothers' March on Ecstasy" is hilarious (and I hate laughing) and "Chase Our Blues Away" is a perfect non-science-fiction closer.

[bluetyson]

Dirty Tricks by George Alec Effinger (2004)