The Shores Beneath

by James Sallis (Editor)

It contains:

Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones • (1968) • novelette by Samuel R. Delany
The Graveyard Heart • (1964) • novella by Roger Zelazny
Masterson and the Clerks • (1967) • novella by John Sladek
The Asian Shore • (1970) • novelette by Thomas M. Disch

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

James Sallis (born 21 December 1944 in Helena, Arkansas) is an American crime writer, poet and musician, best known for his series of novels featuring the character Lew Griffin and set in New Orleans, and for his 2005 novel Drive, which was adapted into a 2011 film of the same name.

Reviews

[Johan Haneveld · Rating 3 out of 5]

6- To be honest this was a bit of a slog for me. I think I like 50's SF more than I like 70's SF - I did think the literary level was higher here, with some beautiful descriptions and great sentences, great insight into characters too and good dialogues, but well ... It was all a bit too experimental to my tastes, a bit hard to make out the story and the ideas behind it. Not my favorite kind of SF. Still, a quick read, and a fun format: 4 novella's by four authors.

[Beneficial Bacteria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of the four stories I have only read Disch's "The Asian Shore," so for now this is my review for that one only. I will update this review as I read the others.

I do not have time to say anything. I am in class. But wanted to record before I forget to do it: This was terrific. Confusing and disorienting but terrific. I've been thinking about it nonstop since I finished it. I'm struggling to work on my essay for class because I can't stop thinking about this story. Oh my god.

[Charlie Herndon]

I read Samuel Delany's novelette "Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones" -- very cool, crazy, trippy, experimental sci-fi novel like Huxley and Dick, I'm now very curious to read more Delany.

[Robert Edens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this from Amazon - used - got a good price.
I wanted a copy of Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones by Samuel R Delaney.
It is SUPERB.
I first read it maybe 30 years ago and I could not believe how good it was.
I won't even try to describe the plot - Wikipedia has a good summary.
Read this novella - it will teach you how to write a novella!