Status Updates From Traces

“Inherit the Earth.” An elderly leader nearing the end seeks out the pope to help him with his doubts about whether or not humans ever existed. An interesting little tale about faith and belief, with characteristic Baxter alien sapients.

“George and the Comet.” A man from the present is reborn in the deep future. Interesting and very Baxter, but not great.

“Moon Six.” An astronaut finds himself alone on the moon. An interesting little tale that takes the seed of Pilgrim 7, expands on it and gives a much more satisfying story.

“Zemlya.” Yuri Gagarin rides the first rocket to Venus and into history, or perhaps not. Pleasant little story tying real history with speculative fiction and interesting sci-fi concepts.

“Pilgrim 7.” An astronaut watches as the world burns below him, and yet it is not the end. An interesting story but I’m perplexed by the ending.

“In the Manner of Trees.” An expedition to a failed colony finds life has survived in a way. One of the most extreme examples of Baxter’s altered humanity that I have read, where even intellect has been sacrificed for survival.

“Something For Nothing.” Three astronauts find encounter a billion year old relic of a dead civilisation, and are just as venal and depressingly petty as any human in the world.

“Good News.” A musing on the nature of the superhero, no names mentioned but it’s obvious who is the focus of the story. Nothing new but put forward in a polished way.

“Weep For the Moon.” A time traveller attempts to change the fate of a musician to save his future. An interesting tale with a nice twist on expectations.

“Brigantia’s Angels.” In which a chance choice makes human flight possible decades earlier, but there is a cloud for every silver lining.

“Columbiad.” Places HG Wells in a position of considering if Verne’s First Men on the Moon actually happened. Interesting but feels a little incomplete.