Status Updates From Shadows of the New Sun: Sto...

I’m really loving this collection so far. None of the stories are completely successful at capturing Wolfe’s style, but they are all really interesting tributes. My favorite so far is Michael Swanwick’s “The She-Wolf’s Hidden Grin,” a fascinating twist on The Fifth Head of Cerberus. Nancy Kress and Neil Gaiman’s stories are also excellent.

The first Wolfe story was just as awesome as I was hoping for, but after that, it's getting dicey. Gaimen's story was good, but very Gaimany, if you take my meaning. Haldeman's was next, and I've liked his work off and on in the past, but his offering for this anthology was definitely off, as though he'd skimmed or misread Wolfe's other works,then tried to cough up something similar. Zahn's next. I don't know...

The Sea of Memory by Gene Wolfe - 5/5 - When the master of the unreliable narrator writes a story of this title, you know you're in for a ride. This one's about memory, and time. As usual, the dialog and description surpass any story the other authors serve. Interesting things happen during interstellar FTL? travel.

The Log by David Brin - 4/5 - At first, I thought this was set in between present day and the Solar Cycle, then I saw some of Brin's own uplift elements, then came some cultural critiques. I'm not sure I agree with the critiques, but they were interesting, and Brin knows his craft.

The Dreams of the Sea by Jody Lynn Nye - 3/5 - Set in the Solar Cycle world. Interesting to see the world after Severian. Too much exposition at the beginning.

Soldier of Mercy by Marc Aramini - 2/5 - Reluctant to give it this low a rating, but I didn't get the story. The prose was too busy and convoluted. I'll probably give it another try at some point, just in case.

In the Shadow of the Gate by William C. Dietz - 4/5 - capture the feeling of BotNS. Impressively so, though, filling a gap in the story, I'm not sure if it rises to the level of Wolfe. I'll return to the story when I re-read BotNS.

Tunes from Limbo, But I Digress by Judi Rohrig - 4/5 - Influenced by Home Fires, which I haven't read. Delves into a mystery of identity on an interstellar voyage.

Rhubarb and Beets by Todd McCaffrey - 3/5 - Fun little fairy-story about slavery and freedom. Given the anthology, though, the lack of subtlety stands out.

The most boring story is also the lengthiest yayyyy