David’s Reviews > The Best of Gene Wolfe > Status Update

"A Cabin on the Coast" - when you deal with the Fair Folk, you never get what you bargained for. It's ok I guess, and the only story Wolfe didn't select (his editors did).

"Has Anybody Seen Junie Moon?" - a carnie strongman meets a charismatic woman who seeks to ride the White Cow Moon. Wolfe effortlessly shows how to construct a world through the scattershot words and memorable voice of his mentally dim but utterly loyal narrator. My heart goes out to Sam.

"The Tree Is My Hat" - an old gods fantasy, taking place on an island in the south Pacific, with special guest Sharknado. Wolfe's characters are slippery, not completely understandable; his worldbuilding nonlinear and oh so expertly crafted.

"Petting Zoo" - it was inevitable that I loved this bittersweet story of a boy and his dinosaur, as Wolfe states in an afternote that he was inspired by Calvin and Hobbes. This one's a masterclass in seamlessly embedding flashbacks, *and* worldbuilding. Nary a word wasted.

"Bed and Breakfast" - What happened one night at the last B&B before the gates of Hell. A fair story, if kind of cringe. At least it kept my attention.

"And When They Appear": finally, a story I could not put down, to break the run of stinkers. This one's a Christmas story, yet our protag Sherby gains agency but not wisdom, so it's not a Christmas story.

"Game in the Pope's Head": a pointless acid trip about a serial killer? Again, why?

"Parkroads---a Review": another inexplicable inclusion in a best-of collection. There is no plot here. Move along.

"The Boy Who Hooked the Sun": A Kiplingesque origin story for the seasons. Mostly forgettable, but according to Wolfe, a good story model to emulate. Eh.

The last in his series of unrelated stories riffing on the same title words, "Death of the Island Doctor" is an odd little beast, ending somewhat abruptly, mysteriously. I initially thought this was another dud. But if you let the ending knock about a bit in your head a while, you might see why it was "a special favorite" of Wolfe's. And now mine. Brilliant.