The Good New Stuff: Adventure SF in the Grand Tradition
The Good New Stuff: Adventure SF in the Grand Tradition
Author: Gardner Dozois
Desc: This is the second of two companion anthologies that chronicle the history of the SF adventure story. With this book editor Gardner Dozois is attempting to disprove the old adage that "they don't write 'em like that anymore." Which of course they do as writers like Peter F. Hamilton Michael Swanwick George Turner and John Varley amply demonstrate in these pages. The selections here date from 1977 to 1998 although Dozois has limited himself by omitting subgenres such as cyberpunk military SF and even hard SF. While this makes the The Good New Stuff somewhat dubious as a historical overview of the adventure SF field it allows Dozois to uncover some real gems that might otherwise have gone overlooked including a couple of stories first published in the Brit-lit SF magazine Interzone. It's safe to say that in the hands of authors like Robert Reed Walter Jon Williams and Stephen Baxter the grand tradition of SF is alive and well. --Craig E. Engler Contents Preface (The Good New Stuff) • (1999) • essay by Gardner Dozois Good-Bye Robinson Crusoe • [Eight Worlds] • (1977) • novelette by John Varley The Way of Cross and Dragon • (1979) • novelette by George R. R. Martin Swarm • [Shaper/Mechanist] • (1982) • novelette by Bruce Sterling The Blind Minotaur • (1985) • shortstory by Michael Swanwick The Blabber • [Zones of Thought] • (1988) • novella by Vernor Vinge The Return of the Kangaroo Rex • [Mirabile] • (1989) • novelette by Janet Kagan Prayers on the Wind • (1991) • novella by Walter Jon Williams The Missionary's Child • (1992) • novelette by Maureen F. McHugh Poles Apart • [Trimus] • (1992) • novella by G. David Nordley Guest of Honor • (1993) • novelette by Robert Reed Flowering Mandrake • (1994) • novelette by George Turner Cilia-of-Gold • (1994) • novelette by Stephen Baxter Gone to Glory • (1995) • novelette by R. Garcia y Robertson A Dry Quiet War • (1996) • novelette by Tony Daniel All Tomorrow's Parties • (1997) • shortstory by Paul J. McAuley Escape Route • [Confederation Universe Stories] • (1997) • novella by Peter F. Hamilton The Eye of God • (1998) • novelette by Mary Rosenblum