Old Mars

The Lords of Creation

by George R.R. Martin (Editor), Gardner Dozois (Editor), James S.A. Corey

Fifteen all-new stories by science fiction’s top talents, collected by bestselling author George R. R. Martin and multiple-award winning editor Gardner Dozois

Burroughs’s A Princess of Mars. Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles. Heinlein’s Red Planet. These and so many more inspired generations of readers with a sense that science fiction’s greatest wonders did not necessarily lie far in the future or light-years across the galaxy but were to be found right now on a nearby world tantalizingly similar to our own—a red planet that burned like an ember in our night sky . . . and in our imaginations.

This new anthology of fifteen all-original science fiction stories, edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, celebrates the Golden Age of Science Fiction, an era filled with tales of interplanetary colonization and derring-do. Before the advent of powerful telescopes and space probes, our solar system could be imagined as teeming with strange life-forms and ancient civilizations—by no means always friendly to the dominant species of Earth. And of all the planets orbiting that G-class star we call the Sun, none was so steeped in an aura of romantic decadence, thrilling mystery, and gung-ho adventure as Mars.

Join such seminal contributors as Michael Moorcock, Mike Resnick, Joe R. Lansdale, S. M. Stirling, Mary Rosenblum, Ian McDonald, Liz Williams, James S. A. Corey, and others in this brilliant retro anthology that turns its back on the cold, all-but-airless Mars of the Mariner probes and instead embraces an older, more welcoming, more exotic Mars: a planet of ancient canals cutting through red deserts studded with the ruined cities of dying races.

FEATURING ALL-NEW STORIES BY

James S. A. Corey • Phyllis Eisenstein • Matthew Hughes • Joe R. Lansdale • David D. Levine • Ian McDonald • Michael Moorcock • Mike Resnick • Chris Roberson • Mary Rosenblum • Melinda Snodgrass • Allen M. Steele • S. M. Stirling • Howard Waldrop • Liz Williams

And an Introduction by George R. R. Martin!

Table of contents:

RED PLANET BLUES (Introduction) by George R.R. Martin
MARTIAN BLOOD, by Allen M. Steele
THE UGLY DUCKLING, by Matthew Hughes
THE WRECK OF THE MARS ADVENTURE, by David D. Levine
SWORDS OF ZAR-TU-KAN, by S.M. Stirling
SHOALS, by Mary Rosenblum
IN THE TOMBS OF THE MARTIAN KINGS, by Mike Resnick
OUT OF SCARLIGHT, by Liz Williams
THE DEAD SEA-BOTTOM SCROLLS, by Howard Waldrop
A MAN WITHOUT HONOR, by James S.A. Corey
WRITTEN IN DUST, by Melinda Snodgrass
THE LOST CANAL, by Michael Moorcock
THE SUNSTONE, by Phyllis Eisenstein
KING OF THE CHEAP ROMANCE, by Joe R. Lansdale
MARINER, by Chris Roberson
THE QUEEN OF NIGHT’S ARIA, by Ian McDonald

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fiction, Anthologies, Fantasy, Sword and Planet, Science Fiction Fantasy

486 pages, Hardcover

First published October 8, 2013

About the author

George Raymond Richard "R.R." Martin was born September 20, 1948, in Bayonne, New Jersey. His father was Raymond Collins Martin, a longshoreman, and his mother was Margaret Brady Martin. He has two sisters, Darleen Martin Lapinski and Janet Martin Patten.

Martin attended Mary Jane Donohoe School and Marist High School. He began writing very young, selling monster stories to other neighborhood children for pennies, dramatic readings included. Later he became a comic book fan and collector in high school, and began to write fiction for comic fanzines (amateur fan magazines). Martin's first professional sale was made in 1970 at age 21: The Hero, sold to Galaxy, published in February, 1971 issue. Other sales followed.

In 1970 Martin received a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, graduating summa cum laude. He went on to complete a M.S. in Journalism in 1971, also from Northwestern.

As a conscientious objector, Martin did alternative service 1972-1974 with VISTA, attached to Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation. He also directed chess tournaments for the Continental Chess Association from 1973-1976, and was a Journalism instructor at Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa, from 1976-1978. He wrote part-time throughout the 1970s while working as a VISTA Volunteer, chess director, and teacher.

In 1975 he married Gale Burnick. They divorced in 1979, with no children. Martin became a full-time writer in 1979. He was writer-in-residence at Clarke College from 1978-79.

Moving on to Hollywood, Martin signed on as a story editor for Twilight Zone at CBS Television in 1986. In 1987 Martin became an Executive Story Consultant for Beauty and the Beast at CBS. In 1988 he became a Producer for Beauty and the Beast, then in 1989 moved up to Co-Supervising Producer. He was Executive Producer for Doorways, a pilot which he wrote for Columbia Pictures Television, which was filmed during 1992-93.

Martin's present home is Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (he was South-Central Regional Director 1977-1979, and Vice President 1996-1998), and of Writers' Guild of America, West.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/george...

Reviews

[Metodi Markov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Много приятен подбор на разкази свързани с Марс.

Издържани в духа на Бъроуз и Бредбъри, те ни пренасят на една древна и магическа планета, люлка на стари и загадъчни цивилизации.

Най ми допаднаха двата приратски разказа - чудесен микс от идеи и екшън се е получил.

Препоръчвам!

[Велислав Върбанов · Rating 4 out of 5]

Много симпатичен сборник с фентъзи разкази, чието действие се развива на Марс! Любимата ми история от книгата е „Изгубеният канал“ от Майкъл Муркок.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun anthology of short stories set on Mars. Not Mars the way we know it to be, but the Mars of classic sf adventure of the last century, the Mars of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Ray Bradbury and Leigh Brackett. It's something of a specialized niche, a yesterday's tomorrow for fans of nostalgia, and almost surely wouldn't have happened without Martin's name being prominently displayed on the cover. The first story, Martian Blood by Allen Steele, is one of my favorites, a very good blend of classic and modern sf themes. The Ugly Duckling by Matthew Hughes is a very good Bradbury pastiche and an interesting tale. The Wreck of the Mars Adventure is a Burroughs-influenced pirate tale, not especially memorable, and neither was I particularly impressed by Swords of Zar-Tu-Kanby S.M. Stirling. Shoals by Mart Rosenblum is a very nice coming-of-age Bradbury-esque story, and another of my favorites was In the Tombs of the Martian Kings by Mike Resnick, which has a kind of Damon Runyon flavor, imaginative, adventurous, and humorous. Out of Scarlight by Liz Williams was all right, not really too memorable, and I was a tad let down by The Dead Sea-Bottom Scrolls by Howard Waldrop, simply because I was expecting a great Howard Waldrop story and it was just okay. A Man Without Honor by James S.A. Corey was good, especially for fans of C.S. Forester or A. Bertram Chandler. Written in Dust by Melinda M. Snodgrass was a good story, though I didn't think it fit the framework too well as it tried too hard for contemporary political correctness. The Lost Canal by Michael Moorcock was another of my favorites, an old-fashioned slam bang romance adventure that would have fit right in with the best of Planet Stories in 1949. The Sunstone by Phyllis Eisenstein (an excellent and often-overlooked fantasist) surprised me by being my very favorite piece in the book, a terrific Andre Norton-like coming of age with aliens piece. King of the Cheap Romance by Joe R. Lansdale is a very good, surprisingly poignant and touching story with a fascinating Martian culture as a backdrop from another writer not especially noted in the sf field. Chris Roberson's Mariner is another pirate tale, well enough executed but I was tired of pirates by the time I got there. The final selection in the book is The Queen of the Night's Aria by Ian McDonald, which was well written but a little too somber a note upon which to close in my opinion. It was based on the heretofore unmentioned Martian classic, The War of the Worlds, and I suppose the editors felt that all's well that ends Wells.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really excellent collection of new "old style" SF adventure set on Mars. The Mars featured here is not the Mars of our current reality but that of myth, a world of red deserts, thin air, and exotic races and settings. Some beautiful writing and settings in this. I didn't find a single clunker in the bunch of tales, although certainly I had some favorites: The Ugly Duckling, The Wreck of the Mars Adventure, Swords of Zar-tu-kan, Out of Scarlight. All of the tales were fun, though. Highly recommended.

[Blodeuedd Finland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Martian Blood by Allen M Steele
There is life on Mars. We invade. I liked this story

The Ugly duckling by Matthew Hughes
A good story about an archaeologist on duh, Mars.

The wreck of the Mars Adventure by David D Levine
Captain Kidd takes his ship and sails to mars. Yes, that was one for the imagination.

Swords of Zar-tu-kan by S.M.Stirling
A kidnapping. A rather meh story.

Shoals by Mary Rosenblum
It started off a bit boring, but then the Martians came and it turned good.

In the tombs of the Martian Kinds by Mike Resnick.
Another one that picked up after a while, and one that I would read more about.

Out of Scarlight by Liz Williams
There had been Martians there once? or not? Good

The dead sea-bottom scrolls by Howard Waldrop
Old Mars. A travel log. meh

A man without honor by James SA Corey
A story entirely in cursive. Whyyyy?

Written in dust by Melina M Snodgrass
I get why there are Martians in every tale. It's old school, before we knew that there are no Martians. Still at least some could live underground or something so I could believe
But hey, still good story about memories, I got off track.

The lost canal by Micheal Moorcock
Note to self. Do not stop reading in the middle of a short story, it's hard to get back into it.

THE SUNSTONE, by Phyllis Eisenstein
Another archaeologist finds his way. Good.

KING OF THE CHEAP ROMANCE, by Joe R. Lansdale
A girl finding danger on the ice. Weird old Mars

MARINER, by Chris Roberson
How unlucky can a man be? Ok

THE QUEEN OF NIGHT’S ARIA, by Ian McDonald
Finally a bit of war. We have been way too friendly so far, and humans are not that nice.

Some good ones, some I wanted more of, some ok ones. You know, the usual find in an anthology. There are always styles you like, styles you do not care for, and styles you did not know you would enjoy, and did.

These are not about Mars now. Instead we have to believe that we knew less about Mars, back to the time where Mars could have held all kinds of wonders. Martians, cities, you name it.

Interesting read, and well, I am all Marsed out now.

[Florin Pitea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A better collection than I expected. Pleasant reading. Recommended.

[Ана Хелс · Rating 4 out of 5]

Кой не знае дядо Мартина, дето ни залъгва от няколко десетилетия, че ще дойдат проклетите дракони и ще оправят цялата работа с ледените зомбита и злобните вестеровци, които от утробата на майките си се учат на великото изкуство Пре***и другарче. И Гарднър Дозоа ще ви е познат, ако си падате по компилации от задокеански разкази на фантасмагорични теми, особено в екип с белобрадия сериен убиец на любими книжни персонажи. И ето, че има техен сай-фай сборник и на български, след доста добрата, макар и спорна за някои като консистентност на качеството, фентъзи антология Разбойници, този път посветен на необятната тема за червената планета, криеща тайни и надежди на вероятно повече от една изчезнала цивилизация, включително нашата.

Наскоро имах удоволствието да прочета сборник с български фантасти, писан преди около половин век, и е смущаваща разликата във възприятията – докато нашенските погледи към висините са строго ограничени до собственото ни аз, намерило се на просто различно място, то американските братовчеди отправят взор към невъзможното, към различното, към красотата на неразбираемото, отминалото или неслучилото се, и простете липсата ми на патриотизъм, но този път май избралите патока Доналд са уцелили по-правилно нещата. Прелестите на един загинал пурпур, дишащ тихо в дюните прах от скрити зад погледа души на заспалите обитатели на един далечен във всяко отношение свят, ми е една идея по-близка до душата от това колко съм малка аз на фона на всичко останало. Вселенските мъчения на Адамс не бива да са ни основен начин на мислене, така де.

Старият Марс е онова преди сега, или може би това, което ще бъде по спомен или мечта на немарсианските ни наследници, търсещи нови възможности за смислен живот между звездите. Средновековни пътешественици политат срещу всички земни закони в небесата, и достигат за няколко дни време до червените полета на бленуващите звездобройци; призраците на отминали цивилизации все още живеят в етера на пясъчните бури, и тревожат здравомислещите земляни; местните видове, напълно различни от хуманоидите управляват царствата си на разкош и разточителство, даващи знак на днешните ни аз за едно самотно бъдеще на може би бивша в сините си краски планета без живи обитатели. Място на сблъсък на отказваща да бъде забравена древност, търсещо вариант за същестувание настояще и мечтаещо смисъл бъдеще, Марс е там, където скитате нощем, и в сънищата, и в кошмарите; там, където желанието за живот се ражда насред останките от нечия смърт.

Дали под формата на приключенско фентъзи в най-добрите канони на Джон Картър, или социален ескперимент за нашия вид в условия на абсолютно рестартиране на действителността, или космическа опера за битки и оцеляване между звездите, Старият Марс е калейдоскоп от сънища, фантазии, идеи, за абсолютно всеки фен на алтернативните жанрове и техните незаконни деца междустилията – очакват ви класическо фентъзи, космическа опера, постапокалипсис, твърд сай-фай, фантасмогични приключения, митпоетика, шантави забавни щуротии, и Муркок. Да, частица от великия, но почти непознат на нашите ширини майстор на фантастиката ви очаква в тази компилация, и дори тук конкретно да не ми е съвсем по вкуса с твърдия си подход към историята на червените измерения, и да предпочитам Елрик и компанията на мултивселената, все пак майсторските изпълнения са си винаги впечатляващ висш пилотаж.

Ако не си падате много по сериозната фантастика, но имате влечение към добрите идеи, които можещите успяват да предадат правилно в малък обем от думи, и да ви потопят напълно в атмосферата на съзиданията си – то качвайте се на летящата катамарана за червената планета, и да не ви притеснява невъзможността – само за лишените от мечти има липса на начин за постигане на желанията.

[Бранимир Събев · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5/5. Добър сборник, допадна ми, макар като го четях да и��ах чувството, че нещичко му липсва, нещо за да е супер, нещо във всеки разказа, ала какво... не мога да определя точно.

[Paulo Vinicius Figueiredo dos Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aqui está a resenha dos 9 primeiros contos. Não dá para colocar todos por aqui. Mas, as demais resenhas estão disponíveis no Ficções Humanas.

1 - Sangue Marciano (Alan Steele) - 4 estrelas

As histórias de John Carter se tornaram muito famosas nos EUA. As explorações nos rios de Marte, os combates contra jeddaks, contra tiranos e até líderes de seitas levavam os americanos à loucura nas décadas de 1920 e 1930. Até os dias de hoje vemos reflexos da obra de Edgar Rice Burroughs nos livros de muitos autores de ficção científica. Allan Steele pegou toda essa herança e influência e ressignificou em uma história onde a colonização de Marte se tornou algo maligno. Nosso protagonista é uma espécie de faz-tudo que é contratado por um doutor para levá-lo até uma comunidade de marcianos. Nesse mundo, os seres humanos acabaram construindo grandes cidades e os marcianos se afastaram da esfera de influência dos homens e se retiraram para uma vida no interior dos desertos marcianos. São muito avessos ao contato com os homens e apenas poucos deles como Ramsey são capazes de se aproximar e entender os mesmos. Mas, o doutor deseja uma gota de sangue dos marcianos. Ele quer provar que terráqueos e marcianos possuem uma origem comum. Mas, isso vai ser uma jornada extremamente complexa e difícil.

O leitor é colocado em uma espécie de Las Vegas em Marte. Tudo respira John Carter: as garçonetes estão vestidas como as mulheres de Carter, os seguranças vestidos como marcianos vermelhos, e até tem estátuas simulando as montarias das histórias de Burroughs. Isso mostra a banalidade dos objetivos do homem ao colonizar outros planetas. Vemos que tudo o que tem na Terra foi transplantado para o planeta vermelho. Tanto as coisas boas como as coisas ruins. Essa crítica social é forte à medida em que hoje pensamos em singrar o espaço seja para encontrar outros seres inteligentes ou para criar um mundo melhor. Mas, o autor deixa claro que o ser humano visa apenas repetir o que ele fez aqui na Terra.

A relação entre terráqueos e marcianos se assemelha demais a de colonizadores e colonizados. Os colonizadores espanhóis expulsaram os nativos para o interior do continente. Estes ou foram escravizados ou criaram uma forte aversão aos europeus. Com o tempo essa aversão acabou se transformando em guerras que duraram muitos séculos. Os povos indígenas acabaram massacrados pela superioridade tecnológica dos europeus. Aqui, não é que o autor coloca que os marcianos serão exterminados, mas que isso pode acontecer. Um determinado acontecimento no conto dispara um gatilho que faz o protagonista pensar se vale a pena deter um certo conhecimento ou não. Vale a pena arriscar o tênue equilíbrio da relação entre humanos e marcianos?

2 - O Patinho Feio (Matthew Hughes) - 5 estrelas

Esse é um conto que vocês vão criticar a escolha do gênero dele. Não acredito que o Matthew Hughes tenha escrito uma ficção científica justamente pela história na qual ele se inspira para escrever a história: Crônicas Marcianas, de Ray Bradbury. Muitos consideram a escrita de Bradbury em seu clássico como uma fantasia passada no espaço, pelos elementos que ele utiliza e pela maneira como conduz a trama. Hughes faz o mesmo em um planeta desconhecido e encantador.

A narrativa acontece em terceira pessoa a partir do ponto de vista de Fred Mather, um arqueólogo que conseguiu seu lugar na expedição a Marte por acaso, mentindo sobre o seu currículo. Tudo o que ele quer é ter a sensação de estar sozinho no planeta e tentar encontrar alguma coisa que desperte a sua atenção. Ele foi destacado pelo seu supervisor, Red Bowman para seguir até a Cidade dos Ossos e inserir uma série de transponders no chão para facilitar o trabalho das máquinas escavadoras. Estas irão retirar todo o minério possível, não sem destruir tudo ao redor. Mas, Mather vai encontrar estranhas estruturas na cidade que o transformarão para sempre.

No fundo temos alguns temas circulando. Não quero discutir aspectos da metade final do conto, mas dá para comentar o que é dito logo nas primeiras páginas. A New Ares Mining é uma empresa que está ali para retirar o que for possível de Marte e tentar lucrar ao máximo com isso. Hughes retoma o tema da colonização selvagem que foi trabalhada por Bradbury em seu clássico. Aliás, o conto em si é uma releitura de um dos melhores contos da coletânea Crônicas Marcianas e tem até um easter egg para os leitores: Bowman fala de uma expedição que deu errado porque um dos que estavam lá matou todos os outros. Pois é... esta é a terceira expedição descrita por Bradbury em um dos primeiros contos da coletânea. Então, o que podemos ver é que o homem ainda deseja explorar de forma selvagem e sem se importar com os arredores tudo o que ele consegue retirar dos lugares. Muitas vezes as riquezas de uma civilização não podem ser medidas em ouro, prata ou metais preciosos, mas em experiências que vão além de nossa imaginação.

3 - O Acidente do Mars Adventure (David D. Levine) - 4 estrelas

Queria aproveitar a resenha deste terceiro conto para fazer uma crítica básica:

Leitores, os senhores entenderam qual é a proposta da coletânea?

Pergunto isso porque muita gente teceu críticas duras à coletânea e sequer entenderam a essência dos contos apresentados aqui. Quem estava esperando space operas contemporâneas, hard sci fi de ponta, ideias de vanguarda, quebrou a cara feio. Não é nem de longe a proposta de Crônicas de Marte. Gardner Dozois pediu aos autores que escrevessem histórias baseadas nas antigas pulps das décadas de 1930 e 1940, como as que Edgar Rice Burroughs, C.L. Moore e até o Ray Bradbury chegaram a contar nas páginas da Weird Tales e de tantas outras revistas. Desculpe dizer, gente, mas isso não é ficção científica... é fantasia. A maioria das histórias presentes aqui puxa para o fantástico e não para o científico. E algumas, como este conto do David D. Levine vão se inspirar no Edgar Rice Burroughs que escrevia histórias com elementos absolutamente bizarros.

A história é divertida. Não é para ser levada a sério. Lógico que eu não vou dar nota máxima para um conto assim, mas eu ria sozinho lendo a história. Os absurdos que o Levine inventava me fez lembrar e muito de quando eu me divertia na adolescência lendo as histórias de John Carter. Não dá para a gente ser aquele leitor de ficção científica fiscalizador o tempo todo; relaxa. A história da ficção científica da Era de Ouro é repleta de ideias bisonhas, como as de Curt Siodmak, Edmond Hamilton e tantos outros. Levine resgata essa nostalgia em uma escrita bem simples de ser entendida. Chega até a brincar com os clichês das histórias de piratas.

4 - Espada de Zar-Tu-Kan (S.M. Stirling) - 4 estrelas

Beckworth é um jovem pesquisador que chega à Marte e vai morar com Sally, alguém que já conhece o funcionamento daquela sociedade. Apesar de os humanos terem colonizado boa parte de Marte, Zar-Tu-Kan ainda tem a maioria de marcianos. É uma cidade em que as culturas terrestre e marciana entram em conflito com muitos não compreendendo os hábitos estranhos desses povos. Quando Beckworth é sequestrado por Coercivos (mercenários marcianos) dentro de seu apartamento, Sally vai buscar a ajuda de Teyud, a Graça Pensativa, uma Coerciva que já trabalhou com Sally para tentar resgatá-lo. Teyud e Sally vão precisar enfrentar inúmeros perigos para descobrir quem levou Beckworth e como resgatá-lo.

Claramente Stirling se baseou em filmes de artes marciais para compor a personalidade dos marcianos. Até mesmo os nomes curiosos como Graça Pensativa, Dinastia Carmesim, Harmonia Sustentada. Dá aquele ar de paródia. Então, é aquele tipo de conto que você vai se divertir lendo, muito mais do que tentar buscar uma seriedade na história. As cenas de ação são bem construídas e muito dinâmicas o que me fez gostar da escrita do autor. O final é curioso e surpreende o leitor. Não por ser um plot twist, mas por ser irônico até. A história é escrita em uma narrativa em terceira pessoa com discurso direto, mas o estilo de escrita nem é o mais importante da história, mas o seu ritmo alucinante.

Os personagens são bem ricos e, mesmo não tendo muito espaço para desenvolvê-los melhor, redondinhos. Sally é uma personagem marcante, com uma personalidade ácida e distinta. Ela é bem ativa na história e representa bem o seu papel como protagonista. Satemcan é o cachorro-que-não-é-cachorro e fornece alguns momentos bem engraçados como durante a invasão no apartamento. A gente acaba se afeiçoando pelo Satemcan. Teyud está ali para representar o choque de culturas entre terráqueos e marcianos. Representa um jeito diferente de pensar e ver o mundo.

5 - Bancos de Areia (Mary Rosenblum) - 4 estrelas

Maartin é um menino que sofreu um acidente junto com sua mãe quando estavam indo até as minas em Marte. Eles caíram em um banco de areia e apenas o menino sobreviveu. E ele bateu a cabeça muito forte, causando uma hemorragia que deixou sequelas. Agora, ele consegue ver estranhas criaturas perambulando pelo ambiente. Criaturas além dos seres humanos. Por causa do acidente, ele não consegue mais articular bem o sentido da fala então as outras pessoas o enxergam como um retardado. Mas, ele pode ser o único que pode salvar a cidade quando os homem começam a destruir os bancos de areia onde as pequenas criaturas que somente Maartin vê decidem retaliar.

Foi bem ousado da Mary Rosenblum trabalhar com Maartin. Ele é um menino com muitos problemas para compreender o mundo ao seu redor. Enxergamos a história a partir do seu ponto de vista. Por causa de seu acidente, ele articula as frases e as percepções de um jeito estranho, que pode parecer uma escrita truncada para o leitor. Mas, não é. É simplesmente a maneira como um menino com hemorragia cerebral e dificuldade de articular ideias em frases enxerga o mundo. Por essa razão, suas descrições são camadas atrás de camadas em riqueza literária. Não dá para julgar ingenuamente o que ele está descrevendo e descartar como se fosse algo inútil. Um contraste muito bom vai ser quando Jorge, um dos mineiros, vai traduzir o que Maartin está tentando dizer para as outras pessoas da cidade. A narrativa é em terceira pessoa e o discurso varia entre o direto e o indireto livre.

O tema da existência é muito bem abordado pela autora. Quando pensamos em um ser, seja lá o que ele for, sempre pensamos em uma dicotomia vivo ou morto. Mas, no universo pode existir algo além disso ou diferente disso. Ainda não temos capacidade para explicar o que isso poderia ser, mas Rosenblum nos mostra o quão complexo isso é. Nos faz pensar o quanto sabemos sobre a realidade de fato. E a incompreensão do mal que os mineiros estavam fazendo também é típica da exploração selvagem do homem por recursos. A riqueza sempre acaba cegando o nosso julgamento.

6 - Nas Tumbas dos Reis Marcianos (Mike Resnick) - 4 estrelas

Temos a história de Scorpion e seu companheiro Merlin (que não é um cachorro), mercenários que são os melhores o que fazem. Pelo preço certo eles podem cumprir a sua missão desde um assassinato até um resgate. Quedipai é um marciano que se especializou nos escritos antigos e deseja encontrar a Tumba doa Reis Marcianos onde ele irá encontrar um livro sagrado contendo todos os segredos ancestrais. Uma missão que parece simples, mas vai ser uma montanha russa de emoções.

Quem busca uma aventura séria com altos conceitos não vai encontrar aqui. Resnick escreve uma história muito solta em uma narrativa em terceira pessoa em discurso direto no qual o que vale é a aventura. Escapar de perseguidores, evitar armadilhas, enfrentar perigos ancestrais. Parece até um Indiana Jones no espaço. E é essa a proposta. A escrita do autor é bem simples e direta, mas ao mesmo tempo ele consegue nos entregar algo formidável. Não é fácil escrever uma narrativa que flua como água, no qual as páginas se passam sozinhas sem sequer o leitor perceber o que está fazendo. Apesar de suas quarenta e duas páginas, a história pode ser lida direto sem interrupções.

7 - Saindo de Scarlight (Liz Williams) - 4 estrelas

Zuneida Peace já foi escrava e dançarina em Cadrada. Precisou fazer várias coisas das quais ela não se orgulha. Disfarçando-se de um homem, Thane, soturno, protegido por uma máscara, ela vaga pelo continente em busca de serviços. Ela foi contratada por Houlsen para resgatar a princesa Hafyre sequestrada pelo feiticeiro de Ithiss. Ao longo de sua busca ela vai precisar lidar com o seu passado e enfrentar diversos desafios. Principalmente outro caçador de recompensas chamado Nightwall Dair.

Adorei a personalidade de Zuneida. A autora consegue nos entregar uma personagem forte que precisa viver em um mundo onde as mulheres não tem espaço. Elas servem a propósitos servis, mas mesmo assim nossa protagonista consegue tocar sua vida e enfrentar os seus desafios de frente. Ela não é nem uma mulher-guerreira, mas alguém que precisou se adaptar a um meio difícil e agressivo a ela. Esconder sua identidade foi a única maneira que ela encontrou para manter sua integridade. Em todos os momentos em que ela se encontra em perigo, Zuneida faz suas escolhas sem pestanejar.

A ambientação não é nem um pouco de ficção científica. A autora usou o planeta Marte como uma ambientação incomum como Nárnia ou a Terra Média ou qualquer outro mundo fantástico. Tem algumas coisas que lembram armas futuristas, mas poderia fazer parte de qualquer livro de fantasia. A autora demonstrou sua flexibilidade diante da proposta e se inspirou em autores como C.L. Moore que usam esse tipo de espaço para construir suas histórias. Não dá nem para falar muito sem estragar as surpresas que a autora apronta por aqui.

8 - Os Manuscritos do Fundo do Mar Morto (Howard Waldrop) - 5 estrelas

O nosso protagonista está em uma jornada para reviver os passos de um antepassado chamado Oud. Há milhares e milhares de anos ele embarcou em uma jornada rumo a um ponto distante onde ele teria dado origem à forma como os marcianos passaram a viver. Ele descreve sua jornada em um diário de viagem que o protagonista procura reviver passo a passo. A história possui dois pontos de vista: em primeira pessoa com o protagonista contando como está o andamento da reconstituição e em terceira pessoa com o diário de Oud.

Howard Waldrop mostra muito bem como é a nossa cisma de buscar nossa origens. Se tornou algo quase filosófico entender de onde viemos para projetar o para onde vamos. Para o protagonista essa é uma viagem emocional, não há um objetivo profundo por trás e ele sequer espera encontrar algo espetacular no ponto onde Oud fez seu ritual de passagem. Neste caso aqui, não se trata de dar importância ao objetivo final, mas à trajetória em si. São as etapas da viagem que vão fornecendo ao protagonista insights sobre si mesmo.

A criatura Oud é bem original. A gente sempre tende a imaginar os personagens espaciais como humanóides e eu imaginei isso até a metade da história. Quando Waldrop descreveu parte da constituição física do personagem, meu queixo caiu. Ele nos surpreende de uma maneira incrível e até a gente ficava se perguntando quem é o tal de Gui que aparecia de vez em quando no diário. Isso porque no começo, ficamos sabendo que Oud embarca sozinho na jornada. Gostei da originalidade e isso me fez querer muito ler outras coisas do autor.

Vale destacar também que de certa forma a escrita é feita em uma maneira epistolar. Logo temos trechos do diário alternando-se com a narrativa em primeira pessoa do protagonista. Para quem quer aprender novas formas de uso deste tipo de estilo, aqui fica uma excelente dica.

9 - Um Homem Sem Honra (James S.A. Corey) - 4 estrelas
Para os leitores que buscam uma grande space opera nos moldes do que eles publicaram, vai tomar uma rasteira feia. Esse é um conto muito inspirado nas histórias de John Carter, com várias situações impossíveis acontecendo e personagens com uma fala bem estóica e estilosa. A escrita é na forma de uma carta na qual o protagonista, o capitão Lawton conta ao rei da Inglaterra as suas aventuras em Marte. Ele pede perdão por ter cometido um crime último contra a sua honra.

O estranhamento inicial é pela escrita estranha e até "ultrapassada" do autor. Mas, isto é um estilo, de forma a homenagear os pulps e romances planetários do começo do século XX. Gostei da coerência com a qual o autor manteve sua escrita e em nenhum momento encontrei uma inconstância (ele não surta e muda o estilo no meio da história). As falas dos personagens parecem muito coerentes com aquilo que eles querem passar e com o lugar de onde eles vem. Lawton é um corsário e ele vive ao lado de uma tripulação de bandidos e rejeitados.A vida no mar é dura para eles e isso forma na tripulação um esprit de corps que os fazem ainda mais mortais. Para mim, a dupla acertou e muito na criação de uma escrita que pudesse reviver a época dos piratas.

Os personagens são bem construídos também. Mesmo aqueles que participam pouco da história. Novamente fica aquela impressão de uma história enorme, mesmo ela sendo apenas um conto. A gente fica querendo ver mais aventuras com o sr. Darrow, o jovem Carter, o gentil La'an (uma espécie de homem sapo) e, claro, da valente Carina Meer. O mais legal é que o personagem deixa uma série de pistas quanto a outras aventuras que ele possa ter vindo a fazer em Marte, mas ele usa aquela expressão do tipo "mas, isso é uma outra história". O contorno dado aos personagens os faz se individualizar uns dos outros. Carter é aquele jovem ambicioso que faz o que for possível por dinheiro. O sr. Darrow é o fiel imediato da tripulação, que já viveu inúmeras aventuras do lado do capitão e que não vê outra vida além dessa. Carina representa o elemento alienígena na história na primeira metade e é ela quem abre as portas para uma outra maneira de enxergar o mundo.

A história se centra na noção de honra. Os personagens por terem sido construídos a partir de um ideal romântico, seguem toda uma série de códigos de conduta de cavalheiros. Se fôssemos posicionar os personagens em alguma corrente literária, seriam como os personagens de romances do século XIX. Então a todo momento, vemos o capitão enfrentar obstáculos que vão testar a sua noção de honra. Até porque o governador Smith, mesmo sendo um vilão, segue as normas do cavalheirismo. Mas, aí fica aquela pergunta: se o cavalheirismo torna alguém virtuoso, por que um ser inescrupuloso como Smith é honrado? Existe outro caminho além da honra? É possível ser bondoso e desonrado? Essas são as questões deixadas pelo autor nessa história.

[Sol · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of original stories themed around the Mars of yesteryear, hamstrung by its premise. You can't just write a story exactly like an old 30s pulp adventure because A) a huge proportion of those were dogshit and B) at that point, why even publish an original anthology? Evoking the past without retreading it is a hard task, and not many of these stories are truly up to it. Few of them are offensively bad, though a couple come close. Many are by the numbers but readable. A few manage to skilfully juggle the editorial mandate with telling a compelling story with at least a veneer of originality. Every time I said I was done, there would be one more story just interesting to keep me hanging on. A Dozois Year's Best anthology, this is not. I might not personally like every single story he selected for those, but I could always see why they had been selected. Most importantly, I was never bored reading one of those. Not the case here.

Almost every story features a canal.

"Swords of Zar-Tu-Kan" by S.M. Stirling - A prequel to his novel In the Courts of the Crimson Kings, featuring the warrior Teyud. An Earthman has been captured by Martian mercenaries, and Teyud is hired to find him. There's a maxim about writing the most interesting time in a character's life, and this ain't it. Why not her expulsion from her home? While the dying-Mars biotech setting remains cool, this story doesn't meaningfully add to it, other than that the Martians have talking dogs (makes sense in context). Nor is Teyud's character explored to any degree. Okay, possibly more engaging if you haven't read the book, because that's where the good part is.

★ "The Lost Canal" by Michael Moorcock - Hard-boiled interplanetary outlaw MAC STONE is pursued by deadly bionic drones, only to be sucked underground and given a momentous task by an ancient warrior. It's going for a fusion of cyberpunk hard-scrabble Mars and the Burroughsian Mars, but by the end it's lost sight of the beginning, and fully morphed into a tale of larger than life heroism. You could say that's fitting given the theme of the anthology, but it felt like there was more to be done at the interface of these settings. Reminds me of Against a Dark Background in many ways, with civilizations and bombastic supertechnology accreting over millennia. Seems to have a connection to Moorcock's Barsoom fanfiction, with this story's "Miguel Krane" having the same backstory and a similar name to that series' Michael Kane, and mentioning he dictated his memoirs and published them as books. Makes an overt Princess of Mars reference with cave that may have a portal to Arizona, if there were others I missed them. Solid adventure, didn't end quite as well as it started.

"The Dead Sea-Bottom Scrolls" by Howard Waldrop - A human colonist reenacts a Martian sandship voyage made hundreds of thousands years ago. Narrator mostly remarks on how little his ship resembles the original, and how the landscape itself has become completely different. Could be taken as a comment on the theme of the anthology. Okay, but it's MUCH shorter than every other story in the collection, which are mostly in the 30-40 page range, so points for that.

★ "The Queen of the Night's Aria" by Ian McDonald - Decades after War of the Worlds, the Earth's empires have reverse engineered Martian technology, and united to wage war on Mars itself. Count Jack Fitzgerald, an aging singer, and his British Muslim accompanist Faisal must go on a warfront tour to pay off Fitzgerald's debts. They meet danger, and Fitzgerald's biggest fan. Combines action, humour and drama masterfully. Fitzgerald and Faisal's odd couple relationship is the main draw, a declining but still occasionally brilliant diva, and his somewhat admiring, somewhat resentful, somewhat sexually attracted assistant. The science fiction elements add to the farcical feeling of the whole thing, and the ending is in the realm of The Twilight Zone. I have no idea if McDonald's also Mars-themed Desolation Road is anything like this, but I'll have to bump it way up the list. The unity of humanity in the face of the alien is a sub-theme, with English, Ottoman and Japanese armies joining forces. It cleverly ties into the WotW aspect: the first town destroyed in the book was Woking (lol), which is home to the first purpose-built Mosque in Britain, the Shah Jahan, built not even a decade before WotW began publishing. At no point do either of the characters exhibit any animosity owing to race or religion.

"King of the Cheap Romance" by Joe. R. Lansdale - 14 year old girl must take a shipment of vaccine and her father's corpse across the Martian polar wastes. A brief YA type adventure. Style is very basic, but perhaps fitting for the 1st person perspective of a very young person, dunno if it's representative of Lansdale's writing in general. Uninteresting.

"In the Tombs of the Martian Kings" by Mike Resnick - Scorpio, a drifter with a telepathic Venusian manticore for a companion, goes on a graverobbing expedition with a Martian academic. Mostly Indiana Jones antics. Uninteresting, but went down easy.

★ "Out of Scarlight" by Liz Williams - A woman disguised as a man is bounty hunting a slave girl stolen by a sorcerer. More Vancian than Burroughsian, and a subdued, earth-toned world rather than the garishness of some other entries. The setting wasn't positively identified as Mars within the story, but Williams does have a novel set in a fantastic-Mars, Banner of Souls, with which I don't know the connection, if any. Fine read, it at least stands out a little.

"Martian Blood" by Allen M. Steele - A colonist guides a researcher into the Martian wilds to research his panspermic theory using a drop of Martian blood. Considers the inevitable ills of colonization of inhabited lands, but not terribly originally. Surprisingly dour ending. Okay.

"Shoals" by Mary Rosenblum - A colonist child has visions of a bygone Mars that seem to interact with him. Would be cool if it wasn't so BORING. Make me care about this autistic kid's hallucinations. Skimmed the last two thirds.

"A Man Without Honor" by James S.A. Corey - A disgraced 18th century sea captain and his crew are drawn into an interplanetary war. Much swashbuckling. Completely ludicrous in a fun way, but I don't see it lingering in my memory.

"Ugly Duckling" by Matthew Hughes - An archaeologist investigates a Martian city slated for rendering into raw materials. He discovers that Martian records are more absorbing and transformative than he could have imagined. Best bits are the visions of Martian life, especially the sport-like battle. Like a version of "Shoals" that's readable, but doesn't rise to greatness.

★ "The Wreck of the Mars Adventure" by David D. Levine - Captain Kidd is saved on the eve of his execution by an offer to man an expedition to Mars. Turns out luminiferous aether is completely breathable. A solid adventure that revels in the silliness of sailing through space in a wooden boat with balloon and sail, while still taking itself seriously enough not to undermine the story. Great fun. This is a prequel to a trilogy he wrote in the same setting, Arabella of Mars. Don't know that this premise can really sustain that, but could be worth a shot.

"Mariner" by Chris Roberson - Kid is isekai'd to Mars, where he grows up as a pirate captain. He frees some Martian slaves. Eh

"The Sunstone" by Phyllis Eisenstein - An archaeologist is bequeathed a Martian sunstone by his late father, and travels to the far-off grave with his father's Martian friend. There he discovers the sunstone's secret. In line with "Shoals" and "Ugly Duckling", where artifacts of Martian civilization prove to have an afterlife extending beyond their creators. Contains several observations on the part of the main character that characterize his attachment to Mars over Earth - his dislike of Earth's bright sunlight in the morning, his preference for the subtler Martian moons. Alright.

"Written in Dust" by Melinda M. Snodgrass - Gay family melodrama...on Mars! Only point of interest is that the asshole father-in-law isn't homophobic, he's just an asshole for other reasons (or maybe he was, I was skimming at light speed).

"Introduction: Red Planet Blues" by GRRM - A brief literary history of Mars, and why it fell from favour (just as we filled in the map of Earth and so had to move our fantastic adventures to space, so too did the Mariner probes kill the solar system).

[Jerry-Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the romantics out there, this is a return to Ray Bradbury's Mars. What if there were canals on Mars and old civilizations. The editors invited a number of writers to author shot stories based on this theme. I found out it a great read.

[Alex Sarll]

An anthology of stories set on versions of the Mars we used to think was out there until the Mariner probes brought back the tedious truth. I say 'we' - for as long as I've been alive, it's been known that our nearest neighbour was beige and barren. I've never even read Edgar Rice Burroughs (though I thought the John Carter film was much better than report and Hollywood politics admitted). And yet George RR Martin's introduction, 'Red Planet Blues', still brought a tear to my eye as he reminded me of all those other stories I did read set on that other, better Mars of ancient cities and dwindling races, stories by everyone from CS Lewis to Clifford Simak. And to be honest, that introduction (an edited version is online here) is probably my favourite thing in this collection. Which may sound damning, but it really is a wonderful essay on that most melancholy of topics, the futures we lose when the present doesn't take the routes the past confidently expected. The stories themselves...well, as in any themed anthology, to some extent they suffer by repetition - one tribute to an old and arid world is more affecting than three, and three are more affecting than 15, even if you as reader do your best to space them out. Even beyond the basic shared territory, certain tropes necessarily recur, and especially when they're intended as twists they rapidly lose their oomph. The lost Martians' memories survive in the stones, you say? And ignorant, greedy Earthlings are going to sell or otherwise despoil them? Again? Even beyond *that*, even beyond how many of these tales are trying to do Ray Bradbury without seeming aware quite what a tall order that is, there are a fair few which were only ever going to come across as pastiche, whether of the elegiac Silver Locusts mode or the swashbuckling planetary romances. But there are some gems too. Where many of the writers jump to their Marses from somewhen in which those planets still seemed achievable (at times coming perilously close to st**mp*nk), Michael Moorcock is one of those who instead approach the remit by taking a future extrapolated from here and now to a Mars a little less dead than ours looks - and, having learned a thing or two in his long career, he makes it sing sharpest. Melinda Snodgrass, generally a good bet, offers a painfully plausible story based around the human ability to develop ornery regionalism about any patch of ground within a depressingly short period of time. And Joe Lansdale offers a trek across the Martian ice which throws in new threats and wonders so promiscuously that it could easily have come across as just one damn thing after another, if he didn't have such a solid point-of-view character holding it all together. Still, I'm not sure any of them quite capture Mars-that-was, but then maybe that's part of the point - it's an unreachable composite, somewhere far into our collective unconscious, reminding us of the solar system we missed just around the corner of time.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

GRR Martin put together an anthology of short stories written in the style of pre-Viking Lander. Stories about Mars back when we thought the planet might hold ancient cities, an intelligent civilization, jungles and beasts, and, overall, offer up a new frontier for us to trample on that would provide adventures, riches, and, most importantly, a breathable atmosphere.

However, Martin didn’t just demand: “Bring me some old school pulp and a roast chicken leg!” – he asked for updates on the genre. So here we get Mars with oxygen and alien-horses and archeological digs, but also people of all sorts of religions living side by side, people of all ethnics represented, women with agency, and no one blinking at where anyone’s at on the Kinsey Scale.

Every story in this collection is a delight, mainlining into deep nostalgia with modern twists that adds up to some very satisfying reading. I loved every minute of it and highly recommend to those in the mood for sci-fi that is fantastical rather than hard facts.

[Sandrus · Rating 3 out of 5]

One word: Disappointment. Why? Because most stories in this book (with the exception of one or two) are just average.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Old Mars is a collection of short stories about Mars as it was in the fiction from the Golden Age of science fiction. These stories are set on a Mars where Martians exist as a mysterious race on a dying planet. Many of the other planets also support life to some degree or other. The authors in this book have widely varying stories but they all keep the Old Mars theme. There is a great introduction by George R.R. Martin who is also the editor along with Gardner Dozois. The stories and authors are as follows:
RED PLANET BLUES (Introduction) by George R.R. Martin
MARTIAN BLOOD, by Allen M. Steele
THE UGLY DUCKLING, by Matthew Hughes
THE WRECK OF THE MARS ADVENTURE, by David D. Levine
SWORDS OF ZAR-TU-KAN, by S.M. Stirling
SHOALS, by Mary Rosenblum
IN THE TOMBS OF THE MARTIAN KINGS, by Mike Resnick
OUT OF SCARLIGHT, by Liz Williams
THE DEAD SEA-BOTTOM SCROLLS, by Howard Waldrop
A MAN WITHOUT HONOR, by James S.A. Corey
WRITTEN IN DUST, by Melinda Snodgrass
THE LOST CANAL, by Michael Moorcock
THE SUNSTONE, by Phyllis Eisenstein
KING OF THE CHEAP ROMANCE, by Joe R. Lansdale
MARINER, by Chris Roberson
THE QUEEN OF NIGHT’S ARIA, by Ian McDonald

Each of these stories are unique and some are very good and others not so much but if you like Golden Age science fiction you will enjoy this book very much.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Old Mars is an anthology of short science fiction stories based about Mars. All of the stories are very enjoyable and some of them we quite riveting. Giving us a quick view into each author's style of writing and wetting our appetites, hopefully, for more to come. Below is an extremely brief synopsis of each short story contained in Old Mars

Introduction by George R. R. Martin

George R. R. Martin gives a detailed but intriguing history on the exploration of Mars, fact and fiction, as well as the hypothesis of some of the great science fiction writers.

Martian Blood by Allen M. Steele

Mr. Jim Ramsey is Mars born and raised. Hired as a guide by University of Arizona's Dr. Omar al-Baz, Ramsey is asked to take him to meet the aborigines (Martians). Jim Ramsey escorts Dr. al-Baz to the tribe where he requests a sample of their blood to see if Martians and humans have similar origins.

The Ugly Duckling by Matthew Hughes

Fred Mather's is an archaeologist, but hides his credentials so he can join New Acres Mining Corp. New Acres is strip mining Mars' abandoned cities much to the dismay of the archaeological community. Fred Mather's discovers a block with lines/patterns that divulges Martian history by imprinting the actual events on his mind.

The Wreck of Mars Adventure by David D. Levine

Captain William Kidd is set for execution when King William III gives his a pardon, if he promises to take the first ever expedition to Mars with Dr. Sexton, physiologist. Crashing in the midst of a Martian city, Kidd must discover a way to return home with the easily distracted Sexton safely aboard.

Sword of Zar-Tu-Kan by S. M. Stirling

Sally Yamashita is over seeing the transition of Tom Beckworth to life on Mars when he is kidnapped by Martians. Sally and her unusual dog like creature must rescue Tom from the nefarious plans of his kidnappers.

Shoals by Mary Rosenblum

A boy named Maartin Xai has a unique perspective. He can see beings living in the dust devils of Mars. The people of the settlement think him retarded from a head injury that killed his mother but when greedy miners come to take the Martian Pearls, Maartin's ability to see the secret inhabitants might save them all.

In the Tomb of the Martian Kings by Mike Resnick

Professor Quedipai, AKA Cutie Pie, hires Scorpio and his companion pet Merlin as protectors. Quedipai believes he has discovered the lost tomb of the Martian Kings. This is an accounting of the danger racked journey.

Out of Scarlight By Liz Williams

Our narrator is hired to find a missing dancer named Hafyre, a dancer that our narrator has had a romantic tryst. Hafyre was last seen leaving with a sorcerer. The adventure leads the narrator into the wildness where a run in with Nightwall Dair in sues.

The Dead Sea - Bottom Scroll by Howard Waldrop

The stories narrator decides to use the most famous travel log of Martian Oud to recreate the journey between Tharsis and Solis Lacus.

A Man without Honor by James S. A. Corey

Captain Alexander Lawton (of Mars) writes to King George Louis, ruler of Britain, France and Ireland a detail letter why he is indirectly responsible for the death of Governor Smith.

Written in Dust by Melinda Snodgrass

Matilda Michaelson-McKenzie is caught in a battle between her 2 fathers and grandfather. Fearful she is falling ill from the condition known as Mars Reverie Syndrome she is distraught when she is told she can't leave Mars. Mars Reverie Syndrome is known to drive humans mad. When one of her father falls into a coma Tilda makes a shocking discovery about the voices in her head.

The Last Canal by Michael Moorcock

Mac Stone was sold into indentured slavery as a child, he and Yily are the only 2 people ever to escape Tanks Town. Now he is on the run for his life with bionic wombats chasing his every move. Approached by a inter-galaxy time travel, Mac must decide if he will take on a dangerous mission to save Mars. It seems the time travelers accidentally left a Star Bomb in the secret water system of Mars. Mac must uncover and disarm the bomb before its too late.

The Sunstone by Phyllis Eisenstein

Dave Miller is returning to Mars with his Ph. D. Ready to join the business his father Dr. Benjamin Miller as an archaeologist and tour guide. Dave discovers his father missing so he tracks down Rekari, Benjamin's business partner and martian friend. Rekari said that David's father has left him a Sunstone, a stone only Martian's ever possess. The Sunstone Dave receives starts a journey that will lead to a discovery of a life time.

King of the Cheap Romance by Joe R. Lansdale

Angela King and her father are racing back to a remote village on Mars with a cure for Martian fever when their glider is attacked by a Martian bat, crashing them on the frozen tundra. Loosing her father in the crash, young Angela must battle ice sharks and grief as she tries to save the village.

Mariner by Chris Roberson

Jason Carmody was sucked through a vortex when he was sailing around the earth. The vortex dumped him out on Mars. A Mars that oppresses religion, enslaves and sends to prison those who challenge the current religious belief.

The Queen of Night's Aria by Ian McDonald

Count Jack Fitzgerald, Masestro, and his personal assistance Faisal head to the front lines of war on Mars to preform. This story gives the account of the consequences of this trip.


This ARC copy of Old Mars was given to me by Random House Publishing Group - Bantam in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication October 8, 2013.

[Петър Панчев · Rating 4 out of 5]

Марс от фантазията на класиците е възроден:
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Марс съвсем не е била планетата, която знаем сега - пуста и безжизнена, без и най-малката следа от живот (за момента е така). Към днешна дата десетки безпилотни апарати са изследвали Червената планета, ровейки из пясъците, без да успеят да намерят дори една бактерия, пък макар и фосилизирана. Все по-усъвършенствани мобилни лаборатории облъчват с лазери взетите проби и връщат назад лентата на историята, за да разберем дали изобщо на Марс е имало живот. Сега знаем, че поне течна вода е имало.

Но нека се върнем десетилетия назад, нека погледнем през очите на писателите фантасти, които на своя глава и без кой знае какви знания за действителния Марс, са решили да населят тази планета, споделяйки с тогавашните читатели чудесата, сътворени от въображението си. Разказите в тази книга не са писани тогава; нямаше изобщо да бъдат написани, ако почитта към класиците на жанра я нямаше. Класиците и техните почитатели живяха с мечтата за един необикновен Марс, нека и ние открием тази въображаема действителност и да помечтаем. Така направих аз.

Е, книгите за онзи Марс все още попълват библиотеките ни и лесно можем да отгърнем Хърбърт Уелс, Едгар Райс Бъроуз, К. С. Луис, Робърт Хайнлайн и Рей Бредбъри. Можем и да отворим този сборник със съвсем нови разкази, събрани от Джордж Р. Р. Мартин и Гарднър Дозоа. В него Марс е населен и почти приказен. Ако сте чели „Марсианецът“ на Анди Уеър, ще се убедите, че и двете страни на монетата блестят в златно.

Може да се каже, че този сборник е уникален, заедно с наскоро издадения „Old Venus“, разказващ за Венера. Разказите са 15 на брой, от различни известни и неизвестни в България съвременни писатели фантасти, направили възможно възкръсването на Стария (ретро) Марс. Не трябва да се пренебрегва и обширния предговор на Мартин - ретроспекция на издадени през годините произведения за Червената планета. До „Маринър“, който заснема от близо планетата и прекършва мечтите за намиране на интелигентен живот на Марс. Мартин споделя: „Откритията на „Маринър“ наелектризират учените по цял свят и ни дават вярна представа относно природата на вътрешните планети, само че за читатели и творци на научна фантастика като моя милост цялото въодушевление се смесва с разочарование и смут. Това не е онзи Марс, от който имаме нужда. Това не е Венера от нашите мечти.“ (Продължава в блога: http://knijenpetar.blogspot.com/2015/...)

[Darrel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to say, for the most part, this book was a disappointment. It gets three stars as an average between the stories I loved (Martian Blood, In the Tombs of the Martian Kings, The Dead Sea-Bottom Scrolls, The Lost Canal, and The Queen of the Night's Aria) and the ones that I despised (particularly The Wreck of the Mars Adventure and Mariner -- honestly, I dislike naval stories). There were others that were simply lackluster and a little boring.

Despite that, I'm happy to have read the collection simply for the introduction to a few new authors. But I wouldn't really recommend this to anyone else.

[David Critchfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these throw-back tales of old Mars. This collection has an introduction by George R. R. Martin, and stories by Allen M. Steele, Matthew Hughes, David D. Levine, S. M. Stirling, Mary Rosenblum, Mike Resnick, Liz Williams, Howard Waldrop, James S. A. Corey, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Michael Moorcock, Phyllis Eisenstein, Joe R. Landsdale, Chris Roberson, and Ian McDonald. Now it’s on to OLD VENUS!

What was old Mars really like? “We’ll never know. While Mars and the Martians were dying, we were still looking up, grunting out of the caves at the pretty red dot in the sky.”

[Knigoqdec · Rating 4 out of 5]

Червените пясъци могат да омагьосват. Гарантирам, че със сигурност ще успеят при онези, които с лекота се преселват в други светове, където някой се е заел да предполага какво би могло да е в бъдеще.
Да не си забравя есето!
http://knigoqdec.blogspot.bg/2015/12/...

Сега много искам в "Читалнята" все още да имат свободна книгата "Сияйни слова". Качвам се на автобуса и заминавам за там!

[Paulo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uma coletânea com altos e baixos. Muitas das histórias são À la John Carter, personagem criado por Edgar Rice Burroughs em 1912, ou seja, fantasia ao invés de SciFi..

"Sangue Marciano", de Allen M. Steele *****
O Dr. Al-Baz quer perfazer o levantamento do genoma marciano (Homo artesian, shatan) e compará-lo com o dos terráqueos (Homo sapiens, nashatan). O que Ramsey, o guia, faria se as consequências forem desastrosas ?

"O patinho Feio", de Matthew Hughes *****
Muito bem engendrado conto sobre um arqueólogo que encontra mais do que restos materiais da extinta civilização marciana.

"O Acidente no Mars Adventure", de David D. Levine *
Séculos atrás, o cientista Sexton e o capitão Kidd dirigem um NAVIO que se vale de balões de gás, sem máscaras de oxigênio, singrando até Marte (sic) ... A premissa, IMHO, é péssima !!!

"Espadas de Zar-tu-Kan", de S.M. Sterling ***
Imagine Marte integrante de um império galático há séculos, no ano de 1998, com a base espacial Kennedy, onde chegam os terráqueos.
Ao invés de máscaras, parasitas amebóides sintéticos. Zar-tu-kan é uma cidade Estado independente.
Típico conto de "capa e espada", alterando-se apenas as armas e o ambiente...

"Bancos de Areia", de Mary Roseblum ****
A história de um menino que vê marcianos.


"Nas Tumbas dos Reis Marcianos", de Mike Resnick *****
Wow: venusianos, marcianos, terráqueos, cães telepatas que conversam com o dono (Scorpio), ...
Assemelha-se mais a uma aventura de Indiana Jones.

"Saindo de ScarLight", de Liz Williams ***
Interessante conto de fantasia sobre feiticeiros e caçadores de recompensa ...
Aventuras Espaciais ???????????????????? Fora do contexto ... Podria passar-se no velho oeste, com desertos, montarias, "saloons" ...

"Os manuscritos do fundo do mar morto", de Howard Waldrop ****
Um épico contido em um conto, uma história de quase meio milhão de anos atrás, da jornada de Oud (e mais Bud), em um slimshang (jangada de vento) para o local onde tudo começou (a Rocha da Vida caiu do céu, em Marte).

"Um homem sem honra", de James S. A. Corey *****
Uma missiva narrando uma aventura de capa e espada que começa na Terra e vai até Marte, com a idéia de 7 raças marcianas !

"Escritos no pó", de Melinda M. Snodgrass ****
Um romance sobre a vida em marte, os arranjos familiares e a tensão no relacionamento com os terrestres ... E ... Ozymandias :-o

"O canal Perdido", de Michael Moorcock *****
Uma incrível história à semelhança de Indiana Jones, com ameaças, perseguições, explosões e outros que tais, tudo ambientado em Marte. Hard Sci-Fi, incluindo teoria de viagem no tempo e antigas civilizações marcianas.

"A pedra do sol", de Phyllis Eisenstein *****
Em busca de seu pai (não visto há 133 dias, com problemas do coração), Benjamin Miller, Dave Miller e seu amigo Rekari. Aquele, voltando do seu doutorado na Terra, em arqueologia. Arqueólogo, como o pai. Poderia passar-se na Terra, substituindo as referências a Marte pelo Egito Antigo.

"Rainha do Romance Barato", de Joe R. Lansdale ***
Angela King e o pai (falecido) sendo puxado em um trenó por ela ... Começa "in media re" ...
História de superação que poderia passar-se no Círculo Polar Ártico ...

"Marinheiro", de Chris Roberson ***
Começa como o Mágico de Oz, com o protagonista sendo levado por um vórtice das Bermudas para Marte, tornando-se um pirata.

"A ária da rainha da noite", de Ian McDonald ***

A história do Conde campestre de Kildare, Jack Fitzgerald, o agente Ferid Bey e do acompanhante de maestro, Faisal (narrador), em Marte. O conde e o acompanhante vão para o front de guerra.

Uma mera aventua light ...

[Redsteve · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well done collection of short fiction set on Mars, with new takes on the "old school" pre-Mariner concept of Mars. In pretty much all of these stories, the Red Planet is a dead and or dying world (or, at least one that is colder and much dryer than it once was), there are at least one species of Martians (either extinct, close to extinct, or at least less populous than in the past), and humans can get to Mars one way or another. In many of these, history has changed at least slightly as Earth scientists and governments discover that Mars is capable of supporting life, which (at a minimum) results in an accelerated space program and generally higher technology. I feel like there's more or less a split between "sword-and-raygun" stories and more introspective tales (which often have humans acting like huge assholes). Weirdly enough, this collection has THREE pirate stories out of 15 tales- "The Wreck of the Mars Adventure" (which has a pardoned Captain Kidd using 18th Century weird science to "sail" to Mars), "Mariner" (a young man through some unspecified - probably Bermuda Triangley - intervention ends up on Mars, becoming a pirate and freedom fighter), and "A Man Without Honor" (a disgraced 18th Century privateer becomes involved in interspecies Martian warfare, partially on Mars and partially in the Caribbean). My favorite stories were David Levine's "The Wreck of the Mars Adventure," Allan Steele's "Martian Blood," S.M. Stirling's "Swords of Zar-tu-Kan" (which I liked more for the worldbuilding than the actual story, which was only OK), Mike Resnick's "In the Tombs of the Martian Kings," and Ian McDonald's "Queen of the Night's Aria" (which is a post-War of the Worlds story during the Earth's counter-invasion of Mars, told from the perspective of a human musician). 3.5 stars - a better than average collection with no real stinkers. Stirling's story has provoked me into immediately re-reading IN THE COURTS OF THE CRIMSON KINGS, his full-length novel set in the same universe as "Swords."

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this collection of stories set in "Old Mars" - the consensus Mars of space opera and pulp fiction, rather than the Mars that our probes and robotic rovers have brought us. It is tellingly dedicated to Edgar Rice Burroughs, Leigh Brackett, Catherine Moore, Ray Bradbury, and Roger Zelazny (of these, the only one I have not read at this point is Catherine Moore). The stories in this collection:

* "Martian Blood" by Allen M. Steel, with a guide to aboriginal Martians (who seem rather like Native Americans) and a scientist who suspects Martians and Earthlings share a common ancestor . . .

* "The Ugly Duckling" by Matthew Hughes - Human settlers from Earth demolish the bone cities left behind by the Martians in order to fertilize land for their crops. An archaeologist wants a chance to study before it is all destroyed . . .

* "The Wreck of the Mars Adventure" by David D. Levine - Captain Kidd is offered a pardon for piracy by King William III if he will captain a ship bound for Mars, under the direction of a scholar, Dr. John Sexton. It's not as hokey as it sounds, and really, is quite a good story (but I bridled a bit at the portrayal of Dr. Sexton as a bit silly for his use of Latin. Grrrr!) . . .

* "Swords of Zar-Tu-Kan" by S.M. Stirling - An odd sort of sci-fi-noir story with some updated cyberpunk sensibilities with a Martian race that doesn't really show the same emotions as humans. I thought this conveyed well the sense of strangeness one can imagine dealing with a truly alien intelligence . . .

* "Shoals" by Mary Rosenblum - The Martians are gone, but left behind "shoals" of Martian "pearls" that are much-sought-after luxury items . . .

* "In the Tombs of the Martian Kings" by Mike Resnick - Another sci-fi-noir-type story, this time a man with his teleparthic "pet" is hired by a native Martian to help him locate a lost tomb of ancient Martian kings . . .

* "Out of Scarlight" by Liz Williams - Mars as a sort of Old West . . .

* "The Dead Sea-Bottom Scrolls" - A modern traveler on Mars by a reproduction of a native vehicle called a "slimshang" is following the itinerary of an ancient Martian traveler named Oud who had left a written account of "slimshanging" across the same region . . .

* "A Man Without Honor" by James S. A. Corey - Similar to "The Wreck of the Mars Adventure" above, this is a story of 18th century seafaring pirates who end up dealing with aliens and Mars . . .

* "Written In Dust" by Melinda M. Snodgrass - Matilda Michaelson-McKenzie deals with family obligations and ties that bind on Mars, with her two fathers and grandfather . . .

* "The Lost Canal" by Michael Moorcock (one of my favorite authors, who I am convinced is unable to write a bad story) - Mac Stone is on the run from a repressive society and gets offered a rich reward by someone able to communicate through time if he will enter a lost underground canal and deactivate an ancient Martian superweapon that is about to detonate and destroy the entire planet . . .

* "The Sunstone" - Another story in which aboriginal Martians are much like Native Americans, a man returns to Mars, where his father ran a business taking tourists to Martian ruins . . . and finds his father has died while out looking for ruins, and his father's Martian partner must take him out to the grave . . .

* "King of the Cheap Romance" by Joe R. Lansdale - An exciting adventure story with Angela King crossing the Martian ice to bring vaccine to a settlement, and finding ancient ruins while trying to escape a Martian monster . . .

* "Mariner" by Chris Roberson - A contemporary(?) human somehow ends up on Mars (the only human on Mars?) and becomes a pirate, but ends up fighting to make Mars a better place . . .

* "Queen of the Night's Aria" by Ian McDonald - A colonialist Mars with an entertainer for front-line troops who ends up performing for a "number one fan" on the other side . . .

[Jaakko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hit and miss like most other short story collections. For me the highlights were Matthew Hughes' "The Ugly Duckling" - an Archaeologist slumming with a mining company goes native- and the high seas adventures "The Wreck of Mars Adventure" and "A Man Without Honor" by David D. Levine and James S.A. Corey respectively. I did enjoy most of the other stories as well but there are no Great surprises here, all the writers have been doing solid work for a long time already.

[Edward Amato · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this collection of stories. I am always upset when I read a collection of short stories and introduced to new writers and all the books they have written when I don't have time to read them.
Retirement a must!

[Liam Proven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb collection with some amazing stories [sic] from old and new names, some very much in the classic mode and some quiote cutting-edge. I adored it.

[Sami Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some stories great others okay. No stinkers tho!

[Jyoti Dahiya · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if Mars really had canals and Martians?

Long review coming up, story by story.

As George RR Martin says in the introduction, this is the 'old' Mars, the one in the imaginations of Percival Lowell, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Ray Bradbury. The Mars with ancient canals so wide they are visible from Earth. Not the real Mars of barren lands and atmospheres thinner than ghosts. Short stories to evoke that utterly fictional Mars.

Let me go story by story. But to start with, I was greatly disappointed. The first stories are very much close to the tenor of earlier stories: all-male. As the book proceeded, though, I revised my early impressions. Which is good for you. I think.

Martian Blood by Allen M Steele is about an Earth researcher going into the tourist-ridden cities on Mars, looking for some Martian blood to prove or disprove his hypothesis that Martians and Earthers are ultimately descended from the same genetic pool. The Martian natives (no other word quite fits, sorry) are reclusive and hostile, likely to be violent. The researcher's hired guide is left to make world-changing decisions. Is it deliberate that the Martian aborigines' word for themselves is shatan?

The Ugly Duckling by Matthew Hughes could have been written by Bradbury. Fred Mather, an archaeologist, smuggles himself to Mars, marsquerading (I can't help myself) as a miner. Miners on Mars have quotas to fill. Martian cities are made of bone, and pulverising them and shipping them is hugely profitable. Nobody to record the cities, or the Martian culture. Fred offers to scout and lay the laser finders for the big machines. This way, he gets to see the city before it is demolished. He finds an amphitheatre, and the Martian script suddenly and telepathically makes sense to him, as he finds himself immersed in a Martian entertainment/history. The boss miner finds him lost to the Martian madness, in which he thinks himself a Martian, and has to save himself from Fred's attack. For some reason, ancient Martian 'masks' have value. Go figure.

In The Wreck of The Mars Adventure, Captain Kidd is rescued by the King of England days before he is due to be hanged, under condition that he leads an expedition to Mars. On a sailing ship equipped with hot air balloons. And accompanied by the eccentric scientist who has designed the equipment. Off they sail, through doldrums and storms between the planets. (Yeah, exactly!). Finally, they crashland on Mars, where their trade goods help them for a short while, to trade with suspicious Martian princes. The scene in which the Martians solemnly eat a Bible and the horror of the scientist at this blasphemy was quite funny! David D Levine certainly gets a good flavour of 100-year-old science fiction, Victorian without being steampunk, and utterly unscientific.

The Swords of Zar-tu-kan features the first woman in the book, and high time. SM Stirling has populated both Venus and Mars with aliens, and this story is placed in that world. A biologist arrives on Mars, and is taken under the wing of a resident Terranan. Unfortunately, he is promptly kidnapped. Like many a Larry Niven character, the Martians have great respect for contracts. Also for debts. Sally Yamashita ropes in an old comrade, the Professional Practitioner of Coercive Violence, Teyudza-Zhalt. The duo find the missing biologist—but of course—with very satisfactory shenanigans on the way. A nice mix of Japanese culture and Mister Spock's alien logic, not to mention a talking 'optimal canid' named Satemcan. There is also a very good reason for the kidnapping. This story is one of my favourites in this book.

So I continued reading the book.

Shoals by Mary Rosenblum also explores the miners vs. dreamers trope. Maartin's mother was killed in a blow-out of a dome when miners after shoals of Martian 'pearls' undercut it. The miners are greedy for the vast riches that attend the finding of a shoal. People see wonderful visions with these 'pearls'. Except, Maartin sees them all the time, direct access to ancient Martians stored virtually. The virtual Martians still have a few tricks up their dusty sleeves, though, to save themselves and the farming city that Maartin's family is a part of.

In the Tombs of the Martian Kings by Mike Resnick features an Earthman named The Scorpion, who has a lion-sized Venusian 'dog' as a companion. Two pages in, we find the Venusian is telepathic. A Martian hires them to help him find the mythical lost Tombs of the really really ancient Martian Kings, who may well have been superpowered aliens (aliens to Mars, that is), worshipped as gods by primitive Martians. Our gun for hire helps the Martian, named Quedipai and called Cutiepie. Very Raiders of the Lost Ark. Lots of fancy traps and monsters to protect the Kings. A book with an invocation to awaken the last King... ok, you can guess how it goes.

Out of Scarlight by Liz Williams could well be placed on Earth in any fantasy world. Zuneida Peace pretends to be a man named Thane. She saves the adventurer Nightwall Dair from a sorcerer on her way to the Tribes, to get clues on finding a Martian slave girl stolen by a sorcerer from a lord of Cadrada, and whom he wants back. Scarlight is the name of the last town before the Cold Deserts. Zuneida/Thane finds the priestess, gets the clues, evades the attentions of Dair, gets caught by the sorcerer, rescued, and does some rescuing. All very confusing. Who is after what. But tied up neatly in a bow at the end.

Howard Waldrop has a 'modern' Earthman follow the old trek of an ancient Martian, writing a diary detailing the old diary. A short and whimsical story, The Dead Sea-Bottom Scrolls.

James SA Corey describes another story based on sea pirates. In A Man Without Honor, we have an American-spelling story about a subject of the King of England, explaining the circumstances under which he killed the King's Governor. The pirates attempt to loot a derelict, find it still under attack, and rescue the damsel with the treasure. But she's a Captain herself, of a spacecraft. She's getting some chemicals from Earth to help her Martian race (very human-like) to save themselves from tentacled Martian tyrants of another species. Bravely, the pirates and the heroic humanoid Martians ally, as do the greedy Governor and the Martian monsters. Will the good guys of Mars be saved?

Written in Dust by Melinda M Snodgrass, too, has the ancient Martians accessible through stored memories, and under risk of demolished cities. In this one, a teenager reaching college age on Mars finds her two fathers' marriage being torn apart by her control-freak Martian grandfather (all humans here). There is family adventure. And of course the access to Martian dead—perhaps human dead, too?

Michael Moorcock, you either love or hate, and I tend to sit on the latter side, but this was a cool story. The Lost Canal has future humans on Mars being contacted by close-to-today humans via a time machine. 'Your mission, should you choose to accept it' offered to the fugitive Mac Stone is nothing less than to save the planet. Mac has been making money and the rich people don't like it. There are killer robots, ancient bombs, a lost canal with a tremendous waterfall (that possibly goes to the centre of the planet), and only seven hours to save the world. The time machine gives him useful information and gadgets for super strength and anti-gravity. On the other hand, apart from killer robots, he's being hunted by a top assassin as well.

Phyllis Eisenstein's The Sunstone is set in the heroic savage mould. David Miller returns to Mars after being educated on Earth, to find his archaeologist father missing. He has gone to find one more wonderful city, to make tourist money off. David teams up with his father's Martian friend Rekari to go find the body. Rekari tells him his father was adopted by the last of a dying tribe, so that their memories could live on, and gives him a traditional sunstone to wear. The traditional Martians don't like that. Is David a true Martian or will he be unable to enter—or exit—the Martian repository of tradition they find beneath his father's body?

(These are all rhetorical questions, okay, you're supposed to guess the right and obvious answer.)

Joe R Lansdale's King of the Cheap Romance is possibly my favourite in this book. It has spacecraft (ok, aircraft, but Martian air is too thin to live in), a young protagonist left to find a way to save herself and the next city all alone. Angela King's Dad is killed in a crash while they are carrying vaccine to the local town. The 'cheap romance' is what her father calls adventure stories. She loads up everything including the body, onto a solar sled with limited battery power. She is chased by a persistent and deadly Martian ice shark. Then a climbing berg climbs out of the ice. These are rises of solid ice coming up from old old Mars. Full of living organisms that need air once in a while. This one has an ancient Martian ship embedded in it. Angela evades the ice shark and goes inside the berg, where she sees ancient Martian wonders. With the last of her consciousness, she does reach the city. With or without the vaccine? With or without the fever herself?

Mariner has an Earthman stranded on Mars. He gets there while attempting to sail around the Earth. A type of Martian captures him, and fortunately he is able to convince them he is air-breathing. Other Martian species all war with each other. The only commonality is that they all need respirators in air (to keep their gills moist). Jason becomes a pirate, then a pirate captain. What happens when he rescues a ship full of to-be-slaves, when he is already below quota on plunder? Chris Robertson writes a straightforward tale.

Ian McDonald doesn't. The Queen of the Night's Aria is the closest to a horror story in this book. Maestro Jack Fitzgerald, the famous singer from Earth, is on a downward economic spiral and refuses to accept it. He and his sidekick are reduced to singing for the Earth troops on the frontline in Mars. Mars had attacked, Earth had counterattacked. Earth has now occupied most of Mars. There are all kinds of exotic aliens and alien cities. During his performance at the Front, the Martians counter-attack. The Queen of the Martians is a fan of the Count. Things go downhill from there. It's more poignant than horrific, come to that. I mean, we're not actually suffering reverses on Mars, are we?

TL;DR? A good read for sci fi fans.

[Mhorg · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK

The best story in this anthology, the absolute best is The Ugly Duckling. Harking back to Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles, indeed good enough to be part of that storied book, this is the cream of an uneven crop.

[Johan Haneveld · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe a smidgen more than three stars and for the most part at least entertaining, as with all anthologies (or most at least) this turned out te be a bit of a mixed bag. At least it was for me. I thought I would love it, to be honest, but that was because of a lack of self-knowledge on my part. A more honest self-evaluation showed me that I am a) not familiar with the genre this collection is harking back to, i.e. that of planetary romance and b) not that much of a fan of the larger than life heroes and situations usually featured there in. There is something in the romantic idea of an old planet, seared by time and drought, littered with the ruins of civilisations that had already died out when we first left the trees for the savanna and of which the last descendants spend their time creating esoteric art, fighting esoteric battles or, well, just being mysterious. Anyways, yes, I like the setting, but I like my stories to have a bit more realism in the human part of the tale. Human characters, with human characteristic, and no preternatural agility and heroism bestowed upon them. Also, while I can transport myself with help of my imagination to a Mars that I know does not exist, I don't like it when the author disrupts what we know of science of psychology more than necessary. And that happens a lot in this collection. More than in the Old Venus one, I thought. Or at least, there was more irony in there than in here, where it happened. Because when it's a commentary, then I get it (as in Ian McDonalds tale that ends this book). In between there were a couple of stories that I really liked. The one by Stirling started out well (lot of scientifically plausible imagination, but sadly an unimaginative denouement). I liked Howard Waldrops tale a lot even though not a lot happened, and the best for me was Written in Dust by Melinda Snodgrass. Human motivations, realistic descriptions coupled with a truly SF-nal denouement. Add a star if you love the planetary romances of old!