Cosmic Tales Adventures in the Sol System
Edited by T.K.F. Weisskopf
Publisher: Baen Books
To me, one of the best thing about science fiction is the short story anthology and one of the best things about the short story anthology is the ability to read a really good story, turn the page and find a pretty good story, turn another page and find a crappy story, only to turn the next page and find another really good story.
Usually, I only read anthologies that are pre-1980’s. When I hit used book stores, the first thing I do is go to the anthology section and dig through them to find something from the golden age or maybe a little newer, but seldom anything as new as the last couple of decades.
Now, with horror I actually prefer the newer stuff, but I can stand most of the older (really older) stories.
But, we are talking about science fiction, in particular T.K.F. Weisskopf’s newest collection. The stories here are the exception to my “No New” rule.
When I first opened the book I was sure I was going to be mildly disappointed by most of the stories. Yes, I’m a bigot when it comes to my Science Fiction. Like I care?
It is my money, my time I am investing in a book. I have the right to like what I like, and to be hesitant about something else, especially when my history with the newer stuff has almost always been abysmal.
So, I started reading the first story “McAndrew and The Law” by Charles Sheffield. Now, Sheffield is a great writer, and one of the better one’s I have run across from the last few years. Born in 1935, Sheffield still had a good chance to be influenced by the pulp writers and the early and mid-1940’s classic science fiction.
And it shows in work like this. McAndrew is a throwback to the fine work turned out in the Golden Age of Science Fiction. You can find him in almost any of the almost ‘absent minded’ genius of the time or even in social misfit type that Robert Heinlein was famous for.
It is stories like this that all true Sci Fi fans should read to get a taste of what Science Possible could be like. Writers like Sheffield influence people; editors, teachers, scientists, adventurers and even writers to examine the world around them and to not just accept the popular thought processes.
The next story in the bunch was James P. Hogan’s “Jailhouse Rock”. This was not the story I expected from the title. Hogan is a wild rider. He takes the reader on a mentally visual journey that is often not what the reader anticipated. And he does the same thing here, creating a story that shows how a hero can be often made by luck as much as creativity.
Using intelligence instead of blood and guts, Hogan introduces us to the valiant Kieran Thane, rookie member of the Skyguard, a security force for hire protecting valuable private property being shipped on Mars.
Forced to deal with a hijacking of weapons and supplies bound for a distant base, Thane is forced to rely on his own cunning and courage to survive and redeem himself.
Not just a visit to a classic story, but to a future ‘classic’ hero as well. I hope we have more stories about Thane in the future Mr. Hogan.
“Communications Problem” by Margaret Ball was a romantic play between two people who are forced to deal with the society they each live in, in creative ways. Beautiful story and the ending was both well done and almost tender. Ok, FINE!!! I’m in touch with my feminine side, it was a bloody great ending and I almost had a tear in my eye.
My personal favorite was Allen Steel’s “High Roller”. Sort of like “Ocean’s 11” in space but with only 3 robbers this time out to bust a space casino called Nueva Vegas, owned by the highly dangerous Mr. Chicago, an “individual lacking in forgiveness but not resources” according to the story. Or, read it as an “individual who won’t rest until he is watching his dogs suck the marrow from your bones while you are still alive”; not the sort of guy you would normally want to cross. “High Roller” is a fast paced, highly intense story that was simple, straight forward, and completely able to figure out. Right up until the end when Steele tossed in a wrench and it all made even more sense. God, I love that.
“Moon Monkeys” by Wen Spencer made sense. That was the part that hurt; true it was an excellent story only marred by the situation the characters found themselves in. Well written, honest and showing a future that will someday arrive (I hope).
“Earths First Improved Chimp Gets a Job As A Janitor” by John Ringo demonstrates that bigotry and prejudice will still be with us, no matter what we do, how far we advance or what we are able to create in our labs and test tubes. It is also a warning that maybe we should not create until we know how to treat the creation with decency.
Rebecca Lickiss story “Time in Purgatory” was another nice throwback to the late classic era in Speculative writing; a time when women were actually starting to take over as the main characters in Sci Fi.
Here Sheriff Letitia “Legs” Lanier is the local law in a frontier town located in the asteroid belt. Lanier is forced to deal with drunken miners, hookers, fights and brawls and the possibility of dealing with true criminals, all of this while having a small jail with a busted cell door.
Lickiss’ story is exciting, funny and in the end sentimental as heck. I liked it.
Most of the stories were like that, funny in the old fashioned way Science Fiction used to be, while still staying in a range that most readers could accept and follow. Very little today actually is new in Science Fiction unless you are a new reader, so most of the story lines will be familiar, but it is the way the characters meet you, make you feel that makes a new story work anymore.
And Weisskopf picked a fine bunch for this collection. Toss in two nice articles on the various true science facts and figures or the secrets behind the stories and you have a wonderful collection, custom made for a night of casual reading.