“This is the fifth summary collection of my short fiction as it came out: Gravity Angels (1991), Tales of Old Earth (2000) , The Dog Said Bow Wow (2007), Not So Much Said the Cat (2016), and the volume you hold in your hands.”

It probably won’t surprise you to learn I have purchased and read all the above Swanwick short story collections over the years. This latest one, The Universe Box, features a wide array of short stories. Take the title story for instance: a dull, boring man seeks the affection of a woman who is about to drop him and together they encounter a box that contains the Universe. And various entities want it.

I liked “The Last Days of the Old Night” where three giants with incredible powers impact a world where the light of the Sun will soon turn everyone into stone.

“Starlight Express” explores the relationship of a woman from the Stars who accidentally transports herself to Earth and the man who falls in love with her. “The Year of the Three Monarchs” shows what happens when treachery rules.

If you’re a fan of Michael Swanwick’s work–like his Nebula Award winning Stations of the Tide (1991)–then The Universe Box is a must-buy. If you’re interested in sampling Swanwick’s work, The Universe Box Is the perfect place to start. GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Introduction: The House of Skulls and Masks By Michael Swanwick — 1
“Starlight Express” — 8
“The Last Days of Old Night” — 20
“The Year of the Three Monarchs” — 41
“Ghost Ships” — 46
“The White Leopard” — 54
“Dragon Slayer” — 66
“The Warm Equations” — 85
“Requiem for a White Rabbit” — 93
“Dreadnaught” — 113
“Grandmother Dimetrodon” — 132
“The Star-Bear” — 158
“Nirvana or Bust” — 168
“Reservoir Ice” — 178
“Artificial People” — 191
“Huginn and Muninn—and What Came After” — 204
“Cloud” — 222
“Timothy: An Oral History” — 233
“Annie Without Crow” — 247
“Universe Box” — 264