This fifth volume of Robert Silverberg’s short stories collects his work from 1980-1982. Silverberg was in his prime, writing award-winning novellas and producing dozens of excellent short stories effortlessly. I read most of these stories as they were published. “Our Lady of the Sauropods” is a puzzle story that involves seemingly intelligent dinosaurs. “Homefaring” explores the far distant future. “The Pope of the Chimps” features a scientist investigating the rise of religion among chimpanzees. Nothing was too extreme for Silverberg during these years. He welcomed the challenge to write about the unconventional. If you haven’t read Silverberg’s short stories, you’re missing one of the best writers in the genre. GRADE: A
Table of Contents
* Introduction
* Our Lady of the Sauropods
* Waiting for the Earthquake
* The Regulars
* The Far Side of the Bell-Shaped Curve
* A Thousand Paces Along the Via Dolorosa
* How They Pass the Time in Pelpel
* The Palace at Midnight
* The Man Who Floated in Time
* Gianni
* The Pope of the Chimps
* Thesme and the Ghayrog
* At the Conglomeroid Cocktail Party
* The Trouble with Sempoanga
* Jennifer’s Lover
* Not Our Brother
* Gate of Horn, Gate of Ivory
* Dancers in the Time-Flux
* Needle in a Timestack
* Amanda and the Alien
* Snake and Ocean, Ocean and Snake
* The Changeling
* Basileus
* Homefaring
Still on target to be the most eclectic reader I know.
I try to keep you guessing, Patti.
I’ve got the other volumes and will have this one soon enough. Magnificent stuff.
Subterranean Books has done a magnificent job with these Silverberg volumes, Scott. My only quibble is that I wish they’d include an Emsh dust jacket.