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Unpossible and Other Stories
by
Daryl Gregory (Goodreads Author),
Nancy Kress (Goodreads Author)
The short stories in this first collection by Daryl Gregory run the gamut from science fiction to contemporary fantasy, with a few stories that defy easy classification. His characters may be neuroscientists, superhero sidekicks, middle-aged heroes of children's stories, or fanatics spreading a virus-borne religion, but they are all convincingly human. Includes two never-b...more
Paperback, 276 pages
Published
November 1st 2011
by Fairwood Press
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I'm not always a fan of the short story, but I've really enjoyed the couple of Daryl Gregory novels I've read so I thought I'd give these a try too.
I often find that short stories tend to be darker than novels, maybe because a short story has to give an emotional punch in a much shorter space and so can't vary the mood as much. No exception in these stories. I don't tend to enjoy reading darker moods as much, although the story subjects are all interesting and thoughtful. I find Gregory's novels...more
I often find that short stories tend to be darker than novels, maybe because a short story has to give an emotional punch in a much shorter space and so can't vary the mood as much. No exception in these stories. I don't tend to enjoy reading darker moods as much, although the story subjects are all interesting and thoughtful. I find Gregory's novels...more
Gregory is not afraid to successfully and effectively engage the primary pitfall of the fantasy/speculative genre--the need to explain, to offer exposition about a world/situation that is necessary for the reader to understand/follow the drama, done often at the expense of the drama.
Some of these stories work better than others; as the author admits, he did not revise the very early pieces, wanting to offer a collection that shows growth and range. So: some of the stories feel a bit ... raw? Bu...more
Some of these stories work better than others; as the author admits, he did not revise the very early pieces, wanting to offer a collection that shows growth and range. So: some of the stories feel a bit ... raw? Bu...more
This masterful collection forces the hemispheres of your brain into conflict—you want to slow down and savor the artful language yet race forward to gobble up the plot. Gregory guns the momentum with fast-forward gaps in the narrative structure that never leave you behind. Rather these stories slingshot you to childlike delight even while you’ll finish them smarter, more mature, more weighted with wisdom than you knew you could be. I admire the heck out of this book.
The opening sequence of the...more
The opening sequence of the...more
Como casi todas las antologías es un poco desigual, pero mi opinión sobre los libros de Daryl Gregory sigue siendo estupenda. Recupero algún comentario cuento a cuento.
1. SECOND PERSON, PRESENT TENSE
El principio recuerda un poco al Greg Egan de algunos relatos, con su interés en explorar la naturaleza de la conciencia a partir de la neurociencia, aunque la intención del cuento parece otra. Aparentemente está más interesado en las relaciones entre las personas. Es un cuento bonito,sutil y más bi...more
1. SECOND PERSON, PRESENT TENSE
El principio recuerda un poco al Greg Egan de algunos relatos, con su interés en explorar la naturaleza de la conciencia a partir de la neurociencia, aunque la intención del cuento parece otra. Aparentemente está más interesado en las relaciones entre las personas. Es un cuento bonito,sutil y más bi...more
This is a terrific collection, capturing and exploring the strengths and weaknesses of what it means to be human. Whether as a parent experiencing the loss of a child or as a young man who watches the death of his best friend or as an ex-college roommate who is suddenly invited back into the life of a genius, there can be pain but also the possibility of great joy. It just depends on how thing play out.
http://opionator.wordpress.com/2012/0...
http://opionator.wordpress.com/2012/0...
There's quite a range of stories here. Several are in the "what the heck is going ON here?" sub-genre, but Gregory never leaves us wondering too long. Several of the stories indicate that Gregory has a WILD imagination and knows how to use it. And he seems to understand very clearly what a short story should be: complex but focused and complete in itself.
I'll look for more of Gregory's work. This guy is a real SF/F writer.
I'll look for more of Gregory's work. This guy is a real SF/F writer.
Great stuff, mostly short, lots of stories involving brain or mind issues, most of them set in something recognizeably pretty close to the real world, got the super-hero influence in there that I like. He has a bit of a literary twist to him but they are more on the SF side of the line between the two.
If you like Joe Hill, I bet you'd like Daryl Gregory (I liked his novels too.)
If you like Joe Hill, I bet you'd like Daryl Gregory (I liked his novels too.)
I love this collection, and I hardly think of myself as a sci-fi fan. There's a clever balance between science and humanity in these stories, andwhile there are some robots and rocketships too, the relationships of altered people and altered lives are really what compelled me to read this book straight thru. Seriously, the first and last stories alone are worth it. IMHO
Disappointing. I didn't particularly like any of these stories, or think much of the collection as a whole. Many seem to lack conclusion or even a sense of finale. Enjoyed his novels Pandemonium and Stony Mayhall; didn't find The Devil's Alphabet to be on their level, and unfortunately think the same is true of this collection.
This is how you create a superlative short story collection: take a theme that matters, then build a core of challenging, poignant, funny, creative stories exploring your core thesis, and make sure it's written by a man who's as brilliant in person as on paper. Voila.
Short stories, each taking something familiar and giving it a twist. Example: God *wanted* Adam and Eve to eat the fruit, he had already created perfectly obedient beings (angels), and getting kicked out of Eden was their graduation. Way cool.
I liked this. I'm a fan of short stories, and to be completely honest, my review may well be colored by my disappointment in recent reads. However, I really liked Pandemonium, and this short story collection did not disappoint. It created worlds, fully realized, and explored the stories of the people in these worlds. It hit a nerve within comicbookery, which is an untapped cultural resource.
A strong collection of short stories by an author who's adept at both science fiction and fantasy.
A whole-year collection! I have loved Gregory's novels, and wanted to simply tuck in to this, as if a meal. Instead--what fortitude and willpower!--I spread it out, nibbling away each month or so. I love how open to risky innovation the author is, but , for all the terrific riffing on tropes and conventions across the spectrum of speculative fiction, Gregory consistently centers on strong characters. A very good writer--try these out, or circle back after you try out his novels.
These stories usually have a clever, thought-provoking premise. Yes, hitting puberty is sort of like a drug that changes you into another person. (Maybe I'd better not go into examples, for fear of spoiling the surprises.) But once I got the premise, I really wasn't interested in reading the rest of the story.
Beautifully produced book. I've always liked Daryl Gregory's novels, but I hadn't read much of his short fiction before. These range from good to great, and some are straight-up knockouts.
May 12, 2013
Ross Buffa
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Award-winning author of Pandemonium, The Devil's Alphabet, and Raising Stony Mayhall.
He is also the writer of comics such as Dracula: The Company of Monsters and Planet of the Apes, both from BOOM! Studios.
His first collection of short stories is Unpossible and Other Stories, by Fairwood Press (October, 2011).
Daryl lives in State College, Pennsylvania.
More about Daryl Gregory...
He is also the writer of comics such as Dracula: The Company of Monsters and Planet of the Apes, both from BOOM! Studios.
His first collection of short stories is Unpossible and Other Stories, by Fairwood Press (October, 2011).
Daryl lives in State College, Pennsylvania.
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Bé, però llegeix abans Raising Stony Mayhall!
Mar 04, 2012 05:50am