"Ничего особенного", — сказал кот

by Michael Swanwick

Мастер короткого НФ-рассказа, Майкл Суэнвик приглашает читателя в путешествие сквозь пространство и время - в Мезозойский бар, к Гоблинскому озеру, в Дом сновидений. Здесь роботы рассуждают о свободе воли, артистка спускается на прослушивание в Ад, даларнская лошадка спасает девочку от тролля, наука и магия сочетаются самым парадоксальным образом.

Genres: Short Stories, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction, Anthologies, Science Fiction Fantasy, Collections

416 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2011

Reviews

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This man is a superlative author.

I'm deathly worried about spoiling anything about this short story collection because all I want to do is gush and gush about the transposition of ideas here, the character building there, the truly awesome amount of storytelling SKILLS that he seems to effortlessly embody. He lays out words with such clarity and beauty and beastly knowledge about the SF (and fantasy!) fields, that I'm frankly floored. He's consistently original, widely exploratory, and best of all, he is consummately entertaining.

I could gush on and on, but what I really, really want to do is discuss his stories. There's really a ton that I want to say, but spoiling anything at this point would do everyone a disservice, and that's precisely the opposite of what I want. I want to tell EVERYONE that Michael Swanwick has got to be one of the very best SF authors alive.

Granted, I only read a single one of his novels and I gushed over it, but I do remember reading a few years worth of Issac Asimov Magazines back in the eighties and early nineties and I remember his name as always writing the stories I most wanted to read in every issue.

It's the ideas. It's always the ideas first. Then it's the brilliance of the writing. Mind you, it's not flowery language or anything crass like that. It's all about telling wonderful stories that make you think and feel and go, "Ah!" and make you go, "Oh, that's awesome!"

So why did I ever lose track of this guy? Probably because I got into a novel kick shortly after and left all those gorgeous short stories behind. Hell if I know why. He's a better short story writer than practically any other author I've ever read, and they stick with you like neon signs or the smell of pancakes with syrup or the furry lining of your favorite winter coat as you step out into the harsh night.

Well I can tell you right now, I'm never turning my back on short stories again if this guy is still writing them. I didn't meet a single story I didn't absolutely love.

They were all a perfect marriage of classic stories and bleeding edge tech, from godlike continental AIs to the abolishment of time, clever discourse on libertarianism and zero-sum economics in a mirroring tale of humanity and alien bugs, fairy tales and one of the best futuristic con-games I've ever had the pleasure of consuming. :) There was even a literary love-story of an American Pushkin that surprised and delighted the hell out of me even as it baffled me, too. :)

Some of my absolute favorites, even though I loved them all, were:

The Dala Horse - Great worldbuilding, great fairy tale.
Passage of Earth - NICE and twisty invasion story.
The Woman Who Shook the World-Tree - I'm NOT spoiling this one, but trust me. It's COOL. :)
Tawny Pettycoats - I'm a sucker for con games.

I'm LOVING these, but don't get the idea that I didn't love the rest. Some were like having OZ step from behind the curtain, while others were a deeply emotional look at their last moments of life, as in "3 A.M. in the Mesozoic Bar", which was also funny at the same time as it was horrifying, or "Libertarian Russia" which captured the contradictory flavors of a true Russia despite a future depopulation, or the last story, "The House of Dreams", which was some of the most clever modern UF/Alternate Histories I've ever read that included magic and a literary gotcha. :)

I'm almost dancing in my seat as I write this. I want to get my hands on everything else he's ever written, now, and devour it all. :)

I can tell that he's a huge fan of the genre. He's doing all of this out of pure love. It's not like any author can survive on short stories in this day and age. He's writing awesome fiction because he's obviously driven to get this great stuff out. :) A calling, perhaps? An obsession? Great Love? Who cares! We are all the grand winners, here! :) :)

Great thanks goes to Netgalley for the opportunity of reading this great stuff! :)

[Leah Bayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's be real: I read this book because the word cat is in the name. It's a chronic weakness of mine. Book is about cats? I'm gonna read it. Cat on the cover? Gonna read it. Cat in the title? You know the drill. But while this was a ridiculous impulse read (I barely skimmed the description before picking it up) I fell head-over-heels in love with this collection of stories.

It's hard to describe the overall feel of this book, because so many different genres and moods are tackled. There's surreal, futuristic fairy tales. Hard science fiction. More traditional fantasy. Horror. A lot of the inspiration is pulled from folklore or fairy tales, but none of these feel familiar. "The Dala Horse," for example, has some classic Red Riding Hood traits (along with, I swear, Dora the Explorer--our girl has a talking backpack and map!) but it's so utterly bizarre and indescribable. "Of Finest Scarlet Was Her Gown," my favorite from the collection, is about a girl's deal with the devil while in hell, but it's like no hell I've seen in literature and the deal is so interesting and novel.

Of course not every story was for me (is there ever a collection where you like 100% of the inclusions?), like "Pushkin the American" or "Libertarian Russia." Oddly enough, those are two of the more realistic, contemporary tales. I enjoyed the more quirky, bizarre stories like "Tawny Petticoats" (about a scam artist in a weird futuristic New Orleans), "The House of Dreams" (spies vs doctors with mind-reading powers), "The Man in Grey" (all of life's a stage, literally), and "An Empty House" (the reason why we should never make sentient homes).

And while it's not a theme that runs through every story, there are lots of animals here. A cat, a horse, worms, and two wolf stories. It's just so many things I love!

[arc provided by netgalley in exchange for an honest review]

[Peter Tillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Collected stories, from 2008 to 2014. They’re all good, all different, all … Amazing! Fantastic! Astounding! Best single-author collection for 2016 -- & I can't think of another that's even close to this quality, since then.

Comments on individual stories follow. If you somehow missed “From Babel's Fall'n Glory We Fled” STOP RIGHT NOW and go read it! (link below). By far the best in the book, in my pointy-head Space Cadet opinion…. One of his very best. Indeed, one of the very best modern space-opera shorts, period. This story, and others like it, are why I keep reading this stuff. 10 stars!

• Introduction: “Where I am now, I think” • Original essay, and one of the high-points, for me.
• “The Man in Grey” • (2011, Eclipse 4). All the world’s a stage …... POV of a stage-hand.
• “The Dala Horse” • (2011, tor.com) • novelette. Russian-themed science-fantasy. Check out the great Julie Dillon art at the link:
http://www.tor.com/2011/07/13/the-dal...
• “The Scarecrow's Boy” • (2008, F&SF) . Housebot and carbot to the rescue!
• “Passage of Earth” • (2014, Clarkesworld). “The Agency needs you to perform an autopsy.” Ick ⽍
http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/swanw...
• “3 A.M. in the Mesozoic Bar” • (2014, Far Voyager) . … and Chicxulub falls at Dawn!
• “Of Finest Scarlet Was Her Gown” • (2014, Asimovs) • novelette. Beelzebub the Cover Cat from Hell!
• The Woman Who Shook the World-Tree • (2012, tor.com) . Love over Science, and a BIG bang. One of 5 stories based on an intriguing painting by John Jude Palencar:
http://www.tor.com/2012/03/21/the-wom...
• “Goblin Lake” • (2010, STORIES anthology). An oddball historical fantasy. Didn’t work well for me; about the ony one in the book that didn't.
•” From Babel's Fall'n Glory We Fled …” • (2008, Asimov’s). A great story, one of his best short space-operas. “Hello. I’m Rosamund. I’m Dead.”
http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/swanw...
Rereads: many, each time with pleasure. Really, if you don't LOVE this one.... Well. Our tastes differ so widely, that I will wonder.... 10 stars!
• “For I Have Lain Me Down on the Stone of Loneliness and I'll Not Be Back Again” • (2011, Asimovs). Future terrorism, Irish style, with a sexy master (mistress?)-mind. Why, oh why didn’t this story win a major award?
• “Libertarian Russia” • (2010, Asimovs). Easy Rider in a post-post Soviet Russia, with a messy ending. Won Asimov’s Readers award.
• “Tawny Petticoats” [Darger and Surplus #4] • (2014, Rogues ) • novelette. An elaborate scam in a *way* post-post antebellum New Orleans. Another FAIL by the award voters. What is it with these people??
• “Steadfast Castle” • (2010, F&SF). Sort-of homage to “There Will Come Soft Rains”, the Bradbury classic. More Good Stuff.
• “Pushkin the American” • (2012, Unfit for Eden). An unusual Alt-“true history”.
• “An Empty House With Many Doors” • (2011, Asimovs). “For a Foggy Night” revisited, or sub your own favorite Many Worlds tale. Not as grim as some. Even a (sort-of) happy ending….
• “The She-Wolf's Hidden Grin” • (2013, Shadows of the New Sun). *Very* grim story of two sisters’ Coming of Age, and their unhappy end. . Not for the easily-squicked!
• “The House of Dreams” [Mongolian Wizard #4] • (2013, tor.com). Not one of my faves in the series. But try some others, and check Gregory Manchess’s cool cover-art:
http://www.tor.com/2013/11/27/house-o...
The series, all FREE at Tor.com, if memory serves: http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pe.cgi?3...
Start at #1, is my advice, & go from there.

Swanwick is at his best, I think, at short fiction (though he has written some excellent novels, too, I hasten to add). This is a *really, really good* collection. I’ve linked the stories available online, so you can judge for yourself. What a pity the author has been paid so little, for such stellar results!

Disclosures: I’m a fan, and a friend. I bought my copy out of my own pocket. Even though Swanwick offered to send me one. So there! Shot myself in the foot re a signed copy, though. Dammit.

[Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are a lot of short-stories in this compilation but I only really liked two. The rest were either OK or I didn't like them at all. Swanwick had some interesting ideas but the stories he told to express those ideas just didn't do it for me. Try it if you like but it's not a book I'd recommend, not when there are so many good ones out there.

[Rachel (Kalanadi) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading Swanwick’s short stories this year when I binge read the Mongolian Wizard stories available for free on Tor.com, and I was really impressed at how well Swanwick told complete stories as mini-episodes in the short story format. So, I went looking for more of his work. Not So Much, Said the Cat comes out very soon from Tachyon Publications, and I really enjoyed it! It is a very strong and entertaining collection of Swanwick's more recent stories. Every story is succinct and well-crafted, even if I didn't appreciate the content of a few.

In the introduction, Swanwick says that this is his first collection that feels like every story is written by the same author. I agree with this, though I would emphasize that the stories have enough variety to never bore, switching settings, genre, protagonists, and so on. There are definitely enough similarities in style and setting to clearly be from the same author. I appreciate collections that feel cohesive, as a chunk of an author's work that represents their style.

Swanwick has really honed his craft and studied the short story format. From the very first story, "The Man in Grey", I felt the stories were strong and taut, and efficiently and effectively conveyed in brief but rich sentences and passages, and often humorously.

Some of the stories I enjoyed the most were:

“The Dala Horse”, a “Red Riding Hood” SF dystopia type of story about a young girl traveling to her grandmother’s house and waylaid by a troll.

“The Scarecrow’s Boy”, which surprised me at every single turn. This is the one story that I went back to reread parts of it to untangle the progression. It’s about a robot scarecrow rescuing a diplomat’s child. There’s a revelation at the end that you could almost miss.

"The Woman Who Shook the World-Tree" has burst of energetic scientific activity that you know must eventually end in disaster, but results in a pretty touching romantic moment.

“From Babel's Fall'n Glory We Fled..." was my favorite science fiction story, about human settlers who want to be granted a home on an alien planet. The aliens look like millipedes/centipedes. Their economy is a capitalism of trust; the humans' is based on information. When an enemy faction destroys one of the alien cities, an alien survivor goes with a human to take all his people's knowledge to another city to restart it. And like a lot of Swanwick’s stories in this collection, it did not end in the way that I thought it would.

The Surplus and Darger story, “Tawny Petticoats”. I think Swanwick has written a lot of stories and at least one novel about Surplus and Darger. They’re kind of con men… and in this story, they recruit a woman to help them with a black money scheme in a fantasy New Orleans.

I didn’t like a handful of stories, mostly because of their content. For example, I’m not super fond of stories in general that feature lots of sex and drinking and debauchery on the eve of disaster, like “3 A.M. in the Mesozoic Bar”. Some stories like “Libertarian Russia”, had darker, more depressing Russian moody setting that don’t appeal to me personally either. However, I can easily see other people loving these!

This will not be my last Michael Swanwick collection. I absolutely want to read his other short stories and hopefully get my hands on a few of his novels.

Watch the video version of this review!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Oleksandr Zholud · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an anthology of shorter SFFH works by Michael Swanwick. I’ve read his novel, The Iron Dragon's Daughter, and several of his short stories in Analog and Asimov’s magazines and I found most of them quite interesting and unusual. This collection hasn’t disappointed me.

Introduction: Where I am now, I think essay a brief intro where the author shares his secrets of writing. 3*
The Man in Grey (2011) short story a woman almost gets under the train by accident but is saved by the man from the title. She finds out that the world is not what we think it is. 4*
The Dala Horse (2011) novelette a future where people forgot about making tech, so tech is magic for them, a little girl Linnéa (Little Riding Hood?) is sent to her grandma with a walking-talking bag, a map that shows why you are and a Dala horse to protect her. 5*
The Scarecrow's Boy (2008) short story a boy is saved after a car accident by a robot working as a scarecrow and asking fellow robots questions like “Do you believe in free will?” 5*
Passage of Earth (2014) short story almost the present time, but recently Earth contacted other sentient beings, Worms. The narrator works as a coroner and his FBI ex-wife brings to him a Worm’s corpse for an autopsy. Studying exo-biology soon turns around and bites back. 4*
3 A.M. in the Mesozoic Bar (2014) short story people waiting for the end of the world. Hasn’t worked for me. 2*
Of Finest Scarlet Was Her Gown (2014) novelette a girl watches as her father, an elderly general (reminded me of Chiang Kai-shek) is taken to Hell by a striking woman if the title’s dress. She follows her and deals with the devil to stay chaste in Hell to rescue her dad. As expected, the ending is unexpected. 5*
The Woman Who Shook the World-Tree (2012) short story a genius female scientist creates a new theory and a much younger experimenter-scientist falls in love with her and helps to prove that there is no time. 4*
Goblin Lake (2010) short story The year is 1646, shortly before the end of the Thirty Years’ War, a patrol of Hessian cavalrymen hears a rumor about a magic lake that turns everything thrown there into something else and throws the narrator there. A nice meta-fiction. 4*
From Babel's Fall'n Glory We Fled ... (2008) short story the introduction says imagine being inside Babel when it fell.Hello. I’m Rosamund. I’m dead. I was present in human form when it happened and as a simulation chaotically embedded within a liquid crystal data-matrix then and thereafter up to the present moment. I was killed instantly when the meteors hit. I saw it all and tells the story. 3*
For I Have Lain Me Down on the Stone of Loneliness and I'll Not Be Back Again (2011) short story the Earth is conquered by benevolent (?) aliens and eternal Irish freedom fighters try to convert a visiting American. 3*
Libertarian Russia (2010) short story a guy on a bike in a cyberpunk Russia takes a whore for a ride. 3*
Tawny Petticoats [Darger and Surplus] (2014) novelette the heist is organized by the two guys in the independent port city and (some said) pirate haven of New Orleans, which hire a woman to help them swindle the three leaders of the city. 3.5*
Steadfast Castle (2010) short story a policeman questions a smart house about its master, who is a murder suspect. The house is madly in love with its master. 4*
Pushkin the American (2012) short story An American ends up in Russia in the early 18th century and by pure accident takes the name of the famous poet. 2*
The She-Wolf's Hidden Grin [The Fifth Head of Cerberus] (2013) short story sisters living and studying on a colony planet where there is a story that when the ships from Earth arrived on Sainte Anne, the aborigines killed everyone and assumed their appearance. and what the truth is. 3.5*
An Empty House With Many Doors (2011) short story a man tries to help to an interdimensional traveler and tries to return his loved one when gets the means. 3*
The House of Dreams [The Mongolian Wizard] (2013) short story Ritter, a German citizen in Austro-German-Bavarian territory’s spy is mind probed by alienists from the Mongolian Empire. 3.5*

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked Of Finest Scarlet Was Her Gown, but the rest of the stories were forgettable.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a superlative collection of Swanwick's short fiction from the relatively short span of 2008-2015. He's not only very good, he's also prolific, and has been for a long time. The title is an obvious response to his earlier (2007) collection, The Dog Said Bow-Wow; there are several fun animals in the stories, not just cats. Swanwick frequently writes in a breezy style with pop culture references, but usually not the pop culture of our century or society; many of the references will probably go over your head unless you're Tim Powers, but I found the stories quite entertaining, nonetheless, even when I knew I was missing something. I read The She-Wolf's Hidden Grin and thought it was a lot more like Gene Wolfe than Swanwick, then was proud of myself when I saw on the copyright page that it first appeared in a Wolfe tribute volume. My favorite was Tawny Petticoats, one his delightful Darger and Surplus capers, though I enjoyed almost all of them... I grew a little tired of some of the Russian themes, but he's a master of mixing science and fantasy.

[Marjolein (UrlPhantomhive) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com

Not So Much, Said The Cat collects shorts stories by Michael Swanwick. And as collections go, there usually are better and worse stories also in this collection. I'm somewhat a troubled short stories reader, since I find it hard to feel invested in the characters that are only there for a short period of time. However, when done right, I do appreciate it a lot, which is why I keep giving short fiction a try.

I really enjoyed reading the collection, even as I don't think any particular stories will stay with me for a long time. It was my introduction to Michael Swanwick, and I might try some more.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Nikki "The Crazie Betty" V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really don't know how to review this. Through the majority of the stories I just kept wondering what it was exactly that I was reading? There are some stories that really pull you in, that you would love to have a full book done for. And then others that were just bleh, or too weird to make any sense of. I definitely feel like the stories started out strong, took a dip towards the middle, then slightly came back up again at the end. I'm not sure if I'd recommend this though since it's so hard to categorize and to provide an opinion on. The best I can do is tell you some of my favorites in the collection:

The Man in Grey: Loved the whole idea that the world is literally a stage and we all play a part.

Passage of Earth: Aliens. This was a very interesting read and I thoroughly enjoyed the sci-fi of it all.

3 A.M. in the Mesozoic Bar: A crazy look at a few people during their last few hours alive.

Of Finest Scarlet Was Her Gown: I think this one was my favorite. I daughter goes to Hell in search of her Father that was taken away.

Goblin Lake: So weird, but I loved the idea of book characters knowing they are in a story.

Tawny Petticoats: Quite the entertaining story of 3 con-artists.

Steadfast Castle: Killer house. Need I say more?

Now that I'm sitting here writing this out, I realize that I actually enjoyed more of these stories than I thought I did so I'm bumping my rating from 3 stars to 4. Guess I just needed some time to let these stories sit on my brain.

Copy received for free from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this on a flight between Phoenix and Oklahoma City, but it was a struggle. I know the author is quite accomplished and well-respected in the sci-fi and fantasy publishing circles, but I didn't connect with him on this one. The first couple of stories held my attention, but the further I got, the more difficult it became to concentrate on the stories and what he was trying to get across. I haven't read anything else by this author, and I'm not sure I'll try anything else by him for quite a while.

[Seregil of Rhiminee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published at Risingshadow.

Ah, what a pleasure it was to read Michael Swanwick's Not So Much, Said the Cat. This magnificent collection was everything I hoped it would be and more, because it contained imaginative and well written stories. It wonderfully demonstrates Michael Swanwick's strengths as an author and lets readers marvel at his vast imagination. It's a collection that I can wholeheartedly praise and recommend, because it's excellent.

Michael Swanwick is an author who probably needs no introduction to speculative fiction readers who love quality fiction and well written stories. However, if there happen to be readers out there who are not familiar with his works, here are a few words about him. Michael Swanwick is an author who has won many awards for his fiction. He is the author of such amazing novels as The Iron Dragon's Daughter, The Dragons of Babel and Stations of the Tide.

I've personally admired Michael Swanwick's writing skills ever since I first read The Iron Dragon's Daughter. It made a huge impression on me, because it was something different and refreshingly original. I like his novels and stories a lot, because he doesn't try please everyone, but boldly plays with different ideas and creates unique and memorable fiction.

Not So Much, Said the Cat is an excellent collection of imaginative and beautifully written stories that deftly explore various themes, issues and elements ranging from magic and robots to love and aliens. There's something for everyone in this collection.

Not So Much, Said the Cat contains the following stories:

- Steadfast Castle
- The Man in Grey
- The Dala Horse
- The Woman Who Shook the World-Tree
- Of Finest Scarlet Was Her Gown
- 3 A.M. in the Mesozoic Bar
- Passage of Earth
- From Babel's Fall'n Glory We Fled...
- For I Have Lain Me Down on the Stone of Loneliness and I'll Not Be Back Again
- Libertarian Russia
- The Scarecrow's Boy
- The She-Wolf's Hidden Grin
- Goblin Lake
- Pushkin the American
- An Empty House with Many Doors
- Tawny Petticoats
- The House of Dreams

I had previously read a few of these stories, because they've been published elsewhere, but it was enjoyable to re-read them. I have to admit that I had almost forgotten how good, inventive and thought-provoking they are (I find it interesting how easily the author combines entertainment with thought-provoking elements).

I'm impressed by the author's ability to blend science fiction with fantasy elements. He's one of the few authors who succeed in combining these genres in a flawless way, because his stories are at their best wildly imaginative. He even manages to spice up some of his stories with a few horror elements.

I like the author's storytelling skills, because he's a masterful storyteller who takes his readers on a journey into fascinating places. He writes imaginative stories that offer plenty of food for thoughts.

Here are a few words about some of the stories:

"The Dala Horse" is a fascinating post-apocalyptic retelling of the well-known fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, because it's a story about Linnéa who is travelling to her grandmother's house. I like the author's way of combining fairy tale elements and Scandinavian elements with post-apocalyptic fiction, because it works well.

"The Woman Who Shook the World-Tree" is an interesting story, because - if I'm not mistaken - it was inspired by an illustration from John Jude Palencar. I won't go into details about the contents of this story, but I can mention that it's an extraordinary love story featuring Dr. Mariella Coudy and her junior partner Richard M. Zhang.

"Passage of Earth" is a brilliant story about an alien autopsy. I have to mention that this is one of the best first encounter stories I've ever had the pleasure of reading, because it's a fantastic and atmospheric story.

In "From Babel's Fall'n Glory We Fled..." the author fascinatingly tells about how a human (Quivera), who wears a suit which is embedded with the simulated personality of his lover (Rosamund), and a millipede-like alien (Uncle Vanya) escape from a destroyed city. It's an intelligent and entertaining story that is simultaneously adventurous and original. The ending of this story is excellent.

"The Scarecrow's Boy" is a marvellous story about a mechanical scarecrow and a little boy. In this story, the author writes well about an obsolete housebot that was stuck out to the field to keep the birds away from the crops. One day the scarecrow meets a little boy called Pierre.

"Goblin Lake" is a brilliantly written folktale-like story. The events in this story take place in 1646 when Hessian cavalrymen hear from a captured peasant about the Mummelsee, which means Goblin Lake. It is said that the lake changes everything that is thrown into it into something else (for example, if you throw pebbles into the lake, they may turn into rubies). I enjoyed this story, because it has a charmingly old-fashioned feel to it.

"Tawny Petticoats" is a fantastic story set in a futuristic New Orleans. It's one of the most entertaining stories I've ever read about grifters, because the author has come up with an inventive story. It was interesting that the author wrote about a bit different kind of zombies in this story.

"The House of Dreams" is an especially interesting piece of speculative fiction, because its events are set in an alternate fin de siècle Europe, and it's part of the author's Mongolian Wizard series. I found this story intriguing.

What makes these stories especially good and memorable is the author's literary writing style, because he charms readers with his fluent and atmospheric prose. His prose is irresistibly beautiful, vibrant and vivid, but also strikingly effective.

If you're a newcomer to Michael Swanwick's fiction, you're in for a special treat when you pick up this collection and begin to turn its pages. I'm sure that you'll find each of the stories intriguing, because they're well-created stories with lots of imagination.

I highly recommend Michael Swanwick's Not So Much, Said the Cat to speculative fiction readers. This magnificent collection is essential reading material to those who love quality and originality. The stories contained within its covers are simply marvellous and offer plenty of entertainment, excellent prose, memorable scenes and thought-provoking moments to readers. What more could you possibly hope to find in a speculative fiction short story collection?

Highly recommended!

[Metaphorosis · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars - Metaphorosis Reviews

A collection of speculative fiction by Michael Swanwick.

My database tells me I've read a Michael Swanwick novel, Griffin's Egg. I don't recall it in the slightest, but yes, there it is, on my shelf - a very slim book I now remember owning, but not reading. As far as my memory goes, the only Swanwick I've read is a couple of technically adept but not enthralling relatively recent stories. I keep hearing his name, so I picked this book up to remedy my ignorance. I read it in tandem with a Piers Anthony book figuring they would balance each other out. They did - neither of them was good.

I'm somewhat at a loss to understand why Swanwick has been nominated for and won so many awards. The book doesn't have an auspicious start. Swanwick's introduction gradually dips from description into light braggadocio before resurfacing. The stories here are competent, but often thin. Nothing about them stands out - not the style, not the concepts, not the characters. Some of the prose is clumsy. Several of them make only a thin stab at emotional depth.

All that said, the best stories were:
3 A.M. in the Mesozoic Bar - the dinosaurs weren't the only ones to go. Simple, but well done.
The Woman Who Shook the World Tree - an unusual love story. One of the few stories that surprised me.
Pushkin the American - arguing exactly that. One of the few in which Swanwick doesn't go for the easy ending.
An Empty House - love across dimensions. It starts poorly, but ends well.
All in all a collection that will likely please Swanwick fans, but won't make any new ones.

[Scott Firestone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Swanwick is one of the best and most-prolific short story writers in the business. In fact, he's one of the few writers who is actually far better at the short form than the long one. Each collection brings new wonders (and, admittedly, a few stories that are just okay).

Notable stories include:
"The Man in Grey," where we get a glimpse of the real world behind our known one, with a twist on the usual narrator.
"The Scarecrow's Boy" is a horrific children's fairy tale.
"The Woman Who Shook the World Tree" is a beautiful story that I won't ruin.
"From Babel’s Fall’n Glory We Fled" is a fascinating alien story.
"Goblin Lake" is another fairy tale with a twist.
"Tawny Petticoats" is a con story starring his characters Darger and Surplus--a man and an anthropomorphic dog.
In "The She-Wolf's Hidden Grin," Swanwick has the audacity to take one of Gene Wolfe's best creations (The Fifth Head of Cerberus), deconstruct it, and put it back together again. And by gum, it works.

If I loved this so much, why 4 stars instead of 5? It's because the few stories I didn't like REALLY fell flat for me. That said, this is still a terrific collection of stories written by a talented author.

[Arkapravo Bhaumik · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I love about Michael Swanwick is that he is very vivid, fun to read and his best stories tends to stick with me for a long time. If you have been reading his short stories then there is a bit of a pattern to his approach; his stories are often set in a post utopian future, a dystopia devoid of oil and space-travel but resplendent with nano-technology, bio-engineering, genetics and AI. A world teeming with sentient and semi-sentient entities which have taken effects and features from day-to-day objects of utility or even animals. Swanwick often livens it up with comedic participation from these entities and mixes in other sci-fi and fantasy tropes. On other occasions, when putting together alien stories, he loves insect-like aliens. And, there are times when you can clearly see him devoutly following a 'hall of fame' guru of scifi, viz. Philip K. Dick, Gene Wolfe etc. and he has admitted to such motivations.

In this collection, some of the stories are truly memorable. However, a number of them were too weird and did not connect with me. Of course, the cover of the e-book was too appealing and made me take a plunge into it even more readily.

The Man in Grey - Is nicely written and echoed the plot of the movie The Adjustment Bureau , which was further borrowed from a Philip K. Dick short story. I have always found myself attracted to stories where the fabric of reality is under question, this was no exception.

The Dala Horse - Is the retelling of the folk tale of Little Red Riding Hood in a post-utopian Scandinavia. It is very vividly written and I could see it unfold as a cinema in my mind's eye. This is one of those rare stories which can be read and discussed at a coffe shop with scifi nerds, and also told as a fairy tale to a 5 year old.

The Scarecrow's Boy - A short tale about human-machine relationship.

Passage of Earth - Insect-like aliens, and made-up worlds. It was too grotesque for my liking.

Of Finest Scarlet Was Her Gown - It has tropes from Mikhail Bulgakov's 'The Master and Margarita' and though it was nicely set up, and the writing is vivid, the story failed to connect with me. Trading virginity for her father's life was too cheesy for my liking. The title of the book is from this story.

From Babel's Fall'n Glory We Fled ... - It was difficult to read and grasp the alien lingo until I dug out the Clarkesworld link for the audio read by Kate Baker. It is one of the most condensed space-opera I have ever come across. I could not help but wonder whether Uncle Vanya was motivated from Chekhov and Gehenna from C.J. Cherryh.

Steadfast Castle - Swanwick takes the relation between a smart home and it's owner to extremes. Short read, liked the detective/noire blend to the plot.

The She-Wolf's Hidden Grin - Stepping into Gene Wolfe's universe in 'The Fifth Head of Cerberus' was never to be easy for most, but Swanwick does it with elan, and punches his fist with a suggestive smile on his lips. Next stop Port Mimizon!

For the Darger and Surplus series I started reading them with some excitement, and they did come across as a new variation to the theme of dystopia, but they failed to connect with me. They seemed to be too comical for my liking. I may have liked them much more if I had come across them about 15 years ago.

My assessment is that Swanwick excels in the short-story and novella format, but I am not sure about his novels. I will try reading more of his short-story collections.

... and, I stole the coverpage!

[Mike Boutot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this short story collection. I was not familiar with Michael Swanwick until I read a review of this book and decided to pick it up. I will definitely get more of his work at this point.

This collection reminded me a little of Ray Bradbury. Not just because "The Scarecrow's Boy" seems like something Bradbury would have written and "Steadfast Castle" has an intelligent computerized house like "And There Will Come Soft Rains" but just the general subject matter of many of the stories and the fondness for "twist" endings. All of the stories are diverse, and ever single one managed to pull me in at some point. That's a rare achievement where there's not a dud in the bunch. I was also happy to hear that the main characters on "Tawny Petticoats," two post-apocalyptic con-men (or rather one con-man and one intelligent con-dog) appear in other stories and books by Swanwick. I can't wait to get those as the adventures of Darger and Surplus are amazingly fun.

Other stories in the collection have different tones, and some are quite dark. I was surprised for instance that I found "Passage to Earth" so disturbing. It had a note of existential horror right up there with H.P. Lovecraft. And the story "3 A.M. In the Mesozoic Bar" (written because the author said he wanted to do a story set in the time of the dinosaurs ... that didn't have any dinosaurs in it) gradually builds in just a few short pages to the big reveal and a real sense of futility and helplessness.

If you enjoy clever sci-fi and fantasy short stories that are fast paced and well written, I would really recommend this latest book from Michael Swanwick. It certainly made me a fan.

[Bruce Gargoyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this title from the publisher via Netgalley.

Ten Second Synopsis:
This is a cracking collection of sci-fi and fantasy short stories well worth immersing one's self in. The stories span multiple fantasy worlds with humour and plenty of twists.

All of the stories in this collection reek of quality writing. Swanwick clearly knows his craft because each story, though set in its own discrete universe, feels like a complete world in itself. The opener, The Man in Grey, is a mind-boggling speculative piece steeped in humour that will have you questioning every set piece of your ordinary existence. Some of the stories read like fables or fairy tales, others like cutting-edge science fiction. There really is something for everyone here and as most of the stories span more than a few pages each, you can take the time to get lost in your particular little world without fearing it will be over before it really begins. The best thing about these stories is that they don't feel like they are variations on a similar theme or even slight twists on familiar tropes, but like actual original tales. Our favourites of the bunch are The Scarecrow's Boy, a bizarre but touching story about a child on the run, and Goblin Lake, a fairy tale complete with revenge, riddles, ruination and redemption. I would definitely recommend this to lovers of all things left-of-centre.

[Tim Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

If anyone asks you what a fully-professional short story is like, hand over this book.
Swanwick is a master. Every story is exactly as long as it needs to be, and perfectly scoped to tell just the right amount of story.

I don't recall whether any of these stories had ANYthing in common except that they used English words. I recall a delightful, slightly dry style. I remember thinking at least ten times, "hmm, that's a damn clever way to resolve this."

Five stars except that I usually reserve that for stories that take me to another world for a while. Short stories don't do that for me. But they are a wonderful way to clear the palate for the next novel. And if these stories are just a plate of little pastries, they are from that expensive bakery where you are baffled by the high prices till you take one bite and go, "Ah! I understand now," and you can never again eat a Twinkie.

[Brit · Rating 3 out of 5]

What an incredibly creative mind.

I’ll be honest, I picked this book up because of the title. And also because I wanted to challenge myself to read outside of my normal genres and explore the short story world. I didn’t want to stray too far outside of sci-fi, fantasy or YA and didn’t really have to given the nature of these short stories.

It is hard for me to rate this book. I have to say, I love his writing style, his creativity, how he kept me on edge but not necessarily the content of his stories. Sometimes it felt shocking just to be shocking. Or bizarre for bizarreness’ sake.

Would I recommend it? Maybe for the right reader capable of handling mature content who would be able to see his writing gift for what it is: a well-honed gift.

It’s not for everyone. But it felt good to stretch my literary muscles with this book of short stories.

[scafandr · Rating 4 out of 5]

С Суэнвиком я познакомился именно через его рассказы. Точнее, со сборника, изданного в 2015 году Азбукой. Это был потрясающий по составу сборник, с отличными рассказами, многие из которых я готов перечитывать не один раз. Казалось бы, нашелся еще один мой любимый автор, но с "Железными драконами" у меня любви не случилось (и книга с красивейшей обложкой была продана практически сразу), да и приключения Даргера с Довеском не сильно запали в душу. И вот снова передо мной сборник рассказов, написанных в поздние годы. Как бы это странно ни звучало, но мне казалось, что именно от этого сборника зависит мое дальнейшее отношение к автору - мой он все-таки или не мой.
В предисловии автор рассказывает нам о том, что он съел собаку на рассказах, перечитав уйму выдающихся произведений малой формы и написав огромное количество их же в разных жанровых стилистиках. И когда была перелистнута последняя страница, я был вынужден согласится с Суэнвиком, что он действительно мастер рассказов. Чувствуется, что он знает, где растянуть, где заинтриговать, где недосказать и оставить читателю право подумать самому. Это довольно ровный сборник по качеству, что весьма нечасто встречается с любыми другими сборниками рассказов. Выдающихся рассказов, которые бы меня потрясли, в этой книге я не встретил. Но, с другой стороны, откровенно провальных рассказов я также не нашел.
Что мне запомнилось больше всего? Перелицовка Красной Шапочки с троллем вместо волка, вскрытие червеообразного пришельца из космоса (довольно натуралистично получилось), сложный квест у землянина и сороконожки с чужой планеты, месть ирландцев, борющихся не только за свободу Ирландии, но и за свободу Земли в целом, попытка гипнотизеров залезть в голову шпиона.
Меньше всего понравились рассказы о России. Альтернативный Пушкин и герой ковбой на мотоцикле... Такое ощущение, будто бы Суэнвик специально хотел подлизаться, когда летел на российские фантастические мероприятия.
В общем, довольно неплохой сборник получился, в среднем по оценкам получилось 7,5, но так как половинок тут не поставишь, пришлось округлить в большую сторону. Продавать книгу желания нету, а значит пирожок получился румяным, а кот с обложки был неправ.

[David H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

By the time I came to this book, I had just read The Best of Michael Swanwick (2008) and The Best of Michael Swanwick, Volume Two (2023), which comprised 14 out of the 17 stories in this 2016 collection, so while this volume contains some of my favorite Swanwick stories I've already read, I just read the three I had not read before (or recently): "3 A.M. in the Mesozoic Bar," "Tawny Petticoats" (a Darger and Surplus story), and "The House of Dreams" (a Mongolian Wizard story I had read when it came out in 2013). All three were exemplars of Swanwick's style and interests. This is a great collection in general, though, as it contains 3 of my favorite stories from The Best of Michael Swanwick, Volume Two, so if you can't get your hands on that, this is a great substitute.

[Lord Humungus · Rating 3 out of 5]

What can I say, it's more of Swanwick's best, which means more creative, fast-paced, fun, engaging, weird and occasionally moving tales. The foreword was great, giving me a little insight into his creative process and personal history.

It turns out I'd read many of these stories before, usually via Dozois' Year's Best SF. Some of them I liked more on this second reading. I was pleasantly surprised by the reference to Gene Wolfe's _Fifth Head of Cerberus_, more surprised that I recognized it rather than surprised at Swanwick making a tribute to one of his idols and mentors.

Some might ask why would anyone spend the money buying stories you've already read. But really, you have to support the artists you like so they can keeping doing what they do best.

Definitely recommended for Swanwick fans and fans of short stories.

[Megan Leigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review originally appeared on Pop Verse.

I have been making a concerted effort to read more short fiction. I’ve always struggled to read collections of short fiction in one chunk, finding that publishing on a weekly or monthly basis on-line the best way for me to consume them. When sitting down to read – which, for me, means lunch times, travel via public transport, before bed, and any other stolen moment I can find – is far more rewarding when I can invest longer term in a plot or characters that span (at least) a novel. But if you want to write in a medium (and I do enjoy writing short stories), you need to read it (or so they tell me). So here I am, making more of an effort…

Having never come across Michael Swanwick before, picking up Not So Much, Said The Cat was a bit of a stab in the dark. But he is well-respected in the industry, with multiple awards, so I thought he would be a safe bet. The collection covers many of Swanwick’s stories published elsewhere over the last few years (from 2008 to 2014, across multiple publications including Tor.com, Fantasy and Science Fiction, Clarkesworld, and Asimov’s Science Fiction), compiling them into one anthology. While there are some great ideas and solid storytelling at times, there’s also plenty of stories I struggled with. And struggling to get through a short story is not a good sign.

‘It was all as dispassionate as an abattoir for robots.’

This could, of course, just be me. After all, one of the short stories in the collection I really couldn’t get on board with was 2008’s Hugo Award nominated From Babel’s Fall’n Glory We Fled. His better stories were focused and simple, for the most part, while those I struggled most with went for ‘cool ideas’ that were either overly complex, overly explained, or simply going for the cool factor above all other story elements. That’s not to say I don’t like cool ideas in SF – I love them (I mean, if I didn’t, why would I love this genre?). There is certainly something to be said of exploring strange ideas in short fiction, but not at the expense of plot, setting, and character.

His better stories were focused and simple, for the most part, while those I struggled most with went for ‘cool ideas’ that were either overly complex, overly explained, or simply going for the cool factor above all other story elements. That’s not to say I don’t like cool ideas in SF – I love them (I mean, if I didn’t, why would I love this genre?). There is certainly something to be said of exploring strange ideas in short fiction, but not at the expense of plot, setting, and character.

And while I did tend to love his simpler, tightly focused stories in the collection, sometimes he erred on the side of heavy exposition even when completely unnecessary (for example, the story to follow on from Babel, For I Have Lain Me Down on the Stone of Loneliness and I’ll Not Be Back Again – the seemingly endless expository background of the Irish rebellion and Independence, with little to illuminate on the subject and therefore felt like a history textbook, was both unnecessary and dull).

‘You are a virgin. Don’t think that makes you special here. There are plenty of virgins in hell.’

The biggest disappointment of this collection is that it starts so well. The Man in Grey is inventive and philosophical, Passage of Earth kept me thinking for days afterwards, 3 A.M. in the Mesozoic Bar asks us what we’d do if we knew the world were about to end, and Of Finest Scarlet Was Her Gown takes us on a trip to hell, with fascinating life lessons.

Each of these stories did exactly what I love a good SFF short story to do: tell a great story while making the reader think. There are plenty of interesting ideas in these, but the SFF elements of them never feel belaboured (unlike a story like Babel that was all labour and no love). The fantastical exists to create an interesting situation where the characters must ask themselves the big questions around ethics, self-determination, and the point of existence.

‘No one knows the size of the universe or what wonders and terrors it contains. Yet we drive on, blindly burrowing forward through the darkness, learning what we can and suffering what we must. Hoping for stars.’

Perhaps what I need to learn to appreciate when it comes to short story collections is the breadth of storytelling. Swanwick clearly is a writer who isn’t afraid to take risks, change out his style, and explore the bizarre. And I give him credit for that. You certainly can’t argue that the collection is overly homogenous, which I can see potentially being a problem in single-author short story collections. As far as helping me understand and appreciate short stories more, I think the volume did actually come through. I found stories I loved and others I couldn’t finish, and in doing so, I was able to put my finger on styles that work for me.

As far as hoping the book would help me understand and appreciate short stories more, I think the volume did actually succeed. I found stories I loved and others I couldn’t finish, but in doing so, I was able to put my finger on styles that work for me.

Verdict: A mixed bag of short stories in the SFF genre – the pick ‘n’ mix of literature. I loved some, had no particular feelings either way about others, and even thoroughly loathed a few.

[osoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Суэнвик смог создать целую вселенную возможностей четырьмя сотнями страниц, раскручивая старые-знакомые идеи и предлагая новые, ранее неизведанные интерпретации. Он показал захватывающий способ получать удовольствие от хорошей истории (и Идеи). В этих разноплановых островках историй есть своя прелесть, что недоступна длинноформе.
Клубок взаимосвязанных идей, мыслей, намеков, отсылок, авторских посылов и читательских интерпретаций сплетен настолько искусно, что по прошествии времени начинаешь понимать - от Суэнвика не стоит ничего ожидать, он все равно каждый раз сможет удивить и повернуть все другой стороной.

Теперь хочется оценить полновесного Суэнвика. ДЖД?

hisashiburi

[Tink Magoo is bad at reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've never read anything by Michael Swanwick before, so I thought it was a good idea to try these short stories and get an idea of his writing style. The problem I find with anthologies is that often many of the stories are just fillers, packing to flesh the whole thing out a bit.

There were some great ideas in some of these stories; I'd love to see them put into a full book. Apart from

The Man in Grey 5/5 Stars

"There's rustling in the wings. Let the story begin."

Loved this one.

There have been so many times were I've sat and wondered whether I'm in a giant production. Do things just play out in my sphere of life, past this present moment I'm in. Or is each scene laid out or comes to exist just before I enter it?
Yes, I know that's an incredibly self absorbed way of thinking, but could it be true?

This story has exactly what I just described. People still have freewill but the surroundings are sets, things only become 'real' when a behind the scenes hand puts them in place.

I've rated the ones that I enjoyed the most below.

"So this is all-what?-a play, you're telling me? I'm nothing but a puppet and you're the guy who pulls my strings? You're in charge of things and I'm the entertainment?"

Genius


The Dala Horse 2/5 Stars

This one read like a fairytale and had some similarities to Red Riding Hood.

I didn't particularly care much for it, but it wasn't awful.


The Scarecrow's Boy 3/5 Stars

A mechanical scarecrow that both soothes and kills to protect an innocent boy.

The world partially created in this one would make a great full length novel. Loved Sally the car.

3 A.M. in the Mesozoic Bar 3/5 Stars

Of Finest Scarlet Was Her Gown 4/5 Stars

This is the story of an innocent virgin who accidentally follows her Father into hell while trying to rescue him from the Devil.

I really enjoyed this one. The setting of hell and the deal Su-yin makes with the Devil in order to escape hell. Basically she has to resist temptation.

A great little short.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for writing an honest review.

Anthologies are always so difficult to rate and review without going piece by piece, which I refuse to do. But as always I will do my best with this review.

This book started off with a bang- the first story was my favorite in the entire book ("The Man In Gray"). It was so beautifully heartbreaking. I also really enjoyed "3 A.M. in the Mesozoic Bar"- so much, in fact, that I sound myself wishing it was a full length book and not just a short story. Other stories that I liked so much I feel the need to single them out are "Of Finest Scarlet Was Her Gown" and "The Woman Who Shook The World-Tree".

The entire first half of the book was pretty rock solid, but the more that I read the fewer stories that I truly liked. So the first half I would rate a 4/5, the second half I would rate a 2/5 leading me to my final rating of 3/5 stars. But that's the problem with rating anthologies- there are a few good stories and then less good stories, and then stories that just taste like filler on my tongue.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The short of it:
This is a collection science fiction shorts, many of which dealing with the nature consciousness in a universe of increasing technology.

Why I picked this up?
I saw this on one of those "must read" lists last year, and because it has a cat on the cover, I was largely sold. The reviews of this book were excellent, and it's been awhile since I've read a collection of shorts.

What did I think?
I never heard of Swanwick before, and all I can say after reading this, is that he is a master of the form. His stories are of wide range, great ideas, and evocative of many emotions, at times combing opposites in the same telling. There are several really god ones in here, but one of the standouts is "The She-Wolf's Hidden Grin" which is set in Gene Wolfe's dense, provocative universe (If you want a very very challenging and unique scifi experience, pick up The Book of the New Sun series now). I can go on and on, but I have not read, nor heard such a great collection since Ted Chiang's masterful collection, "Stories of your Life and Others." If you have the patience for short stories, then pick this up, now.

[Donna Fernstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, it was difficult to rate this analogy. Some of the short stories were a lot of fun - mainly the ones toward the first half of the book. The works are sort of old school, and many are really more artsy than they are entertaining. Many were fairly predictable. Plots were generally strange without being very innovative.

If you love old-school science fiction and fantasy short stories, you'll probably find a lot to like here. If you're looking more for very engaging characters and plot with twists, maybe not as much.

There's a lot of interesting worldbuilding going on, though we get to see only slices of it, since these are short stories.

Oddly enough, I don't recall a single cat in any of them.

[Susan Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Princess Fuzzypants here:
While I am not a big aficionado of fantasy or science fiction, I do enjoy good stories. Despite a misleading title (the book was bereft of cats), these were very good stories.
Some of them were were quite fantastical; some were full of pathos; some just made you think. All of them entertained.

If the reader is a fan of short stories, which I am, and wants something that demands more cerebral involvement without making your brain hurt, this is a terrific book for you.

I give it five purrs and two paws up.

[Benjamin Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

These short stories were all enjoyable. I was getting a feeling of fatigue late in the book, less a function of the book itself, I think, then fatigue with short stories. Every time I picked up the book, I realized that I had to start from scratch with a new story, and I didn't feel like doing that, even though the story was invariably entertaining.

Maybe I've read a few to many short story collections in short succession? Otherwise, I don't know where that came from - I've never experienced it before. Anyway, the stories were all good, and that was my only complaint about the whole thing.