The Silver Gryphon

by Gary Turner (Editor), Richard Paul Russo (Contributor), James Patrick Kelly (Contributor)

In celebration of Golden Gryphon Press's 25th book, writers who contributed to the first 24 books were asked to write a story that best defines them as writers. The result is an anthology of stories ranging from fantasy, science fiction, mystery, and horror to genres that are often a combination of all four. Warren Rochelle portrays a struggle between magical and normal humans. George Zebrowski questions how to reclaim one's life when thrust two and a half years into the past. Andy Duncan combines literary style with southern heritage in a strange tale of courtship on a ghost trolley car. Michael Bishop spins the sad tale of a dead Vietnam soldier who won't die and continues to lay down his life to help others. James Patrick Kelly paints a world where people are regulated, even in their ability to become parents, and there is no place for dissenting views. Kage Baker's story "A Night on the Barbary Coast" won the Emperor Norton award for 2003. The wide range in style, tone, and content in these tales provides genre fans with a diverse spectrum of short fiction.

Mother - James Patrick Kelly
Present from the Past - Jeffrey Ford
The Door Gunner - Michael Bishop
A Night on the Barbary Coast - Kage Baker
The American Monarchy - Richard A. Lupoff
An Innocent Presumption - Kevin J. Anderson
Why Then Ile Fit You - Howard Waldrop
What's Up Tiger Lily? - Paul Di Filippo
The Time-Travel Heart - Geoffrey A. Landis
Takes You Back - George Zebrowski
Separate Lives - Ian Watson
After Ildiko - Lucius Shepard
The Golden Boy - Warren Rochelle
Cowboy Grace - Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Tropical Nights at the Natatorium - Richard Paul Russo
Night of Time - Robert Reed
The Haw River Trolley - Andy Duncan
Far Barbary - R. Garcia y Robertson
Kwantum Babes - Neal Barrett Jr.
Fire Dog - Joe R. Lansdale

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fantasy

330 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2003

About the author

Disambiguation profile for all non-separated authors called Gary Turner.

Reviews

[Laurel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Night on the Barbary Coast by Kage Baker

This was our second outing with Mendoza and Joseph of the Company. This time they're on the trail of some lichen in the San Francisco area, around the time California joined the Union.

Not much to say about this one. A nice enough read, perhaps even a bit humorous in places, but nothing massive. Just the pair chasing their tails around San Francisco and ending up with a better answer than they'd been chasing. Not much to say on time travel impact, really. There may have been more had a certain character not died naturally. But other than that, one cannot even really comment on how Mendoza and Joseph clearly do interfere in the status quo. Oh, and we got to know Mendoza and Joseph a little bit more this time, which was nice.

This I will say: Kage Baker's writing is vivid, and sets you right in the scene. There's no difficulty getting into the Company stories and they're a bit of a romp.