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The Flavors of Other Worlds: 13 Science Fiction Tales from a Master Storyteller
Thirteen Science Fiction Tales from a Master Storyteller
From fighting giant bugs to defeating an interstellar empire without firing a shot; from scientific idiot savants toying with the universe to how the robots will really win the robot apocalypse, these thirteen flavorful tales are guaranteed to entertain, amuse, awe, and maybe even enlighten.
Includes the first appearance in print of the Icerigger novellete “Chilling” and a new novelette, “Valentin Sharffen and the Code of Doom.”
From fighting giant bugs to defeating an interstellar empire without firing a shot; from scientific idiot savants toying with the universe to how the robots will really win the robot apocalypse, these thirteen flavorful tales are guaranteed to entertain, amuse, awe, and maybe even enlighten.
Includes the first appearance in print of the Icerigger novellete “Chilling” and a new novelette, “Valentin Sharffen and the Code of Doom.”
188 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 4, 2019
85 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
About the author
Alan Dean Foster
500 books2,038 followersBestselling science fiction writer Alan Dean Foster was born in New York City in 1946, but raised mainly in California. He received a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA in 1968, and a M.F.A. in 1969. Foster lives in Arizona with his wife, but he enjoys traveling because it gives him opportunities to meet new people and explore new places and cultures. This interest is carried over to his writing, but with a twist: the new places encountered in his books are likely to be on another planet, and the people may belong to an alien race.
Foster began his career as an author when a letter he sent to Arkham Collection was purchased by the editor and published in the magazine in 1968. His first novel, The Tar-Aiym Krang, introduced the Humanx Commonwealth, a galactic alliance between humans and an insectlike race called Thranx. Several other novels, including the Icerigger trilogy, are also set in the world of the Commonwealth. The Tar-Aiym Krang also marked the first appearance of Flinx, a young man with paranormal abilities, who reappears in other books, including Orphan Star, For Love of Mother-Not, and Flinx in Flux.
Foster has also written The Damned series and the Spellsinger series, which includes The Hour of the Gate, The Moment of the Magician, The Paths of the Perambulator, and Son of Spellsinger, among others. Other books include novelizations of science fiction movies and television shows such as Star Trek, The Black Hole, Starman, Star Wars, and the Alien movies. Splinter of the Mind's Eye, a bestselling novel based on the Star Wars movies, received the Galaxy Award in 1979. The book Cyber Way won the Southwest Book Award for Fiction in 1990. His novel Our Lady of the Machine won him the UPC Award (Spain) in 1993. He also won the Ignotus Award (Spain) in 1994 and the Stannik Award (Russia) in 2000.
Foster began his career as an author when a letter he sent to Arkham Collection was purchased by the editor and published in the magazine in 1968. His first novel, The Tar-Aiym Krang, introduced the Humanx Commonwealth, a galactic alliance between humans and an insectlike race called Thranx. Several other novels, including the Icerigger trilogy, are also set in the world of the Commonwealth. The Tar-Aiym Krang also marked the first appearance of Flinx, a young man with paranormal abilities, who reappears in other books, including Orphan Star, For Love of Mother-Not, and Flinx in Flux.
Foster has also written The Damned series and the Spellsinger series, which includes The Hour of the Gate, The Moment of the Magician, The Paths of the Perambulator, and Son of Spellsinger, among others. Other books include novelizations of science fiction movies and television shows such as Star Trek, The Black Hole, Starman, Star Wars, and the Alien movies. Splinter of the Mind's Eye, a bestselling novel based on the Star Wars movies, received the Galaxy Award in 1979. The book Cyber Way won the Southwest Book Award for Fiction in 1990. His novel Our Lady of the Machine won him the UPC Award (Spain) in 1993. He also won the Ignotus Award (Spain) in 1994 and the Stannik Award (Russia) in 2000.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
June 19, 2019
This is a collection of thirteen science fiction short stories by well-established Sci-Fi author – Alan Dean Foster. I like to sprinkle SF short stories in between reads of full-length novels. You don’t get the full effect of a novel in terms of plot and character development, but I’m addicted to the delightful little ideas, twists, and moments of wonder that SF short stories delivery. And speaking of that, author Foster does deliver! Many of the stories made me chuckle, for the most part these stories are not heavy or dark. They are, however, clever, entertaining, and occasionally surprising. I did find a few of the endings flat, but I still enjoyed every story. I blew through the collection in a few days. My favorites were “Cold Fire”, “Rural Singularity”, “Ten and Ten”, and “Valentin Sharffen and the Code of Doom”. Thanks to Netgalley and WordFire Press for providing an ARC.
August 18, 2020
This is a collection of thirteen science fiction short stories by well-established Sci-Fi author – Alan Dean Foster. I like to sprinkle SF short stories in between reads of full-length novels. You don’t get the full effect of a novel in terms of plot and character development, but I’m addicted to the delightful little ideas, twists, and moments of wonder that SF short stories delivery. And speaking of that, author Foster does deliver! Many of the stories made me chuckle, for the most part these stories are not heavy or dark. They are, however, clever, entertaining, and occasionally surprising. I did find a few of the endings flat, but I still enjoyed every story. I blew through the collection in a few days. My favorites were “Cold Fire”, “Rural Singularity”, “Ten and Ten”, and “Valentin Sharffen and the Code of Doom”. Thanks to Netgalley and WordFire Press for providing an ARC.
April 22, 2019
An impressive collection of science fiction short stories that take place both here on Earth and in the far flung reaches of the universe. All but the final one have previously appeared in other publications, but this was the first time I had read any of them or anything by this author for that matter. If these stories are any indication, he's not only hilarious but an extremely talented science fiction writer.
Each story has a short introduction from the author explaining the thought processes or inspirations behind it. This sounds like it could ruin the stride of the book but actually it's really endearing and made me appreciate the stories all the more.
The Stories
Inevitably with these types of collections, some stories are better than others. Within Flavors, the first and last were my favorites but to be honest I enjoyed all of them. The first, "Unvasion," had me laughing so much I ended up reading it aloud to my family. Aliens take over Earth not through lasers or bombs, but by acquiring all our businesses- starting with a McDonald's franchise in Arizona. The theme is brought up again later through the humorously titled, "Pardon Our Conquest," where we're the alien invaders, albeit seemingly polite ones.
The final story, "Valentin Sharffen and The Code of Doom" was the longest but also one of the best. We talk a lot about robots gaining sentience, but what would happen if video game characters did as well?
Quite a few were more what I would call speculative fiction, really shining a spotlight on humanity. "Seasonings" was a great example of this: the robot apocalypse taking a more subtle form through the automation of the food industry. Humans are basically dulled into submission through the luxuries of automation as well as through additives the robots have added to the food to make us more complacent. No one much cares though because life is just so easy now, why shake things up? As someone who has an (irrational?) fear of robots, this was far more terrifying than the more violent uprisings we see in the movies.
Final Thoughts
Despite their length, the stories were all very detailed and immersive which was aided by the brief introductions the author had for each one. Even if you aren’t that big of a science fiction enthusiast, the stories are clever enough that I think they would appeal to a wider audience. I’m really glad that I finally read something by Alan Dean Foster and if these stories are anything to go by, I’ve really been missing out.
Read my full review here! The Flavors of Other Worlds: 13 Science Fiction Tales from a Master Storyteller by Alan Dean Foster (A Little Nerd Told Me)
Thanks to Netgalley and WordFire Press for a copy of this book in exchange for a review
Each story has a short introduction from the author explaining the thought processes or inspirations behind it. This sounds like it could ruin the stride of the book but actually it's really endearing and made me appreciate the stories all the more.
The Stories
Inevitably with these types of collections, some stories are better than others. Within Flavors, the first and last were my favorites but to be honest I enjoyed all of them. The first, "Unvasion," had me laughing so much I ended up reading it aloud to my family. Aliens take over Earth not through lasers or bombs, but by acquiring all our businesses- starting with a McDonald's franchise in Arizona. The theme is brought up again later through the humorously titled, "Pardon Our Conquest," where we're the alien invaders, albeit seemingly polite ones.
The final story, "Valentin Sharffen and The Code of Doom" was the longest but also one of the best. We talk a lot about robots gaining sentience, but what would happen if video game characters did as well?
Quite a few were more what I would call speculative fiction, really shining a spotlight on humanity. "Seasonings" was a great example of this: the robot apocalypse taking a more subtle form through the automation of the food industry. Humans are basically dulled into submission through the luxuries of automation as well as through additives the robots have added to the food to make us more complacent. No one much cares though because life is just so easy now, why shake things up? As someone who has an (irrational?) fear of robots, this was far more terrifying than the more violent uprisings we see in the movies.
Final Thoughts
Despite their length, the stories were all very detailed and immersive which was aided by the brief introductions the author had for each one. Even if you aren’t that big of a science fiction enthusiast, the stories are clever enough that I think they would appeal to a wider audience. I’m really glad that I finally read something by Alan Dean Foster and if these stories are anything to go by, I’ve really been missing out.
Read my full review here! The Flavors of Other Worlds: 13 Science Fiction Tales from a Master Storyteller by Alan Dean Foster (A Little Nerd Told Me)
Thanks to Netgalley and WordFire Press for a copy of this book in exchange for a review
April 16, 2019
I’ve read Foster’s latest book not too long ago and really enjoyed his world building, so when this collection of his short fiction appeared on Netgalley, it was an obvious choice. I’m glad to report that in short form Foster is still as good as in long form, although the style is different, Less serious, more lively somehow, more like playtime sort of reading experience. Or maybe this just pertains to the two specific books I’ve read, but it’s all I’ve got to go off, so go with it. This is a lovely and well curated collection with a general introduction by the author and a short preface for every story. The genre is definitely science fiction, whether terrestrial or otherworldly based. Each story has a twist and a moral, which I found very enjoyable. Maybe not as wow as Black Mirror, but certainly along the lines of Outer Limits. The general mood and tone was fairly light, irrespective of the subject matter, and all the stories were great fun and terrifically imaginative and original. In other words, I liked them, I liked them very much. I actually liked the Earth based ones more, possibly, although Foster can do a great intergalactic spin too. Lovely collection, recommended for all science fiction fans. Thanks Netgalley.
November 21, 2020
Another great collection of stories from Alan Dean Foster! This one is 13 stories all well into the science fiction genre. We have aliens taking over the planet through corporate buy outs, bootleg knowledge, alien assistants, and we even get to learn how to communicate with a cuttlefish.
Foster's writing is always good and his inventive plots are way above par. This collection has a nice variety of stories that are well up to his usual standard, exploring other worlds whether they are in space or under sea.
Highly recommended for any science fiction fan.
Foster's writing is always good and his inventive plots are way above par. This collection has a nice variety of stories that are well up to his usual standard, exploring other worlds whether they are in space or under sea.
Highly recommended for any science fiction fan.
April 4, 2019
Received an arc from netgalley. LOVED this collection of stories by Alan Dean Foster. But I am prejudiced as I love his writing from way back. You will find a lot of the stories interesting and engaging. Definitely recommend!
May 7, 2019
The Flavors of Other Worlds 🌍 provides a bountiful buffet of imaginative fiction from Foster. The thirteen shorts have been previously published but not collected together like this. All are easily accessible and enjoyable.
Certain themes emerge over and over again, particularly the difficulties in communicating with other species and failing to understand what they are up to. This theme is expressed in Unavision, which offers us an intergalactic space battle fought in corporate boardrooms. Other stories like Perception show us alien 👽 lab assistants who might as well be furniture for all we understand them. In Chilling, a fantastic adventure on a frozen world, Tran-Ky-Ky, the perception difficulties in dealing with aliens 👾 make it very difficult to tell friend from foe.
Another popular theme here is the superpowered adolescent who has amazing powers that must be kept secret from a world that may not understand.
A terrific collection with a glorious menagerie of many-tentacled interstellar beings.
Certain themes emerge over and over again, particularly the difficulties in communicating with other species and failing to understand what they are up to. This theme is expressed in Unavision, which offers us an intergalactic space battle fought in corporate boardrooms. Other stories like Perception show us alien 👽 lab assistants who might as well be furniture for all we understand them. In Chilling, a fantastic adventure on a frozen world, Tran-Ky-Ky, the perception difficulties in dealing with aliens 👾 make it very difficult to tell friend from foe.
Another popular theme here is the superpowered adolescent who has amazing powers that must be kept secret from a world that may not understand.
A terrific collection with a glorious menagerie of many-tentacled interstellar beings.
December 10, 2019
This was good, Foster fairly lite, nothing heavy or too dark. Entertaining, easy reads although 'Ten and Ten' left me feeling sad. Good, solid, science fiction. Nothing dragged on too long. All the stories delivered their message and departed. I appreciate a book of short stories that keeps the reading pace up and doesn't have that one story that never seems to end. There's even an appearance of the near mythical Skua September which had me smiling and no Pip & Flinx tales. Granted only one of the stories in this collection is a never before released the majority are drawn from some obscure collections. I'd only read one of them elsewhere.
November 20, 2020
An enjoyable read. Think Twilight Zone or Outer Limits with a little more humor and cheekiness. Each story is unique, and if you're interested before each one it talks about where it was published first, the idea behind it, etc. Having not read any of them previously I mostly skimmed that part. Each story is unique and are a great way to grab a quick escape in between the craziness life throws at us.
January 21, 2021
Audio. 3 point something
The stories were all decent - no real stand-outs either negatively or positively, but good entertainment if you are in the mood for some short-form sci-fi. I guess the main thing that makes them decent rather than good is that there's a lot of fun well-executed surface level stuff but not much in the way of depth or grand themes. I think the ones with Alaska, the alien apprentice, and the chicken farm were the most memorable, and the interstellar surrender talks was the best.
If you are looking for a break from 500-page books, then this a solid candidate, would recommend.
The stories were all decent - no real stand-outs either negatively or positively, but good entertainment if you are in the mood for some short-form sci-fi. I guess the main thing that makes them decent rather than good is that there's a lot of fun well-executed surface level stuff but not much in the way of depth or grand themes. I think the ones with Alaska, the alien apprentice, and the chicken farm were the most memorable, and the interstellar surrender talks was the best.
If you are looking for a break from 500-page books, then this a solid candidate, would recommend.
April 30, 2019
This new collection of short stories is classic science fiction. Updated for modern times in terms of access to social media, etc, it nevertheless focusses primarily on old themes: how would human beings react and adapt to new situations. Stories range from alien takeovers so subtle that nobody notices … to a dangerous addiction to knowledge… to a way of channeling the aurora borealis for unlimited power… to the reaction of a colonized world that was none too happy about receiving the “benefits” of a conquering race (us).
Each story is prefaced with a note from the author about the origins of the story — these are almost as interesting as the stories themselves. The writing is concise and clear — reminiscent of, well, Foster himself — the guy has been around since the beginning! Like a lot of good science fiction, the stories allow us to think about many of today’s issues in the guise of “other” worlds, people, and cultures. A nice addition.
Each story is prefaced with a note from the author about the origins of the story — these are almost as interesting as the stories themselves. The writing is concise and clear — reminiscent of, well, Foster himself — the guy has been around since the beginning! Like a lot of good science fiction, the stories allow us to think about many of today’s issues in the guise of “other” worlds, people, and cultures. A nice addition.
June 22, 2021
The Flavors of Other Worlds by Alan Dean Foster is a quick read containing 13 science fiction stories by this author. I’ve always enjoyed Mr Foster as his style is of a light touch. He doesn’t write “hard” science fiction, but enjoyable romps that float about in the lighter section of this genre. I find his stories relaxing.
If you are familiar with his work, he does have one story based in his Commonwealth universe included here. A fictional environment that is always fun to revisit as many of his books are placed there.
A nice collection for those that know and like the author and a great place for new readers that want to try out a sampling of his work.
If you are familiar with his work, he does have one story based in his Commonwealth universe included here. A fictional environment that is always fun to revisit as many of his books are placed there.
A nice collection for those that know and like the author and a great place for new readers that want to try out a sampling of his work.
August 14, 2025
Half good, half bad
I enjoyed a number of the stories in this book, approximately half of them. I actively disliked the other half. They were the type where you have to trudge through boring stuff to get to the twist at the end that’s the whole point of the story. I found myself skimming and skipping through those stories.
I’m a fan of Alan Dean Foster and have loved his writing since I was a teenager in the 1980s. I own a large number of his novels. Thus, I’m a bit ambivalent in how to write and recommend this book of short stories, but I’ve come down on the negative side.
Not recommended. I give it 3/5 stars.
I enjoyed a number of the stories in this book, approximately half of them. I actively disliked the other half. They were the type where you have to trudge through boring stuff to get to the twist at the end that’s the whole point of the story. I found myself skimming and skipping through those stories.
I’m a fan of Alan Dean Foster and have loved his writing since I was a teenager in the 1980s. I own a large number of his novels. Thus, I’m a bit ambivalent in how to write and recommend this book of short stories, but I’ve come down on the negative side.
Not recommended. I give it 3/5 stars.
February 12, 2020
Excellent and varied collection of stories in the science-fiction vein. Included here are a tale from Trankyky, a story where a thirst for knowledge is not a good thing, and a never-before-published novelette concerning AI. These, and the rest of the collection are quite thought-provoking and thoroughly enjoyable.
September 10, 2019
I liked all of the stories. The details about when and where stories first appeared has never appealed to me and I think that part of this book was just fluff. Regardless, my opinion is that Alan Dean Foster is a giant in SciFi; I simply couldn't pass up on this title.
January 31, 2020
One of those collection of stories that you wish would never end. Due to his extensive travels and imagination, ADF pulls us into his worlds with precise descriptions, enticing plots and intriguing characters..
Well done again, sir!
Well done again, sir!
February 12, 2024
classic Foster
He creates other worlds and the draws you in. Perhaps”13” here has nothing to do with bad luck so much as unlucky realities. After all, each tale needs some antagonist, no?
He creates other worlds and the draws you in. Perhaps”13” here has nothing to do with bad luck so much as unlucky realities. After all, each tale needs some antagonist, no?
October 5, 2022
Excellent collection from an excellent writer. If you like any of Foster's work, you'll find something good in here.
backlog
January 12, 2024This anthology has some wonderful tales. I have always enjoyed Foster’s aliens. Some of the stories made me laugh, and it was fun to return to Tran-ky-ky.
Read
April 24, 2024As usual, actually read the epub from Kobo which Amazon-owned Goodreads neglects to list.
February 17, 2025
Good old AD Foster. good plotting, very interesting different chapters. Each story had something to say for itself and the ideas stand the test of time.
September 27, 2025
Very well written and orated short stories.
It’s been awhile since I’ve read Alan Dean Fosters’ work. I will most definitely check out more of his Novels.
It’s been awhile since I’ve read Alan Dean Fosters’ work. I will most definitely check out more of his Novels.
August 11, 2024
Just what I needed
Nice to read something from Alan Dean Foster, that I haven't seen before.
Good stories, some of them very unexpected.
Nice to read something from Alan Dean Foster, that I haven't seen before.
Good stories, some of them very unexpected.
April 30, 2019
Foster always comes through with well written and thoughtful stories. Authors tend to make their universes complicated and impossible to understand. 'Flavors' is not like that. All of these stories are simple but dynamically complete. All could stand alone as novels with further development.
May 27, 2019
It was an honor to read Alan Dean Foster. He is the genius behind stars wars, star trek and alien. He will never stop to amaze with his creative writing which makes us travel to other dimensions.
#TheFlavorsOfOtherWorlds #NetGalley
#TheFlavorsOfOtherWorlds #NetGalley
June 3, 2019
I've read number of Mr Foster's books, and really enjoyed these stories. He's been around a while and the sophistication and polish of his talent shows. A nice variety of good quality stories. Recommended.
I really appreciate the copy for review!!
I really appreciate the copy for review!!
May 7, 2025
Not his best collection of shorts but still well worth a read.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews