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Isaac Asimov's Valentines
Robert Silverberg, Terry Bisson, Connie Willis, and seven other masters of science fiction offer imaginative stories that ask such questions as: What constitutes attraction in a world where "chemistry" has taken on a whole new meaning? Does a man's passion distinguish him from machines...or turn him into one? What is the future of love?
Contents
1 • Death Do Us Part • (1996) • shortstory by Robert Silverberg
25 • Chemistry • (1993) • novelette by James Patrick Kelly
55 • No Love in All of Dwingeloo • (1995) • shortstory by Tony Daniel
75 • The Lovers • [Hwarhath] • (1994) • novelette by Eleanor Arnason
109 • Press Ann • [Dialogue] • (1991) • shortstory by Terry Bisson
119 • Romance in Lunar G • (1995) • novella by Tom Purdom
155 • The Blue Love Potion • (1990) • shortstory by Lisa Goldstein
175 • Always True to Thee, in My Fashion • (1997) • shortstory by Nancy Kress
191 • Burger Love • (1992) • shortstory by Robert Reed
205 • Blued Moon • (1984) • novelette by Connie Willis
Contents
1 • Death Do Us Part • (1996) • shortstory by Robert Silverberg
25 • Chemistry • (1993) • novelette by James Patrick Kelly
55 • No Love in All of Dwingeloo • (1995) • shortstory by Tony Daniel
75 • The Lovers • [Hwarhath] • (1994) • novelette by Eleanor Arnason
109 • Press Ann • [Dialogue] • (1991) • shortstory by Terry Bisson
119 • Romance in Lunar G • (1995) • novella by Tom Purdom
155 • The Blue Love Potion • (1990) • shortstory by Lisa Goldstein
175 • Always True to Thee, in My Fashion • (1997) • shortstory by Nancy Kress
191 • Burger Love • (1992) • shortstory by Robert Reed
205 • Blued Moon • (1984) • novelette by Connie Willis
243 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
2 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Gardner Dozois
646 books363 followersGardner Raymond Dozois was an American science fiction author and editor. He was editor of Asimov's Science Fiction magazine from 1984 to 2004. He won multiple Hugo and Nebula awards, both as an editor and a writer of short fiction.
Wikipedia entry: Gardner Dozois
http://us.macmillan.com/author/gardne...
Wikipedia entry: Gardner Dozois
http://us.macmillan.com/author/gardne...
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 16, 2022
My tradition is to read a special book for Valentine's Day, something that's about love but doesn't make me want to vomit. Last year I read Pet Semetery, the most romantic story ever written, and this year I chose this collection of spec fic short stories. It was perfect for the occasion and I really enjoyed this anthology. All the stories were strong and I think there's something for everyone here--I noticed the other reviewer had very different favorites.
"Death Do Us Part" by Robert Silverberg--When humans become virtually immortal, a May/December romance can be between a 30-year old and a 300-year old, but there's a twist. I've read a few of Silverberg's books which weren't really my thing, and with this story I feel like I finally understand why he's so legendary.
"Chemistry" by James Patrick Kelly. At a sort of love spa, a student finds that falling in love is just a combination of hormones--does that make it not real?
"No Love in All of Dwingeloo" by Tony Daniel. The concept of aliens who trade in literal futures was interesting and explored a poignant situation but to me the story itself was flat.
"The Lovers" by Eleanor Aronson. One of my favorites. It's told in a kind of anthropology/comparative literature framework, except that sounds boring and it wasn't. About a non-human warrior society where heterosexuality is unpleasant/taboo except for very structured breeding purposes. Again, that sounds terrible but it was sweet and the world made total sense.
"Press Ann" by Terry Bison. An ATM that gives unusual options. Kind of reminds me of how your phone or web browser is always spying on you, except this story is from 1991.
"Romance in Lunar G" by Tom Purdon. If you could alter your personality types, who would choose to keep on falling hopelessly and obsessively in love? The kind of person who unwittingly thwarts a heist and runs around on the moon in a space suit.
"The Blue Love Potion" by Lisa Goldstein. In another context, this might not even be a SF story. It all depends if you think the love potion really works or not.
"Always True to Thee, In My Fashion" by Nancy Kress. If love followed bubble-headed fashion seasons. I need to read more Nancy Kress!
"Burger Love" by Robert Reed. I think I've read a million stories by Robert Reed; he must be very prolific. The only really cynical one in the lot. Imagine if you left your body behind and became an immortal spacefaring entity and then you met another entity who was originally from your childhood school on earth...
"Blued Moon" by Connie Willis. I love Connie Willis and she's very funny. But there's something about her screwball romantic stories that are SO not my kind of thing, so for me this one was a bust.
"Death Do Us Part" by Robert Silverberg--When humans become virtually immortal, a May/December romance can be between a 30-year old and a 300-year old, but there's a twist. I've read a few of Silverberg's books which weren't really my thing, and with this story I feel like I finally understand why he's so legendary.
"Chemistry" by James Patrick Kelly. At a sort of love spa, a student finds that falling in love is just a combination of hormones--does that make it not real?
"No Love in All of Dwingeloo" by Tony Daniel. The concept of aliens who trade in literal futures was interesting and explored a poignant situation but to me the story itself was flat.
"The Lovers" by Eleanor Aronson. One of my favorites. It's told in a kind of anthropology/comparative literature framework, except that sounds boring and it wasn't. About a non-human warrior society where heterosexuality is unpleasant/taboo except for very structured breeding purposes. Again, that sounds terrible but it was sweet and the world made total sense.
"Press Ann" by Terry Bison. An ATM that gives unusual options. Kind of reminds me of how your phone or web browser is always spying on you, except this story is from 1991.
"Romance in Lunar G" by Tom Purdon. If you could alter your personality types, who would choose to keep on falling hopelessly and obsessively in love? The kind of person who unwittingly thwarts a heist and runs around on the moon in a space suit.
"The Blue Love Potion" by Lisa Goldstein. In another context, this might not even be a SF story. It all depends if you think the love potion really works or not.
"Always True to Thee, In My Fashion" by Nancy Kress. If love followed bubble-headed fashion seasons. I need to read more Nancy Kress!
"Burger Love" by Robert Reed. I think I've read a million stories by Robert Reed; he must be very prolific. The only really cynical one in the lot. Imagine if you left your body behind and became an immortal spacefaring entity and then you met another entity who was originally from your childhood school on earth...
"Blued Moon" by Connie Willis. I love Connie Willis and she's very funny. But there's something about her screwball romantic stories that are SO not my kind of thing, so for me this one was a bust.
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July 14, 2024Happy Valentine’s Day
June 2, 2010
A mixed bag of short stories about romantic love, many with different ways about looking at humanity's driving obsession. My favorites were the most light-hearted, "Press Ann" by Terry Bisson and "Blued Moon" by Connie Willis. I feel like I would have enjoyed the second story even more if I knew what language generation were. She also has a pet peeve on poor language use and how it relates to clarity of thought. Even though I frequently have trouble expressing myself, I am with her on that one. "Always True to Thee, In My Fashion," by Nancy Kress, was a little too jaded for my taste.
"Chemistry" is sweet, but I did not quite buy the central couple. "Death Do Us Part" is surprisingly moving and ambivalent. I find that most stories about love do not deal with the conflicting emotions so many of us have. "The Lovers" is rather dull; its main purpose seems to be to make us rethink hetero versus homosexuality and to question whether the best mates are fierce warriors. While these may be questions individuals need to think about, these ideas are old in science fiction. "Burger Love"'s central questions are really about how much we can transcend our humanity and pettiness. "The Blue Love Potion" and "Love in Lunar G" have wonderful, resonant endings.
The story which has stayed with me is "No Love in all of Dwingeloo," by Tony Daniel. SPOILERS:
The concept that stayed with me is that the love of Bina's life is many ways a reaction to the terrible marriage before it. This is something I have seen over and over again, but nobody writes about. Bina comes to the affair with ambivalent baggage, that props up and maintains the relationship while coloring it with her previous disappointment.
The other idea that haunts me is what they had to do to prevent the love of their lives. Haniman had to leave humanity. Does that imply that Bina had to stay married to that horrible man, knowing that leaving him could mean the end of Earth? That would be my worst nightmare.
"Chemistry" is sweet, but I did not quite buy the central couple. "Death Do Us Part" is surprisingly moving and ambivalent. I find that most stories about love do not deal with the conflicting emotions so many of us have. "The Lovers" is rather dull; its main purpose seems to be to make us rethink hetero versus homosexuality and to question whether the best mates are fierce warriors. While these may be questions individuals need to think about, these ideas are old in science fiction. "Burger Love"'s central questions are really about how much we can transcend our humanity and pettiness. "The Blue Love Potion" and "Love in Lunar G" have wonderful, resonant endings.
The story which has stayed with me is "No Love in all of Dwingeloo," by Tony Daniel. SPOILERS:
The concept that stayed with me is that the love of Bina's life is many ways a reaction to the terrible marriage before it. This is something I have seen over and over again, but nobody writes about. Bina comes to the affair with ambivalent baggage, that props up and maintains the relationship while coloring it with her previous disappointment.
The other idea that haunts me is what they had to do to prevent the love of their lives. Haniman had to leave humanity. Does that imply that Bina had to stay married to that horrible man, knowing that leaving him could mean the end of Earth? That would be my worst nightmare.
March 16, 2016
Mostly blah.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews