Ben Nash’s Reviews > Shadows of the New Sun: Stories in Honor of Gene Wolfe > Status Update

The Sea of Memory by Gene Wolfe - 5/5 - When the master of the unreliable narrator writes a story of this title, you know you're in for a ride. This one's about memory, and time. As usual, the dialog and description surpass any story the other authors serve. Interesting things happen during interstellar FTL? travel.

The Log by David Brin - 4/5 - At first, I thought this was set in between present day and the Solar Cycle, then I saw some of Brin's own uplift elements, then came some cultural critiques. I'm not sure I agree with the critiques, but they were interesting, and Brin knows his craft.

The Dreams of the Sea by Jody Lynn Nye - 3/5 - Set in the Solar Cycle world. Interesting to see the world after Severian. Too much exposition at the beginning.

Soldier of Mercy by Marc Aramini - 2/5 - Reluctant to give it this low a rating, but I didn't get the story. The prose was too busy and convoluted. I'll probably give it another try at some point, just in case.

In the Shadow of the Gate by William C. Dietz - 4/5 - capture the feeling of BotNS. Impressively so, though, filling a gap in the story, I'm not sure if it rises to the level of Wolfe. I'll return to the story when I re-read BotNS.

Tunes from Limbo, But I Digress by Judi Rohrig - 4/5 - Influenced by Home Fires, which I haven't read. Delves into a mystery of identity on an interstellar voyage.

Rhubarb and Beets by Todd McCaffrey - 3/5 - Fun little fairy-story about slavery and freedom. Given the anthology, though, the lack of subtlety stands out.

Epistoleros by Aaron Allston - 4/5 - Alternate Old West. Mystery of a sort. Newsman vs. apparent undead. It was fun trying to figure out what exactly was going on with the antagonist.

The She-Wolf's Hidden Grin by Michael Swanwick - 4/5 - Interesting story of an alien world with aboriginals. Twist ending, but not sure it revealed a deeper layer. Snowchild by Michael Stackpole - 4/5 - Good sword and sorcery story, though not sure the link to Wolfe. Wouldn't mind reading more in this setting.

The Island of Time by Jack Dann - 4/5 - This was a good, if depressing, tribute to Edgar Rice Burroughs. I've got to be missing why this story of a kid who thinks he is (possibly really is) John Carter, looking to Barsoom. It's still well written and haunting, though it lacks in the layers that a Wolfe story would.