Gateways: Original New Stories Inspired by Frederik Pohl (Unabridged)
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3.0 • 1 Rating
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- $25.99
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- $25.99
Publisher Description
An anthology of new, original stories by bestselling science fiction authors, inspired by science fiction great Frederik Pohl.
It isn’t easy to get a group of bestselling SF authors to write new stories for an anthology, but that’s what Elizabeth Anne Hull has done in this powerhouse book. With original, captivating tales by Greg Bear, Gregory Benford, Ben Bova, David Brin, Cory Doctorow, Neil Gaiman, Joe Haldeman, Harry Harrison, Larry Niven, Vernor Vinge, Gene Wolfe, and others, Gateways is a SF event that will be a must-buy for SF readers of all tastes, from the traditional to the cutting edge; from the darkly serious to the laugh-out-loud funny.
Each author has written a story that he or she feels reflects the effect Pohl has had on the field—in the style of writing, the narrative tone, or the subject matter. It says a lot about Pohl's career that the authors represented here themselves span many decades and styles, from the experimental SF of British SF author Brian W. Aldiss to the over-the-top humor of Harry Harrison and Mike Resnick, from the darkly powerful drama of Hollywood screenwriter Frank Robinson to the satiric pungency of multiple Hugo Award-winner Vernor Vinge. Every story here is uniquely nuanced; all of them as entertaining and thought provoking as Pohl's fiction.
In a career dating back to 1939, Pohl has won all the awards science fiction has to offer: Hugos, Nebulas, the SFWA Grand Master Award. Having written more than two million words of fiction and edited the groundbreaking Star anthologies and Hugo Award-winning magazines and books, Pohl is an SF icon. This anthology of brilliant, entertaining SF stories is a testament to his stature in the field.
Customer Reviews
The Narrator is really good.
I hate to give a tribute collection a low rating - but 3 stars is the best I can do. And that’s only on account of the narrator, Oliver Wyman, who put a lot more effort into this endeavor than most anyone else did. He’s great - the material isn’t.
First off, the editor of this collection is Mr. Pohls last wife. She offers no introduction to him or his work, no clue on why he deserves a tribute volume. Fortunately, many of the contributors include enough information and anecdotes so that by the end of the book you will understand who Pohl was and why he’s an important figure in American sci-fi.
This doesn’t excuse the stories, which with one exception, were pretty bad. In reading them, you might think Pohl was a master of the brick-wall, unresolved ending. The kind of story that leaves you thinking “What was THAT?”
Not all the contributing authors wrote stories. Several just write a few paragraphs on their experiences with Mr. Pohl. Some write a story and a few paragraphs. A couple write just a story. It’s very uneven.
Sherri S. Tepper’s contribution - along with Wyman’s brilliantly deadpaan reading of it - is the single bright spot in this collection. The story is “The Flight of the Denar Kblpt” (sp?) and it’s almost worth the price of the book all by itself.
I gather that one of Pohls pet themes was the future of marketing and finance as driving forces of society. But the poor editing and mostly unsatisfying stories leave me thinking that this isn’t much of a tribute. I’ll keep the book for Teppers story in the hopes of someday figuring out a way to lift it from the collection before trashing the rest..