As the blurb on the book says, there really is something for any science fiction fan in here. You may choose to skip the first part where Silverberg talks about his entry into the wrold of SF writing, though, as a writer myself, I enjoyed it a great deal. It's a warm reminiscence not onlyof a young writer finding his voice but of those halcyon days of the so-called Golden and Silver Ages of science fiction.

The stories themselves are a terrific collection and include some true masterpieces of short story writing, some of which are rarely anthologised. Just go to the sample pages above to check out the contents list. I defy any SF fan not to enjoy most of these stories.

Then there are the essays on the stories, where Silverberg deconstructs and analyses the stories (without, I should add, in any way detracting from them). This isn't a case of the illusion being spoiled when you look at how it's done. I came away from them only more admiring of the skills and imaginations of the writers.

As to those who accuse this of being an ego exercise by Silverberg I can only say they obviously miss the point. There's a clear love of the craft and art of science fiction at work here. Silverberg tells us plainly that he chose these stories not because they are the all-time greats of the genre necessarily (though some actually are - and for a fuller list of such stories see Silverberg's anthology The Science Fiction Hall of Fame vol.1. The greatest SF short stories as chosen by the SF Writers Association).

These are the stories that a fledgling writer was moved by, astounded by, impressed and dazzled by. We all have our own lists of such stories and they often include ones that wouldn't be on anyone else's list. Doesn't make them bad choices, just personal ones. And frankly, if someone as talented as Robert Silverberg, an author and editor who's proven his talent time and again in this field, by any standard, hasn't earned the right after forty years of writing to do a collection like this, then I don't know who has.

There are any number of authors who have projected their own egos into their works. Harlan Ellison does it all the time and is wonderfully entertaining at it. The great Isaac Asimov published three thick volumes of autobiography that are a pleasure to read. Any editor who puts together an anthology projects their own tastes into it. The proof is ultimately in the work itself. And it's certainly on display here. End of sermon.

Do yourself a favour. Read this book. Maybe, Like Robert Silverberg, some of these stories will inspire you enough to begin writing yourself. Or at least to read more. And that can't be a bad thing.

I've used this book twice, teaching science fiction writing at MIT, and will use it a third time this year. It's an excellent introduction to "Golden Age" science fiction, with thoughtful analysis of each story by Silverberg, explaining why each was important to his development as a writer.

whether you want to read it or write it, this is a terrific introductory course in science fiction by our finest living sf author.

It's that good, but that imperfect. It doesn't equal _Dying Inside_ (yes, I realize this comes up in every Silverberg review I write), but it is a close second. The subject matter, in terms of the protagonist's existential situation is similar.

Byzantium is sheer beauty as represented by Silverberg, the student of history. Some of the longer passages of history in the tour sometimes seem tedious, but I wouldn't want them removed from the text.

All the characters are well rendered, but they all seem to be suffering from a slight case of testosterone poisoning. Not too far outside the range of typical behavior for men, but I think maybe we've gotten a little milder in recent generations.

This has a much tighter plot than most of my other favorite Silverberg works, and it's well done. I'm of mixed opinion on how a couple of the paradoxes were resolved. I don't think the resolutions were weak, per se, but I think that I would have interpreted some of the logic differently. The ending, by the way, is great. It has a certain amount of negativity to it that is common to Silverberg's work, but the undoing is extremely clever, and the last line makes the whole book that much more worth reading. Highly recommended and, as so often with Silverberg's longer works, saddended that it didn't win the Hugo or Nebula.

This is another book I haven't read in at least twenty years -- but I remembered enjoying it. It's 2059 and Jud Elliott, graduate in Byzantine history and dissatisfied law clerk, joins the Time Service. The Service has two divisions: the Time Couriers, who escort groups of paying tourists into the past, thereby generating the financial support for the research the Service carries out, and the Time Patrol, which enforces the integrity of the time stream by retroactively preventing "timecrime." (All of this under-structure is predictable to any experienced fan of time travel stories.) Jud does pretty well on the Byzantine run, showing his tourists all the vivid highlights of Constantinople's history, until he begins researching his own ancestry and falls for the lucious Pulcheria Ducas, his great-great-multi-great-grandmother in the late 12th century. Then he panics and duplicates himself, and the paradoxes begin to pile up. Silverberg, a very knowledgeable student of history, fills the narrative with considerable by-the-way Byzantine history and takes the opportunity to poke fun at the mores of the mid-21st century . . . which are clearly modeled on those of the 1960s. The characters of Black Sam and sly old Metaxas are pretty well done, too. This certainly isn't Silver-Bob's best, but it's a lot of fun.

'Up the Line' is a VERY good time travel story. It tells the story (in first person) of Jud, a wayward soul who decides to take employment as a Time Courier. Time Couriers are basically time-traveling tour guides, and are responsible for ferrying and watching over groups of tourists to famous historical events. Jud's particular fascination is ancient Byzantium, so he takes on the tour groups going back to see Emperor Justinian, the Haghia Sophia, and other sights. This to me is one area where this book shone. Silverberg made ancient Byzantium come alive for me, and sparked a whole line of discovery and amazement after I had finished the book. I have re-read this great story seven or eight times and never grow tired of it. If you like time travel stories, with a dash of humor and a teaspoon of history, GET THIS BOOK!

The story is very nifty. Karen Haber definitely has talent. I know Mr. Silverberg did some editing, but I think Ms. Haber's telling is outstanding. I applaud the effort!! A nice bit of science fiction here. Definitely worth reading.

In this, the first of a four volume series, we are introduced to an offshoot of the human race who are called the Mutants. Ostensibly hidden from the rest of humanity for centuries, the race of golden-eyed espers has finally chosen to reveal themselves. The story picks up several decades later, after the initial years of unrest and persecution have subsided somewhat; and while legal protections exist, prejudice against the mutants is still very strong in a populace that both envies and fears them. Against this backdrop Haber tells the story of one very active mutant family, the Rytons, and one "normal", Andie Greenberg, chief assistant to the only mutant Senator.

If you can swallow the outlandish premise (for which Silverberg must accept responsibility) Haber has written a fairly entertaining novel. The basic technique is a long series of short scenes from each of several subplots, some of which converge, and others of which will presumably be picked up later in the series, but which together paint a fairly credible portrait of life in a world with Mutants. The real strength of this book is the characterizations, which reflect a familiar variety of reactions to racial prejudice, but also show that life is pretty much the same even with telepathic or telekinetic powers. Young Michael Ryton struggles against his domineering father's conservative insularism, while his "null" sister Melanie feels ignored and uncared-for, and their cousin Skerry is

unattached, uncontrollable, and undependable. Andie Greenberg is the only normal who is followed closely, but in the end she proves to be the real hero, providing the key to defusing the crisis that evolves when the mutant Senator pushes for sweeping changes in mutant's rights.

While the round robin plot structure keeps the reader interested, there are spots where the plot advances very slowly. There are engaging characters of both sexes, but so much of the focus is on young people that boyfriends and girlfriends and sexual encounters and adolescent angst seem to fill most of the book. As a result, some adult readers might find this material difficult to relate to, while the fairly explicit sexuality makes it inappropriate for young readers. Young women interested in sci-fi fantasy should find this book especially appealing; the rest of us can hope that the next book in the series will be a little more grown up.

The first of a promised four-book series, The Mutant Season is a recognizably traditional sf novel complete with heros, villains, civilizations to save and its own measure of triumphs and tragedies. It narrates the long-established theme of a point just past the introduction of mutant telepaths into the near future of earth as we know it. By the time of this first novel, mutants have transcended early persecution in the 1990s and come out guardedly to battle for acceptance and perhaps integration. The plot of the first novel depends on two alternate models of humanity's future as a mutant/non-mutant cooperation. Since the story is told mostly from the Mutant society's point of view, both models are theirs, although one is clearly unacceptable to non-mutants. Major players are both mutant and non-mutant. Andie is non-mutant assistant to the first mutant senator, Ms. Jacobsen. She and Senator Jacobsen are both striving to bring about peaceful integration of mutants into the dominant culture and this is the model of coexistence that is privileged in the novel, but is briefly subverted by the predictable mutant-supremacy group, some of whom also have hopes of creating a strain of super-mutants. Andie believes in and wants to assist the birth of cooperation model, so, when Senator Jacobsen is killed, she agrees to work with Jacobsen's mutant successor, Senator Jeffers, who becomes her lover. Yet she is able to transcend this seduction and unmask his unacceptable plans when necessary. Another mutant/non-mutant pair are lovers - Kelly, a talented non-mutant and Michael, scion of an important mutant family, are doomed to separation by social forces that will not countenance such a union. Michael is forced into a marriage with another mutant which he tries to appreciate but the novel leaves Kelly escaping into a military career as a pilot, and very much dissatisfied with the situation. Michael's sister and cousin present alternatives to his fate. While he allows himself to be incorporated into the mutant group's plans for the future, his multi-talented cousin, who has already left out of disgust, makes it clear that he scorns their plans. Michael's sister, although mutant in appearance, (they have gold eyes), is unable to use any psionic powers and escapes, through disguise, into the straight world. It is with this uneasy vacuum of futures that novel one ends. However, to reassure the reader that more threads will be tied together, a few pages of the next novel are included. The characters and plot of this novel are engaging, but the reader should be ready for and interested in the long haul which will take her/him through all four books.

Jan Bogstad, Reviewer

This book combines archeology, anthropology and old-fashioned science fiction adventure for an excellent read! Fast paced and a quick read. Highly recommended!

Short Synopsis: An archeological team studying "High Ones" artifacts makes a startling discovery that leads them across our galaxy, from planet to planet in search of the "High Ones", a civilization that roamed the stars a billion years ago.

This consists of 3 short stories. The first bears the title of the book, and concerns a man's attempts to continue a relationship with his dead wife, who has been rekindled into a new life. He notices disturbing differences in her personality, but continues to seek his old relationship with her. A horrible end to his efforts is the consequence. The second story, "Thomas the proclaimer", concerns an evangelist who decides to prove to everyone that God is still watching over them by asking for a sign from Him. After the sign is apparently received, Thomas expects the people of the world to come together in peace. Things do not go as expected, however. The third story, simply titled "Going", tells an emotional tale of a 135 year old man dealing with a decision to end his life. The custom of the day allows the man to retire to a sort of nursing home, where he is allowed as much time as needed to prepare for and determine the exact day of his death. The process is completely voluntary. Upon entering the home the man believes he is ready. But as, one by one, others in the home depart from their lives, the man copes with many mixed feelings. The story is so absorbing for many reasons, the least of which is the story itself. The words quietly and softly spoke volumes about the issues of aging and quality of life, and about the journey each of us must eventually face. This story alone earns the book a place at my home. While the other two are also interesting, they did not grip me on a personal level the way "Going" did. The strong feelings that it brought me are the reasons I enjoy good science fiction, and the reasons I find myself constantly amazed with the writings of Robert Silverberg.

This 3-novella anthology was first published in 1973.

Effinger, George Alec: "And Us, Too, I Guess", while written for this anthology, also appears in Effinger's collection _Irrational Numbers_. The viewpoint alternates between the 1st person narrative of Dr. Davis, a scientist, and the 3rd person narrative of Paul Moran, a factory worker.

Davis seeks to rebuild his career yet again after the latest of a series of catastrophes. In his own mind, at least, he's not responsible for any of the troubles that have befallen him - and in his secret heart, he admits that he enjoys disaster, if he can sit back and watch. Moran, on the other hand, would claim only one disaster - his unhappy marriage - but might be honest enough to admit his own contribution to the problem.

They seem to be a study in contrasts, save for the two points they have in common: dissatisfaction with their lots in life, and a passion for raising mollies (a breed of tropical fish). On the morning the story opens, both Davis and Moran find that all their pets have died in the night, with no visible cause of death. Upon seeking replacements, the hobbyists learn gradually that *all* mollies everywhere appear to have died that same night. Then a few days later, another species - an obscure fungus - is found extinct, and an ominous pattern of tragedy begins to unfold.

Dozois, Gardner R.: "Chains of the Sea", which also appears in Dozois' collection _The Visible Man_, is an SF story of the day aliens "invaded" Earth, and the story of a kid who retains the ability to see "the Other People" long after his friends have forgotten them. (They share the Earth, but in ways that most humans can't perceive, and that even the AIs who *really* run human civilization aren't really aware of - at first.)

The story alternates between 3rd-person views of the aliens' arrival, and of Tommy's problems. The alien landings thread is mostly to do with the AIs' handling of the issue. They've never bothered to inform their "owners" that they communicate almost instantaneously when they wish, with no regard to their "owners'" political disagreements. Tommy's thread ties up with this because the Other People, like the AIs and human governments, are preoccupied with the aliens' arrival.

The title is a metaphor from a story-within-the-story, made up by Tommy during his after-school games. Tommy himself is caught between his abusive father, the uncaring school system, and the mysterious activities of the Other People. "He knew now why Steve had said the dragon couldn't get away. It lived in the sea, so it couldn't get away by going up onto the land - that was impossible. It had to stay in the sea, it was restricted by that, it was chained by the sea..."

Alone of the trio, "Chains of the Sea" suffers from sub par copyediting, in the form of occasional spelling mistakes, and botched grammar during a flashback. Otherwise, it's an excellent story, my favourite of the three. For instance, the media near one of the landing sites gives it continuous coverage, even though they have nothing to say, and an attempted media blackout causes far more trouble than the initial coverage - including a rash of lawsuits. The only telltale sign of its 1973 composition date is a simile, describing distorted time perception "like 33 records played at 78 RPM".

Eklund, Gordon: "The Shrine of Sebastian", set far in the future, opens with a few paragraphs of quotation from a manuscript being written within the story: _The Book of Man_, a work that the robot Andrew hopes will rival the Bible in time to come. His less-than-objective opinion is that it's at least an equal, containing neither fiction nor parable but what actually happened millennia ago when Sebastian spake of his vision unto the people of Earth, guiding them to the great spaceships bound for a new world. As the story progresses, the reader can draw his or her own conclusions about the accuracy of Andrew's assessment of his work.

In one sense, the story is linear, beginning on the day of Pope Maria's death, leaving her downtrodden husband Julian with two legacies: the title of Pope, and a command to bury her at the shrine of Sebastian. Why did such an arrogant, self-satisfied woman want to be laid to rest at the heart of a heretical movement? (The reader, of course, has additional mysteries to ponder, picking up clues on the state of this far future world from evidence in the story - no heavy-handed exposition. In fact, the story avoids exposition to the point that the reader may be left floundering through the unsavory incidents that befall Andrew and Julian. I greatly prefer the thread following Andrew's better-organized viewpoint to that following Julian's.)

This is a short book the more or less criticizes the entire notion of Manifest Destiny. It concerns a group of earth representatives of various fields trying to create a peace treaty with a newly discovered group of aliens who have similar empire building notions.

Most of the time the aliens are off screen, so to speak, and the action is on the group of experts who fight, cajole each other and generally get on each others nerves. The most fascinating character is the neo-Puritan who tries to accept everything with a religious calm and sensibility which generally bothers and annoys his less stabile co-workers. The hero of the story becomes less concerned with the mission and more concerned with his personal folly which is a reflection of the personal folly of expansionism.

This might not be a classic of science fiction and may only be one of the better books of the fifties when science fiction talked about space ships and technology more than real people, but it is a great work and it should rank up with Childhood's End and teh Foundation series because in many ways it surpasses these texts.

The book Conquerers from the Darkness was oringally published in the 1960s. When originally published it didn't do so well because of the outlandish ideas involved. The mass amounts of genetic engineering and Star Trekkesque tech toys made it difficult to accept. But when read later, in the summer of 1997 after Dolly the Sheep, the book fit very well. The story is reminisent of Water World and Battlefield Earth. It is about humanity living in near extinction after an alien conquest. In this case the aliens are aquatic and so they have covered the earth with water during a war with a united humanity. In that same war, humans genetically engineered mermen, that is humans who can live underwater, to fight the aliens. We lose, we become slaves. The aliens leave, but humanity is left behind on its own on several eco-bubble islands, each a minature of an ecology on earth. The book then covers the rise of a man from one of the ecobubbles, where is an outcast, to when he joins with a pirate king who has an empire on the waves. The book has plenty of John Woo style action with some techno weapons mixed in.

This book is a collection of short stories by Silverberg. Mostly the themes are disturbing--- madness, death, and tragedy. But some are amusing, and some even manage to mix both pathos and comedy. No one story in particular stands out, but the book makes a good evening's reading, and aptly demonstrates Silverberg's mastry of his craft.

The Ultimate Dinosaur is an ambitious book, one that seeks to alternate sections on the latest theories on the origin, lives, and deaths of dinosaurs as well as pterosaurs and prehistoric marine reptiles, all written by such noted experts as George Olshevsky, Sankar Chatterjee, and others, with dinosaur-themed science fiction short stories by such authors as Charles Sheffield, Gregory Benford, and Harry Turtledove. A great concept.

Unfortunately it was rather unevenly carried out. The non-fiction sections are quite good, though a few are relatively dry to read. I did learn a few things reading these sections, and alone they just about make the book worthwhile. There were some interesting discussions over the relationship of prosauropods and sauropods for instance, and there was a great article on migrating dinosaurs.

However the short stories vary alot in style and quality, some quite good, other more moderately decent, and a few frankly terrible and hard to get through. The short stories and non-fictions are paired together, and it looks like they found it difficult to find a short story to put with some of the non-fiction sections.

Though this may only apply to the hard-cover edition which I have, I feel I must point out the book was either poorly edited, which I find suprising, or poorly published. The book was replete with words that were run together, misplaced punctuation, odd gaps in sentences, and even misspelled words. They were so common at times that it was jarring and irritating. While many books have one or two such errors, there were many of them in this work. Hopefully the paperback version cleared this up.

Having said that though this was still not a bad book and a worthwhile one to get, though frankly I would not place at the top of the list of books to fill your dinosaur needs. Still, wouldn't be bad to have either.

I have always been a big dinosaur lover, and in this book, Silverberg, Dobson, and Zimmerman really bring these creatures to life. I loved every page. This is a book for both kids and the paleontologist.

big names in science and sf coupled with top paleoartists!