Book Review: Collected Short Fiction of C.J. Cherryh

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Collected Short Fiction of C.J. Cherryh     Amazon US TPB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada TPB Amazon Canada HC
C. J. Cherryh
Class/Genre:   Science Fiction   [Short Stories]
Daw, Feb 2004, $23.95, 642 pp.

This is an interesting collection that is divided into three categories: Sunfall, Visible Light, and other stories. Fans of the author will appreciate that her talent with short stories matches that of her novels. Newcomers will gain a wonderful taste of one of the best speculative fiction authors of the past two plus decades.

The Sunfall tales were mostly published in the early 1980s collection with one new one never seen before this addition. These nine fabulous stories focus on life in the cities as the sun begins to cool.

The eight wonderful tales that make up the Visible Light anthology were released in the mid 1980s. These delightful stories focus on individuals who in many cases could be you or me overwhelmed by external conflict often outside their control.

The other section is more of a potpourri that contains fifteen interesting contributions, but though each one is well written, they also feel like fill-in material at least in this anthology. Even the strongest tale of the book, Pots in which archeological truths fail to stand up to political realities, seems out of place.

To overcome that feeling of displacement, this reviewer read the collected short fiction as if there were three short story books. Each one provides plenty of enjoyment to readers.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner

Please Note: Books reviewed are usually provided by the publisher, author, or an agent. Reviewers usually get to keep the book.