The Starry Rift: Tales of New Tomorrows: An Original Science Fiction Anthology (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Facttracker April Spisak Eaton, Jason Carter The Facttracker; illus. by Pascale Constantin. HarperCollins, 2008260p Library ed. ISBN 978-0-06-056435-3$17.89 Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-06-056434-6$16.99 Ad Gr. 4-6 Veteran compiler Strahan here brings together sixteen stories, all but one original, that envision a future world. The stories cover both the genre standards (virtual reality, cloning, and post-apocalyptic environs recur throughout) and the unexpected (futuristic vampires and end-time prophets). In addition, a dramatic range of writing styles is represented, from Neil Gaiman's short "Orange," where the reader is only presented with a set of answers to an interview about the respondent's bizarre older sister, to "Anda's Game," by Cory Doctorow, which is a more in-depth exploration of a young girl's rise to fame in a virtual reality environment. Even in their variety, however, these tales are all fairly sophisticated and traditional science fiction (in overall story structure, narrative perspective, and topics included); this is a collection clearly intended for fans of the genre. The inclusion of adolescent protagonists, environments in which teens could imagine themselves (schools, virtual reality spaces, or on spaceships as apprentices), and almost universally fast-paced, snappy narratives will all be particularly appealing to YA readers. In fact, SF buffs, long resigned to crossover adult compilations, will likely be thrilled by this extensive selection written specifically for this audience. Authors' notes that offer intriguing insights into the inspiration behind each story accompany brief contributor biographies. Copyright © 2008 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois