The problem with collections like this is the probability that I will have read most of the best short fiction in this book already. What distinguishes a fine collection is the more rare stories. If they are equally good, then the collection can be a revelation. Unfortunately in this case, this collection depends on "modern literature" for its unknown stories and all of them are thin, weak, or incoherent. "A Coffee Cup/Alien Invasion Story" by Douglas Lain is atmospheric without any grounding to reality or surrealism. It is neither clever nor memorable. " 'You' by Anonymous" by Stephen Leigh is clever, but only a wisp of a real story. Most of the rest of collection are well known and well awarded stories by Michael Swanwick, James Patrick Kelly, Joe Haldeman, and Howard Waldrop. ( )

I didn't particularly care for either Purdom's economics-based story, or Lain's take on the "New Yorker Coffee Cup Story", but most of these stories were pretty good.

I've made a mental note to check out what else Alastair Reynolds' has written, based on his entry 'Understanding Space and Time'. ( )

http://nhw.livejournal.com/751420.html ( )