Subject: Review: Geodesic Dreams by Gardner Dozois

From: [email-masked] (Soh Kam Yung)
Date: 24 May 1994 08:16:24 GMT

Geodesic Dreams: The Best Short Fiction of Gardner Dozois

review by Soh Kam Yung ([email-masked])

Gardner Dozois (pronounced "Do-*zwah*") is probably better known as the
award-winning editor of _Asimov's Science Fiction_ (formerly _Isaac
Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine_).  However, Dozois is also a writer
of short fiction, and this collection offers a look at his "other
side."

You may notice that I said "short fiction," not "short science
fiction."  After reading this collection of stories, it is clear that
Dozois does not limit his fiction output to science fiction.  One or
two stories in this collection are contemporary.  Others have
science-fictional elements, but so subdued and minimised that the story
feels contemporary.  But some are outright science-fiction.

One thing is certain; Dozois is a masterful writer.  He has a stylistic
way of writing that made me feel involved in the setting.  At times I
felt what the protagonist was going through.  I don't usually
experience this in a science-fiction story since the SF elements are
usually prominent, but Dozois does it time after time in some of these
stories.

I cannot summarize all the stories here, but a small sample shows the
range of stories found in this collection.

"Morning Child" takes a look at two people, both seemingly ordinary,
living in the country after a war that used weapons with a difference;
ones that are made (impressively) clear at the end.

"Dinner Party" is an exercise in emotional control and political
expediency, as a politician and a soldier have dinner to fufill a
political promise in a disintegrating America.

"A Special Kind of Morning" is a tale told by an old soldier, who
fought in a war.  This is one of his most "spectacular" stories in the
collection.  It has clones, mind-control and enough "super-science" to
whet my hard-sf appetite.

"Chains of the Sea" is a story of indifferent aliens and a small boy
who is in touch with the Other World who knows the truth about the
aliens.

"A Dream at Noonday" is a tale of a soldier who reminisces about his
past while on the battle field.  This is one of his contemporary
stories.  You may guess the ending but still read it to its bitter
conclusion.

"Apres Moi" is a story about a lucky man; a very lucky man.  This is a
dark humorous piece.

"A Kingdom by the Sea" tells a tale of a man who makes telepathic
contact with a female, who loves him absolutely and who he also loves.
But the "consumation" has a bitter irony.

This is a collection of amazing pieces.  There is not much "hard
science" or plotting in it, apart from "A Special Kind of Morning".
Most of the time, Dozois just seems to want to tell a tale that will
amaze you with its details.  This may cause a "so-what" reaction among
some readers.

This would be a good book to get for those who know the editorial side
of Dozois, but wish to be aquainted with the writing side.  But some
people may be turned off by the highly stylistic way of writing.

%A Dozois, Gardner
%T Geodesic Dreams: The Best Short Fiction of Gardner Dozois
%I Ace Books (published by arrangement with St. Martin's Press)
%C New York
%D 1994
%G 0-441-00021-5
%P 253pp
%K Dozois, Short Story Collection
%O Paperback, USD4.99