From Publishers Weekly
As in his last collection, Lovedeath (1993), the chameleonic Simmons shifts effortlessly between dark fantasy, space opera, hard SF and mainstream fiction, offering five high-concept novellas in which parallel plots and colliding lives yield intricately layered and emotionally resonant narratives. In Looking for Kelly Dahl, a self-pitying alcoholic teacher finds salvation when he is absorbed into a fantasy world of unsullied nature conjured by a sexually abused student. On K2 with Kanakaredes distills a potent study of universal values from an account of a team of mountain climbersthree human and one extraterrestrialstruggling together to scale a formidable peak. Occasionally the stories can seem too consciously didactic, as in The Ninth of Av, which depends on a strained analogy between Scott's failed polar expedition and an episode of future genocide, and Orphans of the Helix, a vividly detailed but surprisingly dramaless extension of the author's landmark Hyperion/Endymion saga. But the author's lapidary prose and ambitious ideas more often mesh seamlessly, as in The End of Gravity, where he turns a fleshed-out treatment for an as-yet-unproduced film about humanity's place in the cosmic scheme into a mesmerizing meditation with the intensity of a prose poem. Simmons's readers know to expect literate and illuminating fiction that pushes the envelope of his chosen story forms, and this volume will not disappoint them.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
The five novellas collected here illustrate the stylistic talent and storytelling expertise of the award-winning author of Hyperion and other series titles. Featured are "Looking for Kelly Dahl," in which a teacher's search for an enigmatic former student leads him on a journey of self-discovery that crosses time and space, and "The End of Gravity," which explores humanity's fascination with outer space. Rounding o3ut this eclectic collection are "Orphans of the Helix," set in the world of the Hyperion novels; "The Ninth of Av," a far-future tale of the rediscovery of ancient history and its dark secrets; and "On K2 with Kanakaredes," in which a group of humans accompanies an insectoid alien on a perilous mountain climbing expedition. The author's introductions add context and insight, making this a good choice for most sf collections.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.