Reviews
I find most anthologies of short fiction hit and miss, but the hits in this one were more than enough to compensate for the misses. Some standouts include: 1. Chicago, 1927 - Jewelle Gomez For fans of the Gilda stories, here's a nice short one, combining Gomez's unique take on vamp lore with a queer eye view of Chicago in the roaring 20s. If you're not familiar with Gomez's other work, this is a great introduction. 2. Like Daughter - Tananarive Due I can't say much without giving the story away but I will say it is a unique approach to looking at the long term effects that cycles of poverty, abuse, and racism have on the psyche. 3. Greedy Choke Puppy - Nalo Hopkinson I love the way Nalo weaves Caribbean folklore into her stories, and I especially love a soucouyant. 4. Ganger (Ball Lightning) - Nalo Hopkinson This is what happens when sex toys take the place of good communication in a relationship. Lord love a cautionary tale. 5. The Evening and the Morning and the Night - Octavia Butler I love disease dystopias, and this one is especially great because it centres on the way human connection can be as important as any medical treatment. 6. The Space Traders - Derrick Bell This one is perpetually relevant, although written in 1992. It predicts an American response to an offer by intergalactic traders who have offered the solutions to all of America's financial, environmental, and energy problems... in exchange for all of the black people. And it could have been written yesterday. This list is by no means exhaustive; there are a whole bunch of excellent stories in here, some by authors with whom I have not been acquainted, but will now be reading.
