Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy discussion

G33z, I hope you don't mind me adding this topic. I enjoyed Gaiman's introduction. It had the two elements I always enjoy in a short story collection/anthology: 1) an admission that short stories are a great place for authors to experiment (one reason I like short stories so much, not to mention they get to the point a lot faster than novels) and 2) background and notes on each story in the collection. I've been reading these notes as I read each story in the collection and in many cases they enhance my enjoyment of the story.

I agree this introduction deserves its own section - I remember that I found it rather compelling - especially the repeated phrase he ended with - secure your own masks first, right?

I found his discussion of what a good short story compendium was and how he violated it interesting as well, as it summarised what I'd kind of always felt but hadn't really expressed when reading short story collections.

I thought it was an unusual tactic to put the little snippet about each story in the introduction. Every short story collection I've ever read has had each snippet before the story. This way is a little annoying because you have to turn back to the introduction when you get to that story.

Mike wrote: "I thought it was an unusual tactic to put the little snippet about each story in the introduction. Every short story collection I've ever read has had each snippet before the story. This way is a l..."

Agreed. It was especially irritating in audio format since turning back isn't an option. I don't think this would have worked well for an ebook, either. Only in print would it work. I guess it did allow for more of a flowing narrative, but that wasn't reason enough, IMO.

Mike wrote: "I thought it was an unusual tactic to put the little snippet about each story in the introduction. Every short story collection I've ever read has had each snippet before the story...."

Not unheard of, though. The PK Dick collection we discussed a couple of months ago had Dick's notes together at the back, and the Asimov anthology Robot Visions (discussed a couple of years ago) and Robot Dreams all have the good doctor's notes in the introduction.


Jim wrote: "Mike wrote: "I don't think this would have worked well for an ebook, either...."

Amazon has some pretty neat features for flipping back & forth in their latest Kindle reader app.

For audiobboks – yeah, not so great. But then maps, glossaries & dramatis personae don't work so well, either in audio.