by Isaac Asimov
First published 1986
This collection gathers fifty science fiction stories spanning multiple decades and subgenres. The anthology opens with Diana L. Paxson's "Message to Myself" and includes works by established masters like Roger Zelazny's "The Last Defender of Camelot," Arthur C. Clarke's "Quarantine," and Larry Niven's "Cautionary Tales." The volume features both celebrated authors and emerging voices exploring themes from time travel and space exploration to artificial intelligence and alien contact. Stories range from John Varley's "Good-Bye Robinson Crusoe" to Jack Chalker's "Dance Band on the Titanic," offering readers a comprehensive sampling of contemporary science fiction. Poul Anderson contributes "Joelle" while Isaac Asimov himself closes the collection with "Good Taste," creating a diverse showcase of speculative fiction that captures the genre's breadth and imagination.
Genres: short-stories, science-fiction, speculative-fiction
Vibes: diverse, imaginative, thought-provoking
Tropes: anthology, diverse-cast
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
256 pages · Hardcover · galahad