description: Fire Watch collects 12 stories from one of science fiction's most decorated authors. Although the stories are thematically unrelated, an undercurrent of mortality weights many of the tales with a powerful sense of humanity's frailties. Two of the best pieces are "A Letter from the Clearys" and "The Sidon in the Mirror," both of which show people reacting to death in characteristically odd (and disappointingly human) ways. Fans of Willis's time-travel books, The Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog , will be delighted to find that the title story tells of another hapless Oxford history student sent back to World War II Britain to learn a hard lesson. Just when the book threatens to leave you morose and depressed, Willis reveals her wonderfully absurdist side in "Mail Order Clone" and "Blued Moon." Willis is a master of the novel, but her short stories are superb reading as well. This is a nice collection for a fan's library and a great introduction for those unfamiliar with her work. --Therese LittletonTable of ContentFire WatchService for the Burial of the DeadLost and FoundAll My Darling DaughtersThe Father of the BrideA Letter from the ClearysAnd Come from Miles AroundThe Sidon in the MirrorDaisy, in the SunMail-Order CloneSamaritanBlued Moon
language: English
title: Fire Watch
titlecomplete: Fire Watch
genres: Fiction, Science Fiction, Historical, Short Stories, Speculative Fiction, Anthologies, Science Fiction Fantasy, Time Travel, Historical Fiction, Fantasy
ratings_count: 4313
series: Oxford Time Travel
awards: awardedAt: 410256000000
name: Hugo Award
category: Best Novelette for "Fire Watch", awardedAt: 378720000000
name: Nebula Award
category: Best Novelette for "Fire Watch", awardedAt: 378720000000
name: Locus Award
category: Best Novelette for "Fire Watch", awardedAt: 410256000000
name: Balrog Award
category: Best Short Fiction for "Fire Watch", awardedAt: 410256000000
name: SF Chronicle Award
category: Novelette for "Fire Watch"
publisher: St. Martin's Press