When an author successfully combines both of these aspects of the writer's art, it makes for great reading. Elizabeth Hand is such an author, and those who prefer fantasy and perhaps a bit of horror mixed in with their science fiction will definitely find this collection to their liking. On the other hand, hard SF fans may as well move on to other things. The stories found here were first published from 1988-94 and represent a variety of topics and moods. Hand works with descriptive narrative the way an artist creates dimension and scale with paint or clay.
Scenes explode with vibrant energy, allowing readers to see through the characters' eyes.
Many of the stories harbor uncomfortable feelings of malevolence or melancholy, but these are balanced by other, more positive explorations into the human condition. After each story Hand adds a paragraph or two describing her motivation for the piece, as well as other interesting tidbits for curious readers. The book includes a bibliography, but it offers no information as to how material was selected for inclusion in this volume. As is the case with most short story collections, not every piece here is a winner. However, the winners far outnumber the losers, and the broad range of topics almost guarantees at least one favorite story for everyone.