In short, the traditional SF tropes are virtually non-existent. No one would argue against the well-crafted story. The better written, the more stylishly sophisticated, the better. But I think that, in many cases today, the pendulum has swung to the stylish end of the spectrum at the expense of the science-fictional vision . We're two separate genres, with two quite opposite agendas.
Science fiction is in the highly unique literary position to deal with both .
As shown in the stories here, we've achieved a high degree of quality writing. My only concern is that we not forget the precious quality of our vision . Notwithstanding the above, I do recommend this volume of engaging, well-written stories. There are some fine, thoughtful pieces here, though they are scattered hither and yon across the SF coffee table. It was runner-up for the 1997 Hugo Award.