“…a satisfying sampler of solid stories from a team that rarely disappoints.” —Publishers Weekly“This book will be remembered as one of the major collections of the decade.”—Robert J. Sawyer “Standouts include…Mike Resnick and Lezli Robyn’s beautifully sad “Benchwarmer,” which takes us into the world of imaginary friends, and introduces us to one friend who simply … and introduces us to one friend who simply can’t let go of the boy who created him.”—io9
“That’s [Soulmates] the second story that will be considered by me for next year’s Hugos; this one in the Novelette category.”—SFRevu
“In a classic example of cognitive estrangement, we learn the absurdity of our own cultural norms as seen by those on the outside…effectively played to humorous effect.” (on :”Report from the Field”)—SFSignal
Multiple award-winning authors, Mike Resnick and Lezli Robyn, get to the heart of the matter in Soulmates, which showcases all the words they have penned together over their years as collaborators (with a bonus solo piece by each). Whether a robot, alien, some kind of supernatural being or human, rising above our prejudices and ignorance allows us to make emotional connections that can have a profound effect on our lives.
Each of these stories examine a facet of the simple, yet incredibly complex, concept of companionship. They will make you laugh; will make you cry…but most importantly they will make you look at the very basic notion of soul-mates in a different light.
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What a great read! Completely enjoyable characters@
In a nutshell: do not miss this excellent anthology.
Not just because some stories got awards … they are all enjoyable.
The title of an anthology can have varying sources. I read this one thinking that “soulmates” was a common theme for the stories … which did fit more or less several stories. I then discovered that it was the title of the last and longest story, a frequent metonymical way of naming the whole from a part. This may explain some of my comments, written as I was reading.
Well, whatever the title, I enjoyed the book (which I bought twice, after losing my first copy). Actually, this is the second Phoenix Pick anthology I am enjoying and rating accordingly … and I became afraid of becoming too soft, not critical enough. Fortunately, I read another anthology in the mean time (I will not name it) which pretty systematically dispelled my fears: I still can dislike stories. But Soulmates happens to be excellent..
One would guess that empathy is an essential ingredient of this anthology. But it raises neighbouring questions regarding sentience and communication. Is sentience really distinct from intelligence, or from ability to communicate? Some would think so, but I have doubts. These themes come back throughout in several stories, in different forms.
The first story, “Benchwarmer”. is a bit remindful of the TV episode “Five Characters in Search of an Exit” from The Twilight Zone (episode 4 of season 3, 22 dec 1961), though all the pleasure and the quality is in the bitter-sweet writing, and the connection with real human perception of our hidden private world, which could also translate into the existence of a parallel fantasy world.
“Idle Roomer” is one of the best stories, low-key, very original in the setting and telling, and in what it does not tell. It reminds me of the late French singer Georges Brassens: “… toi l’étranger qui sans façon d’un air malheureux m’a souri …”.
The third story, “Report From the Field”, more scifi than fantasy, is amusing and easy to read. However it feels to me like a quick job and does not seem written with the care and subtlety one would expect from these two authors, maybe because they had too much fun writing it. Thematically, I have to compare it with Resnick’s celebrated “Seven Views of Olduvai Gorge”, which I have not read yet. Not sure that it really belong to the apparent theme of the collection, unless it is “a contrario”.
“Anne-droid of Green Gables” is a very charming steampunk tale, a bit in the line of Pinocchio. Coming of age may be a family thing.
The fifth story is a treat. With its title “Hunting the Snark” it is unsurprisingly about a safari. I first thought it was off theme. But it is a frumious and brillig story that should outgrabe all readers. I would hate to spoil it by saying more.
“The Close Shave” is (with “Report From the Field”) the humorous contribution to the anthology. The authors are certainly not the first at turning horror themes into their humorous satire, but this one had me laugh aloud. There are so many mythological theme to be thus mixed for fun, and it is always enjoyable to see some disrespect for these classics. The story was apparently so successful that the authors were asked for seconds, which they served in “Making the Cut”.
“Shame” is one of those eternal stories (up to variations) that can take place anywhere, in any time period. I read of one actual instance occurring (with some changes) during WW2, though my guess is that it occurred much more often than it is reported. This SciFi rendering is a good opportunity to remind readers that facts are often not what they seem to be, and that we should be careful with definitive decisions.
Historically, science-fiction was a literary device to help explore real issues in a context that made this exploration easier for intellectual, social or political reasons. It has the advantage of disconnecting the discussion from reality and increases our freedom for creating a background where issues may appear more clearly, or in an unusual light so as to make them more obvious or understandable, possibly removing many of the constraints of real life. Of course, artistic and literary aspects are certainly not to be ignored, but I always enjoy it when a SciFi novel gives me food for thoughts, or simply a new way to look at issues.
This is certainly the case with the last story “Soulmates”, a great novelette about robots, life, care and responsibility, discussed in a simple and effective setting. This novelette is enough to justifies reading this anthology.