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Elemental: The Tsunami Relief Anthology: Stories of Science Fiction and Fantasy


by Steven Savile, Alethea Kontis

List Price: $13.95
Price: $11.16
You Save: $2.79 (20%)
Available: Usually ships in 24 hours
Sales Rank: 294661
Studio: Tor Books
Binding: Paperback
Number Of Pages: 384
Publication Date: May 16, 2006
Publisher: Tor Books


EDITORIAL REVIEWS

Product Description
In the winter of 2005, after the horrifying natural disaster of the tsunami in Southeast Asia, Steve Savile and Alethea Kontis joined forces to raise money to help the distressed survivors and have created Elemental. They solicited SF and fantasy stories, all new and never published elsewhere, from many of the top writers in the genres today, and received immediate responses in the form of the excellent stories here in this book. Elemental has an introduction by Arthur C.Clarke and more than twenty stories by Brian Aldiss, David Drake, Jacqueline Carey, Martha Wells, Larry Niven, Joe Haldeman, Eric Nylund, Sherrilyn Kenyon writing as Kinley MacGregor, and a Dune story by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson, and many others. They created in Elemental one of the most important genre anthologies of the year, but more than that: in giving real value for the purchase price, everyone who sells this book can be proud, and everyone who buys it will be richly rewarded for supporting the tsunami relief effort.


CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 10 reviews)

Disappointed  
There were so many different authors - with not much in common as far as topics or themes. The stories were so short that it left much to be desired as far as plot and character development. It really was a waste of time for me.
August 09, 2007

Not Free SF Reader  
This is unfortunately a pretty mediocre anthology, but for a good cause, so worth a bonus for that, and there is an intro by Arthur C. Clarke. Perhaps put together pretty fast, and money is donated so a cool idea.

Elemental : Report from the Near Future: Crystallization - David Gerrold
Elemental : And Tomorrow and - Adam Roberts
Elemental : Abductio ad Absurdum - Esther M. Friesner
Elemental : In the Matter of Fallen Angels - Jacqueline Carey
Elemental : Tiger in the Night - Brian Aldiss
Elemental : The strange case of Jared Spoon who went to pieces for love - Stel Pavlou
Elemental : The Solipsist at Dinner - Larry Niven
Elemental : The Wager - Sherrilyn Kenyon and Kinley MacGregor
Elemental : Expedition with Recipes - Joe Haldeman
Elemental : Tough Love 3001 - Juliet Marillier
Elemental : Chanting the Violet Dog Down: A Tale of Noreela - Tim Lebbon
Elemental : Butterflies Like Jewels - Eric Nylund
Elemental : Perfection - Lynn Flewelling
Elemental : The Compound - Michael Marshall Smith
Elemental : Sea Child: A Tale of Dune - Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
Elemental : Moebius Trip - Janny Wurts
Elemental : The Run to Hardscrabble Station - William C. Dietz
Elemental : The Last Mortal Man - Syne Mitchell
Elemental : The Double-Edged Sword - Sharon Shinn
Elemental : Night of the Dolls - Sean Williams and Shane Dix
Elemental : The Potter's Daughter - Martha Wells
Elemental : The Day of Glory - David Drake
Elemental : Sea Air - Nina Kiriki Hoffman

Very solid LA traffic is en fuego.

3.5 out of 5


MacBeth, immortal on MacDuff technicality, but bored, finds android taxman terminally enlightening.

3.5 out of 5


Stranded alien Satan.

3 out of 5


Boring supernatural does nuffink.

2.5 out of 5


Open the cage, see if the big cat appreciates poetry.

1.5 out of 5


Freezers usually for sides of lamb, not human.

2.5 out of 5


Imaginary loops.

2.5 out of 5


Merlin et. al. a bit grumpy with Malory.

2.5 out of 5


Surviving undesirable cuisine.

3.5 out of 5


What to do with a group of writer wankers, in the main.

3.5 out of 5


Doing dead stuff.

2.5 out of 5


Reality division is simpler with fireaarms.

3.5 out of 5


Architectural sneakiness.

3 out of 5


Domestic death duty dreams.

3.5 out of 5


Matre bitch-slapped Bene Gesserit's desperate motherhood seababy safety attempt.

3.5 out of 5


Otherdimensional reflection.

3.5 out of 5


Supplyside mutiny.

3.5 out of 5


Death decision.

4 out of 5


Paralysis no longer in the cards.

3.5 out of 5


Posthuman puberty.

3.5 out of 5


Fairy girl's hands like clay.

2 out of 5


Tank mercenary tedium.

2.5 out of 5


Garden monster penchant for swimming is infectious.

3 out of 5

August 04, 2007

a great selection & some real stand-outs  
This anthology, like the Legends series of novellas, is a great introduction to the writings and worlds of some of our best writers going today. The big names are folks I hadn't gotten around to reading yet, and it was nice to get a glimpse of what they can do.

I'll certainly be looking for more from Syne Mitchell ("The Last Mortal Man") as this is the first time I've read a second-person story that really made good use of that unusual viewpoint. Also, Nina Kiriki Hoffman's story was highly engaging, and an enticement to more of her work.

Some stories are simply odd, others more light-weight, but overall one of the most enjoyable collections I've seen in a long time.
November 27, 2006

Good not great!  
All in all a decent collection of tales. The reason I purchased it was for the "Dune" story which alone, justifies the buy. Oh, and it's for a good cause, too..............
November 10, 2006

Some gems, overall great  
Several stories stood out in this charitable collection. First and foremost was David Gerrold's opening piece. In fact, I call this one a tour-de-force and hopefully it will gain some notice during award season. It's a fictional recounting of a day (in the near-future?) when the insane Los Angeles traffic becomes completely grid-locked. Gerrold does a masterful job of showing the trickle-down effects of such an occurrence, showing the potential of a full-blown disaster.

Sherrilyn Kenyon contributes a well-written piece based in her Camelot world.

Scifi master Larry Niven writes a heartwarming story about the perception of reality.

Also of note, Michael Marshall Smith and Tim Lebbon....two Brits who write two moody, intruiging pieces that would do well as Lynch movies.

Overall, a great book. Goes for a nice charity. Check it out!
September 27, 2006


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