It’s pretty rare for me to find an anthology in which I love every story, but this one really hit it out of the park! Here are my per-story reviews:

Intro: Getting Martha Wells to write the intro is an amazing get! She also does a great job pointing out what we are saying about ourselves (humanity) with our AI/robot stories. (Mostly related to slavery) It reminds me A LOT about recent discourse about alien invasion narratives and what that says about collective guilt about colonialism. Brilliant intro and it resonates even more in 2026.

Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I said it in an update and I’ll say it again: the most speculative fiction part of this book is that they’ve been through multiple rounds of COVID and people are still wearing masks and using apps to be considerate to others.

I’ve been reading Neal Stephenson since the last 90s when first read The Diamond Age and then Snow Crash. Stephenson (who might still be, but was at least at one point member of a group called something like the Long Time Society) blends his most enduring elements in this book: a long view of history, skewering of the excesses of American culture, science fiction that is often just a little bit further in the future, and characters that are clearly the modern descendants of golden age science fiction characters. To tackle the last point first, one of the notable qualities of those SFF protagonists in the 1930s and 40s is their competence and their use of logic to reason their way through issues. It makes those old books a bit stiff to read in modern times, but Stephenson adapts the idea well to our modern sensibilities.

The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I finally read this incredibly influential short story. I’ve recently read other short stories that directly call it out. I realize now that other stories that didn’t mention it by name were still referencing its style.

It’s a bit dated in some of its terminology, but it’s still a pretty great story for getting you thinking about philosophical ideas.

Antimatter Blues by Edward Ashton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When Mickey7 ended, I didn’t think there was any need for a second book. I just grabbed this one because I had an audiobook credit and figured - why not? Although the narrative is a bit slow to get going, I think Ashton does a good job closing the loop on a the few loose ends in the first book. There is one plot thread that Ashton leaves hanging (or perhaps I missed it): What happened to the extra Mickeys from this book?

I will start off with the book review, followed by my thoughts on the adaptation. The adaptation part will have TONS of spoilers.

Book Review

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First off, the production values on the audiobook are great! The main narrator does the many voices very well, especially Mickey7 and Marshall. The female narrator mostly narrates for a computer system. Chats have radio static behind them so that you know they are chats and not the narrator speaking to someone in person.

Lightspeed Magazine, Issue 117, February 2020 by John Joseph Adams

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Science fiction

Ark of Light (Victor Lavalle) - a bit of micro-fiction about using sci-fi to escape. Political of you consider when it was written. Potentially timeless otherwise. I thought it was a great example of what you can do in just a few pages.

How We Burn (Brenda Peynado) - this short story immediately made me think of China’s One Child policy taken to the extreme. It does a great job of showing the burden of being the only child with many prior generations depending on you.

Clarkesworld Magazine, Issue 145, October 2018 by Neil Clarke

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Miracle Lambs of Minane (Finbarr O’ Reilly) - The story has an indirect way about it that I usually don’t care for, but this time it works for (and is almost key to) the story. There’s always a potential conflict between what society declares is good and right and what works for any given individual. This story tells of a future just slightly past where we’re at and how folks have to deal with an age-old situation. It goes to show that SF doesn’t have to be about robots and space and The Internet.

Lightspeed Magazine, Issue 116, January 2020 by John Joseph Adams

Science Fiction

The Men Who Change the World (Christopher East) - this story gives me serious “Severance” vibes, but it was written before that show came out. I think there was something in the air they were both tapping into.

All Together, Now (Jason Hough and Ramez Naam) - even though we know where the story is headed, it still managed to surprise me in the final paragraph. Because humanity doesn’t change, this remains so relevant today as so many civilians die to try and kill a small enemy