Polyphony, Volume 1 [Paperback]

My favorite story in the volume (and picking a favorite story is like shooting fish in a barrel) is from Victoria Elisabeth Garcia. "Anthropology" is her first published story. It's about the intricate plans a woman goes through to seduce an anthropology professor. An excellent piece of work.

The rest of the anthology is very good as well. The reader should pay special attention to the stories by Carol Emshwiller, Maureen McHugh, James Van Pelt, Bruce Holland Rogers, & Douglas Lain. Carrie Vaughn writes a very nice story, but the first half of the story is eerily similar to the recent war movie 'Enemy at the Gates'. I assume that either the similarity is coincidental or that both stories are rooted in the same historical facts (with which I am unfamiliar).

I was slightly disappointed with the stories by Andy Duncan and Lucius Shepard. They're nice enough but don't have any of the zest both writers normally deliver. Be warned, Shepard's piece was published previously in an e-book.

I'm eagerly looking forward to the next volume in the Polyphony series. With luck (and reader support), Polyphony will become successful and continue indefinitely. If the quality of the fiction is as excellent as it is in this collection, I can't wait.

POLYPHONY happily embraces the slipstream, and the result is a fine assortment of short fiction that belongs wherever well-written, imaginative stories are welcome.

Every item in the table of contents offers something of interest. Highlights include the following:

"Anthropology" by Victoria Elisabeth Garcia, a wonderfully lunatic tale of mating rituals, Victoriana, and weird science.

"The Sea Monkey Conspiracy" by Douglas Lain, where brine shrimp and 2-XL robots feed a college student's paranoia and/or serve as the tools of dark, manipulative agencies.

"The Room on the Roof" by Vandana Singh, a sensually rich story about a sculptress who introduces magic and strangeness into the life of a girl growing up in India.

"Laika Comes Back Safe" by Maureen McHugh, a showcase for McHugh's ear for distinct voices in which a Russian dog stranded in orbit and a werewolf cousin figure in the life of a girl straining against a troubled home life.

"The Main Design That Shines Through Sky and Earth" by Bruce Holland Rogers, a particulary moving story (or suite of stories) that examines teachers, teaching, lessons, and students.

If the world works the way it ought to, we'll have many more volumes of POLYPHONY to look forward to, and open-minded readers will have continued cause to celebrate.