New Frontiers: A Collection of Tales about the Past, the Present, and the Future
Ben Bova. Tor, $25.99 (288p) ISBN 978-0-7653-7644-2
This strong collection by SFWA Grand Master Bova (Transhuman) achieves an unusually satisfying fusion of varied settings with a consistent humane vision. The frontiers presented include the challenges of human/robot relationships in “Waterbot,” the interconnections of virtual technology and the romantic triangle in “Duel in the Somme,” and a nearly 140-year-old man’s rediscovery of love through sacrifice in “A Country for Old Men.” “The Question” resolves an opportunity to achieve wisdom from well-meaning aliens with a sardonic comment on human obtuseness. Though the overall atmosphere is optimistic, darker elements are found in a few stories: in “In Trust,” for example, a moral clash between traditional values and technological innovation is resolved through a sinister plot twist. Through engaging characterization and a smattering of science, Bova melds typical otherworldly locales with the resonance of traditional human themes. Agent: Barbara Bova Literary Agency. (July)
Details
Reviewed on: 05/05/2014
Genre: Fiction
Compact Disc - 978-1-4830-4135-3
Compact Disc - 978-1-4830-4133-9
MP3 CD - 978-1-4830-4134-6
Mass Market Paperbound - 400 pages - 978-0-7653-7650-3
Other - 336 pages - 978-1-4668-5136-8