NEW SUNS
Anthology. Edited by Nisi Shawl
Solaris
384 pages
It is a bit of a cliché to say
that anthologies are usually some kind of emotional roller coasters. You can
read a fantastic tale, with an amazing sense of wonder which engages with you
from the very beginning. However, the next one can be completely different, and
not being attractive for the reader at all. I have to recognize that ‘New Suns’
is one of the anthologies where I most have had this feeling. But, although the
average mark could be not very high, the truth is that there is a handful of
stories that a mention is well deserved.
When the ‘New Suns’ anthology was
announced a few months ago many things attracted my attention.
First of all, the cover. The
illustration draw by Yoshi Yoshitani is a success: striking and so much in the
line of the reasons behind this publication. On the other hand, the writer’s
list. An absolute heterogeneous list of names, with a wider range of cultures: Indians,
African-American, Native Americans but with very distinct foreign backgrounds,
etc. And, mostly, a wider selection of Asian culture that makes the anthology a
very interesting sample of what is going on out of the literature we usually read.
The name’s list interest grows if
you are curious about other origins and cultures. Fortunately, nowadays we are
having more and more literature coming from out of the USA and Europe. Although
there are a few names we all know, they are just knocking a door through which many
other writers will go in the next decade. In addition, ‘New Suns’ anthology
cover text does not highlight the most known names within the book – at least,
those I personally know more, as Tobias S. Buckell or Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
This might be something not wanted, but looks like a very interesting action in
order to promote less known authors.
It is a bit of a cliché to say
that anthologies are usually some kind of emotional roller coasters. You can
read a fantastic tale, with an amazing sense of wonder which engages with you
from the very beginning. However, the next one can be completely different, and
not being attractive for the reader at all. I have to recognize that ‘New Suns’
is one of the anthologies where I most have had this feeling. But, although the
average mark could be not very high, the truth is that there is a handful of
stories that a mention is well deserved.
One of this is ´The Fine Print´, by
Chinelo Onwualu. An amazing tale of parent’s love to their children, human
desires. A remarkable Faust’s tale revision.
‘Galactic Tourist Industrial Complex’ by
Tobias S. Buckell is another remarkable science fiction tale. The Earth is now
a visit destination for galactic tourists. The difference is that this story is
probably the funniest story of the whole anthology. Related to tourism there is
also ‘Come Home to Atropos’ by Steven Barnes which is also a good an interesting
one.
I also want to mention ‘The
Shadow We Cast through Time’, written by Indrapramit Das. This story summarize
most of my feelings when reading ‘New Suns’. On one hand, a tale full of
details, a complex one to be read bit by bit. On the other, a narrative I didn’t
connect at all with.
A safe bet was Silvia Moreno-García
and her ‘Give Me Your Black Wings Oh Sister’. She does not disappoint, writing
a highly emotional tale which is closed with success. Similar can be said about
‘Harvest’, by Rebecca Roanhorse. A quick love story which includes one of the
recurring themes in the anthology, colonialism.
In addition to 17 tales, the book
also includes an introduction by Levar Burton and a foreword by the
editor Nisi Shawl. I can’t deny there are some tales I didn’t like – as it
happens with most of anthologies. However, ‘New Suns’ allows us to read other
concerns about the past, present and future world from those we usually get in
other books. Definitively, this journey along different cultures, different ways
of writing and understanding the genre is a well worthy experience.
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