Elemental

April 10, 2006
This SF and fantasy anthology intended to raise money for the victims of the tsunami of 2004 opens with an introduction by Arthur C. Clarke, who lives on Sri Lanka, and ends with the editors' memories of listening to the disaster unfold on the news and the Web. In between are 23 above-par stories by such prominent writers as David Gerrold ("Report from the Near Future: Crystallization"), Larry Niven ("The Solipsist at Dinner"), Brian Aldiss ("Tiger in the Night") and David Drake ("The Day of Glory"). Both Adam Roberts ("And Tomorrow and") and Esther M. Friesner ("Abductio ad Absurdum") contribute humorous stories about how unexpected events that start off alarming end up innocuous or even amusing. In fact, the dominant theme of this volume is the variety of human reactions to the universe throwing spitballs. Perhaps we could hope for an equally readable effort to raise funds for New Orleans?

April 15, 2006
From Stel Pavlou's Vonnegut-like -The Strange Case of Jared Spoon, Who Went to Pieces for Love - to Martha Well's graceful tale of a young woman's struggle with her identity ( -The Potter's Daughter -), this anthology features 23 original stories by some of sf and fantasy's greatest writers (others include Jacqueline Carey, Larry Niven, Brian Herbert, and Kevin J. Anderson). All profits from the sale of this volume will go to the Save the Children Tsunami Relief Fund. With an introduction by sf Grandmaster Arthur C. Clarke, a resident of Sri Lanka, this collection makes a good addition to most libraries.

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2006
The tsunami that devastated Southeast Asia in December 2004 generated an unprecedented variety of fund-raising campaigns, none more remarkable than this anthology of original speculative fiction solicited from a high-powered assortment of authors. Sf legend Arthur C. Clarke, who remains a citizen of tsunami-damaged Sri Lanka, contributes the introduction, and only some of the ensuing selections take the tsunami as a contemplative starting point for disaster-driven themes. Other stories are based on themes ranging from alien abduction to the legend of King Arthur. In David Gerrold's sardonic tale, L.A.'s freeway system finally becomes so congested that all traffic in the L.A. basin freezes up in a chain reaction analogous to crystallization. Meanwhile, Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson offer a new tale from the Dune universe. The entire collection constitutes thought-provoking entertainment for a good cause, with all publisher and author profits earmarked for the Save the Children Tsunami Relief Fund.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)