Get Off The Unicorn by Anne McCaffrey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars (8/10)
I rather suspect I liked the same stories this time round as when I first read it.
I’ve often reflected that over the last decade that Nora’s analysis of people in the early 21st century and their online data store use (in Dull Drums) was eeireely accurate. On rereading it, I definitely think so and I suggest anyone interested in cases where the SF author pretty much got the future right (in the concepts rather than the specifics), take a read of this 1973 short story.
My favourites remain:
Lady in the Tower
A Meeting of Minds
Dull Drums
Finder’s Keeper
The Smallest Dragonboy
Honeymoon
I still think the most problematic story is Thorns of the Barevi as it is basically a rape fantasy and not a very good one at that. (So if that is an issue for you, skip that one.)
Three of the stories here later went on to be novels (Lady in the Tower –> The Rowan; A Meeting of Minds –> Damia; Thorns of the Barevi –> Freedom’s Landing). I find myself eager to get to The Rowan and Damia but, as per my comments above, find myself a little concerned about Freedom’s Landing. But I’ve never read the latter, so it may not fit as closely to the short story as the first two do.
After two Anne McCaffrey books in two days, I’m taking a quick break, but I intend to be back for Dragonsinger soon. I’m really enjoying my journey through her books.
P.S. There’s a bit of discussion in the Goodreads comments if you’re interested.
Posted by Anne McCaffrey « Too Many Books on 16th January, 2013 at 10:19 am
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