Sunday, February 14, 2010

Short Story Sunday February 14, 2010

 First off I want to announce a slight change in format for the blog.  Starting this week, I will be posting reviews of short stories during the week.  Sunday's post will be a look back at the stories reviewed during the week.

Light of Other Days by Bob Shaw
First printing: Analog, August 1966


In my continuing quest to try to reduce the list of author's I have never read, I tried Bob Shaw's "Light of Other Days".  Wow.  This is what a science fiction short story should be.  Somehow, in roughly 3,000 words, Shaw has introduced an interesting concept (slow glass), shown the impact on society, and told a touching personal story that is directly the result of the concept.  Shaw has given us the blueprint for a great science fiction story.

I know that slow glass is not a hard science concept.  The idea of glass that can slow light to the point where the image coming through the glass can be years old is a fascinating framework to build a story on.  I will be reading more of Bob Shaw's stories in the future.


The next time someone says that a complete story can not be told in a short space, hand them this story.

2 comments:

Carl V. Anderson said...

I love it when I find examples of just what you describe, a fulfilling reading experience that is handled in a very short space of words. I have heard of Shaw but don't believe I've read any of his stories. I'll add this one to my list.

Look forward to the new format, it sounds fun. My weekend short story reading consisted of reading Ian McDonald's collection, Cyberabad Days, from cover to cover. Really enjoyed it.

adamosf said...

This was a truly great story, and one which does not get enough recognition these days. You might like some of Shaw's novels too, such as The Palace of Eternity or Orbitsville. He knew how to combine sense of wonder with good storytelling.