Title - Dangerous Visions 2
Author - Several Authors
Year - 1967
Stand Alone or Series - Anthology Part of Series
Pages - 207
Reading Time - Read from September 05 to 06, 2012
Review
This was a collection of stories published in 1967 that were groundbreaking because it contain stories no-one wanted or dared to published. The term was called New-wave of Science Fiction and it included sex in their stories. Some of the stories are quite good others I didn't felt anything (maybe because I belong to a new generation and some issues are treated some other way nowadays).
The Man Who Went to the Moon — Twice by Howard Rodman
This story touched me and maybe in a different way of the writer. It reminds me of somthing that happens nowadays that didn't happen 10 or 15 years ago. In those days I went to the street and play with other children. We knew everyone on the building we used to live and most of the people we saw on that area. Nowadays people don't know anyone and the children don't go outside to play. They stay indoors. 7/10
Faith of Our Fathers by Philip K. Dick
An interesting tale about the use of drugs and a alternative history where communist rules everyone and the party leader is not entirely what people think.
The Jigsaw Man by Larry Niven
This novel deals with compulsatory donation by the criminals. With high demands the justice lowers the bar even more. Our "hero" is imprisioned and we don't know why. After he escapes because he thinks that his punish is unfair he goes on a rapage and damage the Organ harvesting facility. Caught he is not even charged because they know his first crime is sufficient. And the crime is as banal as Traffic Violation. The afterword by the author is quite interesting as well as he dwells about the all issue. 8/10
Gonna Roll the Bones by Fritz Leiber
This tale is about a gambler and his troubled mind. I didn't felt connected. For me the worst story of the bunch... and it was voted for the Hugo and Nebula awards for Best Novelette). 3/10
Lord Randy, My Son by Joe L. Hensley
Eutopia by Poul Anderson
This story deals with an alternative history where the nations are divided in races. Our hero is trying to escape a realm because he is being acused of something and he just wants to get home to "Nikki". The last sentence we understand that our main character is a guy and "Nikki" is also a man. Good story with a trend on homoseuality. A theme not so usual in fiction at that time... 7/10
Incident in Moderan and The Escaping by David R. Bunch
This are two tales in no way connected but as we read the afterword we learn that they are connected but not in the strict sense. The first story is quite good. The second .. meh.
The Doll-House by James Cross (pseudonym)
This was probably my favourite story. A guy tries to get some money from his uncle but instead he gives him a dollhouse. A dollhouse with a seer in it. The uncle says that the seer will give him answers but he must beware because some are quite cryptic. I really enjoy this tale. My favourite tale of the lot. 9.5/10
Sex and/or Mr. Morrison by Carol Emshwiller
This was another good tale and the only one by a lady. Our narrator is a middle aged woman that stalks a man in his own house hiding as he arrives, reads or taking a bath. I enjoyed but I am sure I didn't fully understand what the writer was trying to say. Nevertheless it's a good story. 7/10
Shall the Dust Praise Thee? by Damon Knight
This story is in this anthology because it's a atheist story. Nowdays cmmmon but I believe that atheism was seen a different way in the 60's. God and His angels arrive for the Apocalypse just to find that there wasn't life on Earth. Everything had perish due to natural causes and a nuclear war. This tale ends with the phrase written in a rock "We were here. Where were You?" Quite good. 8/10
I found out that this collection is indeed good and I must read the others. I particulary enjoy reading the prefaces by Harlan and the afterword by the writer himself. Quite interesting 7/10
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