STOREYS FROM THE OLD HOTEL

by Gene Wolfe ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1992

A fine collection--originally published in 1988 by a small British press in a limited edition, and winner of the World Fantasy Award for Best Collection of that year--showcases the wide range of Wolfe's weird and wonderful talent. Wolfe is a master of subtlety and misdirection, and his work often requires fairly close reading: these traits are put to good use in ""Slaves of Silver"" and ""The Rubber Bend,"" science-fictional Sherlock Holmes pastiches, and in ""Cherry Jubilee,"" a challenging drawingroom mystery set aboard a Mars-bound spaceship. The stories run the gamut from science fiction to fantasy to horror: ""Sightings at Twin Mounds"" tells of an investigation of UFO reports, with typical Wolfe wit; ""The Packerhaus Method"" describes future improvement in embalming techniques; in ""Straw,"" we get a glimpse of a world in which hot-air balloons were invented in the Dark Ages; and ""Trip/Trap"" offers two intertwined points of view describing first contact with a primitive alien culture. Many of the pieces defy all classification: ""From the Desk of Gilmer C. Merton"" offers a glimpse of author-agent correspondence, while ""Parkroads: A Review"" is told in the form of a film review. Wolfe describes the 34 tales here as ""mostly stories I feel are good, but that have received little or no praise."" This edition should bring the many excellent pieces the wider attention and approbation they deserve.

Pub Date: April 1, 1992

ISBN: 0312890494

Page Count: 352

Publisher: Tor--dist. by St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1992

Categories: FICTION