Conflicts

[Fried Egg]

Has anyone read this anthology of stories around the theme of...conflict?

I've read only three stories in it so far and I'm very impressed. "Sussed" by Keith Brooke was great, kept twisting the story in a new direction everytime you thought you knew where it was going. "The Maker's Mark" by Michael Cobley was a series of snippets, or story fragments, that weaved together to produce a complex and intriguing story.

I'm not just about to start a story by Neal Asher, which will be the first thing I've read by this author.

[iansales]

I reviewed it for Interzone last year.

[iansales]

Oh, and Ian's just published a sequel collection, Further Conflicts.

[J-WO]

Darn it, I can't find my copy anywhere. I really like that story with the last few people in existence inside a probe and something is out to get them. Really stuck in my head.

I can't remember who wrote it apart from the fact they are a physicist of some kind.

[Fried Egg]

Here are the full contents:

1. Introduction – Ian Whates
2. Psi.Copath – Andy Remic
3. The Maker’s Mark – Michael Cobley
4. Sussed – Keith Brooke
5. The Cuisinart Effect – Neal Asher
6. Harmony in My Head – Rosanne Rabinowitz
7. Our Land – Chris Beckett
8. Fallout – Gareth L. Powell
9. Proper Little Soldier – Martin McGrath
10. War Without End – Una McCormack
11. Dissimulation Procedure – Eric Brown
12. In the Long Run – David L. Clements
13. Last Orders – Jim Mortimore
14. Songbirds – Martin Sketchley

[iansales]

I thought the Powell, the best story in anthology, followed by the Sketchley.

[Ian Whates]

Originally Posted by J-WO

Darn it, I can't find my copy anywhere. I really like that story with the last few people in existence inside a probe and something is out to get them. Really stuck in my head.

I can't remember who wrote it apart from the fact they are a physicist of some kind.

That would be David L Clements, Jim. This was his first ever story sale, though not his first published. In between my accepting "In the Long Run" and the book coming out, he sold another piece and was published in Analog.

Glad you're enjoying the book so far, FE!

[Connavar]

This anthlogy sounds very interesting to me and it would have been nice if it was cheaper as second hand.

[Fried Egg]

I've been cracking on with the collection although I've a few to go yet. A little disappointed by my first experience of Neal Asher and "Our Land" by Chris Beckett was a bit too heavy handed with it's allegory. But I really liked "War Without End" by Una McCormack as it was deeply thought provoking which is what I'm looking for in SF.

[Fried Egg]

I've just finished. Here's my review:

This is an anthology of contemporary SF short stories thematically linked by conflict. Although that is conflict in quite a broad sense; these aren't all tales of war and battle. In fact, I was suprised by the range in this collection and I found myself generally favouring the more thought provoking and subtle stories than the more overtly action oriented ones.

All of the stories in this collection are new and I have never read any of these authors before which is precisely what I was looking for when I was deciding on my next anthology to read. Generally I find myself reading too much older fiction and I like to force myself to read something contemporary every now and then. I say force myself but this was hardly a chore to read, most of the stories being of a high standard.

The ones I particularly liked were "The Maker's Mark" by Michael Cobley, a series of fragments that piece together to reveal an intriguing game of cat and mouse, "Sussed" by Keith Brooke, a story that keeps changing direction everytime you think you know where it's going, "War Without End" by Una McCormack, a thought provoking story about morality in war, "In the Long Run" by David L. Clements, a mind bending story of mankinds struggle for survival against an information plague, and "Songbirds" by Martin Sketchley, which was a bleak yet compelling account of an alien invasion seen through the eyes of a teenage girl.

Now I hear there is a follow up to this anthology called "Further Conflicts" also edited by Ian Whates. After enjoying this one so much, I am deeply tempted to read that as well.

[Stephen Palmer]

Keith Brooke is the man.

[Connavar]

I got this anthology as brand new book just today. I made the library buy it in because i told them they lacked new SF collections The last anthology they had was from like 2002.

The only library version in Sweden of this anthlogy or other anthlogoies by Ian. Im reading the first story,enjoying it and feeling good about myself that there is one more new SF collection in swedish library system. Mostly they only care to buy in new SF novels.

I will sumbit other SF to buy in to my local library.

[Ian Whates]

Thanks for the review, FE. As editor, I am of course not allowed to have favourites, but I will say that although I thought more highly of Chris Beckett's and Neal Asher's contributions than you evidently did, I certainly wouldn't argue with any of your 'picks'. When I first read the submissions, these were precisely the stories that excited me the most.

Con, many thanks for your campaign to obtain Conflicts for a Swedish library! Yes, Further Conflicts is now available, and is at least as diverse and entertaining as the original. So, if you're looking for another one for the library...!

[Connavar]

Originally Posted by Ian Whates

Thanks for the review, FE. As editor, I am of course not allowed to have favourites, but I will say that although I thought more highly of Chris Beckett's and Neal Asher's contributions than you evidently did, I certainly wouldn't argue with any of your 'picks'. When I first read the submissions, these were precisely the stories that excited me the most.

Con, many thanks for your campaign to obtain Conflicts for a Swedish library! Yes, Further Conflicts is now available, and is at least as diverse and entertaining as the original. So, if you're looking for another one for the library...!

I just got tired how the SF shelf has not been updated since like 2003-2005. I like to sample books without having always buy them second hand from Uk sites.

Heh there is a rule they must buy in new books of a series when they have the earlier work. Further Conflicts will be easy for them to decide to buy in

[Fried Egg]

Unfortunately, I'm on a desperate drive to not buy any books for a few months as I have way to many on my to-read shelf!

I do want to read "Further Conflicts" at some point though...