The first few stories were quite entertaining and interesting. The later few, especially the last two, were very labored - yes, we get it: God is capricious, and beauty is subjective. He just keeps going on and on as if he's try to figure something out for himself. I bought the book on the strength of the reviews, and reading part of the first story on a Kindle preview. I was a bit disappointed - I'd be happier if the last two stories were simply not there.

Science fiction has an unfortunate tendency towards attracting more "pulp" fiction than many other genres - take non-existent plot, hackneyed characters and cartoon villains and you have nothing - add a spaceship, and apparently a "science fiction" novel is born. Ted Chiang is a shining counter-example - the collection is up there with anything written by Clarke, Asimov or Banks (my current favorite) - there's nary a weak story to be found. In particular, "Story of Your Life" may be the best novella I've read in the genre - ever, and its worth purchasing this collection for that story alone.

This is the kind of book that makes you love a genre again. The stories collected in this volume are -- and should be -- touchstones of modern short science fiction. Each one takes a seemingly mundane scientific idea and builds upon it a surprising, thoughtfully constructed analysis of some aspect of the human condition.

The best examples are the title story -- in which a linguist studies an alien language and learns to think as the aliens do. She inhabits a world without future or past, or cause or effect, and foresees her own child's death.

The Tower of Babylon is another excellent story, though the many plot twists -- or rather, setting twists -- are too delicious to give away by describing it.

This book is recommended to anyone who would like their consciousness to be gently, but firmly, pried open.

Unfortunately Ted Chiang so far has only written the short stories published in this collection. You will enjoy every single story and the unusual thinking that was put into it. I hope that with his creativity Chiang will give us much more food for thought in the future.

Ted Chiang and Jeffrey Ford are my favorite short fiction authors. Ted writes imaginative science stories of grand possibility and splendid "what if."

I met Ted Chiang at a convention a year ago and he is thoughtful, fascinating and above all, humble. This is a man who writes brilliantly, yet wouldn't admit to his own talent.

I can't pick a favorite story because they're all with me and show up in my thoughts at times: contemplative stories. They caused me to look closer at who I am as a person and who we are as humans. No better effect can a story have.

CV Rick