Teaser

The universe is infinite, and there are infinite universes beyond it. Across time, space, and beyond, anything and everything is possible, including the following . . .

Review

Science fiction rose to prominence in the short story format, and while these days it’s novels that get all the fame, short stories are still around, and in strength. Even authors better known for their longer works write short fiction between and alongside their novels, and there are plenty of authors who write dozens of the little fellows. Stephen Baxter is one such author, who has contributed to just about every short fiction magazine going. But short stories don’t see print as often as novels. Nobody is going to buy a few sheets of paper for a single story, after all. This means that an author has to write a whole lot of short fiction before they can put out a short story collection of their own. Baxter himself has several collections available. Obelisk was my introduction to the man’s writing, and was closely tied to his Proxima and Ultima novels. But go back a decade or so, and you’ll find Phase Space, an earlier collection.

Phase Space is tied to two other series. A handful of stories link to the NASA trilogy, which I recently read an reviewed. The most interesting of these stories is ‘Marginalia’ – a bizarre little thing that takes the form of a fan letter exposing the trilogy as part of a government cover-up. ‘Moon-Calf’ is arguably a stronger story than any of the NASA trilogies, and a great start to this collection.

The majority of the collection, however, is tangentially related to Baxter’s Manifold trilogy. Now, I haven’t read these books, but since they’re all about the possibilities of multiple universes, most of the stories stemming from this source are standalone. It’s really only the framing narrative of the collection that assumes some familiarity with the characters, who then cross over into the stories themselves.

Two themes become apparent through this anthology. The first is alternate histories. There are stories in which continents have disappeared, or where spaceflight took a different path. Several deal with lone astronauts cast out into the inky depths of space. Which segues neatly into the second theme – the fragility of existence. The vast majority of these stories have a depressing ending, including more than one in which the protagonist discovers that all life is a simulation. This really isn’t a collection to read of you’re in need of cheering up.

Baxter’s imagination and love of science are on full display here, but the stories do grow repetitive after a while. It’s an incredibly heavy read that leaves you feeling hollow by the time you walk away, but it’s worth it for a handful of standout stories.

Book Stats

• Contains 25 stories
• Published by Harper Voyager in 2002
• Predominantly Hard SF
• 421 pages