Gateways

Original New Stories Inspired by Frederik Pohl

By: Greg Bear, Gregory Benford, Ben Bova, David Brin, Neil Gaiman, Harry Harrison, Larry Niven, Vernon Vinge, Gene Wolfe, Elizabeth Anne Hull - editor

Narrated by: Oliver Wyman

An anthology of new, original stories by bestselling science fiction authors, inspired by science fiction great Frederik Pohl.

It isn’t easy to get a group of bestselling SF authors to write new stories for an anthology, but that’s what Elizabeth Anne Hull has done in this powerhouse book. With original, captivating tales by Greg Bear, Gregory Benford, Ben Bova, David Brin, Cory Doctorow, Neil Gaiman, Joe Haldeman, Harry Harrison, Larry Niven, Vernor Vinge, Gene Wolfe, and others, Gateways is a SF event that will be a must-buy for SF readers of all tastes, from the traditional to the cutting edge; from the darkly serious to the laugh-out-loud funny.

Each author has written a story that he or she feels reflects the effect Pohl has had on the field—in the style of writing, the narrative tone, or the subject matter. It says a lot about Pohl's career that the authors represented here themselves span many decades and styles, from the experimental SF of British SF author Brian W. Aldiss to the over-the-top humor of Harry Harrison and Mike Resnick, from the darkly powerful drama of Hollywood screenwriter Frank Robinson to the satiric pungency of multiple Hugo Award-winner Vernor Vinge. Every story here is uniquely nuanced; all of them as entertaining and thought provoking as Pohl's fiction.

In a career dating back to 1939, Pohl has won all the awards science fiction has to offer: Hugos, Nebulas, the SFWA Grand Master Award. Having written more than two million words of fiction and edited the groundbreaking Star anthologies and Hugo Award-winning magazines and books, Pohl is an SF icon. This anthology of brilliant, entertaining SF stories is a testament to his stature in the field.

©2010 Elizabeth Anne Hull (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Quite the mix

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I enjoyed getting familiar with some sci-fi authors I had never heard of before, and learning more about Frederik Pohl and the shaky history of how sci-fi developed!

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Less self-aggrandizing by acquaintances of Pohl wouldn't have hurt in the least. However, the genuine, heart-felt illustrations were touching, and rare insights into the man.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

Some truly refreshing and unique stories and performances, while others were dated, reliant on familiarity with other stories, or simply ill-conceived.

Any additional comments?

A decent mix, overall. I found the collection refreshing and never dull.

Sensawonda

Although I started reading SF as a very young child, I have little recollection of "Fred", so I am glad to have this exposure to his legacy. Many thoughtfully written stories, and insights into the writing & publishing biz.
Some of the stories made me recall ideas, and thus encourage finishing some stories of my own.

several fine stories here

I enjoyed both the stories and the afterwards in which the authors talked about their relationships with Fred pohl

Spectacular.

I didn't enjoy every story in this compilation, but several were better than I could ever have hoped. Many thanks.

Would be a great scifi series on Netflix

enjoys tales of adventure and possibilities. My favorite story was On Safari" by Mike Resnick it reveals the perils of an overly safe excursion into the wild.

Seems it should be better than it is

This might work better as a book to read than to listen to. Perhaps it's the reader's voice that isn't quite right. He does voices and accents well, but the stories all end up being low-key and monotonous.

Heartfelt, slightly dated, but necessarily so.

The critiques of Pohl were sometimes more interesting than the stories themselves if only because, in my case, I did not know Pohl, but felt I already knew the stories. Stories of which I had not yet heard, but was somehow already familiar.

Lots of good stuff here!

So many different styles. You're sure to find something that you love.... And probably something you hate. Like a box of chocolates... Someone once said ;-)

A taste of literature

What made the experience of listening to Gateways the most enjoyable?

I liked the fact that many authors I appreciate wrote for this collection. They gave me a taste of what they can do. some of the stories feel like an opening of a saga. There are many scifi history footnotes, which are also interesting. The stories give you a taste for more, which you don't get, but altogether it is a good experience.

Best anthology I've enjoyed in a while

This rich set of stories and reminiscences has given my new authors and one old whose works I'll now pursue.