Publishers Weekly
★ 08/12/2024
J. Michael Straczynski, close friend of Ellison (1934–2018) and the executor of his estate, honors his commitment to publish the brilliant third and final Dangerous Visions anthology, a stellar assembly of impressive talent which fulfills the series’ mandate to present “cutting-edge stories that spoke to our humanity in all its flaws, faults, and glories.” These 32 tales come from both big names—including James S.A. Corey and David Brin—and relative unknowns. Standouts include Stephen Robinett’s chilling “Assignment No. 1,” an all-too-plausible exploration of how elder care might be handled in the future. In Cecil Castellucci’s “After Taste,” an interstellar foodie’s visit to another species to assess their cuisine lands her in an unexpected dilemma that will remind readers of an emotionally complex Twilight Zone episode. Dan Simmons’s gut-wrenching “The Final Pogrom” opens with the line, “The IBM, Honeywell, and other advanced computers were immensely useful in the final roundup of the Jews,” before detailing how technological advances can continue to be harnessed in support of humanity’s worst aspects. The tales are bookended by Straczynski’s essays describing his relationship with Ellison and the process of selecting what has been included in this volume, which was initially scheduled to appear in 1974. The result is a must-read for genre fans. (Oct.)
Booklist
A worthy capstone to Ellison’s monumental legacy.”
#1 New York Times bestselling author of American G Neil Gaiman
These are not stories that should be forgotten; and some of you are about to read them for the first time…I envy you.”
#1 New York Times–bestselling author of Amer Neil Gaiman
These are not stories that should be forgotten; and some of you are about to read them for the first time . . . I envy you.”
Library Journal
09/01/2024
This anthology has been a shibboleth of a book, a phantasm from the mind of the late Ellison that was announced in 1973 to great applause as the follow-up to his two groundbreaking, mind-blowing collections, Dangerous Visions (1967) and Again, Dangerous Visions (1972). In spite of contracting for over 100 stories, Ellison was never able to finish this magnum opus of a project. Six years after Ellison's death, J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5) has put together a collection that represents Ellison's original vision, through 13 works from an earlier iteration, plus 18 new stories commissioned for this final publication. "War Stories" by Edward Bryant and Ellison's own original introduction give readers a glimpse of what this anthology was intended to be, and new stories by current luminaries in the field, such as Cory Doctorow and Adrian Tchaikovsky, prove there are plenty of dangerous visions yet to explore in the genre. The standout in the collection is Straczynski's "Ellison Exegesis" about his decades-long friendship with the irascible, argumentative, outrageous, and ultimately self-destructive Ellison. VERDICT SF readers will be captivated by this collection of works that are either new for this anthology or have been held in unpublished limbo for decades.—Marlene Harris
