Ray

enjoyed in fits and starts. As a “hard” SF very satisfying. Ideas concepts portrayed well. But at cost to story pace. Felt like the characterisations and the history of what happened to the key ones was also
an engineered story in order to produce the “Seven Eves” of the title. Great idea, but felt contrived, heavy hand of God [the author] and hardly invisible. Last part of the story line felt rushed to me. Perhaps deserved a book of its own covering the same timeline . Overall though an enjoyable read.

As usual They makes me think. Classify as wisdom and therefore how can one not rate highly

with the many excellent illustrations reminded me of many books I read in my younger days [Pyle et al]. Clearly written as homage to Fafhed and Mouser the style makes a nice contrast to the rest of the Throne storylines. Dunk is a nice simple hero who is full of good intentions, dragging himself up from Flea Bottom by his bootstraps. Simple goals drive him, win at tournaments, improving his gear and earning a reputation so the even a hedge knight might serve a great lord. Simple, naive, with just enough skills to get by, but little experience. His one advantage is his size. Egg, a 10-year-old lad is his foil, his Mouser, his Sancho and also his luck. Would be nice to get more insight into the inner thoughts and character of Egg with him having more of a central role in their adventures. The intrigue and politics of the 7 Kingdoms are still here just not as darkly drawn. That to my mind is refreshing as the Throne novels can be bleak and depressing. I gave up to be truthful sitting back and watching the TV. However, this reading has drawn me back in. Warning! The reader needs to enjoy or be prepared to wade through the medieval system of jousts, heraldry, and chivalry. In this sense, its definitely a boys book one for the “trainspotters”, painting a vivid and I think well-researched background.

https://www.goodreads.com/award/show/46-locus-award
“Popular Award voted on by readers of the leading sf news magazine (or Newszine) Locus and presented annually since 1971. Each year's Locus awards normally honour work first published in the previous year. Thanks to their exceptionally wide reader base, these sf awards have come to share the stature of the Hugos (which reflect the preferences of fans and professionals who attend the annual Worldcon) and the Nebulas (which reflect the professional judgment but also sometimes the internal politics of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America). Where the Hugo and Locus awards differ, it is often thought that the Locus assessment is the more accurate reflection of general reading tastes. The Locus Award is not only good for vanity and sales: it has taken a very attractive form in perspex and metal.”
Here the editors provide their choice of Locus readers' choice for “best of” for 33 years between 1971 and 2003. Possibly the major years when I read mountains of SF and Fantasy, and certainly geek enough to read Locus regularly. I didn't read “The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction” where many of these stories first appeared. So whilst I read them first here their authors are well known to me, any one is well worth the cost of admission. Short Story, novella, novelette; slight balance in favour of the short story for obvious reasons, 18 in total out of 92. Plenty of room for a volume 2.
I wouldn't have opened with Gene Wolfe, excellent writer that he is, he can be more of an acquired taste, and this piece I found difficult. But can't complain when it's then straight into Le Guin, Ellison, Varley and then Martin. For a survey of the era and its writers, this is a worthwhile anthology particularly if the reader didn't live through it.
Enjoyed it so much may put an in-depth review on my review blog.

Expected too much I think. Excellent collection but each piece was meant for brevity attached to some other publication or for a specific event. Reading one review after another somehow muted all the flavors, that I'm sure must have been there, into one. My fault, not the writers. I approached as a smorgasbord and glutton that I am, I over imbibed. Consequently, the essays merged. I left filled but unsatisfied. This annoys me, this is Le Guin to whom words matter. She cast pearls which I failed to respect as I aught. She will get the re-reads she deserves and in smaller digests.

Enjoyed the read. I would expect no less from a writer of Asimov's caliber. I know it would have rocked my socks off had I read it 25 years ago. His analysis of what we faced then was accurate. His extrapolations into the future credible. If his voice had been listened to back in the 1980's we would probably be in a better condition than we are. He couldn't be expected to have foreseen the detail but he nailed most of the driving forces that have cumulated in the ecological crisis we face. It's value now is in the clear exposition he had advancing an understanding of science and its vital importance to the rest of us. As a collection of essays, nothing could be in depth but I would still happily give this to someone with little knowledge of science despite it being “technically” out of date. They would get a good grounding and I think and enthusiasm to follow up for themselves.

Only 3 stars because he's not my favourite science writer in terms of his prose. At times repetitive and leaves a feeling that he's rambling a bit. Much better to listen to him talk. Still the ideas herein well worth thinking about. A lot happened in last 20 years some of which he forecast. Must read more recent of his work on the same subject areas.