Short Reviews: Nancy Kress

"Dancing on Air" [permanent link]. An interesting story that involves an enhanced dog that acts as a bodyguard and the life of classical ballet dancers set in a world where dancers have had biological enhancements to keep at the top of their form. But what does the future hold for these dances when the long term effects of such enhancements is considered?
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"The Flowers of Aulit Prison" [permanent link]. An interesting and thoughtful story about an alien species whose sense of reality is not 'real' unless it is one shared by the community. An investigator, who is an outcast for not sharing their reality, is offered a chance 'regain' reality by finding out what information from a Terran doctor in a prison. But what she finds out will lead her to question just whose reality is the 'real' one.
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"Margin of Error" [permanent link]. An intriguing story about two sisters, both of whom are involved in the filed of biological nanotechnology. One of them goes on to become an important person in that field, the other fades to obscurity and becomes a housewife partially because her sister stole her work. But something goes wrong with the technology; and you may not like to know the answer as to why it goes wrong and what it means for the sisters.
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"Out of All Them Bright Stars" [permanent link]. A story set in a diner that is visited by an alien visitor. The owner of the bar is prejudiced against aliens, raising tensions at a time when the alien's ship orbits the Earth and humanity is not sure as to the aliens' intentions.
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"Philippa's Hands" [permanent link]. An absorbing but disturbing story about a old woman who is visited by three apparent phantoms. When they appear, they always bring news of an impending disaster which only she can prevent if she performs a sacrifice. You may wonder if the sacrifice is one worth giving as the story progresses.
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"The Price of Oranges" [permanent link]. This is a fun story set in a contemporary period where pollution, dishonesty and rudeness are more pervalent. Two old men are discussing how to help the daughter of one of the men see that there can still be sweetness and love in such a world when they hatch a plan to get a young man to meet her. But this will be an unusual man from a different time and place. And into this tale, the author weaves comments over the price of oranges.
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"Steamship Soldier on the Information Front" [permanent link]. An interesting story that takes a hard look at what is in store for us as the 'Information Age' picks up steam. The main character in the story is flying all over the world each day, looking up investment opportunities while trying to find out why his son appears to be turning away from the world. The answer comes in the unlikely form of self-learning robots. Question is, what are the robots learning and what does it mean at the end of the current age?
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"Summer Wind" [permanent link]. An interesting twist on the classic fairy tale, "Sleeping Beauty." In this version, Sleeping Beauty is not asleep but is trapped inside her castle surrounded by a hedge. The problem is, no prince has managed to get past the hedge and she is growing weary of waiting.
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"Unto the Daughters" [permanent link]. An interesting story that tells the tale of Adam and Eve, but this time from the viewpoint of the snake. And what an effort the snake has to make in order to make the easily distracted and disinterested Eve listen to her tale about the apple.
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