Short Reviews: Allen Steele

"Across the Eastern Divide" [permanent link]. Another fascinating story set in Steele's "Coyote" series, this one has a group of kids from the colony world who covertly build a raft as part of their plan to explore an unknown part of the world. They are found out by an adult who forces them to take her with them. But one of the children has another reason for going on the dangerous journey.
Found in Feb 2002 Asimov's Science Fiction
"The Days Between" [permanent link]. This story continues from where the story, "Stealing Alabama", left off. After travelling only months in its very long journey to another star, the Alabama's Communications Officer is unexpectedly waken and finds he cannot be put back into cyrogenic sleep like the rest of the crew. As he resigns himself to living out his entire life alone on the ship, an unexpected event occurs that changes his outlook and would become his legacy to the crew when they wake up.
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"The Death of Captain Future" [permanent link]. An engrossing tale that combines the 'pulp' atmosphere of old Science Fiction magazine tales with future reality. A man desperate for a job on a space liner hitches a ride on a small ship. Little does he know that the captain of that ship has delusions centered around a certain old SF pulp character; delusions that may spell death when they encounter an unknown situation.
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"The Good Rat" [permanent link]. A thought-provoking and interesting tale set in a future when all experiments on animals have been banned. As a result phamacutical companies have to hire people to test their drugs. This story looks at the life of one such 'human rat' and the things they have to put up with.
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"Kronos" [permanent link]. An intriguing story about an expedition sent to Titan, one of the satellites of Saturn, to discover why a previous expedition there became silent. There is tension between the space modified and unmodified members of the crew over who may be responsible for the presumed attack on the previous expedition. But the actual answer will come from an unexpected source and is more terrifying than imagined.
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"Liberty Journals" [permanent link]. A fascinating story set in his "Coyote" series of stories that starts with "Stealing Alabama" of which this is the fourth one. The story is made up a series of jounal entries by various people who were on board the colony ship Alabama, seeking to survive and adapt on their new world as they encounter its various dangers.
Found in Oct/Nov 2001 Asimov's Science Fiction
"Stealing Alabama" [permanent link]. An engrossing story, the first in his "Coyote" series, set in a future America that is very different from today: parts of the USA now from the United Republic of America; freedom is limited and 'dissidents' are persecuted. Into this mix steps Captain Lee, Captain of the URSS Alabama, a colony ship preparing to go to the stars and a group of DIs ('dissident intellectuals') who have formed a daring plan of escape. Find out how they do it in this story.
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"Zwarte Piet's Tale" [permanent link]. A neat and interesting tale set at a time when Mars has a few human colonies barely able to support themselves. Into this world steps two people, one a supply ship pilot, the other a doctor, who realise just what is missing from the lives of people too engrossed in the grind of daily life; a proper way to celebrate Christmas on Mars.
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