Georgia on My Mind, and Other Places

A Science Fiction Story Analytical Engine kiwi discovery. 4.5 out of 5

Georgia On My Mind is a collection of fourteen SF stories published between 1987 and 1994. It also contains an introduction by the author and afterwords for most of the stories.In The Feynman Saltation, an artist with a brain tumor starts having visions of the past. In the Bee's Kiss, a convicted voyeur uses his skills to spy on a pair of aliens. In Millennium, a Christian tries to postpone judgment day. In Fifteen-Love On the Dead Man's Chest, a tennis game and a funeral lead to confusion and distress. In Deep Safari, a spurned lover rushes to the rescue in a small way.In Beyond the Golden Road, a Christian monk finds a soulmate in the Great Khan's court. In Health Care System, a medical researcher creates a bleeding edge support system. In Humanity Test, Godwin's The Cold Equations meet Heinlein's Jerry Was a Man, with a new twist. In That Strain Again, falling leaves repel aliens from Vegas IV. In Destroyer of Worlds, space fanatics attempt ecological engineering.In the Fifteenth Station of the Cross, the dying ruler of the world decides to bring a miracle healer from the past. In Trapalanda, a Andean explorer guides a blind man to an extraordinary discovery. In Obsolete Skill, a science fiction writer waking in the future finds that old methods work better for him. In Georgia On My Mind, a pair of computer geeks discover evidence of a working analytical engine in New Zealand.The author is better known for his high tech, world spanning novels, but these stories show that he can produce small gems of science fiction as well. Of course, these stories are mostly about people who use or encounter some facet of human technology or alien supertech. Some of these characters are unforgettable, especially the couple in Georgia On My Mind, even though they are known only through letters and journal entries.Highly recommended for Sheffield fans and for anyone who enjoys short tales about humans struggling to live in a technological environment.-Arthur W. Jordin