Photo: Beth Gwinn

KIRKUS REVIEWS praises Michael Swanwick’s forthcoming collection NOT SO MUCH, SAID THE CAT with a *STARRED* review.

Another collection of speculative fiction from Swanwick (Chasing the Phoenix, 2015, etc.), one of a handful of writers whose short pieces are as impressive as their novels.

Versatility, craftsmanship, a dollop of weird, and a delightfully askew sense of humor are key to the 17 pieces here, all of which appeared between 2008 and 2014, together with an introduction that illuminates the contents without revealing too much. Certain themes, of course, are authorial favorites, such as time travel, aliens, and artificial intelligence.

Tales that, through their extraordinary clarity of thought and expression, showcase precisely why this multiaward-winning author is held in such high regard.

On the Philadelphia Writers Conference podcast, Swanwick and Gregory Frost discuss how they co-wrote “Lock Up Your Chickens and Daughters – H’ard and Andy Are Come to Town!”, winner of the Asimov’s Reader Award.

For more information on NOT SO MUCH, SAID THE CAT, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover design by Elizabeth Story