The Hunters of Pangaea

The Hunters of Pangaea, Stephen Baxter, NESFA Press, 2004

Here is a group of previously published stories and essays from Baxter, who is best known as a Hard SF writer (science fiction that emphasizes the science).

There is a story about early humans dinosaur hunting. There is a tale of an actual incident in the life of H.G. Wells (before he became "H.G. Wells, Famous Person"). Included are a trio of related fantasy stories. A couple of alternate history tales are included about Great Britain's entry into the Space Race, stories that do not end well for Britain. Puck, from "A Midsummer's Night Dream" by Shakespeare, becomes a detective. There is a Victorian-style science fiction story with a rather self-explanatory title, "The Ant-Men of Tibet."

How can a home-made spaceship, that is propelled by doing strange things with gravity, fall approximately 10 feet, and the person inside be crushed to death, as if he had fallen from a much greater height? Sherlock Holmes and H.G. Wells are on the case. Of course, there are a couple of Hard SF stories, for which Baxter is best known. Also in this book are several essays, on topics like sports in science fiction, and the changing treatment of Mars and the Moon by science fiction writers.

This collection is really good. For those who like to read a variety of stories, or don't want to wade through a novel full of science, this book is very much worth reading.