http://speculiction.blogspot.com/2014/02/review-of-eclipse-two-ed-by-jonathan.ht... ( )

Excellent. Each story contains an amazing thought experiment. ( )

The first book in this series was a revelation. It is rare to have so many top quality stories in an original anthology. This volume has several very good stories, but a few of less quality.

One of the better stories, Turing's Apples by Stephen Baxter, tells the stories of two brothers, one brilliant, but emotionally crippled and one the narrator. Again Baxter manages to bring in the contemplation of the end of the universe and contrast it to our every day concerns. Margo Lanagan has another beautifully written story, Night of the Firstlings, but I found it curiously unmemorable. Exhalation by Ted Chiang, the story of a strange civilization fighting to survive in a dying environment, will undoubtedly be found on many award ballots. So should Truth Window: A Tale of the Bedlam Rose by Terry Dowling. This tale of humanity existing on a Earth conquered by aliens plumbs the depths of resistance and faith. Peter S. Beagle has an elegantly crafted story of a woman seen only in photographs and the people who search for her. But my favorite story is Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by David Moles, a rollicking adventure of a VR kingdom invaded and the avatars within that survive.

For those who love science fiction in shorter lengths, this collection of anthologies should be high on your list of Must Reads. ( )