Tales of science fiction and adventure from the Hugo Award-winning
author of Way Station and City.
The long and prolific career of Clifford D. Simak cemented him as one of
the formative voices of the science fiction and fantasy genre. The third
writer to be named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction Writers of
America, his literary legacy stands alongside those of Robert A.
Heinlein and Ray Bradbury. This striking collection of nine tales
showcases Simak's ability to take the everyday and turn it into
something truly compelling, taking readers on a long journey in a very
short time.
In "Dusty Zebra," Joe discovers a portal that allows him to exchange
everyday objects with an entity he can neither see nor hear, and soon
learns that one man's treasure may be another dimension's trash. In
"Retrograde Evolution," an interplanetary trading vessel tries to figure
out how to deal with a remote society that has suddenly decided to
become far less civilized. And in "Project Mastodon," an unusual
ambassador from an unheard-of country offers amazing opportunities in a
place the modern world can never compete with: the past. Simak's mastery
of the short form is on display in these and six other stories.
Each story includes an introduction by David W. Wixon, literary
executor of the Clifford D. Simak estate and editor of this book.