Sunday, November 21, 2010

Review: Tenth Orbit and Other Faraway Places


Tenth Orbit and Other Faraway Places
Gustavo Bondoni
22 stories 269 pages
published by Altered Dimensions
paperback $14.95 Ebook $7.00
http://www.sciencefictionpaperbackbooks.com/

I really like the option that many publishing houses are using now. Quite often you are given the choice of buying the print or an electronic only version of a given book. Don't get me wrong, I love books. The look and feel of the pages not to mention the smell of opening a brand new book or for that matter a book that has been on a shelf for years. There really isn't any comparison to that. When I first started reviewing books it was so exciting to have someone SEND you a book. However that rapidly changed to oh plead no, don't send me any more books! They were stacked everywhere. With the e-book I could have all the books in my office available on my laptop drive. Certainly has it's attraction.

So, needless to say when I saw that Altered Dimensions was releasing Gustavo Bondoni's new collection Tenth Orbit and Other Faraway Places I was there! Bondoni is one of those writers that just surprise. When I first started reading his works I really thought that here is a competent writer but not great. Well instead of falling down when he first stumbled he just started moving his legs faster so by the time he was upright he was moving at blazing speeds!

The first story I read that I thought was exceptionally good was Evasion. Gustavo made an aging station in the distant reaches of the Solar System breathe. You buy right into his characters and the plot line moves fast and steady. Plus to realize that he had sprung a mystery story on me without being aware he was doing it was a real treat. So you can imagine how finding this story as part of his collection just tells me that this is going to be a fun read.

Tenth Orbit starts out with a melancholy tale that just breathes age and loss followed by a gut wrenching post war tale of a mother's love. Yep, there are certainly some gems in Tenth Orbit. Mixed into the balance are short pieces, funny, light and decidedly dark.

Bondoni is one of the rare writers who are honestly interested in honing their craft and its a rare treat indeed when we are invited along to witness the process.

Tenth Orbit and Other Faraway Places is certainly worthy of a look. Bondoni is a writer that we will be seeing a great deal of in the future. Tenth Orbit is certainly a laudable effort.

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