Fire Watch is a collection of twelve short stories by Connie Willis a well known science fiction author from my home state, Colorado. She has won six Nebul awards--more than any other science fiction writer. If you enjoyed her novels Blackout or All Clear you will enjoy the title story Fire Watch which is in the same setting, but Willis has a varied offering in this collection.
The stories cover a large scope of subject matter. They range from Daisy, in the Sun a story about the sun going super nova to A Letter from the Clearys about a family's life in the aftermath of a nuclear war. My favorites were Samaritan and Blued Moon. Samaritan brings up the question of whether animals have souls in a unique and thought provoking way. Blued Moon takes place in Wyoming at a site where a company is sending waste into outer space and the unique consequences that result.
Many are moving and some are a little creepy but they all kept me reading. Most of them are not for someone who worries about what will happen in the future because the stories in this collection are not all "happily ever after" tales.
Sometimes a short story fits into my schedule more seamlessly than a longer book. It is easy to pick up, read a quick story and then put it down again. A short story also seems to required less energy and commitment from the reader, although at least one of the these stories seemed quite intense to me.
I always encourage people to read something by Connie Willis. Her storytelling skills are top notch and her imagination runs everywhere!
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