What Remains is a short souvenir collection published in conjunction with Wiscon 33, which I attended in May. This short book has three stories and two interviews with the Wiscon 33 guests of honor, Ellen Klages and Geoff Ryman. It’s probably not of much interest except to Wiscon folks or those who are serious fans of either of the guests of honor. I think all the stories are original for this small book though. The real value for the book though is becoming part of the cool kids. Go to Wiscon and there’s a chance to buy one of these limited editions specific to the convention and you get something that only 149 other people get as part of your experience. (Not completely true. Aqueduct Press is selling the last few of the print run via their web site.)
Care
by Geoff RymanCare
is set in Belo Horizonte, part of Sheldon Brown’s Scalable City. I didn’t get the story, about a kid growing up in the care of an A.I., but it intrigued me enough to check out the web site. But at the point it’s still pretty incomprehensible to me.No Bad Thing
by Geoff Ryman- Albert Einstein becomes a vampire. Good story, and funny in places. There’s a serious undertone to it that I liked despite the humorous veneer.
- Interview with Geoff Ryman conducted by Eileen Gunn
- I’m sure the interview was fun for the two participants, but it came off too inside jokey for me.
Echoes of Aurora
by Ellen Klages- Jo Norwood returns to her hometown to wind up her deceased father’s affairs where she meets and gets involved with a mysterious woman who remembers Jo from years ago. Seemed like an okay story, but it’s one of those where there’s something more that other people will get that I didn’t. Also, it has poetry in it.
- Interview with Ellen Klages conducted by Debbie Notkin
- Kind of a standard author interview, which may be disappointing to Ellen Klages fans as there’s nothing unusual that stands out. But for someone like me who isn’t familiar with her, it’s a good introduction. Touches a bit on Klages’ feelings and fears about Wiscon, so it’s topical.
Title: What Remains
Author: Ellen Klages, Geoff Ryman
Imprint / publisher: Aqueduct Press
Format: Paperback
Length: 82 p.
Publication date: May 2009
ISBN-13: 978-1-933500-31-7
