The Last Dangerous Visions. edited by Harlan Ellison. With J. Michael Straczynski. 2024
THE LAST DANGEROUS VISIONS
RATED 76% POSITIVE. STORY SCORE 3.7 OF 5
23 STORIES : 5 GREAT / 10 GOOD / 5 AVERAGE / 2 POOR / 1 DNF
This is absolutely not what it says on the cover. This is not the unearthed “lost third anthology” of Harlan Ellison’s iconic Dangerous Visions series. To understand what J. Michael Straczynski - creator of Babylon Five - has made for us is going to be far more complicated. And a lot more messy.
The stories are a mixed bag. Straczynski has made the choice to replace some of the stories purchased by Ellison and since returned to their authors with modern stories. This is pretty jarring as you begin each story not knowing which generation’s context you should have your head in. Straczynski also doesn’t reveal this until the end of the book.
Two long pieces written by Straczynski bookend.the anthology. The opening is a loving, yet nakedly raw, look at Harlan Ellison’s issues with mental illness. While written from the perspective of a friend it felt too personal and a level of intimacy that wasn’t appropriate for a public article. It was emotional and well written. I felt myself tearing up towards the end of tit
The second is the description of how the book came together, which explains many of the books quirky and flaws, but doesn’t excuse them. I would have tried to recreate Harlan Ellison’s table of contents as much as possible even if it meant reprinting some stories that were purchased for this anthology but later published elsewhere.
He has also made the choice to write brief author biographies after each story. With the conceit of describing the author where they were in their life as the moment they wrote this story and frequently mentioning their death. For a number of the writers I felt sad as they didn’t achieve the authorial success they hoped for. Maybe if Harlan Ellison had been able to publish his version of this book, their lives would have been different.
I can’t imagine a new reader of Science Fiction picking up this book and reading it with pleasure. But if you love the history of the Science Fiction genre or Harlan Ellison, the non-story material will make Last, Dangerous Visions more valuable as a book than as an anthology. And would have been even more valuable as a historical project if Straczynski had taken that perspective.
Five Stories Make the All-Time Great List: (weirdly even the old stuff is technically a 2024 story)
War Stories • novelette by Edward Bryant
Really cool experimental story made of six vignettes that all center a world where sharks have been weaponized for war. Makes me want to read the author’s novel “Shark,” which appears to be out of print.
After Taste • novelette by Cecil Castellucci
A human journalist who specializes in eating the challenging food of alien planets finds on planet’s cuisine more than she can stomach. A slow burning story that ends in an incredibly alien and incredibly powerful way.
Goodbye • short story by Steven Utley
A heartbroken professor and writer coming to grips with the abrupt end to a love affair with a woman he knew was a time traveler. Raw, painful, and beautiful.
The Final Pogrom • novelette by Dan Simmons.
It is dangerous to write a story about a global genocide of the Jews. It is dangerous to think intelligently about the logistics how how that could most effectively be done. It is dangerous to invent a plausible scientific rationale for why this keeps happening to the Jews throughout history. Simmons’ story is like watching a plane crash. Majestic and horrifying. One of the stories most consistent with the premise of a Dangerous Visions book.
First Sight • short story by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Strong story about the cultural blindness that we all have. A diplomat is being interrogated for a first contact that went horribly wrong. While a newly written story, this is the interesting kind of First Contact story that could have been written anytime in the SF genre’s history.
Dangerous Visions
23 STORIES : 5 GREAT / 10 GOOD / 5 AVERAGE / 2 POOR / 1 DNF
Assignment No. 1 • short story by Stephen Robinett
Good. Strong story written by a young boy about the uncaring behavior of his parents towards his aging grandfather. The parents shuffle the grandfather off to a floating sensory cocoon when they no longer want him around.
Hunger • short story by Max Brooks
Good. This feels like an opinion piece ripped from the headlines and not a story. A letter to the American President from the Leader of China about how China will bring the USA to its knees if the USA interferes with China absorbing Taiwan. It also is the first indication that there are more modern stories included here and this isn’t only what Ellison acquired. Not sure why that choice was made.
None So Deaf • short story by Richard E. Peck
Average. A man loses hearing when his wife dies, but then can only hear the screaming of others
War Stories • novelette by Edward Bryant
Great. Really cool experimental story made of six vignettes that all center a world where sharks have been weaponized for war. Makes me want to read the author’s novel “Shark,” which appears to be out of print.
The Great Forest Lawn Clearance Sale—Hurry, Last Days! • short story by Stephen Dedman
Good. In a world where figures of the past (like Jesus or Jack the Ripper) have been cloned, there is some discussion as to whether or not the clone is the actual person reborn.
After Taste • novelette by Cecil Castellucci
Great. A human journalist who specializes in eating the challenging food of alien planets finds on planet’s cuisine more than she can stomach. A slow burning story that ends in an incredibly alien and incredibly powerful way.
Leveled Best • short story by Steve Herbst
Average. The first person narration of a man who attempts to resist a destruction of his will and psyche. “1984” by way of “Flowers for Algernon” and far inferior to either.
The Time of the Skin • short story by A. E. van Vogt
Good. A family of aliens with special powers spend their lives in a spaceport stealing things. A security agent comes into contact with one of them. Hijinks ensues.
Rundown • short story by John Morressy
Average. Pointless little story about a politician and how he lives better than everyone else. Told in Non Sequiturs that are pleasantly witty … and least some of the time. It’s short anyway.
The Weight of a Feather (The Weight of a Heart) • novelette by Cory Doctorow
Average. A man has been sent to a community as a result of a social faux pas. He is to learn and become better. He starts a relationship with a woman who has just bought a robot that follows you around. And somehow has great difficulty with stairs.
The Malibu Fault • short story by Jonathan Fast
Poor. A man from New York is living in California and he is dreading the masses of New Yorkers who will follow him there.
The Size of the Problem • short story by Howard Fast
Good. A man, scared of ants, tells his therapist that he thinks he is dreaming now. Fun short-short with a twist.
A Night at the Opera • short story by Robert Wissner
Good. The creator of a strange, perverse, and very unconventional opera takes his seat. All attention is on him as he tells a woman about what they are about to see. Deals with the complex issues of the form of art, the nature of shame, and the desire for voyeurism.
Goodbye • short story by Steven Utley
Great. A heartbroken professor and writer coming to grips with the abrupt end to a love affair with a woman he knew was a time traveler. Raw, painful, and beautiful.
Primordial Follies • short story by Robert Sheckley
DNF. Witty but ultimately boring humorous story about war between humans and a huge being that is eating everything in the universe.
Men in White • short story by David Brin
Good. A very short story. Our narrator is warning humanity about the things that go bump in the night. In the last lines, we discover who he is and whom he represents.
The Final Pogrom • novelette by Dan Simmons.
Great. It is dangerous to write a story about a global genocide of the Jews. It is dangerous to think intelligently about the logistics how how that could most effectively be done. It is dangerous to invent a plausible scientific rationale for why this keeps happening to the Jews throughout history. Simmons’ story is like watching a plane crash. Majestic and horrifying. One of the stories most consistent with the premise of a Dangerous Visions book.
Falling from Grace • short story by Ward Moore
Poor. In a dumbed-down future where current culture and language are lost and misunderstood, a communications trainee and a girlfriday talk about preserving the information in the great computer. Mediocre, but a little funny. All about the errors in translation. Gene Wolfe and Jack Vance did this kind of thing better.
First Sight • short story by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Great. Strong story about the cultural blindness that we all have. A diplomat is being interrogated for a first contact that went horribly wrong. While a newly written story, this is the interesting kind of First Contact story that could have been written anytime in the SF genre’s history.
Binary System • short story by Kayo Hartenbaum
Good. A slice-of-many-lives story about solo lightship keeper who lives a solitary existence in deep space. They have two parts: mechanical and biological. Occasionally, they receive visitors that they interact with.
Dark Threshold • short story by P. C. Hodgell
Average. Gently creepy story of a room in a house where things go when they disappear.
The Danann Children Laugh • short story by Mildred Downey Broxon
Good. Good creepy piece about myth, faith, horror, and the weakness of too much rationality. A woman from the Health Ministry goes to investigate a truant young man only to find his parents caring for his body, apparently brain damaged and sore-riddled. They claim he is off with Irish Faeries and they are waiting for him to return.
Judas Iscariot Didn't Kill Himself: A Story in Fragments • short story by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck [as by James S. A. Corey]
Good. In a world where you can ‘resleeve’ your mind (soul?) into a new body whenever you want, accusations of child pornography, tear apart an attempted utopian cult. Plays with some interesting ideas that could have been expanded into something great. Do religious organizations exist for the purpose of hiding sadism? Can humans ever achieve any sort of utopia in groups? Is cancel culture justice, abuse, a witch hunt, or a form of stealing?
