The Collection Overall:
Nina Allan's The Art of Space Travel and Other Stories is a very subtle type of sci-fi that meanders through themes of art, memory, connection, global catastrophe, and what it means to be human. I find my favorite stories in this collection only just briefly brush against the sci-fi (containing only a suggestion of what has changed in the world) before presenting a wholly human story.

Though, as with any collection, I was not a fan of Every story, I very much enjoyed the journey that the combination of stories (and occasionally continuations of stories) took me on. The subtlety of the pieces, and their consistent tone, make for very meditative reads. I would definitely come back to most of these stories again, if only to see how their stories change for me with time.


Amethyst
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I know it’s not the focus of the story, but the sense of uncanny when a place that is mundane for you receives national attention (and also the “hometown hero” artist) was truly spot on. It was the perfect spot to start the story and created a wonderful mood for the rest of the work to settle in.

Heroes
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm not sure what to think of this story. On the surface, it was interesting (if a little slow). Allan mentioned her short stories feeling like pieces of larger novels, and that was certainly true of this one. I am fascinated by Marten and his life, and want to know more—perhaps even more so than Finlay.

A Thread of Truth
⭐⭐⭐
This was a very interesting and creative Gothic tale that I just couldn't seem to connect with. It was whole and complete and we'll crafted, but just missed the mark for me. I think, perhaps, it was the way the protagonist thought of women that pushed me out and made me reluctant to leave the spiders.

Flying in the Face of God
⭐⭐
I'm torn on this story. This collection is starting to evoke a great frustration and it refuses to focus on the things and people I find most interesting. Flying suffers the misfortune of not just focusing on someone I am ambivalent too, but someone I don't really care for at all. As a result, it was very bland.

Microcosmos
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This one was more dystopian/apocalyptic than sci-fi but I really enjoyed the small piece of story it offered. Just enough world and character to give a suggestion of a larger story, and one I would very much like to read.

Fairy Skulls
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I rather like the tone this story (and Vinnie) take towards life, though I can't agree with her colonizer view of fairy skull jewelry ownership. The perfunctory ending to the story was delightful and meaningful.

The Science of Chance
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is one of my favorite types of short story: mysterious, science fiction, mundane, and leaving you with a sense of incompleteness (intentionally) or perhaps unease.

Marielena
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I would LOVE Mary's entire novel, but I am quite fond of how her story is told here. The faintest suggestion of science fiction is really effective here, and I enjoyed it immensely.

The Art of Space Travel
⭐⭐⭐
Oddly, I'm not quite a fan of this story because there is too much resolution. I've become a big fan of the way Allan's stories typically leave so much unanswered or in question, and this one wraps up too nearly. Pleasant, bite-size, but ultimately lacks the interest of other stories.

Neptune's Trident
⭐⭐
I think it's a sad fact of living through a global pandemic that makes any story with a similar plot feel lesser. This story is fine and interesting, and even rings more true than others, but there's so little bite to the world collapsing to sickness now. Even alien sickness.

Four Abstracts
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I wasn't super excited to see the return of Jennie Chilcot, but I was pleasantly surprised by this story. I think I was right the first time and centering the women helped immensely. I wish I could see the art that Beck made—it was very well described and sounded incredible.

The Common Tongue, The Present Tense, The Known
⭐⭐⭐
Another expansion, and I'm not quite sure how to rate it. Some of my questions got answered… but the answers were kind of lackluster. The dreamy, thoughtful atmosphere was good, but I don't really feel like either Melodie or Noemi said anything.

The Gift of Angels
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This story was truly lovely. A pure romanticization that resists (most) cliches and tells a simple, heartfelt story with grace. It expands on The Art of Space Travel in a way that makes me like the former more than I originally did.

A Princess of Mars
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I've never read a short story quite like this—almost more criticism than story, but linked into a beautiful subtle world. There was something quite meditative about it. I rather liked the ending.

Review to be cross-posted to Goodreads September 1st and Amazon upon publication per publishers request.

The Art of Space Travel and Other Stories

[Blurb goes here]

This is a beautifully written book, the prose feeling almost poetic, Nina Allan has something special here, since her style goes back and forward as if talking to someone that has ADHD. Her characters thought process jumps all over the place, enriching their feelings/stories for specific situations. This was something I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, some of the stories are 'just there' they don't have a deeper meaning, and end up abruptly. They feel empty.

That being said, I enjoyed it, even though some of the stories felt like a life time with no prize at the end.

Thank you for the advanced copy!

I absolutely love short story collections written entirely by one author. That said, the writing style of Ms. Allen just doesn't work for me. I'm giving this book a pretty neutral rating because the stories were well thought out and technically strong, it just doesn't line up with my personal preference.