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As a reader I had my favourite stories based on my own narrative preferences, I thought ''The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate'' was incredibly beautiful, inspired by ''Arabian Nights'' it covers themes of fate and time travel but in a beautiful, romantic tale-within-a tale style. I thought ''The Great Silence'' was tragic and beautiful and I loved it, then I was almost disappointed when I read the author's note about how the story came about in the most clinical, business-like way, I wish I hadn't read it and kept my own romanticised version! I loved ''The Truth of Fact, The Truth of Feeling'', which looks at the importance of memory and language and I loved ''The Lifecycle of Software Objects''', which managed to portray some fabulously rounded characters in such a short story. I suppose the key thing to note is that there was not a single short story that I did not enjoy. They were all different, and they were all interesting. There was not a single slow story in the group.
Perhaps most notable for science fiction stories, the themes they dealt with were universal. Love, acceptance, autonomy and basic right versus wrong, they challenge us about the importance of having a voice and the importance of using it. They question not just humanity but the universe as a whole. These themes were so well written and so engrossing, that whilst short, they certainly made their point. This collection of short stories is interesting, and intellectually challenging and incredibly beautiful and is a must read for all fans of reading, not just science fiction. For something similar you could try, [[Philip K Dick's Electric Dreams by Philip K Dick|Philip K Dick's Electric Dreams]] or for something different you could try [[The City in the In The Middle of the Of The Night by Charlie Jane Anders]].
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