Some Addictive Fiction

"Di Filippo is like gourmet potato chips to me," said Harlan Ellison, famed science-fiction writer. "I can never eat just one of his short stories."

Odd to start a review with someone else's blurb, but you know, that Harlan Ellison, he has a way with words, and that's pretty much what I have to say about Paul Di Filippo's fiction. Everytime I get one of his short fic collections, I find I just sit down with it and chew away--but it's not some ordinary thin-sliced fried spuds you are reaching for when you crack open a Di Filippo collection. It is gourmet, because his stories are spiced with odd twists and curious characters and gimmicks and odd trains of thought, and he has been known to take the odd liberty with a literary figure or so (I *loved* Lost Pages precisely for the fun he has with...Kafka as superhero? President Heinlein? And color me strangely if I *did* like the last tale in The Steampunk Trilogy, "Walt and Emily"--because of the odd way he approaches alternate universes and how the landscape of American poetry was influenced by these two lights.)

So for a quick capsule review--pick yourself up one of these addictive, funky, sweet, strange collections (my little graphic up top leaves out Ribofunk--but please, that's a recommend because the stories are tight and topical and you won't be looking at DNA the same...) and indulge yourself.

(Yes I know I recommend a lot of fiction--but what should I do--point out the *bad* books? No fun, there. And I think I tend to go looking for books I'd like, anyway.)