Wild Chrome

This collection of 21 stories, half reprints and half originals, firmly places prolific Australian author Mellor as a champion of intellectual science fiction. He uses his background in astrophysics to turn out several tales that push boundaries and explore the human condition from unusual angles. Others tie into his Urban Decay series, where society teeters on the brink of disaster. Several, including the thought-provoking “Ravenous” and the philosophical “Alien Intent,” successfully adopt alien points of view. Stories like the poignant “Hollow Places” and the truly disturbing “Time Capture” examine the role of death when technology can preserve memories and experiences. Mellor’s thoughtful afterwords enhance the reading. While some stories are more successful than others, all are complex, provocative, and challenging. (Nov.)