Daughters of Icarus: New Feminist Science Fiction and Fantasy

It is a sad truth that grand and worthy ambitions do not guarantee commensurate results. This lackluster anthology serves as an example. Brown’s editorial skills are not up to the task she has set herself, nor are those of the writers whose works she has selected. The 28 stories include Summer Hanford’s “Universal Underground,” a dystopic vision of the future; Ao-Hui Lin’s “Why Does the Manatee Sing?”, an odd tale of aquatic reproduction; and Heather Fowler’s “Practice Baby,” a fable of perverse affection. None rises to the level of competence, and all are handicapped by leaden prose and simplistic plots; the supposedly shocking revelation of “Universal Underground” is uncomfortably reminiscent of soylent green. Readers hoping for a classic anthology on par with Pamela Sargent’s Women of Wonder series should look elsewhere. (Apr.)