Admiralty: The Collected Short Works of Poul Anderson, Vol. 4

Fans of classic SF will enjoy this fourth volume (of an expected seven) of Poul Anderson's short work. The 23 stories were all originally published between 1955 and 1975, and some of the twists and plots will be transparent to modern readers. Fortunately, Anderson's undeniable talent rescues many a tale from predictability. "Operation Changeling" is the exciting tale of two witches who travel to hell to rescue their kidnapped daughter, and the amusing "The Adventure of the Misplaced Hound" features an alien society obsessed with Victorian culture. The star is the Hugo- and Nebula-winning "Goat Song," a beautifully heartbreaking SF retelling of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. Anderson's skill has truly stood the test of time, and his fans will be delighted to see these works resurface. (May)