Night Movies and Other Stories

This deluxe small press collection pulls together for the first time all of Powers's published short fiction. An introduction by Powers's friend and sometime coauthor, acclaimed contemporary fantasist James P. Blaylock, offers some remembrances of their past adventures after they met during grad school in Southern California in 1972 and hints at some of the themes that drive both authors' fiction: a strong sense of place, and the curious interface between weirdness and the mundane world. The infamous Santa Ana winds provide momentum to the otherworldly crossovers in ""Night Moves,"" a World Fantasy Award nominee, and ""Itinerary."" ""The Better Boy,"" written by Powers and Blaylock, combines both authors' strengths in an optimistic tale of hope and obsession, while a Christmas carol marks the route back to life for a grieving man in ""We Traverse Afar."" In ""The Way Down the Hill,"" long-standing arguments come to a head at a reunion of immortal bodysnatchers, and history gets twisted in surprising ways in the time-travel adventure of ""Where They Are Hid."" In these six stories, readers unfamiliar with the author's work will discover the power of memories and hope, while longtime fans will be interested in comparing Powers's short works to his novels. (Jan. 15) Forecast: Powers will be reviewed extensively in January, when Declare, his major new novel from Morrow, is published. Despite its slim size, Night Moves and Other Stories is bound to be a must-have for fans both old and new of this acclaimed author, winner of both the Philip K. Dick Award and the World Fantasy Award. This book will sell well, and quickly.