Dreaming Down-Under [Paperback]

This speculative fiction anthology contains thirty-one powerful tales written by Australian authors. The tales run the gamut crossing fantasy, horror, and science fiction with each contribution well written. Audiences outside of Australia have read several of the writers such as Sara Douglas, Isobelle Carmody, and the late Paul Turner, etc. These authors provide their usual powerful story. Of interest at least to this reviewer is writers that I never read before. These "newcomers" apparently have a strong reputation in Australia and fans will quickly understand why, and like me, will seek other works by these talented contributors who open up brave new worlds for readers. DREAMING DOWN-UNDER is speculative fiction short story collection at its best.

Harriet Klausner

An eclectic anthology I suppose you could say, with the second volume better than this, the first one. (3.87 average versus 3.56, or 3.71 for the lot, if you like), which places it ahead of the various McNamara offerings, by just a little. There is a useful introduction, with a bit of history there, although, for an Australian volume quite a bit of time wasted on Harlan Ellison worship, as far as the intro goes. Science fiction, fantasy and horror to be found here.

Dreaming Down Under 1 : Entre les Beaux Morts en Vie - Sean Williams

Dreaming Down Under 1 : A Walk-On Part in the War - Stephen Dedman

Dreaming Down Under 1 : The Man Who Lost His Shadow - Isobelle Carmody

Dreaming Down Under 1 : Night of the Wandjina - Wynne Whiteford

Dreaming Down Under 1 : The Dancing Floor - Cherry Wilder

Dreaming Down Under 1 : To Avalon - Jane Routley

Dreaming Down Under 1 : Ma Rung - Steven Paulsen

Dreaming Down Under 1 : Dream Until God Burns - Andrew Enstice

Dreaming Down Under 1 : Queen of Soulmates - Sean McMullen

Dreaming Down Under 1 : The Doppelganger Effect - Dirk Strasser

Dreaming Down Under 1 : The Marsh Runners - Paul Brandon

Dreaming Down Under 1 : Real Men - Rosaleen Love

Dreaming Down Under 1 : The Womb - Damien Broderick

Dreaming Down Under 1 : The Body Politic - Tess Williams

Dreaming Down Under 1 : With Clouds at Our Feet - Simon Brown

Really old people can be dull and boring, or, zombies and vampires, not such a great idea.

4 out of 5

Odysseus smart, forward thinking. Paris, not so much.

3.5 out of 5

Seeking and snogging.

2.5 out of 5

Puppets should be made of wood, not flesh.

3.5 out of 5

Android archaeology.

4.5 out of 5

Rocksy Music.

4 out of 5

'Nam spirit patrol.

4 out of 5

Crispy. Ouch.

3.5 out of 5

Superweapon survival strategy.

4.5 out of 5

Hyperstress.

3 out of 5

Madhouse monsters.

3 out of 5

If Ghost Rider had an open-wheeler.

1.5 out of 5

Dream delving religion.

4 out of 5

Aliens like 'em really young.

3.5 out of 5

John Long Pig will do for the very hungry.

4.5 out of 5

Red moo juice.

3.5 out of 5

Dreaming Down Under 2 : The Evil Within - Sara Douglass

Dreaming Down Under 2 : The Soldier in the Machine - Russell Blackford

Dreaming Down Under 2 : Matilda Told Such Dreadful Lies - Lucy Sussex

Dreaming Down Under 2 : Unborn Again - Chris Lawson

Dreaming Down Under 2 : The Latest Dream I Ever Dreamed - Norman Talbot

Dreaming Down Under 2 : The Truth About Weena - David J. Lake

Dreaming Down Under 2 : Two Recipes for Magic Beans - Rosaleen Love

Dreaming Down Under 2 : Wired Dreaming - Paul Collins

Dreaming Down Under 2 : Descent - Cecily Scutt

Dreaming Down Under 2 : Tamed - Robert Hood

Dreaming Down Under 2 : And Now Doth Time Waste Me - George Turner

Dreaming Down Under 2 : Jetsam - Kerry Greenwood

Dreaming Down Under 2 : Prelude to a Nocturne - Rowena Cory Lindquist

Dreaming Down Under 2 : The Third Rail - Aaron Sterns

Dreaming Down Under 2 : The Last Dance - Ian Nichols

Gargoyle evil slayers a bit stringent for priest's liking.

4 out of 5

Paracognitive reflex research enhanced by music and dance.

5 out of 5

Waltzing Bunyipa.

4.5 out of 5

Baby brain bits disease treatment.

4 out of 5

Dream spooks steal secrets.

3.5 out of 5

Time Machine paradox.

4 out of 5

Precocious porker.

3.5 out of 5

SVU cop's transformed crusade.

3.5 out of 5

Family Hell.

3 out of 5

Monster people power.

3 out of 5

In truth, youth serum requires smarts.

4.5 out of 5

Godly old driftbloke.

4 out of 5

No puberty blues.

4 out of 5

Metropolitan lack of integrity, physical and mental.

3.5 out of 5

Rock and roll magic.

4 out of 5

For those who are always looking for the cutting edge of SF, fantasy, and horror, and expanding their horizons, look no further. DREAMING DOWN UNDER is a superlative collection of 31 stories by some of today's best Australian writers out there today. Most of these authors, relatively unknown here in the States (though, since the book's original release in 1998, and a World Fantasy Award winner, some of these tremendous talented authors have started to appear here).Sean Williams, Lucy Sussex, Isobelle Carmody, and Damien Broderick are just starting to appear, while Stephen Dedman, Cherry Wilder, Terry Dowling, Wynne Whiteford, and Sean McMullen are some of the authors that have become a staple in the SF genre. The collection also contains the late and wonderful (Father of Australian SF), George Turner's last, finished just days before his death, but brilliant novella "AND NOW DOTH TIME WASTE ME". Highly recommended for those hungering for a different type of dream...