Title: Swanwick finally drops a dud. I guess it had to happen.
Review: I've loved every Swanwick book to date, and tracked down every short story of his I could find. I've evangelized his work to friends. But this book seemed to be completely lacking that "magic" that makes his writing so much more than typical science-fiction. And that's what's so shocking about "Bones of the Earth" -- that it's such a typical, moldy piece of sci-fi. I only made it through the first 4 chapters before losing interest completely, which is UNTHINKABLE in a Swanwick story! I'm talking wooden characters and dialogue, weak humor, a straining plot, and a profoundly uninteresting, beaten-to-death premise. I hope this is just an aberration in an otherwise stunning career.
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