Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Short Story Wednesday: More Stories from Cosmic Corsairs

I have been reading more stories in Cosmic Corsairs this week. My favorite was “The Night Captain” by Christopher Ruocchio. 

Roderick Halford is the Night Captain of the Tamerlane, a spaceship which is ferrying over 90,000 officers and combat personnel to the front lines in a war which has been going on for years. The destination is 25 years away and the personnel of Lord Hadrian Marlowe's Red Company are in icy stasis for the voyage. During a short layover at a refueling station, the ship is attacked by pirates. Only a few men on the night crew are awake and minding the ship, and Halford has lost communications with them, but he gets unexpected help during his fight to regain control of the ship.

I enjoyed the Night Captain's backstory especially.



Cosmic Corsairs was edited by Hank Davis and Christopher Ruocchio. There are a total of 15 stories. Seven were published for the first time after 2000, some of those published for the first time in this book. The other eight stories were published in the 1950's, 1960's, and 1980's. Thus, a lot of variety.

The  other stories I read this week were:

  • “Pirate Chance” by Carysa Locke
  • “Redeemer” by Gregory Benford (first published in Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact, April 1980)
  • “Trading Up” by Sarah A. Hoyt and Robert A. Hoyt 


Except for “Redeemer”, the stories I read this week were published in 2020 in this anthology for the first time. They were all fun to read and clever. 

I must be a sucker for pirates in space, because I have enjoyed every story I have read in this book so far.


Rick Robinson at Tip the Wink introduced me to this book, and sent me his copy to read. My first post on this anthology discusses briefly three other stories from the book. Also see George Kelley's review of Cosmic Corsairs for comments on more of the stories and a list of the stories.


14 comments:

George said...

Tracy, I enjoyed COSMIC CORSAIRS as much as you did! Here's my review: http://georgekelley.org/forgotten-books-609-cosmic-corsairs-edited-by-hank-davis-christopher-ruocchio/

TracyK said...

George, it is definitely a fun set of stories and I still have a few more to read. I have linked to your review at the end of my post.

pattinase (abbott) said...

This reminds me of how much I miss FOR ALL MANKIND. An alternate history of the space race on Apple TV.

Margot Kinberg said...

I'm glad you've been enjoying this collection, Tracy. And this story does sound fascinating. What an interesting premise, and I'm sure it raises questions about the risks we face (and the potential payoffs) as we explore space.

Rick Robinson said...

I’m glad you continue to enjoy the anthology, Tracy. I liked that one, too. I’m also enjoying the cooler weather here, just 79 today, with a few more days in the 70s before temps begin to climb again. We just hope for no wind, as there are several fires in the state.

TracyK said...

Rick, it continues to amaze me how much I enjoy these. Looking forward to trying more of them.

I hope the lower temperatures continue. I know how scary wind and fires can be.

TracyK said...

Patti, I had not heard of FOR ALL MANKIND but maybe that is because we don't get Apple TV. I looked it up, it sounds good.

TracyK said...

Margot, it is interesting to read all the different approaches in science fiction stories. And learn about new authors since I have not read that much science fiction.

CLM said...

Great cover! Although I am not a big fan of short stories, they are ideal for expanding our reading comfort zone.

Amusingly, a collection of short stories that was stuck behind my desk and which I was considering donating got a second look the other day. It looks unremarkable. However, not only did I recall that it had come from my father's home so belonged to him or his aunt, but when I looked inside there was a short story by Constance Savery, an author I may write about for my master's project. I would have sworn I had never read anything by her until this year, so those authors we don't pay much attention to in anthologies maybe deserve a bit more!

TracyK said...

Constance, that is a great story. How lovely that you have books from your father (or others in your family).

I just began reading more short stories in the last 5 or 6 years, and have really enjoyed them, from all genres, in the last year or two. Before that, I thought I would not like shorter length fiction and even did not care for novellas.

Sam said...

This one seems to be kind of a throwback to the kind of science fiction I remember reading so much of as a kid. I guess they don't call them "space operas" for nothing.

TracyK said...

That is a good point, Sam. I don't remember reading that type of science fiction when I was younger. I certainly am enjoying it now.

col2910 said...

Probably not one for me, but I'm glad you're enjoying some different kinds of stories each week.

TracyK said...

Thanks, Col, I am enjoying them, and I can see how they might not work for you.