Visible Light by C.J. Cherryh

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I snagged this off the shelf because I was in between other books and Cherryh is one of my go-to authors for random reading as she’s so prolific I figure I’ll find something I haven’t read, and she’s so good that I know I’ll enjoy it. I didn’t really read the back, just grabbed it, and later when I went to read it thought “hey, that kind of looks like her on the cover!” HAHAHAHA That’s because it is. Good eye, Haldeman.

This is a collection of short stories, and while at first I found the format a little jarring – there’s a mini-story in between each story, which has an arc from start to finish of the book – by the end I was even hooked on that.

My two favorite stories were “Companions” and “A Thief in Korianth.”

“Companions” is an interesting take on the last man on earth story; except that he’s not on Earth. And he’s not alone. Or is he?

“A Thief in Korianth” is the story of a liar and thief, a quick-witted hero who knows back alleys and shady characters, a rouge ready to turn any advantage she can. Yes, that she can. This liar, thief, swashbuckling hero is a woman.

If you’re looking for a light read, collections like this are great. The stories themselves might not be light (“Companions” is definitely a thinking-cap-needed story) but they are quick to read. Or should I say devour?

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