I read The Jewels of Aptor in 1962, when I was fourteen. Samuel Delany had written it when he was nineteen, and I totally got that, the fantastic youth of the thing, but I was also blown away by what I didnt yet understand was the style. It induced one of the most persistent and global somatic memories of reading Ive ever had, to the point that I can actually use it as a sort of time-travel device. And yes, I know hes written many novels since then, including
Dhalgren, but Ive always wanted a chance to say that about The Jewels of Aptor!
William Gibson, author of Pattern Recognition Samuel R. Delany sits at the crossroads of the story of SF. Explore any pathwhy SF matters, how, to whomand he is there, beaming, either in person or reflected in the writers forging ahead. This book of beautiful, brilliant stories, fiction and nonfiction, shows us why he matters so muchand how, and to whom. All of us, of course.
Nicola Griffith, author of Hild This anthology rocks your mind, rolls your heart, and makes you tingle all over. Nisi Shawl and Bill Campbell have curated an entertaining and provocative volume, a whirlwind tour of the mythic, science fictional landscape that Delany engendered. These stories, essays, and memoirs are sensuous encounters with Delany, an ongoing conversation in the delanyesque universe. A polymath geek fest! Stories for Chip is a perfect tribute to a creative genius, a theoretical titan, and a great adventurer.
Andrea Hairston, author of Redwood and Wildfire This lovingly made tribute to Samuel R. Delany is packed with tiny delights. Stories that are as diverse as they are refreshing to the palate. A blend of so many different voices and takes on the influence of this great author--one could only dream that in the winter of ones career such a collection could be constructed in ones honor.
Jennifer Marie Brissett, author of Elysium A powerful testimonial to the impact Delany has had in inspiring so many of this generations diverse voices.
Tobias Buckell, author of Arctic Rising A tribute to one of the great geniuses of science fiction, this diamond of a book has stories as multi-faceted, brilliant, and wickedly sharp as Delany himself.
Ellen Klages, author of The Green Glass Sea "The vast majority of stories here are worthy of a Delany tribute."
Sam Tomaino, sfrevu.com "What can a reader expect to get from these pages? A fan of Delanys writing, be it fiction or non-fiction, can expect a wonderful diversity of authors who love his work and want to show their ties and inspiration to the man."
Karen Burnham, SF Signal "Heres a tribute anthology to one of the greatest living science fiction authors, including works by Junot Diaz, Eileen Gunn, Chesya Burke, Nalo Hopkinson and Geoff Ryman, which play with sexual identity and race, while some essays also celebrate Delanys work. Publishers Weekly gave this book a starred review, and SFSignal says these stories 'honor the man of the hour in many of his facets without ever falling into kitsch or fawning.'
i09.com "Its only fitting that Stories for Chip, an anthology honoring professional polymath Samuel R. Delany would feature a ridiculous variety of stories. Its also only fitting that they would be inventive, incisive, and filled with joy."
Leah Schnelbach, tor.com "If Stories for Chip invites us to read for Delany, to see Delanys influence, it would be best to look for places where the stories sentences, ideas, and concerns resonate with Delanys landscapes. In The Semiology of Silence (in Silent Interviews, 2011), Delany calls himself a 'sentence lover.' The beauty of Stories for Chip is the way in which Shawls and Campbells editorial call for work to celebrate Delany generates new sentences full of possibility and danger."
Mark C. Jerng, Los Angeles Review of Books
