Among the gems on offer are; "Perfidia," a highly plausible take on what really became of Glenn Miller, "Stuff of Dreams" which blurs the lines between dreamer and dream, "Nine Hard Questions About The Nature Of The Universe" where we find out what really happens to alien abductees, "White City" a brief glimpse into the fascinating mind of Nicola Tesla, "Twilight Time" a tale of travel to alternate realities, and my favourite here, "Oz" that does more to fire the sparks of the mind in its single page, than many short story writers can manage in twenty times that length. There is a price to pay for these glittering prizes.

Lewis Shiner has padded out the middle of the book with a range of non-SF stories which, for me, bordered on the dull. Most, like the Western sequence of "The Long Ride Out" are competently written, workman-like efforts, which pass the time pleasantly enough. But others are so subtle that I found it hard to sustain interest. I like things to happen in stories, and stuff that is simply about people being people doesn't really light my candle. Especially when it is in the company of works that are so much smarter, and stretch the imagination wide open. Almost as if to reward readers that have ploughed through the chaff, the author dabbles with SF tinged rock 'n' roll in "Jeff Beck," the laconic tale of a magic wish that doesn't work out, and the non-SF but very readable "Sticks," an interlude in the life of a struggling session musician. For the SF reader,things pick up again with "Snowbirds," which concerns a plot from a devastated future, "Mystery Train," a quirky, charming glimpse into the reasons why Elvis Presley took to shooting out TV screens, and the last story in the book, "Lizard Men Of Los Angeles." This, we learn from the author's notes, is Shiner's personal favourite, and presents a stylish tribute to the age of pulp fiction, complete with a cameo appearance by the infamous black magician Aleister Crowley.

My only real disappointment here was that there was nothing connected to Shiner's work on the Wild Cards novels, edited by George R.R. Martin. That was where I first read and admired his work, and I feel that I will not be alone in missing something extra from that period, where Shiner excelled. That said, I can recommend this collection as a terrific introduction to Shiner's literary styling and the broad sweep of his imagination. For someone who claims not to be an SF writer, he does a top quality job whenever he dares to let himself dream.