Imagination: The faculty or action of producing ideas, especially mental images of what is not present or has not been experienced. The ultimate frontier, the most romantic landscape from within our minds. To dream can be wonderful or cruel, and every touch of the strange has the power to open our lives.

Edited by Bill Congreve, Passing Strange spans the spectrum of speculative fiction, from Cat Sparks's music-inspired cyberpunkish "100% M-Hype (TM)" to the supremely silly fantasy "The Were-Sofa" by Naomi Hatchman. Never less than competent and readable, many of these stories approach must-read status. But surely the finest in the volume is Kate Orman's "All The Children Of Chimaera". This tale -- of a Renaissance England where all the imaginary abominable creatures described by far-travellers truly exist -- summons comparisons to Ted Chiang's "Seventy-Two Letters". In a fairer world, this one would be on the award-ballots next year.
Paul Di Filippo 'On Books'
Asimov's SF Magazine, June 2003
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A collection of thirteen original tales of humour and horror, of suspense and wonder, from some of the best imaginative writers in Australia.

Deborah Biancotti: Life's Work
David Carroll: Autumn Flame
Bill Congreve: The Desertion of Corporal Perkins (read story)
Naomi Hatchman: Were-Sofa
Robert Hood: Maculate Conception
Chuck McKenzie: Confessions of a Pod Person
Michelle Marquardt: Lindi's Angel
Christopher Mowbray: Curtain Call
Kate Orman: All the Children of Chimaera
Ben Peek: Cigarettes and Roses (read story)
Cat Sparks: 100% M-Hype™
Jessica Vivien: Eye of Frog
Kyla Ward: Poison

'I liked this collection.' (Robert Stephenson, Altair Australia)

'... a worthwhile ... anthology...' (Rich Horton, Locus Online)

Reviews in Aurealis, Orb, Canberra Times, Locus Online, Gaslight Books website.

Photo by Cat Sparks

To purchase this book, go to the How to Order page.

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PASSING STRANGE

A new anthology of Australian Speculative Fiction, edited by Bill Congreve