A mixed collection. Collectively rather brief at 165 pages, containing two short stories and two novelettes. There is nothing all-bad here; some are better than others but all of it is very readable and each story has at least one of Simak's best traits on display to provoke a smile.


Brother - 3.5

Classically quaint Simak. A recluse, a rocking chair, a mind reaching out to the stars. The dialogue is a little stilted, but the pastoral descriptions convey that same quiet and mysterious atmosphere as so many of his stories do. It's a nice, easy read, but not one of his best.


Over The River & Through The Woods - 4

Short, sweet and mysterious with a hard-hitting ending.


Auk House - 2.75

Novelette. I liked the initial setting and premise of this one, but it gets a bit too ambitious for the word count. Auk House starts off quite speculative and I think could have made for a nice, single-location science-mystery/fantasy of sorts. I feel like Simak shows his hand too soon though and is heavy-handed in his explanation of events. It's packed with ideas, but they held little interest for me because I have seen them better explored in other works of his. Alternate worlds, time-travel(ish), economic and social threat, the creation of a revolutionary philosophy, benevolent manipulation... the list goes on.


Kindergarten - 2.75

Some lovely writing in the first half with a fun concept, but it completely fumbles in the second half. ( )