This is a lovely collection of short stories by the celebrated author. Chiang has won a slew of awards for his short fiction but has never written a novel. His work reads like a modern Borges, lightened with a little bit of Vonnegut, and twisted with a tiny bit of Philip K. Dick. It's a successful mix, though Chiang isn't nearly as prolific as any of those three authors, and his work is not always on the same level.

There are eight stories here, which apparently is everything Chiang has published. I particulary liked "Division By Zero", in which a mathematician loses her mind when she proves that mathematics is inconsistent, "Understand", a "Flowers for Algernon"-like tale of chemical enhancement with a interesting twist, and "Seventy-Two Letters", in which the genetic code of the golem is explored.

The collection is full of remarkable ideas and apt storytelling, but it feels like it's missing something. I found myself wanting — but failing — to love these works. I look forward to reading more by Chiang, though at this rate, it will be another decade before the next collection.