Personal Science
I am new to the work of Ted Chiang; his collection "Stories of Your Life and Others" was lent to me by a friend when we realized that I tend to read science fiction written exclusively by women. (not on purpose, it's just turned out that way for some reason...)
Each of the eight stories included in the collection is astounding in its completeness and uniqueness. Chiang has a consistent style of prose but beyond that he leaps from idea to idea nimbly and each story makes its own universe and point of view. What impresses me most about Chiang's work here is the pairing of hard science with thoughtful characterization of his protagonists. These are incredibly delicate, personal stories of love, loss, desire, and hope. Most of all, I am surprised at how accessibly he writes about complicated scientific principles that would normally be miles above the head of a non-scientist. Call me converted (but I'm still not giving up Bujold, Norton, or McCaffrey).
