Book - Fiction Collections Science Fiction

Ten Sigmas

& Other Unlikelhoods

by Paul Melko

Price:	$14.00 USD
S&H:	USA $2.00, Can./Mex. $4.00, Elsehwere $9.00
Availability:	Plenty Available
Details:	Trade, 255 pgs., ISBN 978-0-9789078-6-0, Released 3/15/2008, Art by Adam Hunter Peck

Order now! Melko's first story collection follows right on the heels of his first novel.

Editorial Reviews

Publisher's Weekly

This far-ranging collection, featuring 12 reprints, highlights Melko's adaptability as he shifts from multiple universes to caped crusaders and from captured aliens to pet cats. Highlights include "Doctor Mighty and the Case of Ennui," where a superhero suffers a humorously human bout of depression, and the title story, which wields the concept of parallel universes like a sharpened knife dissecting the choices we make and their consequences. The deft and refreshing "The Summer of the Seven" and "Singletons in Love" tie into "Strength Alone," the opener for Melko's forthcoming novel Singularity's Ring. The changes in tone and style from one piece to the next make the collection a little uneven, but almost any reader will find a story that particularly appeals. As Melko grows further into his talent, he'll be one to watch.

Critical Mass

Don D'Ammassa

The reluctance of the major publishers to promote single story collections in a field where the short story has always been a major factor has at least one good consequence, a much better chance that small and medium presses can snag high quality collections from established writers. Although Paul Melko has had only a single novel, Singularity's Ring, which had an intriguing set up but which was written in a style I thought poorly suited to the story. The author's relatively spare style feels much more appropriate at shorter lengths, however, including one story related to that novel. Accompanying it are eleven others, several of which I'd read before, and a couple of which had made strong first impressions, namely "The Summer of the Seven" and "Singletons in Love." The others vary in tone and subject matter, lightly humorous to deadly serious, parallel universes, aliens, and other oddities. Unlike some newer authors, Melko has actual stories to tell.

The Midwest Book Review

A collection of twelve fine science fiction tales, Ten Sigmas & Other Unlikelihoods is a deftly written anthology from author Paul Melko, cited by Publisher's Weekly as a writer to watch. Filled with intriguing and interesting characters throughout, Ten Sigmas & Other Unlikelihoods is a top pick for anyone seeking a good science fiction short story collection and for community libary collections.

Cover Comments

He's got a distinctive voice that shows a lot of promise.

—	Charles Stross, author of Halting State

Paul Melko may be our next Vernor Vinge or Bruce Sterling.

—	Brenda Cooper, author of The Silver Ship and the Sea

A stellar new talent.

—	Robert J. Sawyer, author of Rollback

[Melko's] skill at depicting [young protagonists] is quite impressive. His heroes come across as neither too adult nor too juvenile, but with just the right mix of mischief, defiance, and empathy.

—	Tangent Online