These are stories of a future, not necessarily
the future. They are stories not of what will
happen, but of people as they might be. They
are about feelings and values, truths that apply
anywhere and anywhen. Taking them out of
the present, out of our known world, simply
lets us see them more clearly.
Consider the boy who is different, the one
who will not fit into the government s preset
patterns for school behavior and learning.
What happens to him? And what about the
girl who cannot understand her parent s hesi-
tancy to let her grow up, to let her experience
the one thing that will mean she is an adult?
What happens when a boy who is being used
by a mean overlord for his unique ability sees
freedom in the eyes and the mind of a girl?
Should space explorers report the existence
of an abnormal colony to the central authori-
ties or let it develop as it wants to, contrary
to all rules? And what about the past? Does it
have anything to say to the future? Can it help
us deal with our problems now and tomorrow?
These are all problems for us now, and they
are problems for the people, the very real peo-
ple, in these stories. Each of these stories is
new. And in each, the author is exploring a
new area, a new idea, that he or she has not
touched on before. The stories are not related
to each other. But they are all a part of the
huge pattern of human realities.
还没人写过短评呢