With Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen. The Science Of Discworld #1. I may have read this before, but not sure... The wizards at the Unseen University build a round world in an experiment. With commentary by real scientists.
Quote:
The little lizard-like creatures that had hatched from the eggs in the mound slithered and slid down the bank into the water, bright-eyed and hopeful. The first few were instantly snapped up by a large male lying in wait among the weeds.
'However, the mothers still have something to learn about postnatal care,' said Ridcully.
Quote:
'...Lots of dullness, punctuated by short periods of death.'
'Ook?' said the Librarian.
Unseen University is manipulated into fielding a team to compete in the "football" league.
Words I Had To Look Up:
benison (pg. 58) -- A spoken blessing.
a shonky shop (pg. 74) -- A poor or dubious quality.
the university's bledlows (pg. 73) -- The author is credited with definition it as a proctor. pounces (pg. 268) -- from Word of the Day "600 years ago only the rear facing claw was a talon while one or all of the front facing claws were instead pounces." Good to know!
Quote:
"Beauty can be considered to be neutral, sir. It is not the same as nice or good." --Nutt (pg. 194)
CONTENTS:
The Perfect Crime by Max Allan Collins
The Black-Eyed Blonde by Benjamin M. Schutz
Gun Music by Loren D. Estleman
Saving Grace by Joyce Harrington
Malibu Tag Team by Jonathan Valin
Sad-Eyed Blonde by Dick Lochte
The Empty Sleeve by W. R. Philbrick
Dealer's Choice by Sara Paretsky
Red Rock by Julie Smith
The Deepest South by Paco Ignacio Taibo II
Consultation in the Dark by Francis M. Nevins, Jr.
In the Jungle of Cities by Roger L. Simon
Star Bright by John Lutz
Stardust Kill by Simon Brett
Locker 246 by Robert J. Randisi
Bitter Lemons by Stuart M. Kaminsky
The Man Who Knew Dick Bong by Robert Crais
Essence D'Orient by Edward D. Hoch
In the Line of Duty by Jeremiah Healy
The Alibi by Ed Gorman
The Devil's Playground by James Grady
Asia by Eric Van Lustbader
Mice by Robert Campbell
The Pencil by Raymond Chandler
Sixty-Four Squares by J. Madison Davis
Summer in Idle Valley by Roger L. Simon
Conn becomes the apprentice of the cranky wizard Nevery. He figures out that someone is stealing the magic of the town. Even though there is a map and appendices, this story never really came together for me.
I was hoping this was going to be girls, but instead, it is about a guy who is building bombs to blowup everyone who ever crossed him. Nameless goes fishing in the mountains. Of course, the bomb-guy is there.
Written with Barry N. Malzberg of twenty-five stories. Some were enjoyable, some were not of the kind I care for. I liked the Luna immigration inspector stories the most.