The title tale, a hard SF story called 'Feast and Famine' originally featured in SF anthology Solaris Rising 2, and is a clever and fascinating exploration of what we regard as 'life' and is followed by a very cool tale called 'The Artificial Man' that melds elements of both science fiction and fantasy into an interesting examination of purpose and which originally appeared in a magazine called Xenos. Another story that first found a home at Xenos is 'The Roar of the Crowd' a gorgeous, rich fantasy piece around the visit of troupe of travelling players to the town of Passendean and whose stage plays incite something close to riot in the repressed people. Ripe with politics and intrigue, in the notes Tchaikovsky admits to having read a lot of Peter S. Beagle around the time he wrote it and it shows in his deftness of touch with language. 'Good Taste' is an unusual tale albeit with a very British sensibility, about a group of people who volunteer to take part in a medical trial that leaves them with very unexpected side effects, it first featured in Siren's Call anthology, Now I Lay Me Down To Reap.
Just past the halfway point we get 'The Dissipation Club', a supernatural tale first published in the anthology Dead But Dreaming 2 of detectives and demons, featuring an elderly down-at-heal Holmes and his ex-bouncer Watson uncovering a dark secret that keeps all of us safe. Following this we have 'The Rapture', actually one of my favourites, about a pandemic that has people suddenly struck by religious fervour manifested in all kinds of strange and wondrous things from paper clips to foot spas. It's gloriously inventive but once again has something very British at its core that appeals to my sense of the ridiculous. 'Care' is an outstanding take on the werewolf story that took me completely by surprise and it's followed by '2144 and All That' a terrific story about time-travelling racers and their impact on history. 'The God Shark' is 1000 words that reads like a fable and lastly we have a lovely short story entitled 'The Sun in the Morning'. Set in the same world as the 'Shadows of the Apt' series and originally featured in the short-lived Deathray magazine, it tells of a disparate band of prisoners of war captured by slavers and due for grim fates who join forces to escape their captors and join the growing resistance against the Wasp Empire.
I have to say that as short story collections go, Feast and Famine is an absolute cracker from a writer who really is at the top of his game. Each story is accompanied by a small explanation and/or some history from the author and the whole thing is well worth the price of admission. Get it, read it, love it, I know I did and I can't wait to see more of Adrian Tchaikovsky's shorts, if they're all as good as this they will be well worth seeking out.
Feast and Famine is published by NewCon Press, and is available with free delivery from The Book Depository and on the high street from Blackwell and all good book stores.