"Darkly suave competence" is how The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction refers to Jablokov's first novel, Carve the Sky, and the phrase could easily apply to many of the stories in this, Jablokov's first short story collection. Ranging from time travel to artificial intelligence, Jablokov covers a lot of ground in the ten stories here, although readers will quickly notice recurring themes both of art and self-identity amidst colorful, retro-decadent future worlds. Although his technique and consistency vary, Jablokov shows with his powerful, dynamic prose that he's a writer worth watching.