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Authors: Connie Willis

Passage

BOOK: Passage
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Lavish Praise for the Books of
CONNIE WILLIS

PASSAGE

“The wit, plotting, and characterization that are Willis’ trademarks . . . are fully present in
Passage.


The San Diego Union-Tribune

“Connie Willis’ most striking skill as a writer is her way of finding emotional resonance in unlikely and offbeat subjects . . . . In
Passage
, she explores a more overtly emotional topic—life after death—with luminous clarity, walking the fine line between science and spiritualism with the confidence that comes from having a solid story and a powerful agenda . . . . A complex, finely crafted, haunting story that makes the light at the end of the tunnel impossible to take lightly.”


The Onion A.V. Club

“Be warned that this book may make you keep the light on too long at night, perhaps even as you try to sleep. It may make you skip lunch or call in sick to work. You might miss many things if you read
Passage
, but don’t miss out on the chance to read an author at the very top of her game.”


BookPage

“A serious novel . . . [with] elements of a thriller . . . The book’s multiplying internal and external mazes provide an emblem of human complexity, foolishness, and deeper terrors, some reaching beyond death.”


Locus

“Connie Willis’
Passage
is a suspense novel in the same way that Alfred Hitchcock’s
Psycho
is a slasher movie; it defies the genre while still delivering its thrills. I’m tempted to dub
Passage
a neurological detective story with metaphysical leanings, but even that description goes too far in nailing down this mercurial work. I’m sure, though, that it’s one of the smartest books I’ve read in years; its construction is a marvel of ingenuity and—what’s even more remarkable, given the wizardry of Willis’ storytelling—its intellectual honesty is impeccable.”


Salon.com

“Willis . . . pries open the door at the end of the tunnel of Near Death Experience while holding firmly to her endearing brand of exasperated humor.”


Publishers Weekly

“A gripping story . . . made more compelling by brilliant characterization and solid-sounding science.”


The Tampa Tribune and Times

“Willis’ comedic timing and sure-handed plotting make for a fulfilling reading experience . . . . Wonderful.”


St. Louis PostDispatch

“Thrilling . . . Mundane details . . . set the book so firmly in this world that the intrusion of an unexplainable world creates a powerful sense of mystery and wonder.”


U.S. News & World Report

“An addictive story peopled by textured characters . . . thrilling. Connie Willis is not only a master entertainer, but also a writer of depth, intricacy, compassion and thoughtfulness.”


Daily Camera, Boulder

“An engrossing, lively and thought-provoking novel by one of this generation’s finest authors.”


Rocky Mountain News

“Willis creates characters out of whole cloth that will stick in readers’ minds long after the book is finished.”


The Denver Post

“A page-turner whose explosive climax will rock readers back on their heels.”


Booklist

MIRACLE AND OTHER CHRISTMAS STORIES

“A muscular imagination, with drolleries and epiphanies galore. Put this at the top of your
Must Buy
holiday shopping list.”


Kirkus Reviews

“Will entertain readers both in and out of season; and as a stocking stuffer for SF fans, it’s a merry delight.”


Publishers Weekly

“Willis does indeed walk what she describes as ‘a narrow tightrope between sentiment and skepticism’ in these tales . . . a nice antidote to the saccharine side of the season.”


Locus

“Willis . . . brings humor and a warm sensibility to these cleverly plotted Christmas stories . . . . This collection—by turns touching and amusing—makes an ideal refuge from the frenzy of the season.”


The Tampa Tribune and Times

“A refreshing change from the maudlin, over-hyped holiday books that are usually pushed on readers . . . the perfect gift for the cynical and the sappy.”


San Antonio Express-News

“Highly entertaining reading that never sinks to maudlin depths. Willis is a world-class writer, and she brings all her gifts as such to bear in this witty and warmhearted collection.”


St. Petersburg Times

“All of the stories combine the magic and fantasy that make Christmas the author’s favorite day.”


Rocky Mountain News

“A welcome breath of fresh yuletide air. Packed with tales poking fun at tradition, this collection remains respectful of the season.”


The Dallas Morning News

“Enchanting . . . Told with plenty of humor, the tales in the book reconnect the readers with the true meaning of Christmas . . . . Willis’ trademark wit and keen observations shine through. Each story is a reminder of what makes Christmas so special.”


Abilene Reporter-News

“All the zany action and witty dialogue are delivered in Willis’ favorite style, a mix of screwball and romantic comedies that’s sheer unadulterated fun . . . . Mix in a bit of Willis’ ready wit and enthusiasm for the season and the result is just about everything you’d want for the holidays: a must-have collection for
your
collection.”


The Davis Enterprise/Winters Express

“Terrific . . . Ideal for private reading or sharing with an audience. These are stories that will add laughter and warmth to a season whose energy is often drained by bouts of rushed
shopping and rushed obligations . . . . The stories’ charm is the trademark Willis refusal to fall into sugar-sweet sentiment . . . . Well worth reading.”


Off the Shelf

“Not your average Christmas storybook . . . A combination of
Twilight Zone
and
A Christmas Carol
with
Miracle on 34th Street
thrown in for good measure . . . SF fans will be delighted to find this book in their stockings.”


News & Record

“Connie Willis hits gold with this collection of Christmas tales. She immediately grabs the reader’s attention and never lets go, even at the end. Each story has its own significance and moral lesson that touches the reader. A must-have this holiday season. These tales enchant and enlighten as they add spice to the wonder of Christmas. They remind us what Christmas is all about.”


The Roanoke Times

“If you need a little help getting into the Christmas spirit, this small book may be the answer. Willis . . . tells some stories with messages that are familiar, yet treatment that is fresh and new.”


The Brazosport Facts

“Willis does a really nice job melding holiday traditions with little supernatural twists.”


The Knoxville News-Sentinel

“Connie Willis, curmudgeon, book addict, and philosopher, writes with a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other.”


Salon.com

TO SAY NOTHING OF THE DOG

“Willis effortlessly juggles comedy of manners, chaos theory and a wide range of literary allusions [with a] near flawlessness of plot, character and prose.”


Publishers Weekly
(starred review)

“I have long thought that Jerome K. Jerome’s three men in a boat is one of the highest points of inimitable British humor. I chuckle; I gurgle; I know those three men—to say nothing of
the dog. And now I am convinced there was a woman concealed in that boat, too: Connie Willis.”

—Laurie R. King

“Swiftly paced and full of laughter, Willis’ comedy of manners (and errors) is the most hilarious book of its kind since John Irving’s
The Water-Method Man
and
A Confederacy of Dunces
by John Kennedy Toole . . . . Willis’ sure-handed plotting, unforgettable characters, and top-notch writing should garner quite a few award nominations.”


Des Moines Sunday Register

“An utter delight. Ms. Willis’s unique, engaging voice will carry you off to a place where chaos theory makes perfect sense, time travel is a reasonable mode of transport, and safeguarding the fate of humanity is a respectable day job.”

—Amanda Quick

“Few writers can match Willis’ blend of comedy and science fiction.
To Say Nothing of the Dog
finds her in top form.”


San Francisco Sunday Examiner & Chronicle

“Almost certain to appear on top 10 lists throughout the galaxy.”


The Toronto Star

“What a stitch! Willis’ delectable romp . . . will have readers happily glued to the pages.”


Booklist
(starred review)

“Connie Willis is the most relentlessly delightful science fiction writer alive . . . . [To
Say Nothing of the Dog]
establishes Willis not only as SF’s premiere living humorist, but possibly as the genre’s premiere humorist ever.”


Locus

“What great fun! This cleverly written, marvelously peopled, intricately plotted gem of a book is simultaneously a timetravel, futuristic, historic, mystery-comedy love story that is superbly executed with style and flair. Ms. Willis’ imaginatively complex concept is a charming, nonstop delight from start to finish.
To Say Nothing of the Dog
is a rare treat. Indulge yourself!”

—Rendezvous

“[Connie Willis] has outdone herself in
To Say Nothing of the Dog.
 . . . This is a book the reader won’t want to put down, but also won’t want to finish . . . . Enchanting.”


The Sunday Advocate,
Baton Rouge

“Gleeful fun with a serious edge.”


Kirkus Reviews

DOOMSDAY BOOK
WINNER OF THE HUGO AND NEBULA AWARDS

“A tour de force.”


The New York Times Book Review

“Splendid work—brutal, gripping, and genuinely harrowing, the product of diligent research, fine writing, and well-honed instincts, that should appeal far beyond the usual science-fiction constituency.”


Kirkus Reviews
(starred review)

“The world of 1348 burns in the mind’s eye . . . . It becomes possible to feel . . . that Connie Willis did, over the five years
Doomsday Book
took her to write, open a window to another world, and that she saw something there.”


The Washington Post Book World

LINCOLN’S DREAMS

“A love story on more than one level, and Ms. Willis does justice to them all. It was only toward the end of the book that I realized how much tension had been generated, how engrossed I was in the characters, how much I cared about their fates.”


The New York Times Book Review

“A tantalizing mix of history and scientific speculation . . . Willis tells this tale with clarity and assurance . . . . Impeccable.”


San Francisco Chronicle

“Fulfills all the expections of those who have admired her award-winning short fiction.”


Los Angeles Times

“Lincoln’s Dreams
is a novel of classical proportions and virtues . . . humane and moving.”


The Washington Post Book World

“Lincoln’s Dreams
is not so much written as sculpted . . . . [A] tale of love and war as moving as a distant roll of drums . . . No one has reproduced the past that haunts the present any better than Connie Willis.”


The Christian Science Monitor

BELLWETHER

“A sheer pleasure to read . . . Sprightly, intelligent FUN.”


Publishers Weekly

“Connie Willis’ fiction is one of the most intelligent delights of our genre.”


Locus

REMAKE

“Another brilliant work by an author deserving of all the praise and awards heaped on her.”


Des Moines Sunday Register

FIRE WATCH

“[Willis’s] writing is fresh, subtle, and deeply moving.”


The New York Times Book Review

A
LSO BY
C
ONNIE
W
ILLIS

Fire Watch
Lincoln’s Dreams
Doomsday Book
Impossible Things
Uncharted Territory
Remake
Bellwether
To Say Nothing of the Dog
Miracle and Other Christmas Stories

BOOK: Passage
13.05Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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