The Compass Rose

I generally prefer novels to short stories, and collections like this tend to be uneven. So is the case here: there are some real gems, but also some quite plodding works. The second story in the book, The New Atlantis, is a long and, frankly, boring, but if you carry on with it, there's better material in the book. Some of it is humorous, some more serious. Many feature older women in significant roles, which is rare in the books I usually read. A welcome change, really. For the fans of Le Guin. Not quite as even in quality as The Wind's Twelve Quarters, but good nevertheless.