Daily Science Fiction Book Launch: Rocket Dragons Ignite

First, I was amazed by the Baltimore Science Fiction Society’s collection of science fiction and fantasy books. Second, the gathering’s jovial atmosphere impressed me. Third, I was a little freaked out by the Dalek looming over everything. Luckily, it seemed immobile, though I did notice no one taunted it with “Exterminate!” at any point.

Daily Science Fiction was in town to launch Dragon Rockets Ignite, an anthology of all the stories Daily Science Fiction published in 2013. Co-founder, publisher and editor Jonathan Laden introduced a dozen authors who have works in the anthology, and each one read all or part of their story. Like a proud parent, Laden seemed exceedingly pleased listening to the authors sharing their work.

The stories were all great. I particularly enjoyed the readings by Sarah Pinsker and James Beamon. Pinsker’s story, Twenty Ways the Desert Could Kill You, was filled with the same insightful luminosity she brings to her music. In that story, a young girl tries to understand her mother in the context of whatever is bearing down on the Earth from space. Beamon’s Saviors was funny and fulfilling in all the right places. Brothers Clym and Kael are on a spaceship destined, no doubt, for yet another of Kael’s get-rich-quick-but-end-in-failure schemes.

The launch party was a lot of fun, and the setting was perfect. I’m looking forward to the Baltimore Science Fiction Society’s next event and more of Daily Science Fiction’s well-cultivated stories.