A Cosmic Christmas 2 You

A man’s curious discovery leads to an unexpected holiday exchange. In a super-commercialized society, a store manager with Christmas quotas to meet falls for a young lady with some curious holiday ideas. When a Christmas Eve rescue mission goes bad, a young woman finds her faith in everything tested. A boy on a space station and the AI who tutors him encounter something Christmas-y they can’t explain.

Whether it’s tabloids coming true or Connie Willis putting her razor-sharp wit to the test, bringing Santa to Mars or the surprise lurking in “A Christmas in Amber”, the stories collected in A Cosmic Christmas 2 You embody many of the best aspects of the holiday season: family, optimism, the impact of storytelling, and the transformative power of Santa’s magic. Mixing those with lofty goals of science fiction is a natural combination, and I’m surprised it doesn’t happen more often, honestly.

While there are a few clunkers here, including a closing story of questionable length and spirit, the collection is mostly successful, offering holiday cheer with a marvelous sci-fi bent. Several of these stories will undoubtedly resonate with you long after you’ve turned the last page.