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This anthology of short stories had only two stories that I really liked. It’s probably not a coincidence that they were satirical. In “Tourist Industrial Complex�� by Tobias S. Buckell intergalactic tourists come to New York in search of an authentic experience. My favorite story was “Come Home to Atropos�� by Steven Barnes. The Caribbean island of Atropos has ordered an infomercial to be promoted to primarily white upper class markets. The island is offering a unique service, but it is struggling to make the ambience appealing. “We need a variety of images of the beautiful people of Atropos, and the hospitality they can provide. Certainly we can find some who don’t look hungry? And no amputees, please.�� They created the perfect spa “where our ancestors learned to work in the sun through long hours and with modest caloric intake.��

Most of the rest of the stories were just OK for me. There were a couple of stories that were so weird that they held my interest. “The Freedom of the Shifting Sea�� by Jaycee Goh featured a lesbian mermaid/predator. In “One Easy Trick�� by Hiromi Goto a woman’s belly fat drops off in the forest and develops the ability to speak. 3.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.