Fire Watch (book)

Fire Watch
First edition (publ. Bluejay Books)
Cover art by Thomas Kidd
AuthorConnie Willis
GenreShort story collection
PublisherBluejay Books
Publication date
February 1, 1984

Fire Watch is a book of short stories by Connie Willis, first published in 1984, that touches on time travel, nuclear war, the end of the world, and cornball humour.

The title story, "Fire Watch", is about a time-travelling historian who goes back to the Blitz in London. He's miffed because he spent years preparing to travel with St. Paul and gets sent to St. Paul's Cathedral in London, instead. This model of time travel also features in Willis's subsequent novels Doomsday Book, To Say Nothing of the Dog and Blackout/All Clear, set in the same continuity.

Contents

  • "Fire Watch"
  • "Service for the Burial of the Dead"
  • "Lost and Found"
  • "All My Darling Daughters"
  • "The Father of the Bride"
  • "A Letter from the Clearys"
  • "The Sidon in the Mirror"
  • "And Come from Miles Around"
  • "Daisy, in the Sun"
  • "Mail Order Clone"
  • "Samaritan"
  • "Blued Moon"

This was Connie Willis's first collection.

Reception

David Pringle rated Fire Watch three stars out of four and described Willis as a "talented new writer".[1]

Awards for Fire Watch stories
Year Story Award Result
1980 "Daisy, in the Sun" Hugo Award for Best Short Story [2]
1983 "A Letter from the Clearys" Nebula Award for Best Short Story [3]
"Fire Watch" Hugo Award for Best Novelette [4]
"Fire Watch" Nebula Award for Best Novelette [3]
1984 "The Sidon in the Mirror" Hugo Award for Best Novelette [5]
Nebula Award for Best Novelette [6]
1985 "Blued Moon" Hugo Award for Best Novelette [7]

References

  1. ^ David Pringle, The Ultimate Guide To Science Fiction. New York: Pharos Books: St. Martins Press, 1990, (p.120). ISBN 0-88687-537-4
  2. ^ "1980 Hugo Awards". The Hugo Awards. Archived from the original on 2011-05-07. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  3. ^ a b "Nebula Awards 1983". Science Fiction Awards Database. Archived from the original on 2015-10-25. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  4. ^ "1983 Hugo Awards". The Hugo Awards. Archived from the original on 2011-05-07. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  5. ^ "1984 Hugo Awards". The Hugo Awards. Archived from the original on 2011-05-07. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  6. ^ "Nebula Awards 1984". Science Fiction Awards Database. Archived from the original on 2015-10-25. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  7. ^ "1985 Hugo Awards". The Hugo Awards. Archived from the original on 2011-05-07. Retrieved 2024-09-11.


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