Book Review: The Last Dangerous Visions by Harlan Ellison and others. Ed. by Harlan Ellison

This review was first published by Booklist on October 1, 2024.

**STARRED REVIEW** After more than 50 years, it’s finally here: the concluding volume of Ellison’s groundbreaking speculative-fiction anthology (which began with 1967’s Dangerous Visions). While credited to Ellison, it was completed by J. Michael Straczynski, close friend and executor of the Ellison estate, based on Ellison’s wishes. Most of the stories were solicited and purchased by Ellison over the years, including works from such luminaries as Edward Bryant, A. E. Van Vogt, and Robert Sheckley, and a terrifyingly prescient story by Dan Simmons. Straczynski solicited the rest in order to bring contemporary voices into the mix, including Max Brooks, Cory Doctorow, Adrian Tchaikovsky, a remarkable entry from first-time author Kayo Hartenbaum, and a story from James S. A. Corey potentially so controversial Straczynski questioned whether to even include it. What’s most remarkable is how seamlessly the old and new fit together. It’s a testament to the universality of the themes, ideas, concerns, and experiences they explore. This is deep, daring, and inventive storytelling. Of particular value are Straczynski’s “Ellison Exegesis,” in which he shares his perspective on why Ellison never could finish this work, and “Tetelestai!” where he explains his process for selecting the stories he included. A worthy capstone to Ellison’s monumental legacy.