Again, Dangerous Visions

Again, Dangerous Visions is the 1972 sequel anthology to Harlan Ellison's groundbreaking Dangerous Visions collection. The book contains 46 original science fiction stories from both established authors and emerging voices of the era. Each story in the collection is preceded by an introduction from Ellison and followed by an autobiographical note from its author. The anthology features works from writers including Ursula K. Le Guin, Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Ray Bradbury, and James Tiptree Jr. The stories push boundaries in both content and form, tackling subjects that were controversial for their time. Sexual identity, violence, politics, and religion feature prominently throughout the collection. The anthology stands as a milestone in speculative fiction's evolution from conventional genre limitations toward more experimental and socially conscious storytelling. Its influence helped establish science fiction as a vehicle for serious literary and cultural commentary.

Readers note this anthology has more uneven quality compared to the first Dangerous Visions collection. Many describe it as ambitious but bloated at nearly 800 pages. Readers appreciated: - The experimental nature of many stories - Strong entries by Le Guin, Dick, and Disch - The detailed story introductions by Ellison - Coverage of taboo subjects for its era Common criticisms: - Too many forgettable stories amid the standouts - Some pieces feel dated or self-indulgent - Length could have been trimmed significantly - Several stories push boundaries just for shock value Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (1,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (90+ ratings) Notable reader quote: "Like a lengthy feast where some dishes are incredible and others you have to politely choke down" - Goodreads reviewer Multiple readers mentioned the collection would be stronger at half its current length with more selective curation.

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🔸 Original manuscripts for this anthology were gathered between 1968-1970, but publishing delays meant it didn't appear until 1972. Several stories became dated during the wait, requiring authors to revise their work. 🔸 The book contains 46 original stories and was so massive it had to be published in two volumes. Its predecessor, "Dangerous Visions," had only 33 stories. 🔸 Harlan Ellison wrote detailed, personal introductions for each story, often revealing intimate details about the authors and the circumstances behind their work's creation. 🔸 A third volume, "The Last Dangerous Visions," was announced but never published, despite Ellison collecting over 150 stories for it over many years. Many of these stories remained in limbo until Ellison's death in 2018. 🔸 The anthology launched several major careers, including that of James Tiptree Jr. (Alice Sheldon), whose first science fiction story "The Milk of Paradise" appeared in this collection.