Bud Sparhawk's stories accept no limits, from the edges of the galaxy to the inner recesses of the human heart, from the very beginnings of life to the very end of time. All that range, and more, is on display in this collection of 19 stories, we meet space pirates and bounty hunters, baseball pitchers and intelligent toilets. From a pair of buddies brewing beer on Jupiter, to a couple of old friends reconnecting at an environmental rally, the people living these incredible lives in unbelievable situations are relatable and human. But whether it's an insterstellar pilot skipping through the centuries as he travels the universe, or a boy trying not alienate his loving father, we recognize ourselves in each of them.
 
Reviews:
"Sparhawk is known for variety; he's not one of those authors who always writes more or less the same kind of story. If there's a common denominator to his stories, it's the depiction of characters who seem exotic to us, but who are perfectly ordinary within the framework of the unusual worlds they inhabit. Which, after all, is one of the things science fiction is all about." —Don Sakers, Analog Science Fiction and Fact (July-August 2017)
 
"If the term 'Analog writer' means anything anymore, long after John W. Campbell's death, the description has to encompass and be enshrined in the person of Bud Sparhawk. Like Christopher Anvil and Eric Frank Russell, like James Schmitz and Tom Purdom, Sparhawk offers us unflashy, solid tales which nonetheless often extend SF's remit. He never neglects either real technological novums nor humanistic story-telling values. He does not privilege message over entertainment, nor vice versa, but rather tries to keep both in balance. And in the end, he's all about the art and the history and traditions of the genre, not self-aggrandizing grandstanding. I call that a valuable gift to the community of readers and a proud and honorable legacy." —Paul Di Filippo, Locus Online
 
"[Sparhawk] writes some amazing stories.… In 'Astronomic Distance/Geologic Time,' Sparhawk sends us on a journey as far as distance and time can stretch… The story itself makes you realize how small, trivial and possibly soon-to-be-forgotten our own era will be." —Andrew Andrews, True Review (June 2017)
 
"Bud Sparhawk is a writer of clarity, wit, and insight. His stories provoke wonder, will sometimes give you a good laugh, and always make you think. I enjoy his work, and believe you will, too." —Allen Steele, three-time Hugo Award-winner
 
"Bud Sparhawk's imagination knows no limits. A dazzling collection." —Jack McDevitt, Nebula Award-winner
 
"In today's science fiction field, if I hear these three descriptors—'one of the living masters of the short form,' 'humor and pathos in equal measure,' and 'universally accessible,'—I know whose work is being discussed: Bud Sparhawk's. And you hold the very finest of that work in your hands." —Charles E. Gannon, author of the Tales of the Terran Republic series
 
"A collection of Bud Sparhawk's work is as diverse and mind-blowing as an anthology of a dozen other writers. His stories can span the breadth of the Universe, or the distance between a man and his son. He can even unlock the heart of a crusty curmudgeon (like you, perhaps) and find a world of hope and wonder." —Robert R. Chase, author of The Game of Fox and Lion
 
"Eighteen stories that shift reality and widen perspective, an amazing journey!" —Gail Z. Martin, author of Shadow and Flame
 
Table of Contents:
Astronomic Distance / Geologic Time
The Tortuous Path
The Suit
Alliances
The Snack
Encounter in a Yellow Wood
The Old Man's Best
True Friends
Conquest
No Cord or Cable
Delivery
Forgiveness
Ten Winks to Forever
Culmination
Pilgrim
Deceleration
Tommy and the Beast
Slider
Footprints in the Snow