Gene Wolfe, whose tetralogy The Book of the New Sun was the most acclaimed science fiction work of the 1980s, offered his second collection of short fiction in 1990 to universal acclaim. Endangered Species is a hefty volume of over 30 unforgettable stories in a variety of genres-- SF, fantasy, horror, mainstream-many of them offering variations on themes and situations found in folklore and fairy tales, and including two stories, "The Cat" and "The Map," which are set in the universe of his New Sun novels. Wolfe's deconstructions/reconstructions are provocative, multilayered, and resonant. This embarrassment of literary riches is a must for all Gene Wolfe fans, and anyone who loves a good tale beautifully told. Gene Wolfe (1931-2019) was the Nebula Award-winning author of The Book of the New Sun tetralogy in the Solar Cycle, as well as the World Fantasy Award winners The Shadow of the Torturer and Soldier of Sidon . He was also a prolific writer of distinguished short fiction, which has been collected in such award-winning volumes as Storeys from the Old Hotel and The Best of Gene Wolfe . A recipient of the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement, the Edward E. Smith Memorial Award, and six Locus Awards, among many other honors, Wolfe was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2007, and named Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 2012. Endangered Species By Gene Wolfe Orb Books Copyright © 2004 Gene Wolfe All right reserved. ISBN: 9780765310330 Endangered Species A Cabin on the Coast IT might have been a child's drawing of a ship. He blinked, and blinked again. There were masts and sails, surely. One stack, perhaps another. If the ship were really there at all. He went back to his father's beach cottage, climbed the five wooden steps, wiped his feet on the coco mat.Lissy was still in bed, but awake, sitting up now. It must have been the squeaking of the steps, he thought. Aloud he said, "Sleep good?"He crossed the room and kissed her. She caressed him and said, "You shouldn't go swimming without a suit, dear wonderful swimmer. How was the Pacific?""Peaceful. Cold. It's too early for people to be up, and there's nobody within a mile of here anyway.""Get into bed then. How about the fish?""Salt water makes the sheets sticky. The fish have seen them before." He went to the corner, where a showerhead poked from the wall. The beach cottage--Lissy called it a cabin--had running water of the sometimes and rusty variety."They might bite 'em off. Sharks, you know. Little ones.""Castrating woman." The shower coughed, doused him with icy spray, coughed again."You look worried.""No.""Is it your dad?"He shook his head, then thrust it under the spray, fingers combing his dark, curly hair."You think he'll come out here? Today?"He withdrew, considering. "If he's back from Washington, and he knows we're here.""But he couldn't know, could he?"He turned off the shower and grabbed a towel, already damp and a trifle sandy. "I don't see how.""Only he might guess." Lissy was no longer smiling. "Where else could we go? Hey, what did we do with my underwear?""Your place. Your folks'. Any motel."She swung long, golden legs out of bed, still holding the sheet across her lap. Her breasts were nearly perfect hemispheres, except for the tender protrusions of their pink nipples. He decided he had never seen breasts like that. He sat down on the bed beside her. "I love you very much," he said. "You know that?"It made her smile again. "Does that mean you're coming back to bed?""If you want me to.""I want a swimming lesson. What will people say if I tell them I came here and didn't go swimming."He grinned at her. "That it's that time of the month.""You know what you are? You're filthy!" She pushed him. "Absolutely filthy! I'm going to bite your ears off." Tangled in the sheet, they fell off the bed together. "There they are!""There what are?""My bra and stuff. We must have kicked them under the bed. Where are our bags?""Still in the trunk. I never carried them in.""Would you get mine? My swim suit's in it.""Sure," he said."And put on some pants!""My suit's in my bag too." He found his trousers and got the keys to the Triumph. Outside the sun was higher, the chill of the fall morning nearly gone. He looked for the ship and saw it. Then it winked out like a star.  That evening they made a fire of driftwood and roasted the big, greasy Italian sausages he had brought from town, making giant hot dogs by clamping them in French bread. He had brought red supermarket wine too; they chilled it in the Pacific. "I never ate this much in my life," Lissy said."You haven't eaten anything yet.""I know, but just looking at this sandwich would make me full if I wasn't so hungry." She bit off the end. "Cuff tough woof.""What?""Castrating woman. That's what you called me this morning, Tim. Now this is a castrating woman.""Don't talk with your mouth full.""You sound like my moth