Last Plane to Heaven is the final book of short stories from science-fiction author Jay Lake, who passed away from cancer in June 2014. This posthumously published collection is full of weird tales, far-out speculative fiction and solid steampunk stories, with a foreword by Lake's favorite sci-fi grandmaster, Gene Wolfe.
The stories are grouped in sub-genres (steampunk, science-fiction, fantasy, weird fiction), and all are rather experimental in both tone and form, highlighting Lake's fantastic talent in a variety of styles.
"Last Plane to Heaven: A Love Story" explores the nature of consciousness and how we might come to love aliens who may need to use our own sanity to communicate. "Hello, Said the Gun" is a shorter story of a sentient weapon and its long wait for a young girl to find it. There are several pieces about angels: archetypal, sarcastic, terrifying.
The book ends with "The Cancer Catechism," about the disease that ultimately claimed Lake's life. He knew this would be his last book and described his final days in brilliant, poignant poetic language. "There are no atheists in the oncology unit," he writes. "Only the catechism of cancer, and the difficult comfort it brings even amid the worst of times."
This collection is a powerful record of one man's ability to project realities and characters upon the page with strength and vision. The end of such a talent is full of infinite sorrow. --Rob LeFebvre, freelance writer and editor