Diamond Dogs Turquoise Days

A collection of two novellas by Alastair Reynolds. Eligible for the 2003-4 OUSFG Award.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0575075163/

" Just when you thought it was safe to go back into interstellar space ...Alastair Reynolds burst onto the SF scene with the Arthur C. Clarke Award-shortlisted REVELATION SPACE?, British Science Fiction Award-winning CHASM? CITY?, and REDEMPTION? ARK?. Now experience the phenomenal imagination and breathtaking vision of 'The most exciting space opera writer working today' (Locus) in these two tales of high adventure set in the same universe as his novels. The title story, 'Diamond Dogs', tells of a group of mercenaries trying to unravel the mystery of a particularly inhospitable alien tower on a distant world; 'Turquoise Days' is about Naqi, who has devoted her life to studying the alien Pattern Jugglers.

I think 'Diamond Dogs' is an excellent alien artefact story, and 'Turquoise Days' is a pretty good alien story. Recommended. -- NH