A rare collection from one of sci-fi's more engaging storytellers -- Sunday Telegraph
Hamilton is often associated with space operas unusual even in that genre for both scale and mass; one of the best stories here, Watching Trees Grow, depicts the human race's expansion out from its home world as the background to an immortal Javert's inexorable solution to a whodunit. He also usefully reminds us that it is possible for people of somewhat conservative views to be humane; the title story is an effective puzzle concluding in a moral point that does not only apply to alien planets -- TLS
The collection's highpoint is the excelled novella Watching Tress Grow, set in an alternate reality in which Rome never fell and most citizens are immortal -- Guardian
If you're looking for a collection of truly well-written and engaging short science fiction stories, then Manhattan in Reverse is a great read -- SciFiNow
With all his usual imagination for futuristic technology, complexity of character and brilliantly conceived storytelling Peter F. Hamilton shows through this collection of work what it is that makes him Britain's number one science fiction writer . . . Peter F. Hamilton is at the top of his game and this short story collection just reinforces that fact. If you are a fan you will absolutely love this collection, but newcomers will find this an excellent introduction to his work without having to commit to a full-length novel. Highly recommended -- WordsinInk
The stories here show many of Peter's strengths, highlighting key human themes in a variety of different settings in an entertaining way. There are those great ideas, still: super-technology, evolution, planets connected by wormholes, alien biology and habits. However, here the typical widescreen baroque of those larger epic narratives have been replaced by something a little more focused and intimate, but these are still engaging and fun -- SFFWorld
