This book was gifted to me, and it took me a year or two to get to it. The collection was an interesting mix of stories. The first one was kind of gross, but I still felt compelled to read it. If you're going to read this, then take heart that it's the only one. I wouldn't have chosen to lead with that story. A few stories fell flat, but most were 4-5 stars. There are a couple of real gems in here. 

I'm a casual science fiction reader. I think this book could appeal to hard-core fans like the person who gave this to me. They vary in style, substance, and strangeness. It is a solid collection. I wasn't familiar with any of the authors, but I am with a couple of translators as I'm a Japanese literature fan.