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The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year, Volume Five
A poet and a bear journey toward the ruins of a city in search of answers; a diminutive man seeks satisfaction within a secluded mountain cave; an elderly widow enjoys the company of a collection of robotic cowboys; the Boy Who Never Grew Up becomes an agent of Her Majesty's Secret Service; a werewolf girl joins the cast of a musical revue; a group of hardened mercenaries takes on a foolish job; a young man learns the ways of the world in the arms of a Sylvanian maiden; a teenage girl attempts to escape her domineering mother's influence aboard a cargo spaceship; an impossible flying machine departs on its maiden voyage... The depth and breadth of science fiction and fantasy fiction continues to change with every passing year. The twenty-nine stories chosen for this book by award-winning anthologist Jonathan Strahan carefully map this evolution, giving readers a captivating and always-entertaining look at the very best the genre has to offer. Jonathan Strahan has edited more than twenty anthologies and collections, including The Locus Awards (with Charles N. Brown), The New Space Opera (with Gardner Dozois), and The Starry Rift. He has won the Ditmar, William J. Atheling Jr. and Peter McNamara awards for his work as an anthologist and reviewer, and was nominated for a Hugo Award for his editorial work. Strahan is currently the reviews editor for Locus.
562 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2011
127 people are currently reading
818 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
September 9, 2017
I enjoyed some of the stories, but others I wasn't sure about - they were a bit too out there for me. And it may be that I'm just not be smart enough to "get it." Also I think I'm old fashioned as I like my stories to have a beginning, middle and end and have a character that I care about :)
September 11, 2017
Gonna rate this one 3.5 stars basing that rating on the fact that quite a few of the stories I just didn't get, some of them were confusing because they sorta felt like the middle chapters out of a larger novel others left me lost and wondering what the heck has just happened yet feeling like it was a positive experience I was happy to have had. Then there were the stories that I loved. Just gonna list them here, though I am sure many out there might exit this experience with a totally different list from mine.
The Maiden Flight of McCauley's Bellerophon
Fairest Ladies
Names for Water
Alone
The Fool Jobs
Under the Moons of Venus
Map of Seventeen
All in all, this collection was a fun ride and I am glad I read it!
The Maiden Flight of McCauley's Bellerophon
Fairest Ladies
Names for Water
Alone
The Fool Jobs
Under the Moons of Venus
Map of Seventeen
All in all, this collection was a fun ride and I am glad I read it!
October 6, 2011
As with any anthology, there were stories I loved and stories I really didn't like. Overall, I thought it started weaker than I expected, but by the the time I was done, it had won me over.
It includes:
“Elegy for a Young Elk” by Hannu Rajaniemi. I recently read his acclaimed 'Quantum Thief' and didn't love it. This story was better, but still didn't win me over. Although it was full of interesting and bizarre imagery, the story didn't really go anywhere, or seem to have a point to make.
“The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains,” by Neil Gaiman. Loved, loved, loved it. I think this is one of the most powerful, mature pieces Gaiman's written - and I like Gaiman rather a lot. A story of revenge with the feeling of a classic folk tale.
“Seven Sexy Cowboy Robots” by Sandra McDonald. It didn't do it for me. I just don't really like this type of absurdist writing. ’
“The Spy Who Never Grew Up” by Sarah Reese Brennan. Really disliked it. I recently read a feminist take on Peter Pan by Pat Cadigan that I thought was quite good, but this was not for me.
“The Aarne-Thompson Classification Revue” by Holly Black. I liked this story, though the themes were very YA. (A werewolf girl must accept herself for who she is and learn to shine as an individual.) Not sure I'd classify it as a 'best of the best,' but it was enjoyable.
“Under the Moons of Venus” by Damien Broderick “Under the Moons of Venus.” eh, again. A 'surreal' "what is real and who is crazy?" kinda piece. It reminded me strongly of J.G. Ballard's The Burning World.
“The Fool Jobs” by Joe Abercrombie. I was interested to read this, because I've heard good things about Abercrombie's novels, which I haven't gotten to reading yet. This piece seemed more like a snippet from a novel rather than a complete story. Rough fantasy mercenaries.
“Alone” by Robert Reed. The story of a little machine wandering across the face of a gigantic spaceship for millennia. That might sound a little boring, but it's not. I really liked it. Apparently the world this is set in is the setting of a dozen or so novels, which I haven't read.
“Names for Water” by Kij Johnson. Another story with a YA feel. A mysterious (crank?) phone call inspires a young woman in her career choice. All right, but not remarkable.
“Fair Ladies” by Theodora Goss. Loved it. This story made me realize that I really need to get Goss' book of short stories. This is a strong, beautiful, insightful and tragic tale of the fae.
“Plus or Minus” by James P. Kelly. Good, but not great. Apparently, this is a sequel, so perhaps if I'd read the previous story, I'd like it a little more. A rag-tag bunch of spacefarers encounter trouble, and must rise to the occasion. I didn't really see the conclusion coming.
“The Man with the Knives” by Ellen Kushner. Loved it. But then, I love her Riverside books. You should have read those, and be familiar with the characters, to really appreciate this story.
“The Jammie Dodgers and the Adventure of the Leicester Square Screening” by Cory Doctorow. Loved it. A tale of disenfranchised youth with a cyberpunk-y feel. It's a 'small' story, about a minor accomplishment - but the emotional impact is far from small.
“The Maiden Flight of McAuley’s Bellerophon” by Elizabeth Hand. I've read most of Elizabeth Hand’s work, and I usually almost love it - but with reservations. No reservations here. This is a beautiful, mysterious, weird and wonderful story. If you like archives, history, the early days of flight and innovation... check it out.
“The Miracle Aquilina” by Margo Lanagan. A strong feminist tale about martyrdom and a woman's strength.
“The Taste of Night” by Pat Cadigan. I wouldn't call this a science-fiction story at all. But it is a touching and horrific depiction of the ravages of a medical anomaly.
“The Exterminator’s Want-Ad” by Bruce Sterling. A funny, ironic story of after the revolution... I enjoyed it, but I wouldn't say it is one of Sterling's major works.
“Map of Seventeen” by Christopher Barzak. A teenage girl's gay brother comes back to his small town to live... with his new boyfriend. But although they're not hiding that they're gay, the boyfriend has a bigger secret... A sweet and magical story.
“The Naturalist” by Maureen F. McHugh. I've loved everything that McHugh has ever published, and this is no exception. A good, nasty zombie story, with shades of 'Escape From New York.'
“Sins of the Father” by Sara Genge. An original take on "The Little Mermaid" type of story. Equally tragic, although in a very different way.
“The Sultan of the Clouds” by Geoffrey A. Landis. Maybe it's just the combination of the title and the author's name, but I just couldn't help thinking of Lando Calrissian and Cloud City while reading this. There are other parallels as well... A short adventure that I felt might work better as a novel than a short story.
“Iteration” by John Kessel. What if you could change just one thing about the world, every day? In this story, the results are somewhat vague and disorienting.
“The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn” by Diana Peterfreund. A really good story, although I didn't really think it was necessary that the dangerous, predatory creatures were unicorns. YA themse again, about pursuing a path that is neither what family or society picks out for you... but done very well.
“The Night Train” by Lavie Tidhar. The first line: “Her name wasn’t Molly and she didn’t wear shades, reflective or otherwise.” Yeah, and Tidhar isn't William Gibson.
“Still Life (A Sexagesimal Fairy Tale)” by Ian Tregillis. In a land without time, a clockmaker messes with things in order to try to win the man she loves. Some nice ideas and imagery, but I was completely unconvinced that the character, as she was portrayed, would sacrifice herself for this guy.
“Amor Vincit Omnia” by K.J. Parker. A very classic fantasy tale of power struggles amongst wizards. It's also very good; I loved the conclusion.
“The Things” by Peter Watts. Interesting story from the perspective of a Borg-like alien who doesn't comprehend the idea of individual consciousness. Good, but I found the first-person narration to be somewhat awkward and inconsistent with the perspective of the character.
“The Zeppelin Conductor’s Society Annual Gentleman’s Ball” by Genevieve Valentine. (Is that a real name for a steampunk author? I have my doubts.) Well, it is critical of the society that it creates, as so much steampunk is. It's tragic, grotesque, and intentionally bizarre. But I didn't love it.
“The Lady Who Plucked Red Flowers Beneath the Queen’s Window” by Rachel Swirsky. The spirit of a powerful woman is called into service by many sorcerers, throughout the ages. However, regardless of her experiences, she is unable to transcend the prejudices of her youth. Nice, well-realized story.
It includes:
“Elegy for a Young Elk” by Hannu Rajaniemi. I recently read his acclaimed 'Quantum Thief' and didn't love it. This story was better, but still didn't win me over. Although it was full of interesting and bizarre imagery, the story didn't really go anywhere, or seem to have a point to make.
“The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains,” by Neil Gaiman. Loved, loved, loved it. I think this is one of the most powerful, mature pieces Gaiman's written - and I like Gaiman rather a lot. A story of revenge with the feeling of a classic folk tale.
“Seven Sexy Cowboy Robots” by Sandra McDonald. It didn't do it for me. I just don't really like this type of absurdist writing. ’
“The Spy Who Never Grew Up” by Sarah Reese Brennan. Really disliked it. I recently read a feminist take on Peter Pan by Pat Cadigan that I thought was quite good, but this was not for me.
“The Aarne-Thompson Classification Revue” by Holly Black. I liked this story, though the themes were very YA. (A werewolf girl must accept herself for who she is and learn to shine as an individual.) Not sure I'd classify it as a 'best of the best,' but it was enjoyable.
“Under the Moons of Venus” by Damien Broderick “Under the Moons of Venus.” eh, again. A 'surreal' "what is real and who is crazy?" kinda piece. It reminded me strongly of J.G. Ballard's The Burning World.
“The Fool Jobs” by Joe Abercrombie. I was interested to read this, because I've heard good things about Abercrombie's novels, which I haven't gotten to reading yet. This piece seemed more like a snippet from a novel rather than a complete story. Rough fantasy mercenaries.
“Alone” by Robert Reed. The story of a little machine wandering across the face of a gigantic spaceship for millennia. That might sound a little boring, but it's not. I really liked it. Apparently the world this is set in is the setting of a dozen or so novels, which I haven't read.
“Names for Water” by Kij Johnson. Another story with a YA feel. A mysterious (crank?) phone call inspires a young woman in her career choice. All right, but not remarkable.
“Fair Ladies” by Theodora Goss. Loved it. This story made me realize that I really need to get Goss' book of short stories. This is a strong, beautiful, insightful and tragic tale of the fae.
“Plus or Minus” by James P. Kelly. Good, but not great. Apparently, this is a sequel, so perhaps if I'd read the previous story, I'd like it a little more. A rag-tag bunch of spacefarers encounter trouble, and must rise to the occasion. I didn't really see the conclusion coming.
“The Man with the Knives” by Ellen Kushner. Loved it. But then, I love her Riverside books. You should have read those, and be familiar with the characters, to really appreciate this story.
“The Jammie Dodgers and the Adventure of the Leicester Square Screening” by Cory Doctorow. Loved it. A tale of disenfranchised youth with a cyberpunk-y feel. It's a 'small' story, about a minor accomplishment - but the emotional impact is far from small.
“The Maiden Flight of McAuley’s Bellerophon” by Elizabeth Hand. I've read most of Elizabeth Hand’s work, and I usually almost love it - but with reservations. No reservations here. This is a beautiful, mysterious, weird and wonderful story. If you like archives, history, the early days of flight and innovation... check it out.
“The Miracle Aquilina” by Margo Lanagan. A strong feminist tale about martyrdom and a woman's strength.
“The Taste of Night” by Pat Cadigan. I wouldn't call this a science-fiction story at all. But it is a touching and horrific depiction of the ravages of a medical anomaly.
“The Exterminator’s Want-Ad” by Bruce Sterling. A funny, ironic story of after the revolution... I enjoyed it, but I wouldn't say it is one of Sterling's major works.
“Map of Seventeen” by Christopher Barzak. A teenage girl's gay brother comes back to his small town to live... with his new boyfriend. But although they're not hiding that they're gay, the boyfriend has a bigger secret... A sweet and magical story.
“The Naturalist” by Maureen F. McHugh. I've loved everything that McHugh has ever published, and this is no exception. A good, nasty zombie story, with shades of 'Escape From New York.'
“Sins of the Father” by Sara Genge. An original take on "The Little Mermaid" type of story. Equally tragic, although in a very different way.
“The Sultan of the Clouds” by Geoffrey A. Landis. Maybe it's just the combination of the title and the author's name, but I just couldn't help thinking of Lando Calrissian and Cloud City while reading this. There are other parallels as well... A short adventure that I felt might work better as a novel than a short story.
“Iteration” by John Kessel. What if you could change just one thing about the world, every day? In this story, the results are somewhat vague and disorienting.
“The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn” by Diana Peterfreund. A really good story, although I didn't really think it was necessary that the dangerous, predatory creatures were unicorns. YA themse again, about pursuing a path that is neither what family or society picks out for you... but done very well.
“The Night Train” by Lavie Tidhar. The first line: “Her name wasn’t Molly and she didn’t wear shades, reflective or otherwise.” Yeah, and Tidhar isn't William Gibson.
“Still Life (A Sexagesimal Fairy Tale)” by Ian Tregillis. In a land without time, a clockmaker messes with things in order to try to win the man she loves. Some nice ideas and imagery, but I was completely unconvinced that the character, as she was portrayed, would sacrifice herself for this guy.
“Amor Vincit Omnia” by K.J. Parker. A very classic fantasy tale of power struggles amongst wizards. It's also very good; I loved the conclusion.
“The Things” by Peter Watts. Interesting story from the perspective of a Borg-like alien who doesn't comprehend the idea of individual consciousness. Good, but I found the first-person narration to be somewhat awkward and inconsistent with the perspective of the character.
“The Zeppelin Conductor’s Society Annual Gentleman’s Ball” by Genevieve Valentine. (Is that a real name for a steampunk author? I have my doubts.) Well, it is critical of the society that it creates, as so much steampunk is. It's tragic, grotesque, and intentionally bizarre. But I didn't love it.
“The Lady Who Plucked Red Flowers Beneath the Queen’s Window” by Rachel Swirsky. The spirit of a powerful woman is called into service by many sorcerers, throughout the ages. However, regardless of her experiences, she is unable to transcend the prejudices of her youth. Nice, well-realized story.
May 19, 2021
There is a Neil Gaiman short story included in this anthology called "The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains" that I have been hunting for. There was a picture book, an audio book (read by Gaiman) and a BBC orchestrated production of Gaiman reading the story with illustrations in the background. All I could get my hands on was this. So I read only the Neil Gaiman story. It is a great short story, fairy tale-like, about revenge, and set in a misty, rainy Irish kind of place. I do wish I had the illustrated version. Unlike other of Gaiman's short stories, this is friendly for kids, older kids.
May 22, 2011
2010 was a great year for novellas.
March 11, 2020
Most collections have a few stories that will capture your imagination, but the rest will seem pedestrian and fall flat. This anthology hit all the right notes. Each story sang to me.
July 24, 2014
Několik poznámek k autorům, které ještě moc dobře neznám (Doctorow, Gaiman, Reed apod. prozkoumáni):
James P. Kelly - Plus minus - realistické space dobrodružství, v kontextu Leviatana moc fajn.
Ellen Kushnerová - Ten s noži - takové nostalgickké fantasy, které rozechvívá.
Elizabeth Handová - Panenský let... - chuť beznadějnosti, neskutečna, přátelství a touhy. Remarkable.
Sara Gengeová - Otcovy hříchy - o mořském muži a jeho vyhnanství na souši. Zajímavá vize budoucnosti, lidská.
Diana Peterfreundová - Jak pečovat o mládě vraždícího jednorožce - Hodně zajímavé pojetí jednorožců. Chtěla bych ten svět znát lépe. .-)
Lavie Tidhar - Noční vlak - trochu sci-fi, kyberpunk, bioinženýrství. Nápadité, svižně napsané.
Rachel Swirskyová - Paní, která rozsypala rudé květy - svěží fantasy s velkým časovým rozsahem.
James P. Kelly - Plus minus - realistické space dobrodružství, v kontextu Leviatana moc fajn.
Ellen Kushnerová - Ten s noži - takové nostalgickké fantasy, které rozechvívá.
Elizabeth Handová - Panenský let... - chuť beznadějnosti, neskutečna, přátelství a touhy. Remarkable.
Sara Gengeová - Otcovy hříchy - o mořském muži a jeho vyhnanství na souši. Zajímavá vize budoucnosti, lidská.
Diana Peterfreundová - Jak pečovat o mládě vraždícího jednorožce - Hodně zajímavé pojetí jednorožců. Chtěla bych ten svět znát lépe. .-)
Lavie Tidhar - Noční vlak - trochu sci-fi, kyberpunk, bioinženýrství. Nápadité, svižně napsané.
Rachel Swirskyová - Paní, která rozsypala rudé květy - svěží fantasy s velkým časovým rozsahem.
Currently reading
May 21, 2024"The Zeppelin Conductor’s Society Annual Gentlemen’s Ball" by Genevieve Valentine - A woman tears through the side of an airship, preferring to fall to her death, rather than be gang-raped by the airship's crew.
"The Exterminator’s Want-Ad" by Bruce Sterling - A termite exterminator writes a want-ad for an intern but the story is really more of a social commentary and he's looking for a girlfriend.
"Sins of the Father" by Sara Genge - A merman who betrayed his people has no choice but to send his pregnant wife back to his mother beneath the waves after the crop fails.
"The Aarne-Thompson Classification Revue" by Holly Black - When Nadia the werewolf transforms onstage she's the hit of the show.
"The Exterminator’s Want-Ad" by Bruce Sterling - A termite exterminator writes a want-ad for an intern but the story is really more of a social commentary and he's looking for a girlfriend.
"Sins of the Father" by Sara Genge - A merman who betrayed his people has no choice but to send his pregnant wife back to his mother beneath the waves after the crop fails.
"The Aarne-Thompson Classification Revue" by Holly Black - When Nadia the werewolf transforms onstage she's the hit of the show.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2018
Muy buena colección, hay tres o cuatro cuentos que son muy inferiores al resto pero la gran mayoría varían entre buenos y excelentes. Still Life, The Lady Who Plucked Red Flowers Beneath the Queen’s Window y Amor Vincit Omnia fueron mis favoritos. The Things es particularmente interesante.
September 13, 2023
This is a particularly good volume. Often I only like about 30 to 40% of the short stories within on this one I tended to like about 75 to 80%. My favorite story being alone. There's some real weird stuff in here and that's right up my alley.
November 17, 2024
there were a few stories here i thought were pretty good. even a couple of authors that i looked up and added some of their stuff to my TBR. but most were not worth while. i am also not a fan of treating science fiction and fantasy as identical genres.
September 1, 2017
If this is a fair representation of the best science fiction and fantasy of this particular year, I'll stick to reading stuff that was published fifty years ago.
June 20, 2018
As with any collection, not all of them were to my taste, but I enjoyed most of them. A very good selection.
April 2, 2019
Disgusting what passes as the best SF&F nowadays
April 29, 2019
This was just okay. So many stories, I skipped over. The best of the ones I read was "The Things," by Peter Watts.
October 3, 2020
There were about 4-5 really good stories. The rest were okay, decent. Only ended up skipping two or so.
March 20, 2017
Pohlad votrelca ktory asimyluje tabor od Petra Wattsa - Veci. Ako sa starat o mlada vrazdiaceho jednorozca od Diany Peterfreundovej. Kyberpunk zo slimakom od Thidara. Ukradnute HTC mi vycarilo blizku buducnost. Sedem umelych sexy kovbojov od McDonaldovej. Posrata praca sa citala jednym dychom od Joe Abercrombie alebo Jediny - chodec vesmirnej lode od Reeda bola top.
June 14, 2011
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
This is a weighty tome and kept me happily reading for a number of hours. I am always dubious about the so-called 'best-of' when it comes to fiction - I find it far more subjective and personal than films. As such I would not normally purchase these types of books but I am glad to get the opportunity to read this book though. That isn't to say that I loved every story within - it's just that I would have missed some fantastic stories that I wouldn't have had the opportunity to read otherwise.
I dived straight to the stories from the authors that I knew and liked - Bruce Sterling and Neil Gaiman. I wasn't to be let down. Neil Gaiman works his usual magic of merging the mystical and fantastical into our world with a story about a man in search of a legendary treasure within Scotland during the time of the Border Reavers. As to be expected from Gaiman, not all is as it seems. Bruce Sterling provides an innovative tale in a dystopian setting called 'The Exterminator's Want-Ad' in which an Exterminator writes a 'want-ad' for an employee. This want-ad actually takes the form of the recent history of the employer as he tries to explain why the fact that he is an ex-criminal should not be held against him. Sterling has a wry look at current 'oddities' in today's world such as the virtual economies within MMORPGs that have created real world economies.
My personal favourite in the collection is 'The Zeppelin Conductors' Society Annual Gentlemen's Ball' by Genevieve Valentine. In an alternate history Helium filled Zeppelin's have risen to be the pre-eminent mode of transport in late Victorian era. This has had an effect on the conductor's whose bodies have stretched and changed due to their long periods at high altitudes in a helium atmosphere. The depth of the description is wonderful and you can just imagine being above the clouds working amongst the iron girders that form these leviathans skeleton.
There are many more worthy stories within and I am sure that a fantasy and/or sci-fi fan will find at least a handful of stories that they will enjoy whiling away a few hours reading.
This is a weighty tome and kept me happily reading for a number of hours. I am always dubious about the so-called 'best-of' when it comes to fiction - I find it far more subjective and personal than films. As such I would not normally purchase these types of books but I am glad to get the opportunity to read this book though. That isn't to say that I loved every story within - it's just that I would have missed some fantastic stories that I wouldn't have had the opportunity to read otherwise.
I dived straight to the stories from the authors that I knew and liked - Bruce Sterling and Neil Gaiman. I wasn't to be let down. Neil Gaiman works his usual magic of merging the mystical and fantastical into our world with a story about a man in search of a legendary treasure within Scotland during the time of the Border Reavers. As to be expected from Gaiman, not all is as it seems. Bruce Sterling provides an innovative tale in a dystopian setting called 'The Exterminator's Want-Ad' in which an Exterminator writes a 'want-ad' for an employee. This want-ad actually takes the form of the recent history of the employer as he tries to explain why the fact that he is an ex-criminal should not be held against him. Sterling has a wry look at current 'oddities' in today's world such as the virtual economies within MMORPGs that have created real world economies.
My personal favourite in the collection is 'The Zeppelin Conductors' Society Annual Gentlemen's Ball' by Genevieve Valentine. In an alternate history Helium filled Zeppelin's have risen to be the pre-eminent mode of transport in late Victorian era. This has had an effect on the conductor's whose bodies have stretched and changed due to their long periods at high altitudes in a helium atmosphere. The depth of the description is wonderful and you can just imagine being above the clouds working amongst the iron girders that form these leviathans skeleton.
There are many more worthy stories within and I am sure that a fantasy and/or sci-fi fan will find at least a handful of stories that they will enjoy whiling away a few hours reading.
May 23, 2020
“Elegy For A Young Elk,” by Hannu Rajaniemi: 6.5
- It’s not always a fun thing, solving puzzles.
- It’s not always a fun thing, solving puzzles.
April 11, 2012
As usual, this anthology had some stories I enjoyed quite a bit and others that bored me enough to stop reading them. My favorites were:
- "Amor Vincit Omnia" - I love K. J. Parker's Studium setting. Academia? Magic? Scheming "natural philosophers" a.k.a. wizards who don't want to call themselves wizards? Sign me up! I just wish there were an actual novel set in this world.
- "The Care and Feeding of your Baby Killer Unicorn" - Coming of age story, with a protagonist who I liked immediately.
- "Map of Seventeen" - another coming of age story (see a theme?), with some social commentary about homophobia
- "The Miracle Aquilina" - about a woman who takes strength how she can in a very misogynistic world.
- "Amor Vincit Omnia" - I love K. J. Parker's Studium setting. Academia? Magic? Scheming "natural philosophers" a.k.a. wizards who don't want to call themselves wizards? Sign me up! I just wish there were an actual novel set in this world.
- "The Care and Feeding of your Baby Killer Unicorn" - Coming of age story, with a protagonist who I liked immediately.
- "Map of Seventeen" - another coming of age story (see a theme?), with some social commentary about homophobia
- "The Miracle Aquilina" - about a woman who takes strength how she can in a very misogynistic world.
February 17, 2015
This was better than I first imagined. The Robert Reed story completely took me by surprise. I didn't really enjoy Reed's Marrow, but "Alone," which takes place in the Marrow Universe is nothing short of miraculous.
If you're casting about for a collection of SF/F, this is a solid volume that should please most readers. I did think that some of the stories lost their luster toward the end, but still, 4 out of 5 ain't bad. And I'm rather stingy with the stars.
If you're casting about for a collection of SF/F, this is a solid volume that should please most readers. I did think that some of the stories lost their luster toward the end, but still, 4 out of 5 ain't bad. And I'm rather stingy with the stars.
September 17, 2015
Some of my favorite stories I'd already read in the same year's collection by Dozois (the ones by Watts, Reed, Landis, Rajaniemi) but I was glad read them again. I have a hard time rating short stories because it's always a mixed bag. Rate as a whole (how the stories flow/fit together)? Rate an average of each story?
It's somehow even harder for a collection of sci fi AND fantasy. Overall, there were some I just couldn't get into at all, but I'd say that was about 20% of them. Another 50% were pretty good, and 30% I really liked. I was glad for the fantasy. Need to expand my horizons!
It's somehow even harder for a collection of sci fi AND fantasy. Overall, there were some I just couldn't get into at all, but I'd say that was about 20% of them. Another 50% were pretty good, and 30% I really liked. I was glad for the fantasy. Need to expand my horizons!
August 17, 2011
Ahhhh...one story in this anthology took my breath away: Names for Water by Kij Johnson. I actually had a shiver of wonder and felt the hair raise on the back of my neck when I finished it, simply stunning writing. So many of the other stories were gorgeous, silly or dark...I might have to reread this one!!
February 9, 2012
Katharine is a judge for the Aurealis Awards. This review is the personal opinion of Katharine herself, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of any judging panel, the judging coordinator or the Aurealis Awards management team.
To be safe, I won't be recording my review here until after the AA are over.
To be safe, I won't be recording my review here until after the AA are over.
August 13, 2015
A wonderful collection of stories that will make you a fan.
This is a diverse collection of short stories that will interest all but some you will love more than others based on your personal preference. Sci-fi and fantasy together to take your mind off to the far reaches of space, time, and fantastic worlds.
This is a diverse collection of short stories that will interest all but some you will love more than others based on your personal preference. Sci-fi and fantasy together to take your mind off to the far reaches of space, time, and fantastic worlds.
October 8, 2011
Several stories in this were amazing, and I'm glad I slogged through the awful bits. Here's a breakdown of what I liked best. A+: Johnson, Watts, Swirsky. A: Rajaniemi, Abercrombie, Parker. B+: Reed, Goss, Landis. B: McDonald, Broderick, Kelly, Cadigan, Sterling, Peterfreund, Tidhar.
October 14, 2011
LOVED IT!! Particularly Map of 17 by Christopher Barzak
BLURB SYNOPSIS:The twenty-nine stories chosen for this book by award-winning anthologist Jonathan Strahan carefully map this evolution.
BLURB SYNOPSIS:The twenty-nine stories chosen for this book by award-winning anthologist Jonathan Strahan carefully map this evolution.
January 31, 2015
Less than halfway through it. Got from library, renewed, but was due back. Loved what I'd read so far. Just too much else going on to read it enough in time. Will check out again later.
April 30, 2015
Some great stories, a couple really spoke to me.
April 18, 2017
A good collect6ion of varied types of stories. Well worth the time.
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