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Hugo & Nebula Award Winning Stories from Asimov's Science Fiction

This brand new collection of super (and award-winning) science fiction stories and novellas--the first to present winners of both Hugo and Nebula awards in the same volume--features works by such noted authors as Terry Bisson, John Varley, George R.R. Martin, Connie Willis, Robert Silverberg, Greg Bear, and others.

Contents:
Unicorn variations / Roger Zelazny --
Fire watch / Connie Willis --
Hardfought / Greg Bear --
Peacemaker / Gardner Dozois --
Speech Sounds / Octavia Butler
Press enter / John Varley --
Portraits of his children / George R.R. Martin --
Rachel in love / Pat Murphy --
Why I left Harry's all-night hamburgers / Lawrence Watt-Evans --
Ripples in the Dirac Sea / Geoffrey A. Landis --
Boobs / Suzy McKee Charnas --
Manamouki / Mike Resnick --
Bears discover fire / Terry Bisson --
Beggars in Spain / Nancy Kress --
Barnacle Bill the spacer /Lucius Shepard --
Danny goes to Mars / Pamela Sargent
Nutcracker coup / Janet Kagan.

558 pages, Hardcover

First published December 13, 1995

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About the author

Sheila Williams

283 books85 followers
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Sheila Williams is the editor of Asimov's Science Fiction magazine. She is also the recipient of the 2012 Hugo Award for Best Editor, Short Form.

Sheila grew up in a family of five in western Massachusetts. Her mother had a master's degree in microbiology. Ms. Williams’ interest in science fiction came from her father who read Edgar Rice Burroughs books to her as a child. Later Ms. Williams received a bachelor's degree from Elmira College in Elmira, New York, although she studied at the London School of Economics during her junior year. She received her Master's from Washington University in St. Louis. She is married to David Bruce and has two daughters.

She became interested in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine (as it was then titled) while studying philosophy at Washington University. In 1982 she was hired at the magazine, and worked with Isaac Asimov for ten years. While working there, she co-founded the Dell Magazines Award for Undergraduate Excellence in Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing (at one time called the Isaac Asimov Award for Undergraduate Excellence in Science Fiction and Fantasy writing). In 2004, with the retirement of Gardner Dozois, she became the editor of the magazine.

Along with Gardner Dozois she also edited the "Isaac Asimov's" anthology series. She also co-edited A Woman's Liberation: A Choice of Futures by and About Women (2001) with Connie Willis. Most recently she has edited a retrospective anthology of fiction published by Asimov's: Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine: 30th Anniversary Anthology. Booklist called the book "A gem, and a credit to editor Williams."
She has been nominated for 4 Hugo Awards as editor of Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine.

See also Sheila Williams's entry in the Internet Speculative Fiction Database.

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5 stars
15 (38%)
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Profile Image for Austin Beeman.
150 reviews14 followers
November 12, 2021
HUGO AND NEBULA AWARD WINNERS FROM ASIMOV'S SCIENCE FICTION.

RATED 97% POSITIVE. STORY SCORE = 4.41 / 5

17 STORIES : 8 GREAT / 8 GOOD / 1 AVERAGE / 0 POOR / 0 DNF

If you had to find an anthology from the 1980s that could compete with The Science Fiction Hall of Fame (1929-1964), you would be hard pressed to find a better choice than Sheila Williams collection of these award winners. While there are certainly other stories one might want to include, you certainly wouldn’t be WRONG.


This was part of the “Golden Age” for Asimov’s Science Fiction and it shows why that magazine is considered on of Science Fiction’s greatest. Even the ‘merely’ good stories within are crisp, relevant, and inventive.

The Great stories are among the finest in the history of the genre …. and there are EIGHT OF THEM!

Fire Watch • (1982) • novelette by Connie Willis. Riveting time travel. Rich in detail and full of emotion. A man is sent back to the London Blitz around St Paul Cathedral. He is not to interfere, but becomes increasingly drawn to the church. In part, because he knows its destiny in his own era.

Speech Sounds • (1983) • short story by Octavia E. Butler [as by Octavia Butler]. A global “event” has left most of the world without the ability speak, read, or write. One woman tries to navigate this strange and hostile landscape. Butler always balances the smart science fictional with the brutally painful human lives it affects.

Press Enter ▮? • (1984) • novella by John Varley. There is some AI Sci-Fi stuff here, but the heart of this story is a riveting character study of a Korean War veteran and a young Asian woman who is investigating the apparent suicide of a neighborhood computer hacker.

Rachel in Love • (1987) • novelette by Pat Murphy. A young girl’s mind is placed in a chimpanzee’s body after death by the girl’s father. When he dies and the ape is taken by scientists, Rachel must find a way to escape to a better life..

Why I Left Harry's All-Night Hamburgers • (1987) • short story by Lawrence Watt-Evans. This has ‘sense of wonder’ in spades. It is a heartwarming piece of SF Americana. A young man works nights in a diner that caters to strange beings from all over.

Ripples in the Dirac Sea • (1988) • short story by Geoffrey A. Landis. A time traveler lives multiple lives in the past, but always must return to a roaring fire … and his death.

The Manamouki • (1990) • novelette by Mike Resnick. Part of Resnick’s excellent Kirinyaga series about a terraformed planet that tries to recreate a lost historical Africa. New settlers want desperately to join that society, but will they be able to leave their old lives behind? This series has so many difficult quandaries and moral challenges throughout and this story is no exception.

Beggars in Spain • [Sleepless] • (1991) • novella by Nancy Kress. Children are altered to beborn without the need for sleep and have a huge advantage over those who do. Society’s reaction is violent. This is Kress’ masterpiece and a challenging story about the inequalities of birth, status, wealth, and more. It is also a haunting look into a possible future.

***

Unicorn Variations • (1981) • novelette by Roger Zelazny

Good. A quickly story about a solo traveler who plays chess against a unicorn for the future of the human race.

Fire Watch • (1982) • novelette by Connie Willis

Great. Superbly suspenseful time travel story about a man sent back to the London Blitz and gets a deep personal connection to St Paul’s Cathedral.

Hardfought • (1983) • novella by Greg Bear

Good. The pivotal moment of a long war between humans and a strange alien race called the Senexi is told by alternating POV between aliens and alien-like humans. Complicated and very inventive.

The Peacemaker • (1983) • short story by Gardner Dozois

Good. An interesting slice of dystopian life as a young boy has a spiritual purpose in a flooded earth.

Speech Sounds • (1983) • short story by Octavia E. Butler [as by Octavia Butler]

Great. A global “event” has left most of the world without the ability speak, read, or write. One woman tries to navigate this strange and hostile landscape.

Press Enter ▮? • (1984) • novella by John Varley

Great. A riveting character study of a Korean War veteran and a young Asian woman is investigating the apparent suicide of a neighborhood computer hacker.

Portraits of His Children • (1985) • novelette by George R. R. Martin

Good. A horrifying fantasy where an author’s important characters come back to haunt him. First as painting and then more tangible.

Rachel in Love • (1987) • novelette by Pat Murphy

Great. A young girl’s mind is placed in a chimpanzee’s body after death by the girl’s father. When he dies and the ape is taken by scientists, Rachel must find a way to escape to a better life..

Why I Left Harry's All-Night Hamburgers • (1987) • short story by Lawrence Watt-Evans

Great. Heartwarming piece of SF Americana. A young man works nights in a diner that caters to strange beings from all over.

Ripples in the Dirac Sea • (1988) • short story by Geoffrey A. Landis

Great. A time traveler lives multiple lives in the past, but always must return to a roaring fire … and his death.

Boobs • (1989) • short story by Suzy McKee Charnas

Good. A classic female puberty as werewolf story.

The Manamouki • (1990) • novelette by Mike Resnick

Great. A terraformed planet tries to recreate a lost historical Africa. New settlers want desperately to join that society, but will they be able to leave their old lives behind?

Bears Discover Fire • (1990) • short story by Terry Bisson

Good. Bears seem to have discovered fire and are monopolizing the medians of highways in the American South.

Beggars in Spain • [Sleepless] • (1991) • novella by Nancy Kress

Great. Children are altered to beborn without the need for sleep and have a huge advantage over those who do. Society’s reaction is violent. This is Kress’ masterpiece and a challenging story about the inequalities of birth, status, wealth, and more. It is also a haunting look into a possible future.

Barnacle Bill the Spacer • (1992) • novella by Lucius Shepard

Good. A gritty space station story of a man who kinda adopts a mentally handicapped young man when a death cult targets him. Wide and expansive. Full of violent action.

Danny Goes to Mars • (1992) • novelette by Pamela Sargent

Average. Vice President Dan Quayle (although never directly named as such) is sent on a Mars Mission for political purposes and has to take charge after a horrible accident. A good enough story that suffers badly from its disconnection to the time and politicians being referenced.

The Nutcracker Coup • (1992) • novelette by Janet Kagan

Good. An ambassador inspires a Christmas uprising by an alien race against a leader who clips their quills.
Profile Image for Jim.
268 reviews22 followers
April 25, 2022
I have to give this anthology 5-stars because of all the 5-star classic stories:

Trying to pick my favorites from this volume is hard, extremely hard. It makes me realize the difficulty of comparing stories. Is "Rachel in Love" better than "Beggars in Spain?" What are the criteria for comparing and ranking science fiction stories? Is it the science fiction? Is it the storytelling? Is it the writing? Is it the personal emotional connection? Is it the innovation or style?

Stories I'd put on my Top 100 Favorite SF Short Stories list:

+ “Press Enter ▮” by John Varley
+ "Rachel in Love" by Pat Murphy
+ "Beggars in Spain" by Nancy Kress
+ "Why I Left Harry's All-Night Hamburgers" by Lawrence Watt-Evans

Stories I'd consider for that list if I had room.

+ "Bears Discover Fire" by Terry Bisson
+ "Speech Sounds" by Octavia Butler
+ "The Manamouki" by Mike Resnick

Stories that wouldn't make the Top 100 but maybe the Top 200

+ "The Nutcracker Coup" by Janet Kagan
+ "Ripples in the Dirac Sea" by Geoffrey A. Landis
+ "Portraits of His Children" by George R. R. Martin
+ "Fire Watch" by Connie Willis
+ "Barnacle Bill the Spacer" by Lucius Shepard
Profile Image for Andrew Brooks.
764 reviews22 followers
March 14, 2024
If you're an SF reader, you will likely have read at least some of these stories elsewhere, but with this book you have ALL the best SF written in the eighties I think.
I wish there was another book identical except composed of winners from the nineties!
Profile Image for Amberly.
799 reviews42 followers
May 22, 2022
This book okay and I like the withing. Both the atmosphere and ending was fine. The paced of plot was fine. the cover of book was okay. The characters were okay but they were bit bland and needed be to be flash out bit more.
Profile Image for Midu Hadi.
Author 3 books180 followers
February 18, 2017
February 2017-- A Wrap Up  

 
Old Faves in New Flavors
 
The Hobbit Graphic Novel
The novel stayed true to the book. However, I wasn't too impressed with the artwork. It could have been more attractive. Given that I've just finished reading Monstress, it is no surprise that everything else looks almost dull in comparison!
 

 
 
Words that have always made me sad and touched my heart:
 

 
Outtakes from the Grave
 
This book is solely for the readers who have loved the Night Huntress series. It contains deleted scenes and different versions that were scrapped for various reasons. It was a good way to revisit the duo that we'd all miss now that the series has ended. Since I have added books from the two spinoff series to my TBR recently, I'm guessing I'll come across Cat & Bones there too.
 
 
 
Holocaust Horrors
 
X-Men: Magneto Testament
 
Since I read this first, I didn't realize how heavily inspired it was by the book, Night by Elie Wiesel. Even so, I loved it, both for the content and the art. A scene that stayed with me was about the girl Magneto is trying to save. She is found among dead bodies and is found to have survived because she remembered what he had said to her & had hidden herself in the pile.
 

 
Night
 
What I liked about this book was that the author wasn't interested in getting people to feel sorry for them. Instead, their objective was to prevent such a catastrophe from happening again. That is one of the reasons why the book felt much more authentic to me than The Book Thief ever did. Of course, the fact that the author lived through the events has a lot to do with that, as well.
 
I think this quote from the book says it all:
 

 
Eye-Candiliciousness
 
Hellboy, Vol. 1: Seed of Destruction
 
Find my mini-review here.
 
 
Monstress, Vol 1: Awakening
 

 
 
Everybody has been talking about this, so I'll just say that you might wanna check it out for yourself.
 
Asimov's Science Fiction
 
Detailed review here.
 
February was a good month. I read more graphic novels than I usually read and it is always good to try new things.
 
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Katie Cat Books.
1,168 reviews
November 19, 2016
A great collection of award-winning authors.

Pacing: 17 stories in 558 pages. With a variety of stories, pacing of course varies. Most stories are around 20 pages, so you get a nice sampling of how the authors' longer novels would be.

Story: There are a variety of stories here from time-travel to other world experiences. Again, something for everyone and a chance to try a short version of new authors.

Frame: Some stories are action-oriented and others are light hearted and humorous. Characters include the regular guy off the block and non-human characters. Something for everyone.

Overall, this collection is better than many other "annual" or "best of" collections, because these authors really are award winners and the best of the best. At over 500 pages it's a hefty volume, but at the end of it you are left wanting to read more award winning authors and more from the same authors included in the book.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews