Asimov's Science Fiction, March/April 2018

by Sheila Williams (Editor), Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Contributor), Bill Johnson (Contributor)

NOVELLAS

“Dix” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
“Bury Me in the Rainbow” by Bill Johnson

NOVELETTES

“A Threnody for Hazan” by Ray Nayler
“Seven Months Out and Two to Go” by Rachel Swirsky & Trace Yulie

SHORT STORIES

“Artisanal Trucking, LLC” by Mary Robinette Kowal
“Queen of the River: the Harbor Hope” by James Van Pelt
“Emojis” by Rudy Rucker
“Love Songs for the Very Awful” by Robert Reed
“The Billows of Sarto” by Sean Monaghan
“The Waiting Room: the Pedia’s Story” by James Gunn
“Attack on Terminal: the Pilgrims’ Story” by James Gunn
“In Event of Moon Disaster” by Rich Larson
“Because Reasons” by Alexandra Renwick

POETRY

"The Evolutionary Race" by Peter Payack
"When Time-Travelers from the Future Finally Reach Us" by Darrell Schweitzer
"Is it True? It’s Not True" by Jane Yolen
"Palate of the Babel Fish" by Todd Dillard
"Your Clone Defies Aging" by Robert Frazier

DEPARTMENTS

"Editorial: More Words About Some Words" by Sheila Williams
"Reflections: Rereading Fletcher Pratt" by Robert Silverberg
"On the Net: Is the Internet Broken?" by James Patrick Kelly
"In Memoriam: Kit Reed"
"Next Issue"
"On Books" by Peter Heck
"The SF Conventional Calendar" by Erwin S. Strauss

Cover Art by Jeff Brown

Genres: Science Fiction Fantasy, Short Stories

209 pages, Perfectbound

First published January 1, 2018

About the author

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.

Reviews

[Gerhard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember receiving Asimov’s via ‘snail mail’ when Isaac Asimov was still alive, and ebooks a figment of SF itself. Now I have a painless subscription that delivers the latest issue to my Kindle … where it invariably accumulates in an electronic ‘to read’ heap. A 2018 reading goal has been to catch up with my magazine / short story reading in particular. Asimov’s remains the premier short fiction outlet for SF. The first issue of 2018 showcases just how vibrant and innovative it continues to be. The bimonthly format does allow for longer pieces and/or more short stories. Inevitably not all the stories are equally strong, or will appeal to the same readers, but Asimov’s continues to be an important barometer of the health of the SF genre.

[Francis Bass · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great stories in this, particularly loved "Seven Months Out and Two to Go" by Rachel Swirsky and Trace Yulie—deeply felt, beautifully written story of motherhood and home. Bill Johnson's "Bury Me in the Rainbow" was also fantastic, a captivating portrait of a rural Dakota community, their customs, their various inhabitants, and political struggles—definitely has me wanting to read the prequel to it, and eager for the next Summit story

[Mark Catalfano · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked "In the Event of Moon Disaster" by Rich Larson

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has my former teacher in it and the stories were mostly great! What more could I ask for?

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Artisanal Trucking, LLC - Mary Robinette Kowal: 4/5 - Fun little story, I really enjoyed the implicit statements about technology.