The New Voices of Science Fiction

by Hannu Rajaniemi (Editor), Jacob Weisman (Editor), Alexander Weinstein (Contributor)

Your future is bright! After all, your mother is a robot, your father has joined the alien hive-mind, and your dinner will be counterfeit 3D-printed steak. Even though your worker bots have staged a mutiny, and your tour guide speaks only in memes, you can always sell your native language if you need some extra cash.

The avant-garde of science fiction have arrived in this space-age sequel to the 2018 award-winning anthology, The New Voices of Fantasy. In The New Voices of Science Fiction you'll find the rising stars of the last five years: Rebecca Roanhorse, Amal El-Mohtar, Sam J. Miller, E. Lily Yu, Rich Larson, Vina Jie-Min Prasad, Sarah Pinsker, Alice Sola Kim, Darcie Little Badger, Nino Cipri, S. Qiouyi Lu, Kelly Robson, Suzanne Palmer, and more. Their extraordinary stories have been hand-selected by cutting-edge author Hannu Rajaniemi (The Quantum Thief) and genre expert Jacob Weisman (Invaders).

So go ahead, join the starship revolution. The new kids have already hacked the AI.
--back cover

Contents:
- Introduction by Jacob Weisman
- Foreword by Hannu Rajaniemi
- Openness (2016) by Alexander Weinstein
- The Shape of My Name (2015) by Nino Cipri
- Utopia, LOL? (2017) by Jamie Wahls
- Mother Tongues (2018) by S. Qiouyi Lu
- In the Sharing Place (2018) by David Erik Nelson
- A Series of Steaks (2017) by Vina Jie-Min Prasad
- The Secret Life of Bots (2017) by Suzanne Palmer
- Ice (2015) by Rich Larson
- One Hour, Every Seven Years (2017) by Alice Sola Kim
- Toppers (2016) by Jason Sanford
- Tender Loving Plastics (2018) by Amman Sabet
- Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience™ (2017) by Rebecca Roanhorse
- Strange Waters (2018) by Samantha Mills
- Calved (2015) by Sam J. Miller
- The Need for Air (2018) by Lettie Prell
- Robo-Liopleurodon! (2018) by Darcie Little Badger
- The Doing and Undoing of Jacob E. Mwangi (2019) by E. Lily Yu
- Madeleine (2015) by Amal El-Mohtar
- Our Lady of the Open Road (2015) by Sarah Pinsker
- A Study in Oils (2018) by Kelly Robson

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fiction, Anthologies, Speculative Fiction, Queer, Ebooks

414 pages, Paperback

First published November 5, 2019

About the author

EN: Hannu Rajaniemi is a Finnish author of science fiction and fantasy, who writes in both English and Finnish. He lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is a founding director of a technology consultancy company, ThinkTank Maths.

Rajaniemi was born in Ylivieska, Finland. He holds a B.Sc. in Mathematics from the University of Oulu, a Certificate of Advanced Study in Mathematics from the University of Cambridge and a Ph.D. in Mathematical Physics from the University of Edinburgh. Prior to starting his Ph.D. candidature, he completed his national service as a research scientist for the Finnish Defence Forces.

While pursuing his Ph.D. in Edinburgh, Rajaniemi joined Writers' Bloc, a writers' group in Edinburgh that organizes semi-regular spoken word performances and counts Charlie Stross amongst its members. Early works included his first published short story Shibuya no Love in 2003 and his short story Deus Ex Homine in Nova Scotia, a 2005 anthology of Scottish science fiction and fantasy, which caught the attention of his current literary agent, John Jarrold.

Rajaniemi gained attention in October 2008 when John Jarrold secured a three-book deal for him with Gollancz, on the basis of only twenty-four double-spaced pages. His debut novel, The Quantum Thief, was published in September 2010 by Gollancz in Britain and in May 2011 by Tor Books in the U.S. A sequel, The Fractal Prince, was published in September 2012 by Gollancz and in November 2012 by Tor.

FI: Hannu Rajaniemi on Edinburgissa, Skotlannissa asuva suomalainen tieteiskirjailija, joka kirjoittaa sekäs suomeksi että englanniksi. Rajaniemi on opiskellut matemaattista fysiikkaa Oulun ja Cambridgen yliopistoissa ja väitellyt säieteoriasta filosofian tohtoriksi Edinburghin yliopistossa. Hän on perustajajäsen matematiikan ja tekniikan konsulttiyhtiössä nimeltä ThinkTank Maths.

Opiskellessaan Edinburgissa Rajaniemi liittyi kirjoittajaryhmään, joka järjesti tekstien lukutilaisuuksia. Hänen varhaisia novellejaan on ilmestynyt englanniksi Interzone-lehdessä ja Nova Scotia -antologiassa. Näistä jälkimmäinen kiinnitti Rajaniemen nykyisen kirjallisuusagentin kiinnostuksen vuonna 2005.

Vuonna 2008 Rajaniemi solmi kustannussopimuksen kolmesta romaanista brittiläisen Gollancz-kustantamon kanssa. Valmiina oli silloin ainoastaan romaanin yksi luku. Esikoisromaani The Quantum Thief ilmestyi syyskuussa 2010. Hänellä on näiden kolmen romaanin julkaisusopimus myös yhdysvaltalaisen Tor-kustantamon kanssa. Suomeksi Rajaniemen esikoisteoksen julkaisee Gummerus nimellä Kvanttivaras.

Reviews

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story collection caught my eye primarily because Hannu Rajaniemi's name was on the cover, but I wasn't fooled. Not really. This just happens to be a collection of the best SF stories to come out in the last five-ish years, as selected by him and Jacob Weisman.

Was I still interested? Yeah! After all, those guys have good taste. :) And when it comes to good tales as a whole, I enjoyed this entire book.

I've read a number of these stories already, and if I have, I'm lightly skimming over them. Otherwise...

Openness by Alexander Weinstein - A cool, scary look at intimacy worthy of a Black Mirror episode, where giving another person access to all your secret kinks, buttons, and memories can be either a great boon or a relationship killer. Me likey.

The Shape of My Name by Nino Capri - Time travel done in a very interesting way, focusing more on a strained familial relationship than anything else. The focus is clear but all the side discoveries are quite visceral.

UTOPIA, LOL by Jamie Wahls - Clever take on virtual reality and memes, with the added benefit of AIs and badass choices. Cool twist.

Mother Tongues by S. Qiouyi Lu - Linguistics-focused tale of parenthood and only wanting the best for the child with a very dark twist. It made me very sad.

In The Sharing Place by David Erik Nelson - What seems to be a tale set in the brackets of the Stages of Grief eventually becomes something much more interesting, more creative. Very chilling.

A Series of Steaks by Vina Jie-Min Prasad - I've read this twice and have seen it reprinted all over the place. If you haven't read it, enjoy a printed tale as tasty as steak. Don't ask if it's a forgery. :)

Secret Life of Bots by Suzanne Palmer - Also a commonly reprinted tale, but quite fun. A Hugo winner.

Ice by Rich Larson - Probably my least favorite of the collection, this was a tale of sibling rivalry on an ice planet. Genetic jealousy.

One Hour, Every Seven Years by Alice Sola Kim - Very oppressive in isolation and loneliness, this time travel tale seems to have lots of hidden gems in it. The descriptions of Venus and Mars and their places in the tale struck me as rather important. Time to see the sun!

Toppers by Jason Sanford - This one really caught my imagination. Apocalyptic New York meets a creepy Whispering Mist that is a lot more than it seems. Two thumbs up.

Tender Loving Plastics by Amman Sabet - AIs and foster care. What could go wrong?

Welcome To Your Authentic Indian Experience by Rebecca Roanhorse - Another Hugo winner. And it's easily one of the best stories I've read in the last few years. :) Quite sharp.

Strange Waters by Samantha Mills - Another re-read for me, Water is not always water, and fishing is not always fishing. Great worldbuilding, interesting mash.

Calved by Sam J. Miller - Another re-read. Excellent setting with a frustrated dad just trying to do right but unable to get a grip on the future world or his own slightly estranged son.

The Need for Air by Lettie Prell - A virtual reality warning. Pretty heartbreaking but my sympathies are all for the son.

Robo-Liopleurodon! by Darcie Little Badger - Nanotech in the ocean. Need I say more? Aren't you excited? I was! And am!

The Doing and Undoing of Jacob E. Mwangi by E. Lily Yu - The transformation from gamer to ... dreamer. Pretty mild, but interesting.

Madeleine by Amal El-Mohtar - Probably one of my favorites in the bunch, it combines a voluntary medical trial with horrible time-travel-ish side effects, reality modifications, and the very uneasy feeling that memory inside time is all that we have. Parts of me would call this a horror.

Our Lady of the Open Road by Sarah Pinsker - Very enjoyable tale of aging traveling rockers butting heads against a VR tech world.

A Study in Oils by Kelly Robson - I can't decide whether I think this is the best one in this collection or not, but it's really close. I'm a sucker for redemption stories... especially when it comes tied to horrible sanctioned free-range revenge and art. :)

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

New Voices of Science Fiction is a brand new anthology showing us where the future of science fiction is going. Compare this collection to an anthology from thirty or forty years ago and you'll find that time travel has been reimagined. No more time machines. Just a creepy fog that takes over everything and makes it impossible to get from one skyscraper to another.

Telepathy has gone places where barely would have expected and forget surfing with a computer. What's a relationship without knowing everything, and I mean everything. Openness takes us places we never knew we wanted to go.

And, of course, what a long strange trip it's been with a story that makes touring with the Grateful Dead seem passé.

Not to be forgotten is the award-winning tale about the bots in space. If you never really took to robots 🤖, this story might change your mind.

Although there are a few stories here I never got into, there are quite a few gems. The future will be here sooner than you expect and apparently it will be filled with time travel, with self-aware bots, with fake live music, and with privacy all but vanished.

[Jonfaith · Rating 3 out of 5]

According to this anthology the future is Asian.
And confused.
The ruins of American Greatness prove toxic after a certain exposure and the printers and hackers offer mimesis but not forgiveness. S. Qiouyi Lu really moved me with her brilliant Mother Tongues. I liked many of the others but this story has certainly lingered.
Questions of identity linger as does our codependence upon IT and social media. Our failed stewardship of the environment is also prominent.

I definitely recommend this collection.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The New Voices of Science Fiction is accurately named—it "does what it says on the tin," to borrow a Britishism. It's a really solid anthology containing a lot of new stories—and if you recognize all of the authors who appear here, you're definitely more current with the field than I am!

Editors Hannu Rajaniemi and Jacob Weisman both get a turn at introductions for The New Voices of Science Fiction. Both essays are nice scene-setters, but not essential—you could be forgiven for skipping straight to the stories.

Many of these offerings did remind me of previously-published works—but even so they seemed like fresh takes, and I doubt younger readers will recognize the echoes anyway. There's also a much higher percentage of humor than is usual for such showcases; I liked that a lot.

In order of appearance, with brief comments:

"Openness," by Alexander Weinstein
An updated meditation on socially-mediated telepathy and the human mind's need to find dark corners; this strong first entry reminded me of Poul and Karen Anderson's classic short story "Journeys End," whose unforgettable last line resonates powerfully with Weinstein's conclusion.

"The Shape of My Name," by Nino Cipri
A secret family history, written in pencil rather than stone. Simultaneously hard-edged and kind, Cipri's story overcomes its time-worn trope by remaining warm and grounded.

"Utopia, LOL?," by Jamie Wahls
Breezy and shallow and fun—until oh... suddenly, it isn't. That moment of realization is priceless.

"Mother Tongues," by S. Qiouyi Lu
Selling out, even for the very best of reasons, isn't an easy decision.

"In the Sharing Place," by David Erik Nelson
Are you ever going to be ready to leave the Waiting Room?

"A Series of Steaks," by Vina Jie-Min Prasad
A biter (heh) bit. Funny, high-tech and, honestly, entirely plausible.

"The Secret Life of Bots," by Suzanne Palmer
Obsolete but plucky and observant bot #9 connects the dots. One of my favorites in this anthology.

"Ice," by Rich Larson
Skating on thin ice is not just a metaphor in this typically intense Larson story of sibling rivalry, with modifications.

"One Hour, Every Seven Days," by Alice Sola Kim
As many have observed, time travel screws up everything—although maybe the problem isn't time travel so much as the urge to fix the unfixable, an urge that having time travel only enables.

"Toppers," by Jason Sanford
Toppers be we. Sanford's story is easily the weirdest entry in The New Voices of Science Fiction—not so much time travelled as time—missed? Time-mist?

"Tender Loving Plastics," by Amman Sabet
For anyone who ever called their folks "parental units"—and how many stars would you give your upbringing, anyway?

"Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience," by Rebecca Roanhorse
Why would anyone ever ask for an experience like this? Authenticity, anxiety and, yes, appropriation abound. This one felt as if I'd read it before, but despite my déjà vu I can't see where. Maybe elsewhere, elsewhen, in some other simulation...

"Strange Waters," by Samantha Mills
Sailing through time as well as the sea, a mother is desperate to return to her children. This one really resonated with me; I kept flashing back to James Tiptree, Jr.'s "The Man Who Walked Home" (1972)—though Mills' tale is nothing like Tiptree's in detail, it possesses the same kind of emotional intensity.

"Calved," by Sam J. Miller

I knew a truth they did not: how easy it is to lose something—everything—forever.
—p.263

"The Need for Air," by Lettie Prell
"You'll get used to it" is, so often, such a lie. I would have liked this one by a Goodreads friend of mine even if I hadn't already had that connection to the author.

"Robo-Liopleurodon!," by Darcie Little Badger
The "personal submarine" trope makes another appearance—and we thought the North Pacific Gyre was bad! Fans of Paul di Filippo would like this one; it's short and surprisingly sweet.

"The Doing and Undoing of Jacob E. Mwangi," by E. Lily Yu
People always seem to find a way to set themselves apart from other people. The antipathy between Doers and Don'ts is one of the most realistic parts of Yu's future Kenya. However... some groups are harder to leave than they are to join...

"Madeleine," by Amal El-Mohtar

It was indecent, so much pain at once, it was unreasonable, and her friends were reasonable people.
—p.317

Lyrical and hopeful, "Madeleine" was one of the best-written stories in this book.

"Our Lady of the Open Road," by Sarah Pinsker
It's all about the music, man. This one's an outtake, a single from the album that was Pinsker's amazing novel A Song for a New Day—we don't find out here just why Luce has been on the road for so long in her veggie-oil-burning van named Daisy, but that doesn't really matter.

"A Study in Oils," by Kelly Robson
The final story in this anthology is about a poor little Loonie artiste, isolated in an Earthbound community of unplugged reactionaries (their cows don't even respond to ping). But Zhang Lei isn't just an artist; he's a KILLER—FAIR GAME—and what Zhang Lei learns makes for a very satisfying conclusion to The New Voices of Science Fiction.

*

Finding a Table of Contents in order of appearance was harder than usual this time—even the publisher's own website orders these stories by author's surname instead—but I was able to unearth and adapt a copy from Pennsylvania's Allegheny County Library Association website that worked for me—thanks!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

- Openness (2016) by Alexander Weinstein - brief exploration of an interesting premise
- The Shape of My Name (2015) by Nino Cipri - moving, more about character than speculation
- Utopia, LOL? (2017) by Jamie Wahls - funny, smart, def. speculative
- Mother Tongues (2018) by S. Qiouyi Lu - beautifully written, intense, I want more by this author especially
- In the Sharing Place (2018) by David Erik Nelson - is it horror, akin to body-snatchers? Or does it reveal a utopian new world order?
- A Series of Steaks (2017) by Vina Jie-Min Prasad - fun, clever, speculative
- The Secret Life of Bots (2017) by Suzanne Palmer - fun, clever, fans of Murderbot might like it
- Ice (2015) by Rich Larson - um, I'm confused... what does Fletcher's behavior reveal?
- One Hour, Every Seven Years (2017) by Alice Sola Kim - not as good as the unacknowledged inspiration, All Summer in a Day: A short story
- Toppers (2016) by Jason Sanford - the first in the book that I didn't actually care for, just weird
- Tender Loving Plastics (2018) by Amman Sabet - hah! another one that owes to Ray Bradbury. But of course the trope is inclusive; I'm sure there are lots of stories of the concept
- Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience™ (2017) by Rebecca Roanhorse - I've seen this elsewhere and it broke my heart both times I read it
- Strange Waters (2018) by Samantha Mills - what will you do for your children? And what can you do, and what should you do? Moving time travel
- Calved (2015) by Sam J. Miller - disturbing, but then, it has a teen it, so yeah
- The Need for Air (2018) by Lettie Prell - moving mother & son. Would you prefer to be instantiated, or a breather?
- Robo-Liopleurodon! (2018) by Darcie Little Badger - Hah!
- The Doing and Undoing of Jacob E. Mwangi (2019) by E. Lily Yu - interesting optimistic 'post-apocalyptic' admitting that human nature doesn't change a lot even when society gets restructured
- Madeleine (2015) by Amal El-Mohtar - oh my heart.
speaking of a person challenged by Alzheimer's: "If she could only shed the burden of the expectation of memory, she could be happy again.
- Our Lady of the Open Road (2015) by Sarah Pinsker - such good writing that even though the topic doesn't interest me the story did
- A Study in Oils (2018) by Kelly Robson - a little long, but worth it, esp. the resolution

What I liked the most about this is that most of the short stories are actually short, not novelettes or novellas. I also enjoyed almost every author enough to hope that I can find more by them. In fact, given how much I enjoyed this collection, I'm assuming that the editors and I have similar taste, and I will look for more works by them, too. One of the most enjoyable anthologies I've read in a long long time.

[Joe Karpierz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Depending on who you talk to, short form science fiction is either dead or thriving. Those who espouse the theory that it is dead must be basing their opinion on the fact that the print magazine appears to be dying, or at least hanging by a thread. Circulation figures for the big three - Asimov's, Analog, and Fantasy and Science Fiction - are either dropping annually or staying level. However, there is a huge online presence for short fiction. I won't list all the online magazines here, mostly because there are way to many to do so. And a lot of the fiction is free. There are more sources for short science fiction than there have ever been, more stories than there have ever been, and more writers than there have ever been. And I'd guess many readers who follow short fiction might not even know who some of those writers are.

The New Voices of Science Fiction, edited by Hannu Rajaniemi and Jacob Weisman - both highly respected people in the field, contains a treasure trove of short fiction published in roughly the last five years. Among the stories in this book you will find award finalists and winners. These writers are just making their impact felt in the field, and every one of these stories is a gem.

Three of the stories in the collection were the stars of the 2018 Hugo ballot. “The Secret Life of Bots” by Suzanne Palmer won the Hugo for Best Novelette, while “A Series of Steaks” by Vina Jie-Min Prasad was a runner up in the same category that year. Meanwhile, Rebecca Roanhorse, whose 2018 novel TRAIL OF LIGHTNING was a finalist for the Best Novel Hugo this year, won the Hugo for Best Short Story in 2018 for “Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience™”. "The Secret Life of Bots" was good the first time when I was reading for the Hugos, but it was much better the second time around. "A Series of Steaks" was just as sly the second time around as it was the first. “Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience™” did not disappoint upon a second reading as well.

The rest of the stories are outstanding in their own right. "Openness", by Alexander Weinstein is a tale of trying to make a relationship work in a time when you know everything about your partner - and they know everything about you. Jameie Wahls' "Utopia, LOL?" is a tale of AIs, virtual reality, and the future of mankind. It's an amusing and lighthearted story that has a nice ending.

A story that I had read in another collection, "Mother Tongues", by S. Qiouyi Lu, is a sad tale of what a mother will do for her child when she wants the best for her. A really tough ending. Rich Larson, who is as prolific a short story writer as any and who won the Dell Award for Undergraduate Excellence in Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing (that's mouthful) in 2014, gives us "Ice", a story of sibling rivalry on, what else, an ice planet. It's been hard to avoid Larson, so I've read quite a few of his stories and I have never been disappointed.

One of my absolute favorites in the book is “Our Lady of the Open Road” by Sarah Pinsker. I love music, and I love going to concerts, and I'm old school. This story hit all my buttons. It tells the tale of a band of aging rockers who continue to tour and play live shows in the face of modern virtual reality entertainment. The band does what it does for the love of music, the love of the road, and their version of integrity. This story is barely science fictional, but it doesn't need the genre trappings to make it an emotionally touching story. Much like Larson, I never met a Sarah Pinsker story I didn't like.

Another terrific story is E. Lily Yu's “The Doing and Undoing of Jacob E. Mwangi”, about a gamer who believes that he can be the best of the best in his world until he finds out that he can do so much more by leaving his life behind and joining the makers and doers. It's a wonderful tale. Another engaging story is “Toppers” by Jason Sanford. It tells the tale of people trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic New York City, and the strange things that live in the strange mist that engulfs the metropolis. It's good stuff.

The book has many stories that deal with parenting and parent/child relationships. A good one is “The Need for Air” by Lettie Prell. It's the story of a mother and son trying to adapt to living in a virtual reality environment, but the son just isn't ready for that. A different take on child rearing is Amman Sabet's "Tender Loving Plastics", in which children are raised by AIs. “The Shape of My Name” by Nino Cipri is a story about a strained family relationship using time travel as a way to try to make things work. Quite touching.

Another particular favorite is Amal El-Mohtar's "Madeleine", a disturbing tale about a woman voluntarily taking part in a medical trial. She encounters all sorts of side-effects, including what appears to be time travel and hallucinations. The tale takes a creepy turn at the end. I love it.

The list goes on. “One Hour, Every Seven Years” by Alice Sola Kim, “Robo-Liopleurodon!” by Darcie Little Badger, “Calved” by Sam J. Miller, “In the Sharing Place” by David Erik Nelson, “Strange Waters” by Samantha Mills and “A Study in Oils” by Kelly Robson would all be worthy of inclusion in a Year's Best Anthology for whatever year they were originally published. Then again, this is a sort of "Best of" anthology, so in a sense they are already included in one of those types of volumes.

Rajaniemi and Weisman have done an outstanding job compiling some of the best short science fiction by up and coming (although I would argue that if you've won the Hugo you're past that point) new writers. In a collection like this, I usually find one or two that aren't to my taste. Not this time. To me, every one is a winner. The future of short form science fiction is in good hands.

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes, you read a short story and you come away feeling that you've just been part of something important. It's a powerful feeling. Like an author has shared a secret with you, whispered into your ear something profound. A truth you didn't know that you were holding in your heart, an idea you hadn't yet polished into belief. Well, this collection managed to give me that sensation multiple times. Rajaniemi and Weisman have curated something beautiful here.
The title is a bold claim, "The New Voices of Science Fiction." You could not be blamed for being skeptical. But as an avid fan of the genre, I feel it has lived up to its promises, and more. After almost every story in this collection I scrambled to GoodReads to follow an author or mark a first novel as 'to read'. I feel like this anthology has turned me on to authors that I'll be following for many years to come, a series of stars on the rise.
The collection opens with a story that could best be described as a Black Mirror cautionary, if Black Mirror were even half as clever as it thinks it is. It ends with a meditation on remorse and the power of art, in a world where bots and nanotech can handle everything. The two stories couldn't be more different, but they felt perfectly connected by the thread uniting the collection.

Personal standouts:
The Shape of My Name by Nino Cipri
Mother Tongue by S. Qiuoyi Lu
Madeleine by Amal El-Mohtar
Ice by Rich Larson
The Doing and Undoing of Jacob E. Mwangi by E. Lily Yu

[Natalie aka Tannat · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Corin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm sure the other stories are good, too, but honestly I only got the book so I could read Suzanne Palmer's The Secret Life of Bots. It was worth it. 😊

[~Geektastic~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

If these are the voices of the future of science fiction, then the future is bright!

It's rare that I find a collection where I enjoy every single story but this one brought it, and then some. Diverse, challenging, creative, heartfelt, wondrous. Most of the stories are small-scale, character-driven pieces that get to the heart of why science fiction is so immensely flexible and has so much potential to be truly inclusive and wide-ranging. When we let these voices tell their stories, everyone wins.

I plan on reading the books written by every single author in this anthology.

[Doug Cornelius · Rating 4 out of 5]

With any collection, you’re going to like some stories, not like some, and hate a few. With a collection of sci-fi, stories are going to be all over the place within the genre.

That is all true of this collection. There is time travel, cyberpunk, alien worlds, future earths and more.

I had two favorites:

Strange Waters by Samantha Mills
The Secret Life of Bots by Suzanne Palmer

I’m going to look for more by these authors.

[Teleseparatist · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this anthology courtesy of NetGalley. My reflections are my own.

I was hoping to find new-to-me gems from authors I do not know, and unfortunately, that wasn't the case - but maybe that's just because the stories I liked best were either ones I already knew, or stories from authors whose other work I'm familiar with. All the same, there are some pretty awesome stories here - my favourites included:

Nino Cipri "The Shape of My Name" - one of several stories in the collection that focused on time travel and family; brave and thoughtful. The only one that was new to me at the time of reading - I have since read Cipri's short novel Finna.
Vina Jie-Min Prasad, "A Series of Steaks" - a fun, clever caper in the near future. Just exhilarating to read from page one.
Amal El-Mohtar, "Madeleine"- I found the ending to be a little rushed, and this is heavy, with queerness and institutionalisation, as well as grief taking center stage (this is another time travel + family story) but the mood was powerful.

I was also impressed with Sam J. Miller's "Calved" (despite the fairly obvious plot twist of a variety that I simply dislike, there was some raw emotion here), Kelly Robson's "A Study in Oils" (very well written, enjoyed it despite the Black Mirror-esque concept - I am that rare person who's not into Black Mirror). I also enjoyed reading Palmer's "Secret Life of Bots" more than I'd expected. Alice Sola Kim's story (another memory-time travel-family themed one) had good moments. Pinsker is always good, but this is one of my least favourite stories of hers. I enjoyed Darcie Little Badger's story but wish it wasn't so short - it felt more like a teaser than anything else, and it ended before the premise felt fully used.

Unfortunately, despite the good and great stories, there are also a few stories that were only so-so or even legitimately bored me enough that I ended up skimming them (see also "Ice") and one whose misuse of the term "passive voice" interrupted my reading for half a year. But a mixed bag is always to be expected in collections like this, and finding out what one doesn't like can be useful, too.

[S.G. Kubrak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edited by the dynamic duo of Hannu Rajaniemi and Jacob Weisman, "The New Voices of Science Fiction" takes readers on an exhilarating journey through the outer reaches of speculative fiction. This anthology brings together a constellation of visionary talents who explore the farthest reaches of human imagination, pushing the boundaries of what science fiction can be.

In a collection that spans the gamut of futuristic concepts, from rebellious nanobots to bioengineered delicacies, the anthology offers a tantalizing glimpse into the minds of some of the genre's most exciting voices. Each story is a masterful exercise in world-building, plunging readers into a kaleidoscope of possibilities, both wondrous and disconcerting.

One of the anthology's most remarkable qualities is its ability to tackle profound questions through the lens of the extraordinary. Whether it's the fleeting attention span of a cryogenically-revived tourist or the heart-wrenching decision to sell one's native language for the sake of education, these stories deftly probe the complexities of the human condition.

The selection of authors is nothing short of stellar, showcasing a blend of established luminaries and emerging talents. The anthology includes contributions from Rebecca Roanhorse, Amal El-Mohtar, Alice Sola Kim, Sam J. Miller, and many more. Each author brings their unique voice and perspective to the table, creating a tapestry of storytelling that is as diverse as it is thought-provoking.

Rajaniemi and Weisman's curation of these stories is nothing short of exceptional. They have chosen narratives that challenge conventions, invite contemplation, and spark conversation. The anthology captures the zeitgeist of contemporary science fiction, where innovation thrives, and boundaries blur.

One of the anthology's standout features is its accessibility to both seasoned science fiction enthusiasts and newcomers to the genre. The stories are approachable yet intellectually stimulating, making it an ideal entry point for those seeking to explore the genre's latest frontiers.

"The New Voices of Science Fiction" is a testament to the evolving landscape of speculative fiction. It demonstrates that science fiction is not just a genre for escapism but a mirror reflecting our hopes, fears, and aspirations for the future. This anthology is a dazzling mosaic of creativity, imagination, and social commentary that will resonate with readers long after the final page is turned.

In conclusion, "The New Voices of Science Fiction" is a must-read for anyone who revels in the limitless possibilities of the genre. It's an anthology that reaffirms science fiction's capacity to inspire, provoke thought, and challenge the status quo. With its stellar lineup of authors and its daring exploration of futuristic concepts, it stands as a beacon in the ever-expanding cosmos of speculative fiction.

[CD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twenty first century SF. Classic forms with modern topics ranging from gender fluid characters and time travel that is family oriented.

Bullying and urban loneliness play roles in story lines as well.

Good collection from newer and very talented voices in the field!

Recommended for S-F readers and short story fans!

[Mythlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the stronger short story collections I've read in a while. I particularly liked "The Secret Life of Bots" (Suzanne Palmer) and "Strange Waters" (Samantha Mills).

Among the others, I'd perhaps single out "Toppers" (James Sanford) for an unexpected turn and "Mother Tongues" (S. Qiouyi Lu) for a simply observed, mournful meditation.

[Jacqueline Nyathi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good anthology! Loved some of these stories very much, and this anthology has one of the best science fiction stories I've ever read (and which won awards): The Secret Life of Bots, by Suzanne Palmer. Nb: You should never take my word for anything about science fiction, as I am an unabashed fangirl, and can make no real sense when recommending things. However, this is an excellent story.

Openness, by Alexander Weinstein, essentially a Black Mirror story about our lives and love without privacy, was very thoughtful, and because it's the first story in the book, I knew I'd love the entire book.

The Shape of My Name by Nino Cipri is a frightening and painful story that I'd read before, and will recommend for the plot twist.

A Series of Steaks by Vina Jie-Min Prasad is about printed meat, and grossed me out even as it made me LOL many times.

Mother Tongues by S. Qiouyi Lu nearly made me cry.

Ice by Rich Larson appears to be what a story in S2 of Love, Death + Robots is based on. (What do you mean you haven't watched LDR yet?!!)

*Reviewing the titles of the rest of the stories again makes me realise almost all of the stories nearly made me cry.*

In short, a gorgeous anthology, much more even than many of the anthologies I've read lately, and an unusually good science fiction one.

Will take you a while to read and savour, if this is your kind of thing.

[Kelsey DePorte · Rating 5 out of 5]

A variety of takes on the featuring topics like race and gender covered by queer and BIPOC authors. I really enjoyed this and will end up exploring more works from some of these authors. Read this if you like things like Black Mirror or Westworld.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really nice to read up and coming works from lesser known sci-fi fiction sites
Strange Waters by Samanthe Mills hits different with me
Was also really proud to see a writer from my own country, representation really is a great motivation

[Geoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good anthology of the 'new' voices of science fiction. Five years on from its release some of these writers are very much established.

Favourite Stories:
Mother Tongues by S. Qiouyi Lu
A Series of Steaks by Vina Jie-Min Prasad
The Secret Life of Bots by Suzanne Palmer
Strange Waters by Samantha Mills
Our Lady of the Open Road by Sarah Pinsker

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published on my blog Nonstop Reader.

The New Voices of Science Fiction is an anthology of new SF short fiction expertly curated and introduced by Hannu Rajaniemi & Jacob Weisman. Released 13th Nov 2019 by Tachyon, it's 432 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats. These stories (20 by my count), were originally published between 2015 and 2019 and are gathered here for the first time.

This is top shelf fiction. One of the reasons I like anthologies and collections is that they're often full of new-to-me authors for further reading. I've always had a particular fondness for collections/anthologies because short fiction is spare and technically challenging, so you get a better feel for an author's expertise with the form. Short fiction is less of a time commitment as well, so if one story is not working for you, there's another piece readily available in a few pages.This is a showcase of up and coming authors; it's a sister volume to The New Voices of Fantasy from 2017. The short introductions for each story are interesting and well written and add a lot of interest.

The quality of the stories is very high. They are well written, varied, well curated stories. Of the 20 included stories, only a few were from authors familiar to me.

It's unclear from the publishing info available online, but the eARC I received has a handy interactive table of contents. I hope the ebook release version does also. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. Presumably that feature will carry through to the final release version.

I think this might be the first time I've given an anthology 5 stars. These stories are varied in tone, execution, length, subject matter, but they're all really good.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great stories in here. Indeed, most of them are routinely pretty decent!

My favourite is by the trans time traveller, whose mother's rejection of her changing gender identity is held in stark contrast to the unchangeable timeline they all find themselves a part of.

[Dree · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent collection of 20 short stories by new authors. Every one was good, and now I have many new authors to explore the works of!

My favorites:
The Shape of My Name by Nino Cipri: A trans man from a family of female time-travelers
Mother Tongues by S Qiouyi Lu: A woman sells her fluent Mandarin to send her daughter to college
A Series of Steaks by Vina Jie-Min Prasad: Helena and Lily, steak forgers
The Secret Life of Bots by Suzanne Palma: an old retired bot is brought back into use due to desperate times
Strange Waters by Samantha Mills: Mika, a fisherwoman in time, is trying to get home

But really, every story was good, and every author in this anthology writes interesting stuff.
———
Thanks to NetGalley and Tachyon for the egalley

[Gerchia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 Stars.

The ones I enjoyed the most: Strange Waters, A study in oils, Madeline, Welcome to your Authentic Indian ExperienceTM, Toppers, One Hour every Seven Years, In the Sharing Place.

The rest were enjoyable enough. And on the read of ICE, which felt like a reread because of LOVE, DEATH & ROBOTS and was a much fuller experience for it.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved quite a few of these stories. The editors, Rajaniemi and Weisman, did a good job of balancing the darker stuff with more light-hearted tales. There's something for everyone, including us LGBTQ+ sci-fi nerds.

[Alex Sarll]

Another Netgalley ARC I've had for far too long; I don't like to binge anthologies, but all the same, there are limits. Still, it's a good job that I didn't get to David Erik Nelson's In The Sharing Place until I was a little inured to contemporary resonances, what with its Event driving people to suicide, its survivors "living like moles", "keeping the kids 'developmentally on track' while they lived in the shelter so they'd be ready to 'kickstart the global economy'". Definitely one best read when there's some faint hope of escape on the horizon. Equally, I thought I'd pass on a reread of one of the pieces here I already knew, Sarah Pinsker's painfully topical Our Lady Of The Open Road, following a guerilla gigger after a pandemic ends live music. Unwitting as the prescience in those stories must have been, elsewhere the writers were playing with resonances I recognised for other, happier reasons. The opening story, aptly, is Openness, by Alexander Weinstein, which pushes social media just a little into the future, a world of 'layers' and constant AR, and in doing so talks about something I've never quite seen fiction address before, how much easier it is to date someone when you've read their blog. Though needless to say, I felt very attacked by the line "But you do that and you become another old guy buried in an e-reader, complaining about how no one sends emails anymore".

There wasn't anything here where I was puzzled by its inclusion, which may not sound like much, but it's a bar plenty of anthologies don't reach. At most, I wondered whether the technological set-up in S Qiouyi Lu's Mother Tongues didn't beg so many questions that the story, a nicely reified assimilation metaphor, might have worked more readily with a supernatural rather than scientific Macguffin. My favourites included Jamie Wahls' Utopia, LOL?, a torrent of ideas set long after the singularity, in which you get things like people engrossed in playing a floor tile simulator – which both works as a good laugh at the expense of some of the existing simulator games whose appeal escapes me, and then is explained such that you start to understand the attraction. I also loved Vina Jie-Min Prasad's wonderfully plausible, almost casual vision of a world of printed meat and organs, and the new annoyances for the regular worker therein, in A Series Of Steaks. It also features, albeit only by mention, a Cantopunk band called POMEGRENADE who cover Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues and whose originals include If Marriage Means The Death Of Love, Then We Must Both Be Zombies. This band do not exist, and I want to hear them.

Putting a story by Samantha Mills right next to one by Sam J. Miller can't help but imply a behind-the-scenes clone or parallel world story too; regardless, both are extremely good. The former follows a time-travelling fisherwoman trying to find her way home, and I love the way it flips many of the assumptions of time travel stories on their heads; she doesn't want to know what the future holds, or the past, not least because in her city, experience suggests that knowing doesn't tend to make much difference. The latter is a far more plausible, and thus much uglier, vision of life in the post-Arctic age, our likely future where life is worse for everyone, and especially so for those who used to be the world's upper echelon because they were that step more insulated before. The way it starts off grim, then twists the knife, then twists it some more, reminded me of Seth Dickinson at his cruellest. And the idea of people desperately missing even the most unappealing scents of lost cities...well, even in its current preview season, I could relate to that. As in Mills' story, I'm not sure any of these glimpses of the future will actually help once it smashed us in the face. But unlike that dogged fisherwoman, I nevertheless take a certain satisfaction in the experience.

[KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly recommend this collection of recent sci-fi stories. This collection represents a diverse set of new and upcoming authors who I hope to read more of in the near future. Even the stories that I only marked as "2/5" were still decent efforts, they just didn't provide me with much personal pleasure. While most stories in this colleciton stick to a "hard" science perspective some stories offer room for a dash of magic along with the "science-y" elements. Nothing felt "out of place" among this collection and I think that is impressive given the wide range in tone (contemplative, comical, action-packed), the varied settings (far-distant space, future Earth, alternate timelines), and the differences in the goals and attitudes of the lead characters.

For those who are eager for more specific feedback I have included my reactions to each short story below. I recorded each of these snippets shortly after each story. I gave each short story a rating out of 5 stars. I based my rating here purely on my own personal enjoyment as a lover of the sci-fi genre and especially short science fiction stories. My experience with short stories is mainly with the classics of the mid-twentieth century; this collection has certainly whetted my appetite for more contemporary short stories!

(note - I don't consider any of the short synopses and reactions below to be "spoilers" but reasonable folks may disagree so read at your own risk if you are sensitive to "spoiler talk")

Openness: 3/5 stars - what does falling in love and breaking up look like in a hyper-social world?

The Shape of My Name: 5/5 stars - lovely descriptions and a simple satisfying symmetry help to elevate this time travel memoir.

Utopia, LOL: 4/5 stars - this one will probably be dated in about 5 years, but I really enjoyed the humor in it. I would love to read more about Kit's adventures in the distant future.

Mother Tongues: 3/5 stars - the title is all the synopsis you need. It's a short, bittersweet story about losing something important.

In the Sharing Place: 4/5 stars - nearly perfect. No spoilers or hints for this one.

A Series of Steaks: 3/5 stars - What's the harm of one more illegal job printing "fake meat"?

The Secret Life of Bots: 4/5 stars - A charming story of an extraordinary day in the life of a precocious micro-bot.

Ice: 5/5 - Sibling rivalry meets genetic modification. This works perfectly as a neat, self-contained short story. It would also make a great beginning for a larger fictional universe.

One Hour, Every Seven Years: 3/5 - A disturbing companion piece to the already disturbing classic sci-fi short "All Summer in a Day".

Tender Loving Plastics: 5/5 - This one is going to mess with my head for awhile.

Strange Waters: 5/5 - It's hard to say much without spoiling this one. It's great world-building for such a short story and it has a solid ending

Calved : 2/5 - A dark father-son story involving a serious failure to communicate

The Need for Air: 4/5 - What happens when a parent and a child fundamentally disagree about how they want you experience reality?

Robo-Liopleurodon!: 2/5 - A very short story containing the titular sea monster

The Doing and Undoing of Jacob E. Mwangi: 2/5 - Another very short story with a simple premise. No surprises but some nice universe building of a very optimistic near-future Earth.

Our Lady of the Open Road: 2/5 - This one felt longer than the others. The technological changes affecting how we consume music are already well underway.

A Study in Oils: 3/5 - A young man runs away seeking to escape revenge and guilt for his actions.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This collection of previously published short stories highlights authors that Rajaniemi and Weisman believe are rising stars in the genre. As with any anthology, the stories can be hit-or-miss, although the editors picked many award-winning stories for this collection. You may recognize some of them. As a whole, I thought this was a fun and thoughtful collection with some really lovely gems.

My favorite was “Strange Waters” by Samantha Mills, a story about a time-traveling fisherwoman who desperately wants to get home to her children. “Mother Tongues” by S. Qiouyi Lu is similarly heartbreaking, about a mother who is willing to give up her knowledge of her first language in order to give her daughter a better life. “Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience™” by Rebecca Roanhorse, about a Native American man working for a virtual reality tourism company that offers guests an “authentic” vision quest experience (read: chock-full of stereotypes and cultural appropriation), is another obvious standout in this collection. “Our Lady of the Open Road” by Sarah Pinsker appears to be connected to (perhaps the inspiration for?) her novel A Song for a New Day, which just came out a few months ago.

I also can’t help but applaud an anthology like this that celebrates the talent of so many diverse writers whose work pushes the bounds of the genre in so many ways. I think this collection of stories offers a good view of where the genre is heading, grappling with topics such as gender and sexuality, colonialism, climate change, AI, and more.

I’ve provided the table of contents below, since I know I like to have that information when I consider buying/reading an anthology full of reprinted stories and I assume that many of you do too.

Table of Contents:
“Openness” by Alexander Weinstein
“The Shape of My Name” by Nino Cipri
“Utopia, LOL?” by Jamie Wahls
“Mother Tongues” by S. Qiouyi Lu
“In the Sharing Place” by David Erik Nelson
“A Series of Steaks” by Vina Jie-Min Prasad
“The Secret Life of Bots” by Suzanne Palmer
“Ice” by Rich Larson
“One Hour, Every Seven Years” by Alice Sola Kim
“Toppers” by Jason Sanford
“Tender Loving Plastics” by Amman Sabet
“Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience™” by Rebecca Roanhorse
“Strange Waters” by Samantha Mills
“Calved” by Sam J. Miller
“The Need for Air” by Lettie Prell
“Robo-Liopleurodon!” by Darcie Little Badger
“The Doing and Undoing of Jacob E. Mwangi” by E. Lily Yu
“Madeleine” by Amal El-Mohtar
“Our Lady of the Open Road” by Sarah Pinsker
“A Study in Oils” by Kelly Robson

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!!

It started off meh with "openness": 3/5 stars ~ what's the point of this story?? I don't understand what it's trying to tell us

"The shape of my name": 4/5 stars

"Utopia, LOL?": 4/5

"Mother tongues": 5/5! Important story, it almost made me cry.

"In the sharing place": 4.5/5 ~ this was so weird and creepy, but I loved it?!

"A series of steaks": 4/5 ~ sometimes hard to understand, but a sweet read

"The secret life of bots": 3/5

"Ice": 2.5/5 ~ whales terrify me

"One hour, every seven years" 2.5/5 ~ interesting, but confusing

"Toppers": 4/5

"Tender loving plastics": 4/5 ~ Interesting concept

"Welcome to your authentic Indian experience": 4/5 ~ I'm not sure I understood this one properly (maybe it just isn't meant for me), it was still a good story

"Strange waters": 5/5 ~ Made me cry, I love it!!!

"Calved": 3/5 ~ Saw the twist coming immediately, unfortunately another sci-fi story where being a POC and being gay still gets you bullied... I know it was necessary for the plot, but still... Eh

"The need for air": 3.5/5 ~ Loved the concept, I'd read a whole book about this. Was a bit flat as a short story tho

"Robo-liopleurodon!": 3.5/5 ~ This was very short and cute. I couldn't enjoy it quite as much, because I'm scared of underwater animals and open water, so the entire setting was really unsettling for me. But that's just a really personal thing, I feel like the story was very interesting.

"The doing and undoing of Jacob e. Mwangi": 4.5/5 ~ Nice to have a story with a different setting: Kenya, if I remember right. It's a nice little story about a gamer chasing a dream. The character, Jacob, reminds me a little of myself. it's a sweet little story, I would read a whole book about this character and his friendships!

"Madeleine": 5/5!!! ~ Perfect, lovely, amazing, I'm in love!!! AHHHHHHHH I teared up, its so beautiful

"Our Lady of the open road": 4.5/5 ~ This is a very realistic, near-future story. I liked it, the characters are pretty cool, I love the road tripping punk band setting.

"A study in oils": 4/5 ~ a little confusing at first, but satisfying wrap up for this anthology

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of science fiction stories chosen by the editors as representing some of the 'new voices' of the field. It's seemingly a reasonably diverse set of authors and story types, so it's hard to say much more about the collection as a whole other than that all such selections tend to be mixed bags, with some stories I like, some I don't, and some I've read before that fit into either categories.

That being said, I think this one had, for me, a better proportion of hits to misses than average. My favorites of the collection were "The Shape of My Name" by Nipo Cipri, a time travel tale with a twist that was a bit easy to see coming but still powerful, "Utopia, LOL" by Jamie Wahls, which is just a fun story of somebody assigned to guide a person awakening in a future that is, to them, hard to comprehend, "Tender Loving Plastics" by Amman Sabat, a story of a foster home run by a robot, "Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience" by Rebecca Roanhorse, a story about virtual reality 'authentic' cultural experiences.

Of the ones I didn't like, mostly it was cases of 'not my thing', like Sarah Pinsker's "Song of the Open Road" (which there's nothing wrong with, except it's a love letter to live music performance and I'm someone who doesn't really... care much about music?), and a couple of others I remembered not particularly being into but looking at the table of contents I can't even come up with what the stories were.

Still, seems like a good collection and even if your tastes are completely different than mine you'll probably find at least something worth reading. I'll give it 4 stars (which, unlike when I'm rating novels, always tends to be more of a rough comparison to other anthologies rather than a strict analysis of my enjoyment, because otherwise I'd almost always have to rate them all 3).

[Elaine Aldred · Rating 5 out of 5]

An anthology from well-established science fiction writers, never mind new authors, can be a very mixed bag. Not so The New Voices of Science Fiction. They are superb examples of very engrossing and affecting storytelling.

These writers demonstrate the breadth of concepts and worlds with which science fiction writers can create a delicious buffet of stories for readers to gorge themselves on and that, for emerging writers in the genre, there will always be plenty of room for stunning originality.

It was also interesting to see how light a touch could be used in worldbuilding, and yet keep the tales firmly located in the science fiction realm, even though the character’s surroundings were not lavish with detail.

Many of the stories were woven around interesting concepts where the technology was left to the reader’s imagination and quietly placed off the page. Instead, the characters and their responses were placed centre stage, leading to some very interesting and particularly heart-rending reading.

One of the stories concerned the decision someone had to make when giving over, and therefore giving up, the capacity to communicate in their native in order to pay for their child’s education. This not only took me through an emotional rollercoaster, but also made me think hard about the value of being able to communicate effectively, birth right and identity.

After reading the book I am still left mulling over the type of important contemporary issues that well written science fiction stories are so good at highlighting.

I will certainly be looking out for these authors over the next few years.

The New Voices of Science Fiction was courtesy to Tachyon Publications.