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Jonathan Hamilton #2 - One of Our Bastards Is Missi
Year's Best SF 15: The 15th Annual Collection of Must-Read Science Fiction Short Stories
Who knows what awaits us tomorrow?
Much of the most innovative and exhilarating work performed in the boundary-less arena of SF is being done in the short form. This year's magnificent harvest--gathered, as always, by acclaimed award-winning editors and anthologists David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer--offers glimpses of worlds and tomorrows that would have been inconceivable just a few years ago. Brilliant, bold, unusual, and soaring flights into the hitherto unforeseen yet increasingly possible future, Year's Best SF 15 offers truly breathtaking stories by some of speculative fiction's brightest lights, including
Stephen Baxter
Nancy Kress
Alastair Reynolds
Geoff Ryman
Bruce Sterling
Peter Watts
Robert Charles Wilson
Gene Wolfe
and others.
Contents
xiii • Introduction (Year's Best SF 15) • essay by David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer
1 • Infinities • (2008) • novelette by Vandana Singh
35 • This Peaceable Land; or, The Unbearable Vision of Harriet Beecher Stowe • (2009) • novelette by Robert Charles Wilson
65 • The Unstrung Zither • (2009) • novelette by Yoon Ha Lee
91 • Black Swan • (2009) • novelette by Bruce Sterling
119 • Exegesis • (2009) • shortstory by Nancy Kress
125 • Erosion • (2009) • shortstory by Ian Creasey
141 • Collision • (2009) • shortstory by Gwyneth Jones
155 • Donovan Sent Us • (2009) • shortstory by Gene Wolfe
173 • The Calculus Plague • (2009) • shortstory by Marissa Lingen [as by Marissa K. Lingen ]
181 • The Island • (2009) • novelette by Peter Watts
222 • One of Our Bastards Is Missing • (2009) • novelette by Paul Cornell
251 • Lady of the White-Spired City • (2009) • shortstory by Sarah L. Edwards
271 • The Highway Code • (2009) • novelette by Brian Stableford
292 • On the Destruction of Copenhagen by the War-Machines of the Merfolk • (2009) • shortstory by Peter M. Ball
299 • The Fixation • (2009) • shortstory by Alastair Reynolds
318 • In Their Garden • (2009) • shortstory by Brenda Cooper
328 • Blocked • (2009) • shortstory by Geoff Ryman
349 • The Last Apostle • (2009) • shortstory by Michael Cassutt
373 • Another Life • (2009) • novelette by Charles Oberndorf
407 • The Consciousness Problem • (2009) • shortstory by Mary Robinette Kowal
427 • Tempest 43 • (2009) • novelette by Stephen Baxter
447 • Bespoke • (2009) • shortstory by Genevieve Valentine
457 • Attitude Adjustment • (2009) • shortstory by Eric James Stone
470 • Edison's Frankenstein • (2009) • novelette by Chris Roberson
Much of the most innovative and exhilarating work performed in the boundary-less arena of SF is being done in the short form. This year's magnificent harvest--gathered, as always, by acclaimed award-winning editors and anthologists David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer--offers glimpses of worlds and tomorrows that would have been inconceivable just a few years ago. Brilliant, bold, unusual, and soaring flights into the hitherto unforeseen yet increasingly possible future, Year's Best SF 15 offers truly breathtaking stories by some of speculative fiction's brightest lights, including
Stephen Baxter
Nancy Kress
Alastair Reynolds
Geoff Ryman
Bruce Sterling
Peter Watts
Robert Charles Wilson
Gene Wolfe
and others.
Contents
xiii • Introduction (Year's Best SF 15) • essay by David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer
1 • Infinities • (2008) • novelette by Vandana Singh
35 • This Peaceable Land; or, The Unbearable Vision of Harriet Beecher Stowe • (2009) • novelette by Robert Charles Wilson
65 • The Unstrung Zither • (2009) • novelette by Yoon Ha Lee
91 • Black Swan • (2009) • novelette by Bruce Sterling
119 • Exegesis • (2009) • shortstory by Nancy Kress
125 • Erosion • (2009) • shortstory by Ian Creasey
141 • Collision • (2009) • shortstory by Gwyneth Jones
155 • Donovan Sent Us • (2009) • shortstory by Gene Wolfe
173 • The Calculus Plague • (2009) • shortstory by Marissa Lingen [as by Marissa K. Lingen ]
181 • The Island • (2009) • novelette by Peter Watts
222 • One of Our Bastards Is Missing • (2009) • novelette by Paul Cornell
251 • Lady of the White-Spired City • (2009) • shortstory by Sarah L. Edwards
271 • The Highway Code • (2009) • novelette by Brian Stableford
292 • On the Destruction of Copenhagen by the War-Machines of the Merfolk • (2009) • shortstory by Peter M. Ball
299 • The Fixation • (2009) • shortstory by Alastair Reynolds
318 • In Their Garden • (2009) • shortstory by Brenda Cooper
328 • Blocked • (2009) • shortstory by Geoff Ryman
349 • The Last Apostle • (2009) • shortstory by Michael Cassutt
373 • Another Life • (2009) • novelette by Charles Oberndorf
407 • The Consciousness Problem • (2009) • shortstory by Mary Robinette Kowal
427 • Tempest 43 • (2009) • novelette by Stephen Baxter
447 • Bespoke • (2009) • shortstory by Genevieve Valentine
457 • Attitude Adjustment • (2009) • shortstory by Eric James Stone
470 • Edison's Frankenstein • (2009) • novelette by Chris Roberson
510 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 10, 2010
40 people are currently reading
246 people want to read
About the author
David G. Hartwell
114 books95 followersDavid Geddes Hartwell was an American editor of science fiction and fantasy. He worked for Signet (1971-1973), Berkley Putnam (1973-1978), Pocket (where he founded the Timescape imprint, 1978-1983, and created the Pocket Books Star Trek publishing line), and Tor (where he spearheaded Tor's Canadian publishing initiative, and was also influential in bringing many Australian writers to the US market, 1984-date), and has published numerous anthologies. He chaired the board of directors of the World Fantasy Convention and, with Gordon Van Gelder, was the administrator of the Philip K. Dick Award. He held a Ph.D. in comparative medieval literature.
He lived in Pleasantville, New York with his wife Kathryn Cramer and their two children.
He lived in Pleasantville, New York with his wife Kathryn Cramer and their two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
January 15, 2026
An annual anthology with a reputation for excellence in actual science fiction, aside from the other speculative fictions - fantasy, horror, slipstream, alternate history, etc. This particular anthology strays from the inclusion guideline quite a bit, especially towards alternate history. Some readers will be dissatisfied with that direction, but fortunately, I enjoy alternate history as much as science fiction. This volume does include a few award winners and nominees, such as The Island and One Of Our Bastards Is Missing. My individual ratings are below.
Infinities, by Vandana Singh. by Vandana Singh. A character study of a mathematician in India, whose family and economic and political situation limits him to school teaching. He survives Hindu-Muslim rioting and experiences a spiritual connection to infinity. The texture of this story is wonderful, but it is barely speculative fiction. My rating 3/5.
This Peaceable Land; or The Unbearable Vision of Harriet Beecher Stowe, by Robert Charles Wilson. . In an alternate 19th century, where the American civil war was averted through political compromise on the issue of slavery, a black Canadian writer hires a marginalized white photographer to find and record with him what has become of the economically superfluous former slave population in the South. The characters are interesting, and as a former resident of South Carolina, the events uncovered are highly plausible to me. My rating 5/5.
The Unstrung Zither, by Yoon Ha Lee. A musician, which is sort of an engineer in this interstellar empire, is asked to intervene in the interrogation of enemy assassins though the composition music concerning them. Somehow this is an essential component of weapons systems as well as a way for intelligence to crack their motivations. It is a pretty shaky premise, only makes sense as magic, and it didn’t work for me. My rating 1/5.
Black Swan, by Bruce Sterling. A black swan event is one that turns history onto a previously unexpected path. Luca is a journalist who follows Massimo Montaldo, transiting to an alternate future Italy. Massimo is a black swan in several such futures. My rating 4/5.
Exegesis, by Nancy Kress. A very short parody of historical misinterpretation, featuring the phrase “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” My rating 3/5.
Erosion, by Ian Creasey. A young man who has been adapted for deep space travel and colonization ventures out during his last week on Earth. I found the imagery to be evocative, but the plot tension weak. My rating 4/5.
Collision, by Gwyneth Jones. The Instantaneous Transit Collider left in the Oort Cloud by departing aliens is utilized by posthumans to facilitate departures to colony worlds. In spite of the intense scientific terminology, the actual operation of the torus seems magical. My rating 2/5.
Donovan Sent Us, by Gene Wolfe. An alternate history set in World War 2, in which American agents parachute into overthrown London in search of a special prisoner. There are several reversals for the reader in the world setting, and the agents themselves, which I accurately anticipated. My rating 4/5.
The Calculus Plague, by Marissa K. Lingen. A scientist has developed a viral technique for transmission of specific memories. Besides the educational benefits, the technology could be used for other purposes. My rating 3/5.
The Island, by Peter Watts. This space opera of deep time and sparse space is nearly opaque. It took most of the novelette for me to figure out what was even going on, and then I could go back to re-read. The relativistic ship Eriophara is out building wormhole bridges, and has outlived the human race that launched it. This situation enables a unique perspective on existence and observation of life forms inconceivable to the non-evolving AI that commands the ship. Watts’ prose, as always, is rich and rewarding. Friends tell me that this story is easier understood if you have read his later-written prequel novel(la) The Freeze-Frame Revolution – which I have not. Hugo 2010 novelette winner. Locus 2010 novelette 3rd place. My rating 5/5. The Freeze-Frame Revolution onto my to-be-read list.
One of Our Bastards is Missing, by Paul Cornell. In an alternate universe where Newton discovered different laws of physics, the British Empire persists. At a royal wedding, the bodyguard of Princess Elizabeth detects foul play utilizing one of the ubiquitous folds in spacetime. This is a highly creative work that combines several subgenres of SF. Hugo 2010 novelette nomination. My rating 5/5. This story is one of a series of Jonathan Hamilton stories, all collected in Paul Cornell's collection A Better Way to Die: The Collected Short Stories.
Lady of the White-Spired City, by Sarah L. Edwards. It tells of an emotional journey by an emissary of the imperial regent, back to a village on a remote world where she has a personal history. My rating 3/5.
The Highway Code, by Brian Stableford. The Highway Code is made of rules reminiscent of Asimov’s Three Rules of Robotics. An intelligent long-haul truck finds itself in a dilemma where it must break all three rules. My rating 3/5.
On The Destruction of Copenhagen by the War-Machines of the Merfolk, by Peter M. Ball. A story every bit as unlikely and goofy as the title, and then told in a weird style of numbered paragraphs. My rating 1/5.
The Fixation, by Alastair Reynolds. Two interesting Iranian alternate histories, and the speculative physics of entropy transferal between parallel universes. My rating 4/5. Winner of Sidewise Award for short form in 2010.
In Their Garden, by Brenda Cooper. In a post-apocalyptic world, the young protagonist just needs to get out into the dangerous world. Elders disapprove, but do they understand? My rating 3/5.
Blocked, by Geoff Ryman. In a world facing alien invasion in just 2 years, only one way out has been found feasible. That solution is not spelled out for the reader, but is strongly implied. The surviving owner of a casino in Cambodia seeks a wife and accepts her children, but isn’t certain he wants what she wants. My rating 3/5.
The Last Apostle, by Michael Cassutt. The two of the twelve original lunar landing astronauts have made an astounding discovery that they kept to themselves. One by one, they have died, leaving only Joe Liquori to make a final decision whether the secret should be revealed after 50 years. My rating 5/5.
Another Life, by Charles Oberndorf. In a concept reminiscent of John Scalzi’s Old Man's War (2005), soldiers in a space war are restored into new bodies with their last recorded memories, when killed in battle. The economics of it are rigged such that the wealth to pay for rebirth comes only after they die. Told in retrospect, the protagonist recalls coming back to life for the first time with memories only up to a sexual affair between himself and an experienced soldier before his first battle, but nothing regarding the battle itself, and with no official records of his military service at all. Forced into partnership with a station sex worker, the mystery surrounding what happened to him drives the story. My rating 4/5.
The Consciousness Problem, by Mary Robinette Kowal. The wife of a researcher has to deal with the romantic feelings of the clone of her husband, which are identical to his own. My rating 3/5.
Tempest 43, by Stephen Baxter. Heavy shadings of Shakespeare’s The Tempest populate this forensic investigation on a long-deserted weather control satellite. My rating 3/5.
Bespoke, by Genevieve Valentine. What motivates the owner of a fashion boutique that provides period costuming for time traveling adventurers. My rating 1/5.
Attitude Adjustment, by Eric James Stone. The crew and passengers of overshot cruise ship struggle to find a way out of their dilemma. The solution comes from an unexpected source. My rating 3/5.
Edison’s Frankenstein, by Chris Roberson. Set during an alternate Chicago Columbian Exhibition, a mysterious Latter-Day Lazarus is among the Algerian troupe. My rating 2/5.
Infinities, by Vandana Singh. by Vandana Singh. A character study of a mathematician in India, whose family and economic and political situation limits him to school teaching. He survives Hindu-Muslim rioting and experiences a spiritual connection to infinity. The texture of this story is wonderful, but it is barely speculative fiction. My rating 3/5.
This Peaceable Land; or The Unbearable Vision of Harriet Beecher Stowe, by Robert Charles Wilson. . In an alternate 19th century, where the American civil war was averted through political compromise on the issue of slavery, a black Canadian writer hires a marginalized white photographer to find and record with him what has become of the economically superfluous former slave population in the South. The characters are interesting, and as a former resident of South Carolina, the events uncovered are highly plausible to me. My rating 5/5.
The Unstrung Zither, by Yoon Ha Lee. A musician, which is sort of an engineer in this interstellar empire, is asked to intervene in the interrogation of enemy assassins though the composition music concerning them. Somehow this is an essential component of weapons systems as well as a way for intelligence to crack their motivations. It is a pretty shaky premise, only makes sense as magic, and it didn’t work for me. My rating 1/5.
Black Swan, by Bruce Sterling. A black swan event is one that turns history onto a previously unexpected path. Luca is a journalist who follows Massimo Montaldo, transiting to an alternate future Italy. Massimo is a black swan in several such futures. My rating 4/5.
Exegesis, by Nancy Kress. A very short parody of historical misinterpretation, featuring the phrase “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” My rating 3/5.
Erosion, by Ian Creasey. A young man who has been adapted for deep space travel and colonization ventures out during his last week on Earth. I found the imagery to be evocative, but the plot tension weak. My rating 4/5.
Collision, by Gwyneth Jones. The Instantaneous Transit Collider left in the Oort Cloud by departing aliens is utilized by posthumans to facilitate departures to colony worlds. In spite of the intense scientific terminology, the actual operation of the torus seems magical. My rating 2/5.
Donovan Sent Us, by Gene Wolfe. An alternate history set in World War 2, in which American agents parachute into overthrown London in search of a special prisoner. There are several reversals for the reader in the world setting, and the agents themselves, which I accurately anticipated. My rating 4/5.
The Calculus Plague, by Marissa K. Lingen. A scientist has developed a viral technique for transmission of specific memories. Besides the educational benefits, the technology could be used for other purposes. My rating 3/5.
The Island, by Peter Watts. This space opera of deep time and sparse space is nearly opaque. It took most of the novelette for me to figure out what was even going on, and then I could go back to re-read. The relativistic ship Eriophara is out building wormhole bridges, and has outlived the human race that launched it. This situation enables a unique perspective on existence and observation of life forms inconceivable to the non-evolving AI that commands the ship. Watts’ prose, as always, is rich and rewarding. Friends tell me that this story is easier understood if you have read his later-written prequel novel(la) The Freeze-Frame Revolution – which I have not. Hugo 2010 novelette winner. Locus 2010 novelette 3rd place. My rating 5/5. The Freeze-Frame Revolution onto my to-be-read list.
One of Our Bastards is Missing, by Paul Cornell. In an alternate universe where Newton discovered different laws of physics, the British Empire persists. At a royal wedding, the bodyguard of Princess Elizabeth detects foul play utilizing one of the ubiquitous folds in spacetime. This is a highly creative work that combines several subgenres of SF. Hugo 2010 novelette nomination. My rating 5/5. This story is one of a series of Jonathan Hamilton stories, all collected in Paul Cornell's collection A Better Way to Die: The Collected Short Stories.
Lady of the White-Spired City, by Sarah L. Edwards. It tells of an emotional journey by an emissary of the imperial regent, back to a village on a remote world where she has a personal history. My rating 3/5.
The Highway Code, by Brian Stableford. The Highway Code is made of rules reminiscent of Asimov’s Three Rules of Robotics. An intelligent long-haul truck finds itself in a dilemma where it must break all three rules. My rating 3/5.
On The Destruction of Copenhagen by the War-Machines of the Merfolk, by Peter M. Ball. A story every bit as unlikely and goofy as the title, and then told in a weird style of numbered paragraphs. My rating 1/5.
The Fixation, by Alastair Reynolds. Two interesting Iranian alternate histories, and the speculative physics of entropy transferal between parallel universes. My rating 4/5. Winner of Sidewise Award for short form in 2010.
In Their Garden, by Brenda Cooper. In a post-apocalyptic world, the young protagonist just needs to get out into the dangerous world. Elders disapprove, but do they understand? My rating 3/5.
Blocked, by Geoff Ryman. In a world facing alien invasion in just 2 years, only one way out has been found feasible. That solution is not spelled out for the reader, but is strongly implied. The surviving owner of a casino in Cambodia seeks a wife and accepts her children, but isn’t certain he wants what she wants. My rating 3/5.
The Last Apostle, by Michael Cassutt. The two of the twelve original lunar landing astronauts have made an astounding discovery that they kept to themselves. One by one, they have died, leaving only Joe Liquori to make a final decision whether the secret should be revealed after 50 years. My rating 5/5.
Another Life, by Charles Oberndorf. In a concept reminiscent of John Scalzi’s Old Man's War (2005), soldiers in a space war are restored into new bodies with their last recorded memories, when killed in battle. The economics of it are rigged such that the wealth to pay for rebirth comes only after they die. Told in retrospect, the protagonist recalls coming back to life for the first time with memories only up to a sexual affair between himself and an experienced soldier before his first battle, but nothing regarding the battle itself, and with no official records of his military service at all. Forced into partnership with a station sex worker, the mystery surrounding what happened to him drives the story. My rating 4/5.
The Consciousness Problem, by Mary Robinette Kowal. The wife of a researcher has to deal with the romantic feelings of the clone of her husband, which are identical to his own. My rating 3/5.
Tempest 43, by Stephen Baxter. Heavy shadings of Shakespeare’s The Tempest populate this forensic investigation on a long-deserted weather control satellite. My rating 3/5.
Bespoke, by Genevieve Valentine. What motivates the owner of a fashion boutique that provides period costuming for time traveling adventurers. My rating 1/5.
Attitude Adjustment, by Eric James Stone. The crew and passengers of overshot cruise ship struggle to find a way out of their dilemma. The solution comes from an unexpected source. My rating 3/5.
Edison’s Frankenstein, by Chris Roberson. Set during an alternate Chicago Columbian Exhibition, a mysterious Latter-Day Lazarus is among the Algerian troupe. My rating 2/5.
November 11, 2012
I normally like The annual Hartwell and Cramer compilations, because of their focus on pure sci fi, without much intrusion from fantasy, horror, steampunk or other subgenres that don't feel compelled to include science in their fiction. As the editors say in the introduction, "this book is full of science fiction---every story in the book is fairly clearly that and not something else." Unfortunately, the editors failed to meet their own standards this time, and included several interlopers. These include "The Unstrung Zither", a smart fantasy story that is heavily imbued with Eastern symbolism, mysticism and even magic, but only lightly connected to reality. The editors' filter also let through a pair alternate-history stories ("Donovan Sent Us" and "This Peacable Land; or The Unbearable Vision of Harriet Beecher Stowe") that are merely historical fiction (post-Hitler and post-Lincoln), without even the slightest bit of science involved in their their deviation from reality. In "Edison's Frankenstein", the point of deviation from our world is made abundantly clear, but here it depends on the discovery of "prometheum", a fantastical substance that provides an unlimited source of free energy.
Alternate history stories are actually featured quite heavily in this volume, with six of 24 stories falling into this category. The other alternate history stories are good, though, and earn their place in a best-of science fiction anthology by using science and technology in clever ways to explain, justify and provide context to their alternate pasts and futures.
Among the remaining stories, Peter Watts' "The Island" is superb, a story of interstellar exploration with a masterful blending of despair and wonder, tech toys and human elements, dense jargon and singing prose.
I also really enjoyed Brian Stableford's "The Highway Code", an entertaining story that gave me an entirely different view of what the future might be like once Google's autonomous vehicles take over the roads.
"Attitude Adjustment", by Eric James Stone, is a rare example of a style of Asimovian sci-fi story that is nearly extinct: the clever protagonist who uses her wits and physics to think her way out of a disastrous situation. We can always use more of this kind of story.
Mary Robinette Kowal's "The Consciousness Problem" and Charles Oberndorf's "Another Life" both explore
the consequences of being able to wake up with your mind in a body different than the one it remembers. Oberndorf's story weaves these ideas together with themes of sex, gender identity, and love in a compactly multilayered story. I agree with the editors that it might be the best of the selection.
Alternate history stories are actually featured quite heavily in this volume, with six of 24 stories falling into this category. The other alternate history stories are good, though, and earn their place in a best-of science fiction anthology by using science and technology in clever ways to explain, justify and provide context to their alternate pasts and futures.
Among the remaining stories, Peter Watts' "The Island" is superb, a story of interstellar exploration with a masterful blending of despair and wonder, tech toys and human elements, dense jargon and singing prose.
I also really enjoyed Brian Stableford's "The Highway Code", an entertaining story that gave me an entirely different view of what the future might be like once Google's autonomous vehicles take over the roads.
"Attitude Adjustment", by Eric James Stone, is a rare example of a style of Asimovian sci-fi story that is nearly extinct: the clever protagonist who uses her wits and physics to think her way out of a disastrous situation. We can always use more of this kind of story.
Mary Robinette Kowal's "The Consciousness Problem" and Charles Oberndorf's "Another Life" both explore
the consequences of being able to wake up with your mind in a body different than the one it remembers. Oberndorf's story weaves these ideas together with themes of sex, gender identity, and love in a compactly multilayered story. I agree with the editors that it might be the best of the selection.
November 7, 2023
There are some good stories here, but in general this collection is so-so. I didn't quite finish it before it came due. Disappointing, but I was in a foul mood. The weird formatting of the library's Hoopla ebook didn't help. Very hard to read!
Highlights (all re-reads) included "One of Our Bastards Is Missing" by Paul Cornell (4 stars) and "The Calculus Plague" by Marissa Lingen (3.5 stars). I didn't keep notes. Date read is a guess but not far off.
Highlights (all re-reads) included "One of Our Bastards Is Missing" by Paul Cornell (4 stars) and "The Calculus Plague" by Marissa Lingen (3.5 stars). I didn't keep notes. Date read is a guess but not far off.
June 5, 2012
Short review by story:
1 • Infinities by Vandana Singh: A story about maths and peaceful coexistence between religions and peoples. Also some kind of parallel universe thing. Not bad.
35 • This Peaceable Land; or, The Unbearable Vision of Harriet Beecher Stowe by Robert Charles Wilson: an alternative story of the end of slavery and what came after. Not bad either.
65 • The Unstrung Zither by Yoon Ha Lee: Really good story about a world where music creates magic, and how it is used in war.
91 • Black Swan by Bruce Sterling: A journalist discovers a way to travel to alternate versions of Europe during the financial crisis. Completely insane and hilarious!
119 • Exegesis by Nancy Kress: the evolution of the interpretation and recording of the phrase: Frankly, my Dear, I don't give a damn. Pretty good.
125 • Erosion by Ian Creasey: About a guy who feels the need to do something stupid before he leaves on a space-mission. Pretty good.
141 • Collision by Gwyneth Jones: Can't remember what this one was about...
155 • Donovan Sent Us by Gene Wolfe: Alternative history of the second world war...not bad
173 • The Calculus Plague by Marissa Lingen: A weird kind of virus appears on a campus. Interesting ideas
181 • The Island by Peter Watts: Humans find out that aliens are just as bastardy amongst themselves as humans... not bad
222 • One of Our Bastards Is Missing by Paul Cornell: A political intrigue set in deep space in the far future. Really good.
251 • Lady of the White-Spired City by Sarah L. Edwards: An interstellar amabassador returns to a planet where she used to works years ago. Unfortunately, on the planet, rather more time has passed. Really liked this one.
271 • The Highway Code by Brian Stableford: The story of a self-aware truck. Kinda cute
292 • On the Destruction of Copenhagen by the War-Machines of the Merfolk by Peter M. Ball: What it says on the tin. Utterly insane, in a good way.
299 • The Fixation by Alastair Reynolds: A story about the Antikythera mechanism and parallel universes. Pretty sad, but really good.
318 • In Their Garden by Brenda Cooper: Kinda WTF not in a good way
328 • Blocked by Geoff Ryman: The world may be ending, and a man has to decide whether to seek shelter with his unloving wife, or try his luck outside. Not bad
349 • The Last Apostle by Michael Cassutt: an aging astronaut returns to the moon to look up something kept hidden for decades. Really good and kinda sad story
373 • Another Life by Charles Oberndorf: In the far future, a soldier is reborn after death in battle, and seeks the woman he loved in his old life. Really good.
407 • The Consciousness Problem by Mary Robinette Kowal: A scientist's wife finds herself confronted with her husband's clone (and her husband). Pretty good.
427 • Tempest 43 by Stephen Baxter: Shakespeare's Tempest as done by AIs on a space station. Pretty good.
447 • Bespoke by Genevieve Valentine: A tale of a tailor who makes clothes and accessories for time travellers. Really good.
457 • Attitude Adjustment by Eric James Stone: fairly straightforward story about an accident in space and how everybody has to chip in to survive. Not badly done though.
470 • Edison's Frankenstein by Chris Roberson: A retelling of Frankenstein, with a twist. Really really good.
All in all, a very decent collection with very few stinkers and some real highlights.
1 • Infinities by Vandana Singh: A story about maths and peaceful coexistence between religions and peoples. Also some kind of parallel universe thing. Not bad.
35 • This Peaceable Land; or, The Unbearable Vision of Harriet Beecher Stowe by Robert Charles Wilson: an alternative story of the end of slavery and what came after. Not bad either.
65 • The Unstrung Zither by Yoon Ha Lee: Really good story about a world where music creates magic, and how it is used in war.
91 • Black Swan by Bruce Sterling: A journalist discovers a way to travel to alternate versions of Europe during the financial crisis. Completely insane and hilarious!
119 • Exegesis by Nancy Kress: the evolution of the interpretation and recording of the phrase: Frankly, my Dear, I don't give a damn. Pretty good.
125 • Erosion by Ian Creasey: About a guy who feels the need to do something stupid before he leaves on a space-mission. Pretty good.
141 • Collision by Gwyneth Jones: Can't remember what this one was about...
155 • Donovan Sent Us by Gene Wolfe: Alternative history of the second world war...not bad
173 • The Calculus Plague by Marissa Lingen: A weird kind of virus appears on a campus. Interesting ideas
181 • The Island by Peter Watts: Humans find out that aliens are just as bastardy amongst themselves as humans... not bad
222 • One of Our Bastards Is Missing by Paul Cornell: A political intrigue set in deep space in the far future. Really good.
251 • Lady of the White-Spired City by Sarah L. Edwards: An interstellar amabassador returns to a planet where she used to works years ago. Unfortunately, on the planet, rather more time has passed. Really liked this one.
271 • The Highway Code by Brian Stableford: The story of a self-aware truck. Kinda cute
292 • On the Destruction of Copenhagen by the War-Machines of the Merfolk by Peter M. Ball: What it says on the tin. Utterly insane, in a good way.
299 • The Fixation by Alastair Reynolds: A story about the Antikythera mechanism and parallel universes. Pretty sad, but really good.
318 • In Their Garden by Brenda Cooper: Kinda WTF not in a good way
328 • Blocked by Geoff Ryman: The world may be ending, and a man has to decide whether to seek shelter with his unloving wife, or try his luck outside. Not bad
349 • The Last Apostle by Michael Cassutt: an aging astronaut returns to the moon to look up something kept hidden for decades. Really good and kinda sad story
373 • Another Life by Charles Oberndorf: In the far future, a soldier is reborn after death in battle, and seeks the woman he loved in his old life. Really good.
407 • The Consciousness Problem by Mary Robinette Kowal: A scientist's wife finds herself confronted with her husband's clone (and her husband). Pretty good.
427 • Tempest 43 by Stephen Baxter: Shakespeare's Tempest as done by AIs on a space station. Pretty good.
447 • Bespoke by Genevieve Valentine: A tale of a tailor who makes clothes and accessories for time travellers. Really good.
457 • Attitude Adjustment by Eric James Stone: fairly straightforward story about an accident in space and how everybody has to chip in to survive. Not badly done though.
470 • Edison's Frankenstein by Chris Roberson: A retelling of Frankenstein, with a twist. Really really good.
All in all, a very decent collection with very few stinkers and some real highlights.
August 3, 2010
I found this collection of SF stories fairly mediocre. Many of the stories never seemed to get close to the exceptional level that I hope for in a book labled "The Year's Best" and most of those that start out promising have sloppy, poorly executed endings. A good story with a poor ending (note: I'm not talking about a good ending that I wish resolved differently, I'm talking about endings that seem to be tacked on without thought or care) is always a huge dissapointment to me. This is the only book in the series that I have really been dissapointed with so far. I'm not sure if it was just a slow year or what but I hpe the situation improves for the next collection.
October 2, 2011
Ugh. Am I just getting older, or are these stories hackeyed and pretentious?
April 17, 2012
Thought it was Science Fiction but turned out to be Speculative Fiction. Some stories seemed a bit far-fetched.
August 17, 2021
The stories were probably pretty good aside from concerns of an English language nature, and the fact that there was a glitch somewhere that divided words. There were a half dozen words that were split in half every time they appeared throughout the book. Annoying, but not a real biggie.
The thing was, the book stuck to stories from a very small slice of what is considered SF - those with really complicated science in them. My last brush with chemistry and physics was in high school in the early '60s, so I was lost most of the time.
If you are scientifically minded, this is a book for you.
The thing was, the book stuck to stories from a very small slice of what is considered SF - those with really complicated science in them. My last brush with chemistry and physics was in high school in the early '60s, so I was lost most of the time.
If you are scientifically minded, this is a book for you.
April 20, 2023
Do-over?
This latest Year's Best was a real disappointment. I've read them all, and they're generally pretty good.
This one, somehow collected below average for half, and the good half I already read in other venues...
Though that likely indicates at least partially this year's "style" among those who sit in editor chairs.
This latest Year's Best was a real disappointment. I've read them all, and they're generally pretty good.
This one, somehow collected below average for half, and the good half I already read in other venues...
Though that likely indicates at least partially this year's "style" among those who sit in editor chairs.
January 3, 2021
Recent Reads: Year's Best SF 15. David Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer's 2010 anthology is an interesting tour through early short fiction from many of today's best known authors (as well as those who were at the peak of their careers at the time). An excellent collection of fiction.
Want to read
July 19, 2020elibrary
March 5, 2022
There are several good stories here, unlike many of the volumes of this series.
September 2, 2023
Some great short stories in here, particularly involving AI. I loved the long haul trucks with their robot psychologist!
November 21, 2023
some good,most not so good
Read
February 12, 2025Read only Exegesis (2009), the short story by Nancy Kress. Quite creative.
Read
September 20, 2016Favorite stories:
"infinities"/Vandana Singh. Aging mathematician finds solace in the math of infinity from reality of life.
"The Unstrung Zither"/Yoon Ha Lee. Space opera meets Asian Culture with a Manga/Anime' feel.
"The Island"/Peter Watts. Great Space Opera with an out of the box look at alien life.
"The Highway Code"/Brian Stableford. Robots, morality and freewill.
"The Fixation"/Alistair Reynolds. Spreading entropy across multiverses to repair antiquities can be
dangerous.
"Another Life"/Charles Oberndorf. Great SF romance story dealing with "serial Immortality, sex,
gender and war.
"The Consciousness Problem"/Robinette Kowal. Another SF romance dealing with clones.
"Attitude Adjustment"/Eric James Stone. Old fashioned SF dealing with escaping disaster using science and ingenuity.
"Edison's Frankenstein"/Chris Roberson. Steampunkish alternate history at Chicago World Fair. Discovery of "Promethium" relegates electrical power, Edison and Tesla as minor historical footnotes. Edison tries to find a novel use for his obsolete electrical discoveries.
"infinities"/Vandana Singh. Aging mathematician finds solace in the math of infinity from reality of life.
"The Unstrung Zither"/Yoon Ha Lee. Space opera meets Asian Culture with a Manga/Anime' feel.
"The Island"/Peter Watts. Great Space Opera with an out of the box look at alien life.
"The Highway Code"/Brian Stableford. Robots, morality and freewill.
"The Fixation"/Alistair Reynolds. Spreading entropy across multiverses to repair antiquities can be
dangerous.
"Another Life"/Charles Oberndorf. Great SF romance story dealing with "serial Immortality, sex,
gender and war.
"The Consciousness Problem"/Robinette Kowal. Another SF romance dealing with clones.
"Attitude Adjustment"/Eric James Stone. Old fashioned SF dealing with escaping disaster using science and ingenuity.
"Edison's Frankenstein"/Chris Roberson. Steampunkish alternate history at Chicago World Fair. Discovery of "Promethium" relegates electrical power, Edison and Tesla as minor historical footnotes. Edison tries to find a novel use for his obsolete electrical discoveries.
December 29, 2010
I have enjoyed several installments of this series over the years. While I certainly don't love every story selected, I find that the editors do a great job of capturing the wide variety of science fiction out there while avoiding stories that are really just some other genre (mystery, Western, romance) set on another planet or in the future. My only complaint is about the inclusion of several alternate-history pieces. I grudgingly admit that this type of speculative fiction is closer to science fiction than to fantasy, but most of it has precious little to do with science beyond the theoretical idea that in a multiple-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics these histories might be possible. Oh well, other people probably like those stories better than the hard SF that I prefer. That's what makes the anthology so pleasing.
December 31, 2012
A good mix of short stories. As always, there were a few that didn't really do much for me, and I think too many alternate history tales for my liking, but balanced out by some nice works, some of which weren't especially deep but were effective.
My favorites in this batch are probably "The Island", by Peter Watts (which I've read before, but still liked), "The Consciousness Problem" by Mary Robinette Kowal, "The Calculus Plague", by Marissa K. Lingren, and "Another Life", by Charles Oberndorf.
My favorites in this batch are probably "The Island", by Peter Watts (which I've read before, but still liked), "The Consciousness Problem" by Mary Robinette Kowal, "The Calculus Plague", by Marissa K. Lingren, and "Another Life", by Charles Oberndorf.
October 29, 2010
Bought this as an initial "experiment" for my Kindle. I have to say that I think the massive short story anthologies are perfect for this format as my library often doesn't have them or they are gigantic and unwieldy. Also, I tend to not care about reading short stories more than once or sharing them with others (one of the main disadvantages of the Kindle).
Thus far I have been impressed with the stories chosen, especially the first one.
Thus far I have been impressed with the stories chosen, especially the first one.
August 13, 2013
This is a solid collection with few really standout stories--on the whole, the stories are notable for the variety of science fictional ideas/settings applied rather than compelling writing or emotional impact. Some exceptions include "Donovan Sent Us," by Gene Wolfe, Robert Charles Wilson's "This Peaceable Land," and "The Calculus Plague" by Marisa Lingen. Unlike most of the others, these stories lingered in my mind for some time.
September 25, 2021
Read only the first two stories and I just couldn't continue it was so bad! :S
Neither of these first two stories are sci-fi and neither of them was short either! :S
...it was a struggle to read!
...maybe one day I will come back to this but highly possible I will just give it to charity all together
* Sadly I did pick it up and finished it /well skipped 1 or 2 stories because they were so boring/, I wish I didn't: this book is just VERY BAD!! Waste of time!!
Neither of these first two stories are sci-fi and neither of them was short either! :S
...it was a struggle to read!
...maybe one day I will come back to this but highly possible I will just give it to charity all together
* Sadly I did pick it up and finished it /well skipped 1 or 2 stories because they were so boring/, I wish I didn't: this book is just VERY BAD!! Waste of time!!
Currently reading
July 13, 2024"The Calculus Plague" by Marissa K. Lingen - A researcher releases viruses that can infect students with false memories on campus without controls in order to draw attention to the efficacy of the new technology.
"Bespoke" by Genevieve Valentine - The protagonist dresses people for their time travel vacations into the past.
"On the Destruction of Copenhagen by the War-Machines of the Merfolk" by Peter M. Ball - wc
"Exegesis" by Nancy Kress - wc
"Bespoke" by Genevieve Valentine - The protagonist dresses people for their time travel vacations into the past.
"On the Destruction of Copenhagen by the War-Machines of the Merfolk" by Peter M. Ball - wc
"Exegesis" by Nancy Kress - wc
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2011
I picked this up in an airport at the start of a week of 7 flights. Great variety of stories of different types. Not all 100% my taste but many of them were and all of them were clearly though provoking. Favourite pieces? Stephen Baxter, Mary Robinette Kowal, Brian Stableford (The Highway Code), Paul Cornell,Nancy Kress (Exegesis - Frankly my dear...), Vandana Singh.
November 25, 2013
I absolutely love this anthology series. I'm excited for the newest installment to be released presently (I think its December) so I can get it for Christmas.
my favourite anthology series, even better than the ones by my favourite authors, probably because my fav authors are also included in this brilliant collection.
my favourite anthology series, even better than the ones by my favourite authors, probably because my fav authors are also included in this brilliant collection.
April 11, 2011
very good- as expected- with notable shorts by RC Wilson, Gene Wolfe, Peter Watts, Brian Stableford, Charles Obberndof The rest are decent to good, with a weak or so thrown in Worth the read and worth revisiting
June 11, 2013
Some of these stories I really liked and some of them I kind of had to force myself to read. I dislike short stories that are just confusing and ones that end just when it seems like things are starting to get going.
June 28, 2010
life-long love/hate relationship with sci-fi continues... so many great ideas, all brought down to the level of realism. this book made me want to go outside and run.
March 27, 2011
I've noticed over the years that Sci Fi has started to take on more philosophical tones as opposed to just hard technological sci fi. This collection of stories is a testament of that.
October 24, 2015
This recent anthology includes Peter Watts's "The Island" and Brian Stableford's "The Highway Code," both good (if not outstanding) stories.
November 6, 2012
A couple of brilliant stories in this one. Couldn't put it down.
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