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Year's Best SF 10
A banner year for speculative fiction has yielded a crop of superb short form SF. Now the very best to appear over the past twelve months has been amassed into one extraordinary volume by acclaimed editors and anthologists David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer, offering bold visions of days to come that are bright, triumphant, breathtaking, and strikingly unique. Once more, celebrated masters of the field join with exciting new voices to sing of explorations and invasions, grand technological accomplishments, amazing flights into the unknown, horrors and miracles, and the human condition.
Welcome to amazing worlds that could be -- and, perhaps, sooner than you have ever dared to imagine.
New tales from:
Gregory Benford
Terry Bisson
James Patrick Kelly
Pamela Sargent
Jack McDevitt
Gene Wolfe
and more.
Contents
xi • Introduction (Year's Best SF 10) • (2005) • essay by Kathryn Cramer and David G. Hartwell
1 • Sergeant Chip • (2004) • novella by Bradley Denton
53 • The First Commandment • (2004) • shortstory by Gregory Benford
69 • Burning Day • (2003) • novelette by Glenn Grant
111 • Scout's Honor • (2004) • shortstory by Terry Bisson
128 • Venus Flowers at Night • (2004) • novella by Pamela Sargent
169 • Pulp Cover • (2004) • shortstory by Gene Wolfe
182 • The Algorithms for Love • (2004) • shortstory by Ken Liu (variant of Algorithms for Love)
199 • Glinky • (2004) • shortstory by Ray Vukcevich
219 • The Red City • (2004) • novelette by Janeen Webb
253 • Act of God • (2004) • shortstory by Jack McDevitt
265 • Wealth • (2004) • shortstory by Robert Reed
279 • Mastermindless • [Henghis Hapthorn] • (2004) • novelette by Matthew Hughes
304 • Time, as It Evaporates. . . • (2004) • shortstory by Jean-Claude Dunyach (variant of Le Temps, en s'évaporant 1986)
323 • The Battle of York • (2004) • novelette by James Stoddard
347 • Loosestrife • (2004) • shortstory by Liz Williams
360 • The Dark Side of Town • (2004) • shortstory by James Patrick Kelly
377 • Invisible Kingdoms • [Silurian Tales] • (2004) • shortstory by Steven Utley
390 • The Cascade • (2004) • shortstory by Sean McMullen
409 • Pervert • (2004) • shortstory by Charles Coleman Finlay
422 • The Risk-Taking Gene as Expressed in Some Asian Subjects • (2004) • novelette by Steve Tomasula
453 • Strood • (2004) • shortstory by Neal Asher
469 • The Eckener Alternative • (2004) • shortstory by James L. Cambias
479 • Savant Songs • (2004) • shortstory by Brenda Cooper
Welcome to amazing worlds that could be -- and, perhaps, sooner than you have ever dared to imagine.
New tales from:
Gregory Benford
Terry Bisson
James Patrick Kelly
Pamela Sargent
Jack McDevitt
Gene Wolfe
and more.
Contents
xi • Introduction (Year's Best SF 10) • (2005) • essay by Kathryn Cramer and David G. Hartwell
1 • Sergeant Chip • (2004) • novella by Bradley Denton
53 • The First Commandment • (2004) • shortstory by Gregory Benford
69 • Burning Day • (2003) • novelette by Glenn Grant
111 • Scout's Honor • (2004) • shortstory by Terry Bisson
128 • Venus Flowers at Night • (2004) • novella by Pamela Sargent
169 • Pulp Cover • (2004) • shortstory by Gene Wolfe
182 • The Algorithms for Love • (2004) • shortstory by Ken Liu (variant of Algorithms for Love)
199 • Glinky • (2004) • shortstory by Ray Vukcevich
219 • The Red City • (2004) • novelette by Janeen Webb
253 • Act of God • (2004) • shortstory by Jack McDevitt
265 • Wealth • (2004) • shortstory by Robert Reed
279 • Mastermindless • [Henghis Hapthorn] • (2004) • novelette by Matthew Hughes
304 • Time, as It Evaporates. . . • (2004) • shortstory by Jean-Claude Dunyach (variant of Le Temps, en s'évaporant 1986)
323 • The Battle of York • (2004) • novelette by James Stoddard
347 • Loosestrife • (2004) • shortstory by Liz Williams
360 • The Dark Side of Town • (2004) • shortstory by James Patrick Kelly
377 • Invisible Kingdoms • [Silurian Tales] • (2004) • shortstory by Steven Utley
390 • The Cascade • (2004) • shortstory by Sean McMullen
409 • Pervert • (2004) • shortstory by Charles Coleman Finlay
422 • The Risk-Taking Gene as Expressed in Some Asian Subjects • (2004) • novelette by Steve Tomasula
453 • Strood • (2004) • shortstory by Neal Asher
469 • The Eckener Alternative • (2004) • shortstory by James L. Cambias
479 • Savant Songs • (2004) • shortstory by Brenda Cooper
512 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 1996
35 people are currently reading
173 people want to read
About the author
David G. Hartwell
113 books94 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 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 6, 2020
I'm never going to get through my anthologies and collections if I don't start skipping aggressively. I did skip a few here, but more were not worth reading imo. None are worth telling you-all about.
Further investigation is warranted for only a few authors because of their stories here:
Wealth by Robert Reed
The Cascade by Sean McMullen
Strood by Neal Asher
The Eckener Alternative by James L. Cambias
Further investigation is warranted for only a few authors because of their stories here:
Wealth by Robert Reed
The Cascade by Sean McMullen
Strood by Neal Asher
The Eckener Alternative by James L. Cambias
October 14, 2016
Year’s Best SF 10
Edited by David G. Hartwell & Kathryn Cramer
This collection of twenty-three stories represents what the editors considered the best published in 2004. All the stories are science fiction, in the truest sense of the word. Not horror, fantasy, speculative fiction, or slipstream or postmodern literature, just science fiction. It’s been a while since I read some real science fiction and I hadn’t realized just how much I’d missed it. This is a good collection, only two that I couldn’t make it through. 3.4 out of 5.
“Sergeant Chip” by Bradley Denton.
Sergeant Chip is a military K-9 partnered with Captain Dial. Sent to a war zone reminiscent of Afghanistan, Dial and Chip are betrayed by their own, their company slaughtered. Dial orders Chip to take a local family of refugees to safety. Sad and horrifying, too close to reality for comfort. I would've called it speculative fiction rather than science fiction, but whatever the classification, it was brilliantly written. 5 out of 5.
“First Commandment” by Gregory Benford.
Biologist Cindy Locke has been all around the world to inventory the creatures affected by man’s changes in the environment. A holy man warns her that, while God had commanded Adam to name all that lived in the Garden of Eden, he might not be pleased by those man has destroyed over the centuries. Intriguing, if far-fetched even for science fiction. After all, wouldn’t God have already known? 3.5 out of 5.
“Burning Day” by Glenn Grant.
In a world filled with humans, cogents, and cybrids, there is still crime and prejudice. Police Detectives human Danny Aramaki and cogent Gene Engine Mohad are called when a small private party is bombed, killing some of the cogent participants. I became suspicious about the truth halfway through, but wasn’t 100% certain. A strong police procedural, an undercurrent of morality that could come up in our near future if IA research continues. 3.5 out of 5.
“Scout’s Honor” by Terry Bisson.
A scientist who studies Neanderthals starts getting mysterious emails from someone who appears to have gone back in time to study and snatch one. Our unnamed scientist appears to be autistic, confirmed by the note at the beginning of the story. The stories about how NTs were eliminated are many. Bisson explores one possible solution. A tragic end for a gentle people. 3.5 out of 5.
“Venus Flowers at Night” by Pamela Sargent.
Mukhtar Karim al-Anwar has a dream, to look to the future of mankind. As Earth becomes hotter, thanks to pollution and the Greenhouse Effect, Karim considers how to terraform Venus, Mars being already taken. The other mukhtars are stuck in the now, but Karim is convinced this could yield enough knowledge to someday possibly restore Earth to its former state. Using virtual reality to explore the possibilities as well as the problems of terraforming Venus is inspired. An interesting look at what could happen to the United States if we don’t take the situation seriously, if we stop looking for solutions. 3.5 out of 5.
“Pulp Cover” by Gene Wolfe.
Our unnamed hero fell in love with his boss’ daughter when she was just 15 years old. Unfortunately, she becomes engaged to another man, supposedly the son of the boss’ best friend. Something is wrong, but the wedding goes through before it can be proven. A slightly different take on the BEM tales of the past. Creepy as hell. 3.5 out of 5.
“The Algorithms for Love” by Ken Liu.
Are we truly real or just programmed creatures? A designer and programmer of lifelike dolls becomes convinced that we are just that, programmed to react to certain words and situations. This is something that certain scientists have dabbled in, along with being a virtual reality program. Talk about creepy! Shivers. 4.5 out of 5.
“Glinky” by Ray Vukcevich.
Karl Sowa finds himself flipping from one universe to another. He’s asked to help return Glinky, a character rat back to his proper home before the universes explode. Not my cup of tea. I’ve never been a fan of what I call “acid SF” stories. This was a DNF for me after struggling halfway through the story.
“Red City” by Janeen Webb
Miles Smythe and his annoying wife, Lucinda Ponsonby-Smythe, travel to India on a combined vacation and research trip. Their driver, picking up extra money during the summer tourist season, is Professor Singh, who is investigating a particular site that intrigues Miles with the possibility of time-travel. Talk about the Ugly Tourist. Lucinda is all that is bad, not even willing to hide her bigoted and demeaning actions. I’d almost feel sorry for Miles, but he stays married to her. He isn’t strong enough to stand up to her. She deserved her fate. 4 out of 5.
“Act of God” by Jack McDevitt.
Jerry stops by Phil’s place for a drink, telling him about the work he had been doing with Abe and Mac and Sylvia, all of whom are now dead. Abe had made his own Big Bang, bringing into life a universe filled with planets. They tinkered to help intelligent flourish, but the creatures all seemed to stall at the basic village and savagery level. Maybe if they sent the Ten Commandments over, with an extra commandment added. Playing God is a favorite trope in science fiction, but it is rare to be so distant, much less that they are punished by another God. Or could it be a scientist doing the same thing they did? An intriguing tale. 3.5 out of 5.
“Wealth” by Robert Reed.
Wealth, an independent AI, has come to Mars with plans, the first of which is buying a crumbling old mansion. The house is also an AI, authorized to negotiate. Strange and wonderful and sad (just a little bit). Characters that I would love to see more of. 4.5 out of 5.
“Mastermindless” by Matthew Hughes.
Henghis Hapthorne, famed freelance discriminator, suddenly finds himself physically and mentally changed, his back account virtually empty. When he realizes that his isn’t the only victim, he must struggle, with the help of his Integrator, to find the villain. When this started, I was dubious. But the idea of a Holmesian genius losing that intellect just when he most needed it was an interesting idea. 3.5 out of 5.
“Time, as It Evaporates…” by Jean-Claude Dunyach (translated by Jean-Louis Trudel).
When time rips apart, only one small Muslim town survives in a pocket caused by surrounding mountains. But that time like is slowly receding. So incredibly deep. Faith and humanity, love and hate, all have a place in this tale. 4.5 out of 5.
“The Battle of York” by James Stoddard.
3000 years have passed since America fell. Scientists struggle to put together the history of that long ago country, mixing quite a bit up in the process. What a hoot! The Pilgrim, Waynejon. Custard, Arm Strong. The head eagle, E. Perilous Union, and his son, Apollo Leven, who live in the Peaks of Usps. A mighty quest that is beyond hysterical. 4.5 out of 5.
“Loosestrife” by Liz William.
Poor Aud had been kept a virtual prisoner by her mother. A little slow, Aud is now fending for herself and her baby. Kept a secret from everyone except her friend, Danny, Aud wants to give the baby a better life than London. Tragic, yet in many ways hopeful for Aud. This one really hits you emotionally. 4.5 out of 5.
“The Dark Side of Town” by James Patrick Kelly.
Talisha has longed for a child and a house for ages, but Ricky always said that they couldn’t afford them. Then she discovers expensive sexual fantasy pills hidden under his boxers. She’s furious, but she still loves him. Does she dare take one of the pills to see exactly what Ricky has been up to? Ricky’s fantasy was so much more than Talisha could ever have imagined. While sad in so many ways, it might be that Ricky is right, that it was the only way for them to have their dreams come somewhat true. 3.5 out of 5.
“Invisible Kingdoms” by Steven Utley.
Mr. Cahill, brilliant and wealthy inventor of IntelliGelatintm, has encased himself in a protective shell as his body began to fail him, retreating from public view. Now he is being hunted by Mr. Selby and various government agencies over the illegal trade from the Paleozoic era. It might not be the first collector done in by his obsession, but is he really the victim? Is he really gone? Will SpokesMomtm save the man’s most special collection? I really could see this happening, other than the space/time travel part. 4 out of 5.
“The Cascade” by Sean McMullen.
An unnamed protagonist meets Julia while watching the first Mars landing at a local bar. He finds himself on the edges of a conspiracy that will radically change both the mission as well as life on Earth. A tough story, one that has at the core a belief in space exploration being untaken by humans, not robots. It is an argument that those of us interested in space exploration have heard since we stopped the Apollo program. I found Julia’s solution to be self-defeating. In many ways, she has made it impossible to do manned exploration beyond that of Mars itself. 3.5 out of 5.
“Pervert” by Charles Coleman Finlay.
In a future time, there are only homosexuals and hydrosexuals. Or so the teaching goes. But what if you are neither? Frightening in its implications, yet a simple switch of sexuality would show how it is in many parts of the planet now. 3.5 out of 5.
“The Risk-Taking Gene as Expressed by Some Asian Subjects” by Steve Tomasula.
Studying the Risk-Taking gene in a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. Another DNF for me. While I understand that the inherent racism in this story was more than likely the point, I found it too uncomfortable to read. Add the pseudo-science in the narrative and I was unable to force myself to continue.
“Strood” by Neal Asher.
Human David Hall is dying of cancer. The alien doctors are unable to cure him, instead giving him a ticket to travel to their space station. While exploring, David realizes that a strood, another type of alien who some believe could be pets, is following him. A group making a documentary helps David find the truth. And what a glorious truth it was! You have to feel for the poor strood, desperately following David about, only wanting to feed. Such a special, extraordinarily written story. 4.5 out of 5.
“The Eckener Alternative” by James L. Cambias.
John Cavalli adores airships so he decides to sneak back in time and tinker so that they will survive. He keeps trying over and over again, but they never seem to survive past World War II. I feel for John, I think zeppelins are very cool as well. 4 out of 5.
“Savant Songs” by Brenda Cooper.
Adam Giles had fallen in love with autistic savant Elsa Hill years ago. He became her assistant, remaining long after he received his doctorate. Always interested in multiverses, Elsa and her PI are searching for themselves in those other universes. Prepare to tear up at the end of this tale. The search for ourselves may be as old as humanity, definitely as old as religion. Maybe even as old as science itself. 4.5 out of 5.
Edited by David G. Hartwell & Kathryn Cramer
This collection of twenty-three stories represents what the editors considered the best published in 2004. All the stories are science fiction, in the truest sense of the word. Not horror, fantasy, speculative fiction, or slipstream or postmodern literature, just science fiction. It’s been a while since I read some real science fiction and I hadn’t realized just how much I’d missed it. This is a good collection, only two that I couldn’t make it through. 3.4 out of 5.
“Sergeant Chip” by Bradley Denton.
Sergeant Chip is a military K-9 partnered with Captain Dial. Sent to a war zone reminiscent of Afghanistan, Dial and Chip are betrayed by their own, their company slaughtered. Dial orders Chip to take a local family of refugees to safety. Sad and horrifying, too close to reality for comfort. I would've called it speculative fiction rather than science fiction, but whatever the classification, it was brilliantly written. 5 out of 5.
“First Commandment” by Gregory Benford.
Biologist Cindy Locke has been all around the world to inventory the creatures affected by man’s changes in the environment. A holy man warns her that, while God had commanded Adam to name all that lived in the Garden of Eden, he might not be pleased by those man has destroyed over the centuries. Intriguing, if far-fetched even for science fiction. After all, wouldn’t God have already known? 3.5 out of 5.
“Burning Day” by Glenn Grant.
In a world filled with humans, cogents, and cybrids, there is still crime and prejudice. Police Detectives human Danny Aramaki and cogent Gene Engine Mohad are called when a small private party is bombed, killing some of the cogent participants. I became suspicious about the truth halfway through, but wasn’t 100% certain. A strong police procedural, an undercurrent of morality that could come up in our near future if IA research continues. 3.5 out of 5.
“Scout’s Honor” by Terry Bisson.
A scientist who studies Neanderthals starts getting mysterious emails from someone who appears to have gone back in time to study and snatch one. Our unnamed scientist appears to be autistic, confirmed by the note at the beginning of the story. The stories about how NTs were eliminated are many. Bisson explores one possible solution. A tragic end for a gentle people. 3.5 out of 5.
“Venus Flowers at Night” by Pamela Sargent.
Mukhtar Karim al-Anwar has a dream, to look to the future of mankind. As Earth becomes hotter, thanks to pollution and the Greenhouse Effect, Karim considers how to terraform Venus, Mars being already taken. The other mukhtars are stuck in the now, but Karim is convinced this could yield enough knowledge to someday possibly restore Earth to its former state. Using virtual reality to explore the possibilities as well as the problems of terraforming Venus is inspired. An interesting look at what could happen to the United States if we don’t take the situation seriously, if we stop looking for solutions. 3.5 out of 5.
“Pulp Cover” by Gene Wolfe.
Our unnamed hero fell in love with his boss’ daughter when she was just 15 years old. Unfortunately, she becomes engaged to another man, supposedly the son of the boss’ best friend. Something is wrong, but the wedding goes through before it can be proven. A slightly different take on the BEM tales of the past. Creepy as hell. 3.5 out of 5.
“The Algorithms for Love” by Ken Liu.
Are we truly real or just programmed creatures? A designer and programmer of lifelike dolls becomes convinced that we are just that, programmed to react to certain words and situations. This is something that certain scientists have dabbled in, along with being a virtual reality program. Talk about creepy! Shivers. 4.5 out of 5.
“Glinky” by Ray Vukcevich.
Karl Sowa finds himself flipping from one universe to another. He’s asked to help return Glinky, a character rat back to his proper home before the universes explode. Not my cup of tea. I’ve never been a fan of what I call “acid SF” stories. This was a DNF for me after struggling halfway through the story.
“Red City” by Janeen Webb
Miles Smythe and his annoying wife, Lucinda Ponsonby-Smythe, travel to India on a combined vacation and research trip. Their driver, picking up extra money during the summer tourist season, is Professor Singh, who is investigating a particular site that intrigues Miles with the possibility of time-travel. Talk about the Ugly Tourist. Lucinda is all that is bad, not even willing to hide her bigoted and demeaning actions. I’d almost feel sorry for Miles, but he stays married to her. He isn’t strong enough to stand up to her. She deserved her fate. 4 out of 5.
“Act of God” by Jack McDevitt.
Jerry stops by Phil’s place for a drink, telling him about the work he had been doing with Abe and Mac and Sylvia, all of whom are now dead. Abe had made his own Big Bang, bringing into life a universe filled with planets. They tinkered to help intelligent flourish, but the creatures all seemed to stall at the basic village and savagery level. Maybe if they sent the Ten Commandments over, with an extra commandment added. Playing God is a favorite trope in science fiction, but it is rare to be so distant, much less that they are punished by another God. Or could it be a scientist doing the same thing they did? An intriguing tale. 3.5 out of 5.
“Wealth” by Robert Reed.
Wealth, an independent AI, has come to Mars with plans, the first of which is buying a crumbling old mansion. The house is also an AI, authorized to negotiate. Strange and wonderful and sad (just a little bit). Characters that I would love to see more of. 4.5 out of 5.
“Mastermindless” by Matthew Hughes.
Henghis Hapthorne, famed freelance discriminator, suddenly finds himself physically and mentally changed, his back account virtually empty. When he realizes that his isn’t the only victim, he must struggle, with the help of his Integrator, to find the villain. When this started, I was dubious. But the idea of a Holmesian genius losing that intellect just when he most needed it was an interesting idea. 3.5 out of 5.
“Time, as It Evaporates…” by Jean-Claude Dunyach (translated by Jean-Louis Trudel).
When time rips apart, only one small Muslim town survives in a pocket caused by surrounding mountains. But that time like is slowly receding. So incredibly deep. Faith and humanity, love and hate, all have a place in this tale. 4.5 out of 5.
“The Battle of York” by James Stoddard.
3000 years have passed since America fell. Scientists struggle to put together the history of that long ago country, mixing quite a bit up in the process. What a hoot! The Pilgrim, Waynejon. Custard, Arm Strong. The head eagle, E. Perilous Union, and his son, Apollo Leven, who live in the Peaks of Usps. A mighty quest that is beyond hysterical. 4.5 out of 5.
“Loosestrife” by Liz William.
Poor Aud had been kept a virtual prisoner by her mother. A little slow, Aud is now fending for herself and her baby. Kept a secret from everyone except her friend, Danny, Aud wants to give the baby a better life than London. Tragic, yet in many ways hopeful for Aud. This one really hits you emotionally. 4.5 out of 5.
“The Dark Side of Town” by James Patrick Kelly.
Talisha has longed for a child and a house for ages, but Ricky always said that they couldn’t afford them. Then she discovers expensive sexual fantasy pills hidden under his boxers. She’s furious, but she still loves him. Does she dare take one of the pills to see exactly what Ricky has been up to? Ricky’s fantasy was so much more than Talisha could ever have imagined. While sad in so many ways, it might be that Ricky is right, that it was the only way for them to have their dreams come somewhat true. 3.5 out of 5.
“Invisible Kingdoms” by Steven Utley.
Mr. Cahill, brilliant and wealthy inventor of IntelliGelatintm, has encased himself in a protective shell as his body began to fail him, retreating from public view. Now he is being hunted by Mr. Selby and various government agencies over the illegal trade from the Paleozoic era. It might not be the first collector done in by his obsession, but is he really the victim? Is he really gone? Will SpokesMomtm save the man’s most special collection? I really could see this happening, other than the space/time travel part. 4 out of 5.
“The Cascade” by Sean McMullen.
An unnamed protagonist meets Julia while watching the first Mars landing at a local bar. He finds himself on the edges of a conspiracy that will radically change both the mission as well as life on Earth. A tough story, one that has at the core a belief in space exploration being untaken by humans, not robots. It is an argument that those of us interested in space exploration have heard since we stopped the Apollo program. I found Julia’s solution to be self-defeating. In many ways, she has made it impossible to do manned exploration beyond that of Mars itself. 3.5 out of 5.
“Pervert” by Charles Coleman Finlay.
In a future time, there are only homosexuals and hydrosexuals. Or so the teaching goes. But what if you are neither? Frightening in its implications, yet a simple switch of sexuality would show how it is in many parts of the planet now. 3.5 out of 5.
“The Risk-Taking Gene as Expressed by Some Asian Subjects” by Steve Tomasula.
Studying the Risk-Taking gene in a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. Another DNF for me. While I understand that the inherent racism in this story was more than likely the point, I found it too uncomfortable to read. Add the pseudo-science in the narrative and I was unable to force myself to continue.
“Strood” by Neal Asher.
Human David Hall is dying of cancer. The alien doctors are unable to cure him, instead giving him a ticket to travel to their space station. While exploring, David realizes that a strood, another type of alien who some believe could be pets, is following him. A group making a documentary helps David find the truth. And what a glorious truth it was! You have to feel for the poor strood, desperately following David about, only wanting to feed. Such a special, extraordinarily written story. 4.5 out of 5.
“The Eckener Alternative” by James L. Cambias.
John Cavalli adores airships so he decides to sneak back in time and tinker so that they will survive. He keeps trying over and over again, but they never seem to survive past World War II. I feel for John, I think zeppelins are very cool as well. 4 out of 5.
“Savant Songs” by Brenda Cooper.
Adam Giles had fallen in love with autistic savant Elsa Hill years ago. He became her assistant, remaining long after he received his doctorate. Always interested in multiverses, Elsa and her PI are searching for themselves in those other universes. Prepare to tear up at the end of this tale. The search for ourselves may be as old as humanity, definitely as old as religion. Maybe even as old as science itself. 4.5 out of 5.
Read
October 21, 2007http://nhw.livejournal.com/571392.html[return][return]Anyway, this is a nice collection; no particular standout story for me, though I did enjoy Glenn Grant's "Burning Day" (for once, a cute anthropomorphic robot story that didn't make me cringe), Neil Asher's "Strood", James Stoddard's re-telling of American history in "The Battle of York", and two stories which included Islam in slightly different sfnal ways (Jean-Claude Dunyach's "Time, as it Evaporates.. ." and Pamela Sargent's "Venus Flowers at Midnight"). There were several time-travel stories that didn't really take that sub-genre anywhere it hasn't been before, and a couple that I really didn't understand, and two that for some reason chose to feature brilliantly intelligent women with autism as their protagonists. I also didn't like the extent to which the editors felt they had to reveal details of the plots of what are, in the main, already pretty short stories in their introductions to each piece. But still, you can't really complain about 22 pieces of generally good short fiction for $7.99.
November 29, 2010
1.5 stars perhaps. Forgettable stories. Kept finding excuses not to finish the book. I finally realized I was not looking up any of the authors' other works to read. Time to move on. So many other good books to read.
January 26, 2018
Stories from 2004. Some of my favorite authors. The novelette Battle of York by James Stoddard about George Washington is hilarious.
November 29, 2020
Every anthology has stories you like and those that you don't. This good size collection has some real Dodos and some real gems.
June 21, 2023
Only one or two stories are fillers. The rest are real killers!
Read
November 24, 2010Bradley Denton “Sergeant Chip” (F&SF September)
Gregory Benford “The First Commandment” (SciFiction)
Glenn Grant “Burning Day” (Island Dreams: Montreal Writers of the Fantastic)
Really, really enjoyed this one. Cogs, cybrids and humans. A detective story.
Terry Bisson “Scout’s Honor” (SciFiction)
good one. "clever" format. Time travel and Neanderthals -- love it.
Pamela Sargent “Venus Flowers at Night” (Microcosms)
Gene Wolfe “Pulp Cover” (Asimov’s March)
Strange, stripped down story
Ken Liu “The Algorithms for Love” (Strange Horizons)
Ray Vukcevich “Glinky” (F&SF June)
Janeen Webb “Red City” (Synergy SF: New Science Fiction)
Jack McDevitt “Act of God” (Microcosms)
Robert Reed “Wealth” (Asimov’s April/May)
Matthew Hughes “Mastermindless” (F&SF March)
Jean-Claude Dunyach “Time, As It Evaporates” (The Night Orchid)
James Stoddard “The Battle of York” (F&SF July)
Liz Williams “Loosestrife” (Interzone #193 Spring)
James Patrick Kelly “The Dark Side of Town” (Asimov’s April/May)
Steven Utley “Invisible Kingdoms” (F&SF February)
Sean McMullen “The Cascade” (Agog! Terrific Tales)
Charles Coleman Finlay “Pervert” (F&SF March)
Steve Tomasula “The Risk-Taking Gene as Expressed by Some Asian Subjects” (Denver Quarterly Fall 2004)
Neal Asher “Strood” (Asimov’s December)
James Cambias “The Eckener Alternative” (All-Star Zeppelin Adventure Stories)
Brenda Cooper “Savant Songs” (Analog December)
Gregory Benford “The First Commandment” (SciFiction)
Glenn Grant “Burning Day” (Island Dreams: Montreal Writers of the Fantastic)
Really, really enjoyed this one. Cogs, cybrids and humans. A detective story.
Terry Bisson “Scout’s Honor” (SciFiction)
good one. "clever" format. Time travel and Neanderthals -- love it.
Pamela Sargent “Venus Flowers at Night” (Microcosms)
Gene Wolfe “Pulp Cover” (Asimov’s March)
Strange, stripped down story
Ken Liu “The Algorithms for Love” (Strange Horizons)
Ray Vukcevich “Glinky” (F&SF June)
Janeen Webb “Red City” (Synergy SF: New Science Fiction)
Jack McDevitt “Act of God” (Microcosms)
Robert Reed “Wealth” (Asimov’s April/May)
Matthew Hughes “Mastermindless” (F&SF March)
Jean-Claude Dunyach “Time, As It Evaporates” (The Night Orchid)
James Stoddard “The Battle of York” (F&SF July)
Liz Williams “Loosestrife” (Interzone #193 Spring)
James Patrick Kelly “The Dark Side of Town” (Asimov’s April/May)
Steven Utley “Invisible Kingdoms” (F&SF February)
Sean McMullen “The Cascade” (Agog! Terrific Tales)
Charles Coleman Finlay “Pervert” (F&SF March)
Steve Tomasula “The Risk-Taking Gene as Expressed by Some Asian Subjects” (Denver Quarterly Fall 2004)
Neal Asher “Strood” (Asimov’s December)
James Cambias “The Eckener Alternative” (All-Star Zeppelin Adventure Stories)
Brenda Cooper “Savant Songs” (Analog December)
August 7, 2016
I blame my wife. "You've GOT to read this one story," she said, referring to James Stoddard's "The Battle of York". Shell has a pretty good taste in literature (if not in men, she married ME after all) and so I figured it would be a nice change from all of the horror and dark fantasy I've been reading.
Well. I liked that story so much I decided I would read the whole book, by God, and I did, and now I have rediscovered my love for sci-fi. Hartwell and Cramer have always been excellent editors, having done several collections in different genres, and they really have a fine lot of them for this year (2004, I believe.) Terrific stuff! "Sergeant Chip" gets things off and running, a story with a bite, if you'll pardon the bad pun, a tale of a cybernetically modified Army dog who follows his orders and turns in his field report at the end of his mission. An amazing read and one that leaves you wanting more. "Scout's Honor", "Mastermindless", and "Pulp Cover" are all outstanding entries. There are the usual couple of clunkers, but that's opinion and taste. I trust Hartwell and Cramer to put forward a representative collection of the best, and if this is indeed it, then 2004 was a banner year for sci-fi.
The only problem is, now I have a LOT of catching up to do. This was number 10, and it was published in 2004. Shell already has 9; I reckon it'll be up to me to find the rest and get us both up to date. But there is an upside to this: if my wife asks why I didn't rake the lawn or do other chores, I guess I can just say, "It's your fault for turning me back on to sci-fi…"
Recommended.
Well. I liked that story so much I decided I would read the whole book, by God, and I did, and now I have rediscovered my love for sci-fi. Hartwell and Cramer have always been excellent editors, having done several collections in different genres, and they really have a fine lot of them for this year (2004, I believe.) Terrific stuff! "Sergeant Chip" gets things off and running, a story with a bite, if you'll pardon the bad pun, a tale of a cybernetically modified Army dog who follows his orders and turns in his field report at the end of his mission. An amazing read and one that leaves you wanting more. "Scout's Honor", "Mastermindless", and "Pulp Cover" are all outstanding entries. There are the usual couple of clunkers, but that's opinion and taste. I trust Hartwell and Cramer to put forward a representative collection of the best, and if this is indeed it, then 2004 was a banner year for sci-fi.
The only problem is, now I have a LOT of catching up to do. This was number 10, and it was published in 2004. Shell already has 9; I reckon it'll be up to me to find the rest and get us both up to date. But there is an upside to this: if my wife asks why I didn't rake the lawn or do other chores, I guess I can just say, "It's your fault for turning me back on to sci-fi…"
Recommended.
January 8, 2017
Partial reread. Go-to review here is Lizabeth Tucker's. And on the web, Mark Watson's
http://bestsf.net/years-best-sf-10-da...
Both have detailed (and spoiler-free) story notes, which are excellent memory aids.
Not one of his best anthologies, but still worth reading. 3/5 stars
Memorable stories::
“Sergeant Chip” by Bradley Denton. Novella. Probably the most widely-reprinted story here, with 6 reprints plus a translation. Standout story, not reread this time. "Sad and horrifying, too close to reality for comfort," per Tucker, who rated it 5/5.
Glenn Grant. Burning Day. Humans, androids, and hybrids, in love and conflict. 3/5 this time, remembered it as better.
“Wealth” by Robert Reed. An independent AI buys a house on Mars. Clever short, held up to rereading. 4/5 stars.
James Patrick Kelly. The Dark Side of Town. Virtual sex in a marriage. Not reread this time, 3.8/5 from a pretty recent reread.
Brenda Cooper. Savant Songs. Autistic physicist. 3/5 this time. Didn't hold up that well to reread, but I recall liking it more the first time.
http://bestsf.net/years-best-sf-10-da...
Both have detailed (and spoiler-free) story notes, which are excellent memory aids.
Not one of his best anthologies, but still worth reading. 3/5 stars
Memorable stories::
“Sergeant Chip” by Bradley Denton. Novella. Probably the most widely-reprinted story here, with 6 reprints plus a translation. Standout story, not reread this time. "Sad and horrifying, too close to reality for comfort," per Tucker, who rated it 5/5.
Glenn Grant. Burning Day. Humans, androids, and hybrids, in love and conflict. 3/5 this time, remembered it as better.
“Wealth” by Robert Reed. An independent AI buys a house on Mars. Clever short, held up to rereading. 4/5 stars.
James Patrick Kelly. The Dark Side of Town. Virtual sex in a marriage. Not reread this time, 3.8/5 from a pretty recent reread.
Brenda Cooper. Savant Songs. Autistic physicist. 3/5 this time. Didn't hold up that well to reread, but I recall liking it more the first time.
May 14, 2016
★ - Most books with this rating I never finish and so don't make this list. This one I probably started speed-reading to get it over with.
★★ - Average. Wasn't terrible, but not a lot to recommend it. Probably skimmed parts of it.
★★★ - Decent. A few good ideas, well-written passages, interesting characters, or the like.
★★★★ - Good. This one had parts that inspired me, impressed me, made me laugh out loud, made me think - it got positive reactions and most of the rest of it was pretty decent too.
★★★★★ - Amazing. This is the best I've read of its genre, the ones I hold on to so I can re-read them and/or loan them out to people looking for a great book. The best of these change the way I look at the world and operate within it.
★★ - Average. Wasn't terrible, but not a lot to recommend it. Probably skimmed parts of it.
★★★ - Decent. A few good ideas, well-written passages, interesting characters, or the like.
★★★★ - Good. This one had parts that inspired me, impressed me, made me laugh out loud, made me think - it got positive reactions and most of the rest of it was pretty decent too.
★★★★★ - Amazing. This is the best I've read of its genre, the ones I hold on to so I can re-read them and/or loan them out to people looking for a great book. The best of these change the way I look at the world and operate within it.
November 15, 2019
A collection of mostly mediocre stories by mostly unknown or second tier writers. I found some of the introductions to the stories annoying and political. One author is excused for "emulating" Jack Vance. After another produces a story highly reminiscent of Arthur C Clarke's 'Nine Billion Names of God' the editor proclaims that, "like Clarke" the writer " explores scientific liternalization of religious ideas." Evidently.
There are some workmanlike stories and one very good one, 'Time, As It Evaporates,' a translation from the French writer Jean- Claude Dunyach. I don't know what went into the making of this collection and I'm happy for as many anthologies as we can get, but this is nobody's 'Year's Best'.
There are some workmanlike stories and one very good one, 'Time, As It Evaporates,' a translation from the French writer Jean- Claude Dunyach. I don't know what went into the making of this collection and I'm happy for as many anthologies as we can get, but this is nobody's 'Year's Best'.
June 19, 2016
Outstanding Stories:
"Sergeant Chip" by Bradley Denton-Heroic Cybernetic enhanced dog saves the day.
"Burning Day" by Glenn Grant: violent robot detective story that touches on race relations.
"Mastermindless" by Matthew Hugh.
"the Battle of York" by James Stoddard.
"Loosestrife" by Liz William.
"Strood" by Neal Asher.
"Sergeant Chip" by Bradley Denton-Heroic Cybernetic enhanced dog saves the day.
"Burning Day" by Glenn Grant: violent robot detective story that touches on race relations.
"Mastermindless" by Matthew Hugh.
"the Battle of York" by James Stoddard.
"Loosestrife" by Liz William.
"Strood" by Neal Asher.
May 24, 2016
Autentiche stelle. Una delle migliori raccolte di racconti di fantascienza che mi sia arrivata in mano da un po' di tempo a questa parte.
Il livello medio è decisamente buono, ma tra tutti spiccano il racconto di apertura "Il sergente Chip", per l'inconsueto punto di vista, e "La battaglia di York", esilarante.
Il livello medio è decisamente buono, ma tra tutti spiccano il racconto di apertura "Il sergente Chip", per l'inconsueto punto di vista, e "La battaglia di York", esilarante.
June 10, 2011
I decided to start on some short stories, and the first story in this book affected me so much that I cried. I can't remember when that last happened to me, if ever. Sergeant Chip is definitely a short story I will remember for a long time. The other stories in this book were good, too. :)
Currently reading
May 25, 2024"First Commandment" by Gregory Benford - A religious leader wants to stop a scientist from finishing a global inventory naming all animal species as he is worried God will manifest His wrath humanity has presided over the destruction of so much of His kingdom.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
August 22, 2008Year's Best SF 10 (Year's Best SF (Science Fiction)) by David G. Hartwell (2005)
February 14, 2009
Some of these stories were excellent and most were good.
October 22, 2009
As usual with this series, most of the stories were very thought provoking and interesting. A few mediocre ones, but enjoyed the read all the same.
February 5, 2012
Solid addition to the series, with a couple of real standouts: "Sergeant Chip", "The Algorithms of Love", and "The Cascade".
Read
September 26, 201215
October 15, 2016
Especially recommend:
Matthew Hughes, "Mastermindless"
Matthew Hughes, "Mastermindless"
January 21, 2017
Great collection of great SF stories.
June 24, 2018
A good collection of short stories, and will be reading other books in this series.
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