The Year’s Best Science Fiction, Vol. 1 (ed Jonathan Strahan, Saga Press 2020)
Strahan racked up #13 volumes of his Best SF&F of the Year anthology, initially published by Nightshade Books, and latterly
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Author: Mark Watson
The Best Science Fiction of the Year, Volume 5 (ed Neil Clarke, Nightshade Books 2020
Last year, following the sad loss of Gardner Dozois, Neil Clarke became the *only* anthologist of a Year’s Best SF
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The Year’s Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2020 Edition (ed Rich Horton, Prime Books 2020)
Horton’s take on the Year’s Best SF&F is scheduled for a December 2020 release. Rich has published the TOC of
Read morePeter Watts. A Niche. (Tesseracts 3, 1994.)
Hard SF at the bottom of an oceanic abyss.
Read moreThe Year’s Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2019 Edition (ed Rich Horton, Prime Books 2019)
I’m restricting myself to buying the purely SF anthologies, and so this book won’t be gracing my shelves. I’ve nabbed
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Nebula Awards Showcase 2019 (ed Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Parvus Press 2019)
Shelved with the now-usual nostalgic sigh for when these volumes where choc full of great SF..
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The Best Science Fiction of the Year, Volume 4 (ed Neil Clarke, Nightshade Books 2019)
With 2019 being the first year for four decades without a Gardner Dozois take on the Year’s Best SF, this
Read moreSimone Heller. When We Were Starless. (Clarkesworld Magazine, October 2018)
Heller is an author new to me, but a name I would be looking out for now if I was still in the habit of reading a lot of short SF in it’s original appearance.
Read moreLavie Tidhar. New Atlantis. (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, May/June 2019).
Another masterful piece of writing from Tidhar.
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The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year Volume Thirteen. (ed Jonathan Strahan, Solaris Books, 2019)
In the sad absence of a Dozois’ annual anthology, I’ve been and gone and bought the dead-tree version of Strahan’s
Read moreRobert Bloch. I Do Not Love Thee, Doctor Fell. (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction 1955)
Sitting down at the computer in a brief interlude from a day gardening in the sunshine I did have the option to re-read the story. but..
Read moreIvan Janvier. Thing. (Fantastic Universe, March 1955)
Written some 18 or more years after John W. Campbell’s ‘The Thing’, but with a similar underpinning idea.
Read moreTom Godwin. You Created Us. (Fantastic Universe, October 1955)
I started this story with high hopes – one from no less an author than Tom ‘The Cold Equations’ Godwin, but found that this story doesn’t quite live up to his most famous work.
Read moreFrank M. Robinson. Dream Street. (Imaginative Tales, March 1955.)
I may be late to the party, but a Best SF Huzzah! for the late Robinson.
Read moreAlgis Budrys. The Man Who Always Knew. (Astounding Science Fiction, April 1956).
A story that doesn’t go much beyond the principal conceit : a man has the uncanny knack of knowing just where and when someone is going to have a brainwave or invent something – and therefore be on hand to licence and exploit it.
Read moreCordwainer Smith. The Game of Rat and Dragon. (Galaxy Science Fiction, October 1955.)
The story has many excellent turns of phrase, and leads the reader through the story introducing background concepts and technology, with the odd clever ‘reveal’.
Read moreL. Sprague de Camp. Judgment Day. (Astounding Science Fiction, August 1955).
A minimal SFnal element to a story that peers into the dark recesses of one human mind.
Read moreRobert F. Young. Jungle Doctor. (Startling Stories, Fall 1955).
A strong start to Dikty’s anthology, with a story that stands the test of time well.
Read moreC.M. Kornbluth. The Cosmic Expense Account. (Fantasy and Science Fiction, January 1956)
A story that would sit nicely in today’s F&SF with only a few changes – blackly comic and satirical, it features two men setting out into zombie-infested territory.
Read moreJohn Bernard Daley. The Man Who Liked Lions. (Infinity Science Fiction October 1956).
Mr. Kemper has been on Earth for millenia and finds little to differentiate the creatures in cages at the zoo from those staring in at them.
Read moreEric Frank Russell. Allamagoosa. (Astounding May 1955)
A fairly weak story for a Hugo Winner.
Read moreHenry Kuttner and C.L. Moore. Home There’s No Returning. (No Boundaries, 1955.)
‘Mr. & Mrs. Henry Kuttner’ ponder whether flesh & blood, despite their inherent weaknesses, are superior to computers.
Read moreSteve Allen. The Public Hating. (The Blue Book Magazine, January 1955)
Imagine, a sports stadium full of hateful people, encouraged to be hateful, by the government. Sheer fantasy of course.
Read moreDamon Knight. The Country of the Kind. (The Magazine of Fantasy of Science Fiction, February 1956.)
A rather dark, disturbing story from Knight, somewhat at odds with the rest of the volume (and possibly the majority of SF in the mid-50s).
Read moreIsaac Asimov. Dreaming Is A Private Thing. (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, December 1955)
Asimov posits a new technology, ‘dreamies’, a form of immersive VR, but instead of being digitally coded, the dreamies are created by capturing and editing the dreams of the small percentage of the population who dream vivid dreams.
Read moreJack Finney. Of Missing Persons. (Good Housekeeping, March 1955)
A travel agent can get you a one-way ticket to somewhere very different and very special. It’s one-way and a one-off chance.
Read moreMildred Clingerman. Birds Can’t Count. (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, February 1955).
A touch of sauciness for the 1950s!
Read moreWillard Marsh. The Ethicators. (Worlds of If Magazine, August 1955)
Humorous story in which missionaries from the Antarean region arrive on Earth and are horrified by what they see – flesh-eating monsters and barbaric humans.
Read moreShirley Jackson. One Ordinary Day, With Peanuts. (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, January 1955.)
Nice little story featuring the awfully nice Mr. Johnson, who spends his day in New York being rather helpful to people who cross his path.
Read moreE.C. Tubb. The Last Day of Summer. (Science Fantasy #12 1955)
After three rejuves, old age comes apace, and John Melhuey wishes to avoid decrepitude.
Read moreAlgis Budrys. Nobody Bothers Gus. (Astounding November 1955)
One of a trio of stories about Gussie Kusevic, one of a breed of humans that have developed beyond homo sapien.
Read moreZenna Henderson. Pottage. (Fantasy and Science Fiction, September 1955)
One of a series of stories in Henderson’s ‘The People’ series, featuring an alien race, indistinguishable from humans and living amongst us, typically in small remote communities, hiding their special abilities and remaining incognito.
Read moreMark Clifton. Sense From Thought Divide. (Astounding Science Fiction, March 1955)
A mildly amusing tale of psi, swamis, scientific framework and anti-gravity. Rather longer than it really needed to be….
Read moreTheodore Sturgeon. Bulkhead. (Galaxy, March 1955)
A solo ‘Long Haul’ trip to pass muster for the role of starship captain. Except, there is someone else to keep you company.
Read moreWalter M. Miller Jr. The Hoofer. (Fantastic Universe, September 1955)
A great read with some wonderful writing.
Read moreJames E. Gunn. The Cave of Night. (Galaxy February 1955)
Gunn’s tale foreshadows the drama of Apollo 13 and the ‘fake Moon landing’ conspiracy theorists.
Read moreRobert Abernathy. Junior. (Galaxy Magazine January 1956)
A troublesome teen decides that he wants more from life than putting roots down with a nice girl. (Oh, and he’s an alien).
Read moreAvram Davidson. The Golem. (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, March 1955)
A sweet little story in which an elderly, retired Jewish couple sitting on their porch are paid a visit by a Golem hell-bent on world domination.
Read moreMichael F. Flynn. Nexus. (Analog, March/April 2017.)
A thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining story.
Read moreMaureen McHugh. Sidewalks. (Omni Magazine, November 2017)
Sensitive story from McHugh.
Read moreH. Pueyo. What the South Wind Whispers. (Clarkesworld Magazine, #146 November 2018)
Two people on the spectrum, and a British AI, and treachery…
Read moreRich Larson. Octo-Heist in Progress. (Clarkesworld Magazine #146 November 2018)
A short, fun story from Larson.
Read moreAlec Nevala-Lee. The Proving Ground. (Analog Science Fiction and Science Fact, January/February 2017).
Very much in the ‘Analog’ vein, of scientists coming across a scientific challenge/conundrum and having to resolve it
Read moreHarry Turtledove. Zigeuner. (Asimovs Science Fiction, September/October 2017).
I went into this story with low expectations. Sadly the story didn’t even reach those low expectations.
Read moreJessica Barber and Sara Saab. Panhumanism : Hope and Pragmatics. (Clarkesworld Magazine, #132 September 2017).
A touching story, with a very strong sense of place, and of the people populating it.
Read moreLavie Tidhar. The Road to the Sea. (Sunvault : stories of Solarpunk and Eco-Speculation, ed Wagner/Wieland, Upper Rubber Boot, 2017.)
A shorter story from Tidhar, and classy as usual.
Read moreJaine Fenn. The Martian Job. (Newcon Press 2017)
Read in The Year’s Best Science Fiction Thirty Fifth Annual Collection (Dozois, 2018). Published by Newcon Press 2017. I liked
Read moreJames S.A. Corey. The Hunger after You’re Fed : Who is Hector Prima? (The Wired Fiction Issue, 2016)
An intriguing vignette from Corey.
Read moreNaomi Kritzer. Waiting Out the End of the World in Patty’s Place Cafe. (Clarkesworld Magazine #126, March 2017)
Whilst not SF, altogether a good story about grownups and grownup issues.
Read moreAlastair Reynolds. Night Passage. (Infinite Stars ed Schmidt, Titan Books, 2017)
clever stuff, although admittedly the characters are rather one-dimensional, with one of them handily having prior knowledge that helps explain the background.
Read moreNancy Kress. Dear Sarah. (Infinity Wars, ed Strahan, Solaris 2017)
Three dimensional and believable.
Read moreMichael Swanwick. Starlight Express. (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, September/October 2017)
A short, thoughtful story, which oozes class
Read moreCarter Scholz. Vanguard 2.0. (Visions, Ventures, Escape Velocities: A Collection of Space Futures, ASU 2017)
As with the opening story in the volume, the fourth one is also a reflective one, which will similarly disappoint seekers of action-driven adventure.
Read moreIndrapramit Das. The Moon Is Not a Battlefield. (Infinity Wars ed Strahan, Solaris 2017)
A thoughtful and powerful reflection.
Read moreThe Year’s Best Science Fiction: Thirty-Fifth Annual Collection (ed Gardner Dozois, St Martins/Griffin 2018)
The last of Dozois’ amazing annual anthologies…
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Nebula Awards Showcase 2018 (ed Jane Yolen, Pyr 2018)
Not that much in terms of a coverage of the best SF in short form. Onto the shelves with the volume.
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Tobias S. Buckell. Zen and the Art of Starship Maintenance. (Cosmic Powers, ed Adams, Saga 2017)
A clever story to end Clarke’s volume.
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Peter Watts. ZeroS. (Infinity Wars, ed Strahan, Solaris Books 2017)
There’s a great balance of characterisation, tech, socio-political background and story here.
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The Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume Three. (ed Neil Clarke, Nightshade Books 2018)
An excellent collection of stories.
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Rich Larson. An Evening with Severyn Grimes. (Asimovs July/August 2017)
A near-future cyberpunky cyber-thriller, with a couple of twists, double crosses, and neat touches.
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Madeline Ashby. Death on Mars. (Visions, Ventures, Escape Velocities, Arizona State University, 2017.)
Short, tight, claustrophobic and up close and personal.
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Robert Reed. The Speed of Belief. (Asimovs January/February 2017)
Reed’s ‘Great Ship’ is the setting for a sprawling series of stories, an he has been writing them for about 20 years now, and there’s no reason as far as the setting goes, for stopping any time now.
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Finbarr O’Reilly. The Last Boat-Builder in Ballyvoloon. (Clarkesworld Magazine #133 October 2017)
Very well told, and altogether a pleasure to read.
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Aliette de Bodard. In Everlasting Wisdom. (Infinity Wars ed Strahan)
An interesting conceit, but the story whizzes through quickly.
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Yoon Ha Lee. Extracurricular Activities. (Tor.com)
There was stuff I *really* did like – gender fluidity, non-CIS sexuality and flirting, but the undercover spy thing and the generally light tone of the story didn’t work for me.
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Kathleen Ann Goonan. The Tale of the Alcubierre Horse. (Extrasolar ed Nick Gevers, PS Publishing 2017)
The story moves through the gears smoothly, starting as a traditional ship politics story and ramping us the tension and the scale and scope of the story nicely.
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Karin Lowachee. Meridian. (Where the Stars Rise, ed Law/Mak)
A good read, although if you’d asked me after reading it what the theme of the anthology was from which it was taken, ‘Asian SF and Fantasy’ would have been a long, long way down the list of suggestions.
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A.C. Wise. A Catalogue of Sunlight at the End of the World. (Sunvault: Stories of Solarpunk and Eco-Speculation. Upper Rubber Boot, August 2017)
Only the third story by Wise that I’ve read, and like the previous two it’s a good one.
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Kelly Robson. We Who Live in the Heart. (Clarkesworld Magazine #128 May 2017)
The setting is a doozy.
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Greg Egan. Uncanny Valley. (Tor.com August 2017)
An interesting WhoDunnit – not sure if there has been a DidIDoIt before?
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Maggie Clark. Belly Up. (Analog July/August 2017)
Only the second story I’ve read by Clark, and they have both impressed.
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Rachael K. Jones and Khaalidah Muhammad-Ali. Regarding the Robot Raccoons Attached to the Hull of My Ship. (Diabolical Plots, June 2017)
A reasonable story although not a standout for me.
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Indrapramit Das. The Worldless. (Lightspeed Magazine #82, March 2017)
An excellent story from Das – go follow the link and read it.
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Gregory Benford. Shadows of Eternity. (Extrasolar, edited by Nick Gevers)
There are some great descriptions of alien worlds, and an interesting conclusion, but the story didn’t quite rise to the level of some of Benford’s work.
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Linda Nagata. The Martian Obelisk. (Tor.com)
One element of the story just a little too close to Andy Weir’s ‘The Martian’ for my liking, but otherwise well done.
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Gord Sellar. Focus. (Analog May/June 2017)
I know I have a long-standing issue with many Analog stories, but I wasn’t particularly taken with this story, before finding out where it was published.
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Sarah Pinsker. Wind Will Rove. (Asimovs, September/October 2017)
A generation starship story, which are few and far between these days.
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Vandana Singh. Shikasta. (Visions, Ventures, Escape Velocities)
A good balance of space exploration science, AI musings, global climate change/disaster and societal impacts, and with a non-western setting.
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Matthew Kressel. The Last Novelist (or a Dead Lizard in the Yard). (Tor.com)
There’s depth and warmth in the story, which makes it well worth the read and inclusion in this volume.
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