anthology
In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs or excerpts by different authors.
In genre fiction, the term ''anthology'' typically categ ...
of
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
short works edited by American writer
Greg Bear
Gregory Dale Bear (August 20, 1951 – November 19, 2022) was an American writer and illustrator best known for science fiction. His work covered themes of galactic conflict ('' Forge of God'' books), parallel universes ('' The Way'' series), ...
. It was first published in trade paperback by Pyr in December 2015.''Publishers Weekly'' (review), Oct. 26, 2015. /ref>
Summary
The book collects pieces that won or were nominated for the
Nebula Award
The Nebula Awards annually recognize the best works of science fiction or fantasy published in the United States. The awards are organized and awarded by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), a nonprofit association of profe ...
novella
A novella is a narrative prose fiction whose length is shorter than most novels, but longer than most short stories. The English word ''novella'' derives from the Italian ''novella'' meaning a short story related to true (or apparently so) facts ...
short story
A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...
for the year 2013 (presented in 2014), as well as the piece that won the
Andre Norton Award
The Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction (formerly the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy) is an annual award presented by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) to the ...
Samuel R. Delany
Samuel R. "Chip" Delany (, ) (born April 1, 1942), is an American author and literary critic. His work includes fiction (especially science fiction), memoir, criticism, and essays (on science fiction, literature, sexuality, and society). His ...
and a representative early story by him, nonfiction pieces related to the awards, and the three
Rhysling Award
__NOTOC__
The Rhysling Awards are an annual award given for the best science fiction, fantasy, or horror poem of the year. Unlike most literary awards, which are named for the creator of the award, the subject of the award, or a noted member of t ...
and
Dwarf Stars Award
The Dwarf Stars Award is an annual award presented by the Science Fiction Poetry Association to the author of the best horror, fantasy, or science fiction poem of ten lines or fewer published in the previous year. The award was established in 20 ...
-winning poems for 2013, together with an introduction by the editor. The pieces winning the Best Novel and Andre Norton awards are represented by excerpts; the non-winning pieces nominated for these awards and for Best Novella are omitted.
Contents
*"The Long, Hot Summer of Science Fiction" ntroduction(
Greg Bear
Gregory Dale Bear (August 20, 1951 – November 19, 2022) was an American writer and illustrator best known for science fiction. His work covered themes of galactic conflict ('' Forge of God'' books), parallel universes ('' The Way'' series), ...
Rachel Swirsky
Rachel Swirsky (born April 14, 1982, in San Jose, California) is an American literary, speculative fiction and fantasy writer, poet, and editor living in Oregon. She was the founding editor of the PodCastle podcast and served as editor from 20 ...
Matthew Kressel
Matthew Kressel is a multiple Nebula, World Fantasy Award, and Eugie Award nominated author and coder. His short stories have been published in Tor.com, io9.com, Lightspeed Magazine, Clarkesworld, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Interzone, Apex Magazi ...
Kenneth Schneyer
Kenneth Schneyer is an American teacher, attorney and author of speculative fiction.Schneyer, Kenneth.Bio" Profile on livejournal page. Accessed Mar. 29, 2019.Schneyer, Kenneth
Life
Schneyer was born in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from the Cr ...
Aliette de Bodard
Aliette de Bodard is a French-American speculative fiction writer.
Writing
de Bodard published her first short story in 2006. In 2007, she was a winner of Writers of the Future, and in 2009 was nominated for the John W. Campbell Award for Best ...
Christopher Barzak
Christopher Barzak (born July 21, 1975) is an American author. He has published many short stories, beginning with "A Mad Tea Party" in ''Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet'' in 1999. In 2007 he published his debut novel, '' One for Sorrow'', whi ...
Alaya Dawn Johnson
Alaya Dawn Johnson (born 1982) () is an American writer of speculative fiction.
Career
Apart from short fiction, Johnson has published two urban fantasy novels about "vampire suffragette" Zephyr Hollis set in an alternate 1920s New York City, a ...
Sarah Pinsker
Sarah Pinsker is an American science fiction and fantasy author. A nine-time finalist for the Nebula Award, Pinsker's debut novel '' A Song for a New Day'' won the 2019 Nebula for Best Novelest Novelette nominee, 2013(
Ken Liu
Ken Liu (born 1976) is an American author of science fiction and fantasy. His epic fantasy series ''The Dandelion Dynasty'', which he describes as silkpunk, is published by Simon & Schuster. Liu has won Hugo and Nebula Awards for his short fic ...
)
*"
The Weight of the Sunrise "The Weight of the Sunrise" is a 2013 alternate history short story by Vylar Kaftan. It was first published in ''Asimov's Science Fiction'' in February 2013.
Synopsis
When Francisco Pizarro and the Conquistadors arrived in Peru, Atahualpa and his t ...
Vylar Kaftan
Vylar Kaftan is an American science fiction and fantasy writer. A Clarion West Workshop graduate, she lives on the U.S. West Coast.
Kaftan's short story "Civilisation" is included in Farah Mendlesohn's anthology '' Glorifying Terrorism'', and ...
)
*"Excerpt from ''
Ancillary Justice
''Ancillary Justice'' is a science fiction novel by the American writer Ann Leckie, published in 2013. It is Leckie's debut novel and the first in her Imperial Radch space opera trilogy, followed by ''Ancillary Sword'' (2014) and '' Ancillary Me ...
Ann Leckie
Ann Leckie (born 2 March 1966) is an American author of science fiction and fantasy. Her 2013 debut novel ''Ancillary Justice'', in part about artificial consciousness and gender-blindness, won the 2014 Hugo Award for "Best Novel", as well as th ...
)
*"Finding Frankie: Remembering Frank M. Robinson" (
Robin Wayne Bailey
Robin Wayne Bailey (born 1952) is an American writer of speculative fiction, both fantasy and science fiction. He is a founder of the Science Fiction Hall of Fame (1996) and a past president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America ...
Nalo Hopkinson
Nalo Hopkinson (born 20 December 1960) is a Jamaican-born Canadian speculative fiction writer and editor. Her novels ('' Brown Girl in the Ring'', ''Midnight Robber'', '' The Salt Roads'', ''The New Moon's Arms'') and short stories such as thos ...
)
*"A Life Considered as a Prism of Ever-Precious Light: An Appreciation of Samuel R. Delany" (
Nalo Hopkinson
Nalo Hopkinson (born 20 December 1960) is a Jamaican-born Canadian speculative fiction writer and editor. Her novels ('' Brown Girl in the Ring'', ''Midnight Robber'', '' The Salt Roads'', ''The New Moon's Arms'') and short stories such as thos ...
)
*"
Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones
"Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones" is a science fiction short story by American writer Samuel R. Delany, published in the December 1968 issue of ''New Worlds''. It won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story 1970, and the Nebula A ...
Samuel R. Delany
Samuel R. "Chip" Delany (, ) (born April 1, 1942), is an American author and literary critic. His work includes fiction (especially science fiction), memoir, criticism, and essays (on science fiction, literature, sexuality, and society). His ...
''Kirkus Reviews'', calling attention to the typical delay in the anthology's appearance (in 2015, for awards given in 2014 for works published in 2013), opens its analysis with "At last!" and goes on to proclaim it "Not a banner year, all in all, but good enough to delight and entertain." It singles out the Best Short Story winner as "stunning," while describing the other nominees as "more mundane fare" – " e novelettes, mostly, have more substance." Most of the remaining pieces are described without much particular note, aside from the Delany reprint, praised as a "strong contender for Best Title Ever."
''
Publishers Weekly
''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of B ...
'' describes the book as "an attractive snapshot of the many forms of contemporary fantasy and SF ... simultaneously forward-looking and respectful of the genre’s history," while noting that " surprising number of stories have no overt fantastic content," including the Best Short Story winner, characterized as "heartbreakingly poignant." The Delany reprint is described as "groundbreaking."
Katie Richards in the '' Portland Book Review'' writes that the collection "excels at showing the breadth of modern science fiction," differing "from other 'anthology of the year' type volumes not only in the transparent discussion of criteria, but also in the inclusion of the excerpts from longer works. ... The range of types of work in this particular anthology helps give an idea of the whole of science fiction being written today." She rates the pieces included as "of course, wonderful," and their authors as "writers at the top of their genre," while noting that the book "is geared towards sci-fi lovers, and those who are already familiar with ... the genre," and so "likely not a good choice to introduce someone to science fiction." At the same time, it may "disappoint" those "looking for science fiction in the most traditional sense of 'men in space, encountering little green men.'" As the text contains "challenging" points of view and "abounds" with " ternative viewpoints, and alternative sexualities ... is would likely be an appropriate book for an older teen reader, but adults might want to give the book a quick once-over before their children get their hands on it."Richards, Katie Review in the ''Portland Book Review'', Feb. 4, 2016.
The anthology was also reviewed by Gary K. Wolfe in ''Locus'' no. 659, December 2015, Don Sakers in ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'', April 2016, Charles de Lint in ''The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction'', May-June 2016, and Norman Spinrad in ''Asimov's Science Fiction'', October-November 2016.