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 related fiction/non-fiction excerpts by different authors. There are also thematic and g ...
of
science fiction
Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...
short works edited by American writer
Greg Bear
Gregory Dale Bear (August 20, 1951 – November 19, 2022) was an American science fiction writer. His work covered themes of Interstellar_war, galactic conflict (''The Forge of God, Forge of God'' books), parallel universes (''The Way (Greg Bear ...
. 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 Association (SFWA), a nonprofit association of pr ...
novella
A novella is a narrative prose fiction whose length is shorter than most novels, but longer than most novelettes and short stories. The English word ''novella'' derives from the Italian meaning a short story related to true (or apparently so) ...
short story
A short story is a piece of prose fiction. It can typically be read in a single 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 old ...
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 Association (SFWA) to the ...
Samuel R. Delany
Samuel R. "Chip" Delany (, ; born April 1, 1942) is an American writer and literary critic. His work includes fiction (especially science fiction), memoir, criticism, and essays on science fiction, literature, sexual orientation, sexuality, and ...
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 speculative poetry, science fiction, fantasy, or horror poem of the year. The award name was dubbed by Andrew Joron in reference to a character in a science fiction story: the bl ...
and Dwarf Stars Award-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 science fiction writer. His work covered themes of Interstellar_war, galactic conflict (''The Forge of God, Forge of God'' books), parallel universes (''The Way (Greg Bear ...
Sylvia Spruck Wrigley
Sylvia Spruck Wrigley (born 7 March 1968) is an American/German author, writing science fiction and fantasy as Sylvia Spruck Wrigley, and aviation non-fiction as Sylvia Wrigley. She grew up in Los Angeles, USA and Germany. She is currently resid ...
Aliette de Bodard
Aliette de Bodard (born November 10, 1982) is a French-American speculative fiction writer. She has received accolades including the British Fantasy Award, BSFA Award, Ignyte Award, Locus Award, and Nebula Award.
Writing
De Bodard published he ...
Sarah Pinsker
Sarah Pinsker is an American science fiction and fantasy author. She is a nine-time finalist for the Nebula Award, and her debut novel '' A Song for a New Day'' won the 2019 Nebula for Best Novelest Novelette nominee, 2013(
Ken Liu
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Lanzhou, Gansu, China
, occupation =
, nationality = American
, period =
, genre = Science fiction, fantasy
, subject =
, movement =
, notableworks=
* '' The Paper Menagerie'' (2011 ...
)
*"
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 Writers Workshop graduate, she lives on the U.S. West Coast.
Kaftan's short story "Civilisation" is included in Farah Mendlesohn's anthology ''Glorifying Terrorism' ...
)
*"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 March 2, 1966) is an American author of science fiction and fantasy. Her 2013 debut novel ''Ancillary Justice'', which features artificial consciousness and gender-blindness, won the 2014 Hugo Award for "Best Novel", as well as ...
)
*"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 (novel), Brown Girl in the Ring'' (1998), ''Midnight Robber'' (2000), ''The Salt Roads'' (2003), ' ...
)
*"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 (novel), Brown Girl in the Ring'' (1998), ''Midnight Robber'' (2000), ''The Salt Roads'' (2003), ' ...
)
*"
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 ...
Samuel R. Delany
Samuel R. "Chip" Delany (, ; born April 1, 1942) is an American writer and literary critic. His work includes fiction (especially science fiction), memoir, criticism, and essays on science fiction, literature, sexual orientation, sexuality, and ...
''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 ...
'' 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.