Dozois, Gardner Books

The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Fifth Annual Collection (Year's Best Science Fiction)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Worth the price of admission 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I have several of Dozois' collections, and this one is--as reviewer Brad Schorr also said--above average. I didn't love every one of its thirty-two stories, and I couldn't even bring myself to finish two of them, but that's par for the course. In my experience, about 25 percent of a decent edited volume is really enjoyable, 25 percent is a chore to read, and the middle fifty percent falls between "blah" and "not bad." In this collection, I'd say that only the two aforementioned stories were really a chore to read, and though several stories were "blah," most fell between "not bad" and "pretty good". That's not too shabby if you subscribe to Sturgeon's Law ("Ninety percent of everything is crap").

I'm not going to run down all of the stories since Brad Schorr's done that for us already, but I do want to point out that there's plenty of room for disagreement with his take on them. Two stories that Schorr graded "A" -- "Roxie" and "The Skysailor's Tale" -- were the two that I couldn't read, the former because it was so drippingly sentimental, and the latter because it was so mannered and slow. Most of the stories he graded "C" fall into my "not bad" category, including Ken McLeod's "Lighting Out", which is a decent if pretty standard McLeod/Stross "singularity" tale, and McDonald's "Sanjeev and Robotwallah," which is a craftsmanlike near-future piece about how new technologies disrupt traditional life in the underdeveloped world. On the other hand, we agreed about several of the stories, including Chris Roberson's "The Sky is Large and the Earth is Small," a subtle alternate history piece that appears to be the most anthologized story of the year.

Bottom line: If you're in the mood for some stories and you don't need them all to be absolutely amazing, this collection is a good deal.

P.S. If you've read Dozois' THE NEW SPACE OPERA anthology, you should be aware that three of the stories collected here are drawn from there ("Saving Tiaamat," "Verthandi's Ring," and "Glory"). On the other hand, if you haven't read that anthology, I recommend it. Don't judge the book by the quality of those three stories -- they are NOT the best of the bunch.

Editorial Review:

In the new millennium, what secrets lay beyond the far reaches of the universe? What mysteries belie the truths we once held to be self evident?  The world of science fiction has long been a porthole into the realities of tomorrow blurring the line between life and art. Now, in The Year’s Best Science Fiction Twenty-Fifth Annual Collection the very best SF authors explore ideas of a new world.

This venerable collection brings together award winning authors and masters of the field such as Robert Reed, Ian McDonald, Stephen Baxter, Michael Swanwick, Paolo Bacigalupi, Kage Baker, Walter Jon Williams, Alastair Reynolds, and Charles Stross . And with an extensive recommended reading guide and a summation of the year in science fiction, this annual compilation has become the definitive must read anthology for all science fiction fans and readers interested in breaking into the genre.

The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Fourth Annual Collection (Year's Best Science Fiction)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The twenty-eight stories in this collection imaginatively take us far across the universe, into the very core of our beings, to the realm of the gods, and the moment just after now.  Included here are the works of masters of the form and of bright new talents, including:
* Cory Doctorow * Robert Charles Wilson * Michael Swanwick * Ian McDonald * Benjamin Rosenbaum * Kage Baker * Bruce McAllister * Alastair Reynolds * Jay Lake * Ruth Nestvold * Gregory Benford * Justin Stanchfield * Walter Jon Williams * Greg Van Eekhout * Robert Reed * David D. Levine * Paul J. McAuley * Mary Rosenblum * Daryl Gregory * Jack Skillingstead * Paolo Bacigalupi * Greg Egan * Elizabeth Bear * Sarah Monette * Ken MacLeod * Stephen Baxter * Carolyn Ives Gilman * John Barnes * A.M. Dellamonica
Supplementing the stories are the editor’s insightful summation of the year’s events and a list of honorable mentions, making this book a valuable resource in addition to serving as the single best place in the universe to find stories that stir the imagination and the heart.

New Space Opera

Jonathan Strahan, Gardner Dozois

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Perhaps just not a sub genre for me 3 out of 5 stars.
11 of 13 people found this review helpful.

"New" space opera. I have to say I that I kind of liked the old space opera. I found these stories to be somewhat depressing and most seemed unresolved by the end of the story. I'm glad I read it however.

I think my biggest complaint is that the ends of the stories weren't generally satisfying to me. I guess the stories must have been sufficiently good in that I was anxious to see how they would turn out. However that is where I found myself disappointed.

I would recommend this collection, but I wouldn't put it at the top of my list.

The best are the stories from Silverberg and Reynolds 3 out of 5 stars.
5 of 6 people found this review helpful.

By reading the short stories and novellas in this volume, one quickly realizes that the term "space opera" is used rather broadly. Here's my synopsis of the stories (and some general observations along the way):

"Saving Tiamaat," "Verthandi's Ring" & "Hatch": I don't really know, because I found them so convoluted that I didn't finish them. Some of the authors of these stories introduce the reader to a slew of aliens, alien civilizations, and future technologies in a few pages, where maybe a 50 page introduction to a 300 or so page book would be adequate.

"Winning Peace": Not bad, but could have used a longer treatment. A common theme in this volume seems to be the situation where one group of humans (or aliens) subjugate another group of humans, who find some means of revenge in the end.

"Glory": There are so many things going on in this story, that I'm not sure why the author didn't write a full-fledged novel. I would even read it.

"Maelstrom": This is one of the more memorable stories because it's about a group of rag-tag actors on a recently colonized Mars who put on a play which loosely reflects the lives of colonists. It's surprisingly humorous, but categorizing it as a "space opera" is really a stretch.

"Blessed by an Angel": If I hadn't have read Peter Hamilton's incredible "Pandora's Star" (and the much more mediocre sequal "Judas Unchained"), I would have been completely lost. That's another thing that you find in the volume -- some of the backgrounds of these short stories were already covered in full-blown novels. This particular story is ok, but I would think incomprehensible to one who didn't read "Pandora's Star."

"Who's Afraid of Wolf 359"?: I'm sure I read it, but nothing sticks with me.

"The Valley of the Gardens": A touching Romeo and Juliet type love story set on an alien world. This also cries out for a longer treatment.

"Dividing the Sustain": Utterly bizarre. Don't know what quite to think about it. Another thought I have about alot of these stories is that the authors tend to forget that if real/actual/virtual time is substantially longer than one's perceived time on a space-ship, the technology will change completely once the voyage is finished (think about our technology 20 years ago).

"Minla's Flowers": A superb novella about a space traveller who attempts to advance a civilization before its time to avert disaster. I really liked this one and am interested in reading more by the author (Alastair Reynolds).

"Splinters of Glass": Most of it describes a chase scene on flying skateboards through icy pathways on Europa (and a love story to boot). OK, as far as it goes.

"Rememberance": An interesting tale about an alien race that nearly destroys humanity and makes everyone (save one person) forget about it. Humanity now has the power to destroy them. Also could have been better as a full fledged novel, or a decent Star Trek episode.

"The Emperor and the Maula": Maybe because I'm such a huge Robert Silverberg fan, this was my favorite entry. It tells the story of a far future human race, that had finally found peace and cooperation, only to be subjugated by the Ansaar, who conquer the Earth through a terrifying shock and awe campaign, and then basically treat humans like an insignificant nuisance (part of the "Maula" -- creatures below contempt). A brave young woman named Laylah visits the Ansaar's home planet knowing it means her certain execution. But she manages to get in the presence of the Emperor who doesn't quite know what to make of her. Silverberg's traditional skills, such as describing exotic alien planets, and the arrogance of a supreme leader, shine through here. "The Emperor and the Maula" could probably work just as well as a fable without a scifi/space opera setting. In fact, it reminded me somewhat of the story of Purim, (Laylah reminded me an awful lot of Esther).

"The Worm Turns": Strange and surrealistic. Like some of the other stories, one needs to probably understand something about wormholes in order to appreciate it, which I really don't.

"Send them Flowers": Dull and one of the few entries I thought was too long.

"Art of War": An exo-art historian, who has a hostile relationship with his mother (a four star general in the military), tries to find a pattern in how an enemy alien race arranged art in caves which they had stolen from humans. Huh?

"Muse of Fire": I loved "Hyperion," but I often find Dan Simmon's writing to be extremely dense. Here, he shows off his obviously prodigious knowledge of Shakespeare. The story wasn't bad, but he really shouldn't have tried to cram all this stuff (the performance of Shakespearean plays in front of a serious of increasingly God-like aliens) into 61 pages.

Read "The New Space Opera," if you like short science fiction stories. It may also lead you to an author or two in whom you might become interested.

Editorial Review:

The old space opera was all robots, ray guns and gung-ho heroes. The new space opera has the grandeur, interstellar scale and incredible exploits of the old space opera, but adds cutting edge science, plausible worlds and real people to the mix. Ambitious, adventurous and thrilling.

The New Space Opera

Gardner Dozois, Jonathan Strahan

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Perhaps just not a sub genre for me 3 out of 5 stars.
11 of 13 people found this review helpful.

"New" space opera. I have to say I that I kind of liked the old space opera. I found these stories to be somewhat depressing and most seemed unresolved by the end of the story. I'm glad I read it however.

I think my biggest complaint is that the ends of the stories weren't generally satisfying to me. I guess the stories must have been sufficiently good in that I was anxious to see how they would turn out. However that is where I found myself disappointed.

I would recommend this collection, but I wouldn't put it at the top of my list.

Editorial Review:

An anthology of epic interstellar adventures from dazzling stars in the SF universe:

Kage Baker
Stephen Baxter
Gregory Benford
Tony Daniel
Greg Egan
Peter F. Hamilton
Gwyneth Jones
James Patrick Kelly
Nancy Kress
Ken Macleod
Paul J. McAuley
Ian McDonald
Robert Reed
Alastair Reynolds
Mary Rosenblum
Robert Silverberg
Dan Simmons
Walter Jon Williams

Wizards: Magical Tales from the Masters of Modern Fantasy

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

High quality fantasy collection 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 7 people found this review helpful.

"Wizards" is an outstanding collection of fantasy stories featuring some of the best known authors working in the genre. Some of the authors (Card, Kress, Gaiman), I was pretty familiar with. Some I knew only by reputation and a few were completely new to me. I found these stories were a great way to get at least a small feel for an author's style, although obviously it would be folly to judge an author on the basis of one story.
This collection is a nice mix of contemporary stories and more traditional fantasy. They range from the fairytale-like "Zinder" by Tanith Lee to the ultra-modern "Stone Man" by Nancy Kress. I personally enjoyed almost every story in "Wizards." I believe any reader of fantasy fiction would find several stories to appreciate.

Editorial Review:

Neil Gaiman, Eoin Colfer, and many more join “this magical brew [that] will enchant young adult readers and their elders as well.” (Publishers Weekly)

In Wizards, today’s master fantasists turn their hands to tales of these magical beings, living in both ancient and modern times, as well as in fantasy realms that never were.

Featuring stories by New York Times bestselling authors Neil Gaiman, Eoin Colfer and Garth Nix as well as tales from Kage Baker, Peter S. Beagle, Terry Bisson, Orson Scott Card, Terry Dowling, Andy Duncan, Jeffrey Ford, Elizabeth Hand, Nancy Kress, Tanith Lee, Patricia A. McKillip, Mary Rosenblum, Tad Williams, Gene Wolfe, and Jane Yolen.

Songs of the Dying Earth

Martin, George R. R., Dozois, Gardner

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Editorial Review:

Today, in order to honor the magnificent career of Jack Vance, one unparalleled in achievement and impact, GEORGE R.R. MARTIN and GARDNER DOZOIS, with the full cooperation of Jack Vance, his family, and his agents, suggest a Jack Vance tribute anthology called Songs of the Dying Earth, to encourage the best of today's fantasy writers to return to the unique and evocative milieu of The Dying Earth, from which they and so many others have drawn so much inspiration, to create their own brand-new adventures in the world of Jack Vance s greatest novel.

Half a century ago, Jack Vance created the world of the Dying Earth, and fantasy has never been the same. Now, for the first time ever, Jack has agreed to open this bizarre and darkly beautiful world to other fantasists, to play in as their very own. To say that other fantasy writers are excited by this prospect is a gross understatement; one has told us that he'd crawl through broken glass for the chance to write for the anthology, another that he'd gladly give up his right arm for the privilege that's the kind of regard in which Jack Vance and The Dying Earth are held by generations of his peers.

Hunter's Run

George R. R. Martin, Gardner Dozois, Daniel Abraham

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Like so many others, Ramón Espejo ran from the poverty and hopelessness of the Third World to the promise of a new world—joining a host of like-minded workers and dreamers aboard one of the great starships of the mysterious, repulsive Enye. But the life he found on the far-off planet of São Paulo was no better than the one he had abandoned.

Tough, volatile, and angry—a luckless prospector hoping for that one rich strike that will make him wealthy—Ramón is content only when on his own out in the bush, far from the dirty, loud, bustling hive of humanity that he detests with sociopathic fervor. Then one night his rage and too much alcohol get the better of him, resulting in sudden bloodshed and a high-profile murder. Ramón is forced to flee into the wilderness for however long it will take for the furor to die down.

Here, mercifully, almost happily alone, Ramón is once again free. But while searching for his long-elusive lode, he stumbles upon something completely unexpected: a highly advanced alien race in hiding; fugitives like himself on a world not their own. Suddenly in possession of a powerful, dangerous secret, Ramón must battle for his freedom from alien captors and also against the hostile and unpredictable planet. And so the chase begins.

Police, fugitive aliens, and a human murderer weave a web of shifting alliances as Ramón enters the greatest manhunt the alien world of São Paulo has ever known. If he is to survive, Ramón must overcome inscrutable aliens and deadly predators, but his greatest enemy is himself. With every move in the desperate game, he struggles to outwit his enemies and solve the mystery of a murder he himself committed.

A rip-roaring adventure tale and character study of a fascinating and twisted mind, Hunter's Run showcases three masters of the form at their best.

Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy (Writer's Library)

Tina Lee, S. Schmidt, I. Strock

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Wildly Uneven, But Worth it For The Good Bits 3 out of 5 stars.
28 of 28 people found this review helpful.

At the most basic level, this book delivers what the title and subtitle promises: How-to essays by some of the biggest names (as of the mid-1980s) in science fiction writing. The majority deal with science fiction (rather than fantasy) and with magazine (as opposed to book-length) pieces. Would-be fantasy writers should beware, but should also be willing to cut the editors a little slack on the subject. New writers with no track record and no agent (the book's target audience) have always had an easier time publishing short fiction than novels. Fantasy is (and has been for decades) almost entirely published as novels, but there's still (if only barely) a market for magazine-length science fiction.

The book is not, however, what it clearly *wants* to be: THE book for writers trying to break into the genre. The essays in it were written at different times and for different purposes. They vary wildly in length, depth, and (most critical) in the amount of knowledge they assume on the part of the reader. Trying to read the book straight through can give you a severe case of intellectual whiplash. If you want a unified, coherent book about how to write quality science fiction and fantasy, this is NOT it. (Try Orson Scott Card's _How To Write Science Fiction and Fantasy_ or Barry Longyear's _Notes to a Science Fiction Writer_ instead.)

The real gems of this book include, as other reviewers have noted, Stanley Schmidt on worn-out plot devices and Connie Willis on humor. IF you want to write hard science fiction (stories where the scientific details are firmly in the foreground and integral to the story), then add Hal Clement's on aliens to that list. IF you want to write fantasy, then add Jane Yolen's superb essay on using elements from mythology and legend. Either group could benefit from Poul Anderson's essay on world-building. (As Diana Wynne Jones pointed out in her hilarious _Tough Guide to Fantasyland_, fantasy writers are notorious for creating worlds that make no ecological sense.)

The book is, ironicaly, least useful where it's most closely concerned with the mechanics of writing. Isaac Asimov's five essays are breezy and genial but offer little in the way of really concrete advice. Robert Heinlein's single essay (written in the early 1950s, if memory serves) is valuable *only* if you keep in mind that it was written when the market for magazine SF was *much* larger than it is today. Sheila Williams' essay on "The Mechanics of Submission" is now badly out of date, since it was written before e-mail and inkjet printers. Many of the markets listed at the end of the book have, sadly, ceased publication years ago.

The good bits of this book are very, very good. The essays by Anderson, Willis, and Yolen alone are worth the price of (paperback) admission. Be aware, though, that you get a *lot* of chaff along with the wheat.

Editorial Review:

Do you dream of -

Crossing the galaxies?

Living in the far future?

Entertaining millions with your imagination?

This book can help make those dreams come true!

Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy brings you expert advice on how to craft and market tales of the fantastic. Award-winning writers such as John Barnes, James Patrick Kelly, Norman Spinrad, Connie Willis, and Jane Yolen reveal some of their secrets of crafting believable stories, while Grand Masters Isaac Asimov and Robert A. Heinlein provide timeless advice for beginners and veterans alike. The editors also provide valuable insights into the process by which stories get published and they offer helpful hints on getting your story out of the slush pile and into print.

The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Second Annual Collection (Year's Best Science Fiction)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

It's the best SF of the year again 4 out of 5 stars.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.

Another year, and another set of "Year's Best" anthologies. While I've always enjoyed David Hartwell's anthologies, last year was the first time that I read the more venerable one edited by Gardner Dozois. However, I enjoyed last year's so much that I just had to check out this year's, the 22nd annual edition. As was last year's, it is an imposing book, with twenty-nine stories in it, all from acclaimed science fiction authors. Unfortunately, I find this year's edition not quite as good as last year's. There were a few stories in it that just didn't do anything for me. On the other hand, there were definitely some stand-outs.

In a rarity for me, some of my favourite stories in the book were more on the hard science side than is usual for my taste. There is Stephen Baxter's excellent "Mayflower II," which deals with a generation ship on a trip to the far reaches of the galaxy and beyond, and what happens in the meantime. On the very edge of the solar system, there is a colony that has hidden itself away the alien Qax who had conquered the Earth. Now, the Coalition of Interim Governance has freed Earth, and is on its way to the colony. Five generation ships are dispatched to save as many of the colony's citizens as possible. On Rusel's ship, the "Pharaoh" of the ship has decided that they are going to journey all the way across the galaxy, a trip that will take many thousands of years. The story is Rusel's, and how he becomes virtually immortal, and how the citizens of the ship begin to devolve as time goes on. It's a truly horrifying story in a way, demonstrating what isolated societies can become over time. For a while, I was beginning to get bored with the story, as it's not really my favourite type of story and it was quite long. However, I soon got wrapped up in this society, and Rusel's severance from his own humanity. It's a slow story in some ways, but the ideas behind it just grab you and don't let you go. It's probably the best story in the book.

Another great story is "The Clapping Hands of God" by Michael F. Flynn. In this one, a gate has opened to another world. Teams of scientists go through these gates to explore the worlds, but this one just happens to be inhabited by an intelligent species. Hassan Maklouf is the leader of this particular expedition, and he is in charge of making sure they are not seen by the inhabitants, as well as making all the decisions. The studies are going well, with some progress being made on studying their language as well as their culture. Theories are presented for why they act in certain ways, especially when an apparently martial rally is seen. This is followed by what appears to be a couple spending their last night together. Then things really start to go wrong, as Hassan discovers that they aren't the only invaders here. There are two main characters in this story, Hassan and a female anthropologist, Iman. There are some romantic sparks between them, even as they both try to act like proper Moslems. However, the broader story is their conflict once things start to go wrong, as Iman is the humanitarian scientist and Hassan is the practical one. The ending is tragic, all the more so because of the hints of their relationship earlier in the story. It was very nice to see a story where the characters' religions were just part of their character, rather than a main part of the story. While these two are the main characters, all of the other scientists are also well done, giving the story a broad tapestry on which to weave its magic.

While those two stories were the best of the lot in my opinion, other strong stories included "The Tribes of Bela" by Albert Cowdrey (a series of grisly murders on a remote mining colony are symptoms of a planet that's trying to reclaim itself and expel the invaders), "Leviathan Wept," by Daniel Abraham (a member of a futuristic anti-terrorism squad discovers that fanaticism comes in all shapes and sizes, including possibly his own), and "Investments," by Walter Jon Williams (a space opera that gives us illegal business dealings as well as a star cluster shooting out x-rays that could destroy the planet, making the investigation of the business dealings kind of moot). Most of the other stories in this volume were also quite good, or at least readable.

Some choices I did disagree with, however. As I said above, "Mother Aegypt" isn't one of Baker's best stories. It has a strong first three-quarters, but then fell apart for me at the end. "Start the Clock," by Benjamin Rosenbaum, was a nice little story but I didn't find the world that believable and thus I wouldn't include it among the best of the year. Finally, I didn't really care for "The Defenders," by Colin P. Davies, when I first read it in Asimov's. It didn't improve when I read it again here. It was decent, but again not one of the best.

One thing I do have to say about the quality of this anthology, however, is that the copy editing was horrendous. Typos were all over the place, a few words were wrong here and there. I usually don't notice these things, as I'm sure they exist in almost every book that's out there. When I do notice them, however, it must really be bad. That being said, I really did enjoy this anthology, and while it's not as good as the 21st edition, it is definitely worth picking up if you like science fiction. Dozois is one of the best editors out there, and it shows once again.

David Roy

Editorial Review:

Widely regarded as the one essential book for every science fiction fan, The Year's Best Science Fiction (Winner of the 2004 Locus Award for Best Anthology) continues to uphold its standard of excellence with more than two dozen stories representing the previous year's best SF writing.

The stories in this collection imaginatively take readers far across the universe, into the very core of their beings, to the realm of the Gods, and to the moment just after now. Included are the works of masters of the form and the bright new talents of tomorrow. This book is a valuable resource in addition to serving as the single best place in the universe to find stories that stir the imagination and the heart.

The Best of the Best: 20 Years of the Year's Best Science Fiction

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

For years, The Year's Best Science Fiction has been the most widely read short science fiction anthology of its kind. Now, after twenty-one annual collections, comes the ultimate in science fiction anthologies, The Best of the Best: 20 Years of the Year's Best Science Fiction, in which legendary editor Gardner Dozois selects the very best short stories for this landmark collection. Contributors include: * Stephen Baxter * Greg Bear * William Bigson * Terry Bisson * Pat Cadigan * Ted Chiang * John Crowley * Tony Daniel * Greg Egan * Molly Gloss * Eileen Gunn * Joe Haldeman * James Patrick Kelly * John Kessel * Nancy Kress * Ursula K. Le Guin * Ian R. MacLeod * David Marusek * Paul McAuley * Ian McDonald * Maureen F. McHugh * Robert Reed * Mike Resnick * Geoff Ryman * William Sander * Lucius Shepard * Robert Silverberg * Brian Stableford * Bruce Sterling * Charles Stross * Michael Swanwick * Steven Utley * Howard Waldrop * Walter Jon Williams * Connie Willis * Gene Wolfe
With work spanning two decades, The Best of the Best stands as one of the ultimate science fiction anthologies ever published.