This is the best short-form science fiction of 2009, selected by David Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer, two of the most respected editors in the field.
Year's Best SF 15
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| |||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Special Offer until June 30, 2013: Receive an additional £5 promotional Gift Certificate, when you trade-in at least £10 worth of books. Learn more. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
About the Author
DAVID HARTWELL is currently a senior editor at Tor/Forge books. He is the proprietor of Dragon Press, publisher and bookseller, which publishes the New York Review of Science Fiction. He is the author of Age of Wonders and the editor of many anthologies. He has won the Eaton Award, the World Fantasy Award, and the Science Fiction Chronicle Poll, and has been nominated for the Hugo Award 31 times to date and won the Hugo for Best Editor. KATHRYN CRAMER is a writer, anthologist, and housewife. She has won a World Fantasy Award for best anthology and was nominated for a World Fantasy Award. She is on the editorial board of the New York Review of Science Fiction and has been nominated for the Hugo Award 12 times.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By John M. Ford
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Kindle Edition
I enjoyed most of the 24 stories in David Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer's collection of science fiction offerings from 2009. As usual, the introductions were a skillful blend of author bios, web sites, and references to relevant book-length fiction and story collections. My favorite six stories are described below. All six focus more on human beings in difficult circumstances than on traditional SF themes of technology and space exploration.
Robert Charles Wilson's "This Peaceable Land" accompanies a white man and his black employer on their journey through an American South where the Civil War never took place and slavery disappeared gradually as it became economically infeasible. They search for evidence of all those unwanted slaves who also disappeared. And nobody wants to talk about it.
Yoon Ha Lee's "The Unstrung Zither" is superficially about the interrogation of five captured terrorists. On a deeper level it is a different kind of story that progresses toward a harmonious conclusion rather than a logical one.
In Sarah Edwards' "Lady of the White-Spired City" we return with the emperor's emissary to the small village on a backward planet where she once lived with her husband and daughter. It is not possible for her to return home, but perhaps she can make a new one.
Charles Oberndorf's "Another Life" introduces a soldier who is awakened in a new body with memories backed up before he went into action. He can't bring himself to use his ticket home until he finds out how he died. And why he is alone.
Mary Robinette Kowal's "The Consciousness Problem" explores the relationship between a woman, her husband, and his clone. Why we love who we love seems less clear than ever.... Read more ›
Robert Charles Wilson's "This Peaceable Land" accompanies a white man and his black employer on their journey through an American South where the Civil War never took place and slavery disappeared gradually as it became economically infeasible. They search for evidence of all those unwanted slaves who also disappeared. And nobody wants to talk about it.
Yoon Ha Lee's "The Unstrung Zither" is superficially about the interrogation of five captured terrorists. On a deeper level it is a different kind of story that progresses toward a harmonious conclusion rather than a logical one.
In Sarah Edwards' "Lady of the White-Spired City" we return with the emperor's emissary to the small village on a backward planet where she once lived with her husband and daughter. It is not possible for her to return home, but perhaps she can make a new one.
Charles Oberndorf's "Another Life" introduces a soldier who is awakened in a new body with memories backed up before he went into action. He can't bring himself to use his ticket home until he finds out how he died. And why he is alone.
Mary Robinette Kowal's "The Consciousness Problem" explores the relationship between a woman, her husband, and his clone. Why we love who we love seems less clear than ever.... Read more ›
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3.1 out of 5 stars
8 reviews
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Science Fiction in a Hard Place: 2009's Best
22 Jun 2010
By John M. Ford
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I enjoyed most of the 24 stories in David Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer's collection of science fiction offerings from 2009. As usual, the introductions were a skillful blend of author bios, web sites, and references to relevant book-length fiction and story collections. My favorite six stories are described below. All six focus more on human beings in difficult circumstances than on traditional SF themes of technology and space exploration.
Robert Charles Wilson's "This Peaceable Land" accompanies a white man and his black employer on their journey through an American South where the Civil War never took place and slavery disappeared gradually as it became economically infeasible. They search for evidence of all those unwanted slaves who also disappeared. And nobody wants to talk about it.
Yoon Ha Lee's "The Unstrung Zither" is superficially about the interrogation of five captured terrorists. On a deeper level it is a different kind of story that progresses toward a harmonious conclusion rather than a logical one.
In Sarah Edwards' "Lady of the White-Spired City" we return with the emperor's emissary to the small village on a backward planet where she once lived with her husband and daughter. It is not possible for her to return home, but perhaps she can make a new one.
Charles Oberndorf's "Another Life" introduces a soldier who is awakened in a new body with memories backed up before he went into action. He can't bring himself to use his ticket home until he finds out how he died. And why he is alone.
Mary Robinette Kowal's "The Consciousness Problem" explores the relationship between a woman, her husband, and his clone. Why we love who we love seems less clear than ever.
Eric James Stone's "Attitude Adjustment" is appropriately described by the editors as "...good old-fashioned problem-solving space SF in the Astounding tradition, done well. It has a touch of the Heinleinesque in its characterization and resolution."
I recommend this collection to all appreciative readers of science fiction. It is a clear success for the contributing authors and for this experienced team of editors.
Robert Charles Wilson's "This Peaceable Land" accompanies a white man and his black employer on their journey through an American South where the Civil War never took place and slavery disappeared gradually as it became economically infeasible. They search for evidence of all those unwanted slaves who also disappeared. And nobody wants to talk about it.
Yoon Ha Lee's "The Unstrung Zither" is superficially about the interrogation of five captured terrorists. On a deeper level it is a different kind of story that progresses toward a harmonious conclusion rather than a logical one.
In Sarah Edwards' "Lady of the White-Spired City" we return with the emperor's emissary to the small village on a backward planet where she once lived with her husband and daughter. It is not possible for her to return home, but perhaps she can make a new one.
Charles Oberndorf's "Another Life" introduces a soldier who is awakened in a new body with memories backed up before he went into action. He can't bring himself to use his ticket home until he finds out how he died. And why he is alone.
Mary Robinette Kowal's "The Consciousness Problem" explores the relationship between a woman, her husband, and his clone. Why we love who we love seems less clear than ever.
Eric James Stone's "Attitude Adjustment" is appropriately described by the editors as "...good old-fashioned problem-solving space SF in the Astounding tradition, done well. It has a touch of the Heinleinesque in its characterization and resolution."
I recommend this collection to all appreciative readers of science fiction. It is a clear success for the contributing authors and for this experienced team of editors.
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great read, as usual
28 July 2010
By Frank Richards
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Sometimes the things we look forward to in life are the small things that regularly delight and surprise us. Such is one of the events I look forward annually, the publication of The Year's Best SF, edited by David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer. It is one of the earliest (and best) of the prior year anthologies published--early enough to accompany me on my late spring or early summer vacation.
I've been reading science fiction for over 50 years. If you know the field, you will know of these editors. Both have extensive experience, having edited many SF books and written significant essays contributing to the field. They can be counted on to select good stories for you.
The Year's Best SF typically opens with a short intro discussing the previous year in science fiction. Then the book introduces select representative shorter SF works by established regulars or important newly emergent authors with a short bio and comments placing the story in context for you, the reader. This year's (15) work follows that model. Of course, each person's taste will vary; in particular, I enjoyed the stories by Vandana Singh (mathematics, other dimensions), Ian Creasey (effect of physical modification for life on other planets), Alastair Reynolds (effect of changes in an alternate universe), Michael Casutt (what if an Apollo crew had discovered evidence of a prior visit), and Mary Robinette Kowal (clone story set in Korea). But know that you'll seldom find a bad story collected here.
If you want to read some of the best short work from the prior year while learning a bit more about science fiction in the process, this is one of the books you'll want to pick up every year.
I've been reading science fiction for over 50 years. If you know the field, you will know of these editors. Both have extensive experience, having edited many SF books and written significant essays contributing to the field. They can be counted on to select good stories for you.
The Year's Best SF typically opens with a short intro discussing the previous year in science fiction. Then the book introduces select representative shorter SF works by established regulars or important newly emergent authors with a short bio and comments placing the story in context for you, the reader. This year's (15) work follows that model. Of course, each person's taste will vary; in particular, I enjoyed the stories by Vandana Singh (mathematics, other dimensions), Ian Creasey (effect of physical modification for life on other planets), Alastair Reynolds (effect of changes in an alternate universe), Michael Casutt (what if an Apollo crew had discovered evidence of a prior visit), and Mary Robinette Kowal (clone story set in Korea). But know that you'll seldom find a bad story collected here.
If you want to read some of the best short work from the prior year while learning a bit more about science fiction in the process, this is one of the books you'll want to pick up every year.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Stocking Stuffer!
10 Mar 2013
By dahens1
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This always makes an great stocking stuffer for the SciFi fan in your life! Aways the best authors and very intertaining!
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 8 reviews
3.1 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
