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lizabethstucker's review
3.5
3.5 out of 5
A collection of twenty-three of 1994's best science fiction stories as selected by editor Gardner Dozois.
The book begins with Dozois' extensive summary of the year in science fiction and his concerns for the future of science fiction as a genre. Reading his 1994 observations in 2024, thirty years later, is both jarring and sad when you consider how many of the magazines mentioned no longer exist. I know most genre fiction (mystery, science fiction, fantasy in particular) go through moments where writers, critics, and anthologists are worried/predicting its destruction. I can remember hearing that worry in the late 1960s (science fiction), the 1970s (fantasy), and pretty much every decade for mystery. It never really happened, although there were always growing pains as the tropes changed. I've stopped worrying about it.
There's a fair mix of humor and angst, tragedy and farce within these pages, which I personally appreciate as it keeps the reading experience from becoming monotonous.
Contents
"Forgiveness Day" by Ursula K. Le Guin, 4 out of 5.
"The Remoras" by Robert Reed, 4.5 out of 5.
"Nekropolis" by Maureen F. McHugh, 3 out of 5.
"Margin of Error" by Nancy Kress, 4.5 out of 5.
"Cilia-of-Gold" by Stephen Baxter, 2.5 out of 5.
"Going After Old Man Alabama" by William Sanders, 3.5 out of 5.
"Melodies of the Heart" by Michael F. Flynn, 5 out of 5.
"The Hole in the Hole" by Terry Bisson, 3.5 out of 5.
"Paris in June" by Pat Cadigan, 2 out of 5.
"Flowering Mandrake" by George Turner, 3 out of 5.
"None So Blind" by Joe Haldeman, 3 out of 5.
"Cocoon" by Greg Egan, 4 out of 5.
"Seven Views of Olduvai Gorge" by Mike Resnick, 4.5 out of 5.
"Dead Space for the Unexpected" by Geoff Ryman, 3 out of 5.
"Cri de Coeur" by Michael Bishop, 3 out of 5.
"The Sawing Boys" by Howard Waldrop, 2 out of 5.
"The Matter of Seggri" by Ursula K. Le Guin, 4 out of 5.
"Ylem" by Eliot Fintushel, 3 out of 5.
"Asylum" by Katharine Kerr, 4.5 out of 5.
"Red Elvis" by Walter Jon Williams, 3 out of 5.
"California Dreamer" by Mary Rosenblum, 3 out of 5.
"Split Light" by Lisa Goldenstein, 3 out of 5.
"Les Fleurs du Mal" by Brian Stableford, 3 out of 5.
Some of my favorites include: "Margin of Error" which had a particularly satisfying revenge; "Melodies of the Heart" almost killed me emotionally; and "Asylum" which is frighteningly close to what we are facing in 2024.
A few of the stories disappointed me greatly, having such wonderful plots, terrific flow, and interesting characters, only to crash and burn the endings. No matter how great a story might be, if you can't stick the ending, it's all for nothing. Despite that, I'm still glad that I picked up this collection at the Friends of the Library store.
A collection of twenty-three of 1994's best science fiction stories as selected by editor Gardner Dozois.
The book begins with Dozois' extensive summary of the year in science fiction and his concerns for the future of science fiction as a genre. Reading his 1994 observations in 2024, thirty years later, is both jarring and sad when you consider how many of the magazines mentioned no longer exist. I know most genre fiction (mystery, science fiction, fantasy in particular) go through moments where writers, critics, and anthologists are worried/predicting its destruction. I can remember hearing that worry in the late 1960s (science fiction), the 1970s (fantasy), and pretty much every decade for mystery. It never really happened, although there were always growing pains as the tropes changed. I've stopped worrying about it.
There's a fair mix of humor and angst, tragedy and farce within these pages, which I personally appreciate as it keeps the reading experience from becoming monotonous.
Contents
"Forgiveness Day" by Ursula K. Le Guin, 4 out of 5.
"The Remoras" by Robert Reed, 4.5 out of 5.
"Nekropolis" by Maureen F. McHugh, 3 out of 5.
"Margin of Error" by Nancy Kress, 4.5 out of 5.
"Cilia-of-Gold" by Stephen Baxter, 2.5 out of 5.
"Going After Old Man Alabama" by William Sanders, 3.5 out of 5.
"Melodies of the Heart" by Michael F. Flynn, 5 out of 5.
"The Hole in the Hole" by Terry Bisson, 3.5 out of 5.
"Paris in June" by Pat Cadigan, 2 out of 5.
"Flowering Mandrake" by George Turner, 3 out of 5.
"None So Blind" by Joe Haldeman, 3 out of 5.
"Cocoon" by Greg Egan, 4 out of 5.
"Seven Views of Olduvai Gorge" by Mike Resnick, 4.5 out of 5.
"Dead Space for the Unexpected" by Geoff Ryman, 3 out of 5.
"Cri de Coeur" by Michael Bishop, 3 out of 5.
"The Sawing Boys" by Howard Waldrop, 2 out of 5.
"The Matter of Seggri" by Ursula K. Le Guin, 4 out of 5.
"Ylem" by Eliot Fintushel, 3 out of 5.
"Asylum" by Katharine Kerr, 4.5 out of 5.
"Red Elvis" by Walter Jon Williams, 3 out of 5.
"California Dreamer" by Mary Rosenblum, 3 out of 5.
"Split Light" by Lisa Goldenstein, 3 out of 5.
"Les Fleurs du Mal" by Brian Stableford, 3 out of 5.
Some of my favorites include: "Margin of Error" which had a particularly satisfying revenge; "Melodies of the Heart" almost killed me emotionally; and "Asylum" which is frighteningly close to what we are facing in 2024.
A few of the stories disappointed me greatly, having such wonderful plots, terrific flow, and interesting characters, only to crash and burn the endings. No matter how great a story might be, if you can't stick the ending, it's all for nothing. Despite that, I'm still glad that I picked up this collection at the Friends of the Library store.