The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy of the year vol 5
editor Jonathan Strahan
533 p pb
publisher Night Shade Books (http://www.nightshadebooks.com/)
I know my book reviews are often wonkie, but I review what I like, and I tell you why I liked it.
So with that in mind lets take a look at The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy of the year #5 Edited by Jonathan Strahan. Two reasons that drew me to this book published by Night Shade Books (http://www.nightshadebooks.com/) other than the fact that is WAS NSB which have their fingers on the pulse of what is popular, first and foremost was that it contains a goodly amount of top notch Science Fiction (and don’t get me wrong here, the fantasy is REALLY good as well) and editor Strahan. Jonathan unerringly ferrets out extraordinary fiction. No difference here either. 533 pages of literally something for everyone and more often than not, a LOT for the discerning fan. Thirty just plain excellent stories. Some fans will recognize here. Things by Peter Watts, excellently read by Clarkesworld magazine that I played in October which concerned the retelling of the John Campbell “Who Goes There” (movie version The Thing) from the view-point of the alien, JP Kelly’s excellent Plus or Minus. And when I say the fantasy is a notch above I am thinking of Neil Gaiman’s The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains which takes the unreal long view on revenge. How many remember Iteration by John Kessel (BMU episode 244) asking the question if you could make one change in your world, what would it be...and the next? Now, what if EVERYONE could......a great short story this one...yep. Robert Reed’s “Alone” - Imortality perhaps on something akin to a generation ship. Can there be something like loneliness? I make no bones about not really being a fan of alternative History, but who could not love Genevieve Valentine’s “The Zeppelin Conductors’ Society Annual Gentlemen’s Ball”? The great airships never died out and those that care for them become somewhat of a breed unto themselves...
And on and on. I like best of books, Strahan is an excellent editor and this made the book for me. I would highly recommend the read!
editor Jonathan Strahan
533 p pb
publisher Night Shade Books (http://www.nightshadebooks.com/)
I know my book reviews are often wonkie, but I review what I like, and I tell you why I liked it.
So with that in mind lets take a look at The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy of the year #5 Edited by Jonathan Strahan. Two reasons that drew me to this book published by Night Shade Books (http://www.nightshadebooks.com/) other than the fact that is WAS NSB which have their fingers on the pulse of what is popular, first and foremost was that it contains a goodly amount of top notch Science Fiction (and don’t get me wrong here, the fantasy is REALLY good as well) and editor Strahan. Jonathan unerringly ferrets out extraordinary fiction. No difference here either. 533 pages of literally something for everyone and more often than not, a LOT for the discerning fan. Thirty just plain excellent stories. Some fans will recognize here. Things by Peter Watts, excellently read by Clarkesworld magazine that I played in October which concerned the retelling of the John Campbell “Who Goes There” (movie version The Thing) from the view-point of the alien, JP Kelly’s excellent Plus or Minus. And when I say the fantasy is a notch above I am thinking of Neil Gaiman’s The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains which takes the unreal long view on revenge. How many remember Iteration by John Kessel (BMU episode 244) asking the question if you could make one change in your world, what would it be...and the next? Now, what if EVERYONE could......a great short story this one...yep. Robert Reed’s “Alone” - Imortality perhaps on something akin to a generation ship. Can there be something like loneliness? I make no bones about not really being a fan of alternative History, but who could not love Genevieve Valentine’s “The Zeppelin Conductors’ Society Annual Gentlemen’s Ball”? The great airships never died out and those that care for them become somewhat of a breed unto themselves...
And on and on. I like best of books, Strahan is an excellent editor and this made the book for me. I would highly recommend the read!
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