Scan barcode
chuckmunson's review against another edition
5.0
This anthology series is really excellent for the science fiction fan who doesn’t have lots of time to read. I own a copy of an earlier installment of this series, so after reading through two volumes I have to give them two thumbs up. Dozois starts off with a very useful and concise overview of the year in science fiction, ranging from small zines to Hollywood movies. For those of us who are getting into publishing for the first time, this overview is really helpful.
This anthology contain short stories and novellas culled from the science fiction press. Most of the selections are pretty good. It’s too bad that the book starts off with a ponderous long story that is somewhat interesting, but a bad choice to lead off the book. I skipped a few poor stories that represent the self-absorbed literary school of writing for the sake of writing. Tell me a good story, dammit!
The best stories here are the ones that relate in some way to our contemporary era. There is even one story that mentions the anti-globalization movement in passing. “Stories For Men” is an interesting novella about the boomerang effects of a future matriarchal society in a moon colony. “V.A.O” is a kick ass story about a group of elderly hackers who must have been ELF members at one time. “Singleton” by Greg Egan is a frightening tale about a couple who create a child based on [b:artificial intelligence|27543|Artificial Intelligence A Modern Approach (2nd Edition)|Stuart J. Russell|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167881696s/27543.jpg|1362]. “Lambing Season” is a fascinating first contact story told from the perspective of a woman shepard. Finally, the story that will stick with me is “Coelacanths,” which is a brain-bending story about quantum possibilities in a mutliverse populated by super-evolved humans.
This anthology contain short stories and novellas culled from the science fiction press. Most of the selections are pretty good. It’s too bad that the book starts off with a ponderous long story that is somewhat interesting, but a bad choice to lead off the book. I skipped a few poor stories that represent the self-absorbed literary school of writing for the sake of writing. Tell me a good story, dammit!
The best stories here are the ones that relate in some way to our contemporary era. There is even one story that mentions the anti-globalization movement in passing. “Stories For Men” is an interesting novella about the boomerang effects of a future matriarchal society in a moon colony. “V.A.O” is a kick ass story about a group of elderly hackers who must have been ELF members at one time. “Singleton” by Greg Egan is a frightening tale about a couple who create a child based on [b:artificial intelligence|27543|Artificial Intelligence A Modern Approach (2nd Edition)|Stuart J. Russell|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167881696s/27543.jpg|1362]. “Lambing Season” is a fascinating first contact story told from the perspective of a woman shepard. Finally, the story that will stick with me is “Coelacanths,” which is a brain-bending story about quantum possibilities in a mutliverse populated by super-evolved humans.
elusivity's review
2.0
Argh, it's taking me 7 years to finish this tome. For some reason it is difficult to focus on many of the stories in this collection.
---------------------------------------
BREATHMOSS. Ian R. MacLeod. 3.5 STARS. A coming of age story involving moss that allow one to breathe under water, and a girl yearning to chase her dream.
THE MOST FAMOUS LITTLE GIRL IN THE WORLD. Nancy Kress. [Can't remember anything about this one]
THE PASSENGER. Paul McAuley. 3 STARS. A working crew in space found themselves with a special passenger. Straight-forward narrative.
THE POLITICAL OFFICER. Charles Coleman Finlay. 2.5 STARS. Claustrophobia & political shenanigans war with one another on a space ship. What is the meaning of heroism & righteousness? Who the heck knows.
LAMBING SEASON. Molly Gloss. 2 STARS. Short story, filled with minute details. A quiet woman spent her life herding sheep in the wild mountains. One night, she met an unusual visitor: I found this one hard to get through. I understand the details are meant to replicate her awareness of the world, mindful, non-judging, yet it made the pacing seem like molasses...
COELACANTHS. Robert Reed. 3 STARS. 4 parallel story lines, 4 parallel tracks of humanity, surviving in a hostile universe in different sizes, from gigantic to minute, in various dimension. The naked man orgasmically orating human success, on the other hand, was deeply annoying.
PRESENCE. Maureen F. McHugh. 4 STARS. Painful journey, the ups and downs of Alzheimer's, even in face of a "cure." Real.
HALO. Charles Stross. 2 STARS. Overwhelming mass of mind-numbing technobabble laid over a simple story, with a rather anticlimactic ending to boot. Moreover, I disagree with the trend of these stories. Intellect, even hyper-intellect, is meaningless without understanding of the emotional experience of being human. Although the ending seem to address this, still it all felt very dismissive and arbitrary.
IN PARADISE. Bruce Sterling. 2 STARS. Moslem and Catholic, love, language translation apps. Trying to make a point, but I can not remember what it is.
THE OLD COSMONAUT & THE CONSTRUCTION WORKER DREAM OF MARS. Ian McDonald. NO RATING. Found this one hard to focus on. Something about an old Russian scientist and his abandoned dreams to go to Mars because Russian government dismantled its space initiative.
STORIES FOR MEN. John Kessel. NO RATING. Exploration of a matri-centric society based on everything current-day feminism supposedly preaches. Men has traditional women's role--look pretty, be sexy and sleep with whomever they want, study art & science but bc they do not contribute to "real" work, they cannot vote. The disruptive element calls himself Tyler Durden, an agent working for creative destruction. The upside and downsides of manhood, and is it necessary?
TO BECOME A WARRIOR. Chris Beckett. 3.5 STARS. Colloquial slangy language from TRAINSPOTTING, yeah? know what i mean?? from a sociopathic narrator. It's interesting to read this right now, when trailers about the AMERICAN GODS tv series is everywhere you turn. Some young disenfranchised dude from the projects is enticed by strangers to be a Thor's warrior. Except he must first pass a test.
feelings--except here his old SW gave love and something responds and he could only run away to build a higher wall.
THE CLEAR BLUE SEAS OF LUNA. Gregory Benford. The moon worldscaped into a human-livable world over centuries, by a cyborg-demigod: the Shaping Station with a human co-component.
V.A.O. Geoff Ryman.
WINTERS ARE HARD. Steven Popkes.
AT THE MONEY. Richard Wadholm.
AGENT PROVOCATEUR. Alexander Irvine.
SINGLETON. Greg Egan.
SLOW LIFE. Michael Swanwick.
A FLOCK OF BIRDS. James van Pelt.
THE POTTER OF BONES. Eleanor Arnason.
THE WHISPER OF DISKS. John Meaney.
THE HOTEL AT HARLAN'S LANDING. Kage Baker.
THE MILLENNIUM PARTY. Walter John Williams.
TURQUOISE DAYS. Alastair Reynolds.
---------------------------------------
BREATHMOSS. Ian R. MacLeod. 3.5 STARS. A coming of age story involving moss that allow one to breathe under water, and a girl yearning to chase her dream.
THE MOST FAMOUS LITTLE GIRL IN THE WORLD. Nancy Kress. [Can't remember anything about this one]
THE PASSENGER. Paul McAuley. 3 STARS. A working crew in space found themselves with a special passenger
Spoiler
, a little girl with genetically-manipulated powers. They helped to hide her and keep her away from authoritiesTHE POLITICAL OFFICER. Charles Coleman Finlay. 2.5 STARS. Claustrophobia & political shenanigans war with one another on a space ship. What is the meaning of heroism & righteousness? Who the heck knows.
LAMBING SEASON. Molly Gloss. 2 STARS. Short story, filled with minute details. A quiet woman spent her life herding sheep in the wild mountains. One night, she met an unusual visitor:
Spoiler
a dog-man in a star ship. They fall into companionable co-existence, meeting 3 times, without interacting. Until the final time, when his ship crashed before her, and she comforted him the way she would a dog, until he died. Then she buried him beneath a rock monument, and took up astronomy.COELACANTHS. Robert Reed. 3 STARS. 4 parallel story lines, 4 parallel tracks of humanity, surviving in a hostile universe in different sizes, from gigantic to minute, in various dimension. The naked man orgasmically orating human success, on the other hand, was deeply annoying.
PRESENCE. Maureen F. McHugh. 4 STARS. Painful journey, the ups and downs of Alzheimer's, even in face of a "cure." Real.
HALO. Charles Stross. 2 STARS. Overwhelming mass of mind-numbing technobabble laid over a simple story
Spoiler
, genius child ran away from controlling mother into space, absorbed a planet's worth of raw materials into materials for her external expanded brain power, planning first contact with aliens; meanwhile, dealing with intricacies of Sharia law & hyper-sophisticated fiscal instrumentsIN PARADISE. Bruce Sterling. 2 STARS. Moslem and Catholic, love, language translation apps. Trying to make a point, but I can not remember what it is.
THE OLD COSMONAUT & THE CONSTRUCTION WORKER DREAM OF MARS. Ian McDonald. NO RATING. Found this one hard to focus on. Something about an old Russian scientist and his abandoned dreams to go to Mars because Russian government dismantled its space initiative.
STORIES FOR MEN. John Kessel. NO RATING. Exploration of a matri-centric society based on everything current-day feminism supposedly preaches. Men has traditional women's role--look pretty, be sexy and sleep with whomever they want, study art & science but bc they do not contribute to "real" work, they cannot vote. The disruptive element calls himself Tyler Durden, an agent working for creative destruction. The upside and downsides of manhood, and is it necessary?
TO BECOME A WARRIOR. Chris Beckett. 3.5 STARS. Colloquial slangy language from TRAINSPOTTING, yeah? know what i mean?? from a sociopathic narrator. It's interesting to read this right now, when trailers about the AMERICAN GODS tv series is everywhere you turn. Some young disenfranchised dude from the projects is enticed by strangers to be a Thor's warrior. Except he must first pass a test.
Spoiler
To kill his old social worker, who cares about him and he runs away from that concern. Someone else described this as when he becomes a man, but I don't see that, more a revelation that he's good deep down circumstances had rendered him moral-less and sociopathic. Felt no love from anyone, therefore decided he doesn't need nor understand love &feelings--except here his old SW gave love and something responds and he could only run away to build a higher wall.
THE CLEAR BLUE SEAS OF LUNA. Gregory Benford. The moon worldscaped into a human-livable world over centuries, by a cyborg-demigod: the Shaping Station with a human co-component.
Spoiler
Some Earth clans come to try and take over what he created--but the man is digital and merged with all components of the planet. Extremely confusing to read as the narrative jumps between I and we and he and us, in between all his iterations. Bleh.V.A.O. Geoff Ryman.
WINTERS ARE HARD. Steven Popkes.
AT THE MONEY. Richard Wadholm.
AGENT PROVOCATEUR. Alexander Irvine.
SINGLETON. Greg Egan.
SLOW LIFE. Michael Swanwick.
A FLOCK OF BIRDS. James van Pelt.
THE POTTER OF BONES. Eleanor Arnason.
THE WHISPER OF DISKS. John Meaney.
THE HOTEL AT HARLAN'S LANDING. Kage Baker.
THE MILLENNIUM PARTY. Walter John Williams.
TURQUOISE DAYS. Alastair Reynolds.
spacenoirdetective's review
5.0
Okay, so going down the list we got the great, the meh, and the what were you thinking
The Great
* The Political Officer by Charles Coleman Finlay - I liked that it was a dystopia mired in fundamentalist Christian dogma, but that wasn't the central focus of the story. Instead it's more about how every large government has spies and intrigues.
* Slow Life by Michael Swanwick - Won the Hugo. An astronaut on Titan has to get out of a very sticky situation by figuring out that there's (gasp!) life on Titan! Wonderfully told.
* Lambing Season by Molly Gloss - This would have gotten my vote for best story. It's basically told from the POV of an older woman shepherd. It's the Brokeback Mountain of "Gray" Alien UFO stories. And it's very moving! No, really!
* The Most Famous Little Girl in the World by Nancy Kress - A great story about two sisters that grow to hate each other and then make up over the course of a lifetime. Oh and one of them was famous for going up in a UFO. Not that it's important. What's important, and far more interesting, is their relationship. No, really!
* The Old Cosmonaut and the Construction Worker Dream of Mars by Ian McDonald - Okay so this story by him I did like. Sort of. It was surreal and I liked that it started out as hard scifi and wound up going in a completely different direction than I assumed it would.
* To Become a Warrior by Chris Beckett - Incredible characters mindfuck a young boy into committing a crime. Or are they telling the truth? It's one of those stories you can interpret and argue about but what is important is at heart the central character becomes a man, even if he doesn't become what he thinks he will.
* V.A.O. by Geoff Ryman - Old people in the future, who were young hotshots in the dot com era, are now in an old folks home. Either by choice or because their kids stuck them there. And some old geysers are going literally insane and going on huge murder sprees as revenge for society treating them poorly. Told in a realistic, matter of fact, wry manner as only Ryman could possibly tell.
* Agent Provocateur by Alexander Irvine - Incredibly original and short time travel, or rather in between time travel, story about possibilities...
* A Flock of Birds by James Van Pelt - Utterly depressing but ultimately satisfying and well written post disease apocalypse story. Similar in a vein to Jeremiah, if you remember that series.
* The Whisper of Discs by John Meaney - An utterly gorgeous tale of geniuses linked through a genetic line, the future genius never really knowing her heritage, the past never really getting the chances she really required to be happy. A meaningful attempt to ponder what genius is and how it affects the people who are born with it.
* The Hotel at Harlan's Landing by Kage Baker - Why yes, I would like to hear about a town in Oregon in the 20s battling a demonic time traveler as he confronts a good time traveler. Thanks!
* Turquoise Days by Alastair Reynolds - Engrossing, utterly alien world captured by utterly alien humans. One of Reynolds better stories. Tragic loss leads to redemption, or so we're led to believe that is the direction this will take.
* In Paradise by Bruce Sterling - A superb love story about immigration, Iran, future government spying on its citizens, and a man who gives up everything willingly and happily to be in love with his soulmate. Dazzling.
The Meh
Breathmoss by Ian McLeod - Lesbians rule the cosmos! Space lesbians! And only a few men are left. They're weird because they have hair and penises. We never find out how men became nearly extinct. One girl wanders her beautiful world never really being satisfied with pretty girlfriends or the one man who may as well be a zoo exhibit. She ditches everyone and heads off to the stars. If I was on a planet with only lesbians I might do the same thing.
* The Passenger by Paul McAuley - Little girl mutant doesn't speak but can murder her up some astrojerks. Fairly entertaining hard scifi.
* Coelacanths by Robert Reed - Okay I'm an open minded guy. I will be honest. I have no idea what the shit I just read here. What the hell even happened??? I have NO idea. Some crazy shit, that's what. Some different people on different planes of reality because they evolved that way and some of them are homeless and what???? Make sense, Robert Reed. This would be a great story to read while listening to White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane.
* Presence by Maureen F. McHugh - Incredibly well written but depressing ass story about future Alzheimers disease treatments and one woman's never ending hell dealing with her husband's sudden aggressive, childlike behavior, and total lack of empathy as she spends her life savings trying to save him. A scathing indictment of the health care system.
* At The Money by Richard Wadholm - A bunch of annoying people trying to make a bunch of lucrative investments do so. Meh.
* Halo by Charles Stross - I can see you're halo...halo...I can see you're halo...haloooooo. Oh sorry. Wrong Halo. What I meant to say was zzzzzzzzzzz...
* Singleton by Greg Egan - A bunch of aliens thwart an archaeologist human who makes herself into an alien as she looks for ancient math related artifacts. The aliens are jerks. Like we used to be. Mehhhh.
* The Clear Blue Seas of Luna by Gregory Benford - Why is it I never like stories about the moon? Well written but just...didn't do it for me.
And What Were You Thinking
* Stories for Men by John Kessel - reprehensibly boring and stupid, heavy handed and trying to comment on gender relations in the most annoying and vapid way possible. So of course the Nebulas awarded it with a nomination.
* Winters are Hard by Stephen Popkes - Future whack job thinks he's a bear, genetically modifies himself to look more like one. Then he murders some dude for knocking around his bear cub. Who he considers to be like a child. Furry wank material. ughghghghgh
* The Potter of Bones by Eleanor Arnason - Wow. This author sure loves her some lesbian furry porn. AVOID, WILL ROBINSON. DOUSE WITH FIRE.
* The Millennium Party by Walter Jon Williams - Who doesn't love a story about immortal people eating each other just for kicks? Oh and what???
The Great
* The Political Officer by Charles Coleman Finlay - I liked that it was a dystopia mired in fundamentalist Christian dogma, but that wasn't the central focus of the story. Instead it's more about how every large government has spies and intrigues.
* Slow Life by Michael Swanwick - Won the Hugo. An astronaut on Titan has to get out of a very sticky situation by figuring out that there's (gasp!) life on Titan! Wonderfully told.
* Lambing Season by Molly Gloss - This would have gotten my vote for best story. It's basically told from the POV of an older woman shepherd. It's the Brokeback Mountain of "Gray" Alien UFO stories. And it's very moving! No, really!
* The Most Famous Little Girl in the World by Nancy Kress - A great story about two sisters that grow to hate each other and then make up over the course of a lifetime. Oh and one of them was famous for going up in a UFO. Not that it's important. What's important, and far more interesting, is their relationship. No, really!
* The Old Cosmonaut and the Construction Worker Dream of Mars by Ian McDonald - Okay so this story by him I did like. Sort of. It was surreal and I liked that it started out as hard scifi and wound up going in a completely different direction than I assumed it would.
* To Become a Warrior by Chris Beckett - Incredible characters mindfuck a young boy into committing a crime. Or are they telling the truth? It's one of those stories you can interpret and argue about but what is important is at heart the central character becomes a man, even if he doesn't become what he thinks he will.
* V.A.O. by Geoff Ryman - Old people in the future, who were young hotshots in the dot com era, are now in an old folks home. Either by choice or because their kids stuck them there. And some old geysers are going literally insane and going on huge murder sprees as revenge for society treating them poorly. Told in a realistic, matter of fact, wry manner as only Ryman could possibly tell.
* Agent Provocateur by Alexander Irvine - Incredibly original and short time travel, or rather in between time travel, story about possibilities...
* A Flock of Birds by James Van Pelt - Utterly depressing but ultimately satisfying and well written post disease apocalypse story. Similar in a vein to Jeremiah, if you remember that series.
* The Whisper of Discs by John Meaney - An utterly gorgeous tale of geniuses linked through a genetic line, the future genius never really knowing her heritage, the past never really getting the chances she really required to be happy. A meaningful attempt to ponder what genius is and how it affects the people who are born with it.
* The Hotel at Harlan's Landing by Kage Baker - Why yes, I would like to hear about a town in Oregon in the 20s battling a demonic time traveler as he confronts a good time traveler. Thanks!
* Turquoise Days by Alastair Reynolds - Engrossing, utterly alien world captured by utterly alien humans. One of Reynolds better stories. Tragic loss leads to redemption, or so we're led to believe that is the direction this will take.
* In Paradise by Bruce Sterling - A superb love story about immigration, Iran, future government spying on its citizens, and a man who gives up everything willingly and happily to be in love with his soulmate. Dazzling.
The Meh
Breathmoss by Ian McLeod - Lesbians rule the cosmos! Space lesbians! And only a few men are left. They're weird because they have hair and penises. We never find out how men became nearly extinct. One girl wanders her beautiful world never really being satisfied with pretty girlfriends or the one man who may as well be a zoo exhibit. She ditches everyone and heads off to the stars. If I was on a planet with only lesbians I might do the same thing.
* The Passenger by Paul McAuley - Little girl mutant doesn't speak but can murder her up some astrojerks. Fairly entertaining hard scifi.
* Coelacanths by Robert Reed - Okay I'm an open minded guy. I will be honest. I have no idea what the shit I just read here. What the hell even happened??? I have NO idea. Some crazy shit, that's what. Some different people on different planes of reality because they evolved that way and some of them are homeless and what???? Make sense, Robert Reed. This would be a great story to read while listening to White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane.
* Presence by Maureen F. McHugh - Incredibly well written but depressing ass story about future Alzheimers disease treatments and one woman's never ending hell dealing with her husband's sudden aggressive, childlike behavior, and total lack of empathy as she spends her life savings trying to save him. A scathing indictment of the health care system.
* At The Money by Richard Wadholm - A bunch of annoying people trying to make a bunch of lucrative investments do so. Meh.
* Halo by Charles Stross - I can see you're halo...halo...I can see you're halo...haloooooo. Oh sorry. Wrong Halo. What I meant to say was zzzzzzzzzzz...
* Singleton by Greg Egan - A bunch of aliens thwart an archaeologist human who makes herself into an alien as she looks for ancient math related artifacts. The aliens are jerks. Like we used to be. Mehhhh.
* The Clear Blue Seas of Luna by Gregory Benford - Why is it I never like stories about the moon? Well written but just...didn't do it for me.
And What Were You Thinking
* Stories for Men by John Kessel - reprehensibly boring and stupid, heavy handed and trying to comment on gender relations in the most annoying and vapid way possible. So of course the Nebulas awarded it with a nomination.
* Winters are Hard by Stephen Popkes - Future whack job thinks he's a bear, genetically modifies himself to look more like one. Then he murders some dude for knocking around his bear cub. Who he considers to be like a child. Furry wank material. ughghghghgh
* The Potter of Bones by Eleanor Arnason - Wow. This author sure loves her some lesbian furry porn. AVOID, WILL ROBINSON. DOUSE WITH FIRE.
* The Millennium Party by Walter Jon Williams - Who doesn't love a story about immortal people eating each other just for kicks? Oh and what???
More...