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A review by mattquann
The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2018 by N.K. Jemisin, John Joseph Adams
3.0
While reading the short stories N.K. Jemisin curated for The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2018, I was taken aback by how substantial an undertaking it must be to create an anthology. Reading through a pile of short stories and coming up with a handful that will represent not only what you think is best, but what will appeal to the diverse eyes of an audience has got to be a real challenge.
With that said, I think Jemisin and series editor, John Joseph Adams, have done a pretty good job here. Some of the stories are revelatory, some just okay, some I didn't enjoy at all, and one story even got abandoned halfway through because it was the cause of some medical-grade reading stagnation. Luckily, given the diversity of subject matter--fantasy, sci-fi, horror, fables, and new weird all take some time at centre stage--it's more than likely that you'll find stories that do something for you.
I'll highlight Charlie Jane Anders contribution, Don't Press Charges and I Won't Sue, for being my favourite of the batch and a welcome warm-up for her new novel. Zen and the Art of Starship Maintenance by Tobias S. Buckell also closes the collection with a smart story brimming with excellent sci-fi premises. Though the stories do often highlight issues of social injustice (as I believe great SFF should do), some of the stories seem too focused on theme at the expense of plot. Anders' short story, by comparison, is a great example of a emotionally resonant representation of injustice with a sci-fi twist.
Though I took a good few months to work my way through the entirety of the collection, the really great stories made my reading worthwhile. The last three or four stories also were strong enough that I began to forgive the stories from the start and middle that didn't quite snap into place. Definitely worth a gander for SFF fans, though I would be inclined to recommend a low story-skipping threshold!
With that said, I think Jemisin and series editor, John Joseph Adams, have done a pretty good job here. Some of the stories are revelatory, some just okay, some I didn't enjoy at all, and one story even got abandoned halfway through because it was the cause of some medical-grade reading stagnation. Luckily, given the diversity of subject matter--fantasy, sci-fi, horror, fables, and new weird all take some time at centre stage--it's more than likely that you'll find stories that do something for you.
I'll highlight Charlie Jane Anders contribution, Don't Press Charges and I Won't Sue, for being my favourite of the batch and a welcome warm-up for her new novel. Zen and the Art of Starship Maintenance by Tobias S. Buckell also closes the collection with a smart story brimming with excellent sci-fi premises. Though the stories do often highlight issues of social injustice (as I believe great SFF should do), some of the stories seem too focused on theme at the expense of plot. Anders' short story, by comparison, is a great example of a emotionally resonant representation of injustice with a sci-fi twist.
Though I took a good few months to work my way through the entirety of the collection, the really great stories made my reading worthwhile. The last three or four stories also were strong enough that I began to forgive the stories from the start and middle that didn't quite snap into place. Definitely worth a gander for SFF fans, though I would be inclined to recommend a low story-skipping threshold!