Best of the Best: 20 Years of the Year's Best Science Fiction
Encyclopedia
Best of the Best: 20 Years of the Year's Best Science Fiction (ISBN 978-0312-33656-1) is a science fiction anthology edited by Gardner Dozois
that was published in 2005. It is a special edition in The Year's Best Science Fiction
series.
, a 3-page preface by Dozois, and 36 stories selected by Dozois from among prior annual editions of The Year's Best Science Fiction. Although it is billed as "20 years" of the year's best science fiction, it was actually edited after the 21st edition of the series, and the editor selected from among all 21 editions. The stories are as follows.
Gardner Dozois
Gardner Raymond Dozois is an American science fiction author and editor. He was editor of Asimov's Science Fiction magazine from 1984 to 2004...
that was published in 2005. It is a special edition in The Year's Best Science Fiction
The Year's Best Science Fiction
The Year's Best Science Fiction books are a series of science fiction anthologies edited by Gardner Dozois. In 2005 Dozois produced a "Best of the Best" review with a foreword by Robert Silverberg. The series is published by St. Martin's Press ....
series.
Contents
The book includes a 5-page foreword by Robert SilverbergRobert Silverberg
Robert Silverberg is an American author, best known for writing science fiction. He is a multiple nominee of the Hugo Award and a winner of the Nebula Award.-Early years:...
, a 3-page preface by Dozois, and 36 stories selected by Dozois from among prior annual editions of The Year's Best Science Fiction. Although it is billed as "20 years" of the year's best science fiction, it was actually edited after the 21st edition of the series, and the editor selected from among all 21 editions. The stories are as follows.
- Greg BearGreg BearGregory Dale Bear is an American science fiction and mainstream author. His work has covered themes of galactic conflict , artificial universes , consciousness and cultural practices , and accelerated evolution...
: "Blood Music" - Gene WolfeGene WolfeGene Wolfe is an American science fiction and fantasy writer. He is noted for his dense, allusive prose as well as the strong influence of his Catholic faith, to which he converted after marrying into the religion. He is a prolific short story writer and a novelist, and has won many awards in the...
: "A Cabin on the CoastA Cabin on the Coast"A Cabin on the Coast" is a science fiction / fantasy short story by Gene Wolfe, initially publishe in the February 1984 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and collected in Endangered Species and The Best Of Gene Wolfe...
" - Lucius ShepardLucius ShepardLucius Shepard is an American writer. Classified as a science fiction and fantasy writer, he often leans into other genres, such as magical realism. His work is infused with a political and historical sensibility and an awareness of literary antecedents...
: "SalvadorSalvador (story)"Salvador" is a science fiction short story published in 1984 by Lucius Shepard. In 1985 it won the Locus Poll award for Best Short Story, the SF Chronicle award for Short Story and was nominated for the Hugo and Nebula awards for Best Short Story....
" - Nancy KressNancy KressNancy Kress is an American science fiction writer. She began writing in 1976 but has achieved her greatest notice since the publication of her Hugo and Nebula-winning 1991 novella "Beggars in Spain" which was later expanded into a novel with the same title...
: "Trinity" - Howard WaldropHoward WaldropHoward Waldrop is a science fiction author who works primarily in short fiction.Waldrop's stories combine elements such as alternate history, American popular culture, the American South, old movies , classical mythology, and rock 'n' roll music. His style is sometimes obscure or elliptical...
: "Flying Saucer Rock and Roll" - Bruce SterlingBruce SterlingMichael Bruce Sterling is an American science fiction author, best known for his novels and his work on the Mirrorshades anthology, which helped define the cyberpunk genre.-Writings:...
: "Dinner in Audoghast" - Pat Cadigan: "Roadside Rescue"
- John CrowleyJohn CrowleyJohn Crowley is an American author of fantasy, science fiction and mainstream fiction. He studied at Indiana University and has a second career as a documentary film writer...
: "Snow" - William GibsonWilliam GibsonWilliam Gibson is an American-Canadian science fiction author.William Gibson may also refer to:-Association football:*Will Gibson , Scottish footballer...
: "The Winter Market" - John KesselJohn KesselJohn Kessel is an American author of science fiction and fantasy. He is a prolific short story writer and the author of two solo novels, Good News From Outer Space and Corrupting Dr...
: "The Pure Product" - Eileen GunnEileen GunnEileen Gunn is a science fiction author and editor based in Seattle, Washington, who began publishing in 1978....
: "Stable Strategies for Middle ManagementStable Strategies for Middle Management"Stable Strategies for Middle Management" is a science fiction short story published in 1988 by Eileen Gunn. It was nominated for the 1989 Hugo Award for Best Short Story as well as the 1989 Locus Reader’s Poll.-Plot summary:...
" - Mike ResnickMike ResnickMichael Diamond Resnick , better known by his published name Mike Resnick, is an American science fiction author. He was executive editor of Jim Baen's Universe.-Biography:...
: "KirinyagaKirinyaga (story)"Kirinyaga" is a science fiction short story published in 1988 by Mike Resnick and is the first chapter in the book by the same name. The story was the winner of the 1989 Hugo Award for Best Short Story and the 1989 SF Chronicle Award...
" - Robert SilverbergRobert SilverbergRobert Silverberg is an American author, best known for writing science fiction. He is a multiple nominee of the Hugo Award and a winner of the Nebula Award.-Early years:...
: "Tales from the Venia Woods" - Terry BissonTerry BissonTerry Ballantine Bisson is an American science fiction and fantasy author best known for his short stories...
: "Bears Discover FireBears Discover Fire"Bears Discover Fire" is a Hugo Award-winning short story by American science fiction author Terry Bisson. It concerns aging and evolution in the US South, the dream of wilderness, and community...
" - Connie WillisConnie WillisConstance Elaine Trimmer Willis is an American science fiction writer. She has won eleven Hugo Awards and seven Nebula Awards. Willis most recently won a Hugo Award for Blackout/All Clear...
: "Even the QueenEven the Queen"Even the Queen" is a short story by Connie Willis. A humor story involving the future of gynecological science, it won the 1993 Hugo Award for Best Short Story...
" - Robert ReedRobert ReedRobert Reed was a prolific American character actor of stage, film and television. In his first big break, he played Kenneth Preston on the popular 1960s TV legal drama, The Defenders, alongside E. G. Marshall. But he was best remembered for portraying the father, Mike Brady, on the popular...
: "Guest of Honor" - Joe HaldemanJoe HaldemanJoe William Haldeman is an American science fiction author.-Life :Haldeman was born June 9, 1943 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His family traveled and he lived in Puerto Rico, New Orleans, Washington, D.C., Bethesda, Maryland and Anchorage, Alaska as a child. Haldeman married Mary Gay Potter, known...
: "None So BlindNone So Blind"None So Blind" is a science fiction short story by Joe Haldeman. It won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story and the Locus Award for Short Story in 1995, was nominated for the Nebula Award in 1994.-Plot summary:...
" - Brian StablefordBrian StablefordBrian Michael Stableford is a British science fiction writer who has published more than 70 novels. His earlier books were published as by Brian M. Stableford, but more recent ones have dropped the middle initial and appeared under the name Brian Stableford...
: "Mortimer Gray's History of DeathMortimer Gray's History of Death"Mortimer Gray's History of Death" is a science fiction novella published in 1995 by Brian Stableford. It was nominated for the 1996 Nebula Award for Best Novella...
" - Maureen F. McHughMaureen F. McHughMaureen F. McHugh is a science fiction and fantasy writer.Her first published story appeared in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine in 1989. Since then, she has written four novels and over twenty short stories. Her first novel, China Mountain Zhang , was nominated for both the Hugo and the...
: "The Lincoln TrainThe Lincoln TrainThe Lincoln Train is a science fiction short story published by American writer Maureen F. McHugh, published in 1995. It won the 1996 Hugo Award for Best Short Story and the 1996 Locus Award...
" - Greg EganGreg EganGreg Egan is an Australian science fiction author.Egan published his first work in 1983. He specialises in hard science fiction stories with mathematical and quantum ontology themes, including the nature of consciousness...
: "Wang's Carpets" - Ursula K. Le GuinUrsula K. Le GuinUrsula Kroeber Le Guin is an American author. She has written novels, poetry, children's books, essays, and short stories, notably in fantasy and science fiction...
: "Coming of Age in Karhide" - Michael SwanwickMichael SwanwickMichael Swanwick is an American science fiction author. Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he began publishing in the early 1980s.-Biography:...
: "The Dead" - Ian McDonaldIan McDonald (author)Ian McDonald is a British science fiction novelist, living in Belfast. His themes include nanotechnology, postcyberpunk settings, and the impact of rapid social and technological change on non-Western societies.- Biography :...
: "Recording Angel" - Tony DanielTony DanielAntonio Salvador Daniel AKA Tony S. Daniel is an American comic book writer and artist, known for his work on various books for DC Comics, including Teen Titans, Flash: The Fastest Man Alive and Batman.-Career:...
: "A Dry, Quiet War" - William SandersWilliam Sanders (writer)William Sanders is an American science fiction writer, primarily of short fiction, and was the senior editor of the now defunct online science fiction magazine Helix SF....
: "The Undiscovered" - Paul J. McAuley: "Second Skin"
- Ted ChiangTed ChiangTed Chiang is an American speculative fiction writer. His Chinese name is Chiang Feng-nan.He was born in Port Jefferson, New York and graduated from Brown University with a Computer Science degree. He currently works as a technical writer in the software industry and resides in Bellevue, near...
: "Story of Your LifeStory of Your LifeStory of Your Life is a science fiction short story by Ted Chiang. It was the winner of the 2000 Nebula Award for Best Novella as well as the 1999 Sturgeon award. The major themes explored by this tale are determinism, language, and an interesting take on the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis.-Plot summary:Dr...
" - Stephen BaxterStephen BaxterStephen Baxter is a prolific British hard science fiction author. He has degrees in mathematics and engineering.- Writing style :...
: "People Came From Earth" - David MarusekDavid MarusekDavid Marusek is an author who was born in Buffalo, New York but lived various places in youth. He is currently divorced and has a grown daughter. He has lived in Alaska since 1973 and that is the state he is most associated with....
: "The Wedding Album" - James Patrick KellyJames Patrick KellyJames Patrick Kelly is an American science fiction author who began publishing in the 1970s and remains to this day an important figure in the science fiction field....
: "1016 To 110^16 to 1"1016 to 1" is a science fiction novelette published in 1999 by James Patrick Kelly. It was the winner of the 2000 Hugo Award for Best Novelette. It was also nominated for the 2000 Locus award and Asimov's Reader Poll.-Plot summary:...
" - Walter Jon WilliamsWalter Jon WilliamsWalter Jon Williams is an American writer, primarily of science fiction.Several of Williams' novels have a distinct cyberpunk feel to them, notably Hardwired , Voice of the Whirlwind and Angel Stationn...
: "Daddy's World" - Steven UtleySteven UtleySteven Utley is an American writer. He has written poems, humorous essays and other non-fiction, and worked on comic books and cartoons, but is best known for his science fiction stories.-Biography:...
: "The Real World" - Geoff RymanGeoff RymanGeoffrey Charles Ryman is a writer of science fiction, fantasy and surrealistic or "slipstream" fiction.Ryman currently lectures in Creative Writing for University of Manchester's English Department. His most recent full-length novel, The King's Last Song, is set in Cambodia, both at the time of...
: "Have Not Have" - Charles StrossCharles StrossCharles David George "Charlie" Stross is a British writer of science fiction, Lovecraftian horror and fantasy. He was born in Leeds.Stross specialises in hard science fiction and space opera...
: "Lobsters" - Ian R. MacLeodIan R. MacLeodIan R. MacLeod is a British science fiction and fantasy writer.He was born in Solihull near Birmingham. He studied law and worked as a civil servant before going freelance in early 1990s soon after he started publishing stories, attracting critical praise and awards nominations.-Writings:He is the...
: "Breathmoss" - Molly GlossMolly GlossMolly Gloss is an American writer currently best known for historical fiction and science fiction.-Life:Molly Gloss grew up in rural Oregon and began writing seriously when she became a mother. She now lives in Portland, Oregon and is close friends with fellow science fiction writer Ursula K. Le...
: "Lambing SeasonLambing Season"Lambing Season" is a science fiction short story by American writer Molly Gloss, published in 2002. It was nominated for the 2003 Hugo Award for Best Short Story as well as the Nebula Award for Best Short Story.-Plot summary:...
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External links
- The Best of the Best: 20 Years of the Year’s Best Science Fiction at BestScienceFictionStories.com - A review of the book and several stories contained in it.