Science Fiction: The Best of the Year, 2006 Edition

by Douglas Lain, Leah Bobet, James Van Pelt, et al.

Book Overview

The best stories of the year: here is a collection of the best science fiction prose written in 2005, by some of the genre's greatest authors, and selected by Rich Horton, a contributing reviewer to many of the field's most respected magazines. In this volume you'll find stories by James Patrick Kelly, Wil McCarthy, Susan Palwick, Tom Purdom, Robert Reed, Michael Swanwick, James Van Pelt, Howard Waldrop, Alastair Reynolds, Ian McDonald, Mary Rosenblum,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0809556499
• ISBN13: 9780809556496
• Release Date: June 2006
• Publisher: Wildside Press
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.6" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 16 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 11 and higher

Customer Reviews

Not Free SF Reader

An anthology that goes for the bookend approach, the best stories first and last. That makes complete sense to me. Only one story I didn't like at all, they can keep their dodgy coffee cups in New York, and away from the rest of us, I think. Or get rid of this pair with a UFO death ray. Thank being said, I think this is quite a bit better than the 2007 volume (3.84 compared to 3.67) and a rather fine effort. Horton also gives you a brief couple of page overview of his thoughts on SF short stories for the year. SF Best of the Year 2006 : Triceratops Summer - Michael Swanwick SF Best of the Year 2006 : Bank Run - Tom Purdom SF Best of the Year 2006 : A Coffee Cup/Alien Invasion Story - Douglas Lain SF Best of the Year 2006 : The Edge of Nowhere - James Patrick Kelly SF Best of the Year 2006 : Heartwired - Joe Haldeman SF Best of the Year 2006 : The Fate of Mice - Susan Palwick SF Best of the Year 2006 : The King of Where-I-Go - Howard Waldrop SF Best of the Year 2006 : The Policeman's Daughter - Wil McCarthy SF Best of the Year 2006 : Bliss - Leah Bobet SF Best of the Year 2006 : Finished - Robert Reed SF Best of the Year 2006 : The Inn at Mount Either - James Van Pelt SF Best of the Year 2006 : Search Engine - Mary Rosenblum SF Best of the Year 2006 : You - Anonymous - Stephen Leigh SF Best of the Year 2006 : The Jenna Set - Daniel Kaysen SF Best of the Year 2006 : Understanding Space and Time - Alastair Reynolds Time loop holiday. 4.5 out of 5 The economic outlook is conflict, with some pussyfooting around. 4 out of 5 Unidentified flaming object of story. 2.5 out of 5 Bad dogs and old stories. 4 out of 5 Double love overdose? 3.5 out of 5 Scary escape plan. 4 out of 5 First she bashes me in the head. Then she gets psionic time control powers to do it again. Or, cure is fishing atrophied. 4 out of 5 Old copy murder try. 4 out of 5 Chemical emotion. 3.5 out of 5 Just a robogigolo. 4 out of 5 Easy to get lost at big interdimensional hotel. 3 out of 5 Data debris discovery drug deal decimation detection drawdown drilling departure. 4.5 out of 5 4.5 out of 5 Elephant self-involvement. 3.5 out of 5 Palavatar content monitor space. 4 out of 5 Martian sole survivor's Elton imaginary friend accidental endings gets machine man revival upgrade cosmological study session black hole comeback. 4.5 out of 5 4.5 out of 5

An Important Anthology

I love literature of all types and have found myself being drawn to SF in the past few years. This series, and this issue more than any other I've read, proves that SF isn't frivolous. In this anthology, issues important to humanity are explored in fantastic setting. The writing is convincing, not fantastic. That is the beauty of great science fiction. It explores the nature of humanity in a highly creative and believable way. I won't go into the specifics of each story. Every one was a delightful romp through speculation, possibility and discovery. If you love SF, or are just curious about it, read this. Books like this prove that Science Fiction is a vital and important genre.