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Nebula Awards Showcases #43
Nebula Awards Showcase 2009
Each year, the members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America(r) bestow the Nebula Awards to authors whose exemplary fiction represents the most thought-provoking and entertaining work the genre has to offer. "Nebula Awards Showcase" collects the year's most preeminent science fiction and fantasy in one essential volume. This year's winners include Lois McMaster Bujold, Eileen Gunn, Ellen Klages, and Walter Jon Williams, as well as Grand Master Anne McCaffrey.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
6 people are currently reading
166 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Datlow
278 books1,879 followersEllen Datlow has been editing science fiction, fantasy, and horror short fiction for forty years as fiction editor of OMNI Magazine and editor of Event Horizon and SCIFICTION. She currently acquires short stories and novellas for Tor.com. In addition, she has edited about one hundred science fiction, fantasy, and horror anthologies, including the annual The Best Horror of the Year series, The Doll Collection, Mad Hatters and March Hares, The Devil and the Deep: Horror Stories of the Sea, Echoes: The Saga Anthology of Ghost Stories, Edited By, and Final Cuts: New Tales of Hollywood Horror and Other Spectacles.
She's won multiple World Fantasy Awards, Locus Awards, Hugo Awards, Bram Stoker Awards, International Horror Guild Awards, Shirley Jackson Awards, and the 2012 Il Posto Nero Black Spot Award for Excellence as Best Foreign Editor. Datlow was named recipient of the 2007 Karl Edward Wagner Award, given at the British Fantasy Convention for "outstanding contribution to the genre," was honored with the Life Achievement Award by the Horror Writers Association, in acknowledgment of superior achievement over an entire career, and honored with the World Fantasy Life Achievement Award at the 2014 World Fantasy Convention.
She's won multiple World Fantasy Awards, Locus Awards, Hugo Awards, Bram Stoker Awards, International Horror Guild Awards, Shirley Jackson Awards, and the 2012 Il Posto Nero Black Spot Award for Excellence as Best Foreign Editor. Datlow was named recipient of the 2007 Karl Edward Wagner Award, given at the British Fantasy Convention for "outstanding contribution to the genre," was honored with the Life Achievement Award by the Horror Writers Association, in acknowledgment of superior achievement over an entire career, and honored with the World Fantasy Life Achievement Award at the 2014 World Fantasy Convention.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 26, 2016
You can't go wrong with the yearly Nebula showcase. My one complaint is that science fiction poetry is really not enjoyable. I wish they would just leave that stuff out.
August 16, 2017
A nicely varied selection of short stories, extracts, and essays.
The stories:
Ted Chiang's "The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate' is a wonderful story of time travel, as told by the traveller to the Caliph in an attempt to explain that he is not mad, nor is he a vagrant. Karen Joy Fowler's "Always" tells of a cult of immortality that falls apart when the leader has a heart attack, until the only one left is just keeping going, because who will do the work if she doesn't? David D Levine's "Titanium Mike Saves the Day" is a matrioshka doll of stories about the power of stories, in a space setting. Geoff Ryman's "Pol Pot's Beautiful Daughter" talks of ghosts, and making amends, and the many unmourned dead of Cambodia. The excerpt from Michael Chabon's "The Yiddish Policeman's Union" is interesting enough to make me want to read the rest, but not enough for me to hunt it down, especially as it has little in the way of story. Lucius Shepard's "Stars seen through stone" compares petty human monsters with truly inhuman monsters of supernatural origin, with a side order of working in the music publishing industry. Kij Johnson's "The Evolution of Trickster Stories among the dogs of North Park after the change" is another story of human monstrosity, this time in light of dogs learning to talk, and the widespread abandonment that happens as a result. Jennifer Pelland's "Captive Girl" is yet another monstrosity of humans story - this time, the willingness of the many to ignore the destruction of a handful of individuals in the quest for their safety. Andy Duncan's "Unique Chicken Goes in Reverse" is a light-hearted story about a little girl who terrifies a priest, with only a chicken. Nancy Kress's "Fountain of Age" is story of lost love, and what happens when what makes one person immortal can be passed to others, at the price of freedom.
The rest:
As to essays and other non-fiction writing: Howard Waldrop reviews a year of films, almost inspiring me to go and watch Enchanted. Barry N Malzberg presents a brief essay on the future of science fiction, not inspiring me much - the quality of the stories here did that much better. Assorted people write about the meanings of assorted awards, and why they are gathered in a volume that purports to be about only one of these awards. Kim Newman summarises the contributions of Michael Moorcock, and why they make him a Grand Master. Gwenda Bond talks about the explosion in YA sf/f, and how it should be interpreted. Ellen Asher talks of her time editing at the Science Fiction Book Club
There are also three poems, which I find impossible to comment on, an example short story from Moorcock, and a list of all of the past Nebula winners. I plan to read through this last one day, and maybe even try and source all of the items. But that will have to be another time.
The stories:
Ted Chiang's "The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate' is a wonderful story of time travel, as told by the traveller to the Caliph in an attempt to explain that he is not mad, nor is he a vagrant. Karen Joy Fowler's "Always" tells of a cult of immortality that falls apart when the leader has a heart attack, until the only one left is just keeping going, because who will do the work if she doesn't? David D Levine's "Titanium Mike Saves the Day" is a matrioshka doll of stories about the power of stories, in a space setting. Geoff Ryman's "Pol Pot's Beautiful Daughter" talks of ghosts, and making amends, and the many unmourned dead of Cambodia. The excerpt from Michael Chabon's "The Yiddish Policeman's Union" is interesting enough to make me want to read the rest, but not enough for me to hunt it down, especially as it has little in the way of story. Lucius Shepard's "Stars seen through stone" compares petty human monsters with truly inhuman monsters of supernatural origin, with a side order of working in the music publishing industry. Kij Johnson's "The Evolution of Trickster Stories among the dogs of North Park after the change" is another story of human monstrosity, this time in light of dogs learning to talk, and the widespread abandonment that happens as a result. Jennifer Pelland's "Captive Girl" is yet another monstrosity of humans story - this time, the willingness of the many to ignore the destruction of a handful of individuals in the quest for their safety. Andy Duncan's "Unique Chicken Goes in Reverse" is a light-hearted story about a little girl who terrifies a priest, with only a chicken. Nancy Kress's "Fountain of Age" is story of lost love, and what happens when what makes one person immortal can be passed to others, at the price of freedom.
The rest:
As to essays and other non-fiction writing: Howard Waldrop reviews a year of films, almost inspiring me to go and watch Enchanted. Barry N Malzberg presents a brief essay on the future of science fiction, not inspiring me much - the quality of the stories here did that much better. Assorted people write about the meanings of assorted awards, and why they are gathered in a volume that purports to be about only one of these awards. Kim Newman summarises the contributions of Michael Moorcock, and why they make him a Grand Master. Gwenda Bond talks about the explosion in YA sf/f, and how it should be interpreted. Ellen Asher talks of her time editing at the Science Fiction Book Club
There are also three poems, which I find impossible to comment on, an example short story from Moorcock, and a list of all of the past Nebula winners. I plan to read through this last one day, and maybe even try and source all of the items. But that will have to be another time.
June 5, 2009
This anthology was presented at the 2009 Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) convention/conference held in Los Angeles, California on April 24-26, 2009. The anthology includes award winning stories, plus some nominees, that were announced/awarded at the previous year’s SFWA conference held in Austin Texas on April 25-27, 2008. As a result, the included stories are largely from the year 2007 meaning the anthology’s title and content makes perfect sense to someone attending the 2009 SFWA conference but will be a puzzle to others as they will wonder why an anthology titled “Nebula Awards Showcase 2009” contains stories from 2007 that were awarded in early 2008.
That said – the anthology contains
• An excerpt for the 2007 Nebula Award winner in the Novel category.
• The 2007 Nebula Award winner in the Novellas category plus one of the nominated stories out of six nominees.
• The 2007 Nebula Award winner in the Novelettes category plus two of the nominated stories out of seven nominees.
• The 2007 Nebula Award winner in the Short Stories category plus three of the nominated stories out of six nominees.
• The 2007 Nebula Award winner in the Scripts category. None of the other five nominees are included.
• The 2007 Rhysling award winners in the Long Poem and Short Poem categories.
• The 2007 Dwarf Stars winner (poem of ten lines or less).
• Two original short stories. It’s not clear why these stories were included.
• A 1965 short story by Michael Moorcock who was the winner of the SFWA’s Damon Knight Grand Master Award for 2008.
• Essays about the SFWA itself, Nebula Awards, Rhysling awards, Dwarf Stars awards, Damon Knight Grand Master Award, the Andre Norton Award, SFWA’s Authors Emeriti award, plus a couple of essays about two of the award winning authors.
• Two speculative fiction movie review essays
• The 2008 Nebula Awards final ballot plus a list of the previous Nebula Award winners.
Thus the anthology is a lot more than just a compendium of Nebula award winning stories. All of the stories and poems in this anthology are very good and I also found the essays to be quite enjoyable. That’s to be expected as they were award winners or selected nominees.
The stories are:
“The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate” novelette by Ted Chiang – Nebula Award winner –This is a time travel machine story with a twist in that it’s set in Egypt during the Arabian Nights era.
“Always” short story by Karen Joy Fowler – Nebula Award winner – I classify this as a fiction work rather than science fiction or fantasy. The story is told from the point of view of a teen-age girl who joins a cult that promises you will live forever.
“Titanium Mike Saves the Day” short story by David D. Levine – Nebula Award nominee – This is a clever science fiction story about stories. People make up and tell stories about Titanium Mike who could be considered a futuristic Paul Bunyan.
“Pol Pot’s Beautiful Daughter” novelette by Geoff Ryman – Nebula Award nominee – This fantasy work is set in Cambodia and is about a young adult who is plagued by ghosts of her father’s victims.
“The Yiddish Policeman’s Union” excerpt of a novel by Michael Chabon – Nebula Award winner – While the novel has won Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards this excerpt is not particularly good. The story, as told in the excerpt, is about a surrealist civilization that seems like Israel and has 2.3 million people living on an Alaskan island.
“Last Unicorn” poem by Jane Yolen - Rhysling Dwarf Stars winner – A unicorn fantasy in ten lines.
“The Graven Idol’s Godheart” poem by Rich Ristow – Rhysling Short Poem winner – A poem about the Baghdad Battery and high priests of ancient times.
“The Journey to Kailash” poem by Mike Allen – Rhysling Long Poem winner – It is good if Ganesh, the god of good luck, comes. An 18 year old’s mother marries Ganesh, the god of good luck. It’s good when he is present but is it a misfortune when he is gone?
This poem may be confusing for those that don’t know about Hinduism.
“Stars Seen Through Stone” novella by Lucius Shepard – Nebula Award nominee – A town receives periodic “visitations” from floating balls of light. While much of the story reads as fiction literature there is exploration of what may happen if creativity was boosted.
“The Evolution of Trickster Stories Among the Dogs of North Park After the Change” Fantasy novelette by Kij Johnson – Nebula Award nominee – I put off reading this one for a bit as the title seemed strange. However, once I started I enjoyed the premise thoroughly which is what could happen if there was a “change” and mammals started talking. Much of the story consists of vignettes by dogs.
“The Pleasure Garden of Felipe Sagittarius” short story by Michael Moorcock – serialized in 1965 and published in 1966 – A murder mystery in a science fiction, or perhaps imaginative fiction, setting. For example, the victim has disposable paper lungs.
“Clubbing” original essay by Ellen Asher – I found this a very interesting essay. The author was the editor of Doubleday’s Science Fiction Book Club from 1973 to 2007 and writes about her career.
“Captive Girl” science fiction short story by Jennifer Pelland – Nebula Award nominee – When someone is very different than your average person and gets a lover does that lover love the disability or whatever makes that person “different” or the person herself? I read this story twice, a few days apart, and found it better on the second reading. The issue the first time was that the story jumps right into the action with no preamble. It’s likely the author was trying to give the reader that sense of disorientation that the main story character feels.
“Unique Chicken Goes in Reverse” literary fiction short story by Andy Duncan – Nebula Award nominee – A little girl gets a playmate, a chicken that runs backwards, and which the girl names Jesus Christ. This bothers adults but the child manages to rationalize everything perfectly.
“Fountain of Age” science fiction novella by Nancy Kress – Nebula Award winner – Sometimes we get what we dreamed a lifetime for and come to a new understanding about the dream. The story setting is a crafty old, and very rich, criminal recounting parts of his life while also carrying out another “job.”
That said – the anthology contains
• An excerpt for the 2007 Nebula Award winner in the Novel category.
• The 2007 Nebula Award winner in the Novellas category plus one of the nominated stories out of six nominees.
• The 2007 Nebula Award winner in the Novelettes category plus two of the nominated stories out of seven nominees.
• The 2007 Nebula Award winner in the Short Stories category plus three of the nominated stories out of six nominees.
• The 2007 Nebula Award winner in the Scripts category. None of the other five nominees are included.
• The 2007 Rhysling award winners in the Long Poem and Short Poem categories.
• The 2007 Dwarf Stars winner (poem of ten lines or less).
• Two original short stories. It’s not clear why these stories were included.
• A 1965 short story by Michael Moorcock who was the winner of the SFWA’s Damon Knight Grand Master Award for 2008.
• Essays about the SFWA itself, Nebula Awards, Rhysling awards, Dwarf Stars awards, Damon Knight Grand Master Award, the Andre Norton Award, SFWA’s Authors Emeriti award, plus a couple of essays about two of the award winning authors.
• Two speculative fiction movie review essays
• The 2008 Nebula Awards final ballot plus a list of the previous Nebula Award winners.
Thus the anthology is a lot more than just a compendium of Nebula award winning stories. All of the stories and poems in this anthology are very good and I also found the essays to be quite enjoyable. That’s to be expected as they were award winners or selected nominees.
The stories are:
“The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate” novelette by Ted Chiang – Nebula Award winner –This is a time travel machine story with a twist in that it’s set in Egypt during the Arabian Nights era.
“Always” short story by Karen Joy Fowler – Nebula Award winner – I classify this as a fiction work rather than science fiction or fantasy. The story is told from the point of view of a teen-age girl who joins a cult that promises you will live forever.
“Titanium Mike Saves the Day” short story by David D. Levine – Nebula Award nominee – This is a clever science fiction story about stories. People make up and tell stories about Titanium Mike who could be considered a futuristic Paul Bunyan.
“Pol Pot’s Beautiful Daughter” novelette by Geoff Ryman – Nebula Award nominee – This fantasy work is set in Cambodia and is about a young adult who is plagued by ghosts of her father’s victims.
“The Yiddish Policeman’s Union” excerpt of a novel by Michael Chabon – Nebula Award winner – While the novel has won Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards this excerpt is not particularly good. The story, as told in the excerpt, is about a surrealist civilization that seems like Israel and has 2.3 million people living on an Alaskan island.
“Last Unicorn” poem by Jane Yolen - Rhysling Dwarf Stars winner – A unicorn fantasy in ten lines.
“The Graven Idol’s Godheart” poem by Rich Ristow – Rhysling Short Poem winner – A poem about the Baghdad Battery and high priests of ancient times.
“The Journey to Kailash” poem by Mike Allen – Rhysling Long Poem winner – It is good if Ganesh, the god of good luck, comes. An 18 year old’s mother marries Ganesh, the god of good luck. It’s good when he is present but is it a misfortune when he is gone?
This poem may be confusing for those that don’t know about Hinduism.
“Stars Seen Through Stone” novella by Lucius Shepard – Nebula Award nominee – A town receives periodic “visitations” from floating balls of light. While much of the story reads as fiction literature there is exploration of what may happen if creativity was boosted.
“The Evolution of Trickster Stories Among the Dogs of North Park After the Change” Fantasy novelette by Kij Johnson – Nebula Award nominee – I put off reading this one for a bit as the title seemed strange. However, once I started I enjoyed the premise thoroughly which is what could happen if there was a “change” and mammals started talking. Much of the story consists of vignettes by dogs.
“The Pleasure Garden of Felipe Sagittarius” short story by Michael Moorcock – serialized in 1965 and published in 1966 – A murder mystery in a science fiction, or perhaps imaginative fiction, setting. For example, the victim has disposable paper lungs.
“Clubbing” original essay by Ellen Asher – I found this a very interesting essay. The author was the editor of Doubleday’s Science Fiction Book Club from 1973 to 2007 and writes about her career.
“Captive Girl” science fiction short story by Jennifer Pelland – Nebula Award nominee – When someone is very different than your average person and gets a lover does that lover love the disability or whatever makes that person “different” or the person herself? I read this story twice, a few days apart, and found it better on the second reading. The issue the first time was that the story jumps right into the action with no preamble. It’s likely the author was trying to give the reader that sense of disorientation that the main story character feels.
“Unique Chicken Goes in Reverse” literary fiction short story by Andy Duncan – Nebula Award nominee – A little girl gets a playmate, a chicken that runs backwards, and which the girl names Jesus Christ. This bothers adults but the child manages to rationalize everything perfectly.
“Fountain of Age” science fiction novella by Nancy Kress – Nebula Award winner – Sometimes we get what we dreamed a lifetime for and come to a new understanding about the dream. The story setting is a crafty old, and very rich, criminal recounting parts of his life while also carrying out another “job.”
November 8, 2022
Wonderful collection of outstanding sci-fi and speculative fiction work - some standouts are "The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate" by Ted Chiang and "Pol Pot's Beautiful Daughter (Fantasy)" by Geoff Ryman.
June 25, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 18, 2009
somehow in the flurry of leaving to go out of town at the beginning of the month this is the book that came with me. i have a tendency to take too many books on a trip. you know, to have options. and that coupled with my tendency to purchase hard bound books means i often end up with a bag full of three heavy hard books, two of which i never crack open. so, this is to say that it was somewhat of a nice change of pace to have one book, paperback, in my bag for the couple week jaunt to points on the other side of the atlantic.
I was sitting in a bar reading this in brussels and drinking some beer served to me by some guy from quebec. he was a funny mix of surly and nice at the same time and quizzed me on why i liked La Choufe so he could bring me a beer that i would like just as much, but something that is not exported from Belgium. I don't remember what that was, but i guess that's a moot point as i won't have it again until i am in Belgium.
The whole time this ordering and drinking is going on there a pair of lanky belgian dudes at the table across from me who seem to be staring my way. When I'm nearly done with my beer, one comes over and asks what i am reading. Somewhat dodging the question and trying to give the easiest answer i say, "oh it's a collection of science fiction stories" and briefly flash the cover. At this point it becomes apparent he knew what i was reading, but was asking as a way to break into the conversation as he replies, "Oh yes, I was on Wikipedia looking up the nebula awards just this afternoon. I really love science fiction but wanted to research some new authors that I could get into and thought i should read the list of award winners to get some ideas." he then grills me on what my favorite science fiction authors are, which i am wholly unequipped to answer. I tell him he should read Octavia Butler and Stanislaw Lem, the latter of which piques his interest a bit, but the former he seems skeptical of. I try to sell him some more on Butler and maybe, just maybe, got him interested. Then i try to see if there is any good Belgian sci-fi, to which he promptly says no.
Anyways, ss a collection of stories representing the winners and nominees for the most recent round of Nebula Awards, this book is, as one would expect, full of its ups and downs. On the whole the downs are not too far down, but the ups are never that high up. As a sampling though, i feel like i came away with some names of authors who i would feel compelled to read more from. "Pol Pot’s Beautiful Daughter" by Geoff Ryman was a highlight. the other two that were really strong were the ones by Jennifer Pelland and Nancy Kress. Pelland's being this weird cyborg/captivity sexualized nurse and her patient thing. and then Kress' was a good dystopian future/corporate scheme to make people forever young.
I was sitting in a bar reading this in brussels and drinking some beer served to me by some guy from quebec. he was a funny mix of surly and nice at the same time and quizzed me on why i liked La Choufe so he could bring me a beer that i would like just as much, but something that is not exported from Belgium. I don't remember what that was, but i guess that's a moot point as i won't have it again until i am in Belgium.
The whole time this ordering and drinking is going on there a pair of lanky belgian dudes at the table across from me who seem to be staring my way. When I'm nearly done with my beer, one comes over and asks what i am reading. Somewhat dodging the question and trying to give the easiest answer i say, "oh it's a collection of science fiction stories" and briefly flash the cover. At this point it becomes apparent he knew what i was reading, but was asking as a way to break into the conversation as he replies, "Oh yes, I was on Wikipedia looking up the nebula awards just this afternoon. I really love science fiction but wanted to research some new authors that I could get into and thought i should read the list of award winners to get some ideas." he then grills me on what my favorite science fiction authors are, which i am wholly unequipped to answer. I tell him he should read Octavia Butler and Stanislaw Lem, the latter of which piques his interest a bit, but the former he seems skeptical of. I try to sell him some more on Butler and maybe, just maybe, got him interested. Then i try to see if there is any good Belgian sci-fi, to which he promptly says no.
Anyways, ss a collection of stories representing the winners and nominees for the most recent round of Nebula Awards, this book is, as one would expect, full of its ups and downs. On the whole the downs are not too far down, but the ups are never that high up. As a sampling though, i feel like i came away with some names of authors who i would feel compelled to read more from. "Pol Pot’s Beautiful Daughter" by Geoff Ryman was a highlight. the other two that were really strong were the ones by Jennifer Pelland and Nancy Kress. Pelland's being this weird cyborg/captivity sexualized nurse and her patient thing. and then Kress' was a good dystopian future/corporate scheme to make people forever young.
November 25, 2011
There's some solid stuff in here! I continue not to be charmed by The Yiddish Policeman's Union, even in excerpt, and the nonfiction in here is frankly crap -- too short and shallow to be worth reading.
Ted Chiang's “The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate” is totally worth the price of admission, with an interesting low-tech approach to time travel and regressive storytelling. Karen Joy Fowler's "Always" is barely sci-fi; it would not be out of place in the New Yorker or Atlantic Monthly's fiction issues, in terms of its genre cred. “Captive Girl," by Jennifer Pelland, is fascinating, terrifying and creepy and clearly owes a debt to Ender's Game and omg there is so much packed in here.
Ted Chiang's “The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate” is totally worth the price of admission, with an interesting low-tech approach to time travel and regressive storytelling. Karen Joy Fowler's "Always" is barely sci-fi; it would not be out of place in the New Yorker or Atlantic Monthly's fiction issues, in terms of its genre cred. “Captive Girl," by Jennifer Pelland, is fascinating, terrifying and creepy and clearly owes a debt to Ender's Game and omg there is so much packed in here.
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July 19, 2009I read anthologies when I am busy and don't have the attention to give to a whole book (which might suck me in and give me cause to procrastinate). Short stories work out nicely.
But the downside is that sometimes you run into something that you wanted to last longer. Lucius Shepard's novella "Stars Seen Through Stone" was just such a story. I liked the protagonist, and I wanted to spend more time with him.
I did enjoy much of the work in this collection. The article about YA SciFi gave me a lot of new authors to look at.
But the downside is that sometimes you run into something that you wanted to last longer. Lucius Shepard's novella "Stars Seen Through Stone" was just such a story. I liked the protagonist, and I wanted to spend more time with him.
I did enjoy much of the work in this collection. The article about YA SciFi gave me a lot of new authors to look at.
September 21, 2009
Sometimes awards collections end up with selections that strain for literary crossover (as if the genre were somehow unworthy), and as a consequence lose the "sense of wonder" that SF fans seek.
With a few exceptions, this is NOT one of those collections. Several selections are achingly fabulous, like "Pol Pot's Beautiful Daughter," or gleefully ingenious, like "The Yiddish Policeman's Union" (though really, you have to read the whole thing; this volume includes only an excerpt), intriguing and clever ("Titanium Mike Saves the Day"), and a little creepy ("Captive Girl").
With a few exceptions, this is NOT one of those collections. Several selections are achingly fabulous, like "Pol Pot's Beautiful Daughter," or gleefully ingenious, like "The Yiddish Policeman's Union" (though really, you have to read the whole thing; this volume includes only an excerpt), intriguing and clever ("Titanium Mike Saves the Day"), and a little creepy ("Captive Girl").
May 29, 2009
You can't go wrong with this annual anthology.
Though Ted Chiang's novella is the winner in this category, personally i think Lucius Shepard's novella "Stars Seen Through Stone" is a better story. Ted Chiang is such a great short fiction (only short fiction so far) writer that i think whatever work he produces would be biased for nomination/awards.
"Always" (though a winner) doesn't do anything for me.
Looking forward to reading Michael Chabon's.
Though Ted Chiang's novella is the winner in this category, personally i think Lucius Shepard's novella "Stars Seen Through Stone" is a better story. Ted Chiang is such a great short fiction (only short fiction so far) writer that i think whatever work he produces would be biased for nomination/awards.
"Always" (though a winner) doesn't do anything for me.
Looking forward to reading Michael Chabon's.
August 3, 2009
Note that this review is from a science fiction fan, but I am a discerning science fiction fan. I believe that most of the best science fiction is in short story format. With that disclaimer in mind, let me say that the 2009 Nebula Awards Showcase is an amazing collection of stories. I was so impressed, I actually bought the book. (Those who know me well, know that I use the library heavily.) Every story in this collection is unusual and interesting. Definitely five stars.
June 6, 2010
not as good as the other award showcase i'd read.
titanium mike saves the day was good.
the evolution of trickster stories among the dogs of north park after the change was sad (so good).
unique chicken goes in reverse was sci-fi how?
clubbing, though not a story, was very interesting to me.
titanium mike saves the day was good.
the evolution of trickster stories among the dogs of north park after the change was sad (so good).
unique chicken goes in reverse was sci-fi how?
clubbing, though not a story, was very interesting to me.
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June 29, 2016No stars - read only 3 shorts
"The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate"
"Always" and
"Pol Pot's Beautiful Daughter" :paranormal with historical fiction elements
Only made it through those three and out of those the first was by far the best, and the one I really enjoyed.
I was expecting more from Jane Yolen than a poem, and a very short poem at that.
"The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate"
"Always" and
"Pol Pot's Beautiful Daughter" :paranormal with historical fiction elements
Only made it through those three and out of those the first was by far the best, and the one I really enjoyed.
I was expecting more from Jane Yolen than a poem, and a very short poem at that.
July 24, 2009
There's a story about talking dogs in this volume (I know, I know) that is brilliant. A disappointing contribution from Nancy Kress (whom I used to love as a child) that's basically a bunch of clumsily presented research about Jewish and Gypsy cultures.
November 6, 2010
Collections of SF/Fantasy, such as the yearly Nebula Awards Showcase, are great books to discover new authors and read several different stories. I enjoyed all the stories, even the one that was really creepy about the "captive girl."
November 11, 2012
I love collections! You can skip the unpromising stuff. Couple of good ones here, particularly "Titanium Mike Saves the Day," by David D. Levine and "Pol Pot's Beautiful Daughter (Fantasy), by Geoff Ryman. Must search out the other collections!
October 15, 2009
I'm a little unclear about certain stories and why they were included, in fact EVER considered for a prize. But I do appreciate the exposure to authors I never would have bothered with before.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews