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Il fantasma di Laika e altri racconti
IL FANTASMA DI LAIKA Il perfetto manuale per classificare le razze aliene è quello che le suddivide a seconda del modo che hanno scelto per viaggiare nello spazio (Alfabeto vettoriale dei viaggi interstellari di Yoon Ha Lee). C'è una storia che nessuno aveva ancora immaginato? L'amore fra due veggenti (è nel racconto di Charlie Jane Anders). Le invenzioni sono una bella cosa, ma alcune possono mettere a repentaglio la specie umana: Obediah Polkinghorn è l'uomo che le aiuta a scomparire (in cronaca, Neil Gaiman). Quando l'effetto serra sarà arrivato al culmine e la civiltà scomparsa, cosa resterà? Ma la civiltà, naturalmente, quella solo un po' più catastrofica immaginata da Bruce Sterling in uno dei suoi racconti più toccanti. E per chi non si accontenta ancora, raccomandiamo un viaggio in Kazakhstan in compagnia del Fantasma di Laika, un thriller fantascientifico ad alto potenziale
Indice:
Ken MacLeod - La miglior fantascienza dell'anno terzo (The Best Science Fiction of the Year Three, 2011)
Elizabeth Bear - Dolly (Dolly, 2011)
Ken Liu - Assolutamente altrove (Altogether Elsewhere, Vast Herds of Reindeer, 2011)
Mercurio D. Rivera - Vincoli (Tethered, 2011)
Nnedi Okorafor - Wahala (Wahala, 2011)
Karl Schroeder - Il fantasma di Laika (Laika's Ghost, 2011)
Paul Park - Ragnarok (Ragnarok, 2011)
Neil Gaiman - Obediah il disinventore (And Weep Like Alexander, 2011)
Judith Moffett - Fuori dal mondo (The Middle of Somewhere, 2011)
Charlie Jane Anders - Sei mesi, tre giorni (Six Months, Three Days, 2011)
Gregory Benford - Atti di pietà (Mercies, 2011)
Madeline Ashby - L'educazione di Junior numero 12 (The Education of Junior Number 12, 2011)
Robert Reed - Il nostro candidato (Our Candidate, 2011)
Karen Heuler - Acqua densa (Thick Water, 2011)
Tony Ballantyne - L'artista di guerra (The War Artist, 2011)
Bruce Sterling - Il signore della voliera (The Master of the Aviary, 2011)
Pat MacEwen - Casa dolce biocasa (Home Sweet Bi'Home, 2011)
Michael Swanwick - La pietra della solitudine (For I Have Lain Me Down on the Stone of Loneliness and I'll Not Be Back Again, 2011)
Gwyneth Jones - La Ki-anna (The Ki-anna, 2011)
Nancy Kress - Eliot scrisse (Eliot Wrote, 2011)
Genevieve Valentine - La cosa più simile (The Nearest Thing, 2011)
Yoon Ha Lee - Alfabeto vettoriale dei viaggi interstellari (A Vector Alphabet of Interstellar Travel, 2011)
Carolyn Ives Gilman - Il gufo dei ghiacci (The Ice Owl, 2011)
Copertina di Franco Brambilla
Indice:
Ken MacLeod - La miglior fantascienza dell'anno terzo (The Best Science Fiction of the Year Three, 2011)
Elizabeth Bear - Dolly (Dolly, 2011)
Ken Liu - Assolutamente altrove (Altogether Elsewhere, Vast Herds of Reindeer, 2011)
Mercurio D. Rivera - Vincoli (Tethered, 2011)
Nnedi Okorafor - Wahala (Wahala, 2011)
Karl Schroeder - Il fantasma di Laika (Laika's Ghost, 2011)
Paul Park - Ragnarok (Ragnarok, 2011)
Neil Gaiman - Obediah il disinventore (And Weep Like Alexander, 2011)
Judith Moffett - Fuori dal mondo (The Middle of Somewhere, 2011)
Charlie Jane Anders - Sei mesi, tre giorni (Six Months, Three Days, 2011)
Gregory Benford - Atti di pietà (Mercies, 2011)
Madeline Ashby - L'educazione di Junior numero 12 (The Education of Junior Number 12, 2011)
Robert Reed - Il nostro candidato (Our Candidate, 2011)
Karen Heuler - Acqua densa (Thick Water, 2011)
Tony Ballantyne - L'artista di guerra (The War Artist, 2011)
Bruce Sterling - Il signore della voliera (The Master of the Aviary, 2011)
Pat MacEwen - Casa dolce biocasa (Home Sweet Bi'Home, 2011)
Michael Swanwick - La pietra della solitudine (For I Have Lain Me Down on the Stone of Loneliness and I'll Not Be Back Again, 2011)
Gwyneth Jones - La Ki-anna (The Ki-anna, 2011)
Nancy Kress - Eliot scrisse (Eliot Wrote, 2011)
Genevieve Valentine - La cosa più simile (The Nearest Thing, 2011)
Yoon Ha Lee - Alfabeto vettoriale dei viaggi interstellari (A Vector Alphabet of Interstellar Travel, 2011)
Carolyn Ives Gilman - Il gufo dei ghiacci (The Ice Owl, 2011)
Copertina di Franco Brambilla
490 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
44 people are currently reading
236 people want to read
About the author
David G. Hartwell
112 books90 followersDavid Geddes Hartwell was an American editor of science fiction and fantasy. He worked for Signet (1971-1973), Berkley Putnam (1973-1978), Pocket (where he founded the Timescape imprint, 1978-1983, and created the Pocket Books Star Trek publishing line), and Tor (where he spearheaded Tor's Canadian publishing initiative, and was also influential in bringing many Australian writers to the US market, 1984-date), and has published numerous anthologies. He chaired the board of directors of the World Fantasy Convention and, with Gordon Van Gelder, was the administrator of the Philip K. Dick Award. He held a Ph.D. in comparative medieval literature.
He lived in Pleasantville, New York with his wife Kathryn Cramer and their two children.
He lived in Pleasantville, New York with his wife Kathryn Cramer and their two children.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
July 14, 2012
Great stories, and not a clunker in the bunch! Some stronger than others, but that's normal with every anthology, even a "Best of". Far too many stories had themes of environmental catastrophe, or mentioned it anyway, for my taste. But I only skipped the one story that seemed to be focused on that.
July 25, 2012
Half of the writers in this collection are female and gifted storytellers. Can't wait to see what some of the authors do next. Recommend this short story scifi collection.
March 31, 2015
Generally too long--too many stories--I no longer remember the first third of the book, probably, though I only read it over the course of a month. I should have taken more notes while reading this (like which authors or stories I liked and disliked), but that's hard to do with something I just want to pick up for a few minutes at a time (my typical usage case for a short story collection)
Of the few notes I did write down, I particularly liked 'For I Have Lain Me Down' by Michael Swanwick, 'The Nearest Thing' by Genevieve Valentine, and 'The Ice Owl' by Carolyn Ives Gilman (good story to end the collection on!). Several stories had obviously popular tropes and jokes that I'm not thinking will necessarily transfer well to being read in another era (please keep in mind I like to read science fiction from the 50s and 60s; themselves certainly hit-or-miss on dated-ness)--but already in the first story I didn't like the cute references to 'now'ish events--I'm not reading science fiction for the strict adherence to today/now/reality...
I was looking to see what near-current (2011 stories read in early 2015) science fiction was like. I liked the introductions, but I think the selection could have been culled a little more, or perhaps split into subgenres so I would know which 10-12 to focus on. I'll probably read similar books to this (and certainly older ones!), but this particular series is likely going to be too large and unfocused for me to try again.
Of the few notes I did write down, I particularly liked 'For I Have Lain Me Down' by Michael Swanwick, 'The Nearest Thing' by Genevieve Valentine, and 'The Ice Owl' by Carolyn Ives Gilman (good story to end the collection on!). Several stories had obviously popular tropes and jokes that I'm not thinking will necessarily transfer well to being read in another era (please keep in mind I like to read science fiction from the 50s and 60s; themselves certainly hit-or-miss on dated-ness)--but already in the first story I didn't like the cute references to 'now'ish events--I'm not reading science fiction for the strict adherence to today/now/reality...
I was looking to see what near-current (2011 stories read in early 2015) science fiction was like. I liked the introductions, but I think the selection could have been culled a little more, or perhaps split into subgenres so I would know which 10-12 to focus on. I'll probably read similar books to this (and certainly older ones!), but this particular series is likely going to be too large and unfocused for me to try again.
April 28, 2014
Corposo Urania Millemondi che propone per intero Year’s Best SF 17, annata 2011.
Rispetto ad altre annate è molto più facile individuare un filo rosso nell’intera raccolta, che presenta due grandi nuclei tematici: la presa di coscienza delle singolarità e i rapporti tra razze aliene al di fuori della classica interazione conflittuale.
Le firme sono mescolate in un equilibrio tutto sommato riuscito tra nomi grossi, vecchie conoscenze e nuove leve comunque già rodate, risultato di livello encomiabile considerando che i nomi mainstream di sicuro impatto sono solo due: Neil Gaiman e Bruce Sterling.
Il Fantasma di Laika è una bella raccolta in cui il lettore più spregiudicato salterà solo un paio di racconti, ma ci sono almeno 4 o 5 storie che valgono da sole l’onesto prezzo del formato digitale. Rimanendo nell’ambito di Year’s Best SF recuperabili in formato ebook legalmente, è di molto superiore per qualità e tematiche rispetto a “Graffiti nella biblioteca di Babele”, ma "Nove Inframondi" gli è superiore.
La Miglior Fantascienza dell’Anno Terzo di Ken MacLeod ★★★★
Un singolo evento ben calibrato sulla lunghezza della storia breve funge da colpo di scena sinistro in un racconto che è anche un ironico ritratto di un gruppo di scrittori di fantascienza. Calibrato fino all’ultima frase. Incantevole l’ambientazione parigina.
Dolly di Elizabeth Bear ★★★
Un racconto privo di mordente sull’evoluzione tecnologica degli androidi e delle intelligenze artificiali.
Assolutamente Altrove di Ken Liu ★★★½
Ci vuole qualche pagina per ambientarsi in un futuro tanto radicale, dove l’umanità intera vive sotto forma di algoritmi in un gigantesco data center. Spunto impressionante (forse bisognoso di un formato più lungo per svilupparsi appieno) e solida conoscenza matematico-ingegneristica alle spalle, forse pecca un po’ sul lato umano.
Vincoli di Mercurio D. Rivera ★★★★
I Wergen sono alieni costretti da un legame biochimico ad un amore ossessivo e servile verso ogni essere umano. Pensata geniale, specialmente quando si fonde con una storia di crescita e con il tormentoso dubbio della protagonista: la sua amicizia con una Wergen è autentica o non ha mai superato la semplice reazione chimica?
Wahala di Nnedi Okorafor ★★
In un futuro in cui l’uomo ha colonizzato Marte ma ha così inquinato il pianeta da generare delle mutazioni genetiche ricorrenti nella popolazione, parte degli esuli riesce a tornare sulla terra, nel Sahara, dove a millenarie schermaglie tra popolazioni si aggiungono gli scontri causati dai mutati. Bello il setting africano diverso dal consueto, ma l’elemento fantascientifico è troppo raffanzonato.
Il fantasma di Laika di Karl Schroeder ★★★
L’agente russo Gennady vive in un futuro che sembra essersi evoluto verso la catastrofe climatica senza mai superare i blocchi della guerra fredda. Retrogusto soviet (anche se con qualche svolta scientifica esagerata) per un ottimo personaggio.
Ragnarok di Paul Park ★★
Futuro post-apocalittico raccontato in forma di saga islandese in versi. Esperimento non male, ma solo se rimane nel ambito del divertissement occasionale.
Sei mesi, tre giorni di Charlie Jane Anders ★★★½
Ennesima variante sul capitolo della divinazione del futuro e delle conseguenze che ha sul processo decisionale di chi possiede quest’abilità. Si tratta soprattutto della storia di una relazione d’amore, con una notevole capacità d’introspezione e analisi delle dinamiche di coppia e con delle sfumature amarissime molto riuscite.
Obediah il disinventore di Neil Gaiman ★★½
Gaiman ormai è un ospite fisso dell’antologia. Anche questo racconto però ha uno spunto brillante all’altezza del suo nome ma sviluppato così velocemente da lasciare non più di una scintilla dietro di sé.
Fuori dal mondo di Judith Moffett ★★
Ancora cambiamenti climatici disastrosi. Carina l’interazione tra l’anziana ecologista e la giovane informatizzata, però è veramente troppo didascalico.
Atti di pietà di Gregory Benford ★★
Una sorta di Dexter dotato di una gabbia di transflusso che gli permette di cercare gli assassini del passato e “ripulire” le timeline. Fuori tempo massimo lo spunto di partenza e davvero prevedibile la conclusione.
L’educazione di Junior numero 12 di Madeline Ashby ★★½
Ennesima variazione sul tema degli androidi costruiti per il soddisfacimento sessuale degli umani, stavolta con una variante perversa: il meccanismo che li blocca e all’estremo li spinge alla distruzione è la sofferenza dei loro padroni organici. Ben scritto, ma non mi ha conquistata.
Il nostro candidato di Robert Reed ★★★
Intreccio di fantapolitica che riflette sui meccanismi dietro i totalitarismi sempre piacevole da leggere (e con un finale simile a un cazzotto).
Acqua densa di Karen Heuler ★★★★
Un racconto memorabile che intreccia due tratti classici del genere: la paranoia che si sviluppa nello spazio e l’alieno percepito come minaccia crescente. Su un pianeta sperduto una scienziata coscienziosa vede via via i suoi compagni di spedizione immergersi senza protezioni nell’ambiente alieno e ne osserva i cambiamenti.
L’artista di guerra di Tony Ballantyne ★★½
Per gli amanti della fantascienza che sfocia nel racconto di guerra, con una rapida incursione in Italia. Lo spunto dell’artista futurista che sostenta con la sua opera la propaganda è apprezzabile, ma il pompatissimo finale a sorpresa fa il passo più lungo della gamba.
Il signore della voliera di Bruce Sterling ★★★
L’incertezza di questi tempi è tale che i futuri immaginati dagli autori tendono ad essere regressioni tecnologiche fino alle ere più primitive, come in questo caso. La parabola ricca di disperazione di un filosofo intrappolato dalle logiche di oppressione e soppressione di un sistema politico sempre pronto ad essere ribaltato con un colpo di stato.
Casa dolce biocasa di Pat MacEwen ★★★½
Pat MacEwen vince sicuramente la palma dell’originalità, con uno scenario del tutto inedito unito a un solido background scientifico. Una donna affetta da iperallergia è costretta a vivere lontano dalla società, in una biocasa realizzata a partire dal suo stesso DNA.
La pietra della solitudine di Michael Swanwick ★★★
Inconsueta ambientazione irlandese per un racconto che ai margini racconta la difficile convivenza della popolazione locale con una razza aliena tanto superiore da essere percepita come dittatrice, anche se non ha nemmeno bisogno di esserlo. Ricorda talvolta le atmosfere di “Clover” delle CLAMP.
La Ki-Anna di Gwyneth Jones ★★★★
Questa racconto con sfumature investigativo-noir è superbo, così complesso e delicato nell’alludere ai suoi contenuti (e che contenuti!) da richiedere una seconda lettura. Indagine sulla gemella del protagonista morta mentre conduceva ricerche antropologico-scientifiche su un pianeta il cui equilibrio di rapporti tra due specie aliene simbiotiche è stato rivoluzionato dall'arrivo di un'autorità intergalattica.
Eliot Scrisse di Nancy Cress ★★
Il tema della malattia mentale sarebbe un piacevole diversivo in questo tipo di antologie, ma il racconto non mi ha mai veramente acchiappato.
La cosa più simile di Genevieve Valentine ★★★★
Si parla ancora di singolarità e AI ma in una cornice di una grande azienda e in un mondo in cui la privacy è sempre più una chimera. La gestione emotiva del triangolo che si viene a formare non lascia per nulla intuire che Valentine sia poco più che un’esordiente.
Alfabeto vettoriale dei viaggi interstellari di Yoon Ha Lee ★★★½
Mai titolo fu più perfetta sintesi del contenuto di un racconto. L’unica pecca è che la forma impone appena un accenno per ogni caso preso in esame.
Il gufo dei ghiacci di Carolyn Ives Gilman ★★★★
Niente da fare, date a questa donna una giovane protagonista e un contesto in cui convivono futurismi e poesia e vi tirerà fuori storie toccanti di coming of age alla Hayao Miyazaki.
Rispetto ad altre annate è molto più facile individuare un filo rosso nell’intera raccolta, che presenta due grandi nuclei tematici: la presa di coscienza delle singolarità e i rapporti tra razze aliene al di fuori della classica interazione conflittuale.
Le firme sono mescolate in un equilibrio tutto sommato riuscito tra nomi grossi, vecchie conoscenze e nuove leve comunque già rodate, risultato di livello encomiabile considerando che i nomi mainstream di sicuro impatto sono solo due: Neil Gaiman e Bruce Sterling.
Il Fantasma di Laika è una bella raccolta in cui il lettore più spregiudicato salterà solo un paio di racconti, ma ci sono almeno 4 o 5 storie che valgono da sole l’onesto prezzo del formato digitale. Rimanendo nell’ambito di Year’s Best SF recuperabili in formato ebook legalmente, è di molto superiore per qualità e tematiche rispetto a “Graffiti nella biblioteca di Babele”, ma "Nove Inframondi" gli è superiore.
La Miglior Fantascienza dell’Anno Terzo di Ken MacLeod ★★★★
Un singolo evento ben calibrato sulla lunghezza della storia breve funge da colpo di scena sinistro in un racconto che è anche un ironico ritratto di un gruppo di scrittori di fantascienza. Calibrato fino all’ultima frase. Incantevole l’ambientazione parigina.
Dolly di Elizabeth Bear ★★★
Un racconto privo di mordente sull’evoluzione tecnologica degli androidi e delle intelligenze artificiali.
Assolutamente Altrove di Ken Liu ★★★½
Ci vuole qualche pagina per ambientarsi in un futuro tanto radicale, dove l’umanità intera vive sotto forma di algoritmi in un gigantesco data center. Spunto impressionante (forse bisognoso di un formato più lungo per svilupparsi appieno) e solida conoscenza matematico-ingegneristica alle spalle, forse pecca un po’ sul lato umano.
Vincoli di Mercurio D. Rivera ★★★★
I Wergen sono alieni costretti da un legame biochimico ad un amore ossessivo e servile verso ogni essere umano. Pensata geniale, specialmente quando si fonde con una storia di crescita e con il tormentoso dubbio della protagonista: la sua amicizia con una Wergen è autentica o non ha mai superato la semplice reazione chimica?
Wahala di Nnedi Okorafor ★★
In un futuro in cui l’uomo ha colonizzato Marte ma ha così inquinato il pianeta da generare delle mutazioni genetiche ricorrenti nella popolazione, parte degli esuli riesce a tornare sulla terra, nel Sahara, dove a millenarie schermaglie tra popolazioni si aggiungono gli scontri causati dai mutati. Bello il setting africano diverso dal consueto, ma l’elemento fantascientifico è troppo raffanzonato.
Il fantasma di Laika di Karl Schroeder ★★★
L’agente russo Gennady vive in un futuro che sembra essersi evoluto verso la catastrofe climatica senza mai superare i blocchi della guerra fredda. Retrogusto soviet (anche se con qualche svolta scientifica esagerata) per un ottimo personaggio.
Ragnarok di Paul Park ★★
Futuro post-apocalittico raccontato in forma di saga islandese in versi. Esperimento non male, ma solo se rimane nel ambito del divertissement occasionale.
Sei mesi, tre giorni di Charlie Jane Anders ★★★½
Ennesima variante sul capitolo della divinazione del futuro e delle conseguenze che ha sul processo decisionale di chi possiede quest’abilità. Si tratta soprattutto della storia di una relazione d’amore, con una notevole capacità d’introspezione e analisi delle dinamiche di coppia e con delle sfumature amarissime molto riuscite.
Obediah il disinventore di Neil Gaiman ★★½
Gaiman ormai è un ospite fisso dell’antologia. Anche questo racconto però ha uno spunto brillante all’altezza del suo nome ma sviluppato così velocemente da lasciare non più di una scintilla dietro di sé.
Fuori dal mondo di Judith Moffett ★★
Ancora cambiamenti climatici disastrosi. Carina l’interazione tra l’anziana ecologista e la giovane informatizzata, però è veramente troppo didascalico.
Atti di pietà di Gregory Benford ★★
Una sorta di Dexter dotato di una gabbia di transflusso che gli permette di cercare gli assassini del passato e “ripulire” le timeline. Fuori tempo massimo lo spunto di partenza e davvero prevedibile la conclusione.
L’educazione di Junior numero 12 di Madeline Ashby ★★½
Ennesima variazione sul tema degli androidi costruiti per il soddisfacimento sessuale degli umani, stavolta con una variante perversa: il meccanismo che li blocca e all’estremo li spinge alla distruzione è la sofferenza dei loro padroni organici. Ben scritto, ma non mi ha conquistata.
Il nostro candidato di Robert Reed ★★★
Intreccio di fantapolitica che riflette sui meccanismi dietro i totalitarismi sempre piacevole da leggere (e con un finale simile a un cazzotto).
Acqua densa di Karen Heuler ★★★★
Un racconto memorabile che intreccia due tratti classici del genere: la paranoia che si sviluppa nello spazio e l’alieno percepito come minaccia crescente. Su un pianeta sperduto una scienziata coscienziosa vede via via i suoi compagni di spedizione immergersi senza protezioni nell’ambiente alieno e ne osserva i cambiamenti.
L’artista di guerra di Tony Ballantyne ★★½
Per gli amanti della fantascienza che sfocia nel racconto di guerra, con una rapida incursione in Italia. Lo spunto dell’artista futurista che sostenta con la sua opera la propaganda è apprezzabile, ma il pompatissimo finale a sorpresa fa il passo più lungo della gamba.
Il signore della voliera di Bruce Sterling ★★★
L’incertezza di questi tempi è tale che i futuri immaginati dagli autori tendono ad essere regressioni tecnologiche fino alle ere più primitive, come in questo caso. La parabola ricca di disperazione di un filosofo intrappolato dalle logiche di oppressione e soppressione di un sistema politico sempre pronto ad essere ribaltato con un colpo di stato.
Casa dolce biocasa di Pat MacEwen ★★★½
Pat MacEwen vince sicuramente la palma dell’originalità, con uno scenario del tutto inedito unito a un solido background scientifico. Una donna affetta da iperallergia è costretta a vivere lontano dalla società, in una biocasa realizzata a partire dal suo stesso DNA.
La pietra della solitudine di Michael Swanwick ★★★
Inconsueta ambientazione irlandese per un racconto che ai margini racconta la difficile convivenza della popolazione locale con una razza aliena tanto superiore da essere percepita come dittatrice, anche se non ha nemmeno bisogno di esserlo. Ricorda talvolta le atmosfere di “Clover” delle CLAMP.
La Ki-Anna di Gwyneth Jones ★★★★
Questa racconto con sfumature investigativo-noir è superbo, così complesso e delicato nell’alludere ai suoi contenuti (e che contenuti!) da richiedere una seconda lettura. Indagine sulla gemella del protagonista morta mentre conduceva ricerche antropologico-scientifiche su un pianeta il cui equilibrio di rapporti tra due specie aliene simbiotiche è stato rivoluzionato dall'arrivo di un'autorità intergalattica.
Eliot Scrisse di Nancy Cress ★★
Il tema della malattia mentale sarebbe un piacevole diversivo in questo tipo di antologie, ma il racconto non mi ha mai veramente acchiappato.
La cosa più simile di Genevieve Valentine ★★★★
Si parla ancora di singolarità e AI ma in una cornice di una grande azienda e in un mondo in cui la privacy è sempre più una chimera. La gestione emotiva del triangolo che si viene a formare non lascia per nulla intuire che Valentine sia poco più che un’esordiente.
Alfabeto vettoriale dei viaggi interstellari di Yoon Ha Lee ★★★½
Mai titolo fu più perfetta sintesi del contenuto di un racconto. L’unica pecca è che la forma impone appena un accenno per ogni caso preso in esame.
Il gufo dei ghiacci di Carolyn Ives Gilman ★★★★
Niente da fare, date a questa donna una giovane protagonista e un contesto in cui convivono futurismi e poesia e vi tirerà fuori storie toccanti di coming of age alla Hayao Miyazaki.
December 6, 2013
** The Best Science Fiction of the Year Three • Ken MacLeod
In a totalitarian future, an editor purports to be seeking contributions to a new anthology. But why is he doing this at the very public launch of a new experimental technology? Eh, this one didn't really come together for me. A bit too gimmicky, and the ending didn't convince...
*** Dolly • Elizabeth Bear
An experimental model of sex doll is suspected of having killed its (her?) owner.
*** Altogether Elsewhere, Vast Herds of Reindeer • Ken Liu
Post-singularity, a young girl cannot conceive of why her mother might value the concept of physical 'reality' over virtual explorations. But in a memorable last day together, there is bittersweet communication.
**** Tethered • Mercurio Rivera
A human girl and an alien girl are best friends, growing up together. But as they both mature, the differences between species separate them... but are the differences really so different? A nice exploration of the meaning of friendship and personal identity. Again, very bittersweet.
*** Wahala • Nnedi Okorafor
A space shuttle, returning from Mars after 40 years, crash lands into a post-war desert. There to meet them are only two mutant children, expecting to meet human colonists. But what they find is stranger than either of them expected to find. A story of conflict, fear, and hope for understanding.
**** Laika’s Ghost • Karl Schroeder
Lots of fun, semi-satirical stuff jammed into this tale of a near-future arms inspector investigating rumors of a new kind of super-explosive, accompanied by a young American refugee fleeing Google, The Soviet Union Online, and who knows who else... Apparently there are more stories about Agent Gennady - I must read them.
*** Ragnarok • Paul Park
A post-apocalyptic poem, set in Iceland, in the form of an Edda... better than I expected.
** Six Months, Three Days • Charlie Jane Anders
Two clairvoyants start dating. She believes that she has free will, choosing between the many possible futures she sees. He believes that everything is predestined, seeing only one future. Both of them are really annoying people, and I didn't care about their relationship.
*** And Weep Like Alexander • Neil Gaiman
A rather slight, but amusing story. A man walks into a bar and announces that he is an "uninventor." Humanity has been saved from many seemingly good ideas that turned out to be more annoying than expected - such as flying cars. But is there anything left for him to uninvent?
*** The Middle of Somewhere • Judith Moffett
Not so much a story as an educational piece regarding the effects of global warming. Sure, it's set in (possibly) the near future - although it might be the present - but it's certainly not science fiction. A teen girl from a religious family of climate-deniers survives a tornado in the company of a self-sufficient elderly woman.
** Mercies • Gregory Benford
After learning about serial killers in school, a boy of the peaceful future develops a time travel technique and, at the end of his life, sets out to go back in time and eliminate history's worst killers before they have a chance to commit their evil deeds. The ending wasn't as powerful as I believe the author meant it to be.
** The Education of Junior Number 12 • Madeline Ashby
In the future, self-replicating robots are quickly proliferating. They love humans, and will self0destrunt at the thought of anti-human violence. Their existence seems on the verge of changing human relationships, but their ways are alien to us.
** Our Candidate • Robert Reed
A popular political candidate offers the doomsaying underdog a deal. And it turns out that politicians can be real jerks. (No, say it isn't so!) The ending felt a bit forced, and didn't have the expected punch.
**** Thick Water • Karen Heuler
Nice sci-fi/horror story. A 4-person team has landed on an alien planet for scientific observations. But only one of the scientists observes the safety protocols - and the results are quite satisfyingly creepy.
*** The War Artist • Tony Ballantyne
The war artist's job is to observe, and create suitably inspiring pieces of propaganda to sway public opinion. It takes a pretty woman to make him reassess his job. Nicely cynical.
*** The Master of the Aviary • Bruce Sterling
A dark and cynical tale of a post-apocalyptic future, and an 'academic' who hearkens back to the glories of the past, in the face of general indifference and political opposition.
** Home Sweet Bi’Ome • Pat MacEwan
I have to admit, humor is often a hard sell, with me. Not that I don't like humor, but... This story of a woman with Hyperallergic Syndrome and her tribulations, with a dash of romance was ok... but just not really my thing.
**** For I Have Lain Me Down on the Stone of Loneliness and I’ll Not Be Back Again • Michael Swanwick
With a one-way trip out to pursue a career amongst aliens and the stars imminent, a man decides to take a final trip to experience Earth and history, and visits Ireland. There, he meets a beautiful woman who seduces him - but who has more on her agenda than sex. Good story. Satisfying ending.
*** The Ki-anna • Gwyneth Jones
A man travels to an alien planet to investigate the death of his twin sister. He suspects it was murder, although, officially, it's been called an accident. The story is a decent mystery tale, but I feel like it missed some opportunities to delve deeper into the issues it brings up regarding cultural differences.
* Eliot Wrote • Nancy Kress
Sorry, really didn't like this one. Clunky story about metaphor and the conflict between science and mystical thinking. All the characters were awkward caricatures, and none of them were convincing, either from a narrative or an ideological perspective.
*** The Nearest Thing • Genevieve Valentine
Pretty good entry into the genre of "advanced robots: are they really sentient?" Very, very similar in theme to the Elizabeth Bear piece that appears earlier in this volume.
** The Vector Alphabet of Interstellar Travel • Yoon Ha Lee
This reads like notes for a story, not a story. It's a series of paragraphs, each describing an alien race or situation. Nice writing, but it doesn't feel like a finished work.
*** The Ice Owl • Carolyn Ives Gilman
Second reading of this story. (Previously read in Nebula Awards Showcase.) I'd really like to read more by Gilman; I love her style - but I still had issues with this story. --- Sets up a very nicely done world and situation: a rebellious teenage girl and her flaky, irresponsible mother, flitting around known planets at lightspeed after a political disturbance/genocide analogous to the Holocaust. (It's called the Holocide, and there's even looted art.) However, the ending is completely unsatisfying, feels rushed, and falls flat. It's one of those where you get the feeling that the author feels like you ought to think her characters made the right decisions - but they clearly didn't, nor does it work from a dramatic perspective.
2.78 average rounds up to 3.
Just as a note, it's funny how much editorial decisions affect the 'Best of's... I haven't read the corresponding anthology from Strahan for this year yet, but I feel like I like his choices better, in general...
In a totalitarian future, an editor purports to be seeking contributions to a new anthology. But why is he doing this at the very public launch of a new experimental technology? Eh, this one didn't really come together for me. A bit too gimmicky, and the ending didn't convince...
*** Dolly • Elizabeth Bear
An experimental model of sex doll is suspected of having killed its (her?) owner.
*** Altogether Elsewhere, Vast Herds of Reindeer • Ken Liu
Post-singularity, a young girl cannot conceive of why her mother might value the concept of physical 'reality' over virtual explorations. But in a memorable last day together, there is bittersweet communication.
**** Tethered • Mercurio Rivera
A human girl and an alien girl are best friends, growing up together. But as they both mature, the differences between species separate them... but are the differences really so different? A nice exploration of the meaning of friendship and personal identity. Again, very bittersweet.
*** Wahala • Nnedi Okorafor
A space shuttle, returning from Mars after 40 years, crash lands into a post-war desert. There to meet them are only two mutant children, expecting to meet human colonists. But what they find is stranger than either of them expected to find. A story of conflict, fear, and hope for understanding.
**** Laika’s Ghost • Karl Schroeder
Lots of fun, semi-satirical stuff jammed into this tale of a near-future arms inspector investigating rumors of a new kind of super-explosive, accompanied by a young American refugee fleeing Google, The Soviet Union Online, and who knows who else... Apparently there are more stories about Agent Gennady - I must read them.
*** Ragnarok • Paul Park
A post-apocalyptic poem, set in Iceland, in the form of an Edda... better than I expected.
** Six Months, Three Days • Charlie Jane Anders
Two clairvoyants start dating. She believes that she has free will, choosing between the many possible futures she sees. He believes that everything is predestined, seeing only one future. Both of them are really annoying people, and I didn't care about their relationship.
*** And Weep Like Alexander • Neil Gaiman
A rather slight, but amusing story. A man walks into a bar and announces that he is an "uninventor." Humanity has been saved from many seemingly good ideas that turned out to be more annoying than expected - such as flying cars. But is there anything left for him to uninvent?
*** The Middle of Somewhere • Judith Moffett
Not so much a story as an educational piece regarding the effects of global warming. Sure, it's set in (possibly) the near future - although it might be the present - but it's certainly not science fiction. A teen girl from a religious family of climate-deniers survives a tornado in the company of a self-sufficient elderly woman.
** Mercies • Gregory Benford
After learning about serial killers in school, a boy of the peaceful future develops a time travel technique and, at the end of his life, sets out to go back in time and eliminate history's worst killers before they have a chance to commit their evil deeds. The ending wasn't as powerful as I believe the author meant it to be.
** The Education of Junior Number 12 • Madeline Ashby
In the future, self-replicating robots are quickly proliferating. They love humans, and will self0destrunt at the thought of anti-human violence. Their existence seems on the verge of changing human relationships, but their ways are alien to us.
** Our Candidate • Robert Reed
A popular political candidate offers the doomsaying underdog a deal. And it turns out that politicians can be real jerks. (No, say it isn't so!) The ending felt a bit forced, and didn't have the expected punch.
**** Thick Water • Karen Heuler
Nice sci-fi/horror story. A 4-person team has landed on an alien planet for scientific observations. But only one of the scientists observes the safety protocols - and the results are quite satisfyingly creepy.
*** The War Artist • Tony Ballantyne
The war artist's job is to observe, and create suitably inspiring pieces of propaganda to sway public opinion. It takes a pretty woman to make him reassess his job. Nicely cynical.
*** The Master of the Aviary • Bruce Sterling
A dark and cynical tale of a post-apocalyptic future, and an 'academic' who hearkens back to the glories of the past, in the face of general indifference and political opposition.
** Home Sweet Bi’Ome • Pat MacEwan
I have to admit, humor is often a hard sell, with me. Not that I don't like humor, but... This story of a woman with Hyperallergic Syndrome and her tribulations, with a dash of romance was ok... but just not really my thing.
**** For I Have Lain Me Down on the Stone of Loneliness and I’ll Not Be Back Again • Michael Swanwick
With a one-way trip out to pursue a career amongst aliens and the stars imminent, a man decides to take a final trip to experience Earth and history, and visits Ireland. There, he meets a beautiful woman who seduces him - but who has more on her agenda than sex. Good story. Satisfying ending.
*** The Ki-anna • Gwyneth Jones
A man travels to an alien planet to investigate the death of his twin sister. He suspects it was murder, although, officially, it's been called an accident. The story is a decent mystery tale, but I feel like it missed some opportunities to delve deeper into the issues it brings up regarding cultural differences.
* Eliot Wrote • Nancy Kress
Sorry, really didn't like this one. Clunky story about metaphor and the conflict between science and mystical thinking. All the characters were awkward caricatures, and none of them were convincing, either from a narrative or an ideological perspective.
*** The Nearest Thing • Genevieve Valentine
Pretty good entry into the genre of "advanced robots: are they really sentient?" Very, very similar in theme to the Elizabeth Bear piece that appears earlier in this volume.
** The Vector Alphabet of Interstellar Travel • Yoon Ha Lee
This reads like notes for a story, not a story. It's a series of paragraphs, each describing an alien race or situation. Nice writing, but it doesn't feel like a finished work.
*** The Ice Owl • Carolyn Ives Gilman
Second reading of this story. (Previously read in Nebula Awards Showcase.) I'd really like to read more by Gilman; I love her style - but I still had issues with this story. --- Sets up a very nicely done world and situation: a rebellious teenage girl and her flaky, irresponsible mother, flitting around known planets at lightspeed after a political disturbance/genocide analogous to the Holocaust. (It's called the Holocide, and there's even looted art.) However, the ending is completely unsatisfying, feels rushed, and falls flat. It's one of those where you get the feeling that the author feels like you ought to think her characters made the right decisions - but they clearly didn't, nor does it work from a dramatic perspective.
2.78 average rounds up to 3.
Just as a note, it's funny how much editorial decisions affect the 'Best of's... I haven't read the corresponding anthology from Strahan for this year yet, but I feel like I like his choices better, in general...
September 25, 2017
Found this at The Dollar Store, which probably should have told me something. Didn't like it nearly as much as the previous year's book (SF 16), which I gave 3 stars and actually got for free at the U.S. Embassy give-a-book-take-a-book library in Singapore, (which also probably should have told me something).
Overall, I found most of these stories very ho-hum, although the last third of the book had a few that were better than what came before, specifically "For I Have Lain Me Down," "The Ki-anna," "The Nearest Thing" and "The Ice Owl." But the others, just a whole lot of meh.
Overall, I found most of these stories very ho-hum, although the last third of the book had a few that were better than what came before, specifically "For I Have Lain Me Down," "The Ki-anna," "The Nearest Thing" and "The Ice Owl." But the others, just a whole lot of meh.
January 18, 2018
This book is exciting for me, I grew up reading science fiction written by men for a mostly male audience. I still read it even though as a female, my sex was barely represented. This collection reminds me of how far we have come, that my favourite genre is beginning to show the infinite diversity of voices that it so needs to flourish and remain relevant.
Great collection, some stories are still with me days later.
Great collection, some stories are still with me days later.
August 21, 2020
Book of short stories, taken from the year it was published. I have found that while some of the stories are quite good, they are less interesting to me. It usually takes me a couple chapters to get into the characters and the story, and with these short stories, about the time I get into them, it's over. With 30 stories, it feels like starting 30 books. I'll probably stick with straightforward novels going forward.
November 18, 2018
Lately I get frustrated with short stories, because they end so quickly I barely have time to enter into the perspective of the world/main character/whatever. So, although these are good stories, I didn’t enjoy them as much as they deserved.
The two I liked best were Thick Water by Karen Heuler and The Ice Owl by Carolyn Ives Gilman. I should check to see what else they’ve published.
The two I liked best were Thick Water by Karen Heuler and The Ice Owl by Carolyn Ives Gilman. I should check to see what else they’ve published.
February 18, 2019
Enjoyable collection of shorts. A nice variety of writing styles and a whole bunch cool ideas throughout. Sci-fi shorts that throw you right into the action then end abruptly or are left open-ended are not everyones cup of tea but i found this collection to be a nice change of pace from the full novels that i have been reading of late. Worth a read.
November 20, 2017
if you like reading short stories and aren't scared of science fiction then you'll enjoy this collection of smart stories. it didn't get a 5 because none of the stories were memorable enough that I remember them in a month. But all were highly enjoyable to read at the time.
October 8, 2019
A nice, eclectic selection of various, short sci-fi. Most completely new to me, with only a few I had run across before.
Definitely a easy read, with various themes explored, that helpfully fill the evening hours....and occasionally a lunchtime one as well.
Definitely a easy read, with various themes explored, that helpfully fill the evening hours....and occasionally a lunchtime one as well.
November 29, 2021
Couple of good ideas but all together very boring and dull stories.
A struggle to read!! ...had to skip a couple of them even!! :S
This is my second book of this series: the other one was even worse than this!! :S
A struggle to read!! ...had to skip a couple of them even!! :S
This is my second book of this series: the other one was even worse than this!! :S
May 27, 2021
exceptional anthology edited by David G Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer
Best stories are Tethered, Thick Water, Mercies
Best stories are Tethered, Thick Water, Mercies
January 23, 2023
Generally, I was disappointed in this series but a few of the books were OK - good, including this one.
June 10, 2025
My favorite stories were:
1. Dolly
2. Tethered
3. Mercies
4. Thick Water (best story)
5. For I Have Lain Me Down…
7. The Ice Owl
1. Dolly
2. Tethered
3. Mercies
4. Thick Water (best story)
5. For I Have Lain Me Down…
7. The Ice Owl
February 27, 2019
I enjoyed this book. I like science fiction and some times I just want to read stories that I can get through quickly because I like to read but there are other priorities on my time. When I finished this book, the last story made me realize I am ready for a longer story. The last story got off to a slow start and developed into a good mystery and then a disappointing ending. Then I realized, this is a short story...there is much more to say here. Short stories have a place in my reading but I do want good short stories. Most of these were satisfying.
October 16, 2017
Come capita spesso nella collana Millemondi, questa raccolta è la traduzione dell'anglofona Year's Best SF che, come dice il nome stesso, contiene una selezione di racconti pubblicati nel 2011.
La fantascienza contemporanea è molto diversa da quella a cui sono abituato: non solo nei temi, ma anche perché molti racconti non vengono pubblicati nelle riviste ma nei siti. Inoltre la componente femminile è molto cresciuta; non ho verificato se raggiunge o addirittura supera la metà del testo (mica sono interessato alle quote rosa) ma credo siamo lì.
Tra i racconti che mi sono piaciuti di più ce ne sono un paio per così dire classici su robot e IA: Dolly di Elizabeth Bear e La cosa più simile di Genevieve Valentine. Vincoli, di Mercurio D. Rivera, è sulle razze aliene. Neil Gaiman scrive uno scherzetto, Obediah il disinventore; Il nostro candidato di Robert Reed è fin troppo realista; Casa dolce biocasa di Pat MacEwen è infine davvero contemporaneo - e carino.
La fantascienza contemporanea è molto diversa da quella a cui sono abituato: non solo nei temi, ma anche perché molti racconti non vengono pubblicati nelle riviste ma nei siti. Inoltre la componente femminile è molto cresciuta; non ho verificato se raggiunge o addirittura supera la metà del testo (mica sono interessato alle quote rosa) ma credo siamo lì.
Tra i racconti che mi sono piaciuti di più ce ne sono un paio per così dire classici su robot e IA: Dolly di Elizabeth Bear e La cosa più simile di Genevieve Valentine. Vincoli, di Mercurio D. Rivera, è sulle razze aliene. Neil Gaiman scrive uno scherzetto, Obediah il disinventore; Il nostro candidato di Robert Reed è fin troppo realista; Casa dolce biocasa di Pat MacEwen è infine davvero contemporaneo - e carino.
July 21, 2013
On the whole, an enjoyable collection. Lots of "doll" stories in this one - probably reflecting interest in transhumanism. As with any collection, though, I like some better than others. My top 3:
Tethered - a beautiful, emotional story about friendship between a human and an alien with a genetic predisposition to want to serve humans.
The Education of Junior Number 12. My favorite of the "doll"-type stories. Like you'd expect of any story of this type, it explores the relationship between the android (in this universe called vNs) and human.
Ice Owl - I'm not sure whether this is more a coming of age story or a story about guilt and forgiveness. Perhaps it's both.
All of these had well developed worlds that went beyond what you could see in the story itself, and were enjoyable reads - as were most of the stories in he collection.
Tethered - a beautiful, emotional story about friendship between a human and an alien with a genetic predisposition to want to serve humans.
The Education of Junior Number 12. My favorite of the "doll"-type stories. Like you'd expect of any story of this type, it explores the relationship between the android (in this universe called vNs) and human.
Ice Owl - I'm not sure whether this is more a coming of age story or a story about guilt and forgiveness. Perhaps it's both.
All of these had well developed worlds that went beyond what you could see in the story itself, and were enjoyable reads - as were most of the stories in he collection.
September 15, 2014
A collection of short stories published in 2011, chosen as the best by David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer.
As usual, it's a mixed bag. While none completely left me cold, save perhaps Paul Pope's "Ragnarok" (but that's in large part because it's written as poetry), I didn't find any standouts that blew me away, either. Most of them were mildly pleasing, and a few I'd already read, so their impact wasn't as good as it may have been. I've liked other Years Best volumes more even when they had stories I absolutely hated, just because there was something really memorable along for the ride.
If I had to choose, my favorites would be "The Education of Junior Number Twelve" by Madeline Ashby and "Altogether Elsewhere, Vast Fields of Reindeer" by Ken Liu.
As usual, it's a mixed bag. While none completely left me cold, save perhaps Paul Pope's "Ragnarok" (but that's in large part because it's written as poetry), I didn't find any standouts that blew me away, either. Most of them were mildly pleasing, and a few I'd already read, so their impact wasn't as good as it may have been. I've liked other Years Best volumes more even when they had stories I absolutely hated, just because there was something really memorable along for the ride.
If I had to choose, my favorites would be "The Education of Junior Number Twelve" by Madeline Ashby and "Altogether Elsewhere, Vast Fields of Reindeer" by Ken Liu.
May 19, 2014
I think Year’s Best SF 17 to be one of the strongest collection in the series. The plurality of the stories contained in it are some of the most remarkable I’ve read from these periodicals. Most of the stories seemed well lengthed and paced (a notable exception to this was The Ice Owl, one of my least favorite stories in the book), were founded on interesting ideas, and were well executed in their literary aspect. I especially enjoyed the stories by Ken Liu, Karen Heuler, and Pat MacEwen. The Neil Gaiman work included was also remarkably entertaining.
February 20, 2014
Not as much overlap with the Dozois collection as some years. I suppose my favorite stories would be the ones that overlapped with Dozois, "Dolly" by Bear, "Laika's Ghost" by Schroeder, and Gilman's "The Ice Owl". Of the remainder, Gwyneth Jones' "The Ki-anna" and Genevieve Valentine's "The Nearest Thing" stood out. Not a collection that I regret having read but not particularly memorable either.
November 12, 2012
The collection this year failed to do it for me. Took me quite a while to finish. No outstanding material.
April 27, 2013
This book was amazing! Some of the stories I preferred more than others of course, but at least 5 of these short masterpieces will stay in my mind always.
October 25, 2013
Some really interesting stories and some new sf authors to look for.
June 19, 2016
Excellent writing , something for everyone. I found a couple of them a bit weak and/or too out there
July 2, 2016
read: Intro, authors' intros; Dolly by Elizabeth Bear; Wahala by Nnedi Okorafor; A Vector Alphabet of Interstellar Travel by Yoon Ha Lee; The Ice Owl by Carolyn Ives Gilman
August 4, 2020
Best story was “Thick Water” by Karen Heuler
September 5, 2012
I enjoyed most of the authors chosen. TY
January 13, 2013
One of the best collections in an unusually fantastic anthology series.
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