What do you think?
Rate this book
Year’s Best Canadian Fantasy and Science Fiction: Volume One
Award winners. Award finalists. Hidden gems. All Canadian. All in one anthology.Year’s Best Canadian Fantasy & Science Volume One showcases the powerful, award-winning fantastical fiction being written by Canadians today.Discover the magic woven by more than three dozen of Canada’s finest established and emerging fantasy and science fiction writers, including Premee Mohamed, Peter Watts, Kate Heartfield, Ai Jiang, Eric Choi, and Suzan Palumbo, among others.From hard science fiction that propels you through the cosmos to haunting fantasy that lingers in the recesses of your imagination, join these writers as they explore the wonderous, the contemporary, the futuristic, and what it means to be human—all through the lens of the fantastic.Curated by award-winning author and anthologist Stephen Kotowych, and selected from top markets like Analog, F&SF, Lightspeed, On Spec, Strange Horizons, and Tor.com, the Year’s Best Canadian Fantasy and Science Fiction is your definitive guide to the very best fantastical fiction written by Canadians today.Featuring stories and poems that were winners and finalists for the Aurora Award, Nebula Award, Locus Award, Ignyte Award, Prix Solaris, World Fantasy Award, the Rhysling Award, and many more.
362 pages, Paperback
Published December 14, 2023
21 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 2, 2024
Year’s Best Canadian Fantasy and Science Fiction Vol.1 (2023)
Edited by Stephen Kotowych
Reviewed by Robert Runté
When John Robert Columbo came out with the first anthology of Canadian speculative fiction, Other Canadas, in 1979, it was the first time most of us realized that there even was a Canadian version of the genre. To cobble the collection together, however, Columbo had to scour all of history and pad the list with the likes of Cyrano de Bergerac and Jules Verne—non-Canadians who happen to have set a story in the polar north—to fill his pages. By 1985 the field had expanded sufficiently that Judith Merril was able to solicit enough contemporary Canadian SF to fill the first Tesseracts anthology. When I co-edited the fifth Tesseract anthology over a decade later, we had over 400 submissions, and I confidently predicted further explosive growth for Canadian SF&F. The Tesseract series is now up to #22, though the series has morphed into themed anthologies rather than a general survey of the Canadian genre. Imaginarium 2012 was the first attempt at reprinting the “Year’s Best” but the series ended with Imaginarium 4. We therefore have lacked a “Best of Canadian SF&F” series for the last eight years.
Enter Stephen Kotowych.
If I thought working on Tesseracts 5 was challenging, I cannot begin to imagine trying to keep on top of a field that has expanded continuously over the last thirty years. The undertaking, especially by a single individual rather than a team backed by an established publisher, is outrageously audacious. And yet, Kotowych seems to have pulled it off. With 37 entries from 24 different magazines and 6 anthologies—a total of thirty different venues—the collection is certainly a representative survey of the field. The stories range from hard science fiction through fantasy, horror, and fevered dreams to pure Canlit. Inevitably, as with any anthology, tastes differ and one might quibble whether this or that entry is the “best” Canadians have to offer, but there’s no question Kotowych has nailed the breadth of what’s out there. Story quality ranged from “solid” to “outstanding” with the overall weighting tipped heavily towards the “excellent” end. If I’m honest, I think this collection is better than the one I co-edited, a reflection of how Canadian speculative fiction has expanded and matured in the decades since.
Best of all, the collection introduced me to a number of authors with whom I had not previously been acquainted.
How had I missed, for example, Suyi Davies Okungbowa? I was shocked to find a stack of novels by this University of Ottawa prof whose “Choke” is one of the outstanding stories in the current collection. That one discovery is worth the price of the collection five times over. Although “Choke” feels as if it would be comfortable in any CanLit magazine, it originally appeared in Tor.Com, so legitimately qualifies as speculative fiction. But wow! The freshness of the phrasing, the passion of the writing, the absolute resonance of the contemporary experience just floored me. That’s six new novels added to my To-Be-Read pile right there.
Similarly, I had no idea nebula-nominated Ai Jiang was Canadian. Her “Give me English” is a great opening to the anthology, not just because it’s a gem of a story, but because it nicely illustrates how the current generation is infusing fresh themes and viewpoints into the Canadian genre. I have banged on for years how Canadian SF differed from that of the American (and to a lesser extent, the British) mass market SF&F, but I have to concede that the (English-language) Canadian genre often lacked culturally diverse voices, beyond some influences from Quebec. Jaing’s story speaks not just to the immigrant experience, but to the post-colonial, anti-capitalist themes that have become a natural part of the SF scene. Chelsea Vovel’s “Mischif Man” story of a Métis superhero similarly takes on Settler colonialism, and Lavigne’s “Choose Your Own” is one of the best feminist pieces ever: wincingly on target.
These and the majority of the entries fit my argument that Canadian speculative fiction is oddly optimistic in spite of the often downbeat premises. The future is on fire in Premee Mohamed’s “All that Bruns Unseen”; perpetual war and exploitation are central to Michelle Tang’s “Vihum Heal”; oppressive religion stifles life in Kate Hearfield’s “And in the Arcade”; Charlotte Ashley’s “Distant Skies” features capitalist manipulation of our destinies through genetics; Holly Schofiled’s “Maximum Efficiency” has robot soldiers vs humans; KT Brysk’s “Folk Hero Motifs in Tales Told by the Dead” is set in hell, for heaven’ sake. And yet, life goes on and people (or other sentients) find a way. I love this approach of ordinary people bumbling through tough times to carve out acceptable outcomes. It is the literature we need amidst the dumpster fire we’re living through.
Reynold’s “ Broken Vow: The Adventures of Flick Glysion, Interglactic Videographer” provides some needed comic relief, and the fiction is broken up by the inclusion of nine rather good, accessible poems.
Overall, it is a great collection, a great reflection on what Canadian speculative fiction has to offer, and a great first entry in, what one can only hope, will continue as an annual series.
Edited by Stephen Kotowych
Reviewed by Robert Runté
When John Robert Columbo came out with the first anthology of Canadian speculative fiction, Other Canadas, in 1979, it was the first time most of us realized that there even was a Canadian version of the genre. To cobble the collection together, however, Columbo had to scour all of history and pad the list with the likes of Cyrano de Bergerac and Jules Verne—non-Canadians who happen to have set a story in the polar north—to fill his pages. By 1985 the field had expanded sufficiently that Judith Merril was able to solicit enough contemporary Canadian SF to fill the first Tesseracts anthology. When I co-edited the fifth Tesseract anthology over a decade later, we had over 400 submissions, and I confidently predicted further explosive growth for Canadian SF&F. The Tesseract series is now up to #22, though the series has morphed into themed anthologies rather than a general survey of the Canadian genre. Imaginarium 2012 was the first attempt at reprinting the “Year’s Best” but the series ended with Imaginarium 4. We therefore have lacked a “Best of Canadian SF&F” series for the last eight years.
Enter Stephen Kotowych.
If I thought working on Tesseracts 5 was challenging, I cannot begin to imagine trying to keep on top of a field that has expanded continuously over the last thirty years. The undertaking, especially by a single individual rather than a team backed by an established publisher, is outrageously audacious. And yet, Kotowych seems to have pulled it off. With 37 entries from 24 different magazines and 6 anthologies—a total of thirty different venues—the collection is certainly a representative survey of the field. The stories range from hard science fiction through fantasy, horror, and fevered dreams to pure Canlit. Inevitably, as with any anthology, tastes differ and one might quibble whether this or that entry is the “best” Canadians have to offer, but there’s no question Kotowych has nailed the breadth of what’s out there. Story quality ranged from “solid” to “outstanding” with the overall weighting tipped heavily towards the “excellent” end. If I’m honest, I think this collection is better than the one I co-edited, a reflection of how Canadian speculative fiction has expanded and matured in the decades since.
Best of all, the collection introduced me to a number of authors with whom I had not previously been acquainted.
How had I missed, for example, Suyi Davies Okungbowa? I was shocked to find a stack of novels by this University of Ottawa prof whose “Choke” is one of the outstanding stories in the current collection. That one discovery is worth the price of the collection five times over. Although “Choke” feels as if it would be comfortable in any CanLit magazine, it originally appeared in Tor.Com, so legitimately qualifies as speculative fiction. But wow! The freshness of the phrasing, the passion of the writing, the absolute resonance of the contemporary experience just floored me. That’s six new novels added to my To-Be-Read pile right there.
Similarly, I had no idea nebula-nominated Ai Jiang was Canadian. Her “Give me English” is a great opening to the anthology, not just because it’s a gem of a story, but because it nicely illustrates how the current generation is infusing fresh themes and viewpoints into the Canadian genre. I have banged on for years how Canadian SF differed from that of the American (and to a lesser extent, the British) mass market SF&F, but I have to concede that the (English-language) Canadian genre often lacked culturally diverse voices, beyond some influences from Quebec. Jaing’s story speaks not just to the immigrant experience, but to the post-colonial, anti-capitalist themes that have become a natural part of the SF scene. Chelsea Vovel’s “Mischif Man” story of a Métis superhero similarly takes on Settler colonialism, and Lavigne’s “Choose Your Own” is one of the best feminist pieces ever: wincingly on target.
These and the majority of the entries fit my argument that Canadian speculative fiction is oddly optimistic in spite of the often downbeat premises. The future is on fire in Premee Mohamed’s “All that Bruns Unseen”; perpetual war and exploitation are central to Michelle Tang’s “Vihum Heal”; oppressive religion stifles life in Kate Hearfield’s “And in the Arcade”; Charlotte Ashley’s “Distant Skies” features capitalist manipulation of our destinies through genetics; Holly Schofiled’s “Maximum Efficiency” has robot soldiers vs humans; KT Brysk’s “Folk Hero Motifs in Tales Told by the Dead” is set in hell, for heaven’ sake. And yet, life goes on and people (or other sentients) find a way. I love this approach of ordinary people bumbling through tough times to carve out acceptable outcomes. It is the literature we need amidst the dumpster fire we’re living through.
Reynold’s “ Broken Vow: The Adventures of Flick Glysion, Interglactic Videographer” provides some needed comic relief, and the fiction is broken up by the inclusion of nine rather good, accessible poems.
Overall, it is a great collection, a great reflection on what Canadian speculative fiction has to offer, and a great first entry in, what one can only hope, will continue as an annual series.
February 1, 2025
A pretty solid first volume. I’m not sure whether the editor’s tastes entirely mesh with my own, but I’ll be checking out Volume Two.
Standout stories:
All That Burns Unseen - Premee Mohamed
Choke - Suyi Davies Okungbowa
Critical Mass - Peter Watts
Bottom’s Dream - Glenn Clifton
One Day in the Afterlife of Detective Roshni Chaddha - Rati Mehrotra
Standout stories:
All That Burns Unseen - Premee Mohamed
Choke - Suyi Davies Okungbowa
Critical Mass - Peter Watts
Bottom’s Dream - Glenn Clifton
One Day in the Afterlife of Detective Roshni Chaddha - Rati Mehrotra
March 29, 2024
A solid collection, if a little grim at times (but then, I’ve never quite understood the apparent critical belief that “depressing = good”). I’ve never really read speculative poetry, but I really enjoyed the selections in this book.
August 16, 2024
Overall an interesting and varied collection. The poetry did nothing for me, but it's just not my style of poetry so it was never going to be for me. I'll be sure to pick up volume 2 of this collection when I see it.
November 21, 2025
I was deeply impressed by the imagination of Canadian writers. Each short story is unique in style, ranging from fantasy to science fiction, surprising and thought-provoking. Although some stories are fast-paced, the overall effect is excellent and worth savoring.
May 8, 2024
Quite a diverse and fantastic collection of stories. Something for everyone. I wasn't too taken with the poetry but I guess it was ok, though I didn't see the connection to sci-fi with any of them.
August 8, 2024
Nothing inspired me to read more by that author.
December 29, 2024
Very Enjoyable
Some of these stories were among the best I've ever read. I think this book is comprised of the works of very talented people.
Some of these stories were among the best I've ever read. I think this book is comprised of the works of very talented people.
March 24, 2025
What a rare pleasure it was to read only Canadian writers doing what they do best.
August 15, 2024
On kobo; 438 pages
A hefty collection, with both English and French (in translation) stories plus some poems. Although the authors are all Canadian there isn't too much of Canada on show - only a few mentions - but that's not a criticism. I'd only read one of the stories collected here (oddly, perhaps - or not, from another Canadian-edited collection.
As I finish the book I learn that it has just won the Aurora Award for Best Related Work in the 2024 Canadian English language Science Fiction and Fantasy awards - and has been nominated for the 2024 World Fantasy Awards.
A hefty collection, with both English and French (in translation) stories plus some poems. Although the authors are all Canadian there isn't too much of Canada on show - only a few mentions - but that's not a criticism. I'd only read one of the stories collected here (oddly, perhaps - or not, from another Canadian-edited collection.
As I finish the book I learn that it has just won the Aurora Award for Best Related Work in the 2024 Canadian English language Science Fiction and Fantasy awards - and has been nominated for the 2024 World Fantasy Awards.
August 5, 2024
I read this anthology of science fiction and fantasy stories over a period of months and enjoyed it. I tend to read a lot of works by American and British authors, so reading this many Canadian writers was a refreshing change. I enjoyed that some of the stories had a Canadian setting while others tackled themes that resonate for Canadians (e.g. resource extraction... but in space!). I'm looking forward to reading volume 2 when it comes out in late 2024.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews