Starlight 3

by Patrick Nielsen Hayden (Editor), Stephen Baxter, Terry Bisson

Since its debut in 1996, Starlight has been recognized as the preeminent original anthology of science fiction and fantasy. Its stories have won the Nebula Award, the Sturgeon Award, and the Tiptree Award. Starlight 1 itself won the World Fantasy Award for Best Anthology. The series represents the best new short fiction in fantasy and SF.

Now, with Starlight 3 , award-winning editor Patrick Nielsen Hayden offers a new serving of powerful, original stories. Some are playful, some rigorous, or exuberant, or melancholy; some are set in the world of today, and some amidst the farthest stars or in worlds that never were.

Stephen Baxter
Terry Bisson
Ted Chiang
Susanna Clarke
Brenda W. Clough
D. G. Compton
Cory Doctorow
Andy Duncan
Colin Greenland
Alex Irvine
Geoffrey A. Landis
Maureen F. McHugh
Susan Palwick
Madeleine E. Robins
Greg van Eekhout
Jane Yolen

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Anthologies, Short Stories

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Patrick James Nielsen Hayden, often abbreviated as PNH, is an American science fiction editor, fan, fanzine publisher, essayist, reviewer, anthologist, teacher and blogger. He is a World Fantasy Award and Hugo Award winner (with nine nominations for the latter award), and is a Senior Editor and the Manager of Science Fiction at Tor Books. He changed his last name to "Nielsen Hayden" on his marriage to Teresa Nielsen (now Teresa Nielsen Hayden) in 1979.

Reviews

[Res · Rating 3 out of 5]

Best stories:

"Gestella" by Susan Palwick, about the romantic difficulties of a werewolf, even though it's based on that 7 human years=1 dog year equation, which isn't correct.

"The Barbarian and the Queen: Thirteen Views" by Jane Yolen. "

Tom Brightwind, or, How the Fairy Bridge was Built at Thoresby," lovely historical-novel voice.

"Power Punctuation" by Cory Doctorow, which resembles Theodore Sturgeon's "Mister Costello, Hero," except that there's less of a gap between appearance and reality.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another uneven collection. I got this so I could read Greg van Eekhout's story. It was okay -- decently written, but didn't grab me as much as other stories of his have. Some of the stories were uninteresting/dull enough that I stopped reading them halfway through. The two standouts for me were Jane Yolen's "The Barbarian and the Queen: Thirteen Views" and Susan Palwick's "Gestella".

[Grillables · Rating 3 out of 5]

This anthology is a bit of a mixed bag, but averages out fairly well.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection of SF.

[Jeff Youngstrom]

My review from August 13, 2001