The Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume One
Edited by Neil Clarke.
To keep up-to-date with the most buzzworthy and cutting-edge science fiction requires sifting through countless magazines, e-zines, websites, blogs, original anthologies, single-author collections, and more — a task accomplishable by only the most determined and voracious readers. For everyone else, Night Shade Books is proud to introduce the inaugural volume of The Best Science Fiction of the Year, a new yearly anthology compiled by Hugo and World Fantasy award–winning editor Neil Clarke, collecting the finest that the genre has to offer, from the biggest names in the field to the most exciting new writers.
The best science fiction scrutinizes our culture and politics, examines the limits of the human condition, and zooms across galaxies at faster-than-light speeds, moving from the very near future to the far-flung worlds of tomorrow in the space of a single sentence. Clarke, publisher and editor in chief of the acclaimed and award-winning magazine Clarkesworld, has selected the short science fiction (and only science fiction) best representing the previous year’s writing, showcasing the talent, variety, and awesome “sensawunda” that the genre has to offer.
Neil Clarke is the award-winning publisher and editor in chief of Clarkesworld magazine, winner of three Hugo Awards for Best Semiprozine, and the editor of the 2014 cyborg-themed original anthology Upgraded. Clarke lives in Stirling, New Jersey.
Contents:
- “Introduction: A State of the Short SF Field in 2015” by Neil Clarke
- “Today I Am Paul” by Martin Shoemaker
- “Calved” by Sam J. Miller
- “Three Bodies at Mitanni” by Seth Dickinson
- “The Smog Society” by Chen Quifan
- “In Blue Lily’s Wake” by Aliette de Bodard
- “Hello, Hello” by Seanan McGuire
- “Folding Beijing” by Hao Jingfiang
- “Capitalism in the 22nd Century” by Geoff Ryman
- “Hold-Time Violations” by John Chu
- “Wild Honey” by Paul McAuley
- “So Much Cooking” by Naomi Kritzer
- “Bannerless” by Carrie Vaughn
- “Another Word for World” by Ann Leckie
- “The Cold Inequalities” by Yoon Ha Lee
- “Iron Pegasus” by Brenda Cooper
- “The Audience” by Sean McMullen
- “Empty” by Robert Reed
- “Gypsy” by Carter Scholz
- “Violation of the TrueNet Security Act” by Taiyo Fujii
- “Damage” by David D. Levine
- “The Tumbledowns of Cleopatra Abyss” by David Brin
- “No Placeholder for You, My Love” by Nick Wolven
- “Outsider” by An Owomeyla
- “The Gods Have Not Died in Vain” by Ken Liu
- “Cocoons” by Nancy Kress
- “Seven Wonders of a Once and Future World” by Caroline M. Yoachim
- “Two-Year Man” by Kelly Robson
- “Cat Pictures Please” by Naomi Kritzer
- “Botanica Veneris: Thirteen Papercuts by Ida Countess Rathangan” by Ian McDonald
- “Meshed” by Rich Larson
- “A Murmuration” by Alastair Reynolds
- 2015 Recommended Reading List
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Neil Clarke
Neil Clarke is an influential name in the world of speculative fiction, known for his sharp editorial eye and his unwavering commitment to bringing groundbreaking science fiction and fantasy stories to readers around the globe. As the editor of Clarkesworld Magazine, Clarke has played a pivotal role in shaping the modern landscape of genre literature, curating narratives that push boundaries while remaining deeply human. His work has earned him numerous accolades, including the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards, solidifying his place as one of the most respected editors in the field.
The Best Science Fiction of the Year
The Best Science Fiction of the Year series, curated and edited by Neil Clarke, offers a sweeping collection of the most thought-provoking and boundary-pushing stories from the world of speculative fiction. Each annual volume acts as a time capsule, capturing the essence of the genre's evolution, highlighting both established voices and fresh talent, and presenting a diverse range of stories that tackle the most pressing questions of our time, all through the lens of the extraordinary and the impossible.
The Best Science Fiction of the Year consists of eight books and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of one more book. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
