This is a well selected collection of stories. I've read every anthology edited by the late great Gardner Dozois. I've been through 8 "annual" anthologies, and waiting for the delayed 9th, edited by Neil Clarke. These have set my bar on SF anthologies. This volume has turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I've not previously thought of myself as a fan of Fantasy, but a well-imagined and well-written story is . . . just that. It kind of cleanses the SF palate, as Fantasy and SF stories alternate in the book. I've ordered another volume to see if the quality stays high. You won't be disappointed with this one.

RATED 88% POSITIVE. STORY SCORE 3.95 OF 5

20 STORIES : 5 GREAT / 11 GOOD / 3 AVERAGE / 1 POOR / 0 DNF

The latest edition of Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy offers an equal split between the two genres, with final selections curated by a distinguished author in the field. This year’s guest editor is Hugh Howey, the celebrated author of the bestselling Silo series. As in past editions, the collection resists a singular theme, instead showcasing the diversity that defines speculative fiction in 2023. The stories feature a wide range of perspectives, including works by female authors and those featuring LGBTQ+ characters.

While I’m not generally a fan of fantasy—often finding it unappealing—I was pleasantly surprised by this collection. The fantasy selections lean more toward horror, eschewing the traditional tropes of knights, princesses, and elves. Even as a skeptic of the genre, I found these stories enjoyable. For dedicated fantasy enthusiasts, the book will likely be an even greater delight.

Notably, Amazon Original Fiction emerges as a standout contributor, supplying a significant portion of the 10 science fiction entries.

Five Stories Joined by All-Time Great List:

How It Unfolds by James S. A. Corey

A small group of scientists are duplicated and sent across the universe(folded), only to discover that very few of them have survived. As they attempt to learn how to make the most of their existence, voices of their alternate selves lead one man - Roy - to grapple with the romantic pain he was unable to leave behind.

Window Boy by Thomas Ha

A young boy lives safely in a fortified house. The outer darkness is patrolled by monstrous “Mailmen” - part human and part machine. Despite being told not to do so, the young boy feeds and befriends the desperate malnourished “Window Boy.” But the Window Boy has something far more sinister planned.

Calypso’s Guest by Andrew Sean Greer

A touching, gay retelling of Calypso in a science fiction context. A man who will not age has been stranded on a planet for a very long time. Robots serve his every whim, except that they won’t help him leave. One day, another man crashes down and a love affair begins. No surprises, except how well the story overcomes my cynicism.

Once Upon a Time at The Oakmont by P. A. Cornell

The Oakmont is a special apartment building in New York, literally on the precipice of time. People from different years live there together under a number of rules that keep time in line. A woman from 2023 and a man from 1941 have a romance that give a framing to the exploration of The Oakmont. I really loved this. One of my very favorite stories this year.

Falling Bodies by Rebecca Roanhorse

Nature vs Nurture is examined against a backdrop of colonialism, conquest, and the youthful desire for self expression. Ira is a human raised by a senator of the conquering Genteel. Now he is on probation for a horrible crime. An anonymous student at a far distant university, he must stay quiet and unremarkable, even while being drawn to a group of rebellious humans.

***

The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2024

20 STORIES : 5 GREAT / 11 GOOD / 3 AVERAGE / 1 POOR / 0 DNF

How It Unfolds by James S. A. Corey

Great. A small group of scientists are duplicated and sent across the universe(folded), only to discover that very few of them have survived. As they attempt to learn how to make the most of their existence, voices of their alternate selves lead one man - Roy - to grapple with the romantic pain he was unable to leave behind.

Eye & Tooth by Rebecca Roanhorse

Good. Fun and spooky horror fantasy. A brother and sister head out to an old rural house to help some creepy people with their monster problem. Predictably, all isn’t quite what it seems.

Zeta-Epsilon by Isabel J. Kim

Good. In a militarized future, Zeta San Tano, a Gen-1 Pilot mentally fused to his AI counterpart Epsilon, struggles with the confines of their symbiotic bond aboard a starship. He begins to question his role, leading to an act that reshapes both their fates.

Bari and the Resurrection Flower by Hana Lee

Average. In a mythical Joseon-era Korea, Bari, outcast by her royal family, must explore the underworld for a cure for her estranged parents’ poisoning. Journey reveals deeper truths about her identity, her family, and the price of power.

Window Boy by Thomas Ha

Great. A young boy lives safely in a fortified house. The outer darkness is patrolled by monstrous “Mailmen” - part human and part machine. Despite being told not to do so, the young boy feeds and befriends the desperate malnourished “Window Boy.” But the Window Boy has something far more sinister planned.

Disassembling Light by Kel Coleman

Poor. A spark-craftman at a small building in the woods takes on a female apprentice and puts her through various challenges. Gotta admit that I forgot this story also as soon as I put the book down.

The Long Game by Ann Leckie

Good. A “Mousy, Slug Thing” works its short life in service of humans. When it discovers the truth of human life spans, an obsession is born.

John Hollowback and the Witch by Amal El-Mohtar

Good. A man with a hole in his back goes to a witch for help. He slowly learns the horrible truths about himself and his past deeds.

Calypso’s Guest by Andrew Sean Greer

Great. A touching, gay retelling of Calypso in a science fiction context. A man who will not age has been stranded on a planet for a very long time. Robots serve his every whim, except that they won’t help him leave. One day, another man crashes down and a love affair begins. No surprises, except how well the story overcomes my cynicism.

The Blade and the Bloodwright by Sloane Leong

Good. Violent bloody fantasy about a ‘bloodwright’ who is a slave with the forbidden power to twist and manipulate the bodies of others in horrible ways. She is deployed across an archipelago by a ‘blade’ wreaking havoc until the ‘blade’ starts to have a change of heart.

Form 8774-D by Alex Irvine

Good. Pleasant enough super hero story about a woman who works as the first conversation for people declaring their 'superpower' status. Vignettes alternate with sections of the Form these people must fill out.

Resurrection Highway by A. R. Capetta

Good. Automancer raises a car from the “dead” and reconnects with his old gang to rescue a friend via a violent grungy roadtrip.

The Four Last Things by Christopher Rowe

Good. A very ambitious and challenging story that may get better as I reread and work with it. Four different vignettes around the arrival of a ship to an alien world where sea-worms make a drumming noise that may or may not have meaning. Inspired by elements of catholic theology, but no direct one-to-one connection to catholic theology. As far as I can tell.

Ankle Snatcher by Grady Hendrix

Good. Chilling horror. As a child, our protagonist’s father was arrested for killing his wife. He claims innocence. He claims it was the Ankle Snatcher beneath the bed. As an adult, the protagonist never gets out of bed without the lights on. Until he brings a girl home after at date…. I found this very scary.

Emotional Resonance by V. M. Ayala

Good. Indentured robots, with human consciousness embedded, find love during their 1000 year service doing violence for their corporate overlords.

Bruised-Eye Dusk by Jonathan Louis Duckworth

Average. Spellbreaker and witch killer is hired to kill a which who is harming a small town. Of course, things aren’t what they seem. The best thing here is that the main character rides an alligator.

Once Upon a Time at The Oakmont by P. A. Cornell

Great. The Oakmont is a special apartment building in New York, literally on the precipice of time. People from different years live there together under a number of rules that keep time in line. A woman from 2023 and a man from 1941 have a romance that give a framing to the exploration of The Oakmont. I really loved this. One of my very favorite stories this year.

How to Raise a Kraken in Your Bathtub by P. Djèlí Clark

Average. (revised down on reread) In an alternate past when the British Empire has been fighting the Mermen, one ambitious jerk buying a kraken egg from a magazine and tries to raise it in his bathtub. Of course, things go horribly wrong.

Falling Bodies by Rebecca Roanhorse

Great. Nature vs Nurture is examined against a backdrop of colonialism, conquest, and the youthful desire for self expression. Ira is a human raised by a senator of the conquering Genteel. Now he is on probation for a horrible crime. An anonymous student at a far distant university, he must stay quiet and unremarkable, even while being drawn to a group of rebellious humans.

If Someone You Love Has Become a Vurdalak by Sam J. Miller

Good. The Vurdalak is a vampire that can only feed from someone who loves it. This is a powerful analogy for living with a loved one in the throes of addiction.

Love reading science fiction! Shared this book when it was finished.

Contents:

Introduction: Plato and the Planogram by Hugh Howey - very much enjoyed reading it, but I won't rate it as it's not a story.

How It Unfolds by James S. A. Corey

Excellent and memorable - months later it crept back to mind and I had a devil of a time remembering where I had read it. 4.25

Eye & Tooth by Rebecca Roanhorse

Very neat horror tale - 3.25

Zeta-Epsilon by Isabel J. Kim

I liked this a lot, even if I'm not sure I fully understood all of it. 3.5

Bari and the Resurrection Flower by Hana Lee

My first impression was that this story was nice and interesting but didn't wow me, but I revised that take when I got more context from reading the author's notes on the story, in Contributors' Notes at the end. 3.5

Window Boy by Thomas Ha

Chilling and *excellent* --and the less you know going in, the better. 4.25

Disassembling Light by Kel Coleman

Ööf. What a dark but lovely (and dark!) tale. It felt like more of a morsel than a mouthful, though: 3.5

The Long Game by Ann Leckie

I really liked this alien story - 3.5

John Hollowback and the Witch by Amal El-Mohtar

I love this story so damned much. It was a standout in Book of Witches and is still so great - 5

Calypso’s Guest by Andrew Sean Greer

Really lovely Odyssey-in-space and bittersweet love song. 3.75

The Blade and the Bloodwright by Sloane Leong

Poetic enough, but yeesh you'd better have a strong stomach. CW for lots of body horror, gore, war crimes/genocide, and sexual assault. 3.5

Form 8774-D by Alex Irvine

Very fun and charming - cozy superhero fic 3.5

Resurrection Highway by A. R. Capetta

Nice diesel punk/necromancy story; very extra. 2.5

The Four Last Things by Christopher Rowe

Whew - good, over my head, intense and neat. While esoteric, it might think it's smarter than it is, but I didn't mind. 4

Ankle Snatcher by Grady Hendrix

Cute, funny light horror tale wherein the darker bits sneak up on you. 3.5

Emotional Resonance by V. M. Ayala

Cute; battle robots escape corporate overlords. A little sweet for my taste. It was okay. 2

Bruised-Eye Dusk by Jonathan Louis Duckworth

Nice story, I liked it, but didn't resonate deeply and I had trouble recalling details a few days later. 3

Once Upon a Time at the Oakmont by P. A. Cornell

This was so sweet and left me with a warm, fuzzy, but bittersweet & nostalgia-egded feeling. 4.25

How to Raise a Kraken in Your Bathtub by P. Djèlí Clark

Your mileage, as always, may vary. I know this was quite popular with a lot of readers but Clark's short stories often leave me struggling just a little for closer engagement. Cute, clever, a little dry for me personally. 3.5

Falling Bodies by Rebecca Roanhorse

Powerful, excellent - 4.25

If Someone You Love Has Become a Vurdalak by Sam J. Miller - Strong, complex story about addiction, vampirism, and love. 4.5

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, I received an ARC in exchange for a review. Opinions, especially when it comes to short stories, are super subjective, as we're all well aware. I thought Howey did a remarkable job of picking out gems of stories readers might have missed and showcasing the breadth of the genres.

Works like a charm !! A+A+

He likes science fiction

Read first story, soon found myself skipping paragraphs, then just the entire story. So vacuous, could not bring myself to read anything further. A group of colonists get transmitted and recreated at different planets through the vehicle of "slow light". Just kind of magically appear, along with necessary support structures like nuclear power plants. Sometimes, it works, sometimes it doesn't quite work. Relationships play out. Really, it was too stupid to bear. Tried to return this book. Would love to return this book, but Amazon won't let me. I've (kind of) read one story you see. Save your pennies and don't buy this one,..

I love short fiction, so I was absolutely thrilled to receive an ARC of this anthology highlighting some of the best science fiction and fantasy short stories published during the 2023 calendar year. This anthology series has been going on for several years, and after reading this volume, I can certainly see why. The selected stories covered a broad range of styles, authors, and original publications, and read as a whole, I thought it was an excellent and well-curated snapshot of the year in speculative short fiction. As is always true for me with anthologies, there were some stories I loved, a lot of stories that I liked, a few that I disliked, and one that I hated, but overall the hit rate was good. With the stories I disliked, I know it’s a matter of my own tastes; those stories were lauded and celebrated by a lot of other readers and editors, but just didn’t work for me personally.

I especially appreciated the extra touches in this anthology, which give the reader a broader glimpse of the SFF short fiction world. Series editor John Joseph Adams provided a helpful explanation of how stories were sourced, chosen for initial consideration, and then given to guest editor Hugh Howey, who read them anonymously, without any bylines or information about where they first appeared, and then made the final selections. Adams also shared information about all the periodicals, anthologies and collections where the stories originally appeared, as well as a list of the eighty stories that were considered. Along with author biographies, the book also included contributor notes for each story. I really enjoyed hearing from the authors themselves about the inspirations and experiences that led to the creation of their story.

I used to always be a year or two behind on new SFF short stories, but now I try to keep up on them in order to nominate and vote for the Hugos. From that perspective this anthology is very successful. I had only heard of about half of the stories included, which just shows how much fantastic SFF fiction is out there, and I had read 6. Several of my own favorites were included, either in the anthology itself or in the “top eighty” list that was included. While I might quibble with some of the specific choices made by the editors, that’s based on my own personal reading preferences. The included stories average out to a 3.75 star rating, but the experience of reading the anthology as a whole was an easy 5 stars, so I settled on 4.5 stars overall, and rounded up to 5 for Goodreads, Amazon, and NetGalley.

Highlights for me:

- Zeta-Epsilon by Isabel J. Kim

- How it Unfolds by James S.A. Corey

- The Long Game by Ann Leckie

- Bruised-Eye Dusk by Jonathan Louis Duckworth

- Window Boy by Thomas Ha

Thank you to John Joseph Adams, Hugh Howey, Mariner Books, and NetGalley for the ARC!

Hugh Howey ist einer der kreativsten, originellsten SF Autoren der Zeit. Die Autoren, die er präsentiert sind alle i terressant genug, um sue weiter zu verfolgen. Tolles, anregendes Lesefutter