This retrospective volume includes "All Summer in a Day,” Ray Bradbury’s lasting tale of what happened on one special day; "Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes, describing what happened to Charlie Gordon when he was made into a genius; "Harrison Bergeron," Kurt Vonnegut’s absurdist cautionary tale of mandatory equality; and "The Electric Ant" by Philip K. Dick, concerning what Garson Poole learned after the accident that hospitalized him. This remarkable collection also features some of the most highly acclaimed, award-winning authors, including Neil Gaiman, Harlan Ellison, Shirley Jackson, Peter S. Beagle, Karen Joy Fowler, Ursula K. Le Guin, Theodore Sturgeon, and Roger Zelazny. Hand-picked by the magazine’s current editor, this is an unmatched assemblage of appealing, first-rate fiction.ContentsIntroduction by Gordon Van Gelder"Of Time and Third Avenue" by Alfred Bester"All Summer in a Day" by Ray Bradbury"One Ordinary Day, with Peanuts" by Shirley Jackson"A Touch of Strange" by Theodore Sturgeon"Eastward ho!" by William Tenn"Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes"Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut"This Moment of the Storm" by Roger Zelazny"The Electric Ant" by Philip K. Dick"The Deathbird" by Harlan Ellison"The Women Men Don't See" by James Tiptree, Jr."I See You" by Damon Knight"The Gunslinger" by Stephen King"The Dark" by Karen Joy Fowler"Buffalo" by John Kessel"Solitude" by Ursula K. Le Guin"Mother Grasshopper" by Michael Swanwick"macs" by Terry Bisson"Creation" by Jeffrey Ford"Other People" by Neil Gaiman"Two Hearts" by Peter S. Beagle"Journey into the Kingdom" by M. Rickert"The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate" by Ted Chiang

    Folktales and lore come alive, the dead rise, the depths of space are traversed, and magic threads itself through singular moments of love and loss, illuminating the circulatory nature of life, death, the in-between, and the hereafter. The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2021 captures the all-too-real cataclysm of human nature, claiming its place in the series with compelling prose, lyrical composition, and curiosity’s never-ending pursuit of discovering the unknown.

    Moreau to Dr. Doom, readers have long been fascinated by insane plans for world domination and the madmen who devise them. Typically, we see these villains through the eyes of good guys. This anthology, however, explores the world of mad scientists and evil geniuses—from their own wonderfully twisted point of view. An all-star roster of bestselling authors—including Diana Gabaldon, Daniel Wilson, Austin Grossman, Naomi Novik, and Seanan McGuire ... twenty-two great storytellers, all told—have produced a fabulous assortment of stories, guaranteed to provide readers with hour after hour of high-octane entertainment born of the most megalomaniacal mayhem imaginable. Everybody loves villains. They’re bad; they always stir the pot; they’re much more fun than the good guys, even if we want to see the good guys win. Their fiendish schemes, maniacal laughter, and limitless ambition are legendary, but what lies behind those crazy eyes and wicked grins? How—and why—do they commit these nefarious deeds? And why are they so set on taking over the world? If you've ever asked yourself any of these questions, you’re in luck: It’s finally time for the madmen’s side of the story.Between each chapter falls a single-page essay by the editor, by way of introduction to the story ahead; they have titles of their own, but all contain spoilers, so are not listed here (they can be found on the Internet Science Fiction Database if desired). All individual works in this anthology are in short story form, with the exception of Diana Gabaldon's 80-page Outlander novella, and unless otherwise noted, were first published within. CONTENTS Foreword - Chris Claremont, The Mad Scientist's Guide to World Domination: Original Short Fiction for the Modern Evil Genius (p9)01 - Austin Grossman, Professor Incognito Apologizes: An Itemized List (p16)02 - Harry Turtledove, Father of the Groom (p28)03 - Seanan McGuire, Laughter at the Academy: A Field Study in the Genesis of Schizotypal Creative Genius Personality Disorder (SCGPD) (p38)04 - David D. Levine, Letter to the Editor (p52)05 - Jeremiah Tolbert, Instead of a Loving Heart (2004, p59)06 - Daniel H. Wilson, The Executor (p68)07 - Heather Lindsley, The Angel of Death Has a Business Plan (p83)08 - Dave Wolverton (as David Farland), Homo Perfectus (p96)09 - L.A. Banks, Ancient Equations (p108)10 - Alan Dean Foster, Rural Singularity (p123)11 - Genevieve Valentine, Captain Justice Saves the Day (p133)12 - Theodora Goss, The Mad Scientist's Daughter (2010, p142)13 - Diana Gabaldon, The Space Between (2012 Outlander novella, p161)14 - Carrie Vaughn, Harry and Marlowe Meet the Founder of the Aetherian Revolution (p245)15 - Laird Barron, Blood and Stardust (p261)16 - L.E. Modesitt Jr., A More Perfect Union (p276)17 - Naomi Novik, Rocks Fall (p289)18 - Mary Robinette Kowal, We Interrupt This Broadcast (Lady Astronaut short story, p298)19 - Marjorie M. Liu, The Last Dignity of Man (p306)20 - Jeffrey Ford, The Pittsburgh Technology (p328)21 - Grady Hendrix, Mofongo Knows (p341)22 - Ben H. Winters, The Food Taster's Boy (p357)

    The final story, "The Power and the Passion", was original to this collection. The previously published stories included here are:* Eenie, Meenie, Ipsateenie * Vengeance is Yours * The Day the Martels Got the Cable * Roadside Rescue * Rock On * Heal * Another One Hits the Road * My Brother's Keeper * Pretty Boy Crossover * Two * Angel * It Was the Heat * The Power and the Passion

    Robots vs. Fairies is an anthology that pitches genre against genre, science fiction against fantasy, through an epic battle of two icons. On one side, robots continue to be the classic sci-fi phenomenon in literature and media, from Asimov to WALL-E, from Philip K. Dick to Terminator. On the other, fairies are the beloved icons and unquestionable rulers of fantastic fiction, from Tinkerbell to Tam Lin, from True Blood to Once Upon a Time. Both have proven to be infinitely fun, flexible, and challenging. But when you pit them against each other, which side will triumph as the greatest genre symbol of all time?There can only be one…or can there?

    Their four original creations for this collection range from surreal visions of the infinite to high-tech nightmare; from apocalyptic ruins stalked by heroes and vampires to a near future where the aged terrorize the young.

    Now, in The Year’s Best Science Fiction: 29th Annual Collection the very best SF authors explore ideas of a new world. This venerable collection brings together award winning authors & masters of the field such as Robert Reed, Alastair Reynolds, Damien Broderick, Elizabeth Bear, Paul McAuley & John Barnes. & with an extensive recommended reading guide & a summation of the year in science fiction, this annual compilation has become the definitive must-read anthology for all science fiction fans & readers interested in breaking into the genre.

    Don DeLillo’s “Human Moments in World War III” follows the strange detachment of two astronauts who are orbiting in a skylab while a third world war rages on earth. “The Ziggurat” by Gene Wolfe traverses a dissolving marriage, a custody dispute, and the visit of time travelers from the future. T. C. Boyle’s “Descent of Man” is the subversively funny tale of a man who suspects that his primatologist lover is having an affair with one of her charges. In “Schwarzschild Radius,” Connie Willis draws an allegorical parallel between the horrors of trench warfare and the speculative physics of black holes. Artfully crafted and offering a wealth of esteemed authors—from writers within the genre to those normally associated with mainstream fiction, as well as those with a crossover reputation—this volume aptly demonstrates that great science fiction appears in many guises.ContentsIntroduction by James Patrick Kelly & John Kessel“Angouleme” by Thomas M. Disch “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin “Ladies and Gentlemen, This Is Your Crisis” by Kate Wilhelm “Descent of Man” by T. C. Boyle “Human Moments in World War III” by Don DeLillo “Homelanding” by Margaret Atwood “The Nine Billion Names of God” by Carter Scholz “Interlocking Pieces” by Molly Gloss “Salvador” by Lucius Shepard “Schwarzschild Radius” by Connie Willis “Buddha Nostril Bird” by John Kessel “The Ziggurat” by Gene Wolfe “The Hardened Criminals” by Jonathan Lethem “Standing Room Only” by Karen Joy Fowler “10^16 to 1” by James Patrick Kelly “93990” by George Saunders “The Martian Agent, A Planetary Romance” by Michael Chabon “Frankenstein’s Daughter” by Maureen F. McHugh “The Wizard of West Orange” by Steven Millhauser

    on the Dude Ranch · ss * · The Volcano [as by Paul Chapin] · ss F&SF Feb ’76 · The Henry Miller Dawn Patrol · ss Playboy Dec ’77 · The Problem of the Sore Bridge—Among Others [as by Harry Manders] · nv F&SF Sep ’75 · Brass and Gold (or Horse and Zeppelin in Beverly Hills) · ss Quark #4, ed. Samuel R. Delany & Marilyn Hacker, Paperback Library, 1971 · The Jungle Rot Kid on the Nod · ss Broadside, 1968; New Worlds #200 ’70 · The Voice of the Sonar in My Vermiform Appendix · ss Quark #2, ed. Samuel R. Delany & Marilyn Hacker, Paperback Library, 1971 · Monolog · ss Demon Kind, ed. Roger Elwood, Avon, 1973 · The Leaser of Two Evils · ss Playboy Jul ’79 · The Phantom of the Sewers [“It’s the Queen of Darkness, Pal”, as by Rod Keen] · ss F&SF Aug ’78

    Contains:Introduction"A Dead Singer" (1974) novelette"The Greater Conqueror" (1963) novelette"Behold the Man" (1966) novella"Good-Bye, Miranda" (1964) short fiction"Flux" (1963) novelette"Islands" (1963) short story"Waiting for the End of Time..." (1970) short story

    The results range from the heavenly to the monstrous. Deeply thoughtful, poignant, horrifying, and action-packed, Arwen Elys Dayton's Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful is groundbreaking in both form and substance.

    G. Wells, and Jules Verne to Ray Bradbury, Ursula K. Le Guin, and William Gibson. In The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy award-winning editor John Joseph Adams delivers a diverse and vibrant collection of stories published in the previous year. Featuring writers with deep science fiction and fantasy backgrounds, along with those who are infusing traditional fiction with speculative elements, these stories uphold a longstanding tradition in both genres—looking at the world and asking, What if . . . ?  The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2015 includes  Kelly Link, Neil Gaiman, Karen Russell T. C. Boyle, Sofia Samatar, Jo Walton, Cat Rambo Daniel H. Wilson, Seanan McGuire, Jess Rowand others  JOE HILL, guest editor, is the New York Times best-selling author of the novels Heart-Shaped Box, Horns, and NOS4A2 and the short story collection 20th Century Ghosts. He is also the writer of the comic book series Locke & Key.   JOHN JOSEPH ADAMS, series editor, is the best-selling editor of more than two dozen anthologies, including Brave New Worlds, Wastelands, and The Living Dead. He is also the editor and publisher of the digital magazines Lightspeed and Nightmare and is a producer of Wired’s podcast The Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy.

    It also raises questions about whether we understand time, and how we perceive it. Once we move outside the present day, can we ever return or do we move into an alternate world? What happens if our meddling with Nature leads to time flowing backwards, or slowing down or stopping all together? Or if we get trapped in a constant loop from which we can never escape. Is the past and future immutable or will we ever be able to escape the inevitable?These are just some of the questions that are raised in these challenging, exciting and sometimes amusing stories by Kage Baker, Simon Clark, Fritz Leiber, Christopher Priest, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Robert Silverberg, Michael Swanwick, John Varley and many others.

    Includes short stories that feature some alteration in history, some divergence from historical reality, which results in a world very different from the one we know.

    Found in a Champagne Bottle · ss Status, 1968 · Fondly Fahrenheit · nv F&SF Aug ’54 · Comment on “Fondly Fahrenheit” · ar · The Four-Hour Fugue · ss Analog Jun ’74 · The Men Who Murdered Mohammed · ss F&SF Oct ’58 · Disappearing Act · ss Star Science Fiction Stories #2, ed. Frederik Pohl, Ballantine, 1953 · Hell Is Forever · na Unknown Aug ’42· Adam and No Eve · ss Astounding Sep ’41 · Time Is the Traitor · nv F&SF Sep ’53 · Oddy and Id [“The Devil’s Invention”] · ss Astounding Aug ’50 · Hobson’s Choice · ss F&SF Aug ’52 · Star Light, Star Bright · ss F&SF Jul ’53 · They Don’t Make Life Like They Used To · nv F&SF Oct ’63 · Of Time and Third Avenue · ss F&SF Oct ’51 · Isaac Asimov · iv Publishers Weekly Apr 17 ’72 · The Pi Man · ss Star Light, Star Bright, Berkley/Putnam, 1976; revised from F&SF Oct ’59. · Something Up There Likes Me · nv Astounding, ed. Harry Harrison, Random, 1973 · My Affair with Science Fiction · ar Nova 4, ed. Harry Harrison, Walker, 1974