The series moves to its new publishing home, Solaris, with this eighth annual volume of the celebrated and popular series.Table of Content"Some Desperado" by Joe Abercrombie"Zero for Conduct" by Greg Egan "Effigy Nights" by Yoon Ha Lee "Rosary and Goldenstar" by Geoff Ryman"The Sleeper and the Spindle" by Neil Gaiman"Cave and Julia" by M. John Harrison"The Herons of Mer de l’Ouest" by M Bennardo"Water" by Ramez Naam"The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling" by Ted Chiang "The Ink Readers of Doi Saket" by Thomas Olde Heuvelt "Cherry Blossoms on the River of Souls" by Richard Parks "Rag and Bone" by Priya Sharma "The Book Seller" by Lavie Tidhar "The Sun and I" by K J Parker"The Promise of Space" by James Patrick Kelly "The Master Conjurer" by Charlie Jane Anders "The Pilgrim and the Angel" by E. Lily Yu "Entangled" by Ian R Macleod "Fade to Gold" by Benjanun Sriduangkaew "Selkies Stories are for Losers" by Sofia Samatar"In Metal, In Bone" by An Owomoyela "Kormack the Lucky" by Eleanor Arnason "Sing" by Karin Tidbeck"Social Services" by Madeline Ashby "The Road of Needles" by Caitlín R Kiernan "Mystic Falls" by Robert Reed "The Queen of Night’s Aria" by Ian McDonald"The Irish Astronaut" by Val Nolan

    Contents:7 · Foreword · fw 11 · The Spider · ss Rogue Jan ’63 24 · Monsters and Monster Lovers · ar Fantastic Mar ’65 37 · A Hitch in Space · ss Worlds of Tomorrow Aug ’63 48 · Hottest and Coldest Molecules · ar Science Digest Mar ’52 52 · Kindergarten · vi F&SF Apr ’63 55 · Those Wild Alien Words: I · ar * 64 · Crazy Annaoj · ss Galaxy Feb ’68 70 · Debunking the I Machine · ar, 1949 72 · When the Last Gods Die · ss F&SF Dec ’51 79 · King Lear · ar, 1934 85 · Yesterday House · nv Galaxy Aug ’52 115 · After Such Knowledge · ar, 1974 118 · Knight to Move [“Knight’s Move”; Change War] · ss Broadside Dec ’65 128 · Weird World of the Knight [“Topsy-Turvy World of the Knight”] · ar California Chess Review Jan ’60 131 · To Arkham and the Stars · ss The Dark Brotherhood and Other Pieces, Sauk City: Arkham House, 1966 143 · The Whisperer Re-Examined · ar Haunted Dec ’64 148 · Beauty and the Beasts [Fafhrd & Gray Mouser] · vi * 151 · Masters of Mace and Magic · br 157 · Cat’s Cradle · ss *

    Exotic aliens. Far-flung planets. Fifteen fabulous tales that will thrill and surprise you, some chosen from previous BEYOND THE STARS volumes, and some brand new. Come along as these award-winning authors sweep you along on adventures as broad as the universe and as deep as their imagination. Welcome to the Best of Beyond the Stars!

    "New York Times "bestselling authors Gregory Maguire, Garth Nix, Susan Beth Pfeffer, Carrie Ryan, Beth Revis, and Jane Yolen are among the many popular and award-winning storytellers lending their talents to this original and spellbinding anthology. Introduction by Genevieve ValentineThe SegmentAfter the Cure by Carrie RyanValedictorian by N. K. JemisinVisiting Nelson by Katherine LangrishAll I Know of Freedom by Carol EmshwillerThe Other Elder by Beth RevisThe Great Game at the End of the World by Matthew KresselReunion by Susan Beth PfefferBlood Drive by Jeffrey FordReality Girl by Richard BowesHow Th’irth Wint Rong by Hapless Joey @ Homeskool.guv by Richard BowesRust with Wings by Steven GouldFaint Heart by Sarah Rees BrennanThe Easthound by Nalo HopkinsonGray by Jane YolenBefore by Carolyn DunnFake Plastic Trees by Caitlín R. KiernanYou Won’t Feel a Thing by Garth NixThe Marker by Cecil Castellucci

    This book is their answer. Here are seventeen of the most memorable stories in the genre, each one personally selected by a well-known writer, and each prefaced by that writer's explanation of his or her choice. Here's your chance to enjoy familiar favorites, and perhaps to discover some wonderful new treasures. In each case, you'll have the opportunity to see the story from the perspective of a master of the field."Ghosts of Wind and Shadow" • Charles de Lint chosen by Tanya Huff"Mazirian the Magician" • Jack Vance chosen by Robert Silverberg"Troll Bridge" • Terry Pratchett chosen by Michelle West"The Tale of Hauk" • Poul Anderson chosen by Mickey Zucker Reichert"In Our Block" • R.A. Lafferty chosen by Neil Gaiman"The Gnarly Man" • L. Sprague de Camp chosen by Terry Prachett"Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad" • M.R. James chosen by Morgan Llywelyn"Homeland" • Barbara Kingsolver chosen by Charles de Lint"Stealing God" • Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald chosen by Katherine Kurtz"Shadowlands" • Elisabeth Waters chosen by Marion Zimmer Bradley"Mopsa the Fairy" • Jean Ingelow chosen by Gene Wolfe"Liane the Wayfarer" • [Dying Earth] • Jack Vance (aka The Loom of Darkness) chosen by George R.R. Martin"The Spring" • [John the Balladeer] • Manly Wade Wellman chosen by Andre Norton"That Hell-Bound Train" • Robert Bloch chosen by Rick Hautala"The Dancer from the Dance" • M. John Harrison chosen by Stephen R. Donaldson"More Spinned Against" • John Wyndham chosen by Matt Costello"The Bagman's Story" • Charles Dickens chosen by Margaret Weis"Unicorn Variations" • Roger Zelazny (aka Unicorn Variation) chosen by Fred Saberhagen

    A showpiece of Jewish wit, culture, and lore, blending humor and sadness, cynicism and faith.ContentsStories:On Venus, have we got a rabbi by William TennThe golem by Avram DavidsonUnto the fourth generation by Isaac AsimovLook, you think you've got troubles by Carol CarrGoslin Day by Avram DavidsonThe dybbuk of mazel tov IV by Robert SilverbergTrouble with water by Horace L. GoldGather blue roses by Pamela SargentThe jewbird by Bernard MalamudParadise last by Geo. Alec EffingerStreet of dreams, feet of clay by Robert SheckleyJachid and Jechidah by Isaac Bashevis SingerI'm looking for Kadak by Harlan EllisonEssays:Why Me? by Isaac AsimovEllison's Grammatical Guide and Glossary for Goyim by Harlan Ellison. Interior artwork by Tim Kirk.

    

    Original tales by such science fiction luminaries as Orson Scott Card, Harry Turtledove, and Connie Willis, written in honor of Isaac Asimov's fiftieth anniversary in the genre, are set in one of his fictional universes.

    Victor Frankenstein; a rivalry between brothers complicates the interpretation of a message from the stars; two girls discover that the cruel social rituals of adolescence apply differently in fact than fiction...The depth and breadth of what science fiction and fantasy fiction is changes with every passing year. The stories chosen for this book by award-winning anthologist Jonathan Strahan carefully maps this evolution, giving readers a captivating and always-entertaining look at the very best the genre has to offer.Jonathan Strahan has edited more than twenty anthologies and collections, including The Locus Awards, The New Space Opera, The Jack Vance Treasury, and a number of year's best annuals. He has won the Ditmar, William J. Atheling Jr., and Peter McNamara Awards for his work as an anthologist, and is the reviews editor for Locus.--back coverExhalation / Ted Chiang -- Shoggoths in bloom / Elizabeth Bear -- Uncle Chaim and Aunt Rifke and the angel / Peter S. Beagle -- Fixing Hanover / Jeff VanderMeer -- The gambler / Paolo Bacigalupi -- The dust assassin / Ian McDonald -- Virgin / Holly Black -- Pride and Prometheus / John Kessel -- The thought war / Paul McAuley -- Beyond the sea gates of the Scholar Pirates of Sarsköe / Garth Nix -- The small door / Holly Phillips -- Turing's apples / Stephen Baxter -- The New York Times at special bargain rates / Stephen King -- Five thrillers / Robert Reed -- The magician's house / Meghan McCarron -- Goblin music / Joan Aiken -- Machine maid / Margo Lanagan -- The art of alchemy / Ted Kosmatka -- 26 Monkeys, also The abyss / Kij Johnson -- Marry the sun / Rachel Swirsky -- Crystal nights / Greg Egan -- His master's voice / Hannu Rajaniemi -- Special economics / Maureen F. McHugh -- Evidence of love in a case of abandonment / M. Rickert -- From Babel's fall'n glory we fled / Michael Swanwich -- If angels fight / Richard Bowes -- The doom of love in small spaces / Ken Scholes -- Pretty monsters / Kelly Link.

    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?

    

    In a world where genetically engineered animals are run of the mill Jerry and his sponsor, the 'World's Richest Woman,' decide that it is time to stand up for anthropoids' rights. In Jerry is a Man Grand Master Robert A. Heinlein explores what it means to be human and the importance of civil liberties.

    This new collection of stories from the multi-award-winning author of Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog contains:A Letter from the ClearysAt the RialtoDeath on the NileThe Soul Selects Her own SocietyFire WatchInside JobEven the QueenThe Winds of Marble ArchAll Seated on the GroundLast of the WinnebagosTen stories - which have all won the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award or both - are compulsory reading for the serious science fiction fan.

    Valente, and many others. Selecting the best fiction from Asimov's, F&SF, Strange Horizons, Subterranean, Tor.com, and other top venues, The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy is your guide to magical realms and worlds beyond tomorrow.

    Morlan, Robert Silverberg, Michael Swanwick, Jane Yolen and many others. Supplementing the stories are the editors' invaluable overviews of the year in fantastic fiction, Edward Bryant's witty roundup of the year's fantasy films, and a long list of Honorable Mentions —all of which adds up to an invaluable reference source, and a font of fabulous reading.