. . ." The best stories pull readers in and keep them turning the pages, eager to discover more—to find the answer to the question: "And then what happened?" The true hallmark of great literature is great imagination, and as Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio prove with this outstanding collection, when it comes to great fiction, all genres are equal. Stories is a groundbreaking anthology that reinvigorates, expands, and redefines the limits of imaginative fiction and affords some of the best writers in the world—from Peter Straub and Chuck Palahniuk to Roddy Doyle and Diana Wynne Jones, Stewart O'Nan and Joyce Carol Oates to Walter Mosley and Jodi Picoult—the opportunity to work together, defend their craft, and realign misconceptions. Gaiman, a literary magician whose acclaimed work defies easy categorization and transcends all boundaries, and "master anthologist" (Booklist) Sarrantonio personally invited, read, and selected all the stories in this collection, and their standard for this "new literature of the imagination" is high. "We wanted to read stories that used a lightning-flash of magic as a way of showing us something we have already seen a thousand times as if we have never seen it at all." Joe Hill boldly aligns theme and form in his disturbing tale of a man's descent into evil in "Devil on the Staircase." In "Catch and Release," Lawrence Block tells of a seasoned fisherman with a talent for catching a bite of another sort. Carolyn Parkhurst adds a dark twist to sibling rivalry in "Unwell." Joanne Harris weaves a tale of ancient gods in modern New York in "Wildfire in Manhattan." Vengeance is the heart of Richard Adams's "The Knife." Jeffery Deaver introduces a dedicated psychologist whose mission in life is to save people in "The Therapist." A chilling punishment befitting an unspeakable crime is at the dark heart of Neil Gaiman's novelette "The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains." As it transforms your view of the world, this brilliant and visionary volume—sure to become a classic—will ignite a new appreciation for the limitless realm of exceptional fiction.

    Fierce or fearful, they are courageous and honorable—occasionally unscrupulous and tainted—but all warriors worthy of the name!CONTENTSwords & Sorcery"Northern Chess" by Tanith Lee"Anukazi's Daughter" by Mary Gentle"Become a Warrior" by Jane Yollen"The Sea Troll's Daughter" by Caitlin R. Kiernan"Joenna's Axe" by Elaine Isaak"Love Among the Talus" by Elizabeth Bear"Soul Case" by Nalo HopkinsonJust Yesterday"The Girls from Avenger" by Carrie Vaughn"In the Loop" by Ken Liu"Dying with her Cheer Pants On" by Seanan McGuire"Prayer" by Robert ReedSomewhere between Myth & Possibility "England Under the White Witch" by Theodora Goss"The Lonely Songs of Laren Dorr" by George R.R. Martin"The Knight of Chains, the Deuce of Stars" by Yoon Ha LeeSpace Aria"Boy Twelve" by Jessica Reisman"The Application of Hope" by Kristine Rusch"Not That Kind of War" by Tanya Huff"Naratha's Shadow" by Sharon Lee & Steve MillerWill No War End All War?"Eaters" by Nancy Kress"And Wash Out by Tides of Ware" by An Owomoyela"Hand to Hand" by Elizabeth Moon"They Tell Me There Will be No Pain" by Rachael Acks"Wonder Maul Doll" by Kameron Hurley"The Days of the War, as Red as Blood, as Dark as Bile" by Aliette de Bodard

    Standouts include "Kirinyaga" and "For I Have Touched the Sky," two installments from Resnick's well-regarded Kirinyaga series, set on an orbital space habitat modeled on a pre-colonial African culture. Contentsxi • Foreword: The Man Who Hated Short Stories • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick1 • Introduction: Will the Last Person to Leave the Planet Please Shut off the Sun? • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick3 • Will the Last Person to Leave the Planet Please Shut off the Sun? • (1992) • shortstory by Mike Resnick7 • Introduction: Kirinyaga • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick8 • Kirinyaga • [Kirinyaga • 2] • (1988) • novelette by Mike Resnick31 • Introduction: Me and My Shadow • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick32 • Me and My Shadow • (1984) • shortstory by Mike Resnick51 • Introduction: Mrs. Hood Unloads • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick52 • Mrs. Hood Unloads • (1991) • shortfiction by Mike Resnick57 • Introduction: Over There • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick58 • Over There • [Teddy Roosevelt] • (1991) • novelette by Mike Resnick85 • Introduction: The Last Dog • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick86 • The Last Dog • (1977) • shortstory by Mike Resnick95 • Introduction: King of the Blue Planet • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick96 • King of the Blue Planet • (1988) • shortstory by Mike Resnick111 • Introduction: Watching Marcia • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick112 • Watching Marcia • (1981) • shortstory by Mike Resnick125 • Introduction: Death Is an Acquired Trait • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick126 • Death Is an Acquired Trait • (1988) • shortstory by Mike Resnick133 • Introduction: The Crack in the Cosmic Egg • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick134 • The Crack in the Cosmic Egg • (1988) • shortstory by Mike Resnick137 • Introduction: Revolt of the Sugar Plum Fairies • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick138 • Revolt of the Sugar Plum Fairies • (1992) • shortstory by Mike Resnick151 • Introduction: For I Have Touched the Sky • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick152 • For I Have Touched the Sky • [Kirinyaga • 3] • (1989) • novelette by Mike Resnick183 • Introduction: Frankie the Spook • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick184 • Frankie the Spook • (1990) • shortstory by Mike Resnick203 • Introduction: Beibermann's Soul • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick204 • Beibermann's Soul • (1988) • shortstory by Mike Resnick209 • Introduction: Balance • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick210 • Balance • [Susan Calvin (Robot)] • (1989) • shortstory by Mike Resnick217 • Introduction: Posttime in Pink • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick218 • Posttime in Pink • (1991) • novelette by Mike Resnick249 • Introduction: Beachcomber • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick250 • Beachcomber • (1980) • shortstory by Mike Resnick255 • Introduction: Blue • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick256 • Blue • (1979) • shortstory by Mike Resnick261 • Introduction: Stalking the Unicorn with Gun and Camera • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick262 • Stalking the Unicorn with Gun and Camera • (1986) • shortstory by Mike Resnick271 • Introduction: Monsters of the Midway • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick272 • Monsters of the Midway • (1991) • shortstory by Mike Resnick279 • Introduction: Malish • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick280 • Malish • (1991) • shortstory by Mike Resnick285 • Introduction: The Light that Blinds, the Claws that Catch • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick286 • The Light that Blinds, the Claws that Catch • [Teddy Roosevelt] • (1992) • shortstory by Mike Resnick295 • Introduction: His Award-Winning Science Fiction Story • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick296 • His Award-Winning Science Fiction Story • (1988) • shortstory by Mike Resnick309 • Introduction: Was It Good For You, Too? • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick310 • Was It Good For You, Too? • (1989) • shortstory by Mike Resnick317 • Introduction: God and Mr. Slatterman • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick318 • God and Mr. Slatterman • (1984) • shortstory by Mike Resnick327 • Introduction: The Fallen Angel • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick328 • The Fallen Angel • (1984) • shortfiction by Mike Resnick331 • Introduction: How I Wrote the New Testament, Ushered in the Renaissance, and Birdied the 17th Hole at Pebble Beach • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick332 • How I Wrote the New Testament, Ushered in the Renaissance, and Birdied the 17th Hole at Pebble Beach • (1990) • shortstory by Mike Resnick339 • Introduction: Winter Solstice • (1992) • essay by Mike Resnick340 • Winter Solstice • (1991) • shortstory by Mike Resnick

    There is an openness to experiment and pushing boundaries, combined with the classic desire to read about spaceships and dragons, future technology and ancient magic, and the places where they intersect. Contemporary science fiction and fantasy looks to accomplish the same goal as ever—to illuminate what it means to be human. With a diverse selection of stories chosen by series editor John Joseph Adams and Diana Gabaldon, The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2020 explores the ever-expanding and changing world of SFF today.

    At a deluxe medical spa on a nameless Caribbean island, a middle-aged woman hopes to revitalize her fading youth with grotesque rejuvenating therapies that combine cutting-edge medical technologies with holistic approaches and the pseudo-religious dogma of Zen-infused self-help. And in a rinky-dink mill town, an adolescent girl is unexpectedly inspired by the ravings and miraculous levitation of her fundamentalist friend’s weird grandmother. These are only a few of the scenarios readers encounter in Julia Elliott’s debut collection, The Wilds. In these genre-bending stories, teetering between the ridiculous and the sublime, Elliott’s language-driven fiction uses outlandish tropes to capture poignant moments in her humble characters’ lives. Without abandoning the tenets of classic storytelling, Elliott revels in lush lyricism, dark humor, and experimental play.

    In his singular universe, televisions talk (and sometimes sing), animals live in small apartments where their nephews visit from the sea, and men and women and boys and girls fall down wells and fly through space and find love on Ferris wheels. In a voice full of fable, myth, and dream, Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day draws us into a world of delightfully wicked recognitions, and introduces us to a writer of uncommon talent and imagination.Contains 40 stories, including "The Duck," "The Man and the Moose," and "Death and the Fruits of the Tree," as heard on NPR's This American Life, "The Book," as heard on Selected Shorts, and "The TV," as found in The New Yorker.A selection of the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Program and the Starbucks Coffee Bookish Reading Club.Winner of the 2011 Nobbie Award for Best Book of the Year."This guy can write!" –Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451

    In these stories of doubt, delusion, and paranoia, no belief, no claim to objectivity, is immune to the distortions of human perception. Here, self-deception is a means of justifying our most inhuman impulses--whether we know it or not.

    This debut short story collection by award-winning author Nnedi Okorafor includes notable previously-published short work, a new novella co-written with New York Times bestselling author Alan Dean Foster, and a brief foreword by Whoopi Goldberg.

    Yes, it will be dangerous, frequently brutal, and often devastating. But it’s also savagely funny, deliriously strange, and absolutely brimming with adventure.In these edgy, unexpected tales, a body-hopping mercenary avenges his pet elephant, and an orphan falls in love with a sentient starship. Fighters ally to power a reality-bending engine, and a swamp-dwelling introvert tries to save the world—from her plague-casting former wife.So come meet Kameron Hurley in the future. The version she's created here is weirder—and far more hopeful—than you could ever imagine.

    That moment of understanding drives the greatest science-fiction stories and lies at the heart of Engineering Infinity. Whether it's coming up hard against the speed of light - and, with it, the enormity of the universe - realising that terraforming a distant world is harder and more dangerous than you'd ever thought, or simply realizing that a hitchhiker on a starship consumes fuel and oxygen with tragic results, it's hard science-fiction where sense of wonder is most often found and where science-fiction's true heart lies.This exciting and innovative science-fiction anthology collects together stories by some of the biggest names in the field including Gwyneth Jones, Stephen Baxter and Charles Stross.Contents:- Beyond the Gernsback Continuum... by Jonathan Strahan- Malak by Peter Watts- Watching the Music Dance by Kristine Kathryn Rusch- Laika's Ghost by Karl Schroeder- The Invasion of Venus by Stephen Baxter- The Server and the Dragon by Hannu Rajaniemi- Bit Rot by Charles Stross- Creatures with Wings by Kathleen Ann Goonan- Walls of Flesh, Bars of Bone by Damien Broderick and Barbara Lamar- Mantis by Robert Reed- Judgement Eve by John C. Wright- A Soldier of the City by David Moles- Mercies by Gregory Benford- The Ki-anna by Gwyneth Jones- The Birds and the Bees and the Gasoline Trees by John BarnesCover illustration by Stephan Martiniere

    Collected here are twelve of Harrison's best, including "Space Rats of the CCC," probably the greatest space opera ever written, slightly tongue-in-cheek; "At Last, the True Story of Frankenstein," in which our favorite monster gets new life - but whose life is it?; "Bill, The Galactic Hero's Happy Holiday," in which our favorite drunkard enlistee is kidnapped by the evil Chingers and hypnotized into believing he's a general; and nine more classics ranging across time and space!1 I Always Do What Teddy Says2 Space Rats of the CCC3 Down to Earth 4 A Criminal Act 5 Famous First Words 6 The Pad - A Story of the Day after the Day after Tomorrow 7 If 8 Mute Milton 9 Simulated Trainer 10 At Last, the True Story of Frankenstein 11 The Robot Who Wanted to Know 12 Bill the Galactic Hero's Happy Holiday

    The longest, loneliest railroad on Earth. A North Korean nuke hitting Tokyo, a hollow asteroid full of automated rice paddies, and a specialist in breaking up “virtual” marriages. And yes, giant robots. These thirteen stories from and about the Land of the Rising Sun run the gamut from fantasy to cyberpunk, and will leave you knowing that the future is Japanese! Contributors:-Pat Cadigan-Toh EnJoe-Project Itoh-Hideyuki Kikuchi-Ken Liu-David Moles-Issui Ogawa-Felicity Savage-Ekaterina Sedia-Bruce Sterling-Rachel Swirsky-TOBI Hirotaka-Catherynne M. Valente