21st Century Science Fiction. edited by David G. Hartwell and Patrick Nielsen Hayden. 2013
21ST CENTURY SCIENCE FICTION.
RATED 88% POSITIVE. STORY SCORE 3.91 OF 5
34 STORIES : 6 GREAT / 21 GOOD / 6 AVERAGE / 0 POOR / 1 DNF
An anthology like this one is a great jumping off point. Thirty-four stories from “by what we believe are some of the best science fiction writers that came to prominence since the twentieth century changed into the twenty-first.” Published in 2013, each author in this book has assembled a body of work worth exploring. Some have become household names in the pantheon of modern science fiction.
This is more than a sampler book, however, it is a great reading experience. The stories seem to sit in a moment still inspired by the literary history of the genre, influenced by the rise of computers and some internet, and not yet corrupted by the Puppies scandal and the backlash to it.
Superbly enjoyable reading and 6 stories that add to the Great List:
Eros, Philia, Agape • (2009) • novelette by Rachel Swirsky
A woman has selected a robot as a husband, but when he gets the right to freedom, his first decision is destroy his capacity for speech and leave the relationship. A nice gender-swapped version of the classic robot lovers story.
Tk'tk'tk • (2005) • short story by David D. Levine
The ‘life of a salesman’ on a world of Bug aliens. A wonderfully weird take on a classic theme from literature. I feel every bit of the salesman’s frustration as he tried to navigate and prosper is a world of weird social cues.
To Hie from Far Cilenia • [Gennady] • (2008) • novella by Karl Schroeder
A superb cyberpunk adventure where Gennady is enlisted to hunt missing nukes, but the catch is that it is layers upon layers of augmented reality worlds. The way these alternate world overlap real cities and way people interact with them elevates this detective story.
Second Person, Present Tense • (2005) • novelette by Daryl Gregory
One of my favorite science fiction stories of the 21st century. There is a new dangerous drug that allows the users personallty to ‘disconnect’ from their body, letting the body itself drive. Sometimes the main personality isn’t able to get back. This is a wonderfully economical and human short story of a family dealing with a daughter who has overdosed and now someone new is in their daughter’s body.
A Vector Alphabet of Interstellar Travel • (2011) • short story by Yoon Ha Lee
A brilliant short bit of writing about space travel best described by posting the opening. “Among the universe’s civilizations, some conceive of the journey between stars as the sailing of bright ships, and others as tunneling through the crevices of night. Some look upon their far-voyaging as a migratory imperative, and name their vessels after birds or butterflies.”
His Master's Voice • (2008) • short story by Hannu Rajaniemi
An uplifted dog and cat go on an exciting adventure to rescue the head of their Master and get revenge on the people that harmed him. I loved every bit of this!
21ST CENTURY SCIENCE FICTION.
34 STORIES : 6 GREAT / 21 GOOD / 6 AVERAGE / 0 POOR / 1 DNF
Infinities • (2008) • novelette by Vandana Singh
Good. An elderly Indian Muslim man contemplates high level mathematics and the natural of infinity. Set against a backtrop of Hindu/Muslim violence.
Rogue Farm • (2003) • short story by Charles Stross
Good. A husband and wife work to drive off a “farm,” a grotesque being made of human and mechanical parts.
The Gambler • (2008) • novelette by Paolo Bacigalupi
Good. Tale of the pressures of ‘journalism” in the bleeding edge future. A Laotian immigrant is working in a fast-paced digital newsroom writing the kind of stories that he finds important, but don’t get clicks in the digital Maelstrom.
Strood • (2004) • short story by Neal Asher
Good. Aliens (Mugulls - mucus seagulls) have come to earth and are easily healing humanities illnesses. Except for one man who is instead given a ticket to a spacestation and is immediately attacks by an alien who wants to eat him. But things aren’t as the seem in this quirky story.
Eros, Philia, Agape • (2009) • novelette by Rachel Swirsky
Great. A woman has selected a robot as a husband, but when he gets the right to freedom, his first decision is destroy his capacity for speech and leave the relationship. A nice gender-swapped version of the classic robot lovers story.
The Tale of the Wicked • (2009) • novelette by John Scalzi
Good. Two warring spaceships are immobilized in space when their ship’s A.I. discovers Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics.
Bread and Bombs • (2003) • short story by M. Rickert
Average. A muddy, blurred look at intolerance in wartime. Told through the eyes of children.
The Waters of Meribah • (2003) • short story by Tony Ballantyne
Good. Creepy short story of a criminal who is slowly having his body replaced with alien parts as punishment for his crime.
Tk'tk'tk • (2005) • short story by David D. Levine
Great. The ‘life of a salesman’ on a world of Bug aliens. A wonderfully weird take on a classic theme from literature. I feel every bit of the salesman’s frustration as he tried to navigate and prosper is a world of weird social cues.
The Nearest Thing • (2011) • novelette by Genevieve Valentine
Good. A brilliant writer of code is brought into a project with a charismatic partner/rival and his strangely unengaged female coworker. Slowly the program becomes increasingly serious and possibly both important and dangerous.
Erosion • (2009) • short story by Ian Creasey
Good. Just dressed in a new exo-suit, a man takes one last walk along the English coast before leaving the doomed planet for the stars. Interesting and melancholy story of the last moments before a permanent journey.
The Calculus Plague • (2009) • short story by Marissa Lingen
Good. This story has a superb concept, but lacks a little in the story department. The central idea is a that designer viruses are created that impart information into the minds of people they infect. It is one thing when it is Calculus or musical aptitude, but another entirely when it is violent trauma.
One of Our Bastards Is Missing • [Jonathan Hamilton • 2] • (2009) • novelette by Paul Cornell
Average. A complicated alternate history has a Prussian official disappear by slipping into a fold in space-time. It is a both too complicated and too simplistic for me to get any sort of grasp on it.
Tideline • (2007) • short story by Elizabeth Bear
Good. A dying War Machine scavenges the beach for stones to build a burial necklace and befriends a ragged child.
Finisterra • (2007) • novelette by David Moles
Good. The continents ride on the backs of enormous animals and our character has taken a job to kill one of them.
Evil Robot Monkey • (2008) • short story by Mary Robinette Kowal
Good. The challenges of being a chimpanzee with augmented intelligence. Too smart for the other chimps and too ape to be around humanity.
The Education of Junior Number 12 • [Machine Dynasties] • (2011) • novelette by Madeline Ashby
Average. A self replicating human is in their 12 iteration. The story meanders through the speed of robot education, sex with humans, and a interesting application of Asimov’s Three Laws.
Toy Planes • (2005) • short story by Tobias S. Buckell
Good. A simple vignette of an astronaut from a Caribbean nation who must cut off his dreadlocks to take part in a rocket launch. Deals with some of the great themes and directions of 21st century SciFi.
The Algorithms for Love • (2004) • short story by Ken Liu
Good. The inventor of a series of robot dolls has trouble dealing with humans in the real world after a stint in the hospital. Told through flashbacks throughout the woman’s life.
The Albian Message • (2005) • short story by Oliver Morton
Good. A scientist writes a message that preparation is needed for what is likely to be found within a pyramid on an asteroid.
To Hie from Far Cilenia • [Gennady] • (2008) • novella by Karl Schroeder
Great. A superb cyberpunk adventure where Gennady is enlisted to hunt missing nukes, but the catch is that it is layers upon layers of augmented reality worlds. The way these alternate world overlap real cities and way people interact with them elevates this detective story.
Savant Songs • (2004) • short story by Brenda Cooper
Good. A love story between two scientists, one of which is a brilliant savant, who are trying to discover multiple universes.
Ikiryoh • (2005) • short story by Liz Williams
Average. Genetically engineered animal people, Asian courtly intrigue, and young child with a mysterious prestige and importance.
The Prophet of Flores • (2007) • novelette by Ted Kosmatka
Good. A suspenseful story of a world where evolution was quickly disproved when the world was dated to approximately 6000 years old. But deep in the jungle, there has been a discovery have might contradict that, but there are many people who want to keep the evidence hidden.
How to Become a Mars Overlord • (2010) • short story by Catherynne M. Valente
Average. The kind of simple article-as-story that rarely works for me. The ‘story’ is the non-fiction entry for an instruction that is listed in the title. Occasionally humorous..
Second Person, Present Tense • (2005) • novelette by Daryl Gregory
Great. One of my favorite science fiction stories of the 21st century. There is a new dangerous drug that allows the users personallty to ‘disconnect’ from their body, letting the body itself drive. Sometimes the main personality isn’t able to get back. This is a wonderfully economical and human short story of a family dealing with a daughter who has overdosed and now someone new is in their daughter’s body.
Third Day Lights • (2005) • novelette by Alaya Dawn Johnson
Good. An alien/wizard/god who can shapeshift narrates this baroque apocalyptic tale of a powerful traveler who come to accomplish three tasks. There is some smart sci-fi twists at the end of what feels like horror fantasy throughout.
Balancing Accounts • (2008) • short story by James L. Cambias
Good. A really fun bit of space opera where almost every character is a robot. A small and poor transport vessel gets conned into taking some ‘hot’ cargo on board and it feels like everyone is now trying to stop him.
A Vector Alphabet of Interstellar Travel • (2011) • short story by Yoon Ha Lee
Great. A brilliant short bit of writing about space travel best described by posting the opening. “Among the universe’s civilizations, some conceive of the journey between stars as the sailing of bright ships, and others as tunneling through the crevices of night. Some look upon their far-voyaging as a migratory imperative, and name their vessels after birds or butterflies.”
His Master's Voice • (2008) • short story by Hannu Rajaniemi
Great. An uplifted dog and cat go on an exciting adventure to rescue the head of their Master and get revenge on the people that harmed him. I loved every bit of this!
Plotters and Shooters • [Mars (Kage Baker)] • (2007) • novelette by Kage Baker
DNF. So stilted and boring with comparisons between two tier of military people (I think) that I bounced off hard and early.
The Island • [Sunflower Cycle] • (2009) • novelette by Peter Watts
Good. They built the paths by which others travel throughout space, but what happens when a giant life form is in the way.
Escape to Other Worlds with Science Fiction • [Small Change] • (2009) • short story by Jo Walton
Average. Snippets from an alternate history where the UK sides with Germany and the New Deal failed to end the Great Depression. Sorely underdeveloped. What is here is interesting, but there isn’t much here. The title is nonsense.
Chicken Little • (2009) • novella by Cory Doctorow
Good. A man’s journey to try to sell something to a uber-rich brain-in-a-jar. The challenges are internal corporate politics and that fact that coming up with something truly new to sell is nearly impossible.
