Hugo and Nebula Award Winners from Asimov's Science Fiction. edited by Sheila Williams.
HUGO AND NEBULA AWARD WINNERS FROM ASIMOV'S SCIENCE FICTION.
RATED 97% POSITIVE. STORY SCORE = 4.41 / 5
17 STORIES : 8 GREAT / 8 GOOD / 1 AVERAGE / 0 POOR / 0 DNF
If you had to find an anthology from the 1980s that could compete with The Science Fiction Hall of Fame (1929-1964), you would be hard pressed to find a better choice than Sheila Williams collection of these award winners. While there are certainly other stories one might want to include, you certainly wouldn’t be WRONG.
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This was part of the “Golden Age” for Asimov’s Science Fiction and it shows why that magazine is considered on of Science Fiction’s greatest. Even the ‘merely’ good stories within are crisp, relevant, and inventive.
The Great stories are among the finest in the history of the genre …. and there are EIGHT OF THEM!
Fire Watch • (1982) • novelette by Connie Willis. Riveting time travel. Rich in detail and full of emotion. A man is sent back to the London Blitz around St Paul Cathedral. He is not to interfere, but becomes increasingly drawn to the church. In part, because he knows its destiny in his own era.
Speech Sounds • (1983) • short story by Octavia E. Butler [as by Octavia Butler]. A global “event” has left most of the world without the ability speak, read, or write. One woman tries to navigate this strange and hostile landscape. Butler always balances the smart science fictional with the brutally painful human lives it affects.
Press Enter ▮? • (1984) • novella by John Varley. There is some AI Sci-Fi stuff here, but the heart of this story is a riveting character study of a Korean War veteran and a young Asian woman who is investigating the apparent suicide of a neighborhood computer hacker.
Rachel in Love • (1987) • novelette by Pat Murphy. A young girl’s mind is placed in a chimpanzee’s body after death by the girl’s father. When he dies and the ape is taken by scientists, Rachel must find a way to escape to a better life..
Why I Left Harry's All-Night Hamburgers • (1987) • short story by Lawrence Watt-Evans. This has ‘sense of wonder’ in spades. It is a heartwarming piece of SF Americana. A young man works nights in a diner that caters to strange beings from all over.
Ripples in the Dirac Sea • (1988) • short story by Geoffrey A. Landis. A time traveler lives multiple lives in the past, but always must return to a roaring fire … and his death.
The Manamouki • (1990) • novelette by Mike Resnick. Part of Resnick’s excellent Kirinyaga series about a terraformed planet that tries to recreate a lost historical Africa. New settlers want desperately to join that society, but will they be able to leave their old lives behind? This series has so many difficult quandaries and moral challenges throughout and this story is no exception.
Beggars in Spain • [Sleepless] • (1991) • novella by Nancy Kress. Children are altered to beborn without the need for sleep and have a huge advantage over those who do. Society’s reaction is violent. This is Kress’ masterpiece and a challenging story about the inequalities of birth, status, wealth, and more. It is also a haunting look into a possible future.
HUGO AND NEBULA AWARD WINNERS FROM ASIMOV'S SCIENCE FICTION IS RATED 97% POSITIVE
17 STORIES : 8 GREAT / 8 GOOD / 1 AVERAGE / 0 POOR / 0 DNF
How do I arrive at a rating?
Unicorn Variations • (1981) • novelette by Roger Zelazny
Good. A quickly story about a solo traveler who plays chess against a unicorn for the future of the human race.
Fire Watch • (1982) • novelette by Connie Willis
Great. Superbly suspenseful time travel story about a man sent back to the London Blitz and gets a deep personal connection to St Paul’s Cathedral.
Hardfought • (1983) • novella by Greg Bear
Good. The pivotal moment of a long war between humans and a strange alien race called the Senexi is told by alternating POV between aliens and alien-like humans. Complicated and very inventive.
The Peacemaker • (1983) • short story by Gardner Dozois
Good. An interesting slice of dystopian life as a young boy has a spiritual purpose in a flooded earth.
Speech Sounds • (1983) • short story by Octavia E. Butler [as by Octavia Butler]
Great. A global “event” has left most of the world without the ability speak, read, or write. One woman tries to navigate this strange and hostile landscape.
Press Enter ▮? • (1984) • novella by John Varley
Great. A riveting character study of a Korean War veteran and a young Asian woman is investigating the apparent suicide of a neighborhood computer hacker.
Portraits of His Children • (1985) • novelette by George R. R. Martin
Good. A horrifying fantasy where an author’s important characters come back to haunt him. First as painting and then more tangible.
Rachel in Love • (1987) • novelette by Pat Murphy
Great. A young girl’s mind is placed in a chimpanzee’s body after death by the girl’s father. When he dies and the ape is taken by scientists, Rachel must find a way to escape to a better life..
Why I Left Harry's All-Night Hamburgers • (1987) • short story by Lawrence Watt-Evans
Great. Heartwarming piece of SF Americana. A young man works nights in a diner that caters to strange beings from all over.
Ripples in the Dirac Sea • (1988) • short story by Geoffrey A. Landis
Great. A time traveler lives multiple lives in the past, but always must return to a roaring fire … and his death.
Boobs • (1989) • short story by Suzy McKee Charnas
Good. A classic female puberty as werewolf story.
The Manamouki • (1990) • novelette by Mike Resnick
Great. A terraformed planet tries to recreate a lost historical Africa. New settlers want desperately to join that society, but will they be able to leave their old lives behind?
Bears Discover Fire • (1990) • short story by Terry Bisson
Good. Bears seem to have discovered fire and are monopolizing the medians of highways in the American South.
Beggars in Spain • [Sleepless] • (1991) • novella by Nancy Kress
Great. Children are altered to beborn without the need for sleep and have a huge advantage over those who do. Society’s reaction is violent. This is Kress’ masterpiece and a challenging story about the inequalities of birth, status, wealth, and more. It is also a haunting look into a possible future.
Barnacle Bill the Spacer • (1992) • novella by Lucius Shepard
Good. A gritty space station story of a man who kinda adopts a mentally handicapped young man when a death cult targets him. Wide and expansive. Full of violent action.
Danny Goes to Mars • (1992) • novelette by Pamela Sargent
Average. Vice President Dan Quayle (although never directly named as such) is sent on a Mars Mission for political purposes and has to take charge after a horrible accident. A good enough story that suffers badly from its disconnection to the time and politicians being referenced.
The Nutcracker Coup • (1992) • novelette by Janet Kagan
Good. An ambassador inspires a Christmas uprising by an alien race against a leader who clips their quills.
