2024 the best of two years review

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The second volume of a new best-of-the-year science fiction short story anthology edited by Hugo Award-winning editor Neil Clarke.

First contact with a mysterious race of aliens reveals an unusual request; a family’s pet dog comes to grips with the newly bestowed gift of human-like intelligence; a poet, in danger and alone on a distant world, makes unlikely allies; hundreds of years in the future, a famous hermit lives in the sea above the now-underwater Harvard University; former friends navigate unsteady peace between human refugees and the technologically superior race that saved them; in a future where human life can be infinitely extended through cybertronic rebirth, one woman declines immortality.

For decades, science fiction has compelled us to imagine futures both inspiring and cautionary. Whether it’s a warning message from a survey ship, a harrowing journey to a new world, or the adventures of well-meaning AI, science fiction inspires the imagination and delivers a lens through which we can view ourselves and the world around us. With The Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume Two, award-winning editor Neil Clarke provides a year-in-review and twenty-seven of the best stories published by both new and established authors in 2016.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

“The Visitor from Taured” by Ian R. MacLeod (Asimov’s, September 2016)
“Extraction Request” by Rich Larson (Clarkesworld, January 2016)
“A Good Home” by Karin Lowachee (Lightspeed, June 2016)
“Prodigal” by Gord Sellar (Analog, December 2016)
“Ten Days” by Nina Allan (Now We Are Ten, edited by Ian Whates)
“Terminal” by Lavie Tidhar (Tor.com, April 2016)
“Panic City” by Madeline Ashby (CyberWorld, edited by Jason Heller and Joshua Viola)
“Last Gods” by Sam J. Miller (Drowned Worlds, edited by Jonathana Strahan)
“HigherWorks” by Gregory Norman Bossert (Asimov’s, December 2016)
“A Strange Loop” by T.R. Napper (Interzone, January/February 2016)
“Night Journey of the Dragon-Horse” by Xia Jia (Invisible Planets, edited by Ken Liu)
“Pearl” by Aliette de Bodard (The Starlit Wood, edited by Dominik Parisien and Navah Wolfe)
“The Metal Demimonde” by Nick Wolven (Analog, June 2016)
“The Iron Tactician” by Alastair Reynolds (Newcon Press)
“The Mighty Slinger” by Tobias S. Buckell and Karen Lord (Bridging Infinity, edited by Jonathana Strahan)
“They All Have One Breath” by Karl Bunker (Asimov’s, December 2016)
“Sooner or Later Everything Falls Into the Sea” by Sarah Pinsker (Lightspeed, February 2016)
“And Then, One Day, the Air was Full of Voices” by Margaret Ronald (Clarkesworld, June 2016)
“The Three Lives of Sonata James” by Lettie Prell (Tor.com, October 2016)
“The Charge and the Storm” by An Owomoyela (Asimov’s, February 2016)
“Parables of Infinity” by Robert Reed (Bridging Infinity, edited by Jonathana Strahan)
“Ten Poems for the Mossums, One for the Man” by Suzanne Palmer (Asimov’s, July 2016)
“You Make Pattaya” by Rich Larson (Interzone, November/December 2016)
“Number Nine Moon” by Alex Irvine (F&SF, January/February 2016)
“Things with Beards” by Sam J. Miller (Clarkesworld, June 2016)
“Dispatches from the Cradle: The Hermit—Forty-Eight Hours in the Sea of Massachusetts” by Ken Liu (Drowned Worlds, edited by Jonathana Strahan)
“Touring with the Alien” by Carolyn Ives Gilman (Clarkesworld, April 2016)

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1597808962
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Night Shade; First Edition (April 4, 2017)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 624 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781597808965
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1597808965
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.6 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 2 x 9 inches
Reviewer: Dan Smith
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: 27 Short Stories Ranked in Order
Review: 1. Prodigal (Gord Sellar) Tim gives his dog, Benji, an operation that allows Benji to speak. As Benji's intelligence improves, he and Tim grow further apart in a haunting tale that gives a perspective of the world through the vantage point of a canine.2. The Charge and the Storm (An Owomoyela) Petra is a human accepted into an alien hierarchy that rules the planet. She has the ability to save Nash from being executed as Nash becomes another burden that Petra does not need.3. They Have All One Breath (Karl Bunker) James lives in a world run by omnipresent AI's. He is still coping with his wife, Lisa, leaving him. Through his sadness he creates a work of art.4. Ten Days (Nina Allan) Dora uses a time machine created by a watchmaker to investigate and solve a murder that happened before she was even born.5. And Then, One Day, the Air was Full of Voices (Margaret Ronald) Ma is an esteemed pundit in a world where intelligent life has been found off of Earth. A generational story of mothers and sons trying to find common ground.6. The Three Lives of Sonata James (Lettie Prell) Sonata decided to upload her life to become immortal. The world changes over her long lifetime and 'people' like her become resented. When all seems lost, she is given a second chance.7. Dispatches from the Cradle: The Hermit - Forty-Eight Hours in the Sea of Massachusetts (Ken Liu) Asa gave up her worldly possessions to live off of the grid. With most of the planet now underwater, she invites a journalist to write about her secluded life. The journalist discovers that Asa, as with everyone, is trying to discover who she is.8. Ten Poems for the Mossums One for the Man (Suzanne Palmer) Davin is working for the Project and lives alone on an alien world called Eyke. He is a valued asset as he learns more about Eyke. His loneliness is cured by befriending the Mossums.9. Touring with the Alien (Carolyn Ives Gilman) Avery lands a job transporting a member of an alien race that has landed on Earth. She learns that the aliens desire as much from us as we do from them.10. Terminal (Lavie Tidhar) Mei is part of a caravan of jalopies that are flying away from Earth. The journey to Terminal is so long that many of her caravan will not make it.11. A Good Home (Karin Lowachee) Tawn adopts a wounded war veteran named Mark. The two of them become friends as the world around them has trouble understanding their friendship.12. Sooner or Later Everything Falls into the Sea (Sarah Pinsker) Bay lives alone on an island when Gabby washes up on shore. As they become friends, what has happened to their world is slowly revealed.13. The Visitor from Taured (Ian R. MacLeod) Lita and Rob had a love for books and each other in a world where literature was becoming more and more obsolete.14. The Iron Tactician (Alastair Reynolds) Merlin is alone in his massive spaceship. He finds a damaged ship in the cosmos and rescues a survivor. They try to come to terms with their long histories by helping a planet in the present.15. Astrange Loop (T. R. Napper) Irving continues to erase his past in order to have wealth in his present. He soon loses control and becomes stuck robbing Peter to pay Paul when he is actually both.16. Number Nine Moon (Alex Irvine) Steuby leads a three person team that salvages resources off of Mars. The evacuation of Mars leaves the planet ripe for salvage but more dangerous than ever.17. Parables of Infinity (Robert Reed) No one knows how old the Great Ship is. It seems that many worlds have been cultivated then destroyed since its inception though.18. Night Journey of the Dragon-Horse (Xia Jia) A robotic Dragon-Horse is awakened after a long period of being dormant. A lonely tale as the Dragon-Horse travels through a dying world.19. The Mighty Slinger (Tobias S. Buckell, Karen Lord) The Mighty Slinger is a rock star leading a revolution. He tours then sleeps for decades. When he becomes the leader of the revolution, after being asleep for decades, he is forced to lead while learning what he missed while asleep.20. Things with Beards (Sam J. Miller) MacReady returned from Antarctica as a changed man. Taking place in 1983, Things with Beards seems to be a sequel to 1982's The Thing by John Carpenter.21. Panic City (Madeline Ashby) An automated city protects its human inhabitants. In trying to protect its people, suffering occurs.22. The Metal Demimonde (Nick Wolven) Tipper works for a traveling carnival. She falls for a local boy that uses her to achieve his own selfish quest for retribution.23. Pearl (Aliette de Bodard) Da Trang tries to free himself from feelings of loss by impressing the Empress. He ends up losing more in a sad tale of loneliness.24. Extraction Request (Rich Larson) A military unit is on an alien planet when they discover an aggressive predator. Elliot is the leader and his tortured past becomes another enemy the unit is fighting.25. You Make Pattaya (Rich Larson) Dorian is an ultra-modern scammer who becomes the victim of a scam.26. Higherworks (Gregory Norman Bossert) A spy infiltrates the drug culture to catch a criminal.27. Last Gods (Sam J. Miller) Adze lives in a world ravaged by climate change. She goes on a quest with the deceitful Kelb and meets the last gods.

Reviewer: Vicky Webb
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great assortment of short stories
Review: For those of us who enjoy short stories right before bedtime.

Reviewer: Thomas H. Currier
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Okay but not great
Review: Interesting group of stories, certainly had many similar themes just okay reading though. Nothing that grabbed me or held my undivided attention, some stories dragged a bit

Reviewer: Deborah Lucus
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: SF short stories
Review: Very well done & interesting SF.

Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: best sci-fi book
Review: great book, must have if you into sci-fi, was here before the time listed. book was perfect no damage. only problem listed hardcover and came paperback. if it is the only way it comes should not have hardcover listed....

Reviewer: John Lombard
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: One of the best collections of sci fi, with a variety of stories by experienced authors. Recommended for anyone who likes sci fi
Review: The title says it all. The best ten dollars I ever spent,except on volume one. Lots of great stories. My actual opinion.

Reviewer: Michael S. Clarke
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A wide selection of recent scifi shorts. There should be something for everyone here.
Review: I liked the last story the best. It explored conscious vs subconscious. Not sure I agree that it was feasible but well done.

Reviewer: Thecnotic
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Nice compilation with a variety of works
Review: I don't love everything in the collection, but the works are *mostly* well written and it is a nice collection. Definitely worth a read.

Reviewer: Doug Fowler
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Some of the stories are extremely weak (admittedly I am a space opera fan) and are more on the fantasy spectrum. Still, quite good.

Reviewer: Tony MacLeod
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Lovely fat book of interesting modern sci fi short stories and novellas.

Reviewer: Avinash Pratap Deo
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: This book is small encyclopaedia for science fiction. Good job Amazon.

Reviewer: Perceptive Reader
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: This was one a very large but very unevenly mixed bag. My favourites were:1. Extraction Request— Rich Larson;2. Last Gods— Sam J. Miller;3. Night Journey of the Dragon-Horse— Xia Jia;4. Pearl— Aliette de Bodard;5. The Iron Tactician— Alastair Reynolds;6. Sooner or Later Everything Falls Into the Sea— Sarah Pinsker;7. And Then, One Day, the Air was Full of Voices— Margaret Ronald;8. Number Nine Moon— Alex Irvine;9. Dispatches from the Cradle: The Hermit—Forty-Eight Hours in the Sea of Massachusetts— Ken Liu;10. Touring with the Alien— Carolyn Ives Gilman.There were too many overlong works which seemed to have forgotten plot and dialogues while trying to emphasise ideas. Nevertheless, if you are in the mood of spending a lot of time with sff, then this massive anthology would be a good choice.

Reviewer: John
Rating: 1.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: it pains me to say this but i didn't like any of the stories, by contrast Clarkes previous anthology was fantastic....i'm hesitant now about investing in the the third collection