From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. In celebration of the 30th anniversary of Asimov's Science Fiction, Williams, editor of Asimov's and Analog for 25 of those 30 years, has compiled a truly extraordinary sampler of tales, including Air Raid (1977) by John Varley (writing as Herb Boehm), an oft-imitated story about time travelers trying to save the human race, and Robert Reed's Eight Episodes (2006), a Hugo-nominated tale of a short-lived TV series that turns out to be a message from an alien race. Every piece in this superlative collection is a nugget of pure science fiction gold.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
This compact retrospective of a leading sf magazine contains 18 stories by a roster alphabetically ranging from its namesake to Connie Willis. Amid the staggering variety proffered are Asimov's last fling with his venerable character Susan Calvin; an Ursula LeGuin story of her home state, which she assures us is not fantasy; John Varley's classic "Air Raid"; and Mike Resnick at his alternate-historical best and soberest. Despite inevitable overlap with the contents of many best-of collections, a gem and a credit to editor Williams. Green, Roland
Review
"This volume belongs in most sf or short fiction collections." —Library Journal
"The most consistently innovative and readable SF magazine on the newsstands today." —Austin Chronicle
"A fine job producing this handsome book . . . to be commended, as is editor Sheila Williams." —Tangent
"A truly distinguished magazine, worthy of being set beside such classics of the earlier golden ages as John W. Campbell's Astounding Science Fiction of 1939–42." —Robert Silverberg, author, The Fantasy Hall of Fame
"Weighty and memorable emotional punches." —Spiral Galaxy
"Lisa Goldstein is back and at the top of her game." —Shelf Awareness
Book Description
This wide-ranging collection represents the breadth of science fiction writing published in the most significant and enduring magazine in the field during the past three decades. Slipstream authors such as Jonathan Lethem, James Patrick Kelly, and Kelly Link mingle with classic authors like Isaac Asimov, Ursula K. LeGuin, and Connie Willis along with the young turks of the field—Charles Stross, Michael Swanwick, and Stephen Baxter. Featuring a well-balanced overview of both the classic and the contemporary, the book contains memorable stories from highly respected contributors to the science fiction genre such as Isaac Asimov’s “Robot Dreams,” Bruce Sterling’s “Dinner in Audoghast,” Jonathan Lethem’s “The Happy Man,” Ursula LeGuin’s “Ether, OR,” and Octavia E. Butler's "Speech Sounds.”
About the Author
Sheila Williams is the editor of Asimov's Science Fiction magazine. She has edited or coedited more than 20 anthologies, among them A Women's Liberation: A Choice of Futures By and About Women. She is also the cofounder of the Dell Magazines Award for undergraduate excellence in science fiction and fantasy writing. She lives in New York City.
