The best stories of the year: here is a collection of the fantasy prose written in 2005, by some of the genre's greatest authors, and selected by Rich Horton, a contributing reviewer to many of the field's most respected magazines. In this volume you'll find stories Peter Beagle, Paul Di Filippo, Neil Gaiman, Theodora Goss, Kelly Link, Gene Wolfe and more.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. The 19 mostly excellent short stories in this latest addition to the growing field of annual "best of" fantasy anthologies include works by established stars like Pat Cadigan (the delightful, wry "Is There Life After Rehab?") and Peter S. Beagle ("Two Hearts," a deceptively simple tale about love, loyalty and magic, the short story sequel to his 1968 novel, The Last Unicorn). In a nod to the "mainstream acceptance" of fantasy, Horton reprints George Saunders's twisted, satirical "CommComm," which originally appeared in the New Yorker. Distinguishing this anthology are many stories that first appeared in small press venues , including Samantha Henderson's "Five Ways Jane Austen Never Died" and Theodora Goss's haunting "Pip and the Fairies." Horton has gathered a diverse mix of styles and themes that illustrate the depth and breadth of fantasy writing today. (Sept.)
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
An aging, costumed crime fighter wants to trade his cape for the mayor's mantle, while his still-virgin lover wants out of her star-reporter gig. An old acquaintance solicits a 100-year-old ex-vampire to run a probable scam on other ex-vamps who want to suck blood again. A computer-bound trade-mag drudge throws over promotion to editor in chief to find the girl he has fallen in love with, though she lives in an online micronation. A professional discriminator (a what?) has to employ all his interdimensional contact skills to neutralize a client who takes him captive. Such TV Guide-ish capsule summaries don't begin to suggest the fascinations of the stories by, respectively, Michael Canfield, Pat Cadigan, Paul Di Filippo, and Matthew Hughes. Horton's dazzling selection contains 15 more as good or better, by both genre stars (Neil Gaiman, Peter S. Beagle, Gene Wolfe) and newcomers (Holly Phillips, Elizabeth Bear, Theodora Goss). Pick of the pack? Maybe Steve Rasnic Tem's deeply affecting "Invisible," a parable for our times if ever there was one. Ray Olson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not Free SF Reader,
By Blue Tyson "- Research Finished" (Legion clubhouse) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Fantasy: The Best of the Year, 2006 Edition (Fantasy: The Best of ... (Quality)) (Paperback)
I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I pretty much know I am not going to like experimental plotless pieces, and in fantasy anthologies like this there is a fair chance there will be some, as some people like 'em, so broad selecting Super Editors should pick them for those people.Such is the case here, but there are more 4 star stories than I thought I would find, too, so good stuff. In fact, it averages 3.55, above the good line, as such. To shamelessly steal his own phraseology, there was good work here from Wolfe, Bear, Di Filippo, Gaiman, Taafe, Cadigan, Parks and Hughes, with the standout piece being Beagle's. The editor also says not much 'Heroic' fantasy to be found in general, so not much here, and by this I presume he is using it as an umbrella term for High Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery and other such secondary world type offerings, in general. Which is interesting, as I had been wondering if there are enough good fantasy stories in a year to fill such a volume of more mainstream fantasy adventure type stories that are more in the vein of what Lin Carter might have chosen, or Silveberg's Legends anthology, compared to what Kelly Link or her predecessors prefer. The only annoying thing now is no electronic versio of the 2007 book, whereas there is for the 2006. Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Pip and the Fairies - Theodora Goss Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Comber - Gene Wolfe Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Three Urban Folk Tales - Eric Schaller Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Wax - Elizabeth Bear Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : The Emperor of Gondwanaland - Paul Di Filippo Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : CommComm - George Saunders Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Five Ways Jane Austen Never Died - Samantha Henderson Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Fancy Bread - Gregory Feeley Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Sunbird - Neil Gaiman Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : The Secret of Broken Tickers - Joe Murphy Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : On the Blindside - Sonya Taaffe Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Jane - Marc Laidlaw Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Is There Life After Rehab? - Pat Cadigan Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Two Hearts - Peter S. Beagle Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Super-Villains - Michael Canfield Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Empty Places - Richard Parks Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Invisible - Steve Rasnic Tem Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : By the Light of Tomorrow's Sun - Holly Phillips Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : The Gist Hunter - Matthew Hughes Obit teaparty flashback. 2.5 out of 5 Swiftly tilting city. 4 out of 5 Love to go postal, you rat. 2.5 out of 5 Forensic sorcery monster murder triangle. 4 out of 5 Online getaway hookup. 4 out of 5 Dead can be quite smelly. 3 out of 5 Possibly better story topics. 3 out of 5 Pommie snacks. 3.5 out of 5 "I have a presentiment of doom upon me," ..."And I fear it shall come to us with barbecue sauce." 4 out of 5 Blockhead storm. 3 out of 5 Crossover promises. 4 out of 5 One glove is all you get. 3.5 out of 5 Maybe undead again. 4 out of 5 Griffin snacking leads to senile sovereign's swan song. 4.5 out of 5 An aging hero has run out of enemies to fight, and he has always used his crusade to prevent him coming to close to the woman he desires. An old foe of his is released from prison and said woman decides to do something about it, accompanying the villain to an exhibition where the Venus diamond is on display, a stone with reputedly magical properties. When Ginny gets the diamond, a new super villain is born, Fevre, and the Wing again has an opponent to chase. 3.5 out of 5 "Just what is Timon the Black's arrangement with those men?" "A simple one: They don't interfere with my business and I don't rip the flesh from their bones. You'd be surprised at how reasonable men can be, when the alternative is explained to them." 4 out of 5 Spontaneous Human Invisibility. 3 out of 5 Not a Peachy finish. 3.5 out of 5 Discriminating integration opposition intercession accomodation. 4 out of 5
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