Lightspeed: Year One [Paperback]

Stephen King (Author), Orson Scott Card (Author), George R. R. Martin (Author), Robert Silverberg (Author), Ursula K. Le Guin (Author), Robert Reed (Author), Anne McCaffrey (Author), Nancy Kress (Author), John Joseph Adams (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 22, 2011

Lightspeed: Year One compiles all the fiction published by the online science fiction magazine Lightspeed in its first year. Originally published stories include Nebula Award finalists Vylar Kaftan's "I'm Alive, I Love You, I'll See You in Reno" and Adam-Troy Castro's "Arvies" as well as Carrie Vaughn's Hugo Award-nominated "Amaryllis". Plus there are classic stories by Stephen King, Ursula K. Le Guin, George R. R. Martin, and more.

The popular, critically-acclaimed Lightspeed is edited by bestselling anthologist John Joseph Adams. Lightspeed publishes all types of science fiction, from near-future sociological soft sf to far-future star-spanning hard sf--and everything in between. Each month, Lightspeed features a mix of original and classic stories, from a variety of authors, showcasing the best new genre voices along with bestsellers, award-winners, fan favorites, and notable authors readers already know.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Lightspeed editor Adams provides an outstanding print anthology of stories collected during the online SF magazine's first year. These stories make it clear why Adams and the magazine have already separately been nominated for Hugo awards. [...] Years of work on F&SF and numerous lauded reprint anthologies have clearly honed Adams's talents and prepared him to be a major force in the field." --Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

"Lightspeed: Year One is a testament to how much science fiction remains relevant to our lives and our imaginations. It's a firm rebuttal to those who say 'the future is already here, no need to write about it anymore.' And here's hoping for Lightspeed: Year Two, and Year Three, and so on..." --Examiner.com

"I highly recommend Lightspeed: Year One. It's the print version of lightspeedmagazine.com, edited down to manageable size and full of very good stories. Jack McDevitt's 'The Cassandra Project' for one, about some very secret doings on the moon in the Apollo Project years, is a winner; Adam-Troy Castro's 'Arvies' is another winner about a nearly too-possible future ... but there really are far too many to list." --San Diego Union Tribune

"Adams has emerged as one of the most reliable editors working today, assembling some quality collections, and his firm hand on Lightspeed's rudder is more than evident in this collection. I can't wait to see what Year Two has to show us." --City Book Review

"A first-class anthology that shows that Lightspeed's accolades are well deserved." --Tangent Online

From the Inside Flap

Table of Contents:

• "I'm Alive, I Love You, I'll See You in Reno" by Vylar Kaftan
• "The Cassandra Project" by Jack McDevitt
• "Cats in Victory" by David Barr Kirtley
• "Amaryllis" by Carrie Vaughn
• "No Time Like the Present" by Carol Emshwiller
• "Manumission" by Tobias S. Buckell
• "The Zeppelin Conductors' Society Annual Gentlemen's Ball" by Genevieve Valentine
• "...For a Single Yesterday" by George R. R. Martin
• "How to Become a Mars Overlord" by Catherynne M. Valente
• "Patient Zero" by Tananarive Due
• "Arvies" by Adam-Troy Castro
• "More Than the Sum of His Parts" by Joe Haldeman
• "Flower, Mercy, Needle, Chain" by Yoon Ha Lee
• "The Long Chase" by Geoffrey A. Landis
• "Amid the Words of War" by Cat Rambo
• "Travelers" by Robert Silverberg
• "Hindsight" by Sarah Langan
• "Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man's Back" by Joe R. Lansdale
• "The Taste of Starlight" by John R. Fultz
• "Beachworld" by Stephen King
• "Standard Loneliness Package" by Charles Yu
• "Faces in Revolving Souls" by Caitlin R. Kiernan
• "Hwang's Billion Brilliant Daughters" by Alice Sola Kim
• "Ej-Es" by Nancy Kress
• "In-Fall" by Ted Kosmatka
• "The Observer" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• "Jenny's Sick" by David Tallerman
• "The Silence of the Asonu" by Ursula K. Le Guin
• "Postings from an Amorous Tomorrow" by Corey Mariani
• "Cucumber Gravy" by Susan Palwick
• "Black Fire" by Tanith Lee
• "The Elephants of Poznan" by Orson Scott Card
• "Long Enough And Just So Long" by Cat Rambo
• "The Passenger" by Julie E. Czerneda
• "Simulacrum" by Ken Liu
• "Breakaway, Backdown" by James Patrick Kelly
• "Saying the Names" by Maggie Clark
• "Gossamer" by Stephen Baxter
• "Spider the Artist" by Nnedi Okorafor
• "Woman Leaves Room" by Robert Reed
• "All That Touches the Air" by An Owomoyela
• "Maneki Neko" by Bruce Sterling
• "Mama, We are Zhenya, Your Son" by Tom Crosshill
• "Velvet Fields" by Anne McCaffrey
• "The Harrowers" by Eric Gregory
• "Bibi From Jupiter" by Tessa Mellas
• "Eliot Wrote" by Nancy Kress
• "Scales" by Alastair Reynolds

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Prime Books (November 22, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1607013045
• ISBN-13: 978-1607013044
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.2 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #142,679 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars The problem with Anthologies... but a good one. January 14, 2012

By Enkidu844

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The problem with anthologies - especially ones that combine stories from different time periods - is that the quality of the total works will vary. The first story was quite bad and left me with a feeling of 'uh-oh, what did I just spend my money on', most stories are average, but some (old and new) are real gems and well worth the purchase.

All in all, a good buy for traveling and short jaunts. But not something you could sit down for a long read over.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Very dark, in general February 19, 2012

By Icabod Brothers

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The writing cannot be denied as excellent throughout this collection of stories. However, the majority of the stories are exceedingly dark. Not the right read if you're looking to be uplifted about stories of the future.

Again, very well written and engaging stories, just a bit depressing in overall tone.

4.0 out of 5 stars lightspeed year one January 21, 2013

By Honeygrandma

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I found several of the stories dry and boring, but overall a good anthology. I would buy the magazine. Keep up the good work