[Jonathan Hamilton 01] • Twenty-Seventh Annual Collection

The thirty-two stories in this collection imaginatively take us far across the universe, into the very core of our beings, to the realm of the gods, and the moment just after now. Included here are the works of masters of the form and of bright new talents, including:

John Barnes, Elizabeth Bear, Damien Broderick, Karl Bunker, Paul Cornell, Albert E. Cowdrey, Ian Creasey, Steven Gould, Dominic Green, Nicola Griffith, Alexander Irvine, John Kessel, Ted Kosmatka, Nancy Kress, Jay Lake, Rand B. Lee, Paul McAuley, Ian McDonald, Maureen F. McHugh, Sarah Monette, Michael Poore, Robert Reed, Adam Roberts, Chris Roberson, Mary Rosenblum, Geoff Ryman, Vandana Singh, Bruce Sterling, Lavie Tidhar, James Van Pelt, Jo Walton, Peter Watts, Robert Charles Wilson, and John C. Wright.

Supplementing the stories are the editor's insightful summation of the year's events and a lengthy list of honorable mentions, making this book both a valuable resource and the single best place in the universe to find stories that stir the imagination, and the heart.

xiii • Summation: 2009 (The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Seventh Annual Collection) • essay by Gardner Dozois

1 • Utriusque Cosmi • (2009) • novelette by Robert Charles Wilson

18 • A Story, with Beans • [7th Sigma] • (2009) • shortstory by Steven Gould

25 • Under the Shouting Sky • (2009) • shortstory by Karl Bunker

32 • Events Preceding the Helvetican Renaissance • (2009) • novelette by John Kessel

55 • Useless Things • (2009) • shortstory by Maureen F. McHugh

68 • Black Swan • (2009) • novelette by Bruce Sterling

86 • Crimes and Glory • (2009) • novella by Paul J. McAuley

127 • Seventh Fall • (2009) • novelette by Alexander C. Irvine [as by Alexander Irvine ]

141 • Butterfly Bomb • (2009) • shortstory by Dominic Green

154 • Infinities • (2008) • novelette by Vandana Singh

175 • Things Undone • (2009) • novelette by John Barnes

205 • On the Human Plan • (2009) • shortstory by Jay Lake

213 • The Island • (2009) • novelette by Peter Watts

240 • The Integrity of the Chain • (2009) • shortstory by Lavie Tidhar

246 • Lion Walk • (2009) • novelette by Mary Rosenblum

274 • Escape to Other Worlds with Science Fiction • (2009) • shortstory by Jo Walton

282 • Three Leaves of Aloe • (2009) • novelette by Rand B. Lee

296 • Mongoose • [Boojum] • (2009) • novelette by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear

312 • Paradiso Lost • (2009) • novella by Albert E. Cowdrey

353 • It Takes Two • (2009) • novelette by Nicola Griffith

377 • Blocked • (2009) • shortstory by Geoff Ryman

391 • Solace • (2009) • shortstory by James Van Pelt

404 • Act One • (2009) • novella by Nancy Kress

441 • Twilight of the Gods • (2009) • novelette by John C. Wright

459 • Blood Dauber • (2009) • novelette by Michael Poore and Ted Kosmatka

486 • This Wind Blowing, and This Tide • (2009) • novelette by Damien Broderick

502 • Hair • (2009) • novelette by Adam Roberts

521 • Before My Last Breath • (2009) • shortstory by Robert Reed

535 • One of Our Bastards Is Missing • (2009) • novelette by Paul Cornell

553 • Edison's Frankenstein • (2009) • novelette by Chris Roberson

567 • Erosion • (2009) • shortstory by Ian Creasey

577 • Vishnu at the Cat Circus • (2009) • novella by Ian McDonald