The Best of the Best, Volume 1

For years, The Year's Best Science Fiction has been the most widely read short science fiction anthology of its kind. Now, after twenty-one annual collections, comes the ultimate in science fiction anthologies, The Best of the Best: 20 Years of the Year's Best Science Fiction, in which legendary editor Gardner Dozois selects the very best short stories for this landmark collection. Contributors include: * Stephen Baxter * Greg Bear * William Gibson * Terry Bisson * Pat Cadigan * Ted Chiang * John Crowley * Tony Daniel * Greg Egan * Molly Gloss * Eileen Gunn * Joe Haldeman * James Patrick Kelly * John Kessel * Nancy Kress * Ursula K. Le Guin * Ian R. MacLeod * David Marusek * Paul McAuley * Ian McDonald * Maureen F. McHugh * Robert Reed * Mike Resnick * Geoff Ryman * William Sander * Lucius Shepard * Robert Silverberg * Brian Stableford * Bruce Sterling * Charles Stross * Michael Swanwick * Steven Utley * Howard Waldrop * Walter Jon Williams * Connie Willis * Gene Wolfe

With work spanning two decades, The Best of the Best stands as one of the ultimate science fiction anthologies ever published.

Contents

xi • Foreword (The Best of the Best: 20 Years of the Year's Best Science Fiction) • essay by Robert Silverberg

xvii • Preface (The Best of the Best: 20 Years of the Year's Best Science Fiction) • essay by Gardner Dozois

1 • Blood Music • (1983) • novelette by Greg Bear

19 • A Cabin on the Coast • (1984) • shortstory by Gene Wolfe

28 • Salvador • (1984) • shortstory by Lucius Shepard

42 • Trinity • (1984) • novella by Nancy Kress

78 • Flying Saucer Rock and Roll • (1985) • novelette by Howard Waldrop (aka Flying Saucer Rock & Roll)

93 • Dinner in Audoghast • (1985) • shortstory by Bruce Sterling

103 • Roadside Rescue • (1985) • shortstory by Pat Cadigan

109 • Snow • (1985) • shortstory by John Crowley

121 • The Winter Market • (1985) • novelette by William Gibson

137 • The Pure Product • (1986) • novelette by John Kessel

152 • Stable Strategies for Middle Management • (1988) • shortstory by Eileen Gunn

162 • Kirinyaga • [Kirinyaga • 2] • (1988) • novelette by Mike Resnick

177 • Tales from the Venia Woods • [Roma Eterna] • (1989) • shortstory by Robert Silverberg

191 • Bears Discover Fire • (1990) • shortstory by Terry Bisson

199 • Even the Queen • (1992) • shortstory by Connie Willis

213 • Guest of Honor • (1993) • novelette by Robert Reed

238 • None So Blind • (1994) • shortstory by Joe Haldeman

246 • Mortimer Gray's History of Death • (1995) • novella by Brian Stableford (aka Mortimer Gray's "History of Death")

293 • The Lincoln Train • (1995) • shortstory by Maureen F. McHugh

303 • Wang's Carpets • (1995) • novelette by Greg Egan

328 • Coming of Age in Karhide • [Hainish] • (1995) • novelette by Ursula K. Le Guin

342 • The Dead • (1996) • shortstory by Michael Swanwick

352 • Recording Angel • (1996) • shortstory by Ian McDonald

363 • A Dry, Quiet War • (1996) • novelette by Tony Daniel

380 • The Undiscovered • (1997) • novelette by William Sanders

400 • Second Skin • (1997) • shortstory by Paul J. McAuley

418 • Story of Your Life • (1998) • novella by Ted Chiang

454 • People Came from Earth • (1999) • shortstory by Stephen Baxter

464 • The Wedding Album • [Cathy] • (1999) • novella by David Marusek

502 • 10 to 16 to 1 • (1999) • novelette by James Patrick Kelly (aka 1016 to 1)

520 • Daddy's World • (1999) • novelette by Walter Jon Williams

541 • The Real World • [Silurian Tales] • (2000) • shortstory by Steven Utley

561 • Have Not Have • (2001) • novelette by Geoff Ryman

577 • Lobsters • [Macx Family] • (2001) • novelette by Charles Stross

597 • Breathmoss • (2002) • novella by Ian R. MacLeod

647 • Lambing Season • (2002) • shortstory by Molly Gloss