Best SF | 2011 July

Sarah Rees Brennan. The Spy Who Never Grew Up. (Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year Volume 5)

By Mark Watson ⋅ July 18, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

In which we find out that Peter Pan is in her majesty’s service, in a gently charming story in which the distanced tone of the narrator works well.

Paul Cornell. The Copenhagen Interpretation. (Asimovs, July 2011)

By Mark Watson ⋅ July 17, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

Further adventures in the ‘One of Our Bastards Is Missing’ storyline, with multi-dimensional gravitic testicular torture thrown in.

Bruce McAllister. The Messenger. (Asimovs, July 2011).

By Mark Watson ⋅ July 17, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

McAllister handles the story well without tipping into sentimentality, so overall a nice little addition to the time travel story without breaking new ground/

Leah Cypess. Twelvers. (Asimovs, July 2011).

By Mark Watson ⋅ July 17, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

Fine as far as it goes, but it doesn’t really break any new ground to raise it above what feels like are a whole heap of similar stories.

The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. May/June 2011.

By Mark Watson ⋅ July 17, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

Stories by Alexandra Duncan, Albert E. Cowdrey, Kate Wilhelm, Chet Williamson, Robert Reed, Steven Popkes, Don Webb, Carter Scholz, Scott Bradfield, S.L. Gilbow, Ken Liu, Robert Reed (again!) – and a strong collection it is.

Lightspeed Magazine #14, July 2011.

By Mark Watson ⋅ July 17, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

Fiction: “The Cold Equations” by Tom Godwin (classic reprint), “The Old Equations” by Jake Kerr, “Sweet Sixteen” by Kat Howard, “Face Value” by Karen Joy Fowler (classic reprint).

Analog. April 2011.

By Mark Watson ⋅ July 16, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

Stories by Adam-Troy Castro, Paul Levinson, Thomas R. Dulski, Larry Niven, Paula S. Jordan, Edward M. Lerner, Dave Creek, Jerry Oltion

Josh Roseman. Bring on the Rain. (Asimovs July 2011)

By Mark Watson ⋅ July 13, 2011 ⋅ 3 comments

A tight drama is enacted, with a bit of backstory, and an ending offering the potential of a sequel. FWIW I’d vote for one.

Norman Spinrad. The Music of the Sphere. (Asimovs July 2011).

By Mark Watson ⋅ July 11, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

A musician, and a cetacean scientist (no, someone who studies whale, dolphins, and orcas, not a whale, dolphin or orca) find that their expertise unexpectedly overlaps.