SubscribeThis one is slightly out of date. I think they may be on “Best SF 11″, or something close to that by now. Anyway, this book contains the best Science Fiction short stories published in the year 2000. The editor, David G. Hartwell, selects them all, puts a little blurb about each author before their story, and wrote the introduction.
The introduction is rather interesting. Hartwell comments on how the year 2000 is a BIG year for science fiction, and makes references to many of the famous stories that take place on or around that year. (Such as Arthur C. Clarke’s 2001, and Edward Bellamy’s Looking Backward). Hartwell also emphasizes, emphatically, and repeatedly, that these stories are all examples of “hard Science Fiction”. I have never heard that term before I picked up this book.
Anyway, these were the best Science Fiction short stories published in 2000, (at least, according to Hartwell, and whoever he confers with, if anyone). I found that I was not really interested in many of them, which was a disapointment. Maybe I’m just not that into “Hard Science Fiction”? I don’t really know. Some stories were just too technical, and didn’t seem to really go anywhere. Others presented a very interesting concept, but, then abruptly ended, sometimes after just a page or two. It would have been nice to have some of those stories expanded upon.
It wasn’t a complete waste of time, however, because there were a few stories that I liked. I am considering looking for other books written by some of these authors who were new to me.
“The Birthday of The World” was written by Ursula K. LeGuin, who I really should have read before. I really enjoyed the way she set up the story from the viewpoint of one of the characters who is NOT from Earth, or, at least not the Earth we know. It reminded me of reading case studies of different small cultures when I was in Anthropology class. This story examines the unique way this society views God, and what happens when that concept is played around with. Fascinating! This was the story I liked best out of all the stories in the entire book!
“The Marriage of Sea and Sky” was written by Chris Beckett. Its another story that reminds me of Anthropology class. Beckett sends his main character in a semi-sentient Space craft off to another planet. The main character meets a people who are living from the sea that coats their planet. All the main character wants is to is learn just enough about these people to create a best selling book, which he plans on releasing as soon as he gets back home. However, because of his ignorance of this culture, he ends up choosing to stay there.
I did enjoy one of the very short short stories. “The Bordeaux Mixture” by Charles Dexter Ward is about semi-sentient tomato plants, who like to be “watered” with a mixture of wine. Amusing! Maybe I just liked the idea because I like tomatoes, but I thought it was a nice little story.
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