Best Story Collections of 2005
Maureen McHugh asks if I can suggest some of the best short story collections of 2005. Having been nominated for a big prize for her own collection (huzzah!), she finds herself wondering what else is going on out there.
I haven't been following new fiction as closely as usual this past year (mostly because of preoccupation with my own projects), so I can make only a few suggestions. Terry Bisson published two collections this year, Greetings and Other Stories and Numbers Don't Lie. (The good folks at Tachyon sent me reviewer's galleys, but I have so far not found a newspaper interested in commissioning me to do a review of recent SF.) I have read about half the stories in Greetings, and it's good. As good as Bears Discover Fire? Can't say till I've read the rest.
Numbers Don't Lie is a trio of novellas about this colorful character. Such a volume may not be considered a story collection by everyone, but Jim Harrison's The Summer He didn't Die also comprises three novellas, and it was also nominated for the Story Prize, so hey, it counts. (Anyway, I like novellas.) And at least one of the stories in this volume involves Harrison's own colorful character, Brown Dog, so there. I liked the novellas, so count Bisson in.
James Salter's Last Night has some superb stories in it. Maro Lanagan's Black Juice appeared from Eos this spring, but I believe it first appeared overseas last year. Um, does anyone have other candidates?
I haven't been following new fiction as closely as usual this past year (mostly because of preoccupation with my own projects), so I can make only a few suggestions. Terry Bisson published two collections this year, Greetings and Other Stories and Numbers Don't Lie. (The good folks at Tachyon sent me reviewer's galleys, but I have so far not found a newspaper interested in commissioning me to do a review of recent SF.) I have read about half the stories in Greetings, and it's good. As good as Bears Discover Fire? Can't say till I've read the rest.
Numbers Don't Lie is a trio of novellas about this colorful character. Such a volume may not be considered a story collection by everyone, but Jim Harrison's The Summer He didn't Die also comprises three novellas, and it was also nominated for the Story Prize, so hey, it counts. (Anyway, I like novellas.) And at least one of the stories in this volume involves Harrison's own colorful character, Brown Dog, so there. I liked the novellas, so count Bisson in.
James Salter's Last Night has some superb stories in it. Maro Lanagan's Black Juice appeared from Eos this spring, but I believe it first appeared overseas last year. Um, does anyone have other candidates?
posted by Gregory Feeley at 5:37 PM
13 Comments:
I think I'm the only person I know who doesn't understand why Black Juice is impressing everyone so. I liked "Singing My Sister Down" well enough, but the rest of the collection, while clever in its worldbuilding, seemed to have a certain sameness to it, and mostly left me unmoved.
I have a copy of my own I have to send to Maureen; we'd agreed to do a swap, and after reading books for the jury I'm going to be desperate to read hers, I'm thinking. Holly's is one that is on my reading list, but of course I've already read it.
I take it nobody ever sent you one of mine?
D
Hurrah for Janni! I don't necessarily share her skepticism about Black Juice (I have only read the two stories reprinted in Year's Best Fantasy), but her willingness to buck dogma about one of the SF/F world's current darlings is bracing.
I like Kelly Link's fiction quite a bit, but I confess I winced when Niall added "(of course!)" after saying that hers was among his collections of the year. Kelly has become a critical darling, and deservedly so, but people in this community are too quick to be seen piling onto bandwagons. (I am not suggesting anything about Niall in particular.) Indeed, when I added a modest huzzah after the news of Maureen's prize nomination, I paused lest I seemed to be doing the same.
I had forgotten about Carol Emshwiller's I Live With You. I remember looking at a copy and seeing that I had read maybe a third of the stories in the magazines. Must move it closer to the top of whatever pile it's in.
Niall, tell us more about Joe Hill's collection. I have never heard of him.
Derryl, I didn't get a copy of your collection, which I would definitely like to see. (Had I got one, I wouldn't have managed to review it yet; one usually gets such assignments only by chasing editors, and I have been busy with my own fiction these past several months.)
One copy of Wasps at the Speed of Sound shall be dropped in the mail shortly, sir. On the house, as it were.
D
Hi Derryl,
If there's horror in your collection, can you ask Sean Wallace to get me a copy pronto?
Thanks
Ellen Datlow
I've enjoyed most of the stories in Kelly Link's new collection.
I started recommending Margo Lanagan's stories "Singing My Sister Down" when I read in in 2004 and immediately took it for YBFH #17. I enjoyed her collection, although I don't think any of the other stories are as powerful as "Singing my Sister Down."
I think Joe Hill's first collection is excellent, although I don't love all the stories. Three of them are exceptional:
"My Father's Mask" )chosen for YBFH #18
"The Cape"
"Voluntary Committal"
Ellen Datlow
Derryl, thanks. I shall look forward to it.
I am currently reading the latest Year's Best Fantasy, which, however, perforce features stories first published in 2004.
I can note here that the last several issues of F&SF have been especially strong. Asimov's has begun to stagnate in recent years -- Allen Steele seems to publish every novel he writes in novella-length chunks there, and a few other regulars seem to publish everything there whether it's their best or not -- while F&SF has flourished.
I am going to try to read the stories in Jay Lake's anthology Tel:Stories this week.
But check out Joy Williams, discussed in the entry above. She really rocks.
All science fiction, Ellen, but thanks for asking.
D
Thanks for letting me know, Derryl (one less book to read. Yayyy!)
Ellen
I particularly like Michel Faber's new collection The Fahrenheit Twins.
Lee
A lot of the louis vuitton bags
the YYZ zippers, key set, and assumption lock. Such websites appear with assorted collections of louis handbags
. The Damier Azur
in the apple of appearance has dethroned and baffled the originals. Be it Damier Canvas
are cardinal everywhere.
http://www.prokr.net/2016/09/furniture-moving-company-al-hasa.html
http://www.prokr.net/2016/09/furniture-moving-company-jubail.html
http://www.prokr.net/2016/09/furniture-moving-company-khobar.html
http://www.prokr.net/2016/09/furniture-moving-company-dammam.html
coach outlet online
new balance outlet
polo outlet
asics shoes
bengals jersey
nike shoes
mont blanc pens
prada shoes outlet
kobe 9 elite
ray ban sunglasses outlet
Post a Comment
<< Home