The Year’s Best Science Fiction (St Martin's) 26 Read online

  THE YEAR’S BEST

  ALSO BY GARDNER DOZOIS

  ANTHOLOGIES

  A DAY IN THE LIFE

  ANOTHER WORLD

  BEST SCIENCE FICTION STORIES OF THE YEAR #6-10

  THE BEST OF ISAAC ASIMOV’S SCIENCE FICTION MAGAZINE

  TIME-TRAVELERS FROM ISAAC ASIMOV’S SCIENCE FICTION MAGAZINE

  TRANSCENDENTAL TALES FROM ISAAC ASIMOV’S SCIENCE FICTION MAGAZINE

  ISAAC ASIMOV’S ALIENS

  ISAAC ASIMOV’S MARS

  ISAAC ASIMOV’S SF LITE

  ISAAC ASIMOV’S WAR

  ROADS NOT TAKEN (with Stanley Schmidt)

  THE YEAR’S BEST SCIENCE FICTION, #1-25

  FUTURE EARTHS: UNDER AFRICAN SKIES (with Mike Resnick)

  FUTURE EARTHS: UNDER SOUTH AMERICAN SKIES (with Mike Resnick)

  RIPPER! (with Susan Casper)

  MODERN CLASSIC SHORT NOVELS OF SCIENCE FICTION

  MODERN CLASSICS OF FANTASY

  KILLING ME SOFTLY

  DYING FOR IT

  THE GOOD OLD STUFF

  THE GOOD NEW STUFF

  EXPLORERS

  THE FURTHEST HORIZON

  WORLDMAKERS

  SUPERMEN

  COEDITED WITH SHEILA WILLIAMS

  ISAAC ASIMOV’S PLANET EARTH

  ISAAC ASIMOV’S CHRISTMAS

  ISAAC ASIMOV’S ROBOTS

  ISAAC ASIMOV’S CAMELOT

  ISAAC ASIMOV’S VALENTINES

  ISAAC ASIMOV’S WEREWOLVES

  ISAAC ASIMOV’S SKIN DEEP

  ISAAC ASIMOV’S SOLAR SYSTEM

  ISAAC ASIMOV’S GHOSTS

  ISAAC ASIMOV’S DETECTIVES

  ISAAC ASIMOV’S VAMPIRES

  ISAAC ASIMOV’S CYBERDREAMS

  ISAAC ASIMOV’S MOONS

  COEDITED WITH JACK DANN

  ALIENS!

  MERMAIDS!

  DINOSAURS!

  INVADERS!

  CLONES

  UNICORNS!

  SORCERERS!

  LITTLE PEOPLE!

  ANGELS!

  NANOTECH

  MAGICATS!

  DEMONS!

  DRAGONS!

  DINOSAURS II

  IMMORTALS

  MAGICATS 2!

  DOGTALES!

  HORSES!

  HACKERS

  BESTIARY!

  SEASERPENTS!

  UNICORNS 2

  TIMEGATES

  FICTION

  STRANGERS

  SLOW DANCING THROUGH TIME

  THE VISIBLE MAN (Collection)

  (with Jack Dann, Michael Swanwick,

  NIGHTMARE BLUE

  Susan Casper and Jack C. Haldeman II)

  (with George Alec Effinger)

  THE PEACEMAKER

  GEODESIC DREAMS (collection)

  NONFICTION

  THE FICTION OF JAMES TIPTREE, JR.

  THE YEAR’S BEST

  Edited by Gardner Dozois

  st. martin’s griffin new york

  These stories are works of fiction. All of the characters,

  organizations, and events portrayed in these stories are either

  products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  THE YEAR’S BEST SCIENCE FICTION: TWENTY-SIXTH ANNUAL

  COLLECTION. Copyright © 2009 by Gardner Dozois. All

  rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. For

  information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue,

  New York, N.Y. 10010.

  www.stmartins.com

  ISBN-13: 978-0-312-55104-9 (hc)

  ISBN-10: 0-312-55104-5 (hc)

  ISBN-13: 978-0-312-55105-6 (pbk)

  ISBN-10: 0-312-55105-3 (pbk)

  First Edition: July 2009

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  acknowledgment is made for permission

  to reprint the following materials:

  “Turing’s Apples,” by Stephen Baxter. Copyright © 2008 by Stephen Baxter. First published in Eclipse Two (Night Shade), edited by Jonathan Strahan. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “From Babel’s Fall’n Glory We Fled,” by Michael Swanwick. Copyright © 2008 by Dell Magazines. First published in Asimov’s Science Fiction, February 2008. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “The Gambler,” by Paolo Bacigalupi. Copyright © 2008 by Paolo Bacigalupi. First published in Fast Forward 2 (Pyr), edited by Lou Anders. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “Boojum,” by Elizabeth Bear and Sarah Monette. Copyright © 2008 by Elizabeth Bear and Sarah Monette. First published in Fast Ships, Black Sails (Night Shade), edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer. Reprinted by permission of the authors.

  “The Six Directions of Space,” by Alastair Reynolds. Copyright © 2008 by Alastair Reynolds. First published in Galactic Empires (Science Fiction Book Club), edited by Gardner Dozois. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “N-Words,” by Ted Kosmatka. Copyright © 2008 by Ted Kosmatka. First published in Seeds of Change (Prime), edited by J. J. Adams. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “An Eligible Boy,” by Ian McDonald. Copyright © 2008 by Ian McDonald. First published in Fast Forward 2 (Pyr), edited by Lou Anders. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “Shining Armour,” by Dominic Green. Copyright © 2008 by Dominic Green. First published in The Solaris Book of Science Fiction: Volume Two (Solaris), edited by George Mann. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “The Hero,” by Karl Schroeder. Copyright © 2008 by Karl Schroeder. First published in Eclipse Two (Night Shade), edited by Jonathan Strahan. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “Evil Robot Monkey,” by Mary Robinette Kowal. Copyright © 2008 by Mary Robinette Kowal. First published in The Solaris Book of Science Fiction: Volume Two (Solaris), edited by George Mann. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “Five Thrillers,” by Robert Reed. Copyright © 2008 by Spilogale, Inc. First published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, April 2008. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “The Sky That Wraps the World Round, Past the Blue and Into the Black,” by Jay Lake. Copyright © 2008 by Jay Lake. First published electronically online in Clarkesworld, March 2008. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “Incomes,” by Paul McAuley. Copyright © 2008 by Paul McAuley. First published in The Starry Rift (Viking), edited by Jonathan Strahan. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “Crystal Nights,” by Greg Egan. Copyright © 2008 by Interzone. First published in Interzone, April 2008. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “The Egg Man,” by Mary Rosenblum. Copyright © 2008 by Dell Magazines. First published in Asimov’s Science Fiction, February 2008. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “His Master’s Voice,” by Hannu Rajaniemi. Copyright © 2008 by Interzone. First published in Interzone, October 2008. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “The Political Prisoner,” by Charles Coleman Finlay. Copyright © 2008 by Spilogale, Inc. First published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, August 2008. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “Balancing Accounts,” by James L. Cambias. Copyright © 2008 by Spilogale, Inc. First published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, February 2008. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “Special Economics,” by Maureen McHugh. Copyright © 2008 by Maureen McHugh. First published in The Del Rey Book of Science Fiction and Fantasy (Del Rey), edited by Ellen Datlow. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “Days of Wonder,” by Geoff Ryman. Copyright © 2008 by Spilogale, Inc. First published in The Magazine
of Fantasy & Science Fiction, October/November 2008. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “The City of the Dead,” by Paul McAuley. Copyright © 2008 by Paul McAuley. First published in Postscripts 15. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “The Voyage Out,” by Gwyneth Jones. Copyright © 2008 by Gwyneth Jones. First published in Periphery: Exotic Lesbian Futures (Lethe Press), edited by Lynne Jamneck. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “The Illustrated Biography of Lord Grimm,” by Daryl Georgy. Copyright © 2008 by Daryl Gregory. First published in Eclipse Two (Night Shade), edited by Jonathan Strahan. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “G-Men,” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch. Copyright © 2008 by Kristine Kathryn Rusch. First published in Sideways in Crime (Solaris), edited by Lou Anders. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “The Erdmann Nexus,” by Nancy Kress. Copyright © 2008 by Dell Magazines. First published in Asimov’s Science Fiction, October/November 2008. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “Old Friends,” by Garth Nix. Copyright © 2008 by Garth Nix. First published in Dreaming Again (Eos), edited by Jack Dann. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “The Ray-Gun: A Love Story,” by James Alan Gardner. Copyright © 2008 by Dell Magazines. First published in Asimov’s Science Fiction, February 2008. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “Lester Young and the Jupiter’s Moons’ Blues,” by Gord Sellar. Copyright © 2008 by Dell Magazines. First published in Asimov’s Science Fiction, July 2008. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “Butterfly, Falling at Dawn,” by Aliette de Bodard. Copyright © 2008 by Interzone. First published in Interzone, December 2008. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  “The Tear,” by Ian McDonald. Copyright © 2008 by Ian McDonald. First published in Galactic Empires (Science Fiction Book Club), edited by Gardner Dozois. Reprinted by permission of the author.

  contents

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  SUMMATION: 2008

  TURING’S APPLES · Stephen Baxter

  FROM BABEL’S FALL’N GLORY WE FLED · Michael Swanwick

  THE GAMBLER · Paolo Bacigalupi

  BOOJUM · Elizabeth Bear & Sarah Monette

  THE SIX DIRECTIONS OF SPACE · Alastair Reynolds

  N-WORDS · Ted Kosmatka

  AN ELIGIBLE BOY · Ian McDonald

  SHINING ARMOUR · Dominic Green

  THE HERO · Karl Schroeder

  EVIL ROBOT MONKEY · Mary Robinette Kowal

  FIVE THRILLERS · Robert Reed

  THE SKY THAT WRAPS THE WORLD ROUND, PAST

  THE BLUE AND INTO THE BLACK · Jay Lake

  INCOMERS · Paul McAuley

  CRYSTAL NIGHTS · Greg Egan

  THE EGG MAN · Mary Rosenblum

  HIS MASTER’S VOICE · Hannu Rajaniemi

  THE POLITICAL PRISONER · Charles Coleman Finlay

  BALANCING ACCOUNTS · James L. Cambias

  SPECIAL ECONOMICS · Maureen McHugh

  DAYS OF WONDER · Geoff Ryman

  CITY OF THE DEAD · Paul McAuley

  THE VOYAGE OUT · Gwyneth Jones

  THE ILLUSTRATED BIOGRAPHY OF LORD GRIMM · Daryl Gregory

  G-MEN · Kristine Kathryn Rusch

  THE ERDMANN NEXUS · Nancy Kress

  OLD FRIENDS · Garth Nix

  THE RAY-GUN: A LOVE STORY · James Alan Gardner

  LESTER YOUNG AND THE JUPITER’S MOONS’ BLUES · Gord Sellar

  BUTTERFLY, FALLING AT DAWN · Aliette de Bodard

  THE TEAR · Ian McDonald

  HONORABLE MENTIONS: 2008

  acknowledgments

  The editor would like to thank the following people for their help and support: Susan Casper, Jonathan Strahan, Gordon Van Gelder, Ellen Datlow, Peter Crowther, Nicolas Gevers, Jack Dann, Mark Pontin, William Shaffer, Ian Whates, Mike Resnick, Andy Cox, Sean Wallace, Robert Wexler, Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Torie Atkinson, Jed Hartman, Eric T. Reynolds, George Mann, Jennifer Brehl, Peter Tennant, Susan Marie Groppi, Karen Meisner, John Joseph Adams, Wendy S. Delmater, Rich Horton, Mark R. Kelly, Andrew Wilson, Damien Broderick, Gary Turner, Lou Anders, Cory Doctorow, Patrick Swenson, Bridget McKenna, Marti McKenna, Jay Lake, Sheila Williams, Brian Bieniowski, Trevor Quachri, Alastair Reynolds, Michael Swanwick, Stephen Baxter, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Nancy Kress, Greg Egan, Ian McDonald, Paul McAuley, Ted Kosmatka, Paolo Bacigalupi, Elizabeth Bear, Robert Reed, Vandana Singh, Kathleen Ann Goonan, Daryl Gregory, James Alan Gardner, Maureen McHugh, L. Timmel Duchamp, Walter Jon Williams, Jeff VanderMeer, Gwyneth Jones, Dominic Green, William Sanders, Lawrence Watt-Evans, David D. Levine, Liz Williams, Geoff Ryman, Paul Brazier, Charles Coleman Finlay, Gord Sellar, Steven Utley, James L. Cambias, Garth Nix, David Hartwell, Ginjer Buchanan, Susan Allison, Shawna McCarthy, Kelly Link, Gavin Grant, John Klima, John O’Neill, Rodger Turner, Tyree Campbell, Stuart Mayne, John Kenny, Edmund Schubert, Tehani Wessely, Tehani Croft, Karl Johanson, Sally Beasley, Connor Cochran, Tony Lee, Joe Vas, John Pickrell, Ian Redman, Anne Zanoni, Kaolin Fire, Ralph Benko, Paul Graham Raven, Nick Wood, David Moles, Mike Allen, Jason Sizemore, Karl Johanson, Sue Miller, David Lee Summers, Christopher M. Cevasco, Tyree Campbell, Andrew Hook, Vaughne Lee Hansen, Mark Watson, Sarah Lumnah, and special thanks to my own editor, Marc Resnick.

  Thanks are also due to Charles N. Brown, whose magazine Locus (Locus Publications, P. O. Box 13305, Oakland, CA 94661. $60 in the United States for a one-year subscription [twelve issues] via second class; credit card orders 510-339-9198) was used as an invaluable reference source throughout the summation; Locus Online (locusmag.com), edited by Mark R. Kelly, has also become a key reference source.

  summation: 2008

  The publishing world proved not to be immune to the deepening recession, and the genre suffered several major losses in 2008. About the best spin that can be put on it is to say that things could have been worse. (And things may yet still get worse, of course. The rumored possible bankruptcy of the Borders bookstore chain, which has been buzzed about for months now, would, if it happens, likely have an adverse effect on many publishers.)

  Much of 2008’s bad news was delivered on December 3, what has come to be called Black Wednesday in the publishing industry, when Random House announced major restructuring and layoffs, making Bantam Dell part of Random House instead of an independent operation; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt saw resignations and firings even at the highest levels of the company (and caused a furor by announcing a “buying freeze” on new titles); and Simon & Schuster also announced significant staff cuts. Earlier, many people had been let go by Doubleday, and later there were huge layoffs at Macmillian, Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, and elsewhere. Random House, the largest publisher in the United States, was the most strongly affected, undergoing sweeping changes, with many divisions being consolidated. The Random House Publishing Group swallowed the adult imprints of the Bantam Dell Publishing Group, including Bantam Spectra and Del Rey. The Knopf Publishing Group will absorb Doubleday as well as imprint Nan A. Talese. Senior Bantam Spectra editor Juliet Ulman was let go, as was Bantam Dell publisher Irwyn Applebaum and Doubleday publisher Steve Rubin; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt publisher and senior vice-president Rebecca Saletan resigned and executive editor Ann Patty was fired; Simon & Schuster Children’s president Rick Richter and senior vice-president and publisher Rubin Pfeffer; Farrar, Straus, and Giroux lost publisher Linda Rosenberg, the heads of production and sub rights, a senior editor, and several assistants—and scores of people in lesser positions lost their jobs throughout the industry. The slaughter continued into the early months of 2009, with Del Rey editor Liz Scheier and Ballantine editor Anika Streitfeld being fired, along with Pantheon Books publisher Janice Goldklang.

  German media conglomerate Bertelsmann, which had bought BookSpan, publisher of numerous book clubs, including the Science Fiction Book Club, just last year, turned around and sold their Direct Group North America in 2008, including BookSpan, to private investment firm Najafi Compan
ies. What effect this will ultimately have on the Science Fiction Book Club is as yet uncertain, although at the moment they seem to be continuing to function pretty much as normal. Small press Wheatland Press went on “hiatus,” usually a bad sign, as far as issuing new titles is concerned, and may or may not be back, although they’re continuing to make already-released titles available for order. Several other small presses are rumored to be teetering on the edge (while others seem to be doing okay).