We’re excited to share the cover and the full table of contents for The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Volume 2, an anthology of the best short science fiction and speculative fiction of 2020, compiled by award-winning editor Jonathan Strahan. Look for it September 14th from Saga Press.
The definitive guide and a must-have collection of the best short science fiction and speculative fiction of 2020, showcasing brilliant talent and examining the cultural moment we live in, compiled by award-winning editor Jonathan Strahan.
With short works from some of the most lauded science fiction authors, as well as rising stars, this collection displays the top talent and the cutting-edge cultural moments that affect our lives, dreams, and stories.
The list of authors is truly star-studded, including the incredible talents of Nadia Afifi, Charlie Jane Anders, Max Barry, Pat Cadigan, Rebecca Campbell, Gene Doucette, Andy Dudak, Meg Elison, Timons Esaias, Sarah Gailey, Ozzie M. Gartrell, A.T. Greenblatt, Rich Larson, Yoon Ha Lee, Ken Liu, Usman T. Malik, Maureen McHugh, Marian Denise Moore, Ray Nayler, Tochi Onyebuchi, Suzanne Palmer, Vina Jie-Min Prasad, Alastair Reynolds, Karl Schroeder, Sameem Siddiqui, Nick Wolven, and Neon Yang.
An assemblage of future classics, this anthology is a must-read for anyone who enjoys the vast and exciting world of science fiction.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Selection and “Introduction” by Jonathan Strahan
- “The Bahrain Underground Bazaar” by Nadia Afifi
Originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, 11/12/20
- “If You Take My Meaning” by Charlie Jane Anders
Originally published in Tor.com, 2/12/20.
- “It Came From Cruden Farm” by Max Barry
Originally published in Slate Future Tense, 2/29/20.
- “The Final Performance of the Amazing Ralphie” by Pat Cadigan
Originally published in Avatars Inc.
- “An Important Failure” by Rebecca Campbell
Originally published in Clarkesworld Magazine, 8/20
- “Schrödinger’s Catastrophe” by Gene Doucette
Originally published in Lightspeed Magazine, 11/20
- “Midstrathe Exploding” by Andy Dudak
Originally published in Analog: Science Fiction and Fact, 3-4/20
- “The Pill” by Meg Elison
Originally published in Big Girl Plus… (PM Press)
- “GO. NOW. FIX. “ by Timons Esaias
Originally published in Asimov’s Science Fiction, 1-2/20
- “Drones to Ploughshares” by Sarah Gailey
Originally published in Motherboard Vice, 4/02/20
- “The Transition of OSOOSI” by Ozzie M. Gartrell
Originally published in Fiyah Lit Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction Issue #13
- “Burn or The Episodic Life of Sam Wells as a Super” by A.T. Greenblatt
Originally published in Uncanny Magazine, 5-6/20
- “How Quini the Squid Misplaced His Klobučar” by Rich Larson
Originally published in Tor.com, 1/15/20
- “The Mermaid Astronaut” by Yoon Ha Lee
Originally published in Beneath Ceaseless Skies 298
- “50 Things Every AI Working with Humans Should Know” by Ken Liu
Originally published in Uncanny Magazine, 11-12/20
- “Beyond These Stars Other Tribulations of Love” by Usman T. Malik
Originally published in Wired, 12/11/20
- “Yellow and the Perception of Reality” by Maureen McHugh
Originally published in Tor.com, 7/22/20
- “A Mastery of German” by Marian Denise Moore
Originally published in Dominion: An Anthology of Speculative Fiction from Africa and the African Diaspora
- “Father” by Ray Nayler
Originally published in Asimov’s Science Fiction, 7-8/20
- “How to Pay Reparations: a Documentary” by Tochi Onyebuchi
Originally published in Slate Future Tense, 8/29/20
- “Don’t Mind Me” by Suzanne Palmer
Originally published in Entanglements: Tomorrow’s Lovers, Families, and Friends (MIT Press)
- “A Guide for Working Breeds” by Vina Jie-Min Prasad
Originally published in Made to Order: Robots and Revolution
- “Polished Performance” by Alastair Reynolds
Originally published in Made to Order: Robots and Revolution
- “The Suicide of Our Troubles” by Karl Schroeder
Originally published in Slate Future Tense, 11/28/20
- “Airbody” by Sameem Siddiqui
Originally published in Clarkesworld Magazine, 4/20
- “Sparklybits” by Nick Wolven
Originally published in Entanglements: Tomorrow’s Lovers, Families, and Friends (MIT Press)
- “The Search for [Flight X]” by Neon Yang
Originally published in Avatars Inc.
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Jonathan Strahan was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in early 1964. He moved to Australia in 1969 where he in short order helped to fight a bushfire, shook hands with an astronaut, and became convinced he’d become a geologist and live on Mars. It’s not surprising that he fell in love with science fiction early, or that he spent far too much time reading. He went on to graduate from college with an interesting but not particularly useful Arts degree, but had met people that led him directly into science fiction itself. He co-edited and co-published Eidolon, an award-winning Australian semiprozine, in the 1990s before starting to work for Locus in 1997. He had an inside run for the job, given he was dating the managing editor. That led directly to Jonathan becoming a reviewer, and then going on to edit nearly 100 books. He has won the World Fantasy, Aurealis, Ditmar and Locus Awards, and been nominated 15 times for the Hugo Award. He is also the co-host and producer of the Hugo-nominated Coode Street Podcast. He still lives in Western Australia with the former managing editor of Locus and their two children.
