The Year's Best Science Fiction: Eleventh Annual Collection
Dozois's ( Geodesic Dreams ) smorgasbord of 23 short stories and novellas has something to satisfy almost every taste. Intriguing characters, creative settings and a certain amount of consciousness-raising are evident in many selections. Cultures clash when an alien settles in Appalachia to try his hand at moonshining in Rebecca Ore's "Alien Bootlegger." In "Dancing on Air," Nancy Kress casts a jaundiced eye at the glamorous world of the performing arts, where "bioenhanced" ballet dancers risk more than their careers for a competitive edge. Classic space exploration is vividly portrayed in G. David Nordley's "Into the Miranda Rift," about scientists stranded on a moon of Uranus. In a lighter vein, Pat Cadigan's "Love Toys of the Gods," takes a humorous look at tabloid healines to expose what really happens to humans lucky enough to be beamed aboard those pesky UFOs. Each story is preceded by a short introduction of the author and his or her work. Add to that an honorable-mention list, and readers have a useful jumping-off point should they wish to continue their explorations of an expanding literary universe.Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.