The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year, Volume 12

By: Jonathan Strahan - editor

Narrated by: Mimi Chang, Susan Duerden, Deepti Gupta, Nick Hardcastle, Rachel Jacobs, Sisi Aisha Johnson, Ava Lucas, Janet Metzger

The latest in a series that has been called "a must for fans of science fiction, fantasy, and short stories in general"

Science fiction is a portal that opens doors onto futures too rich and strange to imagine. Fantasy takes us through doorways of magic and wonder. For more than a decade award-winning editor Jonathan Strahan has sifted through tens of thousands of stories to select the best, the most interesting, the most engaging science fiction and fantasy to thrill and delight readers.

Featuring stories from Daniel Abraham, Charlie Jane Anders, Kelly Barnhill, R. S. Benedict, Tobias Buckell, C.S.E. Cooney, Indrapramit Das, Samuel R. Delany, Greg Egan, Max Gladstone, Theodora Goss, Saad Z. Hossain, Dave Hutchinson, Kathleen Kayembe, Caitlin R Kiernan, Mary Robinette Kowal, Rich Larson, Yoon Ha Lee, Scott Lynch, Maureen McHugh, Khaalidah Muhammad-Ali, Linda Nagata, Suzanne Palmer, Vina Jie-Min Prasad, Alastair Reynolds, Karl Schroeder, Kai Ashante Wilson, Nick Wolven, and Caroline M. Yoachim.

Narrators: Dan Woren, Shridhar Solanki, MW Wilson, Josh Clark, Mimi Chang, Susan Duerden, Deepti Gupta, Nick Hardcastle, Rachel Jacobs, Sisi Aisha Johnson, Ava Lucas, Janet Metzger, and Greg Tremblay.

Download the accompanying reference guide.©2017 see PDF (P)2018 Recorded Books

Not up to my expectations

Most of the stories I would not recommend. I did like 'A Series of Steaks' by Vina Jie-Min Prasad. Then I would also commend 'Zen and the Art of Starship Maintenance' by Tobias S. Buckell, 'The Secret Life of Bots' by Suzanne Palmer and 'Eminence' by Karl Schroeder. The first three of the titles mentioned so far can also be read in the volume 'The Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume 3' (Neil Clarke editor). Other titles I found to be of some interest where: 'Concessions' by Khaalidah Muhammad-Ali, 'Confessions of a Con Girl' by Nick Wolven, 'The Worshipful Society of Glovers' by Mary Robinette Kowal and 'Come See The Living Dryad' by Theodora Goss

Anthology of recent authors

I enjoy the current anthologies a great deal, but some of the social commentary involved in a few stories is particularly hamfisted. The range of stories here is impressive. The styles and topics range from distressed character studies to fantasy dragon looting. My preference is for large stories in large settings with competent characters. I don't dislike the flawed or neurotic characters of smaller more personal stories I just find them less entertaining. Some of these stories try so very hard to be social criticism or to perceive some of our present social concerns from a novel angle. I found most of those stories to feel a little forced - if well written. I can appreciate a direct approach to a topic, but prefer the story be involved with more than illustrating a social position. And in a few instances these stories are left hanging. There are a plethora of stories here. All different and all entertaining. It is as an anthology should be: diverse, broad, and of excellent quality.
Recommended for those that appreciate the current styles of science fiction and the classic tale.

very few very good stories

There were some excellent stories. too few. the narration is very good. skiped 3 stories

Not interestingly to me

Seems like very poor short stories to me. did not seem like Science Fiction, just a story about nothing to do with any type of science involvement.

Best Sci-Fi?

Slow and often drifting in the beginning few stories. The epilogue seemed like a rant rather than a summation of the year in Sci-Fi. I hope the next HOURS of reading is not as painful as the first that I have listened to.