Nebula Awards 30:: SFWA's Choices For The Best Science Fiction And Fantasy Of The Year - Hardcover

Science Fiction Writers Of America

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0151001138 ISBN 13: 9780151001132

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1996

Synopsis

A science fiction anthology features seven original essays on trends in science fiction and fantasy literature and a spirited essay on the latest in science fiction and fantasy films, and collects works by such winners as Greg Bear, Mike Resnick, David Gerold, and Martha Soukup.

About this title

About the Author

Pamela Sargent (born March 20, 1948) is an American, feminist, science fiction author, and editor. She has an MA in classical philosophy and has won a Nebula Award. She wrote a series concerning the terraforming of Venus that is sometimes compared to Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy, but predates it. She also edited various anthologies to celebrate the contributions of women in the history of science fiction. She is noted for writing alternate history stories. Sargent has attempted work with a wide variety of themes in general, if not always successfully. She also collaborated with George Zebrowski and on numerous Star Trek novels.

Reviews

The 30th Nebula Award collection, while a respectable "year's best" and report on the genre, somehow fails to strike sparks. Editor Sargent includes a lot: all the short-fiction winners and nominated short stories; a section of the winning novel, Greg Bear's Moving Mars; a story by the Grand Master winner, Damon Knight (founder of the Science Fiction Writers of America, which awards the Nebulas); the Rhysling Award winners for best SF poetry, articles on the state of the genre and SF movies; and a tribute to Robert Bloch. The best pieces are Ursula K. Le Guin's runner-up novelette, "The Matter of Seggri," an insightful sketch of sex roles in an alien culture; Martha Soukup's winning short story, the bitterly memorable "A Defense of the Social Contracts"; and David Gerrold's winning novelette, "The Martian Child," a charming tale of adoption that goes on a bit too long. Mike Resnick's winning novella, "Seven Views of Olduvai Gorge," also a Hugo winner, suffers from fakey aliens and hoodoo science. The other short stories, by Maureen McHugh, Knight, Ben Bova, Barry Malzberg and Kate Wilhelm, are accomplished but flawed. Joe Haldeman's Hugo-winning "None So Blind" is the best of the lot. Perhaps the recent, previous publication of most of these pieces has robbed the collection's thunder; while worthwhile, even impressive at times, it's more commendable than exciting.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Nebula Award winners for 1994, as voted by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America: eleven stories, three poems, seven essays examining the year's fiction, Frank M. Robinson's tribute to the late Robert Bloch (Psycho, etc.), and Kathi Maio's look at the year's movies. Mike Resnick's African odyssey, ``Seven Views of Olduvai Gorge,'' won Best Novella. ``The Martian Child'' from David Gerrold (Best Novelette) is about, well, a Martian child. Martha Soukup's Best Short Story, ``A Defense of the Social Contracts,'' debates human nature and social engineering; and the runners-up (from Ben Bova, Joe Haldeman, Maureen McHugh, Barry N. Malzberg, and Kate Wilhelm) also appear. Damon Knight (Grand Master Award) contributes a story, as does Ursula K. LeGuin (Tiptree Award winner). Included as well are an excerpt from Greg Bear's Best Novel, Moving Mars, and essays from John Kessel (novels), Nicola Griffith (aliens), Paul Di Filippo (veteran writers), Jack Dann (Australia), Sheila Finch (style vs. substance), Pat Murphy (social issues), and James Gunn (an overview). Excellent in all departments. -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

The Science-fiction and Fantasy Writers of America chose "A Defense of the Social Contracts" by Martha Soukup as best short story, "The Martian Child" by David Gerrold as best novelette, and "Seven Views of Olduvai Gorge" by Mike Resnick as best novella of 1994. They appear here with a bit of the 1994 novel Moving Mars by Greg Bear, surveys of 1994 sf and fantasy writing and films, and some also-rans from the shorter fiction categories. Ray Olson

Edition details

• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0151001138
• ISBN 13: 9780151001132
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 350
• Editor: Sargent Pamela