The Year's Best Military & Adventure SF Volume 3


Book Description

The Year's Best Military and Adventure SF series continues! Selected from the top print and online markets, these stories represent the best in modern military sf, space opera, and adventure sf. Tales of brave military men and women, thrilling derring-do, and edge-of-your-seat suspense. Selected from the top markets, both print and digital, The Year’s Best Military and Adventure SF Volume 3 offers up the cream of the crop in short science fiction today. Stories to get your blood racing, your heart pounding, and your fingers turning the pages. Stories to challenge, provoke, thrill, and entertain. Stories that prove the new Golden Age is now! Plus, you be the judge! INTERACTIVE READER VOTING. One story from this anthology will be chosen via proctored online voting for The Best Military and Adventure Science Fiction Reader's Choice Award, presented at DragonCon in Summer 2017. For more information, go to Baen.com. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About The Year’s Best Military and Adventure Science Fiction 2015: “Baen’s fan-guided anthology series roars into its second year with a collection of stories just as eclectic as the first. . . . Afsharirad has put together a refreshing military and SF anthology that will be enjoyed by a wide range of readers.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) About The Year's Best Military SF and Space Opera Volume 1: “This intriguing anthology explores the human race’s violent potential [but] also bends toward exploration and the triumph of the human spirit, with brave tales [that] take the reader on a fascinating, thought-provoking, enjoyable journey . . . ”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “[A] nice eclectic mix of magazines—hardcopy and digital—and original anthologies. Afsharirad seems to have cast his nets admirably wide. . . . The variety of styles and topics and themes, and the high level of craft in this assemblage, prove that this subgenre is flourishing. . . . [The collection] should be welcome by raw recruits and veterans alike.”—Locus




The Year's Best Military and Adventure SF, Volume 4


Book Description

The Year's Best Military and Adventure SF series roars into its fourth year, with more stories of derring-do, military combat, and edge of your seat suspense. Thrilling tales of grand science fiction adventure and military action. Selected from the top print and digital markets, these stories are guaranteedd to challenge, provoke, and entertain. Plus, you be the judge! INTERACTIVE READER VOTING. One story from this anthology will be chosen via proctored online voting for The Best Military and Adventure Science Fiction Reader's Choice Award, presented at DragonCon in Summer 2018. For more information, go to Baen.com. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About The Year’s Best Military and Adventure Science Fiction 2015: “Baen’s fan-guided anthology series roars into its second year with a collection of stories just as eclectic as the first. . . . Afsharirad has put together a refreshing military and SF anthology that will be enjoyed by a wide range of readers.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) About The Year's Best Military SF and Space Opera Volume 1: “This intriguing anthology explores the human race’s violent potential [but] also bends toward exploration and the triumph of the human spirit, with brave tales [that] take the reader on a fascinating, thought-provoking, enjoyable journey . . . ”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “[A] nice eclectic mix of magazines—hardcopy and digital—and original anthologies. Afsharirad seems to have cast his nets admirably wide. . . . The variety of styles and topics and themes, and the high level of craft in this assemblage, prove that this subgenre is flourishing. . . . [The collection] should be welcome by raw recruits and veterans alike.”—Locus




The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year


Book Description

In print and on-line, science fiction and fantasy is thriving as never before. A multitude of astonishingly creative and gifted writers are boldly exploring the mythic past, the paranormal present, and the promises and perils of myriad alternate worlds and futures. There are almost too many new and intriguing stories published every year for any reader to be able to experience them all. So how to make sure you haven’t missed any future classics? Award-winning editor and anthologist Jonathan Strahan has surveyed the expanding universes of modern sf and fantasy to find the brightest stars in today’s dazzling literary firmament. From the latest masterworks by the acknowledged titans of the field to fresh visions from exciting new talents, this outstanding collection is a comprehensive showcase for the current state of the art in both science fiction and fantasy. Anyone who wants to know where the future of imaginative short fiction is going, and treat themselves to dozens of unforgettable stories, will find this year’s edition of Best Science Fiction and Fantasy to be just what they’re looking for!




The Chronicles of Davids


Book Description

STORIES FROM THE FIRST NAME IN SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY! Fifteen stories spanning the SF/F genres—all by a David. Includes stories by David Drake, David Weber, Gregory Benford & David Brin, D.J. Butler—and more! Science Fiction and Fantasy with Maximum Dave The history of science fiction and fantasy is littered with stories by Davids of distinction. Now, for the first time, an anthology by people named David, for everyone. Read along as editor David Afsharirad guides you through the strange, wonderous imaginations of the great Davids of the field, past and present. Fifteen tales by David Weber, David Drake, Gregory Benford & David Brin, David B. Coe, D.J. Butler, Avram Davidson, David H. Keller, and many more. Herein you will find: a Depression-era magic man who comes face-to-face with an ancient evil. A once-promising filmmaker whose fate depends on a movie-producing AI. A shape-shifting detective on the trail of a pack of werewolves. A sentient tank who must confront one of its own. And a diner regular who gets more than he bargained for when he orders the soup du jour. Featuring David-inspired cover art by celebrated artist David Mattingly, The Chronicles of Davids delivers maximum Dave! Remember: with a name like David, it has to be good! Contributors: David Weber David Drake D.J. Butler Gregory Benford & David Brin David B. Coe Barry N. Malzberg Dave Freer Avram Davidson D.L. Young David Boop Hank Davis Dave Bara David H. Keller David Carrico David Hardy At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About The Chronicles of Davids: “Afsharirad brings together some of the genre's most beloved authors with David as their first name in a collection that covers time travel…space opera…AI trouble.. and military sf…a fun collection of imaginative Davids.”—Booklist About The Year’s Best Military and Adventure Science Fiction series, edited by David Afsharirad: “Baen’s fan-guided anthology series roars into its second year with a collection of stories just as eclectic as the first. . . . Afsharirad has put together a refreshing military and SF anthology that will be enjoyed by a wide range of readers.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “This intriguing anthology explores the human race’s violent potential [but] also bends toward exploration and the triumph of the human spirit, with brave tales [that] take the reader on a fascinating, thought-provoking, enjoyable journey . . . ”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “[A] nice eclectic mix of magazines—hardcopy and digital—and original anthologies. Afsharirad seems to have cast his nets admirably wide. . . . The variety of styles and topics and themes, and the high level of craft in this assemblage, prove that this subgenre is flourishing. . . . [The collection] should be welcome by raw recruits and veterans alike.”—Locus




Forever Free


Book Description

“A well-written and worthy sequel to one of SF’s enduring classics”—the Nebula Award winner The Forever War—now with a bonus story, “A Separate War” (Publishers Weekly). On virtually every list of the greatest military science fiction adventures ever written, Joe Haldeman’s Hugo and Nebula Award–winning classic, The Forever War, is ranked at the very top. In Forever Free, the Science Fiction Writers of America Grand Master and author of the acclaimed Worlds series returns to that same volatile universe where human space marines once engaged the alien Taurans in never-ending battle. While loyal soldier William Mandella was fighting for the survival of the human race in a distant galaxy, thousands of years were passing on his home planet, Earth. Then, with the end of the hostilities came the shocking realization that humanity had evolved into something he did not recognize. Offered the choice of retaining his individuality or becoming part of the genetically modified shared Human hive-mind, Mandella chose exile, joining other veterans of the Forever War seeking a new life on a wasteland world they called Middle Finger. Making a home for themselves in this half-frozen hell, Mandella and his life partner, Marygay, have survived into middle age, raising a son and a daughter in the process. Now, the dark truth about the colonists’ ultimate role in the continuation of the Human group mind will force Mandella and Marygay to take desperate action as they hijack an interstellar vessel and set off on a frantic escape across space and time. But what awaits them upon their return is a mystery far beyond all human—or Human—comprehension . . . In Forever Free, Joe Haldeman’s stunning vision of humankind’s far future reaches its enthralling conclusion in a masterwork of speculation from the mind and heart of one of the undisputed champions of hard science fiction. And in the bonus story included in this volume, “A Separate War,” Marygay, reassigned and separated from her lover, Mandella, continues fighting in military engagements across the stars—all the while planning how she and Mandella can reunite despite the time and space between them.




Year's Best SF 10


Book Description

A banner year for speculative fiction has yielded a crop of superb short form SF. Now the very best to appear over the past twelve months has been amassed into one extraordinary volume by acclaimed editors and anthologists David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer, offering bold visions of days to come that are bright, triumphant, breathtaking, and strikingly unique. Once more, celebrated masters of the field join with exciting new voices to sing of explorations and invasions, grand technological accomplishments, amazing flights into the unknown, horrors and miracles, and the human condition. Welcome to amazing worlds that could be -- and, perhaps, sooner than you have ever dared to imagine. New tales from: Gregory Benford Terry Bisson James Patrick Kelly Pamela Sargent Jack McDevitt Gene Wolfe and more




Tomorrow's Troopers


Book Description

Classic stories of science fiction featuring powered armor: Tales from the Golden Age through the current era featuring military, police, and civilians utilizing powered armor. Stories by Joe Haldeman, Christopher Ruocchio, Jason Cordova, and more! MEN, MACHINES, AND TOMORROW’S BATTLEFIELDS War is planned violence . . . or, at least, it starts out that way. And even if plans go awry, the violence is indispensable. Today’s soldiers have far more firepower on a per-man basis than the doughboys of a century ago, and there is no reason to believe that this trend will not extend into the future. Imagine a revival of suits of armor, but with structural strength undreamed of by medieval knights, and powered by built-in motors, giving each soldier the invulnerability of a tank, but even more mobility, and mechanical muscle strong enough to carry light artillery, rocket launchers, laser cannon, and weapons not even on the drawing boards yet. Add on the ability to fly, or at least jump for a kilometer at a time, using rocket boosters, or even powerful leg motors, or a combination of both. The stuff that superheroes are made of, hanging in every fighting man or woman’s closet, ready to wear. If it’s possible, history teaches us, it will be done. But don’t expect a nation or planet possessing such battalions of super-powered soldiers to not worry about attack by an enemy . . . there’s no reason why the enemy won’t have its own armored infantry. Keep the midnight oil burning and the R&D rolling. In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek by expert dreamers putting the battle-hardened reader at the sharp end of tomorrow. At the publisher’s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). Praise for anthologies edited by Hank Davis and David Afsharirad: “This intriguing anthology explores the human race’s violent potential [but] also bends toward exploration and the triumph of the human spirit, with brave tales [that] take the reader on a fascinating, thoughtprovoking, enjoyable journey . . . ” —Publishers Weekly on The Year’s Best Military SF and Space Opera, starred review




Year's Best Hardcore Horror Volume 6


Book Description

WELCOME TO THE MASQUERADE 2020 was a reality horror show. And like most obnoxious entertainment reality shows, this one had its own idiosyncratic rules and penalties. Call it The Big Lockdown. We were forced to go to ground, to hide in our holes. Some went underground and never came back. Uncertainty ruled because the rules kept changing. Were we following the science or the mad scientists? Was the light at the end of the tunnel the fiery mouth of hell? We couldn’t say for sure, so we ventured out for food, booze and sundries like scavengers in a slow-motion apocalypse, keeping our distance from fellow human beings because you never knew who might be carrying that heavy viral load. And everywhere we went, we went behind the mask. So, it became obvious: The theme of our offering of extreme horror tales from 2020 had to be Masquerade. Our masquerading storytellers nevertheless did what they do best. They went deep into the belly of the beast and sent up fictions reflective of these “trying” times. Their stories peel away the masks (or in some cases, the skin) to reveal the inner workings of darkest hearts and minds and deeper fears. TABLE OF CONTENTS The Nipples In Dad’s Tool Box - Ronald Kelly Going Green - Christine Morgan Whiskey To The Wound - Rachel Nussbaum /thestrangethingwebecome - Eric LaRocca Hey Valentine - Amanda Cecelia Lang In Subspace, No One Can Hear You Scream - Hailey Piper The Pogonip Fog - Sean Patrick Hazlett Gunfire And Brimstone - Alicia Hilton The Happiest Man In The World - Matthew Brockmeyer Synaesthete - Melanie Harding-Shaw Full Moon Shindig - Patrick C. Harrison Iii The Drinking-Horn - Christine Morgan Otto Hahn Speaks To The Dead - Octavia Cade All The Stars In Her Eyes - Deborah Sheldon The Village - Matias F. Travieso-Diaz The Smell Of Night In The Basement - Wendy N. Wagner The Saint - Alessandro Manzetti Her Wounded Eyes - Robert Guffey




Alanna


Book Description

A girl disguises herself as a boy to train as a knight in this first book in Tamora Pierce’s Margaret A. Edwards Award–winning young adult series—now with a new look! From now on, I’m Alan of Trebond, the younger twin. I’ll be a knight. In a time when girls are forbidden to be warriors, Alanna of Trebond wants nothing more than to be a knight of the realm of Tortall. So she finds a way to switch places with her twin brother, Thom, and, disguised as a boy, begins her training as a page at the palace of King Roald. But the road to knighthood, as she discovers, is not an easy one. Alanna must master weapons, combat, and magic, as well as polite behavior, her temper, and even her own heart. So begin Alanna’s adventures—filled with swords and sorcery, adventure and intrigue, good and evil—that will lead to the fulfillment of her dreams and make her a legend in the land.




The Best Science Fiction of the Year


Book Description

A biological plague begins infecting artificial intelligence; a natural-born Earth woman seeking asylum on another planet finds a human society far different from her own; a food blogger’s posts chronicle a nationwide medical outbreak; trapped in a matchmaking game, a couple tries to escape from the only world they know; a janitor risks everything to rescue a “defective” tank-born baby he can raise as his own. For decades, science fiction has compelled us to imagine futures both inspiring and cautionary. Whether it’s a warning message from a survey ship, a harrowing journey to a new world, or the adventures of well-meaning AI, science fiction feeds the imagination and delivers a lens through which we can better understand ourselves and the world around us. With The Best Science Fiction of the Year Volume One, award-winning editor Neil Clarke provides a year-in-review and thirty-one of the best stories published by both new and established authors in 2015. Table of Contents: “Introduction: A State of the Short SF Field in 2015” by Neil Clarke “Today I Am Paul” by Martin Shoemaker “Calved” by Sam J. Miller “Three Bodies at Mitanni” by Seth Dickinson “The Smog Society” by Chen Quifan “In Blue Lily’s Wake” by Aliette de Bodard “Hello, Hello” by Seanan McGuire “Folding Beijing” by Hao Jingfiang “Capitalism in the 22nd Century” by Geoff Ryman “Hold-Time Violations” by John Chu “Wild Honey” by Paul McAuley “So Much Cooking” by Naomi Kritzer “Bannerless” by Carrie Vaughn “Another Word for World” by Ann Leckie “The Cold Inequalities” by Yoon Ha Lee “Iron Pegasus” by Brenda Cooper “The Audience” by Sean McMullen “Empty” by Robert Reed “Gypsy” by Carter Scholz “Violation of the TrueNet Security Act” by Taiyo Fujii “Damage” by David D. Levine “The Tumbledowns of Cleopatra Abyss” by David Brin “No Placeholder for You, My Love” by Nick Wolven “Outsider” by An Owomeyla “The Gods Have Not Died in Vain” by Ken Liu “Cocoons” by Nancy Kress “Seven Wonders of a Once and Future World” by Caroline M. Yoachim “Two-Year Man” by Kelly Robson “Cat Pictures Please” by Naomi Kritzer “Botanica Veneris: Thirteen Papercuts by Ida Countess Rathangan” by Ian McDonald “Meshed” by Rich Larson “A Murmuration” by Alastair Reynolds 2015 Recommended Reading List