Vorab-RezensentenKen MacLeod

A volume of short sharp stories that present alternative or unconsidered visions of the future; stories that draw attention to the potential impact of cutting-edge science and technology on society and humanity.

In addition to established SF authors such as Tim Maughan, Geoff Ryman, Simon Ings, and Ken MacLeod, the anthology features stories by producers, civil servants, artists, and more – delivering a broader appreciation of what the future might hold. 

This is science fiction with intent, providing quick bursts of conjecture and insight, guaranteed to both entertain and stimulate.

CONTENTS

Introduction – Dan O’Hara, Tom Ward, Stephen Oram
Virtual Persons
Memory Inc. – Anne McKinnon
The Test – C.R. Dudley                              
Conjugal Frape – Jamie Watt
iDentity – Britta Schulte                 
Concrete Genocide – Sophie Sparham
The Smile – Simon Ings                              
Post-Brain
Biohacked & Begging – Stephen Oram
Forever Live – Mark Huntley-James
A Letter From My Celia – Jane Norris
Drug Of Choice – Adrian Reynolds                
Anomaly In The Rhythm – Viraj Joshi
Brain Dump – Frances Gow                
Brain Gun – Paul Green                              
Secrets Of The Sea – Jennifer Marie Brissett
Disease
Do Not Exceed Stated Dose – Allen Ashley
Not Best Pleased – Geoff Ryman                
An Honest Mistake – Tom Ward                
The Needs Of The Few – Jennifer Rohn
The War That Ended Yesterday – David Turnbull
L-One-Ly Virus – Jessica Laine                
Transmissions From The Vitality Pod – Dan Coxon
Inside The Locked Cupboard – Pippa Goldschmidt
Cholesterol5.9, BigFLY – Antoine Saint Honoré
Conflict
Trial By Combat – John Houlihan
The End Of War – Jule Owen
Why We Fight – Paul Currion
The Changing Man – David Gullen     
Second Skin – Bea Xu                
An Excerpt From The Post-Truth And Irreconcilable Differences Commission – Brendan C. Byrne
Safe From Harm – Tim Maughan                
Epilogue: [Citation Needed] – Ken Macleod

Twenty-two stories that represent some of the best SF published anywhere in 2019: stories of heroism, stories of loss, stories of wonder. In this volume you will encounter tales in which creatures are cut off from their loved ones; someone is trapped with an abuser; a bird sings; weeds grow where we hope for a garden; we consider what our alternative selves might be doing; we can’t sleep; we wish we could keep things just the way they were; we drink too much… and we look to rockets blasting off into the sky and think that there lies the future; that’s hope. Best of British Science Fiction 2019 is once again edited by Donna Scott, a recent chair of the BSFA and a distinguished poet, writer, and stand-up comedian. Donna is also a free-lance editor who has worked behind the scenes for a number of major publishers over the course of several years. Contents 2019: An Introduction – Donna Scott The Anxiety Gene – Rhiannon Grist The Land of Grunts and Squeaks – Chris Beckett For Your Own Good – Ian Whates Neom – Lavie Tidhar Once You Start – Mike Morgan For the Wicked, Only Weeds Will Grow – G. V. Anderson Fat Man in the Bardo – Ken MacLeod Cyberstar – Val Nolan The Little People – Una McCormack The Loimaa Protocol – Robert Bagnall The Adaptation Point – Kate Macdonald The Final Ascent – Ian Creasey A Lady of Ganymede, a Sparrow of Io – Dafydd McKimm Snapshots – Leo X. Robertson Witch of the Weave – Henry Szabranski Parasite Art – David Tallerman Galena – Liam Hogan Ab Initio – Susan Boulton Ghosts – Emma Levin Concerning the Deprivation of Sleep – Tim Major Every Little Star – Fiona Moore The Minus-Four Sequence – Andrew Wallace About the Authors Available as a Kindle, e-pub or pdf.

Siobhan Ross has several reasons for taking a holiday job on the Isle of Skye – her keen interest in marine biology for one – but she’s also determined to escape Glasgow and put distance between herself and a failed relationship with fellow student Kieran. The last thing Siobhan’s looking for is romance, let alone with a Selkie, but… In this stunning novella, Ken MacLeod delivers a rich contemporary fantasy that is steeped in Celtic lore, nuclear submarines and secrets, as Siobhan finds herself the focus of attention she never sought, unwittingly embroiled in political intrigue and the shifting landscape of international alliances. At its heart, Selkie Summer is a love story: as passionate and unconventional as you could wish for. Available in Kindle, e-pub or pdf formats.