The Mammoth Book of the Best of Best New SF.

by Gardner Dozois.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

"Blood Music," by Greg Bear. Copyright 1983 by Davis Publications, Inc. First published in Analog Science Fact/Science Fiction, Analog Science Fact/Science Fiction, June 1983. Reprinted by permission of the author. June 1983. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"A Cabin on the Coast," by Gene Wolfe. Copyright 1981 by Gene Wolfe. First Published in Zu den Stemen Zu den Stemen (Goldmann, Verlag, Munich), edited by Peter Wilfert. First published in English in (Goldmann, Verlag, Munich), edited by Peter Wilfert. First published in English in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, February 1984. Reprinted by permission of the author and the author's agent, the Virginia Kidd Literary Agency. February 1984. Reprinted by permission of the author and the author's agent, the Virginia Kidd Literary Agency.

"Salvador," by Lucius Shepard. Copyright 1984 by Mercury Press, Inc. First published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, April 1984. Reprinted by permission of the author. April 1984. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Trinity," by Nancy Kress. Copyright 1984 by Davis Publications, Inc. First published in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, October 1984. Reprinted by permission of the author. October 1984. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Flying Saucer Rock and Roll," by Howard Waldrop. Copyright 1984 by Omni Publications International, Ltd. First published in Omni, Omni, January 1985. Reprinted by permission of the author. January 1985. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Dinner in Audoghast," by Bruce Sterling. Copyright 1985 by Davis Publications, Inc. First published in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, May 1985. Reprinted by permission of the author. May 1985. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Roadside Rescue," by Pat Cadigan. Copyright 1985 by Omni Publications International, Ltd. First published in Omni, Omni, July 1985. Reprinted by permission of the author. July 1985. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Snow," by John Crowley. Copyright 1985 by Omni Publications International, Ltd. First published in Omni, Omni, November 1985. Published by permission of the author and his agent. November 1985. Published by permission of the author and his agent.

"The Winter Market," by William Gibson. Copyright 1986 by William Gibson. First published in Stardate, Stardate, February 1986. Reprinted by permission of the author and his agent, Martha Millard. February 1986. Reprinted by permission of the author and his agent, Martha Millard.

"The Pure Product," by John Kessel. Copyright 1986 by Davis Publications, Inc. First published in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, March 1986. Reprinted by permission of the author. March 1986. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Stable Strategies for Middle Management," by Elleen Gunn. Copyright 1988 by Davis Publications, Inc. First published in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, June 1988. Reprinted by permission of the author. June 1988. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Kirinyaga," by Mike Resnick. Copyright 1988 by Mercury Press, Inc. First published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, November 1988. Reprinted by permission of the author. November 1988. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Tales from the Venia Woods," by Robert Silverberg. Copyright 1989 by Agberg Ltd. First published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, October 1989. Reprinted by permission of the author. October 1989. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Bears Discover Fire," by Terry Bisson. Copyright 1990 by Davis Publications, Inc. First published in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, August 1990. Reprinted by permission of the author. August 1990. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Even the Queen," by Connie Willis. Copyright 1992 by Davis Publications, Inc. First published in Isaac Asimov's Fiction Magazine, Isaac Asimov's Fiction Magazine, April 1992. Reprinted by permission of the author. April 1992. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Guest of Honor," by Robert Reed. Copyright 1993 by Mercury Press, Inc. First published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, June 1993. Reprinted by permission of the author. June 1993. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"None So Blind," by Joe Haldeman. Copyright 1994 by Bantam Doubleday Dell Magazines. First published in Asimov's Science Fiction, Asimov's Science Fiction, November 1994. Reprinted by permission of the author. November 1994. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Mortimer Gray's History of Death, History of Death," by Brian Stableford. Copyright 1995 by Bantam Doubleday Dell Magazines. First published in Asimov's Science Fiction, Asimov's Science Fiction, April 1995. Reprinted by permission of the author. April 1995. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"The Lincoln Train," by Maureen F. McHugh. Copyright 1995 by Mercury Press, Inc. First published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, April 1995. Reprinted by permission of the author. April 1995. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Wang's Carpets," by Greg Egan. Copyright 1995 by Greg Egan. First appeared in New Legends New Legends (Tor). Reprinted by permission of the author. (Tor). Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Coming of Age in Karhide," by Ursula K. Le Guin. Copyright 1995 by Ursula K. Le Guin. First published in New Legends New Legends (Tor). Reprinted by permission of the author and the author's agent, the Virginia Kidd Literary Agency. (Tor). Reprinted by permission of the author and the author's agent, the Virginia Kidd Literary Agency.

"The Dead," by Michael Swanwick. Copyright 1996 by Michael Swanwick. First published in Starlight 1 Starlight 1 (Tor). Reprinted by permission of the author. (Tor). Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Recording Angel," by Ian McDonald. Copyright 1996 by Interzone. First published in Interzone, Interzone, February 1996. Reprinted by permission of the author. February 1996. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"A Dry, Quiet War," by Tony Daniel. Copyright 1996 by Dell Magazines. First published in Asimov's Science Fiction, Asimov's Science Fiction, June 1996. Reprinted by permission of the author. June 1996. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"The Undiscovered," by William Sanders. Copyright 1997 by Dell Magazines. First published in Asimov's Science Fiction, Asimov's Science Fiction, March 1997. Published by permission of the author. March 1997. Published by permission of the author.

"Second Skin," by Paul J. McAuley. Copyright 1997 by Paul J. McAuley. First published in Asimov's Science Fiction, Asimov's Science Fiction, April 1997. Reprinted by permission of the author. April 1997. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Story of Your Life," by Ted Chiang. Copyright 1998 by Ted Chiang. First published in Starlight 2 Starlight 2 (Tor). Reprinted by permission of the author and the author's agent, the Virginia Kidd Literary Agency. (Tor). Reprinted by permission of the author and the author's agent, the Virginia Kidd Literary Agency.

"People Came from Earth," by Stephen Baxter. Copyright 1999 by Stephen Baxter. First published in Moon Shots Moon Shots (DAW). Reprinted by permission of the author. (DAW). Reprinted by permission of the author.

"The Wedding Album," by David Marusek. Copyright 1999 by Dell Magazines. First published in Asimov's Science Fiction, Asimov's Science Fiction, June 1999. Reprinted by permission of the author. June 1999. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"1016 to 1," by James Patrick Kelly. Copyright 1999 by Dell Magazines. First published in to 1," by James Patrick Kelly. Copyright 1999 by Dell Magazines. First published in Asimov's Science Fiction, Asimov's Science Fiction, June 1999. Reprinted by permission of the author. June 1999. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Daddy's World," by Walter Jon Williams. Copyright 1999 by Walter Jon Williams. First published in Not of Woman Born Not of Woman Born (Roc Books). Reprinted by permission of the author. (Roc Books). Reprinted by permission of the author.

"The Real World," by Steven Utley. Copyright 2000 by SCIFI.COM. First published electronically on SCI FICTION, SCI FICTION, September 6. Reprinted by permission of the author. September 6. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Have Not Have," by Geoff Ryman. Copyright 2001 by Spilogale, Inc. First published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, April 2001. Reprinted by permission of the author. April 2001. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Lobsters," by Charles Stross. Copyright 2001 by Dell Magazines. First published in Asimov's Science Fiction, Asimov's Science Fiction, June 2001. Reprinted by permission of the author. June 2001. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Breathmoss," by Ian R. MacLeod. Copyright 2002 by Dell Magazines. First published in Asimov's Science Fiction, Asimov's Science Fiction, May 2002. Reprinted by permission of the author and his agent, Susan Ann Protter. May 2002. Reprinted by permission of the author and his agent, Susan Ann Protter.

"Lambing Season," by Molly Gloss. Copyright 2002 by Dell Magazines. First published in Asimov's Science Fiction, Asimov's Science Fiction, July 2002. Reprinted by permission of the author. July 2002. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Footvote," by Peter F. Hamilton. Copyright 2004 by Peter F. Hamilton. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"The Fluted Girl," by Paolo Bacigalupi. Copyright 2003 by Spilogale, Inc. First published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Ficion, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Ficion, June 2003. Reprinted by permission of the author. June 2003. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Zima Blue," by Alastair Reynolds. Copyright 2005 by Alastair Reynolds. First published in Postscripts 4. Postscripts 4. Reprinted by permission of the author. Reprinted by permission of the author.

FOREWORD.

Robert Silverberg

Gardner Dozois's annual anthology, The Mammoth Book of Best New SF, The Mammoth Book of Best New SF, is now a series that comprises twenty hefty volumes, is now a series that comprises twenty hefty volumes,1 which require close to three and a half feet of shelf space. You will find that three-and-a-half-foot expanse of Dozois anthologies in any science-fiction library worthy of the name. Their presence is essential, for the Dozois book is the definitive historical record of the most fertile twenty years in the history of the science-fiction short story. Volume by volume, each anthology is an exciting and memorable collection. Taken all in all, though, they form a whole rather greater than the sum of their parts: an extraordinary editorial achievement, a unique encyclopedic text. And now we are given a book that offers us The Best of the Best editor Dozois's selection of the finest of the hundreds of stories that make up those twenty anthologies. which require close to three and a half feet of shelf space. You will find that three-and-a-half-foot expanse of Dozois anthologies in any science-fiction library worthy of the name. Their presence is essential, for the Dozois book is the definitive historical record of the most fertile twenty years in the history of the science-fiction short story. Volume by volume, each anthology is an exciting and memorable collection. Taken all in all, though, they form a whole rather greater than the sum of their parts: an extraordinary editorial achievement, a unique encyclopedic text. And now we are given a book that offers us The Best of the Best editor Dozois's selection of the finest of the hundreds of stories that make up those twenty anthologies.

In no way does this book, good as it is, replace replace those twenty anthologies. No one volume possibly could. It serves, rather, as a marker, a signifier, which by the luminous excellence of its material reminds us of the magnitude of Gardner Dozois's total accomplishment in assembling this wondrous series. those twenty anthologies. No one volume possibly could. It serves, rather, as a marker, a signifier, which by the luminous excellence of its material reminds us of the magnitude of Gardner Dozois's total accomplishment in assembling this wondrous series.

The science-fiction short story's illustrious history goes back a long way. Beyond doubt the Greeks and the Romans wrote them tales of robot warriors and imaginary voyages, some of them voyages to the moon. Closer to our own day, Hawthorne, Poe, and Verne produced what was unquestionably science fiction. More than a century ago H. G. Wells, the first great modern master of the form, filled the popular magazines of his day with dozens of s-f stories "The Country of the Blind," "The Crystal Egg," "The Star," and many more of such surpassing inventiveness that they have held their own in print ever since. From 1911 on, the Luxembourg-born gadgeteer Hugo Gernsback began publishing science fiction as a regular feature of his magazines Modern Electrics and Science and Invention, Modern Electrics and Science and Invention, and it proved so popular that in 1926 Gernsback launched and it proved so popular that in 1926 Gernsback launched Amazing Stories, Amazing Stories, the first magazine devoted entirely to it. (Because new stories were so hard to find at first, Gernsback filled many of the early issues with the work of Poe, Verne, and Wells.) the first magazine devoted entirely to it. (Because new stories were so hard to find at first, Gernsback filled many of the early issues with the work of Poe, Verne, and Wells.) Amazing Amazing built an avid readership and before long had a vigorous pair of competitors: built an avid readership and before long had a vigorous pair of competitors: Wonder Stories Wonder Stories and and Astounding Stories. Astounding Stories. Those were followed by a host of others, gaudy pulp magazines with names like Those were followed by a host of others, gaudy pulp magazines with names like Startling Stories, Planet Stories, Cosmic Stories, Startling Stories, Planet Stories, Cosmic Stories, and and Super Science Stories, Super Science Stories, and then, after World War II, came a group of less flamboyant-looking magazines aimed at more sophisticated readers, most notably and then, after World War II, came a group of less flamboyant-looking magazines aimed at more sophisticated readers, most notably Galaxy Science Fiction Galaxy Science Fiction and and Fantasy and Science Fiction. Fantasy and Science Fiction.

Though much of the material in the science-fiction magazines of the 1930s and 1940s was crude and ephemeral, some was not, and, inevitably, book publishers began to collect the best of it in anthologies. The first such volume was Phil Stong's The Other Worlds The Other Worlds (1941), which drew on the pulps for stories by Lester del Rey, Theodore Sturgeon, Murray Leinster, Harry Bates, and other well-known s-f masters of the day. Two years later, the knowledgeable Donald A. Wollheim edited (1941), which drew on the pulps for stories by Lester del Rey, Theodore Sturgeon, Murray Leinster, Harry Bates, and other well-known s-f masters of the day. Two years later, the knowledgeable Donald A. Wollheim edited The Pocket Book of Science Fiction, The Pocket Book of Science Fiction, with stories by Sturgeon, Wells, Robert A. Heinlein, and more. Then, just after the war, came two major collections, both of them still of major significance: with stories by Sturgeon, Wells, Robert A. Heinlein, and more. Then, just after the war, came two major collections, both of them still of major significance: Adventures in Time and Space, Adventures in Time and Space, edited by Raymond J. Healy and J. Francis McComas, and edited by Raymond J. Healy and J. Francis McComas, and The Best of Science Fiction, The Best of Science Fiction, edited by Groff Conklin. The Healy-McComas book, studded with classics like Asimov's "Nightfall" and Don A. Stuart's "Who Goes There?", was drawn largely from the pages of John W. Campbell's edited by Groff Conklin. The Healy-McComas book, studded with classics like Asimov's "Nightfall" and Don A. Stuart's "Who Goes There?", was drawn largely from the pages of John W. Campbell's Astounding Science Fiction, Astounding Science Fiction, the dominant magazine in the field during the 1940s. The Conklin anthology also leaned heavily on Campbell's magazine, but cast a wider net, with extensive representation of stories from the previous decade, including many from the Gernsback magazines, as well as work by Poe, Wells, and Arthur Conan Doyle. the dominant magazine in the field during the 1940s. The Conklin anthology also leaned heavily on Campbell's magazine, but cast a wider net, with extensive representation of stories from the previous decade, including many from the Gernsback magazines, as well as work by Poe, Wells, and Arthur Conan Doyle.

As the science-fiction magazines grew in number and quality in the post-war years, an inevitable next development was the coming of anthologies devoted to the best stories of a single year. The first of these was edited by Everett F. Bleiler and T. E. Dikty, a pair of scholarly science-fiction readers with long experience in the field, and it was called, not entirely appropriately (since it drew entirely on material published in 1948), The Best Science Fiction Stories: 1949. The Best Science Fiction Stories: 1949.

Science fiction then was a very small entity indeed eight or nine magazines, a dozen or so books a year produced by semi-professional publishing houses run by old-time s-f fans, and the very occasional short story by the likes of Robert A. Heinlein in the Saturday Evening Post Saturday Evening Post or some other well-known slick magazine. So esoteric a species of reading-matter was it that Bleiler and Dikty found it necessary to provide their book, which was issued by the relatively minor mainstream publishing house of Frederick Fell, Inc., with two separate introductory essays explaining the nature and history of science fiction to uninitiated readers. or some other well-known slick magazine. So esoteric a species of reading-matter was it that Bleiler and Dikty found it necessary to provide their book, which was issued by the relatively minor mainstream publishing house of Frederick Fell, Inc., with two separate introductory essays explaining the nature and history of science fiction to uninitiated readers.

In those days science fiction was at its best in the short lengths, and the editors of The Best Science Fiction: 1949 The Best Science Fiction: 1949 had plenty of splendid material to offer. There were two stories by Ray Bradbury, both later incorporated in had plenty of splendid material to offer. There were two stories by Ray Bradbury, both later incorporated in The Martian Chronicles; The Martian Chronicles; Wilmar Shiras's fine superchild story "In Hiding;" an excellent early Poul Anderson story, one by Isaac Asimov, and hal4f a dozen others, all of which would be received enthusiastically by modern readers. The book did fairly well, by the modest sales standards of its era, and the Bleiler-Dikty series of annual anthologies continued for another decade or so. Wilmar Shiras's fine superchild story "In Hiding;" an excellent early Poul Anderson story, one by Isaac Asimov, and hal4f a dozen others, all of which would be received enthusiastically by modern readers. The book did fairly well, by the modest sales standards of its era, and the Bleiler-Dikty series of annual anthologies continued for another decade or so.

Towards the end of its era the Bleiler-Dikty collection was joined by a very different sort of Best of the Year anthology edited by Judith Merril, whose sophisticated literary tastes led her to go far beyond the s-f magazines, offering stories by such outsiders to the field as Jorge Luis Borges, Jack Finney, Donald Barthelme, and John Steinbeck cheek-by-jowl with the more familiar offerings of Asimov, Sturgeon, Robert Sheckley, and Clifford D. Simak. The Merril anthology, inaugurated in 1956, also lasted about a decade; and by then science fiction had become big business, with new magazines founded, shows like Star Trek Star Trek appearing on network television, dozens and then hundreds of novels published every year. Since the 1960s no year has gone by without its Best of the Year collection, and sometimes two or three simultaneously. Such distinguished science-fiction writers as Frederik Pohl, Harry Harrison, Brian Aldiss, and Lester del Rey took their turns at compiling annual anthologies, along with veteran book editors like Donald A. Wollheim and Terry Carr. appearing on network television, dozens and then hundreds of novels published every year. Since the 1960s no year has gone by without its Best of the Year collection, and sometimes two or three simultaneously. Such distinguished science-fiction writers as Frederik Pohl, Harry Harrison, Brian Aldiss, and Lester del Rey took their turns at compiling annual anthologies, along with veteran book editors like Donald A. Wollheim and Terry Carr.

When word went forth in 1983 that one more Year's Best anthology was being assembled, this one under the editorship of Gardner Dozois, it was reasonable to expect a creditable job. Dozois was, after all, a capable and well-known writer himself, who had begun his career precociously with a short story in 1966 and from 1971 on had brought forth a great deal of impressively powerful work; he had edited a string of theme anthologies (A Day in the Life, (A Day in the Life, 1972, 1972, Future Power, Future Power, 1976, 1976, Another World, Another World, 1977, and many others); and for five years beginning in 1977 had taken over the editorship of Lester del Rey's 1977, and many others); and for five years beginning in 1977 had taken over the editorship of Lester del Rey's Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year anthology. But no one, I think, was quite prepared for the magnitude and comprehensiveness of the inaugural volume of the new Dozois anthology, nor could anyone have anticipated that the series would, in time, come to be the defining summation of a glorious era in science fiction. anthology. But no one, I think, was quite prepared for the magnitude and comprehensiveness of the inaugural volume of the new Dozois anthology, nor could anyone have anticipated that the series would, in time, come to be the defining summation of a glorious era in science fiction.

I have the first volume of the Dozois series before me now. It looks surprisingly like the most recent one: a thick book that announces its name in bold letters emphasizing the words SCIENCE FICTION, and lists on its cover the names of thirteen of its contributors. Those contributors were a stellar group, of course. Taken all together, the stories represent a shrewd cross-section of what was already a potent period in the history of the s-f short story.

But that first volume was not distinguished merely by the excellence of its fiction. What gave it special importance and, eventually, immense historical value, was the thirteen-page essay "Summation," in which Dozois provided a penetrating, closely analytical account of the year's activities in the world of science-fiction publishing: comings and goings among editors and publishers, sales figures for bestselling books, circulation figures for magazines, thematic trends in current science fiction, news of awards and conventions, comments on recent s-f movies, obituaries. No previous best-of-the-year anthology had provided anything comparable. Each of the nineteen subsequent volumes has had a similar summation section, each at least as lengthy as the first and some much longer indeed; in and of themselves they form a continuing chronicle of the evolution of science fiction in the late twentieth century that will be of value to critics, historians, and readers for decades to come.

The stories chosen by Dozois in these first twenty volumes also constitute a statement about the nature of the s-f short story in that two-decade period a statement filtered through the sensibility of just one reader, of course, but a highly informed one, steeped in the history of the field, imbued with a sense of science fiction's value both as entertainment and intellectual stimulation, and further augmented by the editor's own innate knowledge, as a skilled practitioner himself, of the art of the short story. Over the years Dozois's story-picking expertize has been confirmed by reader approval, demonstrated through the great number of Hugo awards conferred on Dozois-chosen stories and by the many awards given to the anthology itself.

Dozois's task as anthologist was complicated, in an odd way, by being editor of Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine. Asimov's Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine. Asimov's had already established itself as the outstanding magazine of the field, but under Dozois's guidance from 1985 onwards it attained an even more powerful position of dominance, as is shown by the unparalleled fourteen Hugo awards for Best Editor that he received during the nineteen years of his stewardship of the magazine. John Campbell's had already established itself as the outstanding magazine of the field, but under Dozois's guidance from 1985 onwards it attained an even more powerful position of dominance, as is shown by the unparalleled fourteen Hugo awards for Best Editor that he received during the nineteen years of his stewardship of the magazine. John Campbell's Astounding Astounding was similarly dominant in its day, more than half a century ago but Campbell was not also the editor of a Best of the Year anthology. When Healy and McComas, in 1946, chose twenty-five of their thirty-three stories from the Campbell was similarly dominant in its day, more than half a century ago but Campbell was not also the editor of a Best of the Year anthology. When Healy and McComas, in 1946, chose twenty-five of their thirty-three stories from the Campbell Astounding, Astounding, no one was particularly surprised or upset: everyone knew that most of the superior stories of the era had been published there. And, since science-fiction writers tend naturally to gravitate towards their era's top magazine, a similar concentration of the best work began appearing in the Dozois-edited no one was particularly surprised or upset: everyone knew that most of the superior stories of the era had been published there. And, since science-fiction writers tend naturally to gravitate towards their era's top magazine, a similar concentration of the best work began appearing in the Dozois-edited Asimov's. Asimov's. But Dozois as anthology editor could not allow himself to draw as extensively on his own magazine as Healy and McComas had drawn on Campbell's, lest his book seem merely self-promoting; and so he was faced with the perplexing necessity of finding worthy stories for his anthology that had originally appeared in magazines competitive with his own. But Dozois as anthology editor could not allow himself to draw as extensively on his own magazine as Healy and McComas had drawn on Campbell's, lest his book seem merely self-promoting; and so he was faced with the perplexing necessity of finding worthy stories for his anthology that had originally appeared in magazines competitive with his own.

Examining a few randomly chosen volumes of the Dozois series, we can see how well he managed this tricky task. The fourth volume of Best New SF, Best New SF, published in 1990, contains twenty-five stories, of which just nine originated in Asimov's: an admirable show of objectivity. The eighth volume, from 1994, includes only seven Asimov's items out of twenty-three. The sixteenth volume, released in 2003, shows an eight-for-twenty-six ratio. Surely the practice of this sort of discipline required Dozois to eliminate from his anthology a great many stories from his magazine that must have seemed as worthy of reprinting as the ones he did choose for the book; but the fact remains that he compelled himself to look far and wide for stories and the contents pages of his anthologies display a broad range of fiction from every appropriate source in the field. published in 1990, contains twenty-five stories, of which just nine originated in Asimov's: an admirable show of objectivity. The eighth volume, from 1994, includes only seven Asimov's items out of twenty-three. The sixteenth volume, released in 2003, shows an eight-for-twenty-six ratio. Surely the practice of this sort of discipline required Dozois to eliminate from his anthology a great many stories from his magazine that must have seemed as worthy of reprinting as the ones he did choose for the book; but the fact remains that he compelled himself to look far and wide for stories and the contents pages of his anthologies display a broad range of fiction from every appropriate source in the field.

One does see a certain group of authors appearing regularly in volume after volume: Connie Willis, Bruce Sterling, James Patrick Kelly, Michael Swanwick, Ian McDonald, John Kessel, Nancy Kress, Lucius Shepard, Mike Resnick, Greg Egan, Walter Jon Williams, and four or five others. The presence of such a cast of constant favourites would hardly be a surprise in any ongoing series of anthologies, which, after all, represent by definition the personal tastes of the series' editor; but in fact Dozois's little group of regulars were chosen for one anthology after another primarily because they were consistently doing the best work in the field. New writers joined the group every year: Robert Reed, for example, an unknown writer when the series began, came in with the sixth volume and has scarcely missed one since. The contents page of the twentieth volume gives us Maureen F. McHugh, Charles Stross, Alexander Irvine, Alastair Reynolds, Charles Coleman Finlay, and three or four more whose names would have meant nothing to readers a decade or so ago, but who can be expected to turn up on future contents pages of the Dozois anthology with great regularity in the years to come. More than thirty years after he first edited a science-fiction anthology, Gardner Dozois still maintains the ability to spot fresh new talent.

And now, to mark the completion of the first twenty years' run of The Mammoth Book of Best New SF, The Mammoth Book of Best New SF, Dozois has selected The Best of the Best. Every writer whose work is included here knows what an immense honour it is to be chosen. For Gardner Dozois himself the book is the capstone of two decades of remarkable work. Let him revel in the pleasure of knowing that he has given us, here, a volume that takes its place instantly among the classic science-fiction anthologies of all time. Dozois has selected The Best of the Best. Every writer whose work is included here knows what an immense honour it is to be chosen. For Gardner Dozois himself the book is the capstone of two decades of remarkable work. Let him revel in the pleasure of knowing that he has given us, here, a volume that takes its place instantly among the classic science-fiction anthologies of all time.

PREFACE.

When I started work on this series I was thirty-six, just past having been a hot young Turk in the '70s, beginning to brown and curl a bit, my son was fourteen, most of the famous SF writers of the Campbellian Golden Age of the '40s and the Gold/Boucher Age of the '50s were not only still alive but available to be talked to at most science-fiction conventions, and most of my peers and contemporaries were, if not new writers anymore, still on the young ends of their careers and not really well-known yet . . . and I knew several young hopefuls, like a local fan called Michael Swanwick, who had only four or five sales under their belts. It would be two years yet before I took over the editorship of Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine. Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine.

Now, as I sit typing in 2004, I'm an old man, my son has two children of his own (six and eight, respectively), most of the Big-Name writers who dominated the genre then are dead, and my peers and contemporaries, those of them who are still alive, are no longer Hot Young Turks, but rather the Big-Name writers of the field, and they are as gray and wrinkled and sagging as I am. Michael Swanwick is a multiple Hugo-winner. And my almost-twenty-year career as editor of Asimov's is behind me and being coolly evaluated by critics and historians. Time washes you away in a flood, and by the time you can turn your head and look back, the beach has dwindled to a thin tan line behind you. There is no further shore.

By the time you read these words, there will have been twenty volumes of The Mammoth Book of Best New SF The Mammoth Book of Best New SF published. Those twenty volumes together contain 6 million words of fiction, written by one hundred and eighty different authors. When the idea of putting a Best of the Best retrospective anthology together first occurred to me, it seemed like a straightforward task, perhaps even an easy one. It was not. In fact, this may have been one of the hardest jobs I've ever had to do (as far as putting anthologies together is concerned anyway; shoveling coal in the hot sun is considerably harder by any absolute standard, believe me). For one thing, in order to figure out what stories in those volumes were really the best, I had to published. Those twenty volumes together contain 6 million words of fiction, written by one hundred and eighty different authors. When the idea of putting a Best of the Best retrospective anthology together first occurred to me, it seemed like a straightforward task, perhaps even an easy one. It was not. In fact, this may have been one of the hardest jobs I've ever had to do (as far as putting anthologies together is concerned anyway; shoveling coal in the hot sun is considerably harder by any absolute standard, believe me). For one thing, in order to figure out what stories in those volumes were really the best, I had to reread reread a significant proportion of those 6 million words, especially as I found that I barely remembered some of the stories from earlier volumes. a significant proportion of those 6 million words, especially as I found that I barely remembered some of the stories from earlier volumes.

Doing all that reading was not the hardest part, though. Looking back through the twenty volumes only served to remind me how many many good stories had appeared in the book. Even a book twice the size of this one wouldn't be big enough to include all the stories that probably good stories had appeared in the book. Even a book twice the size of this one wouldn't be big enough to include all the stories that probably should should be included. Since all of those stories were to my taste in the first place which should hardly come as a surprise and since taste was the usual winnowing-screen I would employ in selecting which stories to use from someone be included. Since all of those stories were to my taste in the first place which should hardly come as a surprise and since taste was the usual winnowing-screen I would employ in selecting which stories to use from someone else's else's anthology or magazine, how was I going to cut the huge crop of contenders down to a manageable number? anthology or magazine, how was I going to cut the huge crop of contenders down to a manageable number?

For starters, although novellas have always been among my favorite stories in the Bests, and there are easily a dozen or more that ought ought to be in the multidimensional, infinitely-expansible version of this book (Michael Swanwick's "Griffin's Egg," Frederic Pohl's "Outnumbering the Dead," Ursula K. Le Guin's "A Woman's Liberation," Kim Stanley Robinson's "Green Mars," William Barton's "Off on a Starship," Lucius Shepard's "R&R," Nancy Kress's "Beggars in Spain," Robert Silverberg's "Sailing to Byzantium," Judith Moffett's "Tiny Tango," Greg Benford's "Immersion," Greg Egan's "Oceanic," Ian McDonald's "The Days of Solomon Gursky," John Kessel's "Stories For Men," and so many more), here in the real world where practical considerations of length exist, I clearly had room for no more than a few of them, if I wanted to get a large selection of authors representative of twenty years' worth of to be in the multidimensional, infinitely-expansible version of this book (Michael Swanwick's "Griffin's Egg," Frederic Pohl's "Outnumbering the Dead," Ursula K. Le Guin's "A Woman's Liberation," Kim Stanley Robinson's "Green Mars," William Barton's "Off on a Starship," Lucius Shepard's "R&R," Nancy Kress's "Beggars in Spain," Robert Silverberg's "Sailing to Byzantium," Judith Moffett's "Tiny Tango," Greg Benford's "Immersion," Greg Egan's "Oceanic," Ian McDonald's "The Days of Solomon Gursky," John Kessel's "Stories For Men," and so many more), here in the real world where practical considerations of length exist, I clearly had room for no more than a few of them, if I wanted to get a large selection of authors representative of twenty years' worth of Best Best volumes into the book. volumes into the book.

I was still left with the most difficult problem, though how do you decide what the word "Best" means in this context? Do I go for the best-known stories, stories such as Nancy Kress's "Beggars in Spain" and James Patrick Kelly's "Think Like a Dinosaur," which have been reprinted very widely and which most people have already seen, or do I go with other good stories by the same authors that haven't been as ballyhooed? If I didn't use the most famous stories, many people were going to be disappointed that they weren't there. On the other hand, if I used them exclusively, I'd produce a book full of stuff that everyone's already read and that's largely duplicable elsewhere. The only solution I could see was to walk a tightrope between the two, putting in some of the most famous stories and in other cases picking more obscure and unfairly overlooked alternatives instead although I'm aware that I'm taking a chance of pleasing nobody with this approach.

The biggest decision I came to, though, was that I had to pick the stories that had made the strongest impression on me as a reader, reader, stories that really moved or excited or impressed me, both on first reading years ago and on rereading now, stories that made me put down the book when I finished them, and stare off through the air, and shiver, remembering the wonders I'd just experienced and that I had to pick them with no (or as little as possible, anyway) consideration for demographics, for whether I had enough big-name writers, or enough women writers, or enough Brits, or whatever, or whether or not I'd selected stories from all the important markets that ought to be represented. So don't even bother to tell me that there's too many stories from stories that really moved or excited or impressed me, both on first reading years ago and on rereading now, stories that made me put down the book when I finished them, and stare off through the air, and shiver, remembering the wonders I'd just experienced and that I had to pick them with no (or as little as possible, anyway) consideration for demographics, for whether I had enough big-name writers, or enough women writers, or enough Brits, or whatever, or whether or not I'd selected stories from all the important markets that ought to be represented. So don't even bother to tell me that there's too many stories from Asimov's Asimov's here (although several of them are from before I took over as editor, and here (although several of them are from before I took over as editor, and Asimov's has Asimov's has been the dominant American SF magazine of the '80s and '90s, under three different editors), I already know. Or that there's not enough stories from been the dominant American SF magazine of the '80s and '90s, under three different editors), I already know. Or that there's not enough stories from Interzone, Interzone, or that there ought to be something from or that there ought to be something from Science Fiction Age. Science Fiction Age. I picked the stories I had the strongest emotional reactions to, and let the chips fall where they may, as far as demographics were concerned, although no doubt I'm buying myself a lot of trouble with the critics by doing so. I have no doubt that a different editor could have gone through this same pool of stories and come up with a totally different selection of stories that would have been equally valid and equally defensible as deserving the title I picked the stories I had the strongest emotional reactions to, and let the chips fall where they may, as far as demographics were concerned, although no doubt I'm buying myself a lot of trouble with the critics by doing so. I have no doubt that a different editor could have gone through this same pool of stories and come up with a totally different selection of stories that would have been equally valid and equally defensible as deserving the title Best of the Best, Best of the Best, that in fact no two readers would come up with the same list if asked to select one. Hell, a day earlier or a day later, I might well have come up with a different list myself. that in fact no two readers would come up with the same list if asked to select one. Hell, a day earlier or a day later, I might well have come up with a different list myself.

But it's reassuring to remember that there really have have been a lot of good stories published in this series over the course of two decades. If ever the term "embarrassment of riches" applies, it applies here. So I like to tell myself that even if I'd closed my eyes, stabbed out a finger, and picked stories at random, you'd probably still be getting a pretty good anthology out of it. been a lot of good stories published in this series over the course of two decades. If ever the term "embarrassment of riches" applies, it applies here. So I like to tell myself that even if I'd closed my eyes, stabbed out a finger, and picked stories at random, you'd probably still be getting a pretty good anthology out of it.

In closing, I'd like to thank Jim Frenkel, my editor at Bluejay, who not only proposed the idea of me doing a new Best-of-the-Year series in the first place, after my Dutton series had died, but who insisted that it be a really big fat fat volume, as big as possible; I was against this idea, thinking that people wouldn't want to spend the extra money for a big hardcover volume, but over the years almost every positive review has mentioned the size of the volume, as big as possible; I was against this idea, thinking that people wouldn't want to spend the extra money for a big hardcover volume, but over the years almost every positive review has mentioned the size of the Best Best as a selling point and most reader feedback indicates that people like it big, so he was right and I was wrong. If he'd listened to me, the series might have died long ago. I'd also like to thank my own editors at St. Martin's over the years, Stuart Moore, Gordon Van Gelder, Bryan Cholfin, and, today, Marc Resnick. as a selling point and most reader feedback indicates that people like it big, so he was right and I was wrong. If he'd listened to me, the series might have died long ago. I'd also like to thank my own editors at St. Martin's over the years, Stuart Moore, Gordon Van Gelder, Bryan Cholfin, and, today, Marc Resnick.

I'd also like to thank the often-unsung acquisitions editors who had the good taste to buy these stories in the first place: Ellen Datlow, Shawna McCarthy, Ed Ferman, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Gordon Van Gelder, David Pringle, Peter Crowther, Constance Ash, Stanley Schmidt, Greg Bear, David Bischoff, and Patrick Nielson Hayden, as well as all the editors over the last twenty years who bought all the stories in those twenty volumes that didn't happen to make the cut for this particular retrospective. I'd like to thank the writers, writers, who labored long into the night over keyboards in lonely rooms to write all the stories in this anthology, and all the other stories in the twenty volumes of the Best, and all the good stories that didn't make it into any of them in the first place because there've always been more good stories than we have room to use, every year from the beginning to now. who labored long into the night over keyboards in lonely rooms to write all the stories in this anthology, and all the other stories in the twenty volumes of the Best, and all the good stories that didn't make it into any of them in the first place because there've always been more good stories than we have room to use, every year from the beginning to now.

And lastly, I'd like to thank you, the readers, for buying and appreciating the volumes of this series, and thus making it a success. May you continue to enjoy future volumes, and may you enjoy the one you hold in your hands at the moment.

Gardner Dozois

BLOOD MUSIC.

Greg Bear

Born in San Diego, California, Greg Bear made his first sale at the age of fifteen to Robert Lowndes's Famous Science Fiction, Famous Science Fiction, and has subsequently established himself as one of the top professionals in the genre. He won a Nebula Award for his pyrotechnic novella "Hardfought," a Nebula and Hugo Award for the famous story which follows, "Blood Music," which was later expanded into a novel of the same title, and a subsequent Nebula and Hugo for his story "Tangents." He added another Nebula Award to his collection for his novel and has subsequently established himself as one of the top professionals in the genre. He won a Nebula Award for his pyrotechnic novella "Hardfought," a Nebula and Hugo Award for the famous story which follows, "Blood Music," which was later expanded into a novel of the same title, and a subsequent Nebula and Hugo for his story "Tangents." He added another Nebula Award to his collection for his novel Darwin's Radio. Darwin's Radio. His other books include the novels His other books include the novels Hegira, Psychlone, Beyond Heaven's River, Strength of Stones, The Infinity Concerto, The Serpent Mage, Eon, Eternity, The Forge of God, Anvil of Stars, Moving Mars, Heads, Legacy, Queen of Angels, Slant, Hegira, Psychlone, Beyond Heaven's River, Strength of Stones, The Infinity Concerto, The Serpent Mage, Eon, Eternity, The Forge of God, Anvil of Stars, Moving Mars, Heads, Legacy, Queen of Angels, Slant, and and Dinosaur Summer, Dinosaur Summer, as well as the collections as well as the collections Wind from a Burning Woman Wind from a Burning Woman and and Tangents, Tangents, and, as editor, the original anthology and, as editor, the original anthology New Legends, New Legends, one of the best anthologies of the '90s. His most recent books are the novels, one of the best anthologies of the '90s. His most recent books are the novels, Vitals Vitals and and Darwin's Children, Darwin's Children, and the monumental collection and the monumental collection The Collected Stories of Greg Bear. The Collected Stories of Greg Bear. He had a story in our First annual collection. He lives with his family just outside of Seattle, Washington. He had a story in our First annual collection. He lives with his family just outside of Seattle, Washington.

Bear has a sweeping, Stapeldonean vision of how different the future must inevitably be from the present. This vision of the strange, inhuman future to come is featured powerfully in the story that follows, which may be the first true nanotech story, even though it was written several years before the term "nanotechnology" was even coined a chilling story that warns us that that inhuman future may not be hundreds of years away, or even decades away, but may instead lie waiting for us only next week, or tomorrow, or today . . . and that the true frontiers of exploration may not lie Out There, but rather deep inside.

THERE IS A PRINCIPLE in nature I don't think anyone has pointed out before. Each hour, a myriad of trillions of little live things bacteria, microbes, "animalcules" are born and die, not counting for much except in the bulk of their existence and the accumulation of their tiny effects. They do not perceive deeply. They do not suffer much. A hundred billion, dying, would not begin to have the same importance as a single human death. in nature I don't think anyone has pointed out before. Each hour, a myriad of trillions of little live things bacteria, microbes, "animalcules" are born and die, not counting for much except in the bulk of their existence and the accumulation of their tiny effects. They do not perceive deeply. They do not suffer much. A hundred billion, dying, would not begin to have the same importance as a single human death.

Within the ranks of magnitude of all creatures, small as microbes or great as humans, there is an equality of "elan," just as the branches of a tall tree, gathered together, equal the bulk of the limbs below, and all the limbs equal the bulk of the trunk.

That, at least, is the principle. I believe Vergil Ulam was the first to violate it.

It had been two years since I'd last seen Vergil. My memory of him hardly matched the tan, smiling, well-dressed gentleman standing before me. We had made a lunch appointment over the phone the day before, and now faced each other in the wide double doors of the employees' cafeteria at the Mount Freedom Medical Center.

"Vergil?" I asked. "My God, Vergil!"

"Good to see you, Edward." He shook my hand firmly. He had lost ten or twelve kilos and what remained seemed tighter, better proportioned. At university, Vergil had been the pudgy, shock-haired, snaggle-toothed whiz kid who hot-wired doorknobs, gave us punch that turned our piss blue, and never got a date except with Eileen Termagent, who shared many of his physical characteristics.

"You look fantastic," I said. "Spend a summer in Cabo San Lucas?"