2015 Stories 330 - 366
Sadly, with it being the last day of the year and me having fallen so far behind on posting story thoughts, I'm going to have to make this a "titles only" wrap-up post. The final batch of stories for the year come in three groups:
Seanan McGuire's Frances Brown and Jonathan Healy stories, part of her Incryptid Universe. Three of these were rereads from last year, the rest were first read in 2015 (and remember, in this community rereading a story counts as much as reading something new):
330. The Flower of Arizona
331. One Hell of a Ride
332. No Place Like Home
333. Stingers and Strangers
334. Married in Green
335. Sweet Poison Wine
336. The First Fall
337. Loch & Key
338. We Both Go Down Together
339. Oh Pretty Bird
340. Bury Me in Satin
341. Snakes and Ladders
342. Broken Paper Hearts
343. The Star of New Mexico
I love the Incryptid universe in general, the novels in particular, and these linked short stories covering the courtship and married life of Fran and Johnny. There's some powerful poignant writing in here, particularly The First Fall and Broken Paper Hearts, but also great fun stories too like Loch & Key and Sweet Poison Wine.
Mission Tomorrow, edited by Bryan Thomas Schmidt and published by Baen in late 2015.
344. Tombaugh Station by Robin Wayne Bailey
345. Excalibur by Jack McDevitt
346. The Race for Arcadia by Alex Shvartsman
347. A Walkabout Amongst the Stars by Lezli Robyn
348. Sunrise on Mercury by Robert Silverberg
349. In Panic Town, On The Backward Moon by Michael F. Flynn
350. The Ultimate Space Race by Jaleta Clegg
351. Orpheus' Engines by Christopher McKitterick
352. Around the NEO in 80 Days by Jay Werkheiser
353. Iron Pegasus by Brenda Cooper
354. Airtight by Michael Capobianco
355. Windshear by Angus McIntyre
356. On Edge by Sarah A. Hoyt
357. Tartaros by Mike Resnick
358. Malf by David D. Levine
359. Ten Days Up by Curtis C. Chen
360. The Rabbit Hole by James Gunn
361. Rare (Off) Earth Elements (A Sam Gunn Tale) by Ben Bova
362. Tribute by Jack Skillingstead
I really wish I had the time to write up story reviews/thoughts about all of the stories in Mission Tomorrow; there's not a clunker in the bunch, and they come in a great mix of styles from broad comedy to dire tragedy. If I had to pick a few favorites, I'd say Bailey's "Tombaugh Station" and Skillingstead's "Tribute" are ideal opener and closer stories; I also really enjoyed Shvartsman's, Robyn's, Silverberg's, Clegg's, and McIntyre's tales.
Working For Bigfoot by Jim Butcher, collection published in hardcover by Subterranean Press, also available in audiobook form narrated by James Marsters.
363. B Is For Bigfoot
364. I Was a Teenage Bigfoot
365. Bigfoot On Campus
Butcher's three tales in which Harry Dresden is hired by Rivers Shoulders, a Bigfoot, to watch over his half-human son are fun reads. Previously published in various anthologies over the past few years, the Subterranean Press hardcover edition looks wonderful on my shelf; I listened to the audiobook because James Marsters.
366. Carousel by Jordan L. Hawk. Ended the year with a reread of this Whyborne & Griffin short story, previously published in an anthology and read in 2015, but re-issued in solo ebook format this year and so reread. I do so love Hawk's Lovecraftian gay investigators.
And that's a wrap for 2015! Back tomorrow, lack of New Years Eve hangover willing, to start a new year of short story reading!
Seanan McGuire's Frances Brown and Jonathan Healy stories, part of her Incryptid Universe. Three of these were rereads from last year, the rest were first read in 2015 (and remember, in this community rereading a story counts as much as reading something new):
330. The Flower of Arizona
331. One Hell of a Ride
332. No Place Like Home
333. Stingers and Strangers
334. Married in Green
335. Sweet Poison Wine
336. The First Fall
337. Loch & Key
338. We Both Go Down Together
339. Oh Pretty Bird
340. Bury Me in Satin
341. Snakes and Ladders
342. Broken Paper Hearts
343. The Star of New Mexico
I love the Incryptid universe in general, the novels in particular, and these linked short stories covering the courtship and married life of Fran and Johnny. There's some powerful poignant writing in here, particularly The First Fall and Broken Paper Hearts, but also great fun stories too like Loch & Key and Sweet Poison Wine.
Mission Tomorrow, edited by Bryan Thomas Schmidt and published by Baen in late 2015.
344. Tombaugh Station by Robin Wayne Bailey
345. Excalibur by Jack McDevitt
346. The Race for Arcadia by Alex Shvartsman
347. A Walkabout Amongst the Stars by Lezli Robyn
348. Sunrise on Mercury by Robert Silverberg
349. In Panic Town, On The Backward Moon by Michael F. Flynn
350. The Ultimate Space Race by Jaleta Clegg
351. Orpheus' Engines by Christopher McKitterick
352. Around the NEO in 80 Days by Jay Werkheiser
353. Iron Pegasus by Brenda Cooper
354. Airtight by Michael Capobianco
355. Windshear by Angus McIntyre
356. On Edge by Sarah A. Hoyt
357. Tartaros by Mike Resnick
358. Malf by David D. Levine
359. Ten Days Up by Curtis C. Chen
360. The Rabbit Hole by James Gunn
361. Rare (Off) Earth Elements (A Sam Gunn Tale) by Ben Bova
362. Tribute by Jack Skillingstead
I really wish I had the time to write up story reviews/thoughts about all of the stories in Mission Tomorrow; there's not a clunker in the bunch, and they come in a great mix of styles from broad comedy to dire tragedy. If I had to pick a few favorites, I'd say Bailey's "Tombaugh Station" and Skillingstead's "Tribute" are ideal opener and closer stories; I also really enjoyed Shvartsman's, Robyn's, Silverberg's, Clegg's, and McIntyre's tales.
Working For Bigfoot by Jim Butcher, collection published in hardcover by Subterranean Press, also available in audiobook form narrated by James Marsters.
363. B Is For Bigfoot
364. I Was a Teenage Bigfoot
365. Bigfoot On Campus
Butcher's three tales in which Harry Dresden is hired by Rivers Shoulders, a Bigfoot, to watch over his half-human son are fun reads. Previously published in various anthologies over the past few years, the Subterranean Press hardcover edition looks wonderful on my shelf; I listened to the audiobook because James Marsters.
366. Carousel by Jordan L. Hawk. Ended the year with a reread of this Whyborne & Griffin short story, previously published in an anthology and read in 2015, but re-issued in solo ebook format this year and so reread. I do so love Hawk's Lovecraftian gay investigators.
And that's a wrap for 2015! Back tomorrow, lack of New Years Eve hangover willing, to start a new year of short story reading!