Swords and Red Planets - Gardner Dozois
An anthology subtitled the New Planetary Romance.
Her mother vanished, the resistance in disarray, the only woman that can keep the Free Martians alive is the "Princess of the Iron Sands".
- Scott Lynch
A tramp freighter captain's ship is barely holding together, and a small space circus' rare animal's blood is all that can cure the sickening winged guardians who are all that stands between an entire world's population and doom. Can he make it in time "To Save the Black Planet?"
- John G. Hemry
The regolith dragons are prowling, the English barbarians outnumber them ten to one, and they are almost out of water. Is this the "Last Stand of the Luna Legion?"
- Robert Reed and Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Lida Hakkinen is unmatched on the Red Planet with a laser sword. Unfortunately she left her husband and wife holding the guns when she went to reconnoitre. She is shocked on her return to find them pointed at her. More nightmarish is a horror out of the past standing behind them. Even if she can get past the six-armed green Axe Amazons heading toward her, how can she save her spouses from one of the soul-sucking Shadow Kings of Mars?
- Hannu Rajaniemi
Being a female bounty hunter is tough enough. Tracking your prey through the ancient watery ruins of the Sea-Kings is worse. Especially when you have to fight alongside her to stay out of the cooking fires of the "Crater of the Cannibal Crab-Men".
- Neal Asher
A diplomatic mission to Io ends in treachery, and her father the oligarch is displayed in chains on the System net. Barely escaping capture herself, the woman who really needs a plan is "Rashina, Warlord of Titan".
- Ilona Andrews
Pacific Williams just bought the last drink he can afford. Sliding in next to him, hand on this thigh, a beautiful Venusian makes him an offer he can't refuse, whispering of the legend of the "Imago Tree Goddess".
- Laird Barron
Drinking with your friends and boasting in fancy bars is ok. When you declare no-one is a better swordswoman and anyone that can beat you gets to make you do anything they like, that is something else. Best not to do it in the hearing of Lan and Anh Le, twin scions of the Witch Queen of Mercury and foil and sabre gold medallists in the last Solar System Olympics. You will likely end up being put to the hot and sweaty test under the 'Sword of the Sun Princess'.
- Susan Grant
A new quantum missile defense system is being tested, when an escaped robot cat trips a power relay. Everything goes hyperpsychedelic, and backbencher MP Edgar Kline and his bodyguard find themselves far, far away and under attack by a starfighter, caught in--"Star Wars".
- Cory Doctorow and Charles Stross
Hazel D'Ark has one energy clip for the flame gun in her right hand, and her power sword in her left. The shirtless stud with the great arse at her back only has two battle axes to his name. For them to live, as far as the eye can see on the drylands Martian plain--"Robot Zombies Must Die!"
- Simon R. Green
A night out drinking with Thor doesn't usually lead to this: waking up on a spaceship heading for Uranus. Very, very badly "Lost, one Space Valkyrie!"
- Elizabeth Bear
A squad cut off from their century, with only swords and one pike between them. How will they make it off the mountain, and avoid being eaten alive by the "Albino Blood Apes of Kuf"?
- Paul Kearney
Rejected would-be pilot Javed Khan is so annoyed with the sneering disregard of the captain at the space academy who told him 'men can't space' he decided to teach her a lesson and break into her ship. Just as he was disabling the landing mechanism and threw an important part out the hatch, it closes and the ship leaps into space! Worse, he saw where she was headed. Will they survive a "Jungle Crash on Venus"?
- Linnea Sinclair
Stephen Grant didn't remember having a tail. Nor did he usually have the ability to swing upside down from the wrought iron light fitting in his lounge room. He did remember a pretty woman with rather hairy hands buying him a drink. Then it struck him...he'd been bodysnatched by the "Monkey Sex Slavers of Saturn"!
- Chris Roberson
Adeben Day, Agent of the Martian Empire is trapped in a cave riddled with the mind sucking Brain Bats of Venus. Out of ammunition, he is not sure he can survive. Even worse, he thinks he can hear the metallic footsteps of the woman hunting him down. Not even Brain Bats are as bad as being "Prey of the Cyborg Siren!".
- Alastair Reynolds
Or, that would be cool, anyway. :)
Her mother vanished, the resistance in disarray, the only woman that can keep the Free Martians alive is the "Princess of the Iron Sands".
- Scott Lynch
A tramp freighter captain's ship is barely holding together, and a small space circus' rare animal's blood is all that can cure the sickening winged guardians who are all that stands between an entire world's population and doom. Can he make it in time "To Save the Black Planet?"
- John G. Hemry
The regolith dragons are prowling, the English barbarians outnumber them ten to one, and they are almost out of water. Is this the "Last Stand of the Luna Legion?"
- Robert Reed and Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Lida Hakkinen is unmatched on the Red Planet with a laser sword. Unfortunately she left her husband and wife holding the guns when she went to reconnoitre. She is shocked on her return to find them pointed at her. More nightmarish is a horror out of the past standing behind them. Even if she can get past the six-armed green Axe Amazons heading toward her, how can she save her spouses from one of the soul-sucking Shadow Kings of Mars?
- Hannu Rajaniemi
Being a female bounty hunter is tough enough. Tracking your prey through the ancient watery ruins of the Sea-Kings is worse. Especially when you have to fight alongside her to stay out of the cooking fires of the "Crater of the Cannibal Crab-Men".
- Neal Asher
A diplomatic mission to Io ends in treachery, and her father the oligarch is displayed in chains on the System net. Barely escaping capture herself, the woman who really needs a plan is "Rashina, Warlord of Titan".
- Ilona Andrews
Pacific Williams just bought the last drink he can afford. Sliding in next to him, hand on this thigh, a beautiful Venusian makes him an offer he can't refuse, whispering of the legend of the "Imago Tree Goddess".
- Laird Barron
Drinking with your friends and boasting in fancy bars is ok. When you declare no-one is a better swordswoman and anyone that can beat you gets to make you do anything they like, that is something else. Best not to do it in the hearing of Lan and Anh Le, twin scions of the Witch Queen of Mercury and foil and sabre gold medallists in the last Solar System Olympics. You will likely end up being put to the hot and sweaty test under the 'Sword of the Sun Princess'.
- Susan Grant
A new quantum missile defense system is being tested, when an escaped robot cat trips a power relay. Everything goes hyperpsychedelic, and backbencher MP Edgar Kline and his bodyguard find themselves far, far away and under attack by a starfighter, caught in--"Star Wars".
- Cory Doctorow and Charles Stross
Hazel D'Ark has one energy clip for the flame gun in her right hand, and her power sword in her left. The shirtless stud with the great arse at her back only has two battle axes to his name. For them to live, as far as the eye can see on the drylands Martian plain--"Robot Zombies Must Die!"
- Simon R. Green
A night out drinking with Thor doesn't usually lead to this: waking up on a spaceship heading for Uranus. Very, very badly "Lost, one Space Valkyrie!"
- Elizabeth Bear
A squad cut off from their century, with only swords and one pike between them. How will they make it off the mountain, and avoid being eaten alive by the "Albino Blood Apes of Kuf"?
- Paul Kearney
Rejected would-be pilot Javed Khan is so annoyed with the sneering disregard of the captain at the space academy who told him 'men can't space' he decided to teach her a lesson and break into her ship. Just as he was disabling the landing mechanism and threw an important part out the hatch, it closes and the ship leaps into space! Worse, he saw where she was headed. Will they survive a "Jungle Crash on Venus"?
- Linnea Sinclair
Stephen Grant didn't remember having a tail. Nor did he usually have the ability to swing upside down from the wrought iron light fitting in his lounge room. He did remember a pretty woman with rather hairy hands buying him a drink. Then it struck him...he'd been bodysnatched by the "Monkey Sex Slavers of Saturn"!
- Chris Roberson
Adeben Day, Agent of the Martian Empire is trapped in a cave riddled with the mind sucking Brain Bats of Venus. Out of ammunition, he is not sure he can survive. Even worse, he thinks he can hear the metallic footsteps of the woman hunting him down. Not even Brain Bats are as bad as being "Prey of the Cyborg Siren!".
- Alastair Reynolds
Or, that would be cool, anyway. :)