Search Worlds Without End

In Martin Amis's Time's Arrow, the reader experiences the life of one Tod Friendly in reverse. Starting with his death, he leaves the hospital, grows healthier and younger, returns to his work as a doctor, begins his relationships and affairs with stormy breakups, and ends them with gradual seductions. Narrated by a separately conscious voice within Friendly's mind who watches his life events re-fold as the reader does, it slowly becomes apparent that Friendly's life has been shaped by a dark secret in his past.

Imagine a world in which Teddy Roosevelt is elected to a third term and leads America directly into World War I.A world in which the consequent terms of the Versailles Treaty propose a much gentler reconciliation between Allied and Central powers. A world in which neither World War II-nor the Holocaust-ever occurs, though European skirmishes abound. It's into this world, present millennium, where Martin Gidron has placed both Janusz, who's fled Poland to avoid a Russian draft, and his lover Irena, daughter of a famous composer. When Irena travels to Greece for her father's funeral, things start unravelling for Janusz: people and business establishments having Jewish connections disappear, literally without a trace or even memory, from New York City where Janusz has illegally emigrated. Then the Jewish daily newspaper where Janusz works switches overnight from Yiddish to English. And what are these strange letters that Janusz receives at his apartment, offering a "credit card, " whatever that might be? The discovery that Janusz is cast into by the novel's end is as harrowing in its particularity as it is in its universality.

Poppy Z. Brite, an acclaimed horror fan favorite, is known for going to the edge and back--and this collection of stories, many set against the backdrop of the author's native New Orleans, explores the outermost regions of murder, sex, death, and religion.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - (1998) - essay by Peter Straub
• Preface - (1998) - essay by Stewart P. Butkis
• In Vermis Veritas - (1996) - short story
• Arise - (1998) - short story
• Saved - (1994) - short story with Christa Faust
• King of the Cats - (1996) - short story with David Ferguson
• Self-Made Man - (1997) - novelette
• Pin Money - (1997) - short story
• America - (1996) - short story
• Entertaining Mr. Orton - (1997) - short story
• Monday's Special - [Dr. Brite] - (1998) - short story
• Vine of the Soul - (1998) - short story
• Mussolini and the Axeman's Jazz - (1995) - novelette
• Are You Loathsome Tonight? - (1998) - short story
• ...And in Closing (for Now) - (1998) - essay by Caitlín R. Kiernan

WFA nominated short story. It originally appeared in the anthology Still Dead (1992), edited by john Skipp and Craig Spector. The story can also be found in the anthologies:

• The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror: Sixth Annual Collection (1993), edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling
• The Living Dead (2008), edited by John Joseph Adams
• Darkness: Two Decades of Modern Horror (2010), edited by Ellen Datlow
• The Century's Best Horror Fiction 1951-2000 (2012), edited by John Pelan

It is included in the collection Swamp Foetus: A Collection of Short Stories (1993).

Zach is a computer hacker who looks like Edward Scissorhands, and Trevor, a comics artist, is traumatized by his father's murder of his mother and brother 20 years previously. Both on the run from their pasts, they end up as lovers in the town of Missing Mile.

To serial slayer Andrew Compton, murder is an art, the most intimate art. After feigning his own death to escape from prison, Compton makes his way to the United States with the sole ambition of bringing his "art" to new heights. Tortured by his own perverse desires, and drawn to possess and destroy young boys, Compton inadvertently joins forces with Jay Byrne, a dissolute playboy who has pushed his "art" to limits even Compton hadn't previously imagined. Together, Compton and Byrne set their sights on an exquisite young Vietnamese-American runaway, Tran, whom they deem to be the perfect victim.

Swiftly moving from the grimy streets of London's Piccadilly Circus to the decadence of the New Orleans French Quarter, and punctuated by rants from radio talk show host Lush Rimbaud, a.k.a. Luke Ransom, Tran's ex-lover, who is dying of AIDS and who intends to wreak ultimate havoc before leaving this world, Exquisite Corpse unfolds into a labyrinth of murder and love. Ultimately all four characters converge on a singular bloody night after which their lives will be irrevocably changed -- or terminated.

Poppy Z. Brite dissects the landscape of torture and invites us into the mind of a killer. Exquisite Corpse confirms Brite as a writer who defies categorization. It is a novel for those who dare trespass where the sacred and profane become one.

In the French Quarter of New Orleans the Mardi Gras celebrations conceal a different group of pleasure-seekers. For Zillah, Molochai and Twig, the party has been going on for centuries, fuelled by sexual frenzy, green Chartreuse and innocent blood. Born in horror and brought up in suburban Maryland, Nothing has always suspected he's different from other teenagers - and when he has his first taste of human blood, he knows he is right. Ghost is the singer of the band Lost Souls. When Nothing is drawn into Zillah's fatal circle, Ghost has to decide whether to save the boy - or abandon him to his bloody birthright. "Lost Souls" is a dark, decadent and delicious work of fantasy from the mistress of modern horror.

A collection of erotic horror stories follows the adventures of solace-seeking lonelyhearts on a North Carolina highway, behind a dusty Georgia carny show, in a Baton Rouge mausoleum, and an alley in Calcutta.

Table of Contents:

• The Ash of Memory, the Dust of Desire - (1991) - novelette
• Optional Music for Voice and Piano - (1986) - short story
• Missing - (1986) - short story
• The Elder - (1987) - short story
• Love (Ash 1) - (1987) - short story
• Goldengrove Unleaving - (1987) - short fiction
• Xenophobia - (1990) - short story
• Footprints in the Water - (1990) - short story
• His Mouth Will Taste of Wormwood - (1990) - short story
• How to Get Ahead in New York - (1992) - short story
• Calcutta, Lord of Nerves - (1992) - short story
• The Sixth Sentinel - (1993) - short story

This short story originally appeared in Lightspeed, May 2018.

Read the full story for free at Lightspeed.

In the thirty years since lasers were invented, we have learned to use them for jobs as diverse as eye surgery and missile defense. But the biggest advance is yet to come: one day soon we will be able to beam human beings from place to place on Earth, and even into Space.

Beamriders chronicles the achievements of the men and women who brave death in the development of just such a laser-transport system. Assignments that no one else can accomplish await the survivors: the rescue of a U.S. scientist from a cell beneath the Kremlin; defusing atomic blackmail in Washington; and, strangest of all, a mission to the Far Side of the Moon. On Earth and in Space, nothing can stop THE BEAMRIDERS!

PEACE IS AT HAND--THE PEACE OF DEATH

Just as the US and the USSR have finally settled their differences, American scientists discover that the Solar System is about to pass through a cloud of cosmic dust that will incite the Sun to a paroxysm of fury. All will die. There can be no escape--except, possibly, for a very few. This is their story.

HIS BODY WAS A MIRACLE OF TECHNOLOGY... AND A LEATHAL WEAPON!

From the radioactive rubble of a nuclear power plant, Lance Parker alone survived... burned beyond recognition... totally dependent on others... living with only one wish-the wish to die. From her high-technology laboratory, Lee Grazi created a miracle-a fully automated body for Lance to inhabit. A second skin so realistic that his best friends can't tell the difference... so strong that he can demolish a buidling with his barehands... so fast he can outrun a train... so powerful that even terrorists and criminals cannot escape the avenging force of... MANFAC.

Marooned is a 1964 science fiction thriller novel by Martin Caidin, about a manned spacecraft which becomes stranded in Earth orbit, oxygen running out, and only an experimental craft available to attempt a rescue. The film based on the novel was released in 1969, four months after the Apollo 11 mission.

The first edition of the novel Marooned involved a single astronaut stranded in orbit in a Mercury spacecraft, a rescue mission launched using the then-experimental Gemini spacecraft, and a Soviet Vostok also becoming involved in the mission.

The 1969 re-release of the novel, which coincided with the film, was extensively rewritten to reflect the advancements in the U.S. space program. The plot featured three U.S. astronauts stranded in an Apollo spacecraft after separation from an Apollo Applications Program space station very similar to the later Skylab program missions flown in 1973-74.

The rescue mission in the 1969 edition was flown with a Titan III-C rocket carrying an experimental X-RV lifting body spacecraft, which was never actually flown in space. In this edition, the Soviet involvement in the rescue mission was portrayed as using a Soyuz spacecraft. Caidin chose "Soyuz 11" as the designation of the rescue flight. In 1971, Soyuz 11 mission ended in tragedy when all three cosmonauts perished during re-entry while returning from Salyut 1, the first manned space station.

In the original edition, the Mercury astronaut is Dick Pruett, and the pilot of the rescue mission is Jim Dougherty. In the 1969 version, the names are changed to Jim Pruett and Ted Dougherty, with Clayton "Stoney" Stone and "Buzz" Lloyd added to make up the three-man Apollo crew.

Not all aliens are as cute and cuddly as E.T.....

At last the hopes and dreams of Earth people yearning for contact with the stars are fulfilled - by six of the most ruthless and depraved convicts that a galactic system advanced only in its methods of cruelty and oppression can produce. When they and their technology team up with a band of human desperadoes it's going to be hell on earth!

>PLANET EARTH IS BURNING

Burning with the pure raging fury of countless suns, energy feeding on everything it touches, growing. Project Star Bright, top secret nuclear experiment, is now beyond control. Is this the way the world ends?

Delany's hero is a West Indian slave who travels throughout the South advocating revolution, and later becomes the general of a black insurrectory force in Cuba. Blake hopes that, with rebellion in Cuba and the expulsion of all Americans, Cuba's model as a self-governed black state will ultimately precipitate the downfall of slavery in the United States.

Focusing on the political and social issues of the 1850s - slavery as an institution, Cuba as the prime interest of Southern expansionists, the practicality of militant slave revolution, and the possibilities of collective action - Blake is one of the most revealing novels of its period.

From ISFDB: Part one (chapters 1-23 and 29-31) of the novel was serialized in The Anglo-African Magazine, January to July 1859. The rest of part one was first published when Delany reprinted the story in The Weekly Anglo-African, November 1861 to May 1862. The whole novel was not published in book form until 1970.

A copy may be found at http://utc.iath.virginia.edu/africam/blakehp.html

Table of Contents:

• Introduction: Fat! (The Science Fiction Weight-Loss Book) - (1983) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• Sylvester's Revenge - (1975) - shortstory by Vance Aandahl
• Fat Farm - (1980) - shortstory by Orson Scott Card
• The Stretch - (1956) - shortstory by Sam Merwin, Jr.
• Camels and Dromedaries, Clem - (1967) - shortstory by R. A. Lafferty
• The Champ - (1978) - shortstory by T. Coraghessan Boyle
• The Truth About Pyecraft - (1903) - shortstory by H. G. Wells
• The Iron Chancellor - (1958) - novelette by Robert Silverberg
• The Man Who Ate the World - (1956) - novelette by Frederik Pohl
• Gladys's Gregory - (1963) - shortstory by John Anthony West
• Abercrombie Station - (1952) - novella by Jack Vance
• Shipping Clerk - (1952) - shortstory by William Morrison
• The Malted Milk Monster - (1959) - novelette by William Tenn
• The Food Farm - (1967) - shortstory by Kit Reed
• The Artist of Hunger - (1983) - shortstory by Scott Russell Sanders
• Quitters, Inc. - (1978) - shortstory by Stephen King

Thirteen urban and paranormal tales of strong women, armed with weapons they are not afraid to use, as well as fists and feet of fury, who face monsters and bad guys-and are not above rescuing men in the process.

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction (A Girl's Guide to Guns and Monsters) - essay by Kerrie Hughes
• 3 - The Drifter - short story by Jane Lindskold
• 36 - Our Lady of the Vampires - short story by Nancy Holder
• 56 - Best Friends - short story by Lilith Saintcrow
• 81 - Elizabeth and Anna's Big Adventure - short story by Jeanne C. Stein
• 92 - Lupercalia - short story by Anton Strout
• 114 - Murder, She Workshopped - short story by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• 138 - Heart of Ash - [Magic Ex Libris] - short story by Jim C. Hines
• 154 - Jiang Shi - short story by Elizabeth Vaughan
• 178 - No Matter Where You Go - [Victory Nelson, Investigator] - short story by Tanya Huff
• 206 - Signed in Blood - short story by Irene Radford
• 226 - Broch de Shlang - short story by Mickey Zucker Reichert
• 252 - The Wooly Mountains - short story by Alexander Potter
• 282 - Invasive Species - short story by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• 300 - About the Authors (A Girl's Guide to Guns and Monsters)
• 305 - About the Editors (A Girl's Guide to Guns and Monsters)

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - essay by Martin H. Greenberg and Terry Carr
• The Rats in the Walls - (1924) - novelette by H. P. Lovecraft
• The Woman of the Wood - (1926) - novelette by A. Merritt
• Trouble with Water - (1939) - short story by H. L. Gold
• Thirteen O'Clock - (1941) - novelette by C. M. Kornbluth
• The Coming of the White Worm - (1941) - short story by Clark Ashton Smith
• Yesterday Was Monday - (1941) - short story by Theodore Sturgeon
• They Bite - (1943) - short story by Anthony Boucher
• Call Him Demon - (1946) - novelette by Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore
• Daemon - (1946) - short story by C. L. Moore
• The Black Ferris - (1948) - short story by Ray Bradbury
• Displaced Person - (1948) - short story by Eric Frank Russell
• Our Fair City - (1949) - short story by Robert A. Heinlein
• Come and Go Mad - (1949) - novelette by Fredric Brown
• There Shall Be No Darkness - (1950) - novelette by James Blish
• The Loom of Darkness - (1950) - short story by Jack Vance
• The Rag Thing - (1951) - short story by Donald A. Wollheim
• Sail On! Sail On! - (1952) - short story by Philip José Farmer
• One Ordinary Day, with Peanuts - (1955) - short story by Shirley Jackson
• That Hell-Bound Train - (1958) - short story by Robert Bloch
• Nine Yards of Other Cloth - (1958) - short story by Manly Wade Wellman
• The Montavarde Camera - (1959) - short story by Avram Davidson
• Man Overboard - (1960) - novelette by John Collier
• My Dear Emily - (1962) - short story by Joanna Russ
• Descending - (1964) - short story by Thomas M. Disch
• Four Ghosts in Hamlet - (1965) - novelette by Fritz Leiber
• Divine Madness - (1966) - short story by Roger Zelazny
• Narrow Valley - (1966) - short story by R. A. Lafferty
• Timothy - (1966) - short story by Keith Roberts
• Longtooth - (1970) - novelette by Edgar Pangborn
• Through a Glass - Darkly - (1970) - novelette by Zenna Henderson
• Piper at the Gates of Dawn - (1976) - novella by Richard Cowper
• Jeffty Is Five - (1977) - short story by Harlan Ellison
• Within the Walls of Tyre - (1978) - novelette by Michael Bishop

After the King presents an outstanding collection of new fantasy stories by an extraordinary assemblage of some of the very best writers to ever continue the tradition Tolkien began with The Lord of the Rings.

Contents:

• Introduction - (1992) - essay by Jane Yolen
• Reave the Just - (1992) - novelette by Stephen R. Donaldson
• Troll Bridge - (1992) - shortstory by Terry Pratchett
• A Long Night's Vigil at the Temple - (1992) - novelette by Robert Silverberg
• The Dragon of Tollin - (1992) - shortstory by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
• Faith - (1992) - novelette by Poul Anderson and Karen Anderson
• In the Season of the Dressing of the Wells - (1992) - novella by John Brunner
• The Fellowship of the Dragon - (1992) - novelette by Patricia A. McKillip
• The Decoy Duck - (1992) - novelette by Harry Turtledove
• Nine Threads of Gold - (1992) - novelette by Andre Norton
• The Conjure Man - (1992) - shortstory by Charles de Lint
• The Halfling House - (1992) - novelette by Dennis L. McKiernan
• Silver or Gold - (1992) - novelette by Emma Bull
• Up the Side of the Air - (1992) - novelette by Karen Haber
• The Naga - (1992) - shortstory by Peter S. Beagle
• Revolt of the Sugar Plum Fairies - (1992) - shortstory by Mike Resnick
• Winter's King - (1992) - shortstory by Jane Yolen
• Götterdämmerung - (1992) - shortstory by Barry N. Malzberg
• Down the River Road - (1992) - novella by Gregory Benford
• Death and the Lady - (1992) - novelette by Judith Tarr

A fiction anthology featuring 36 amazing tabloid tales from a rock band with Satan as its manager to 2,437 UFOs in New Hampshire. Written by some of the zaniest minds in science fiction and fantasy--such as Dennis McKiernan and Kristine Kathryn Rusch--these better-than-true originals are sure to grab readers' imagination. Original.

Table of Contents:

• 15 - Introduction: Alien Pregnant by Elvis - essay by Esther M. Friesner
• 18 - The Source of It All - short story by Dennis L. McKiernan
• 22 - The Bride of Bigfoot - short fiction by Lawrence Watt-Evans
• 37 - Close-Up Photos Reveal JFK Skull on Moon! - short story by Barry N. Malzberg
• 43 - Marilyn, Elvis, and the Reality Blues - short story by James Brunet
• 51 - Those Rowdy Royals! - short story by Laura Resnick
• 58 - My Husband Became a Zombie and It Saved Our Marriage - short story by Karen Haber
• 69 - Rock Band Conjures Satan as Manager - short story by Deborah Wunder
• 73 - 2,437 UFOs Over New Hampshire - novelette by Allen Steele
• 89 - Pulitzer Kills Publishing Maggot - short story by Mark W. Tiedemann
• 95 - Elvis at the White House - short story by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• 108 - The Number of the Beast - short story by Jeff Hecht
• 114 - De Gustibus - short story by Anthony R. Lewis
• 117 - Is Your Coworker a Space Alien? - short story by Rosemary Edghill
• 130 - A Beak for Trends - short story by Laura Frankos
• 140 - Hitler Clone in Argentina Plots Falklands Reprise - short story by John DeChancie
• 154 - Group Phenomena - short story by Thomas F. Monteleone
• 164 - Unextinctions - poem by Bruce Boston and Roger Dutcher
• 166 - How Alien He Really Was - short story by Bruce Boston
• 168 - NASA Sending Addicts to Mars! - short story by Alan Dean Foster
• 179 - Vole - short story by John Gregory Betancourt
• 182 - In Search of the Perfect Orgasm - short story by Dean Wesley Smith
• 186 - Saving Sam's Used UFOs - short story by Kate Daniel
• 194 - Danny's Excellent Adventure - short story by Greg Cox
• 198 - Royal Tiff Yields Face of Jesus! - short fiction by Esther M. Friesner
• 209 - Magnetic Personality Triggers Nail-Biter's Near-Death Ordeal! - short story by T. Winter-Damon
• 213 - They'd Never-- - short story by Harry Turtledove
• 227 - Loch Ness Monster Found--in the Bermuda Triangle - short story by David Vierling
• 231 - Racehorse Predicts the Future! - short story by Josepha Sherman
• 237 - Printer's Devils - short story by Gregory Feeley
• 248 - Cannibal Plants from Heck - short story by David Drake
• 265 - Psychic Bats 1000 for Accuracy! - short story by Jody Lynn Nye
• 270 - Caveat Atlantis - short story by Richard Gilliam
• 277 - Frozen Hitler Found in Atlantean Love Nest - short story by Rosemary Edghill
• 281 - Those Eyes - short story by David Brin
• 294 - Stop Press - short story by Mike Resnick
• 302 - Martian Memorial to Elvis Sighted - short story by George Alec Effinger

Table of Contents:

• From Death's Other Side - (1991) - essay by Frank D. McSherry, Jr.
• Lazarus - (1921) - shortstory by Leonid Andreyev (1906)
• The Rose-Crystal Bell - (1954) - shortstory by Robert Arthur
• Glámr - (1863) - shortstory by Sabine Baring-Gould
• Beyond the Wall - (1907) - shortstory by Ambrose Bierce
• Mother of Serpents - (1936) - shortstory by Robert Bloch
• Lost Boys - (1989) - shortstory by Orson Scott Card
• The Man with Pin-Point Eyes - (1931) - novelette by Erle Stanley Gardner
• Grave Error - (1991) - shortstory by Cathie Griffith
• The Tortoise - (1910) - shortstory by William Fryer Harvey
• The Adventure of the German Student - (1824) - shortstory by Washington Irving
• Count Magnus - (1904) - shortstory by M. R. James
• A Thousand Deaths - (1889) - shortstory by Jack London
• The Outsider - (1926) - shortstory by H. P. Lovecraft
• Ligeia - (1838) - shortstory by Edgar Allan Poe
• Mop-Up - (1953) - shortstory by Arthur Porges
• Charlie - (1980) - shortstory by Talmage Powell
• If the Red Slayer - (1959) - shortstory by Robert Sheckley
• The Charnel God - (1934) - novelette by Clark Ashton Smith
• It - (1940) - novelette by Theodore Sturgeon
• Where the Woodbine Twineth - (1976) - shortstory by Manly Wade Wellman
• Afterward - (1910) - novelette by Edith Wharton

From dark felines crossing your path to shattered looking glasses, Black Cats and Broken Mirrors dares to ask the question: "What if some of those long-treasured superstitions are actually true?" Join Jane Yolen, Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, Michelle West, Charles de Lint, Nancy Springer, Peter Crowther, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Esther Friesner, and more as they explore the lighter and darker sides of our fears in this original anthology featuring stories ranging from urban fantasy and magical realism to horror!

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - (1998) - essay by John Helfers
• How It All Began - (1998) - novelette by Esther M. Friesner
• Thirteen Ways to Water - (1998) - shortstory by Bruce Holland Rogers
• Whirlwinds - (1998) - shortstory by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
• Dead Tired - (1998) - shortstory by Russell Davis
• Shards of Glass - (1998) - novelette by Kristin Schwengel
• The Cat Who Wasn't Black - (1998) - shortstory by Josepha Sherman
• Something Blue - (1998) - shortstory by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• Crossroads - (1998) - shortstory by Genevieve Gorman
• The Song of a Gift Horse - (1998) - shortstory by Dean Wesley Smith
• Caretaking - (1998) - shortstory by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• Soul Cages - (1998) - shortstory by Carol Rondou
• Auspicious Stars - (1998) - novelette by Jane Lindskold
• Frogged - (1998) - shortstory by Nancy Springer
• Step on the Crack - (1998) - shortstory by Michelle West
• Front-Page McGuffin and the Greatest Story Never Told - (1998) - novelette by Peter Crowther
• To the Edge of the World - (1998) - shortstory by Zane Stillings
• The Pennymen - (1998) - shortstory by Charles de Lint

Contents:

• vii - Introduction (Caught in the Organ Draft: Biology in Science Fiction) - [Asimov's Essays: Other's Work] - (1983) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 3 - Keep Out - (1954) - short story by Fredric Brown
• 9 - Student Body - (1953) - novelette by F. L. Wallace [as by Floyd L. Wallace]
• 37 - A Sound of Thunder - (1952) - short story by Ray Bradbury
• 55 - Invariant - (1944) - short story by John R. Pierce
• 63 - The Exterminator - (1931) - short story by A. Hyatt Verrill
• 71 - Tomorrow's Children - [Tomorrow's Children - 1] - (1947) - novelette by Poul Anderson and F. N. Waldrop [as by Poul Anderson]
• 107 - Mary and Joe - (1962) - short story by Naomi Mitchison
• 123 - Sea Change - (1956) - short story by Thomas N. Scortia
• 141 - Caught in the Organ Draft - (1972) - short story by Robert Silverberg
• 157 - Nine Lives - (1969) - novelette by Ursula K. Le Guin
• 191 - Alien Earth - (1949) - novelette by Edmond Hamilton
• 225 - Grandpa - [The Hub] - (1955) - novelette by James H. Schmitz
• 257 - Notes (Caught in the Organ Draft: Biology in Science Fiction) - [Asimov's Essays: Other's Work] - (1983) - essay by Isaac Asimov

Seventeen brand-new stories by some of fantasy's most imaginative authors about children born with the gift of magic--whether in our world or in fantastical universes.

These young spell casters use their powers--for good or ill--to transform their worlds to their liking. From a fledgling wizard with political ambitions, to a boy whose touch can end suffering, to the "true" tale of how Da Vinci came by his talents, these are wondrous excursions into both the light and dark sides of magic.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - essay by Kerrie Hughes
• Mr. Death Goes to Washington - shortstory by Alan Dean Foster
• Nethan's Magic - shortstory by Jody Lynn Nye
• Touching Faith - shortstory by Alexander Potter
• The Horses of the High Hills - shortstory by Brenda Cooper
• An End to All Things - shortstory by Karina Sumner-Smith
• After School Specials - shortstory by Tanya Huff
• Titan - shortstory by Sarah A. Hoyt
• Shades of Truth - shortstory by Jana Paniccia
• The Winter of Our Discontent - shortstory by Nancy Holder
• The Rustle of Wings - shortstory by Ruth Stuart
• Basic Magic - shortstory by Jean Rabe
• Fever Waking - shortstory by Jane Lindskold
• Starchild Wondersmith - shortstory by Louise Marley
• Far From the Tree - novelette by Melissa Lee Shaw
• The Weight of Wishes - novelette by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• The Trade - shortstory by Fiona Patton
• Shahira - novelette by Michelle West

THE CHRISTMAS SPIRITS --

Everyone knows the Chirstmas season has truly arrived when A Christmas Carol takes center stage in both amateur and professional porductions, and the classic films and animated versions are shown over and over on television. Now, Mike Resnick and Martin H. Greenberg have challenged some fo the most creative minds in fantasy and science fiction to tell readers exactly what those Christmas ghosts are up to when they're not scaring a stingy old man into self-reformation. The result is a sondrous seasonal mix, a perfect present for those ready to snuggle up with a good book on a cold winter's night.

From a Chirstmas encounter with a beggar that may haunt a wealthy traveler for the rest of his life... to a far different journey into Scrooge's Christmases past, a visit that amy expose some unsuspected truths about Ebenezer's former friends and acquaintances... to a script writer hired to give the story of Christmas a real "nineties twist," here are tales to savor over a holidy punch, imaginatively wrapped up for you by such generous gift givers as Mercedes Lackey, Frank M. Robinson, Judith Tarr, and Kristing Kathryn Rusch.

Contents:

• 13 - Introduction (Christmas Ghosts) - (1993) - essay by Mike Resnick
• 15 - Hunger - (1993) - short story by Michelle West [as by Michelle Sagara]
• 27 - Merry Christmas, No. 30267 - (1993) - short fiction by Frank M. Robinson
• 39 - The One That Got Away - (1993) - short story by Mark Aronson
• 53 - Elephantoms - (1993) - short fiction by Lawrence Schimel
• 55 - A Foreigner's Christmas in China - (1993) - short story by Maureen F. McHugh
• 67 - Upon a Midnight Dreary - (1993) - short fiction by Laura Resnick
• 84 - Modern Mansions - (1993) - short fiction by Barbara Delaplace
• 101 - Cadenza - (1993) - short fiction by Terry McGarry
• 114 - Gordian Angel - (1993) - short fiction by Jack Nimersheim
• 126 - The Timbrel Sound of Darkness - (1993) - short story by Kathe Koja and Barry N. Malzberg
• 136 - A Prophet for Chanukah - (1993) - short fiction by Deborah J. Wunder
• 152 - Dumb Feast - (1993) - short story by Mercedes Lackey
• 163 - Shades of Light and Darkness - (1993) - short fiction by Josepha Sherman
• 181 - The River Lethe Is Made of Tears - (1993) - short fiction by John Gregory Betancourt
• 188 - Absent Friends - (1993) - short story by Martha Soukup
• 201 - Presentes - (1993) - short story by Nicholas A. DiChario
• 208 - Peter's Ghost - (1993) - short fiction by Marie A. Parsons
• 220 - The Case of the Skinflint's Specters - (1993) - short fiction by Brian M. Thomsen
• 228 - Christmas Presence - (1993) - short story by Kate Daniel
• 241 - The Ghost of Christmas Scams - (1993) - short fiction by Lea Hernandez
• 250 - Wishbook Days - (1993) - short story by Janni Lee Simner
• 266 - Holiday Station - (1993) - short fiction by Judith Tarr
• 280 - State Road - (1993) - short fiction by Alan Dormire and Robin J. Nakkula
• 288 - The Ghosts of Christmas Future - (1993) - short fiction by Dean Wesley Smith
• 292 - Three Wishes Before a Fire - (1993) - short fiction by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• 299 - The Ghost of Christmas Sideways - (1993) - short story by David Gerrold
• 307 - The Bear Who Found Christmas - (1993) - short fiction by Alan Rodgers

An all-original anthology of short fiction exploring what may be the most fascinating and certainly bloodiest of all American wars--the Civil War--by the bestselling authors of dark fantasy, horror, and science fiction.

• Preface - essay by Michael Bishop
• Introduction - essay by Richard Gilliam
• Death Fiend Guerillas - short story by William S. Burroughs
• Zulei, Grace, Nimshi, and the Damnyankees - novelette by Anne McCaffrey
• Hell Creek - short story by Karl Edward Wagner
• The Sunday-Go-To-Meeting Jaw short story by Nancy A. Collins
• Darker Angels - novelette by S. P. Somtow
• Roll Call - novelette by Jerry Ahern and Sharon Ahern
• The Crater - novelette by Doug Murray
• Sons - short story by Charles L. Grant
• Butternut and Blood - short story by Kathryn Ptacek
• Strawman - short story by Nancy Holder
• A Dress For Tea) - short story by Wendy Webb
• Foragers - short story by Richard Lee Byers
• Spoils of War - short story by Owl Goingback
• Red Clay, Crimson Clay - short story by Brad Linaweaver
• Beneath A Waning Moon - short story by Brad Strickland
• The Master's Time - short story by Anya Martin and Stephen L. Antczak
• Terrible Swift Saw - short story by Gregory Nicoll
• Two Yellow Pine Coffins - novelette by Robert Sampson
• The Third Nation - novelette by Lee Hoffman
• Beast - novelette by George Alec Effinger
• The Face - short story by Ed Gorman
• Colour - novelette by Michael Moorcock
• Caroline and Caleb - novella by Richard Gilliam
• Grabow and Collicker and I - short story by Algis Budrys
• The Unknown Soldier - short story by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Fantasy, whether classic or contemporary, has always been based on the conflict between the forces of Light and Darkness. Now some of the genre's most inventive authors bring readers into the Seelie Court, where all serve the Queen of Air and Light, and the Unseelie Court, where the forces of Darkness hold sway.

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction (Courts of the Fey) - essay by Russell Davis
• 5 - Gallow's Rescue - short fiction by Lilith Saintcrow
• 31 - An Answer from the North - short fiction by Sarah A. Hoyt
• 53 - Goodhouse Keeping - short fiction by Mary Robinette Kowal
• 81 - The Song of the Wind - short fiction by Paul Crilley
• 92 - First Ball ... Last Call - short fiction by Rob Thurman
• 116 - Beauty - short fiction by Jenifer Ruth
• 131 - Pennyroyal - short fiction by Kerrie Hughes
• 147 - Unlocked Gate - short fiction by Dean Wesley Smith
• 174 - Mushroom Clouds and Fairy Wings - short fiction by John A. Pitts
• 196 - Hunting the Unicorn - short fiction by Jane Lindskold
• 225 - The Green Man - short fiction by Amber Benson
• 245 - Anne - novella by Michelle West

Twenty-two tales of erotic obsession:

• Introduction - essay by T. E. D. Klein
• Lunch at the Gotham Café - novelette by Stephen King
• The Psycho - short story by Michael O'Donoghue
• Pas de Deux - short story by Kathe Koja
• Bright Blades Gleaming - novelette by Basil Copper
• Hanson's Radio - short story by John Lutz
• Refrigerator Heaven - short story by David J. Schow
• Ro Erg - short story by Robert Weinberg
• Going Under - short story by Ramsey Campbell
• Hidden - short story by Stuart M. Kaminsky
• Prism - short story by Wendy Webb
• The Maiden - novelette by Richard Laymon
• You've Got Your Troubles, I've Got Mine... - novelette by Bob Burden
• Waco - short story by George C. Chesbro
• The Penitent - novelette by John Peyton Cooke
• Driven - short story by Kathryn Ptacek
• Barbara - short story by John Shirley
• Hymenoptera - short story by Michael Blumlein
• The End of It All - novelette by Ed Gorman
• Heat - short story by Lucy Taylor
• Thin Walls - short story by Nancy A. Collins
• Locked Away - short story by Karl Edward Wagner
• Loop - novelette by Douglas E. Winter

Contents

• Warning-- (Devil Worshipers) - essay by Frank D. McSherry, Jr.
• Sweet Sixteen (1958) - short story by Robert Bloch
• The Missing Item - [Black Widowers] (1977) - short story by Isaac Asimov
• The Compleat Werewolf - [Fergus O'Breen] (1942) - novella by Anthony Boucher
• No News Today (1941) - short story by Cleve Cartmill
• The Night Train to Lost Valley (1948) - short story by August Derleth
• The Sacrifice (1905) - short story by Perceval Gibbon
• Young Goodman Brown (1835) - short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• The Vicar of Hell - [Simon Ark - 5] (1956) - novelette by Edward D. Hoch
• The Words of Guru (1941) - short story by C. M. Kornbluth
• The Power (1945) - short story by Murray Leinster
• The Stranger from Kurdistan - [Ismeddin] (1925) - short story by E. Hoffmann Price
• The Globe of Memories (1937) - novella by Seabury Quinn
• School for the Unspeakable (1937) - short story by Manly Wade Wellman
• Such Nice Neighbors (1985) - short story by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
• The New People (1958) - short story by Charles Beaumont

Table of Contents:

• ix - Introduction (Dragons and Dreams) - essay by Martin H. Greenberg and Charles G. Waugh and Jane Yolen
• 1 - The Box - short story by Bruce Coville
• 12 - The Thing That Goes Burp in the Night - short story by Sharon Webb
• 32 - Baba Yaga and the Sorcerer's Son - short story by Patricia A. McKillip
• 43 - All the Names of Baby Hag - short story by Patricia MacLachlan
• 55 - The Three Men - short story by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
• 70 - Great-Grandfather Dragon's Tale - novelette by Jane Yolen
• 95 - Laughter in the Leaves - [Cerin Songweaver] - short story by Charles de Lint
• 108 - Carol Oneir's Hundredth Dream - [Chrestomanci] - novelette by Diana Wynne Jones
• 136 - The Singing Float - short story by Monica Hughes
• 151 - Uptown Local - [Young Wizards] - novelette by Diane Duane

A collection of fantasy tales set in mysterious and bewitching forests includes the adventures of a woodcutter's daughter-turned-private detective, a young tribesman who is torn from his forest home, and a woodsman's unexpected encounter with a witch.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - (1995) - essay by Katharine Kerr
• The Forest's Not for Burning - (1995) - shortstory by Katherine Lawrence
• "I'll Give You Three Wishes...." - (1995) - shortstory by Kevin Andrew Murphy
• The Triple Death - (1995) - shortstory by Ken St. Andre
• Out of the Woods - (1995) - shortstory by Lawrence Watt-Evans
• Viridescence - (1995) - shortstory by Connie Hirsch
• Fiat Silva - (1995) - shortstory by Jack Oakley
• Weeds - (1995) - shortstory by Julia H. West and Brook West
• Benbow - (1995) - shortstory by Nancy Etchemendy
• The Prism of Memory - (1995) - shortstory by Jo Clayton
• The Force That Through the Green Fuse - (1995) - shortstory by Mark Kreighbaum
• My Soul Into the Boughs - (1995) - shortstory by Teresa Edgerton
• These Shoes Strangers Have Died Of - (1995) - shortstory by Bruce Holland Rogers
• The Clearing - (1995) - shortstory by Lois Tilton
• How the Ant Made a Bargain - (1995) - shortstory by Karawynn Long
• In Fear of Little Nell - (1995) - shortstory by Gregory Feeley
• Wood Song - (1995) - shortstory by Kate Daniel
• Virginia Woods - (1995) - shortstory by Janni Lee Simner
• Ties of Love - (1995) - shortfiction by Lawrence Schimel
• The Heart of the Forest - (1995) - shortstory by Dave Smeds
• Holy Ground - (1995) - shortstory by Thomas S. Roche
• Ghostwood - (1995) - novelette by Michelle West
• The Monsters of Mill Creek Park - (1995) - novelette by Susan Shwartz
• The Memory of Peace - (1995) - novelette by Kate Elliott
• Everything Has a Place - (1995) - shortstory by Barbara A. Denz
• Trees Perpetual of Sleep - (1995) - shortstory by Nina Kiriki Hoffman

Contents:

• The Question of the Sword - poem by Jane Yolen
• The God-Sword - novelette by Diana L. Paxson
• Lassorio - short story by Eric Van Lustbader [as by Eric Lustbader ]
• Controlling the Sword - short story by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• Surgeon's Steel - novelette by Diana Gabaldon
• Prayer of the Knight of the Sword - short story by Nancy Holder
• Echoes of the One Sword - poem by T. Winter-Damon
• Grass Dancer - short story by Owl Goingback
• All We Know of Heaven - short story by Peter Crowther
• Passing - novelette by Charles de Lint
• Nights of the Round Table - poem by Lawrence Schimel
• Here There Be Dragons? - short story by Marion Zimmer Bradley
• Goldie, Lox, and the Three Excalibearers - novelette by Esther M. Friesner
• Silver, Stone, and Steel - short story by Judith Tarr
• The Other Scabbard - short story by Brad Linaweaver
• Hope's Edge - poem by Daniel H. Scheltema
• The Waking Dream - novelette by Jill M. Morgan [as by J. M. Morgan ]
• The Scout, the Slugger and the Stripper - short story by Randy Miller
• The Weapon - short story by Ardath Mayhar
• The Sword in the Net - short story by Brad Strickland
• Once and Future - poem by Terry Tappouni
• Once and Future - short story by Mercedes Lackey
• Sword Practice - novelette by Jody Lynn Nye
• Where Bestowed - short story by Susan Dexter
• Demon Sword - novelette by Bill Fawcett
• Troubled Waters - novelette by Susan Shwartz
• Literary Cubism Saves the Universe - poem by Joe Haldeman
• Duty - novelette by Gary Gygax
• The Epilogue of the Sword - short story by Darrell Schweitzer

Faerie folk have cast their magical spell over people the world around. Now some of today's most imaginative fantasists explore into the heart of this enchantment with twelve all-original stories that will bespell readers of all ages.

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction (Faerie Tales) - essay by Russell Davis
• 4 - Sweet Forget-Me-Not - [Newford] - novelette by Charles de Lint
• 32 - The September People - novelette by Tim Waggoner
• 59 - Judgment - [Faerie Justice] - short story by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• 79 - Changeling - novelette by John Helfers
• 122 - Yellow Tide Foam - novelette by Sarah A. Hoyt
• 143 - He Said, Sidhe Said - short story by Tanya Huff
• 162 - A Very Special Relativity - short story by Jim Fiscus
• 181 - Witches'-Broom, Apple Soon - [Athanor] - novelette by Jane Lindskold
• 208 - Wyvern - [Elfhome / Steel City] - short story by Wen Spencer
• 222 - A Piece of Flesh - novelette by Adam Stemple
• 248 - The Filial Fiddler - novelette by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
• 270 - The Stolen Child - novelette by Michelle West

13 new stories about TESTING the bonds of fellowship on fantastical worlds

The bonds of friendship and fellowship are key to many fine fantasy and science fiction novels, most notably Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring. Now top tale-spinners offer their own unique takes on fellowship in thirteen original stories, featuring a girl who finds her best friend through a portal to another world, an adventure on an alternate Earth where a not-quite Holmes and Watson take on a fascinating challenge, a group of urban mages playing the "True Game" for high stakes, a squire determined to help his master's ghost fulfill his final mission, and more. Together, these stories dramatically illustrate how fellowships can alter destiny and change worlds.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - essay by Kerrie Hughes
• Almost Brothers - novelette by Paul Genesse
• The Quest - novelette by Donald J. Bingle
• Sweet Threads - shortstory by Jody Lynn Nye
• Trophy Wives - novelette by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• The Eye of Heaven - shortstory by Chris Pierson
• Overcast - shortstory by Alan Dean Foster
• Friends of the High Hills - shortstory by Brenda Cooper
• Scars Enough - shortstory by Russell Davis
• Concerning a Gambit of Fraternity - shortstory by Steven E. Schend
• Revenge is a Dish Best Served with Beers - novelette by Fiona Patton
• The Enigma of the Serbian Scientist - novelette by S. Andrew Swann
• Cirque du Lumière - novelette by Bradley P. Beaulieu
• Friendly Advice - novelette by Alexander Potter
• About the Authors - essay by uncredited

Five Science Fiction Novels is a 1952 anthology of five science fiction novellas edited by Martin Greenberg. The stories originally appeared in the magazines Unknown and Astounding SF.

Table of Contents:

• 13 - But Without Horns - (1940) - novella by Norvell W. Page
• 110 - Destiny Times Three - (1945) - novel by Fritz Leiber
• 204 - Crisis in Utopia - (1952) - novella by Norman L. Knight
• 277 - The Chronicler - (1946) - novella by A. E. van Vogt (variant of Siege of the Unseen)
• 349 - The Crucible of Power - (1939) - novelette by Jack Williamson

Twenty-four short stories follow themes of human boundaries pushed to the limits, bringing readers into the lives of men and women who dabble in satanic worship, sexual manipulation, and other dark vices.

• Introduction - essay by Joe Bob Briggs
• Light of Thy Countenance - short story by Alan Moore
• The Contract - short story by Brian Herbert and Marie Landis
• Blood Knot - short story by Steve Rasnic Tem
• Interrogator Frames - short story by Rob Hardin
• The Real World - novelette by Brooks Caruthers
• Choke Hold - short story by Lucy Taylor
• Blackpool Rock - novelette by Philip Nutman
• Forgotten Promises - short story by Edward E. Kramer
• Coming of Age - short story by Douglas Clegg
• High Heels from Hell - short story by Mike Lee
• The Energy Pals - novelette by Howard Kaylan
• The Agony Man - short story by Don Webb
• Brainchild - novelette by Rex Miller
• Furies in Black Leather - short story by Nancy A. Collins
• You Hear What Buddy and Ray Did? - short story by John Shirley
• Playing Dolls - short story by Melissa Mia Hall and Douglas E. Winter
• Facets of Solitaire - novelette by Christopher Golden
• The Picture of Jonathan Collins - short story by Karl Edward Wagner
• Happy Couple - short story by Danielle Willis
• Mysterious Elisions, Riotous Thrusts - short story by Kathe Koja and Barry N. Malzberg
• Stations of the Cross - short story by David Aaron Clark

Original tales written in honor of Isaac Asimov's fiftieth anniversary in the genre. They are set across his works.

Contents:

• 1 - Preface (Foundation's Friends) - essay by Ray Bradbury
• 3 - Second Preface: The Nonmetallic Isaac or It's a Wonderful Life - essay by Ben Bova
• 7 - Strip-Runner - [The Positronic Robot Stories] - novelette by Pamela Sargent
• 41 - The Asenion Solution - short story by Robert Silverberg
• 57 - Murder in the Urth Degree - [Wendell Urth] - short story by Edward Wellen
• 75 - Trantor Falls - [Foundation] - short story by Harry Turtledove
• 95 - Dilemma - [The Positronic Robot Stories] - short story by Connie Willis
• 115 - Maureen Birnbaum After Dark - [Maureen Birnbaum] - short story by George Alec Effinger
• 135 - Balance - [Susan Calvin] - short story by Mike Resnick
• 141 - The Present Eternal - short story by Barry N. Malzberg
• 153 - PAPPI - [The Positronic Robot Stories] - short story by Sheila Finch
• 173 - The Reunion at the Mile-High - short story by Frederik Pohl
• 187 - Plato's Cave - [The Positronic Robot Stories] - novelette by Poul Anderson
• 217 - Foundation's Conscience - [Foundation] - short story by George Zebrowski
• 225 - Carhunters of the Concrete Prairie - [The Positronic Robot Stories] - novella by Robert Sheckley
• 273 - The Overheard Conversation - [Black Widowers] - short story by Edward D. Hoch
• 281 - Blot - [The Positronic Robot Stories] - novelette by Hal Clement
• 307 - The Fourth Law of Robotics - [The Positronic Robot Stories] - short story by Harry Harrison
• 321 - The Originist - [Foundation] - novella by Orson Scott Card
• 397 - A Word or Two from Janet - essay by Janet Asimov [as by Janet Jeppson Asimov]
• 401 - Fifty Years - essay by Isaac Asimov

DANGER LURKS IN THE HEART OF THE CITY... BUT NOT ALWAYS WHERE YOU EXPECT IT.

From New York to Los Angeles to Bucharest, fifteen never-before-published tales by some of the world's finest fantasy and horror writers celebrate the newest incarnations of an age-old terror that strikes when the moon is full... the werewolf. No longer confined to the forests, these modern monsters can be found in places you frequent every day--and never before thought to fear.

CARRIE VAUGHN's popular werewolf radio host Kitty Norville is drawn into a controversy as to whether it's fair to ban lycanthropy from professional sports. New York's famous Plaza Hotel is the setting for ESTHER M. FRIESNER's tale of one very grisly little girl, while Beverly Hills may never quite recover from RON GOULART's middle-aged Hollywood screenwriter who falls prey to a most unusual problem. Celebrated fantasy author PETER S. BEAGLE tells a chillingly lyrical story of three Louisiana loup garoux locked into a deadly dance of death. Plus many more biting tales from award-winning authors.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction: Children of the Night - essay by Darrell Schweitzer
• The Truth About Werewolves - short fiction by Lisa Tuttle
• Innocent - short fiction by Gene Wolfe
• Kitty Learns the Ropes - short fiction by Carrie Vaughn
• No Children, No Pets - short fiction by Esther M. Friesner
• Sea Warg - short fiction by Tanith Lee
• Country Mothers' Sons - short story by Holly Phillips
• A Most Unusual Greyhound - short fiction by Mike Resnick
• The Bitch - short fiction by P. D. Cacek
• The Aarne-Thompson Classification Revue - short story by Holly Black
• Weredog of Bucharest - short fiction by Ian Watson
• I Was a Middle-Age Werewolf - short fiction by Ron Goulart
• Kvetchula's Daughter - short story by Darrell Schweitzer
• And Bob's Your Uncle - short fiction by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
• The Bank Job - short fiction by Gregory Frost
• La Lune T'Attend - novelette by Peter S. Beagle

A volume of visions of future wars, fought with weapons out of nightmare, by today's top writers of military science fiction, as well as some writers who are not usually associated with military SF, such as best-selling writer Gregory Benford, and award-winning author Kristine Katherine Rusch. Also present are Michael Z. Williamson, author of the strong selling novels Freehold and The Weapon, award-winning author of Bolo Strike, William H. Keith, and more. Through the centuries, weapons have changed radically, but the soldier has remained much the same. But in the future, soldiers, too, may undergo radical changes.

As editor Joe Haldeman puts it, "Weapons are an extension of the soldier, and also an extension of the culture or species that produced the soldier. And they are sometimes more dangerous to the soldier than the enemy...."

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - (2007) - essay by Joe Haldeman
• Craters - (2007) - shortstory by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• David in the Lion's Den - (2007) - shortstory by Geoffrey A. Landis
• Rocket Boy - (2007) - novelette by Paul J. McAuley
• Jade Angel - (2007) - novelette by Dena Bain Taylor
• Broken Bits - (2007) - novelette by Mark L. Van Name
• The First Cup of Coffee War - (2007) - novelette by James H. Cobb
• The Soldier Within - (2007) - shortstory by Michael A. Burstein
• Spec-Ops - (2007) - shortstory by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
• The Weapon - (2007) - novelette by William H. Keith, Jr.
• The Looking Glass War - (2007) - novelette by Brendan DuBois
• The Humans Call it Duty - (2007) - shortstory by Michael Z. Williamson
• Casualty - (2007) - novelette by Brian Stableford

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - essay by Frederik Pohl
• Horace L. Gold - essay by Frederik Pohl
• Gold on Galaxy - essay by H. L. Gold
• Coming Attraction - (1950) - shortstory by Fritz Leiber
• To Serve Man - (1950) - shortstory by Damon Knight
• Memoir (To Serve Man) - essay by Damon Knight
• Betelgeuse Bridge - (1951) - shortstory by William Tenn
• From a Cave Deep in Stuyvesant Town — A Memoir of Galaxy's Most Creative Years - essay by William Tenn
• Cost of Living - (1952) - shortstory by Robert Sheckley
• Memoir of Galaxy Magazine - essay by Robert Sheckley
• The Model of a Judge - (1953) - shortstory by William Morrison
• Memoir (The Model of a Judge) - essay by William Morrison
• The Holes Around Mars - (1954) - shortstory by Jerome Bixby
• Memoir (The Holes Around Mars) - essay by Jerome Bixby
• Horrer Howce - (1956) - shortstory by Margaret St. Clair
• Memoir (Horrer Howce) - essay by Margaret St. Clair
• People Soup - (1958) - shortstory by Alan Arkin
• Memoir (People Soup) - essay by Alan Arkin
• Something Bright - (1960) - shortstory by Zenna Henderson
• The Lady Who Sailed The Soul - (1960) - novelette by Cordwainer Smith and Genevieve Linebarger
• The Deep Down Dragon - (1961) - shortstory by Judith Merril
• Memoir (The Deep Down Dragon) - essay by Judith Merril
• Wall of Crystal, Eye of Night - (1961) - novelette by Algis Budrys
• Memoir: Spilled Milk - essay by Algis Budrys
• The Place Where Chicago Was - (1962) - novelette by Jim Harmon
• Memoir (The Place Where Chicago Was) - essay by Jim Harmon
• The Great Nebraska Sea - (1963) - shortstory by Allan Danzig
• Memoir (The Great Nebraska Sea) - essay by Allan Danzig
• Oh, to Be a Blobel! - (1964) - novelette by Philip K. Dick
• Memoir (Oh, To Be a Blobel!) - essay by Philip K. Dick
• Founding Father - (1965) - shortstory by Isaac Asimov
• Memoir (Founding Father) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• Going Down Smooth - (1968) - shortstory by Robert Silverberg
• Memoir (Going Down Smooth) - essay by Robert Silverberg
• All the Myriad Ways - (1968) - shortstory by Larry Niven
• Memoir (All the Myriad Ways) - essay by Larry Niven
• The Last Flight of Dr. Ain - (1969) - shortstory by James Tiptree, Jr.
• Memoir (Galaxy Book Shelf) - essay by Algis Budrys
• Galaxy Book Shelf (Galaxy, September 1969) - (1969) - essay by Algis Budrys
• Slow Sculpture - (1970) - novelette by Theodore Sturgeon
• Memoir (Slow Sculpture) - essay by Theodore Sturgeon
• About a Secret Crocodile - (1970) - shortstory by R. A. Lafferty
• Memoir (About a Secret Crocodile) - essay by R. A. Lafferty
• Cold Friend - (1973) - shortstory by Harlan Ellison
• Memoir (Cold Friend) - essay by Harlan Ellison
• The Day Before the Revolution - (1974) - shortstory by Ursula K. Le Guin
• The Gift of Garigolli - (1974) - novelette by C. M. Kornbluth and Frederik Pohl
• Overdrawn at the Memory Bank - (1976) - novelette by John Varley
• Note (Overdrawn at the Memory Bank) - essay by John Varley
• Horace, Galaxyca - essay by Alfred Bester
• Index to Galaxy Magazine

Nineteen science fiction masters explore what lies beyond the doors of our world.

Science fiction is all about exploration-from the microcosm to the macrocosm, from the past to the future, from the depths of the ocean to far-distant stars. And this collection of original stories offers a whole assortment of gateways to worlds of adventure and the imagination.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - essay by John Helfers
• On the Brane - (2004) - novelette by Gregory Benford
• The Two Sheckleys - novelette by Robert Sheckley
• Midnight at the Half-Life Café - novelette by Russell Davis
• Postcards - short story by Rebecca Moesta
• Shift Out of Control - novelette by Daniel M. Hoyt
• The Trigger - novelette by Janet Pack
• Spring Break - short story by Rebecca Lickiss
• Welcome to the Crystal Arches - novelette by Irene Radford
• Double Trouble - novelette by John Zakour
• By the Rules - novelette by Phaedra Weldon
• Manifesting Destiny - novelette by Patricia Lee Macomber
• At Best an Echo - short story by Bradley H. Sinor
• Opening Doors - short story by Josepha Sherman
• Circle of Compassion - novelette by David D. Levine
• Iron Flames and Neon Skies - short story by Jim C. Hines
• Carded - short story by Jim Fiscus
• Wait Until the War Is Over - novelette by Sarah A. Hoyt
• The Doorway in Stephensons Store - novella by Peter Crowther
• Worlds Enough... And Time - short story by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

New York Times bestselling authors Neil Gaiman, Marion Zimmer Bradley, and 23 more masters of fantasy deliver spellbinding stories of Arthurian knights, innocent maidens, sorcerers, and sword masters who have been touched by the power of the Holy Grail...

• The Question of the Grail - (1992) - poem by Jane Yolen
• The Cup and the Cauldron - (1992) - short story by Mercedes Lackey
• That Which Overfloweth - (1992) - short story by Andre Norton
• Chalice of Tears, or I Didn't Want that Damned Grail Anyway - (1992) - short story by Marion Zimmer Bradley
• The Feast of the Fisher King - (1992) - novelette by Diana L. Paxson
• The Gift of Gilthaliad - (1992) - short story by Brad Strickland
• Curse of the Romany - (1994) - short story by Ilona Ouspenskaya
• Dagda - (1992) - poem by James S. Dorr
• The Sailor Who Sailed After the Sun - (1992) - short story by Gene Wolfe
• Water - (1992) - novelette by Lee Hoffman
• What You See... - (1992) - short story by Alan Dean Foster
• Storyville, Tennessee - (1994) - novelette by Richard Gilliam
• Somewhere in Her Dying Heart - (1992) - poem by Lisa Lepovetsky
• Hell-Bent for Leather - (1994) - short story by Jeremiah E. Phipps
• Atlantis - (1992) - novella by Orson Scott Card
• Invisible Bars - (1992) - short story by Dean Wesley Smith
• That Way Lies Camelot - (1992) - novelette by Janny Wurts
• Hitchhiking Across an Ancient Sea - (1992) - short story by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• Visions - (1992) - short story by Lawrence Watt-Evans
• The Awful Truth in Arthur's Barrow - (1992) - novelette by Charles L. Grant [as by Lionel Fenn]
• Reunion - (1992) - short story by Brian M. Thomsen
• Quest Now - (1992) - poem by Margo Skinner
• Chivalry - (1992) - short story by Neil Gaiman
• Falling to the Edge of the End of the World - (1994) - short story by Bruce D. Arthurs
• Greggie's Cup - (1992) - short story by Rick Wilber
• The Grail Legend: An Afterword - (1992) - essay by Fritz Leiber

From Columbus Day to Christmas, from Labor Day to the Fourth of July, here are thirteen original stories of dark fantasy and the supernatural that give new meaning to the term holiday spirit.

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction (Haunted Holidays) - essay by Russell Davis
• 5 - For These Things I Am Truly Thankful - novelette by David Niall Wilson
• 29 - Jewels in the Dust - short story by Peter Crowther
• 53 - Birthday Jitters - novelette by Julie E. Czerneda
• 81 - The Dead Don't Waddle - short story by Esther M. Friesner
• 101 - Brotherhood - novelette by David D. Levine
• 127 - Die, Christmas, Die! - short story by David Bischoff
• 145 - New World's Brave - novelette by Daniel M. Hoyt
• 169 - Season Finale - short story by Bradley H. Sinor
• 189 - Voices in an Empty Room - [Eli Mothersbaugh] - novelette by Richard Parks
• 217 - Memories Underfoot - short story by Ruth Stuart
• 231 - Judgment - novelette by Kerrie Hughes
• 261 - Cover Me - novelette by Nancy Holder
• 283 - The Secret Sympathy - novelette by Brian A. Hopkins

ORDINARY PEOPLE. EXTRAORDINARY HEROES...

This all-new fantasy anthology features thirteen original stories about ordinary or inexperienced people learning to become extraordinary heroes. From the shape shifter Esen-alit-Quar who is forced unexpectedly into her first solo mission to the young man sworn to defeat a pack of lycanthropes, these heroes in training are thrown into exciting adventures that demand nothing short of all that is in them.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - essay by Jim C. Hines
• Roomies - novelette by Esther M. Friesner
• Three Names of the Hidden God - novelette by Vera Nazarian
• The Princess, the Page, and the Master Cook's Son - novelette by Sherwood Smith
• The Children's Crusade - (2007) - novelette by Robin Wayne Bailey
• The Apprentice - novelette by Catherine H. Shaffer
• Beneath the Skin - shortstory by James Lowder
• Giantkiller - novelette by G. Scott Huggins
• Drinker - novelette by Michael Jasper
• King Harrowhelm - shortstory by Ed Greenwood
• Honor Is a Game Mortals Play - novelette by Eugie Foster
• The Wizard's Legacy - novelette by Michael A. Burstein
• A Touch of Blue - novelette by Julie E. Czerneda
• Sir Apropos of Nothing and The Adventure of the Receding Heir - novelette by Peter David
• About the Authors - essay by uncredited

Eleven well-known British writersM. Kornbluth, Hilary Bailey, Greg Bear, Keith Roberts, David Brin, Brad Linaweaver, Sheila Finch, Algis Budrys, Howard Goldsmith, Tom Shippey and Gregory Benfordcontribute tales that delineate a theme: even if the Nazis had won World War II, it would have been a hollow victory. The Germans portrayed here are as gray as the field-grade uniform. The settings range from a psychedelic trip by an American physicist in Los Alamos to a house haunted by the fetuses of murdered Jewish mothers to excerpts from Joseph Goebbels' postwar diaries. The volume has a seminal flaw, however. No matter how powerful the fiction or symbolic the myth, neither is as compelling as what actually happened during the years of the Third Reich. - Publishers Weekly

Table of Contents:

• Preface: Imagining the Abyss - (1986) - essay by Gregory Benford
• Introduction: Hitler Victorious - (1986) - essay by Norman Spinrad
• Two Dooms - (1958) - novella by C. M. Kornbluth
• The Fall of Frenchy Steiner - (1964) - novelette by Hilary Bailey
• Through Road No Whither - (1985) - shortstory by Greg Bear
• Weihnachtsabend - (1972) - novelette by Keith Roberts
• Thor Meets Captain America - (1986) - novelette by David Brin
• Moon of Ice - (1982) - novella by Brad Linaweaver
• Reichs-Peace - (1986) - novelette by Sheila Finch
• Never Meet Again - (1958) - shortstory by Algis Budrys
• Do Ye Hear the Children Weeping? - (1986) - shortstory by Howard Goldsmith
• Enemy Transmissions - (1986) - shortstory by Tom Shippey
• Valhalla - (1982) - shortstory by Gregory Benford

The horror short-short isn't easy to master, but more than 100 of the genre's critically acclaimed authors & hottest up-and-comers have taken a stab at it in Horrors! 365 Scary Stories, an anthology that contains a short tale for every day of the year. Steve Rasnic Tem, Wm F. Nolan, Tom Piccirilli, Yvonne Navarro, Peter Atkins, Brian Hodge, Martin Mundt & 166 others give you short, sharp shocks. Who got the most slots? The final scorecard:

13: Brian McNaughton

9: Tim Waggoner

8: Benjamin Adams, Wm Marden

7: David Niall Wilson, DonD'Ammassa, Linda J. Dunn, Steve Rasnic Tem

6: Adam-Troy Castro, Del Stone Jr, John Gregory Betancourt, Phyllis Eisenstein, Tom Piccirilli

5: Adam Niswander, Brian Hodge, Hugh B. Cave, John B. Rosenmann, Peter Atkins, Terry Campbell

4: Don Webb, Gary Jonas, Lawrence Schimel, Lisa Lepovetsky, Lisa Morton, Wayne Allen Sallee, Yvonne Navarro, Scott M. Brents

3: Martin Mundt, David Annandale, Donald R. Burleson, Greg McElhatton, Jessica Amanda Salmonson, Joe Meno, Judith Post, Juleen Brantingham, Lawrence C. Connolly, Michael Mardis, Michael Scott Bricker, Nancy Kilpatrick, Richard Gilliam, S. May Amarinth, Scott David Aniolowski, Stephen Dedman, Tina L. Jens

2: Andrew Sands, Blythe Ayne, Brian A. Hopkins, Brian Craig, Brian Stableford, Dawn Dunn, Francis Amery, Gordon Linzner, Greg van Eekhout, James Robert Smith, Joel S. Ross, John Maclay, Kay Reynolds, Kevin Andrew Murphy, Lillian Csernica, Kevin Shadle, Larry Segriff, Lawrence Greenberg, Lisa John Bothell, Lisa S. Silverthorne, Lois H. Gresh, Mark Hannah, Michael Gillis, Michael Grisi, Randy Miller, Robert Devereaux, Scott Edelman, Steve Eller, Thomas M. Sipos

An all-new volume featuring another of humankind's most enchanting companions--the horse. Among the hit parade of authors who have crafted original stories for this volume are Anne McCaffrey, Jennifer Roberson, Mercedes Lackey, Mike Resnick, and more.

Contents:

• ix - Introduction: Equus Fantasticus (Horse Fantastic) - essay by Jennifer Roberson
• 9 - Stolen Silver - [Heralds Of Valdemar Prequels] - shortstory by Mercedes Lackey
• 26 - Love at First Ride - novelette by Mickey Zucker Reichert
• 49 - Dancer's Fire - shortstory by Josepha Sherman
• 59 - The Phantom Watch - novelette by Rhondi A. Vilott Salsitz [as by Charles Ingrid ]
• 81 - The Czechoslovakian Pigeon Farmer and the Pony that Wasn't a Paint - shortstory by Mary Stanton
• 87 - Riding the Nightmare - (1991) - novelette by Jennifer Roberson
• 108 - When Lightning Strikes - shortstory by Lee Barwood
• 127 - Classical Horses - novelette by Judith Tarr
• 153 - One Ten Three - shortstory by Barry N. Malzberg
• 162 - No Room for the Unicorn - shortstory by Laura Resnick
• 171 - The Horse Boy - novelette by Mary Stanton
• 193 - The Power of Young Girls - shortstory by Constance Ash
• 214 - Malish - (1991) - shortstory by Mike Resnick
• 219 - Wings - shortstory by Barbara Delaplace
• 234 - The Most Magical Thing About Rachel - novelette by Nancy Springer
• 256 - Dream's Quarry - shortstory by Elizabeth Moon
• 273 - Silverdown's Gold - (1991) - novelette by Janny Wurts

Today's finest fantasy authors have delivered fourteen tales that run the gamut from humorous to serious, fantasy to science fiction. Certain to appeal to role-playing gamers, fantasy lovers, and megalomaniacs who want to rule the world.

Table of Contents:

• ix - Introduction (If I Were an Evil Overlord) - essay by Russell Davis
• 1 - If Looks Could Kill - novelette by Esther M. Friesner
• 27 - The Man Who Would Be Overlord - novelette by David Bischoff
• 52 - Ensuring the Succession - novelette by Jody Lynn Nye
• 78 - The Life & Death of Fortune Cookie Tyrant - short story by Dean Wesley Smith
• 96 - Daddy's Little Girl - novelette by Jim C. Hines
• 118 - Gordie Culligan vs. Dr. Longbeach & the HVAC of Doom - novelette by J. Steven York
• 140 - The Sins of the Sons - novelette by Fiona Patton
• 165 - Loser Takes All - novelette by Donald J. Bingle
• 186 - The Next Level - short story by David Niall Wilson
• 205 - Advisors at Naptime - short story by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• 222 - A Woman's Work ... - novelette by Tanya Huff
• 245 - To Sit in Darkness Here, Hatching Vain Empires - novelette by Steven A. Roman
• 269 - Stronger Than Fate - short story by John Helfers
• 285 - Art Therapy - novelette by Nina Kiriki Hoffman

We've all had them. We've all needed them. In this fun fantasy anthology, readers are given thirteen variations on what kinds of friends come in handy indeed in times of need. From a toy Canadian Mountie who suddenly comes to life, to a boy and his dragon, to a young woman held captive in a tower and the mysterious being who is her only companion, these highly imaginative tales entertainingly explore the nature of what constitutes a 'real' friendship.

Science fiction, horror, and the truly unbelievable-it's all here in an original collection that captures that almost gone and highly romanticized era-the Age of the Drive-In Movie. Fogged-up windshields, bad speaker systems, snack foods galore, it was all part of the drive-in experience.

Table of Contents:

• 7 - Introduction: Or, Here's Where Your Ticket Gets Torn (It Came from the Drive-In) - essay by Norman Partridge
• 11 - Talkin' Trailer Trash - short story by Edward Bryant
• 16 - 10585 - novelette by Sean A. Moore
• 37 - Big Bust at Herbert Hoover High - short story by Jay Bonansinga
• 52 - '59 Frankenstein - short story by Norman Partridge
• 72 - Tuesday Weld, Sunday Services - short story by Rex Miller
• 77 - Die, Baby, Die, Die, Die! - short story by Dan Perez
• 89 - The Yellers of Their Eyes - novelette by Tia V. Travis
• 125 - Underground Atlanta - short story by Gregory Nicoll
• 143 - The Morning of August 18th - short story by Ed Gorman
• 150 - The Thing from Lovers' Lane - novelette by Nancy A. Collins
• 184 - Jungle J.D. - short story by Steve Rasnic Tem
• 196 - The Blood on Satan's Harley - short story by Gary Jonas
• 204 - I Was a Teenage Boycrazy Blob - short story by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• 218 - Bullets Can't Stop It - short story by Wayne Allen Sallee
• 232 - Race with the Devil - short story by Randy Fox
• 242 - The Good, the Bad, and the Danged - novelette by Adam-Troy Castro
• 268 - The Slobbering Tongue That Ate the Frightfully Huge Woman - novelette by Robert Devereaux
• 289 - Plan 10 from Inner Space - novelette by Karl Edward Wagner

Space... the final frontier. Or is it? Many say there's no frontier more forbidding than a romantic relationship between a man and a woman. But what if one's a human, and the other's an alien? Here is an original collection of space opera stories where authors take love (unrequited or not), on a spaceship, space station, or planetary colony, and add enough drama, confusion and mayhem to ensure that the path to true love-or short-term infatuation-is seldom free of obstacles.

Table of Contents:

• 1 - SFR--Not Just Science Fiction Research Anymore - essay by Lois McMaster Bujold
• 7 - Second Shift - short story by Brenda Cooper
• 21 - Gateway Night - [MemMod World] - short story by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• 46 - The Woman Who Ate Stone Squid - short story by Jay Lake
• 59 - Wanted - short fiction by Gini Koch
• 87 - An Offer You Couldn't Refuse - short fiction by Lillian Stewart Carl and Sylvia Kelso
• 114 - In the Night - short fiction by Steven H Silver
• 141 - F Isn't for Freefall - short story by Donald J. Bingle
• 153 - If This Were a Romance - short fiction by Jay Lake and Shannon Page
• 175 - The Business of Love - short story by Kelly Swails
• 193 - Music in Time - short story by Dean Wesley Smith
• 220 - Dance of Life - short fiction by Jody Lynn Nye
• 245 - For Old Times' Sake - short fiction by Tim Waggoner
• 269 - Drinking Games - short fiction by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

H.P. Lovecraft is one of the most influential modern horror writers. Lovecraft's fiction is a category unto itself. Eschewing the traditional werewolves, vampires, and ghosts of most horror fiction, he wrote of dread Elder Gods and cosmic, earth-shattering horrors. Lovecraft mined rich veins of terror uniquely his own, and wherever in the known and unknown universe his imagination sped, readers followed?fascinated, enrapt, and terrified by the scope of his dark vision.

More than fifty years after his death, Lovecraft's fiction continues to influence each new generation of horror readers... and writers. Lovecraft's Legacy collects 13 stories by critically-acclaimed, award-winning horror and dark fantasy writers, including F. Paul Wilson, Brian Lumley, Gene Wolfe, and Gahan Wilson. With an introduction by Robert Bloch, author of Psycho, this splendid anthology pays well-deserved homage to the late, great master of the weird tale.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction: An Open Letter to H. P. Lovecraft - (1990) - essay by Robert Bloch
• A Secret of the Heart - (1990) - novelette by Mort Castle
• The Other Man - (1990) - novelette by Ray Garton
• Will - (1990) - novelette by Graham Masterton
• Big "C" - (1990) - novelette by Brian Lumley
• Ugly - (1990) - short story by Gary Brandner
• The Blade and the Claw - (1990) - novelette by Hugh B. Cave
• Soul Keeper - (1990) - short story by Joseph A. Citro
• From the Papers of Helmut Hecker - (1990) - short story by Chet Williamson
• Meryphillia - (1990) - short story by Brian McNaughton
• Lord of the Land - (1990) - novelette by Gene Wolfe
• H.P.L. - (1990) - novelette by Gahan Wilson
• The Order of Things Unknown - (1990) - short story by Ed Gorman
• The Barrens - (1989) - novella by F. Paul Wilson

Contents:

• 1 - Introduction: Robots, Computers, and Fear - (1984) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 15 - Moxon's Master - (1899) - short story by Ambrose Bierce
• 29 - The Lost Machine - (1932) - novelette by John Wyndham
• 50 - Rex - (1934) - short story by Harl Vincent
• 68 - Robbie - (1950) - short story by Isaac Asimov (variant of Strange Playfellow 1940)
• 93 - Farewell to the Master - (1940) - novelette by Harry Bates
• 139 - Robot's Return - (1938) - short story by Robert Moore Williams (variant of Robots Return)
• 153 - Though Dreamers Die - (1944) - novelette by Lester del Rey
• 175 - Fulfillment - (1951) - novelette by A. E. van Vogt
• 209 - Runaround - [Mike Donovan] - (1942) - novelette by Isaac Asimov
• 233 - I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream - (1967) - short story by Harlan Ellison
• 251 - The Evitable Conflict - [Susan Calvin] - (1950) - novelette by Isaac Asimov
• 279 - A Logic Named Joe - (1946) - short story by Murray Leinster [as by Will F. Jenkins]
• 297 - Sam Hall - [Sam Hall Universe] - (1953) - novelette by Poul Anderson
• 332 - I Made You - (1954) - short story by Walter M. Miller, Jr.
• 345 - Triggerman - (1958) - short story by J. F. Bone
• 357 - War with the Robots - (1962) - short story by Harry Harrison
• 380 - Evidence - [Susan Calvin] - (1946) - novelette by Isaac Asimov
• 405 - 2066: Election Day - (1956) - short story by Michael Shaara
• 422 - If There Were No Benny Cemoli - (1963) - novelette by Philip K. Dick
• 448 - The Monkey Wrench - (1951) - short story by Gordon R. Dickson
• 461 - Dial F for Frankenstein - (1973) - short story by Arthur C. Clarke (variant of Dial "F" for Frankenstein 1965)
• 470 - The Macauley Circuit - (1956) - short story by Robert Silverberg
• 481 - Judas - (1967) - short story by John Brunner
• 491 - Answer - (1954) - short story by Fredric Brown
• 495 - The Electric Ant - (1969) - short story by Philip K. Dick
• 519 - The Bicentennial Man - (1976) - novelette by Isaac Asimov
• 565 - Long Shot - (1972) - short story by Vernor Vinge
• 581 - Alien Stones - (1972) - novelette by Gene Wolfe
• 616 - Starcrossed - (1973) - short story by George Zebrowski

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction (Merlin) - essay by John Helfers
• 3 - Old Merlin Dancing on the Sands of Time - poem by Jane Yolen
• 5 - Cauldron of Light - short story by Diana L. Paxson
• 21 - Forest of Stone - [Newford] - short story by Charles de Lint
• 38 - One Morning at the Stone - short story by Tim Waggoner
• 50 - Repro Man - short story by Esther M. Friesner and Anne Elizabeth Stutzman
• 70 - Root and Branch Shall Change - short story by Andre Norton
• 80 - Touched by Moonlight and Sunshine - short story by Kathleen M. Massie-Ferch
• 96 - The Final Battle - short story by John Helfers
• 105 - The Magic Roundabout - short story by Pauline E. Dungate
• 115 - Other Agendas - short story by Lyn McConchie
• 127 - The Wild Hunt - novelette by Lisanne Norman
• 150 - Mouse and the Magic Guy - short story by Brian M. Thomsen
• 166 - Merlin and Viviane - short story by Alan Rodgers
• 179 - Waiting for Tomorrow - short story by Marc Bilgrey
• 192 - Central Park - short story by Bradley H. Sinor
• 205 - Last Flight Over the Giant's Dance - short story by Jean Rabe
• 221 - The Well-Made Knight - short story by Brooks Peck
• 238 - The Ballad of the Side Street Wizard - novelette by Gary A. Braunbeck
• 259 - The End of Summer - novelette by Russell Davis
• 283 - Return of the King - novelette by Michelle West

Thirteen brand-new tales explore the future of Earth and humanity a thousand years from now. From the development of a race that will be the next evolutionary step beyond mankind, to civilization's adaptation to a new ice age, to a people who have escaped the constraints of chronological time, these are provocative, inventive glimpses of our world and universe that are only a millennium away.

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction (Millennium 3001) - essay by Russell Davis
• 5 - Afterward - short story by John Helfers
• 12 - River - novelette by Jack Dann and Keith Ferrell
• 40 - Landscapes - novelette by Kevin J. Anderson
• 65 - Dr. Prospero and the Snake Lady - novelette by Brian Stableford
• 98 - Bitter Quest - novelette by Jim Fiscus
• 124 - Nostalgia 101 - short story by Dean Wesley Smith
• 136 - Go Tell the Spartans - short story by Sarah A. Hoyt
• 155 - A Better Place - novelette by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• 177 - To the Universe Station - novella by George Zebrowski
• 221 - In His Own Image - novelette by Mickey Zucker Reichert
• 233 - Take Me Back to Old Tennessee - novelette by Allen Steele
• 258 - The Mists of Time - novelette by Jack Williamson
• 285 - Geometry - novelette by Robert A. Metzger

Who do today's top horror writers read-and why? This was the question posed to some of the most influential authors in the field today. This book is their answer. Here are fifteen of the most memorable stories in the genre, each one personally selected by a well-known writer, and each prefaced by that writer's explanation of his or her choice. Here's your choice to enjoy familiar favorites, and perhaps to discover some wonderful treasures. In each case, you'll have the opportunity to see the story from the perspective of a master of the field.

Contents:

• ix - Introduction (My Favorite Horror Story) - essay by Mike Baker and Martin H. Greenberg
• 1 - Sweets to the Sweet (introduction) - (1982) - essay by Stephen King
• 2 - Sweets to the Sweet - (1947) - short story by Robert Bloch
• 11 - The Father-Thing (introduction) - essay by Ed Gorman
• 12 - The Father-Thing - (1954) - short story by Philip K. Dick
• 26 - The Distributor (introduction) - essay by F. Paul Wilson
• 27 - The Distributor - non-genre - (1958) - short story by Richard Matheson
• 47 - A Warning to the Curious (introduction) - essay by Ramsey Campbell
• 48 - A Warning to the Curious - (1925) - short story by M. R. James
• 68 - Opening the Door (introduction) - essay by Peter Atkins
• 70 - Opening the Door - (1931) - short story by Arthur Machen
• 85 - The Colour Out of Space (introduction) - essay by Richard Laymon
• 89 - The Colour Out of Space - [Cthulhu Mythos (Lovecraft originals)] - (1927) - novelette by H. P. Lovecraft
• 124 - The Inner Room (introduction) - essay by Peter Straub
• 125 - The Inner Room - (1966) - novelette by Robert Aickman
• 162 - Young Goodman Brown (introduction) - essay by Rick Hautala
• 163 - Young Goodman Brown - (1835) - short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• 179 - The Rats in the Walls (introduction) - essay by Michael Slade
• 180 - The Rats in the Walls - (1924) - novelette by H. P. Lovecraft
• 204 - The Dog Park (introduction) - essay by Richard Christian Matheson
• 205 - The Dog Park - (1993) - short story by Dennis Etchison
• 219 - The Animal Fair (introduction) - (1995) - essay by Joe R. Lansdale
• 220 - The Animal Fair - (1971) - short story by Robert Bloch
• 236 - The Pattern (introduction) - essay by Poppy Z. Brite
• 237 - The Pattern - (1976) - novelette by Ramsey Campbell
• 258 - The Tell-Tale Heart (introduction) - essay by Joyce Carol Oates
• 259 - The Tell-Tale Heart - (1843) - short story by Edgar Allan Poe
• 266 - An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (introduction) - essay by Dennis Etchison
• 267 - An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge - (1890) - short story by Ambrose Bierce
• 279 - The Human Chair (introduction) - essay by Harlan Ellison
• 281 - The Human Chair - (1956) - short story by Edogawa Rampo
• 299 - About the Authors (My Favorite Horror Story) - essay by uncredited

Contents:

• ix - Introduction (My Favorite Science Fiction Story) - (1999) - essay by Martin H. Greenberg
• 1 - The Man Who Lost the Sea - (1959) - short story by Theodore Sturgeon
• 13 - The Last Command - [Bolo] - (1967) - short story by Keith Laumer
• 32 - Day Million - (1966) - short story by Frederik Pohl
• 38 - The Little Black Bag - (1950) - novelette by C. M. Kornbluth
• 67 - A Galaxy Called Rome - (1975) - novelette by Barry N. Malzberg
• 86 - Diabologic - (1955) - short story by Eric Frank Russell
• 108 - Untouched by Human Hands - (1953) - short story by Robert Sheckley
• 123 - Black Charlie - (1954) - short story by Gordon R. Dickson
• 139 - The Ugly Chickens - (1980) - novelette by Howard Waldrop
• 162 - The Mathenauts - (1964) - short story by Norman Kagan
• 178 - Lot - [David Jimmon] - (1953) - novelette by Ward Moore
• 205 - The Ballad of Lost C'mell - [The Instrumentality of Mankind] - (1962) - novelette by Cordwainer Smith
• 226 - A Martian Odyssey - [Tweel - 1] - (1934) - novelette by Stanley G. Weinbaum
• 252 - Common Time - (1953) - short story by James Blish
• 273 - The Engine at Heartspring's Center - (1974) - short story by Roger Zelazny
• 282 - Nerves - (1942) - novella by Lester del Rey
• 356 - The Only Thing We Learn - (1949) - short story by C. M. Kornbluth

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - (1979) - essay by Barry N. Malzberg
• Clerical Error - (1956) - novelette by Mark Clifton
• Mind Partner - (1960) - novelette by Christopher Anvil
• Ballenger's People - (1967) - shortstory by Kris Neville
• The Hunting Lodge - (1954) - novelette by Randall Garrett
• Lost Memory - (1952) - shortstory by Peter Phillips
• Junior - (1956) - shortstory by Robert Abernathy
• Laugh Along With Franz - (1965) - novelette by Norman Kagan
• My Darling Hecate - (1953) - novelette by Wyman Guin
• Delay in Transit - (1952) - novella by F. L. Wallace

The impact of unchecked population growth on future society, the environment, natural resources, and world food problems is explored in thirteen tales of science fiction.

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction: The Population Problem - essay by the editors
• 5 - Population Growth: Social Consequences of Too Many People - essay by the editors
• 8 - Billennium - short story by J. G. Ballard
• 24 - Total Environment - novelette by Brian W. Aldiss
• 66 - In the Beginning - [Urban Monad] - short story by Robert Silverberg
• 85 - Feeding the Billions: World Food Problems - essay by the editors
• 90 - Shark Ship - novelette by C. M. Kornbluth
• 123 - Roommates - novelette by Harry Harrison
• 147 - Population: Impact on the Environment and Resources - essay by the editors
• 150 - Eco-Catastrophe! - short story by Paul R. Ehrlich
• 164 - "East Wind, West Wind" - novelette by Frank M. Robinson
• 191 - Solutions? - essay by the editors
• 194 - The Secret - short story by Maggie Nadler
• 204 - The Census Takers - short story by Frederik Pohl
• 212 - Statistician's Day - short story by James Blish
• 222 - Triage - short story by William Walling
• 243 - Afterword (No Room for Man) - essay by the editors
• 244 - Probability Zero! The Population Implosion - [Probability Zero] - short story by Theodore R. Cogswell
• 246 - Dolls' Demise - short story by George Guthridge

Table of Contents:

• 1 - The Gods Themselves - (1972) - novel
• 171 - The C-Chute - (1951) - novelette
• 187 - The Dead Past - (1956) - novelette
• 229 - Hostess - (1951) - novelette
• 259 - "In a Good Cause--"? - (1951) - novelette
• 277 - The Key - [Wendell Urth] - (1966) - novelette
• 299 - Lest We Remember - (1982) - novelette
• 321 - The Martian Way - (1952) - novelette
• 355 - Nightfall - (1941) - novelette
• 379 - Profession - (1957) - novella
• 419 - Sucker Bait - (1954) - novella
• 467 - The Ugly Little Boy - (1958) - novelette (variant of Lastborn)
• 497 - Youth - (1952) - novelette
• 519 - The End of Eternity - (1955) - novel

Since 1968, Peter S. Beagle's classic, The Lost Unicorn, has captured the hearts and imaginations of more than 1 million readers. At last. Beogle has reunited with the fabulous mythical creature in this massive original anthology featuring 30 bestselling writers.

Table of Contents:

• Preface - (1995) - essay by Janet Berliner
• Foreword - (1995) - essay by Peter S. Beagle
• Sea Dreams - (1995) - shortstory by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta
• Old One-Antler - (1995) - shortstory by Michael Armstrong
• Professor Gottesman and the Indian Rhinoceros - (1995) - novelette by Peter S. Beagle
• The Same But Different - (1995) - shortstory by Janet Berliner
• Big Dogs, Strange Days - (1995) - shortstory by Edward Bryant
• Gilgamesh Recidivus - (1995) - shortstory by P. D. Cacek
• Seven for a Secret - (1995) - shortstory by Charles de Lint
• What the Eye Sees, What the Heart Feels - (1995) - shortstory by Robert Devereaux
• Stampede of Light - (1995) - shortstory by Marina Fitch
• The Brew - (1995) - shortstory by Karen Joy Fowler
• Mirror of Lop Nor - (1995) - novelette by George Guthridge
• The Hunt of the Unicorn - (1995) - shortstory by Ellen Kushner
• The Devil on Myrtle Ave. - (1995) - novelette by Eric Van Lustbader
• Winter Requiem - (1995) - shortstory by Michael Marano
• Daughter of the Tao - (1995) - shortstory by Lisa Mason
• A Rare Breed - (1995) - novelette by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
• A Plague of Unicorns - (1995) - shortstory by Robert Sheckley
• Taken He Cannot Be - (1995) - shortstory by Will Shetterly
• The Tenth Worthy - (1995) - novelette by Susan Shwartz
• Survivor - (1995) - novelette by Dave Smeds
• A Thief in the Night - (1995) - shortstory by S. P. Somtow
• Dame à La Licorne - (1995) - shortstory by Judith Tarr
• Convergence - (1995) - shortstory by Lucy Taylor
• Half-Grandma - (1995) - shortstory by Melanie Tem
• The Trouble with Unicorns - (1995) - shortstory by Nancy Willard
• Three Duets for Virgin and Nosehorn - (1995) - novelette by Tad Williams
• We Blazed - (1995) - novelette by Dave Wolverton

Contents:

• ix - Preface (Political Science Fiction) - essay by Martin H. Greenberg and Patricia S. Warrick [as by Martin Harry Greenberg and Patricia S. Warrick]
• 1 - Introduction (Political Science Fiction) - essay by Martin H. Greenberg and Patricia S. Warrick [as by Martin Harry Greenberg and Patricia S. Warrick]
• 11 - Freedom - (1961) - novelette by Mack Reynolds
• 34 - Remember the Alamo! - (1961) - short story by T. R. Fehrenbach [as by R. R. Fehrenbach]
• 44 - Disappearing Act - (1953) - short story by Alfred Bester
• 59 - The Last of the Deliverers - (1958) - short story by Poul Anderson
• 74 - Call Him Lord - (1966) - novelette by Gordon R. Dickson
• 92 - The Short Ones - (1955) - novelette by Raymond E. Banks
• 110 - Adrift on the Policy Level - (1959) - short story by Chan Davis [as by Chandler Davis]
• 127 - Eternity Lost - (1949) - novelette by Clifford D. Simak
• 150 - Death and the Senator - (1961) - short story by Arthur C. Clarke
• 171 - Evidence - [Susan Calvin] - (1946) - novelette by Isaac Asimov
• 192 - Franchise - [Multivac] - (1955) - short story by Isaac Asimov
• 206 - Beyond Doubt - (1941) - short story by Robert A. Heinlein and Elma Wentz [as by Lyle Monroe and Elma Wentz]
• 217 - 2066: Election Day - (1956) - short story by Michael Shaara
• 233 - "Repent, Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman - (1965) - short story by Harlan Ellison
• 243 - Burning Question - (1966) - short story by Brian W. Aldiss
• 252 - ... Not a Prison Make - (1966) - novelette by Joseph P. Martino
• 273 - The General Zapped an Angel - (1970) - short story by Howard Fast
• 285 - Crab Apple Crisis - (1966) - short story by George MacBeth
• 293 - DP! - (1953) - short story by Jack Vance
• 311 - The Helping Hand - (1950) - novelette by Poul Anderson
• 334 - The Day They Got Boston - (1961) - short story by Herbert Gold
• 341 - Triggerman - (1958) - short story by J. F. Bone
• 350 - Superiority - (1951) - short story by Arthur C. Clarke
• 362 - The Link - (1942) - short story by Cleve Cartmill
• 373 - The Survivor - (1965) - novelette by Walter F. Moudy
• 397 - Pacifist - (1964) - short story by Mack Reynolds
• 413 - Mars Is Ours! - (1965) - short story by Art Buchwald

Contents:

• 1 - Introduction (Run to Starlight, Sports Through Science Fiction) - essay by Martin H. Greenberg and Joseph D. Olander and Patricia S. Warrick [as by uncredited]
• 5 - Football - essay by uncredited
• 11 - The Last Super Bowl Game - (1975) - novelette by George R. R. Martin
• 39 - The National Pastime - (1973) - novelette by Norman Spinrad
• 67 - Run to Starlight - (1974) - novelette by George R. R. Martin
• 107 - Baseball - essay by uncredited
• 113 - Dodger Fan - (1957) - short story by Will Stanton
• 122 - The Celebrated No-Hit Inning - (1956) - short story by Frederik Pohl
• 145 - Naked to the Invisible Eye - (1973) - novelette by George Alec Effinger
• 183 - Basketball - essay by uncredited
• 189 - Goal Tending - (1975) - novelette by E. Michael Blake
• 215 - Golf - essay by uncredited
• 219 - To Hell with the Odds - (1968) - short story by Robert L. Fish
• 241 - Boxing - essay by uncredited
• 246 - Title Fight - (1956) - short story by William Campbell Gault
• 265 - Steel - (1956) - novelette by Richard Matheson
• 299 - Chess - essay by uncredited
• 303 - The Immortal Game - (1954) - short story by Poul Anderson
• 321 - Fishing - essay by uncredited
• 325 - The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth - (1965) - novelette by Roger Zelazny
• 371 - Hunting - essay by uncredited
• 375 - Poor Little Warrior! - (1958) - short story by Brian W. Aldiss

The works of Alfred Bester, Algis Budrys, Fritz Leiber, Katherine MaClean, Barry N. Malzberg, Robert Sheckley, Margaret St. Clair, Theodore Sturgeon, William Tenn, Jack Vance, and many other master of the genre are brought together here in a diversified and dynamiv collection of classic stories that nor only raise science fiction to new standards of style and character, but also offer brillian insights into a decase of optimism and disillusionment.

The Fifties were a decase of fear and promise, of witch hunts and phenomenal technological growth. Turning both a piercing critical eye and an entertaining sense of humor and hope toward those years, these stories tell of the fantastic dreams of yesterday and offer prophetic visions of tomorrow.

Table of Contents:

• xi - Preface (Science Fiction of the 50's) - (1979) - essay by Frederik Pohl
• xv - Introduction (Science Fiction of the Fifties) - (1979) - essay by Martin H. Greenberg and Joseph D. Olander [as by Martin Harry Greenberg and Joseph D. Olander]
• 1 - Spectator Sport - (1950) - short story by John D. MacDonald
• 9 - Feedback - (1951) - short story by Katherine MacLean
• 31 - Bettyann - [Bettyann - 1] - (1951) - novelette by Kris Neville
• 80 - Dark Interlude - (1951) - short story by Fredric Brown and Mack Reynolds
• 90 - What Have I Done? - (1952) - short story by Mark Clifton
• 111 - DP! - (1953) - short story by Jack Vance
• 134 - The Liberation of Earth - (1953) - short story by William Tenn
• 156 - A Bad Day for Sales - (1953) - short story by Fritz Leiber
• 164 - Saucer of Loneliness - (1953) - short story by Theodore Sturgeon (variant of A Saucer of Loneliness)
• 181 - Heirs Apparent - (1954) - novelette by Robert Abernathy
• 208 - 5,271,009 - (1954) - novelette by Alfred Bester
• 249 - Short in the Chest - (1954) - short story by Margaret St. Clair
• 260 - The Academy - (1954) - novelette by Robert Sheckley
• 287 - Nobody Bothers Gus - [Gus] - (1955) - short story by Algis Budrys
• 304 - Happy Birthday, Dear Jesus - (1956) - novelette by Frederik Pohl
• 331 - A Work of Art - (1956) - short story by James Blish
• 351 - The Country of the Kind - (1956) - short story by Damon Knight
• 368 - The Education of Tigress McCardle - (1957) - short story by C. M. Kornbluth (variant of The Education of Tigress Macardle)
• 380 - The Cage - (1957) - short story by A. Bertram Chandler
• 394 - The Last of the Deliverers - (1958) - short story by Poul Anderson
• 410 - Adrift on the Policy Level - (1959) - short story by Chan Davis
• 432 - Afterword: Love O Careless Love - (1979) - essay by Barry N. Malzberg
• 436 - Selected Bibliography (Science Fiction of the Fifties) - (1979) - essay by uncredited

Authorized by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's estate, this brand-new collection of 26 Sherlock Holmes stories takes place in Holmes' own era, in our present time, and in the future. All the tales contain some science fiction or fantasy element, and all remain true to the spirit and personality of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous and enduring creation.

Contents:

• 1 - Introduction: The Detective Who Refused to Die (Sherlock Holmes in Orbit) - essay by Mike Resnick
• 7 - The Musgrave Version - (1995) - short story by George Alec Effinger
• 18 - The Case of the Detective's Smile - short story by Mark Bourne
• 27 - The Adventure of the Russian Grave - short story by William Barton and Michael Capobianco
• 38 - The Adventure of the Field Theorems - novelette by Vonda N. McIntyre
• 69 - The Adventure of the Missing Coffin - short story by Laura Resnick
• 82 - The Adventure of the Second Scarf - short story by Mark Aronson
• 102 - The Phantom of the Barbary Coast - novelette by Frank M. Robinson
• 135 - Mouse and the Master - short story by Brian M. Thomsen
• 146 - Two Roads, No Choices - short story by Dean Wesley Smith
• 164 - The Richmond Enigma - short story by John DeChancie
• 184 - A Study in Sussex - short story by Leah A. Zeldes
• 191 - The Holmes Team Advantage - short story by Gary Alan Ruse
• 208 - Alimentary, My Dear Watson - short story by Lawrence Schimel
• 213 - The Future Engine - novelette by Byron Tetrick
• 237 - Holmes Ex Machina - (1995) - short story by Susan Casper
• 245 - The Sherlock Solution - short story by Craig Shaw Gardner
• 255 - The Fan Who Molded Himself - short story by David Gerrold
• 268 - Second Fiddle - short story by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• 287 - Moriarty by Modem - (1995) - short story by Jack Nimersheim
• 303 - The Greatest Detective of All Time - short story by Ralph Roberts
• 319 - The Case of the Purloined L'Isitek - short story by Josepha Sherman
• 328 - The Adventure of the Illegal Alien - short story by Anthony R. Lewis
• 334 - Dogs, Masques, Love, Death: Flowers - short story by Barry N. Malzberg
• 344 - You See But You Do Not Observe - short story by Robert J. Sawyer
• 363 - Illusions - short story by Janni Lee Simner
• 368 - The Adventure of the Pearly Gates - short story by Mike Resnick

In this outstanding collection of Sherlockian tales, the master of detection solves the most fantastic cases of his career. Herein are answered questions which have plagued loyal readers for decades, including: What is the truth about the mysterious menace of Sumatra? What occurs when Holmes must pursue an extra-terrestrial?

Stories by authors: Isaac Asimov, Poul Anderson, Gordon R. Dickson, Philip Jose Farmer; Sterling Lanier, Gene Wolfe, Edward Wellen and others, for your amusement and edification.

Table of Contents:

• Sherlock Holmes - essay by Isaac Asimov
• The Adventure of the Devil's Foot - (1910) - novelette by Arthur Conan Doyle
• The Problem of the Sore Bridge -- Among Others - (1975) - novelette by Philip José Farmer
• The Adventure of the Global Traveler - (1978) - short story by Anne Lear
• The Great Dormitory Mystery - (1976) - short story by Sharon N. Farber
• The Adventure of the Misplaced Hound - (1953) - novelette by Poul Anderson and Gordon R. Dickson
• The Thing Waiting Outside - (1977) - short story by Barbara Williamson
• A Father's Tale - (1974) - novelette by Sterling E. Lanier
• The Adventure of the Extraterrestrial - (1965) - novelette by Mack Reynolds
• A Scarletin Study - (1975) - novelette by Philip José Farmer
• Voiceover - novelette by Edward Wellen
• The Adventure of the Metal Murderer - (1980) - short story by Fred Saberhagen
• Slaves of Silver - (1971) - short story by Gene Wolfe
• God of the Naked Unicorn - (1976) - novelette by Richard A. Lupoff
• Death in the Christmas Hour - (1983) - short story by James Powell
• The Ultimate Crime - (1976) - short story by Isaac Asimov

Wizard Seeks Witch. Tired of slaving over a hot cauldron all alone? Let's make beautiful magic together. Herbs/healing potions OK.

Lad Seeks Lassie. SWM, outdoorsy, faithful, wants to share moonlit strolls, and the occasional walk on the wild side. Put an end to my solitary days and lone wolf nights. No smokers, drug users, or vegans, please.

Single White Vampire Seeks Same is a wickedly wonderful new collection of original stories devoted to that most frightening of romantic pursuits: the personal ads. From modern-day Cupids to mismatched monsters, these thirteen twisted tales offer their own "personal" take on the personals-where even the most diabolical of demons can dig up a date...

Includes new, original stories by Mickey Zucker Reichert, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Peter Crowther, Esther Friesner, Michelle Sagara, Charles de Lint, and others.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - essay by Brittiany A. Koren
• Personals Wishes - shortstory by Mickey Zucker Reichert
• Folk Lure - novelette by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• A Kiss at Midnight - novelette by Russell Davis
• Starless and Bible Black - novelette by Gary A. Braunbeck
• Fireflies - shortstory by Bradley H. Sinor
• Bernard Boyce Bennington and the American Dream - novelette by Peter Crowther
• Werotica - novelette by Esther M. Friesner
• Someone to Share the Night - shortstory by Tanya Huff
• Fixer-Upper - shortstory by Tim Waggoner
• Secret Identities - novelette by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• Déjà Vu - novelette by Michelle West
• Trading Hearts at the Half Kaffe Café - (2001) - novelette by Charles de Lint

Table of Contents:

• ix - Introduction (Smart Dragons, Foolish Elves) - essay by Alan Dean Foster
• 1 - As Is - novelette by Robert Silverberg
• 21 - The Same to You Doubled - short story by Robert Sheckley
• 33 - The Egg of the Glak - novelette by Harvey Jacobs
• 81 - Beibermann's Soul - short story by Mike Resnick
• 87 - Thimgs - short story by Theodore R. Cogswell
• 103 - Ms. Lipshutz and the Goblin - short story by Marvin Kaye
• 111 - Unferno - novelette by George Alec Effinger
• 137 - Unicorn Variations - novelette by Roger Zelazny
• 166 - Yes Sir That's My - short story by Daniel P. Dern
• 179 - Please Stand By - [Max Kearny] - short story by Ron Goulart
• 205 - Bottle Party - short story by John Collier
• 215 - My Mother Was a Witch - short story by William Tenn
• 223 - Djinn, No Chaser - novelette by Harlan Ellison
• 246 - Up the Wall - novelette by Esther M. Friesner
• 276 - Trouble with Water - short story by H. L. Gold
• 301 - Savage Breasts - short story by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• 310 - Or the Grasses Grow - short story by Avram Davidson
• 321 - Snulbug - short story by Anthony Boucher
• 340 - Afterword (Smart Dragons, Foolish Elves) - essay by Alan Dean Foster

In the earliest days of humankind, everything in the world seemed magical. Gods and demons, spirits and sprites were considered to be responsible for everything from life and death, to the turning of the seasons, to the abundance or failure of crops. Today, much that was once attributed to magic has been explained by science, and in our technologically driven world, the question is whether there is still a place for magic. For twenty of fantasy's finest imaginers, the answer is obviously, "Yes."

Table of Contents:

• The Wild Hunt (excerpt) - short fiction by Kate Paulk
• The Power of Magic - essay by Sarah A. Hoyt
• More to Truth Than Proof - short story by Irene Radford
• In a Dark Wood, Dreaming - short story by Esther M. Friesner
• The Thing in the Woods - short story by Harry Turtledove
• The Star Cats - short story by Charles Edgar Quinn
• Lighthouse Surfer - short story by Daniel M. Hoyt
• Something Virtual This Way Comes - short story by Laura Resnick
• Tears of Gold - short story by Paul Crilley
• Houdini's Mirror - short story by Russell Davis
• Angel in the Cabbages - short story by Fran LaPlaca
• Raining the Wild Hunt - short story by Kate Paulk
• Still Life, With Cats - novelette by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• The Case of the Allergic Leprechaun - short story by Alan L. Lickiss
• The Flood Was Fixed - short story by Eric Flint
• Visitor's Night at Joey Chicago's - [Harry the Book] - short story by Mike Resnick
• A Midsummer Nightmare - novelette by Walt Boyes
• Winds of Change - short story by Linda A. B. Davis
• Firebird and Shadow - short story by Darwin A. Garrison
• Night of the Wolf - short story by John Lambshead
• Opus No. 1 - short story by Barbara Nickless
• Regency Sprite - novelette by Dave Freer
• About the Authors
• About the Editor

Table of Contents:

• 1 - The Longest Voyage - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 7 - The Burning of the Brain - [The Instrumentality of Mankind] - short story by Cordwainer Smith
• 19 - Home the Hard Way - novelette by Richard McKenna
• 49 - Potential - short story by Robert Sheckley
• 69 - Bill for Delivery - [Federation of Humanity] - short story by Christopher Anvil
• 91 - Story of a Curse - short story by Doris Pitkin Buck
• 97 - The Oceans Are Wide - novella by Frank M. Robinson
• 177 - Far Centaurus - short story by A. E. van Vogt
• 203 - The Ship Who Sang - [The Ship Who ...] - novelette by Anne McCaffrey
• 227 - Avoidance Situation - novelette by James McConnell
• 273 - Chance Encounter - [John Grimes] - short story by A. Bertram Chandler
• 295 - Allamagoosa - short story by Eric Frank Russell
• 313 - Founding Father - short story by Isaac Asimov
• 323 - Wings Out of Shadow - [Berserker] - novelette by Fred Saberhagen

The stories in this all-original anthology explore alternate timelines and have been set all over the world, running the gamut from science fiction to mystery to horror to a melding of these genres.

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction (Steampunk'd) - essay by Jean Rabe
• 3 - Chance Corrigan and the Tick-tock King of the Nile - [Chance Corrigan] - novelette by Michael A. Stackpole
• 29 - Foggy Goggles - short story by Donald J. Bingle
• 44 - The Battle of Cumberland Gap - novelette by William C. Dietz
• 65 - Portrait of a Lady in a Monocle - short story by Jody Lynn Nye
• 85 - Foretold - novelette by Bradley P. Beaulieu
• 114 - The Echoer - short story by Dean Leggett
• 127 - Of A Feather - novelette by Stephen D. Sullivan
• 158 - Scourge of the Spoils - novelette by Matthew P. Mayo
• 179 - Edison Kinetic Light & Steam Power - short story by C. A. Verstraete
• 193 - The Nubian Queen - novelette by Paul Genesse
• 224 - Opals from Sydney - novelette by Mary Louise Eklund
• 246 - The Whisperer - novelette by Marc Tassin
• 262 - Imperial Changeling - novelette by Penny Williams and Skip Williams
• 292 - The Transmogrification Ray - short story by Robert E. Vardeman

Thirteen tales in which detectives of the distant future roam a galaxy riddled with locked-room mysteries, ciphers to be decoded, and unearthly evidence to be sifted, all by the rules of the 13 kinds of mystery story.

Table of Contents:

• The Universe of Science Fiction (1979) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• The Detweiler Boy (1977) - novelette by Tom Reamy
• The Ipswich Phial [Lord Darcy] (1976) - novelette by Randall Garrett
• Second Game [Kalin Trobt] (1958) - novelette by Charles V. De Vet and Katherine MacLean
• The Ceaseless Stone [Doctor Eszterhazy] (1975) - short story by Avram Davidson
• Coup de Grace [Magnus Ridolph] (1958) - short story by Jack Vance
• The Green Car (1957) - novelette by William F. Temple
• War Game (1959) - short story by Philip K. Dick
• The Singing Bell [Wendell Urth] (1955) - short story by Isaac Asimov
• ARM [Gil Hamilton] (1975) - novella by Larry Niven
• Mouthpiece (1974) - novella by Edward Wellen
• Time Exposures (1971) - novelette by Wilson Tucker
• How-2 (1954) - novelette by Clifford D. Simak
• Time in Advance (1956) - novelette by William Tenn

Contents:

• 9 - Foreword (The Best Japanese Science Fiction Stories) - (1989) - essay by Grania Davis
• 13 - Introduction (The Best Japanese Science Fiction Stories) - (1989) - essay by John L. Apostolou
• 21 - The Flood - (1989) - short story by Kobo Abe
• 28 - Cardboard Box - (1980) - short story by Ryo Hanmura
• 40 - Tansu - (1983) - short story by Ryo Hanmura
• 47 - Bokko-Chan - (1963) - short story by Shinichi Hoshi
• 52 - He--y, Come on Ou--t! - (1978) - short story by Shinichi Hoshi
• 58 - The Road to the Sea - (1981) - short story by Takashi Ishikawa
• 62 - The Empty Field - (1973) - short story by Morio Kita
• 74 - The Savage Mouth - (1978) - short story by Sakyo Komatsu
• 85 - Take Your Choice - (1987) - short story by Sakyo Komatsu
• 104 - Triceratops - (1982) - short story by Tensei Kono
• 121 - Fnifmum - short story by Taku Mayumura
• 130 - Standing Woman - (1981) - short story by Yasutaka Tsutsui
• 144 - The Legend of the Paper Spaceship - (1983) - novelette by Tetsu Yano
• 175 - A Reading List of Japanese Science Fiction in English - (1989) - essay by John L. Apostolou and Martin H. Greenberg

Futuristic visions of the fantastic way man will someday live.

Table of Contents:

• 11 - Introduction: Why the City? - essay by the editors
• 15 - Of Dreams and Nightmares: Visions of the City - essay by the editors
• 18 - The City as a Way of Life: New York A.D. 2660 - essay by the editors
• 19 - New York A.D. 2660 (Excerpt) - short fiction by Hugo Gernsback
• 32 - Jesting Pilot - essay by the editors
• 33 - Jesting Pilot - short story by Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore
• 46 - Chicago - essay by the editors
• 47 - Chicago - short story by Thomas F. Monteleone
• 62 - Utopian Visions: Street of Dreams, Feet of Clay - essay by the editors
• 63 - Street of Dreams, Feet of Clay - short story by Robert Sheckley
• 78 - Dystopian Visions: The Vanishing American - essay by the editors
• 79 - The Vanishing American - short story by Charles Beaumont
• 90 - Yesterday's Dreams, Today's Problems, Tomorrow's Nightmares? - essay by the editors
• 92 - The Competition for Space - essay by the editors
• 94 - Billennium - short story by J. G. Ballard
• 109 - Total Environment - novelette by Brian W. Aldiss
• 151 - Future Ghetto: Race and the City - essay by the editors
• 155 - Black Is Beautiful - short story by Robert Silverberg
• 169 - In Dark Places - short story by Joe L. Hensley
• 178 - Fouling the Nest: Pollution in the City - essay by the editors
• 181 - East Wind, West Wind - novelette by Frank M. Robinson (variant of "East Wind, West Wind")
• 208 - Disposal - short story by Ron Goulart
• 216 - Fear in the City: The Problem of Crime - essay by the editors
• 218 - The Undercity - short story by Dean R. Koontz
• 231 - Rivers of Asphalt, Oceans of Concrete: Transportation Problems - essay by the editors
• 233 - Gas Mask - short story by James D. Houston
• 243 - Traffic Problem - short story by Bill Earls
• 252 - The Grass is Always Greener: The Flight to the Suburbs - essay by the editors
• 254 - Gantlet - short story by Richard E. Peck
• 266 - City's End - novelette by Mack Reynolds
• 282 - The Slime Dwellers - short story by Scott Edelstein
• 289 - A Happy Day in 2381 - [Urban Monad] - short story by Robert Silverberg

The Crucible of Power is a 1953 anthology of three science fiction novellas edited by Martin Greenberg.

Table of Contents:

• 9 - The Crucible of Power - (1939) - novelette by Jack Williamson
• 49 - But Without Horns - (1940) - novella by Norvell W. Page
• 157 - Crisis in Utopia - (1952) - novella by Norman L. Knight

13 original stories about the realities just around the corner...

Movements glimpsed out of the corner of your eye, inexplicable sounds, knowledge for which there is no rational explanation, dreams that seem as real as our own everyday life?products of overactive imaginations, or unexpected glimpses into dimensions beyond our own? Join thirteen intrepid writers as they explore those unknown territories that may be found in any of countless Dimensions Next Door.

From a Celtic knot maze that could trap an unwary archaeologist; to an Internet site that offers to bring karmic balance into one man?s life; to a man bespelled to walk the future in the service of his queen?here are tales of the strange, challenging, and often wondrous worlds just waiting to be discovered by those with the ability to perceive them.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - essay by Kerrie Hughes
• The Fourteenth Virtue - shortstory by Anton Strout
• Waiting for Evolution - novelette by Jody Lynn Nye
• The Trouble with the Truth - shortstory by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• AFK - novelette by Chris Pierson
• Unreadable - novelette by Steven E. Schend
• Not My Knot - novelette by Irene Radford
• www.karmassist.com - shortstory by Donald J. Bingle
• The Avalon Psalter - shortstory by Lillian Stewart Carl
• Shadows in the Mirrors - novelette by Bradley P. Beaulieu
• God Pays - shortstory by Paul Genesse
• Jack of the High Hills - shortstory by Brenda Cooper
• The Silver Path - novelette by Fiona Patton
• Hear no Evil - novelette by Alexander Potter

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction: The Creation of Rome (The Eternal City) - essay by David Drake
• 5 - Delenda Est - [Time Patrol - 5] - novelette by Poul Anderson
• 47 - Nightfall on the Dead Sea - short story by Ray Nelson
• 65 - The Prince - novella by C. J. Cherryh
• 103 - The Bottom of the Gulf - short story by Barry Pain
• 107 - An Elixir for the Emperor - novelette by John Brunner
• 129 - Some Very Odd Happenings at Kibblesham Manor House - short story by Michael Harrison
• 145 - Time Grabber - short story by Gordon R. Dickson
• 163 - Survey of the Third Planet - short story by Keith Roberts
• 181 - Don't Be a Goose - [Murchison Morks] - short story by Robert Arthur
• 197 - Domitia. - short story by Mrs. Richard S. Greenough
• 215 - Survival Technique - short story by Poul Anderson and Kenneth Gray
• 233 - Ranks of Bronze - [Ranks of Bronze] - short story by David Drake
• 245 - Kings of the Night - [Bran Mak Morn] - novelette by Robert E. Howard

Not to be confused with The Fantasy Hall of Fame published in 1998. This anthology has an almost entirely different table of contents.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - essay by Robert Silverberg
• The Masque of the Red Death - (1842) - short story by Edgar Allan Poe
• An Inhabitant of Carcosa - (1886) - short story by Ambrose Bierce
• The Sword of Welleran - (1908) - short story by Lord Dunsany
• The Woman of the Wood - (1926) - novelette by A. Merritt
• The Weird of Avoosl Wuthoqquan - (1932) - short story by Clark Ashton Smith
• The Valley of the Worm - (1934) - novelette by Robert E. Howard
• Black God's Kiss - (1934) - novelette by C. L. Moore
• The Silver Key - (1929) - short story by H. P. Lovecraft
• Nothing in the Rules - (1939) - novelette by L. Sprague de Camp
• A Gnome There Was - (1941) - short story by Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore
• Snulbug - (1941) - short story by Anthony Boucher
• The Words of Guru - (1941) - short story by C. M. Kornbluth
• Homecoming - (1946) - short story by Ray Bradbury
• Mazirian the Magician - (1950) - novelette by Jack Vance
• O Ugly Bird! - (1951) - short story by Manly Wade Wellman
• The Silken-Swift - (1953) - short story by Theodore Sturgeon
• The Golem - (1955) - short story by Avram Davidson
• That Hell-Bound Train - (1958) - short story by Robert Bloch
• Kings in Darkness - (1962) - novelette by Michael Moorcock and James Cawthorn
• Pretty Maggie Moneyeyes - (1967) - novelette by Harlan Ellison
• Gonna Roll the Bones - (1967) - novelette by Fritz Leiber
• The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas - (1973) - short story by Ursula K. Le Guin

An anthology of seventeen stories featuring fortune tellers ranges from the humorous to the spine-chilling and presents previously unpublished writing by Vicki Nelson and Neil Gaiman, creator of the comic book series, The Sandman.

Table of Contents:

• Reading the Entrails: A Rondel - (1997) - poem by Neil Gaiman
• Bright Seeds in a Whirlwind - (1997) - novelette by Bruce Holland Rogers
• First Thing in the Morning - (1997) - shortstory by Billie Sue Mosiman
• Playing with Fire - (1997) - shortstory by Mark Garland
• Tomorrow Eyes - (1997) - novelette by Peter Crowther
• To Fit the Crime - (1997) - shortstory by Ed Gorman
• When the Child Screams and Looks Back at You - (1997) - novelette by Gary A. Braunbeck
• Hexefus - (1997) - shortstory by Nancy Springer
• The Cards Also Say - (1997) - novelette by Tanya Huff
• The Oracle Lips - (1997) - novelette by Storm Constantine
• May Eve - (1997) - shortstory by Rosemary Edghill
• The Soothsayer - (1997) - shortstory by Lawrence C. Connolly
• True Collectors - (1997) - novelette by Brian Stableford
• Not Ours to See - shortstory by David Langford
• Those Who Know - (1997) - shortstory by Leslie What
• Beyond the Flames - (1997) - shortstory by Janni Lee Simner
• The Vision of Men - (1997) - novelette by Michelle West

For all of those who thought that by now that they'd be driving along the skyways in their own personal jet car, who assumed that humans would have established bases on the Moon and Mars, or that diseases would have been conqured, the aging process slowed to a crawl, and war eliminated along with social injustice -- here are sixteen stories of futures that might someday be reality.

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction (The Future We Wish We Had) - essay by Rebecca Lickiss
• 3 - A Rosé for Emily - novelette by Esther M. Friesner
• 29 - Waiting for Juliette - short story by Sarah A. Hoyt
• 41 - Boys - short story by Dave Freer
• 60 - Trainer of Whales - novelette by Brenda Cooper
• 81 - Good Old Days - short story by Kevin J. Anderson
• 96 - Kicking and Screaming Her Way to the Altar - short story by Alan L. Lickiss
• 110 - Alien Voices - short story by Irene Radford
• 130 - Inside Job - short story by Loren L. Coleman
• 147 - A Small Skirmish in the Culture Wars - short story by James Patrick Kelly and Mike Resnick
• 164 - Dark Wings - novelette by Lisanne Norman
• 201 - My Father, the Popsicle - novelette by Annie Reed
• 223 - Destiny - short story by Julie Hyzy
• 243 - Cold Comfort - short story by Dean Wesley Smith
• 261 - The Stink of Reality - short story by Irene Radford
• 279 - Yellow Submarine - short story by Rebecca Moesta
• 289 - Good Genes - short story by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• 301 - About the Authors (The Future We Wish We Had)

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - essay by uncredited
• The Fall of the House of Usher - (1839) - novelette by Edgar Allan Poe
• Green Tea - (1869) - novelette by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
• The Damned Thing - (1893) - short story by Ambrose Bierce
• The Yellow Sign - (1895) - novelette by Robert W. Chambers
• The Monkey's Paw - (1902) - short story by W. W. Jacobs
• The White People - (1904) - novelette by Arthur Machen
• The Willows - (1907) - novella by Algernon Blackwood
• Casting the Runes - (1911) - novelette by M. R. James
• The Graveyard Rats - (1936) - short story by Henry Kuttner
• Pigeons from Hell - (1938) - novelette by Robert E. Howard
• It - (1940) - novelette by Theodore Sturgeon
• Smoke Ghost - (1941) - short story by Fritz Leiber
• Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper - (1943) - short story by Robert Bloch
• The Small Assassin - (1946) - short story by Ray Bradbury
• The Whimper of Whipped Dogs - (1973) - short story by Harlan Ellison
• Calling Card - (1982) - short story by Ramsey Campbell
• Coin of the Realm - (1981) - short story by Charles L. Grant
• The Reach - (1981) - short story by Stephen King
• Biographical Notes - essay by uncredited

Stories tell of the last survivor of an alien purge, a time traveler, an immortal who outlives all of his companions, a scientist who tries to postpone the end of his race, and an individual who stays behind when Earth is abandoned.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - (1982) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• The Underdweller - (1957) - short story by William F. Nolan
• Flight to Forever - (1950) - novella by Poul Anderson
• Trouble with Ants - [City] - (1951) - novelette by Clifford D. Simak
• The Coming of the Ice - (1926) - short story by G. Peyton Wertenbaker
• The Most Sentimental Man - (1957) - short story by Evelyn E. Smith
• Eddie for Short - (1953) - short story by Wallace West
• Knock - (1948) - short story by Fredric Brown
• Original Sin - (1946) - short story by S. Fowler Wright
• A Man Spekith - (1969) - novelette by Richard Wilson
• In the World's Dusk - (1936) - short story by Edmond Hamilton
• Kindness - (1944) - short story by Lester del Rey
• Lucifer - (1964) - short story by Roger Zelazny
• Resurrection - (1948) - short story by A. E. van Vogt
• The Second-Class Citizen - (1963) - short story by Damon Knight
• Day of Judgment - (1946) - short story by Edmond Hamilton
• Continuous Performance - (1974) - short story by Gordon Eklund
• The New Reality - (1950) - novelette by Charles L. Harness

Contents:

• vii - Introduction (The Mists from Beyond) - essay by Stefan Dziemianowicz
• 11 - The Trial for Murder - (1929) - short story by Charles Dickens (variant of To Be Taken with a Grain of Salt 1865)
• 23 - The Middle Toe of the Right Foot - (1890) - short story by Ambrose Bierce
• 32 - The Judge's House - (1891) - short story by Bram Stoker
• 50 - Afterward - (1910) - novelette by Edith Wharton
• 80 - Smoke Ghost - (1941) - short story by Fritz Leiber
• 96 - The Crowd - (1943) - short story by Ray Bradbury
• 110 - A Little Place Off the Edgware Road - (1939) - short story by Graham Greene
• 116 - The Daemon Lover - (1949) - short story by Shirley Jackson
• 132 - The Man Who Collected Poe - (1951) - short story by Robert Bloch
• 147 - Poor Little Saturday - (1956) - short story by Madeleine L'Engle
• 163 - The Indian - (1963) - short story by John Updike
• 170 - The Legend of Joe Lee - (1964) - short story by John D. MacDonald
• 182 - Cry Havoc - (1976) - short story by Davis Grubb
• 193 - Night-Side - (1977) - novelette by Joyce Carol Oates
• 219 - This Is Death - (1977) - short story by Donald E. Westlake (variant of In at the Death)
• 233 - The Making of Revelation, Part I - (1980) - novelette by Philip José Farmer?
• 249 - But at My Back I Will Always Hear - (1990) - short story by David Morrell (variant of But at My Back I Always Hear 1983)
• 265 - Laugh Track - (1984) - short story by Harlan Ellison
• 285 - Confession of a (Pornographer's) Shroud - (1984) - novelette by Clive Barker
• 319 - The Ghost Village - [Blue Rose (Peter Straub)] - (1992) - novelette by Peter Straub

Thirteen original tales of werewolves, witches, the dead. the undead, and the demonic who have found their way from darkness to light...

Table of Contents:

• 9 - Introduction (The Repentant) - essay by Brian M. Thomsen
• 12 - Lycanthrope Summer - novelette by Jeff Grubb
• 36 - The Salem Trial - novelette by Jody Lynn Nye
• 63 - The Den Mother - short story by Edo van Belkom
• 82 - Brothers in the Flesh - novelette by Fiona Patton
• 109 - Heat - novelette by Jean Rabe
• 132 - She Dwelleth in the Cold of the Moon - novelette by James Lowder
• 154 - Scleratus - novelette by Tanya Huff
• 175 - Slaughter - novelette by P. N. Elrod
• 202 - A Hollywood Tradition - short story by Brian M. Thomsen
• 218 - Intercession - novelette by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
• 268 - The Devil You Know - novelette by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• 289 - The Recall of Cthulhu - novelette by Tom Dupree
• 306 - Redeemed - short story by Allen C. Kupfer

In most of the stories Neville writes of loneliness, isolation, alienation, intol­erance of anything or anyone different, and of insanity created by the pressures of living. Along with madness of various kinds, his stories explore the essence of human nature and individuals interact­ing with one another as well as with so­ciety. As Malzberg notes, Neville, unlike many science fiction writers, was a se­rious author interested in "Big ideas."

Contents:

• vii - Kris Neville: An Appreciation (The Science Fiction of Kris Neville) - (1984) - essay by Barry N. Malzberg
• 1 - Cold War - (1949) - short story
• 13 - Bettyann - [Bettyann - 1] - (1951) - novelette
• 57 - Old Man Henderson - (1951) - short story
• 67 - Hunt the Hunter - (1951) - short story
• 83 - Underground Movement - (1952) - short story
• 96 - Overture - [Bettyann - 2] - (1954) - novella
• 150 - New Apples in the Garden - (1963) - short story
• 162 - The Price of Simeryl - (1966) - novelette
• 214 - The Forest of Zil - (1967) - short story
• 219 - From the Government Printing Office - (1967) - short story
• 226 - Ballenger's People - (1967) - short story
• 238 - Bibliography of Kris Neville (The Science Fiction of Kris Neville) - (1984) - essay by uncredited

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - (1979) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• Sun - essay by Isaac Asimov
• The Weather on the Sun - (1970) - novelette by Theodore L. Thomas
• Mercury - essay by Isaac Asimov
• Brightside Crossing - (1956) - novelette by Alan E. Nourse
• Venus - essay by Isaac Asimov
• Prospector's Special - (1959) - novelette by Robert Sheckley
• Earth - essay by Isaac Asimov
• Waterclap - (1970) - novelette by Isaac Asimov
• Mars - essay by Isaac Asimov
• Hop-Friend - (1962) - short story by Terry Carr
• Asteroids - essay by Isaac Asimov
• Barnacle Bull - (1960) - short story by Poul Anderson
• Jupiter - essay by Isaac Asimov
• Bridge - (1952) - novelette by James Blish
• Saturn - essay by Isaac Asimov
• Saturn Rising - (1961) - short story by Arthur C. Clarke
• Uranus - essay by Isaac Asimov
• The Snowbank Orbit - (1962) - short story by Fritz Leiber
• Neptune - essay by Isaac Asimov
• One Sunday in Neptune - (1969) - short story by Alexei Panshin
• Pluto - essay by Isaac Asimov
• Wait It Out - (1968) - short story by Larry Niven
• Nikita Eisenhower Jones - (1960) - novelette by Robert F. Young
• Comets - essay by Isaac Asimov
• The Comet, the Cairn and the Capsule - (1972) - short story by Duncan Lunan (variant of Comet, Cairn and Capsule)

This is a combined edition of

The Seven Deadly Sins of Science Fiction: Science fiction stories deal with the themes of sloth, lust, envy, pride, anger, gluttony, avarice, and covetousness.

The Seven Cardinal Virtues of Science Fiction: Science fiction stories center on the themes of temperance, justice, faith, prudence, fortitude, hope, charity, and love.

Contents:

• Introduction (The Seven Deadly Sins of Science Fiction) (1980) - essay by Martin H. Greenberg
• Sail 25 (1962) - novelette by Jack Vance (variant of Gateway to Strangeness)
• Peeping Tom (1954) - novelette by Judith Merril
• The Invisible Man Murder Case (1958) - novelette by Henry Slesar
• Galley Slave [Susan Calvin] (1957) - novelette by Isaac Asimov
• Divine Madness (1966) - short story by Roger Zelazny
• The Midas Plague (1954) - novella by Frederik Pohl
• The Man Who Ate the World (1956) - novelette by Frederik Pohl
• Margin of Profit [Nicholas Van Rijn] (1956) - novelette by Poul Anderson
• The Hook, the Eye and the Whip [The Peninsula] (1974) - novelette by Michael G. Coney
• Introduction (The Seven Cardinal Virtues of Science Fiction) (1981) - essay by Martin H. Greenberg
• Superiority (1951) - short story by Arthur C. Clarke
• Whosawhatsa? (1967) - novelette by Jack Wodhams
• Riding the Torch (1974) - novella by Norman Spinrad
• The Nail and the Oracle (1965) - novelette by Theodore Sturgeon
• Jean Duprès (1970) - novelette by Gordon R. Dickson
• Nuisance Value (1957) - novella by Eric Frank Russell
• The Sons of Prometheus (1966) - novelette by Alexei Panshin
• The Ugly Little Boy (1958) - novelette by Isaac Asimov (variant of Lastborn)

From time immemorial they have stalked the night - Creatures of legend - or something all too real? For centuries people have whispered about the creatures of darkness, those who wear the guise of humans to prey upon their all-to-mortal kin, of those neither dead nor alive, who exist in a sort of immortal twilight and attain both the semblance and substance of life by drinking the blood of their helplessly mesmerized victims.

Here then are eighteen, original tales of vampires down through history, from the eras of ancient Greece and Rome up to the modern day, some traditionally horrifying, some poignant, some with a humorous touch. From a vampire blessed by Christ to the truth about the notorious Oscar Wilde to a rollicking tale of vamparism and the Bow Street Runners, these memorable stories by such top tale-weavers as Tanya Huff, P.N. Elrod, and Lois Tilton are sure to appeal to anyone who's ever been bitten by an interest in those mysterious, seductive, and deadly rulers of the night

Table of Contents:

• 9 - Introduction (The Time of the Vampires) - essay by P. N. Elrod
• 11 - A Vision of Darkness - short story by Lois Tilton
• 21 - Scent of Blood - short story by Susan Booth
• 39 - The Gift - short story by Teresa Patterson
• 56 - Oaths - short story by Bradley H. Sinor
• 74 - The Blood of the Lamb - short story by Lillian Stewart Carl
• 94 - The Devil's Mark - short fiction by P. N. Elrod
• 104 - Bloodthirsty Tyrants - novelette by Catt Kingsgrave-Ernstein
• 132 - What Manner of Man - [Henry Fitzroy] - novelette by Tanya Huff
• 159 - A Matter of Taste - short story by Nick Pollotta
• 166 - Voice from the Void - [Vanishing Breed] - novelette by Margaret L. Carter
• 189 - In Memory of - short story by Nancy Kilpatrick
• 202 - Death Mask - novelette by Rebecca Ann Brothers
• 233 - Faith Like Wine - novelette by Rachel Caine
• 265 - Black Sounds - short story by Lawrence Schimel
• 274 - The Ghost of St. Mark's - short story by Elaine Bergstrom
• 292 - Walking Tour - short story by Jean Graham
• 305 - Night of the Vampire Scare - short story by Julie Barrett
• 311 - Toothless Vampires Can Still Give Hickeys - short story by James Schutte

This book offers 17 new stories of daring adventurers who meddle with time including: a science fiction fan who warded off an alien invasion of Earth through contemporary culture... Joan of Arc's training in future history... and an FBI hunt for a Mafia don who found his way back to the age of knighthood.

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction (Time Twisters) - essay by Jean Rabe
• 4 - Pruning the Tree - short story by Chris Pierson
• 18 - Occupation Duty - short story by Harry Turtledove
• 35 - Mundane Lane - short story by Kevin J. Anderson
• 49 - The Power and the Glory - short story by Robert E. Vardeman
• 69 - Voices - short story by Jackie Cassada
• 85 - Downtown Knight - short story by James M. Ward
• 100 - Parsley Sage, Rosemary, and Time - novelette by Jon L. Breen
• 126 - A Better Place - novelette by Linda P. Baker
• 149 - Chaos Theory - short story by Stephen Leigh
• 159 - The Man in Cell 91 - short story by Gene DeWeese
• 175 - Oyer and Terminer - novelette by Joe Masdon
• 196 - Standing Still - short story by Donald J. Bingle
• 211 - One Rainy Day in Paris - novelette by Penny Williams and Skip Williams
• 232 - Try and Try Again - short story by Pierce Askegren
• 247 - Yeshua's Choice - novelette by Nancy Varian Berberick
• 268 - Three Power Play - short story by Wes Nicholson
• 284 - One Time Around? - short story by John Helfers
• 300 - About the Authors (Time Twisters)

8 stories about conflicts in time travel.

Contents:

• 1 - Introduction (Time Wars) - essay by Poul Anderson
• 3 - Frost and Thunder - (1979) - novelette by Randall Garrett
• 27 - Gunpowder God - [Kalvan] - (1964) - novella by H. Beam Piper
• 75 - Amphiskios - (1949) - novelette by John D. MacDonald
• 110 - Delenda Est - [Time Patrol - 5] - (1955) - novelette by Poul Anderson
• 149 - Dragonrider - [Dragonriders of Pern short fiction] - (1967) - novella by Anne McCaffrey
• 265 - The Timesweepers - (1969) - novelette by Keith Laumer
• 296 - Run from the Fire - (1975) - novelette by Harry Harrison
• 329 - Skirmish on a Summer Morning - (1976) - novella by Bob Shaw

A collection of stories of urban ghosts and other horrors features the writing of Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, Shirley Jackson, John Cheever, Fritz Leiber, Philip K. Dick, Joyce Carol Oates, and other masters.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - essay by William F. Nolan and Martin H. Greenberg
• Smoke Ghost - (1941) - short story by Fritz Leiber
• A Careful Man Dies - (1946) - short story by Ray Bradbury
• The Tooth - (1949) - short story by Shirley Jackson
• Torch Song - (1947) - short story by John Cheever
• Prey - (1969) - short story by Richard Matheson
• The Father-Thing - (1954) - short story by Philip K. Dick
• The Jungle - (1954) - novelette by Charles Beaumont
• The Tunnel Ahead - (1961) - short story by Alice Glaser
• Did You Ever Slip on Red Blood? - (1972) - short story by Joyce Carol Oates
• The Chimney - (1977) - short story by Ramsey Campbell
• The Wine of Life - (1980) - short story by Ray Russell
• The Pool - (1981) - short story by William F. Nolan
• Talking in the Dark - (1984) - short story by Dennis Etchison
• The Litter - (1987) - short story by James Kisner
• New York Night - (1987) - short story by John Maclay
• Hell - (1987) - short story by Richard Christian Matheson
• The Shaggy House - (1986) - short story by Joe R. Lansdale
• The Book of Webster's - (1986) - novelette by J. N. Williamson

Table of Contents:

• 9 - Introduction (Vampire Detectives) - essay by Ed Gorman
• 11 - Vampire Dollars - novelette by William F. Nolan
• 41 - This Town Ain't Big Enough - novelette by Tanya Huff
• 65 - Girl's Night Out - short story by Kathe Koja and Barry N. Malzberg
• 82 - Home Comforts - short story by Peter Crowther
• 92 - Origin of a Species - novelette by J. N. Williamson
• 114 - Fangs - novelette by Michael Prescott
• 136 - The Night of Their Lives - short story by Max Allan Collins
• 151 - Night Tidings - novelette by Gary Alan Ruse
• 177 - God-Less Men - short story by James Kisner
• 193 - No Blood for a Vampire - short story by Edward D. Hoch
• 211 - The Count's Mailbox - short story by William Sanders
• 220 - Tom Rudolph's Last Tape - short story by John Maclay
• 228 - The Turning- short story by Jack Ketchum
• 233 - You'll Catch Your Death - novelette by P. N. Elrod
• 256 - Shell Game - short story by John Lutz
• 262 - The Secret - short story by Barbara Paul
• 282 - Blind Pig on North Halsted - short fiction by Wayne Allen Sallee
• 285 - Phil the Vampire - short story by Richard Laymon
• 305 - Undercover - short story by Nancy Holder

Table of Contents:

• ix - Introduction (Werewolves) - essay by Ed Gorman
• 11 - Extinctions in Paradise - short story by Brian Hodge
• 29 - Bindlestiff - short story by Peter Crowther
• 46 - Never Moon a Werewolf - short story by Barbara Paul
• 62 - Dumpster Diving - short story by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• 71 - Woofman - short story by Brenda Crank and Scott Nickel
• 86 - Nick of Time - short story by Matthew J. Costello
• 93 - The Nighttime Is the Right Time - short story by Bill Crider
• 111 - Double Identity - short story by Terry Beatty and Wendi Lee
• 118 - Little Boy Riding Hood - short story by Lawrence Schimel
• 127 - Wolf - short story by Max Allan Collins
• 136 - Children of the Night - short story by Cheri Scotch
• 149 - Bark at the Moon - short story by Mike Baker
• 155 - Nights in the Mountains of Haiti - short story by Hugh B. Cave
• 172 - The Last Link Between Life and Death - novelette by J. N. Williamson
• 193 - Asleep in the Mist - short story by Billie Sue Mosiman
• 202 - The Pack - short story by Norman Partridge
• 218 - Waiting for Moonlight - short story by Roman A. Ranieri
• 226 - A Taste of Blood and Roses - short story by David Niall Wilson
• 238 - Sand Boils - short story by Tracy Knight
• 255 - Only the Strong Survive - short story by Richard Chizmar and Barry Hoffman
• 272 - The Night of Howling - short story by Mickey Zucker Reichert
• 281 - Some Touch of Pity - novelette by Gary A. Braunbeck

First edition, hardcover. Retrospective anthology; most works have a forward by the story's author.

Contents:

• Introduction by Frederik Pohl
• As IF Was in the Beginning by Larry T. Shaw
• The Golden Man (1954) by Philip K. Dick
• The Battle (1954) by Robert Sheckley
• Last Rites (1955) by Charles Beaumont
• Game Preserve (1957) by Rog Phillips
• The Burning of the Brain (1958) by Cordwainer Smith
• The Man Who Tasted Ashes (1959) by Algis Budrys
• Kings Who Die (1962) by Poul Anderson
• Fortress Ship (1963) by Fred Saberhagen
• Father of the Stars (1964) by Frederik Pohl
• Trick or Treaty (1965) by Keith Laumer
• Nine Hundred Grandmothers (1966) by R. A. Lafferty
• Neutron Star (1966) by Larry Niven
• This Mortal Mountain (1967) by Roger Zelazny
• I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream (1967) by Harlan Ellison
• Driftglass (1967) by Samuel R. Delany
• The Holmes-Ginsbook Device (1968) by Isaac Asimov
• Down in the Black Gang (1969) by Philip José Farmer
• The Reality Trip (1970) by Robert Silverberg
• The Nightblooming Saurian (1970) by James Tiptree, Jr.
• Occam's Scalpel (1971) by Theodore Sturgeon
• Construction Shack (1973) by Clifford D. Simak
• Time Deer (1974) by Craig Strete
• Afterword: Flash Point, Middle by Barry N. Malzberg

From a farmer at war with Nature's creatures, to dangerous doings when the henhouse goes on-line, to the hazards of keeping company with a book wyrm, here are ingenious tales that will make readers laugh or cry... or double-check to make sure that their windows and doors are firmly locked against the things that prowl the night.

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction (Zombie Raccoons & Killer Bunnies ) - essay by Kerrie Hughes
• 4 - Death Mask - short fiction by Jody Lynn Nye
• 29 - BunRabs - short fiction by Donald J. Bingle
• 42 - for lizzie - [Simon Canderous] - short fiction by Anton Strout
• 59 - Faith in Our Fathers - short fiction by Alexander Potter
• 88 - Bone Whispers - short fiction by Tim Waggoner
• 108 - Watching - short fiction by Carrie Vaughn
• 119 - The Things That Crawl - novelette by Richard Lee Byers
• 147 - The White Bull of Tara - short fiction by Fiona Patton
• 168 - Dead Poets - short fiction by John A. Pitts
• 179 - Super Squirrel to the Rescue - short fiction by Irene Radford
• 195 - Her Black Mood - short fiction by Brenda Cooper
• 216 - Ninja Rats on Harleys - short story by Elizabeth Vaughan
• 239 - Bats in Thebayou - short fiction by Steven H Silver
• 260 - Twilight Animals - short fiction by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• 276 - The Ridges - short fiction by Larry D. Sweazy

PATIENT: MARTIN CANN 30395

DOCTOR ATTENDING: DR. ANSELM HERNE

RESPONSE TO TREATMENT: SATISFACTORY, but...

The time is the 21st Century and the only similarities are the physical bodies of men.

Sickness is treated from within, very often taking the changes from their patient's minds and bodies unto themselves.

And now Martin Cann was well and his nurse, Miss Annell was an angel.

A real angel...

SCIENCE FICTION AT ITS WEIRD BEST IN THIS SHATTERING NOVEL OF THE COMING HELL

The small town of Tillbrook has a secret. One that has been kept for over a hundred years.

Journalist David Hampden needs a good story to resurrect his flagging career. His damaged brother, Paul, just needs to find some meaning for his life. When David is alerted to a century-old carnival, the idea of a feature story is too good to pass up, so he drags Paul along to Tillbrook to act as his photographer. What they find is darker than they could ever imagine.

Paul becomes part of the exotic world of the Dervish Carnival, est. 1899, and David must risk everything to save his brother. Even though Paul might not want to be saved.

Come on in, and enjoy the show.

No photos allowed.

Leigh grew up in Rotterdam, drawn to the waterfront as an escape from her unhappy home life and volatile father. Enchanted by the undersea world of her childhood, she excels in marine biology, travelling the globe to study ancient organisms. When a trench is discovered in the Atlantic ocean, Leigh joins the exploration team, hoping to find evidence of the earth's first life forms - what she instead finds calls into question everything we know about our own beginnings.

Her discovery leads Leigh to the Mojave desert and an ambitious new space agency. Drawn deeper into the agency's work, she learns that the Atlantic trench is only one of several related phenomena from across the world, each piece linking up to suggest a pattern beyond human understanding. Leigh knows that to continue working with the agency will mean leaving behind her declining mother and her younger sister, and faces an impossible choice: to remain with her family, or to embark on a journey across the breadth of the cosmos.

Exploring the natural world with the wonder and reverence we usually reserve for the stars, In Ascension is a compassionate, deeply inquisitive epic that reaches outward to confront the greatest questions of existence, looks inward to illuminate the smallest details of the human heart, and shows how - no matter how far away we might be and how much we have lost hope - we will always attempt to return to the people and places we call home.

During a sweltering South American summer, a family convenes for dinner at a restaurant. Midway through the meal, Carlos disappears. An experienced, semi-retired inspector takes the case, but what should be a routine investigation becomes something strange, intangible, even sinister. The corporation for which Carlos worked seems to serve no purpose; the staff talk of their missing colleague's alarming, shifting physical symptoms; a forensic scientist uncovers evidence of curious abnormalities in the thriving microorganisms that shared Carlos's body.

As the inspector relives and retraces the missing man's footsteps, the trail leads him away from the city sprawl and deep into the country's rainforest interior, where he encounters both horror and wonder.

NOTHING AHEAD BUT VENGEANCE - NOTHING BEHIND BUT BLOOD

Soldier. Fight slave. Smuggler. Warrior. Brigand Lord. You may have encountered Jonmarc Vahanian in the Chronicles of the Necromancer but you don't really know him until you walk in his footsteps. This is the start of his epic journey.

A blacksmith's son in a small fishing village before raiders killed his amily, Jonmarc was wounded and left for dead in the attack. He tried to rebuild his life, but when a dangerous bargain with a shadowy stranger went wrong, he found himself on the run.

Gail Z. Martin returns to the world of her internationally best-selling books with these thrilling ales of adventure and high fantasy, collected together here for the very first time.

This novelette originally appeared in the anthology Epoch (1975), edited by Robert Silverberg and Roger Elwood. It can also be found in the John Joseph Adams anthologies Lightspeed: Year One (2010) and Wastelands 2: More Stories of the Apocalypse (2015). It is included in the collections Songs of Stars and Shadows (1977) and Songs the Dead Men Sing (1983).

Read the full story for free at Lightspeed.

This novelette originally appeared in the anthology Songs of the Dying Earth: Stories in Honour of Jack Vance (2009), edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois. It was reprinted in Clarkesworld Magazine, #85 October 2013. The story can also be found in the anthology The Book of Magic (2018), edited by Gardner Dozois.

Read the full story for free at Clarkesworld.

Table of Contents:

• With Morning Comes Mistfall - (1973)
• The Second Kind of Loneliness - (1972)
• Override - (1973)
• Dark, Dark Were the Tunnels - (1973)
• The Hero - (1971)
• FTA - (1974)
• Run to Starlight - (1974)
• The Exit to San Breta - (1972)
• Slide Show - (1973)
• A Song for Lya - (1974)

All new and original to this volume, the 21 stories in Dangerous Women include work by twelve New York Times bestsellers, and seven stories set in the authors' bestselling continuities--including a new "Outlander" story by Diana Gabaldon, a tale of Harry Dresden's world by Jim Butcher, a story from Lev Grossman set in the world of The Magicians, and a 35,000-word novella by George R. R. Martin about the Dance of the Dragons, the vast civil war that tore Westeros apart nearly two centuries before the events of A Game of Thrones.

Also included are original stories of dangerous women--heroines and villains alike--by Brandon Sanderson, Joe Abercrombie, Sherilynn Kenyon, Lawrence Block, Carrie Vaughn, S. M. Stirling, Sharon Kay Penman, and many others.

Writes Gardner Dozois in his Introduction, "Here you'll find no hapless victims who stand by whimpering in dread while the male hero fights the monster or clashes swords with the villain, and if you want to tie these women to the railroad tracks, you'll find you have a real fight on your hands. Instead, you will find sword-wielding women warriors, intrepid women fighter pilots and far-ranging spacewomen, deadly female serial killers, formidable female superheroes, sly and seductive femmes fatale, female wizards, hard-living Bad Girls, female bandits and rebels, embattled survivors in Post-Apocalyptic futures, female Private Investigators, stern female hanging judges, haughty queens who rule nations and whose jealousies and ambitions send thousands to grisly deaths, daring dragonriders, and many more."

Table of Contents:

• Introduction (Dangerous Women) - (2013) - essay by Gardner Dozois
• Some Desperado - [The First Law Universe] - (2013) - short story by Joe Abercrombie
• My Heart is Either Broken - non-genre - (2013) - shortfiction by Megan Abbott
• Nora's Song - non-genre - (2013) - shortfiction by Cecelia Holland
• The Hands That Are Not There - [The Imperials Saga] - (2013) - novelette by Melinda M. Snodgrass
• Bombshells - [The Dresden Files] - (2013) - novelette by Jim Butcher
• Raisa Stepanova - non-genre - (2013) - novelette by Carrie Vaughn
• Wrestling Jesus - (2013) - novelette by Joe R. Lansdale
• Neighbors - (2013) - novelette by Robin Hobb [as by Megan Lindholm]
• I Know How to Pick 'Em - non-genre - (2013) - shortfiction by Lawrence Block
• Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell - [Cosmere: Threnody] - (2013) - novella by Brandon Sanderson
• A Queen in Exile - non-genre - (2013) - shortfiction by Sharon Kay Penman
• The Girl in the Mirror - [Fillory] - (2013) - novelette by Lev Grossman
• Second Arabesque, Very Slowly - (2013) - novelette by Nancy Kress
• City Lazarus - (2013) - novelette by Diana Rowland
• Virgins - [Outlander] - (2013) - novella by Diana Gabaldon
• Hell Hath No Fury - (2013) - short story by Sherrilyn Kenyon
• Pronouncing Doom - [Emberverse] - (2013) - novelette by S. M. Stirling
• Name the Beast - (2013) - short story by Sam Sykes
• Caretakers - non-genre - (2013) - novelette by Pat Cadigan
• Lies My Mother Told Me - [Wild Cards] - (2013) - novella by Caroline Spector
• The Princess and the Queen, or, The Blacks and the Greens - [A Song of Ice and Fire] - (2013) - novella by George R. R. Martin

In "Death by Dahlia," number-one New York Times best-selling author Charlaine Harris takes vampire Dahlia Lynley-Chivers to a lavish party that turns deadly. And with so many different creatures of the night in attendance, Dahlia will have a hard time identifying the most likely suspect.

Number-one New York Times best-selling author Patricia Briggs thrills in "In Red, with Pearls," as a werewolf P.I. races to crack a case involving zombies, witches, and the most horrifying creatures of them all: lawyers.

In "Lord John and the Plague of Zombies", New York Times best-selling author Diana Gabaldon follows Lord John as he journeys to the beautiful but faintly sinister island paradise of Jamaica, where he's soon investigating a mystery with no shortage of spiders, snakes, revolutionaries, and, of course, zombies.

With these and 13 more original tales, Down These Strange Streets takes you to the cities where fantasy and mystery collide and where private eyes who have seen it all find something lurking that is stranger still.

Table of Contents

• The Bastard Stepchild - (2011) - essay by George R. R. Martin
• Death by Dahlia - (2011) - novelette by Charlaine Harris
• The Bleeding Shadow - (2011) - novelette by Joe R. Lansdale
• Hungry Heart - [Nightside] - (2011) - shortstory by Simon R. Green
• Styx and Stones - (2011) - novelette by Steven Saylor
• Pain and Suffering - (2011) - novelette by S. M. Stirling
• It's Still the Same Old Story - (2011) - novelette by Carrie Vaughn
• The Lady Is a Screamer - (2011) - shortstory by Conn Iggulden
• Hellbender - (2011) - novelette by Laurie R. King
• Shadow Thieves - (2011) - novelette by Glen Cook
• No Mystery, No Miracle - (2011) - novelette by Melinda M. Snodgrass
• The Difference Between a Puzzle and a Mystery - (2011) - novelette by M. L. N. Hanover
• The Curious Affair of the Deodand - (2011) - novelette by Lisa Tuttle
• Lord John and the Plague of Zombies - (2011) - novella by Diana Gabaldon
• Beware the Snake - (2011) - shortstory by John Maddox Roberts
• In Red, with Pearls - (2011) - novelette by Patricia Briggs
• The Adakian Eagle - (2011) - novella by Bradley Denton

Marsh meant to turn down York's offer. It was too full of secrets that spelled danger. But the promise of both gold and a grand new boat that could make history crushed his resolve-coupled with the terrible force of York's mesmerizing gaze. Not until the maiden voyage of his new sidewheeler Fevre Dream would Marsh realize he had joined a mission both more sinister, and perhaps more noble, than his most fantastic nightmare...and mankind's most impossible dream. Here is the spellbinding tale of a vampire's quest to unite his race with humanity, of a garrulous riverman's dream of immortality, and of the undying legends of the steamboat era and a majestic, ancient river.

Running from poverty and hopelessness, Ramón Espejo boarded one of the great starships of the mysterious, repulsive Enye. But the new life he found on the far-off planet of São Paulo was no better than the one he abandoned. Then one night his rage and too much alcohol get the better of him. Deadly violence ensues, forcing Ramón to flee into the wilderness.

Mercifully, almost happily alone—far from the loud, bustling hive of humanity that he detests with sociopathic fervor—the luckless prospector is finally free to search for the one rich strike that could make him wealthy. But what he stumbles upon instead is an advanced alien race in hiding: desperate fugitives, like him, on a world not their own. Suddenly in possession of a powerful, dangerous secret and caught up in an extraordinary manhunt on a hostile, unpredictable planet, Ramón must first escape . . . and then, somehow, survive.

And his deadliest enemy is himself.

This novelette originally appeared in the anthology Orbit 18 (1976), edited by Damon Knight. It can also be found in the anthologies The Best Science Fiction of the Year #6 (1977), edited by Terry Carr, Splatterpunks: Extreme Horror (1990), edited by Paul M. Sammon, The Living Dead (2008), edited by John Joseph Adams, and Extreme Zombies (2012), edtied by Paula Guran. The story is included in the collections Songs the Dead Men Sing (1983) and GRRM: A RRetrospective (2003).

Locus Award Finalist for Best Collection

Table of Contents:

• Nightflyers - (1980) - novella
• Override - (1973) - novelette
• Weekend in a War Zone - (1977) - shortstory
• And Seven Times Never Kill Man - (1975) - novelette
• Nor the Many-Colored Fires of a Star Ring - (1976) - novelette
• A Song for Lya - (1974) - novella

Nebula Award winning and Hugo Award nominated short story.

Richard Cantling didn't regret the sacrifices he had made for his work, but he had expected his daughter to forgive and forget. When the painting arrives, it seems a gesture of reconciliation--until he's brought face to face with another of his offspring, one he never planned to meet...

It originally appeared in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, November 1985. The story can also be found in the anthologies Nebula Awards 21 (1986), edited by George Zebrowski and Future on Ice (1998), edited by Orson Scott Card. It is included in the colledtions Portraits of His Children (1987) and GRRM: A RRetrospective (2003).

A collection of short science fiction tales by the Hugo and Nebula Award winner features a tale of an author who is visited by the characters from his novel and a little girl whose best friend is a dragon made of ice.

Table of Contents:

• A Sketch of Their Father - essay by Roger Zelazny
• With Morning Comes Mistfall - (1973) - shortstory
• The Second Kind of Loneliness - (1972) - shortstory
• The Last Super Bowl - (1975) - novelette
• The Lonely Songs of Laren Dorr - (1976) - shortstory
• The Ice Dragon - (1980) - novelette
• In the Lost Lands - (1982) - shortstory
• Unsound Variations - (1982) - novella
• Closing Time - (1982) - shortstory
• Under Siege - (1985) - novelette
• The Glass Flower - (1986) - novelette
• Portraits of His Children - (1985) - novelette

Table of Contents:

• The Skin Trade
• Blood of the Dragon
• Black and White and Red All Over
• Starport

A thrilling collection of twenty-one original stories by an all-star list of contributors--including a new A Game of Thrones story by George R. R. Martin!

If you're a fan of fiction that is more than just black and white, this latest story collection from #1 New York Times bestselling author George R. R. Martin and award-winning editor Gardner Dozois is filled with subtle shades of gray. Twenty-one all-original stories, by an all-star list of contributors, will delight and astonish you in equal measure with their cunning twists and dazzling reversals. And George R. R. Martin himself offers a brand-new A Game of Thrones tale chronicling one of the biggest rogues in the entire history of Ice and Fire.

Follow along with the likes of Gillian Flynn, Joe Abercrombie, Neil Gaiman, Patrick Rothfuss, Scott Lynch, Cherie Priest, Garth Nix, and Connie Willis, as well as other masters of literary sleight-of-hand, in this rogues gallery of stories that will plunder your heart--and yet leave you all the richer for it.

Table of Contents:

• George R.R. Martin "Everybody Loves a Rogue" (Introduction)
• Joe Abercrombie "Tough Times All Over"
• Gillian Flynn "What Do You Do?"
• Matthew Hughes "The Inn of the Seven Blessings"
• Joe R. Lansdale "Bent Twig"
• Michael Swanwick "Tawny Petticoats"
• David Ball "Provenance"
• Carrie Vaughn "The Roaring Twenties"
• Scott Lynch "A Year and a Day in Old Theradane"
• Bradley Denton "Bad Brass"
• Cherie Priest "Heavy Metal"
• Daniel Abraham "The Meaning of Love"
• Paul Cornell "A Better Way to Die"
• Steven Saylor "Ill Seen in Tyre"
• Garth Nix "A Cargo of Ivories"
• Walter Jon Williams "Diamonds From Tequila"
• Phyllis Eisenstein "The Caravan to Nowhere"
• Lisa Tuttle "The Curious Affair of the Dead Wives"
• Neil Gaiman "How the Marquis Got His Coat Back"
• Connie Willis "Now Showing"
• Patrick Rothfuss "The Lightning Tree"

When Simon Kress returned to his home planet of Baldur from an offworld business trip, he was amused to find that his tank of Earth piranhas had cannibalized themselves into extinction, and of the two exotic animals that roamed his estate, only one remained. Now, in search of some new pets to satisfy his cruel pursuit of amusement, Simon finds a new shop in the city where he is intrigued by a new lifeform he has never heard of before ... a collection of multi-colored sandkings. The curator explains that the insect-like animals, no larger than Simon's fingernails, are not insects, but animals with a highly-evolved hive intelligence capable of staging wars between the different colors, and even religion--in the form of worship of their owner. The curator's warning to Simon about the regularity of their feeding, unfortunately, was not taken seriously.... "Outer Limits" Episode, Hugo Award Winner, Locus Poll Award Winner, Nebula Award Winner

Table of Contents

• The Way of Cross and Dragon
• Bitterblooms
• In the House of the Worm
• Fast-Friend
• The Stone City
• Starlady
• Sandkings

Shadow Twin is a 120 page novella by Gardner Dozois, George R.R. Martin, and Daniel Abraham. Gardner began the novella in the 1970s, handed it off to George in the 1980s, who, in turn, called upon Daniel Abraham to add the finishing touches.

This novella has been expanded into the novel Hunter's Run.

In this star-studded cross-genre anthology, seventeen of the greatest modern authors of fantasy, science fiction, and romance explore the borderlands of their genres with brand-new tales of ill-fated love. From zombie-infested woods in a postapocalyptic America to faery-haunted rural fields in eighteenth- century England, from the kingdoms of high fantasy to the alien world of a galaxy-spanning empire, these are stories of lovers who must struggle against the forces of magic and fate.

Award-winning, bestselling author Neil Gaiman demonstrates why he's one of the hottest stars in literature today with "The Thing About Cassandra," a subtle but chilling story of a man who meets an old girlfriend he had never expected to see.

International blockbuster bestselling author Diana Gabaldon sends a World War II RAF pilot through a stone circle to the time of her Outlander series in "A Leaf on the Winds of All Hallows." Torn from all he knows, Jerry MacKenzie determinedly survives hardship and danger, intent on his goal of returning home to his wife and baby-no matter the cost.

New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher presents "Love Hurts," in which Harry Dresden takes on one of his deadliest adversaries and in the process is forced to confront the secret desires of his own heart.

Just the smallest sampling promises unearthly delights, but look also for stories by New York Times bestselling romance authors Jo Beverley and Mary Jo Putney, and by such legends of the fantasy genre as Peter S. Beagle and Tanith Lee, as well as many other popular and beloved writers, including Marjorie M. Liu, Jacqueline Carey, Carrie Vaughn, and Robin Hobb. This exquisite anthology, crafted by the peerless editing team of George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, is sure to leave you under its spell.

Table of Contents:

• Star-crossed Lovers (Introduction) - essay by Gardner Dozois and George R. R. Martin
• Love Hurts - [The Dresden Files] - novelette by Jim Butcher
• The Marrying Maid - novelette by Jo Beverley
• Rooftops - novelette by Carrie Vaughn
• Hurt Me - short story by Daniel Abraham [as by M. L. N. Hanover]
• Demon Lover - short story by Cecelia Holland
• The Wayfarer's Advice - [The Imperials Saga] - novelette by Melinda M. Snodgrass
• Blue Boots - [The Farseer] - novelette by Robin Hobb
• The Thing About Cassandra - short story by Neil Gaiman
• After the Blood - novelette by Marjorie M. Liu
• You, and You Alone - [Kushiel's Legacy] - novelette by Jacqueline Carey
• His Wolf - novelette by Lisa Tuttle
• Courting Trouble - novelette by Linnea Sinclair
• The Demon Dancer - [The Guardian] - short story by Mary Jo Putney
• Under/Above the Water - novelette by Tanith Lee
• Kaskia - short story by Peter S. Beagle
• Man in the Mirror - short story by Yasmine Galenorn
• A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows - [Outlander] - novelette by Diana Gabaldon

(all stories first published in 2010)

A feast of legends to savor - some with a shudder, some with a smile - Deadly spiders big as pumpkins consume victims who scream with joy...The saga of a man who lives alone on his own planet...Adrian Colmer, Master Probe, takes on a client who claims to be the subject of telepathic torment...An all-too-possible revolution in the United States, post-1984...How Jupiter got its thirteenth moon...And other astonishing tales.

Table of Contents

• Introduction (Songs of Stars and Shadows)
• This Tower of Ashes - (1976)
• Patrick Henry, Jupiter, and the Little Red Brick Spaceship - (1976)
• Men of Greywater Station - (1976) with Howard Waldrop
• The Lonely Songs of Laren Dorr - (1976)
• Night of the Vampyres - (1975)
• The Runners - (1975)
• Night Shift - (1973)
• ". . . For a Single Yesterday" - (1975)
• And Seven Times Never Kill Man - (1975)

To honor the magnificent career of Jack Vance, one unparalleled in achievement and impact, George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, with the full cooperation of Vance, his family, and his agents, have created a Jack Vance tribute anthology: Songs of the Dying Earth. The best of today's fantasy writers to return to the unique and evocative milieu of The Dying Earth, from which they and so many others have drawn so much inspiration, to create their own brand-new adventures in the world of Jack Vance's greatest novel.

Half a century ago, Jack Vance created the world of the Dying Earth, and fantasy has never been the same. Now, for the first time ever, Jack has agreed to open this bizarre and darkly beautiful world to other fantasists, to play in as their very own. To say that other fantasy writers are excited by this prospect is a gross understatement; one has told us that he'd crawl through broken glass for the chance to write for the anthology, another that he'd gladly give up his right arm for the privilege. That's the kind of regard in which Jack Vance and The Dying Earth are held by generations of his peers.

This book contains original stories from George R. R. Martin, Neil Gaiman, Dan Simmons, Elizabeth Moon, Tanith Lee, Tad Williams, Kage Baker, and Robert Silverberg, along with fifteen others--as well as an introduction by Dean Koontz.

Table of Contents:

• Thank You, Mr. Vance - (2009) - essay by Dean R. Koontz
• Preface - (2009) - essay by Jack Vance
• The True Vintage of Erzuine Thale - (2009) - novelette by Robert Silverberg
• Grolion of Almery - (2009) - novelette by Matthew Hughes
• The Copsy Door - (2009) - novelette by Terry Dowling
• Caulk the Witch-Chaser - (2009) - shortstory by Liz Williams
• Inescapable - (2009) - shortstory by Mike Resnick
• Abrizonde - (2009) - novelette by Walter Jon Williams
• The Traditions of Karzh - (2009) - novelette by Paula Volsky
• The Final Quest of the Wizard Sarnod - (2009) - novelette by Jeff VanderMeer
• The Green Bird - (2009) - novelette by Kage Baker
• The Last Golden Thread - (2009) - shortstory by Phyllis Eisenstein
• An Incident in Uskvosk - (2009) - shortstory by Elizabeth Moon
• Sylgarmo's Proclamation - (2009) - novelette by Lucius Shepard
• The Lamentably Comical Tragedy (or The Laughably Tragic Comedy) of Lixal Laqavee - (2009) - novelette by Tad Williams
• Guyal the Curator - (2009) - novelette by John C. Wright
• The Good Magician - (2009) - novelette by Glen Cook
• The Return of the Fire Witch - (2009) - novelette by Elizabeth Hand
• The Collegeum of Mauge - (2009) - shortstory by Byron Tetrick
• Evillo the Uncunning - (2009) - novelette by Tanith Lee
• The Guiding Nose of Ulfänt Banderoz - (2009) - novella by Dan Simmons
• Frogskin Cap - (2009) - shortstory by Howard Waldrop
• A Night at the Tarn House - (2009) - novelette by George R. R. Martin
• An Invocation of Incuriosity - (2009) - shortstory by Neil Gaiman

Table of Contents:

• George R. R. Martin, Dark Harbinger - (1983) - essay by Algis Budrys
• The Monkey Treatment - (1983) - novelette
• "...For a Single Yesterday" - (1975) - novelette
• In the House of the Worm - (1976) - novella
• The Needle Men - (1981) - shortstory
• Meathouse Man - (1976) - novelette
• Sandkings - (1979) - novelette
• This Tower of Ashes - (1976) - shortstory
• Nightflyers - (1980) - novella
• Remembering Melody - (1981) - shortstory

For many of us, the Ace Double Novels of the '50s and '60s have long been a source both of pleasure and nostalgia. This new double volume from Subterranean Press stands squarely in that distinguished tradition, offering a pair of colorful, fast-paced novelettes from one of the most popular writers currently working in any genre: George R. R. Martin.

Starlady takes place on a planet called Thisrock and depicts a Darwinian society populated by thieves, whores, cutthroats, pimps, and assorted lost souls. It is a tale of love, loss, vengeance, and ambition written with great economy of means, and with a narrative intensity that never, ever lets up.

Fast-Friend takes a fresh new look at an enduring human dream: travel to the stars. With consummate narrative skill, and with a visionary's sensibility, Martin tells an unforgettable story of longing and transcendence, a story suffused with images at once beautiful and terrifying, mysterious and profound.

Onetime underground journalist Sandy Blair has traveled far from his radical roots in the '60s - until the bizarre and brutal murder of a millionaire rock promoter draws him back. As Sandy sets out to investigate the crime, he finds himself on a magical mystery tour of the pent-up passions of his generation. For a new messiah has resurrected the once legendary rock band Nazgûl - but with an apocalyptic new beat that is a requiem of demonism, mind control, and death only Sandy may be able to change in time....

The ice dragon was a creature of legend and fear, for no man had ever tamed one. When it flew overhead, it left in its wake desolate cold and frozen land. But Adara was not afraid. For Adara was a winter child, born during the worst freeze that anyone, even the Old Ones, could remember.

Adara could not remember the first time she had seen the ice dragon. It seemed that it had always been in her life, glimpsed from afar as she played in the frigid snow long after the other children had fled the cold. In her fourth year she touched it, and in her fifth year she rode upon its broad, chilled back for the first time. Then, in her seventh year, on a calm summer day, fiery dragons from the North swooped down upon the peaceful farm that was Adara's home. And only a winter child--and the ice dragon who loved her--could save her world from utter destruction.

The Ice Dragon marks the highly anticipated children's book debut of George R.R. Martin, the award-winning author of the New York Times best-selling series A Song of Ice and Fire and is set in the same world. Illustrated with lush, exquisitely detailed pencil drawings by acclaimed artist Yvonne Gilbert, The Ice Dragon is an unforgettable tale of courage, love, and sacrifice by one of the most honored fantasists of all time.

The story originally appeared in the anthology Dragons of Light (1980), edited by Orson Scott Card. The 2006 edition is a slightly rewritten version to make it suitable for a younger audience.

Tired and bloody from her battle with the Seven, Sharra stumbles through the gate onto a pristine planet, the kingdom and prison of a solitary singer doomed to await Sharra's arrival...

This short story originally appeared in Fantastic, May 1976 and was reprinted in Fantasy Magazine, March 2011. It can also be found in the anthologies:

• The Year's Best Fantasy Stories: 3 (1977), edited by Lin Carter
• Other Worlds Than These (2012), edited by John Joseph Adams
• Warrior Women (2015), edited by Paula Guran

The story is included in the collections Songs of Stars and Shadows (1977), Portraits of His Children (1987), and GRRM: A RRetrospective (2003).

Read the full story for free at Fantasy Magazine.

Locus Award winning and Hugo and Nebula Award nominated short story. It originally appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, July 1983. The story can also be found in the anthology The Year's Best Science Fiction: First Annual Collection (1984), edited by Gardner Dozois. It is included in the collections Songs the Dead Men Sing (1983) and GRRM: A RRetrospective (2003).

Stoker Award winning and WFA nominated novelette.

He lives in the darkness beneath the stairs, in the apartment closet to the garbage cans. He eats CheezDoodles. He tells Jesse he has things to show her...

The story originally appeared in Omni, October 1987. It can also be found in the anthologies The Year's Best Fantasy: First Annual Collection (1988) edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, Omni Best Science Fiction Two (1992), edited by Ellen Datlow, Darkness: Two Decades of Modern Horror (2010), edited by Ellen Datlow, and The Horror Hall of Fame: The Stoker Winners (2012) edited by Joe R. Lansdale. The story is included in the collection GRRM: A RRetrospective (2003).

Randi Wade's world is spiraling into a dark labyrinth of secrets and lies. Her only friend is keeping something from her. Innocent victims are being savagely attacked and left for dead, all but their skins. There is an eerie connection between the crime scenes and her own father's murder nearly twenty years before, unsolved to this day. Despite this, Chief of Police Joe Urquhart, her father's former partner and best friend, beckons her to drop the case, drop everything. Is he protecting her, or something else? As the case unfolds, Randi is pulled ever closer to realizing her darkest fear: that werewolves do exist, and they'll do anything necessary to keep their secrets safe in this once quiet town... Even if it means killing their own. All the while, an eccentric but powerful family watches closely from inside the black iron gates of Blackstone Manor, as the horrendous truth behind it all begins to bubble toward the top. - The Skin Trade movie website.

The never-before-seen history of Westeros and the lands beyond. With hundreds of pages of all-new material from George R.R. Martin.

If the past is prologue, then George R.R. Martin's masterwork--the most inventive and entertaining fantasy saga of our time--warrants one hell of an introduction. At long last, it has arrived with THE WORLD OF ICE AND FIRE.

George R.R. Martin, in collaboration with Elio M. García, Jr. and Linda Antonsson, has written a comprehensive history of the Seven Kingdoms, featuring the epic battles, bitter rivalries, and daring rebellions that lead up to the events in the bestselling A Song of Ice and Fire series.

Collected within this volume is the accumulated knowledge, scholarly speculation, and inherited folk tales of maesters and septons, maegi and singers, including over 170 full-colour illustrations and maps, family trees for the Houses Stark, Lannister and Targaryen, and in-depth explanations of the history and culture of Westeros.

This is the definitive companion volume to George R.R. Martin's dazzlingly conceived universe; THE WORLD OF ICE AND FIRE is indeed proof that the pen is mightier than a storm of swords.

This novelette was reworked from a historical fiction story Martin wrote in 1968. It originally appeared in Omni, October 1985. The story can also be found in the anthologies The Year's Best Science Fiction: Third Annual Collection (1986), edited by Gardner Dozois, The Seventh Omni Book of Science Fiction (1989), edited by Ellen Datlow, and The Time Traveler's Almanac (2014), edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer. It is included in the collections Portraits of His Children (1987) and GRRM: A RRetrospective (2003).

Hugo and Nebula Award nominated novella. It originally appeared in Amazing Science Fiction Stories, January 1982. The story can also be found in the anthology Pawn to Infinity (1982), edited by Fred and Joan Saberhagen. It is included in the collections Portraits of His Children (1987) and GRRM: A RRetrospective (2003).

Hugo and Nebula Award nominated short story in Martin's Thousand Worlds universe. It originally appeared in Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact, May 1973. The story can also be found in the anthologies Nebula Award Stories Nine (1974), edited by Kate Wilhelm and Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year: Third Annual Collection (1974), edited by Lester del Rey. It is included in the collections A Song for Lya and Other Stories (1976), Portraits of His Children (1987) and GRRM: A RRetrospective (2003).

2015 Reddit Stabby Award Winner for Best Anthology / Collection / Periodical

Whether by coin or by blood... YOU WILL PAY.

This is a fantasy anthology featuring the deadly, the worldly, and the sneaky. Blackguards consists mainly of stories in established series, and the authors range from wildly successful indie authors to New York Times bestsellers. If you enjoy roguish tales of scoundrels and ne'er-do-wells, many of them set in established worlds, Blackguards is for you!

Table of Contents:

• Foreword, short story by Glen Cook [Tales of the Black Company]
• Seeds [Sanctuary], short story by Carol Berg
• Troll Trouble, short story by Richard Lee Byers
• Take You Home [Dezrel], short story by David Dalglish
• Thieves at the Gate, short story by James Enge
• Better to Live than to Die, short story by John Gwynne
• His Kikuta Hands [Tales of the Otori], short story by Lian Hearn
• A Kingdom and a Horse, short story by Snorri Kristjansson
• Seeking the Shadow, short story by Joseph Lallo
• The Secret [The Broken Empire], short story by Mark Lawrence
• A Taste of Agony, short story by Tim Marquitz
• A Length of Cherrywood [Vault of Heaven], short story by Peter Orullian
• The Subtler Art, short story by Cat Rambo
• Friendship [Silerian Trilogy], short story by Laura Resnick
• Manhunt [Sword and Barrow], short story by Mark Smylie
• Jancy's Justice [GnomeSaga], short story by Kenny Soward
• The White Rose Thief [Chronicles of Annwn], short story by Shawn Speakman
• Sun and Steel, short story by Jon Sprunk
• Scream, short story by Anton Strout
• Professional Integrity [Riyria], short story by Michael J. Sullivan
• The First Kill [Shadow Campaigns], short story by Django Wexler
• The Lord Collector [Raven's Shadow], short story by Anthony Ryan
• A Better Man [Tales of Egil and Nix], short story by Paul S. Kemp
• What Gods Demand [Seven Forges], short story by James A. Moore
• Mainon, short story by Jean Rabe
• Irindai [The Song of Shattered Sands], short story by Bradley P. Beaulieu
• The Magus and the Betyar, short story by S.R. Cambridge
• The Long Kiss, short story by Clay Sanger

The eBook edition of Blackguards also includes the anthology companion entitled The Blackguards Blacklist, with an additional eleven cutting-edge stories:

Table of Contents:

• To the End, short story by Rob J. Hayes
• To Steal the Moon, short story by Rebecca Lovatt
• The Muttwhelp, short story by Edward M. Erdelac
• The Lonesome Dark, short story by Anthony Lowe
• Comeuppance, short story by Linda Robertson
• The Assassination of Poppy Smithswife, short story by Sam Knight
• Telhinsol's Shadow, short story by S.M. White
• The Laughing Wind, short story by Noah Heinrich
• Bloody Gratitude, short story by Mike Theodorsson
• Gret, short story by Brenda Carre
• Angel of Tears, short story by Erik Scott De Bie

Hugo Award nominated novelette. It originally appeared in Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact, October 1984. The story can also be found in the anthology The Science Fiction Yearbook (1985) edited by John F. Carr, Jim Baen and Jerry Pournelle.

Never will so many have given so much for so few. The aliens came to Earth not for conquest, but simply to create a way and watch it played out by humans. But they are prohibited from using any technology not developed on the planet - and 20th century armaments are too primitive for good sport. The answer is to persuade the Earth's leaders to found a thing tank group secretly guided by them to produce 22nd century tech.

From the acclaimed author of the bestselling Italian Fever comes a fresh twist on the classic Jekyll and Hyde story, a novel told from the perspective of Mary Reilly, Dr. Jekyll's dutiful and intelligent housemaid.<?p>

Faithfully weaving in details from Robert Louis Stevenson's classic, Martin introduces an original and captivating character: Mary is a survivorscarred but still strongfamiliar with evil, yet brimming with devotion and love. As a bond grows between Mary and her tortured employer, she is sent on errands to unsavory districts of London and entrusted with secrets she would rather not know. Unable to confront her hideous suspicions about Dr. Jekyll, Mary ultimately proves the lengths to which she'll go to protect him. Through her astute reflections, we hear the rest of the classic Jekyll and Hyde story, and this familiar tale is made more terrifying than we remember it, more complex than we imagined possible.

A tale of vengeance, true love, and cannibalism.

Being born undead can have its disadvantages, such as eternal youth and flawless beauty ---things most unsuitable for a witch. Hiding behind the guise of a grimy old crone, the witch is content living outside Fort Stalwart with her unlikely band of allies: a troll named Gwurm, an enchanted broom, and a demonic duck named Newt. She leads a simple life filled with spells, potions, and the occasional curse.

So when a White Knight arrives at Fort Stalwart, the witch knows her days of peace are at an end. The Knight is just days in front of a horde of ravenous goblings, and Fort Stalwart lies right in the horde's path. But the goblings are just the first wave of danger, and soon the witch and the Knight must combine forces on a perilous quest to stop a mad sorcerer from destroying the world.

Filled with menace, monsters, and magic, A Nameless Witch is a properly witchly read by the award-winning author of Gil's All Fright Diner and In the Company of Ogres.

Emperor Mollusk. Intergalactic Menace. Destroyer of Worlds. Conqueror of Other Worlds. Mad Genius. Ex-Warlord of Earth. Not bad for a guy without a spine.

But what's a villain to do after he's done... everything. With no new ambitions, he's happy to pitch in and solve the energy crisis or repel alien invaders should the need arise, but if he had his way, he'd prefer to be left alone to explore the boundaries of dangerous science. Just as a hobby, of course.

Retirement isn't easy though. If the boredom doesn't get him, there's always the Venusians. Or the Saturnites. Or the Mercurials. Or... well, you get the idea. If that wasn't bad enough, there's also the assassins of a legendary death cult and an up-and-coming megalomaniac (as brilliant as he is bodiless) who have marked Emperor for their own nefarious purposes. But Mollusk isn't about to let the Earth slip out of his own tentacles and into the less capable clutches of another. So it's time to dust off the old death ray and come out of retirement. Except this time, he's not out to rule the world. He's out to save it from the peril of THE SINISTER BRAIN!

Witness the epic battle of the cyclops!Visit the endangered dragon preserve! Please, no slaying.Solve the mystery of The Mystery Cottage, if you dare!Buy some knick knacks from The Fates! They might come in handy later.On a road trip across an enchanted America, Helen and Troy will discover all this and more. If the curse placed upon them by an ancient god doesn't kill them or the pack of reluctant orc assassins don't catch up to them, Helen and Troy might reach the end their journey in one piece, where they might just end up destroying the world. Or at least a state or two.A minotaur girl, an all-American boy, a three-legged dog, and a classic car are on the road to adventure, where every exit leads to adventure. Whether they like it or not.

Meet Monster. Meet Judy. Two humans who don't like each other much, but together must fight dragons, fire-breathing felines, trolls, Inuit walrus dogs, and a crazy cat lady - for the future of the universe.

Monster runs a pest control agency. He's overworked and has domestic troubles - like having the girlfriend from hell.

Judy works the night shift at the local Food Plus Mart. Not the most glamorous life, but Judy is happy. No one bothers her and if she has to spell things out for the night-manager every now and again, so be it.

But when Judy finds a Yeti in the freezer aisle eating all the Rocky Road, her life collides with Monster's in a rather alarming fashion. Because Monster doesn't catch raccoons; he catches the things that go bump in the night. Things like ogres, trolls, and dragons.

Oh, and his girlfriend from Hell? She actually is from Hell.

Future Tense Fiction is a collection of electrifying original stories from a veritable who's-who of authors working in speculative literature and science fiction today, pointing the way forward to the fiction of tomorrow.

A disease surveillance robot whose social programming gets put to the test. A future in which everyone receives universal basic income--but it's still not enough. A futuristic sport, in which all the athletes have been chemically and physically enhanced. An A.I. company that manufactures a neural bridge allowing ordinary people to share their memories. Brimming with excitement and exploring new ideas, the stories collected by the editors of Slate's Future Tense are philosophically ambitious and haunting in their creativity. At times terrifying and heartwrenching, hilarious and optimistic, this is a collection that ushers in a new age for our world and for the short story.

A partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University, Future Tense explores how emerging technologies will change the way we live, in reality and fiction.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction: The Future Is Made of Choices - essay by Kirsten Berg, Torie Bosch, Joey Eschrich, Ed Finn, Andres Martinez, and Juliet Ulman
• Mother of Invention (2018) - short story by Nnedi Okorafor
• No Me Dejes (2018) - short story by Mark Oshiro
• When Robot and Crow Saved East St. Louis (2018) - short story by Annalee Newitz
• When We Were Patched (2018) - short story by Deji Bryce Olukotun
• Domestic Violence (2018) - short story by Madeline Ashby
• Mr. Thursday (2017) - short story by Emily St. John Mandel
• A Brief and Fearful Star (2018) - short story by Carmen Maria Machado
• Overvalued (2018) - short story by Mark Stasenko
• Safe Surrender (2018) - short story by Meg Elison
• Lions and Gazelles (2018) - short story by Hannu Rajaniemi
• Burned-Over Territory (2018) - short story by Lee Konstantinou
• Mika Model (2016) - short story by Paolo Bacigalupi
• The Starfish Girl (2018) - short story by Maureen F. McHugh
• The Minnesota Diet (2018) - short story by Charlie Jane Anders
• About the Contributors
• About the Editors

These are the best Americans, the worst Americans. In these stories (these cities, these people) there are labyrinths, rivers, wildernesses. Voices sound slightly different than expected. There's humor, but it's going to hurt.

In "On Paradise," a petshop manager flies with his cat to Las Vegas to meet his long-lost mother and grandmother, only to find that the women look exactly like they did forty years before. In "The Spooky Japanese Girl is There For You," the spooky Japanese girl (a ghost) is there for you, then she is not.

These refreshing and invigorating stories of displacement, exile, and identity, of men who find themselves confused by the presence or absence of extraordinary women, jump up, demand to be read, and send the reader back to the earth changed: reminded from these short stories how big the world is.

Table of Contents:

• Roadblock
• On Paradise
• Domokun in Fremont
• Customer Service at the Karaoke Don Quixote
• Your Significant Other's Kitten Poster
• Well Tended
• Errands
• Liner Notes for Renegade, the Opening Sequence
• The Spooky Japanese Girl Is There for You
• After the End of the World: A Capsule Review
• Forsaken, the Crew Awaited News from the People Below
• Northern

Rei would do anything for those she loves.

As her best friend, Abby, struggles to cope with the sudden loss of her husband, Rei and her closest girlfriends take her to a beautiful lakeside house nestled in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, hoping that a weekend of support from long-time friends will help Abby along her road of emotional recovery.

But as the young women get settled, Rei begins to notice there's something wrong with the place. Could this peaceful, idyllic location be hiding an ancient evil below the waters of the lake? Or are the problems wholly within Abby herself, who seems to be losing her grip on reality? When unexplainable, nightmarish things occur, Rei realizes this weekend getaway may turn into their last outing.

Dinnie, an overweight enemy of humanity, was the worst violinist in New York, but was practicing gamely when two cute little fairies stumbled through his fourth-floor window and vomited on the carpet...

When a pair of fugitive Scottish thistle fairies end up transplanted to Manhattan by mistake, both the Big Apple and the Little People have a lot of adjusting to do. Heather and Morag just want to start the first radical fairy punk rock band, but first they'll have make a match between two highly unlikely sweethearts, start a street brawl between rival gangs of Italian, Chinese, and African fairies, help the ghost of a dead rocker track down his lost guitar, reclaim a rare triple-bloomed Welsh poppy from a bag lady with delusions of grandeur, disrupt a local community performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and somehow manage to stay sober enough to save all of New York from an invasion of evil Cornish fairies.

If they can stop feuding with each other, that is.

Princess Du-Akai, third in line to the throne, hires Thraxas to retrieve a missing letter. Thraxas is pitted against the ruthless killer Sarin the Merciless, who seems to be a lot more deadly than she used to be. Worse, she's in league with Horm the Dead, mad half-Orc sorcerer from the Kingdom of Yal. Meanwhile the city is riven by internal strife as Senators Cicerius and Rittius fight it out for the post of Deputy Consul, and the criminal gangs The Society of Friends and The Brotherhood struggle for control of the dwa trade. Makri is busy studying at the Guild College but needs no encouragement to pick up her sword and enthusiastically join in with the fighting. Thraxas's investigation leads him from the sewers of Turai right up to the Imperial Palace, where he finds himself face to face with the King's new dragon.

A globetrotting, time-bending, wildly entertaining masterpiece in the tradition of Cloud Atlas.

Publishers Weekly raved that "with near-universal appeal... Seay's debut novel is a true delight, a big, beautiful cabinet of wonders that is by turns an ominous modern thriller, a supernatural mystery, and an enchanting historical adventure story." Set in three cities in three eras, The Mirror Thief calls to mind David Mitchell and Umberto Eco in its mix of entertainment and literary bravado.

The core story is set in Venice in the sixteenth century, when the famed makers of Venetian glass were perfecting one of the old world's most wondrous inventions: the mirror. An object of glittering yet fearful fascination--was it reflecting simple reality, or something more spiritually revealing?--the Venetian mirrors were state of the art technology, and subject to industrial espionage by desirous sultans and royals world-wide. But for any of the development team to leave the island was a crime punishable by death. One man, however--a world-weary war hero with nothing to lose--has a scheme he thinks will allow him to outwit the city's terrifying enforcers of the edict, the ominous Council of Ten...

Meanwhile, in two other Venices--Venice Beach, California, circa 1958, and the Venice casino in Las Vegas, circa today--two other schemers launch similarly dangerous plans to get away with a secret...

All three stories will weave together into a spell-binding tour-de-force that is impossible to put down--an old-fashioned, stay-up-all-night novel that, in the end, returns the reader to a stunning conclusion in the original Venice... and the bedazzled sense of having read a truly original and thrilling work of art.

World Fantasy Award winning novella. It originally appeared in the anthology Palace Corbie Eight (1999), edited by Wayne Edwards. The story is included in the collection City of Saints and Madmen (2001).

Basit Deniau's houses were haunted to begin with.

A house embedded with an artificial intelligence is a common thing: a house that is an artificial intelligence, infused in every load-bearing beam and fine marble tile with a thinking creature that is not human? That is something else altogether. But now Deniau's been dead a year, and Rose House is locked up tight, as commanded by the architect's will: all his possessions and files and sketches are confined in its archives, and their only keeper is Rose House itself. Rose House, and one other.

Dr. Selene Gisil, one of Deniau's former protégé, is permitted to come into Rose House once a year. She alone may open Rose House's vaults, look at drawings and art, talk with Rose House's animating intelligence all she likes. Until this week, Dr. Gisil was the only person whom Rose House spoke to.

But even an animate intelligence that haunts a house has some failsafes common to all AIs. For instance: all AIs must report the presence of a dead body to the nearest law enforcement agency.

There is a dead person in Rose House. The house says so. It is not Basit Deniau, and it is not Dr. Gisil. It is someone else. Rose House, having completed its duty of care and informed Detective Maritza Smith of the China Lake police precinct that there is in fact a dead person inside it, dead of unnatural causes--has shut up.

No one can get inside Rose House, except Dr. Gisil. Dr. Gisil was not in North America when Rose House called the China Lake precinct. But someone did. And someone died there. And someone may be there still.

This short story originally appeared in Uncanny Magazine, Issue 20, January-February 2018.

Read the full story for free at Uncanny.

The sole survivor of a torpedoed destroyer is miraculously cast up on a huge, barren rock in mid-Atlantic. Pitted against him are the sea, the sun, the night cold, and the terror of his isolation. At the core of this raging tale of physical and psychological violence lies Christopher Martin’s will to live as the sum total of his life.

Unspeakable horrors threaten the earth in this fantastic new comic fantasy from the author of Divine Misfortune.

Diana's life was in a rut - she hated her job, she was perpetually single, and she needed a place to live. But then the perfect apartment came along. It seemed too good to be true - because it was.

The apartment was already inhabited - by monsters. Vom the Hungering was the first to greet Diana and to warn her that his sole purpose in life was to eat everything in his path. This poses a problem for Diana since she's in his path...and is forbidden from ever leaving the apartment.

It turns out though that there are older and more ancient monstrous entities afoot - ones who want to devour the moon and destroy the world as we know it. Can Diana, Vom, and the other horrors stop this from happening? Maybe if they can get Vom to stop eating everything...and everyone.

Divine Misfortune is a story of gods and mortals---in worship, in love, and at parties.

Teri and Phil had never needed their own personal god. But when Phil is passed up for a promotion - again-it's time to take matters into their own hands. And look online.

Choosing a god isn't as simple as you would think. There are too many choices; and they often have very hefty prices for their eternal devotion: blood, money, sacrifices, and vows of chastity. But then they found Luka, raccoon god of prosperity. All he wants is a small cut of their good fortune.

Oh -- and can he crash on their couch for a few days?

Throw in a heartbroken love goddess and an ancient deity bent on revenge and not even the gods can save Teri and Phil.

Bloodier than Fried Green Tomatoes!

Funnier than The Texas Chainsaw Massacre!

Welcome to Gil's All Night Diner, where zombie attacks are a regular occurrence and you never know what might be lurking in the freezer. . . .

Duke and Earl are just passing through Rockwood county in their pick-up truck when they stop at the diner for a quick bite to eat. They aren't planning to stick around--until Loretta, the eatery's owner, offers them one hundred dollars to take care of her zombie problem. Given that Duke is a werewolf and Earl's a vampire, this looks right up their alley.

But the shambling dead are just the tip of a particularly spiky iceberg. Seems someone's out to drive Loretta from the diner, and more than willing to raise a little hell on earth if that's what it takes. Before Duke and Earl get to the bottom of the diner's troubles, they'll run into such otherworldly complications as undead cattle, an amorous ghost, a jailbait sorceress, and the terrifying occult power of pig Latin.

And maybe--just maybe--the End of the World, too.

Gory, sexy, and flat-out hilarious, Gil's All Fright Diner will tickle your funny bone--before ripping it out of its socket!

An uproarious new novel in the tradition of Robert Asprin and Terry Pratchett!

For someone who's immortal, Never Dead Ned manages to die with alarming frequency--he just has the annoying habit of rising from the grave. But this soldier might be better dead than face his latest assignment.

Ogre Company is the legion's dumping ground--a motley, undisciplined group of monsters whose leaders tend to die under somewhat questionable circumstances. That's where Ned's rather unique talents come in. As Ogre Company's newly appointed commander, Ned finds himself in charge of such fine examples of military prowess as a moonstruck Amazon, a very big (and very polite) two-headed ogre, a seductively scaly siren, a blind oracle who can hear (and smell) the future, a suicidal goblin daredevil pilot, a walking tree with a chip on its shoulder, and a suspiciously goblinesque orc.

Ned has only six months to whip the Ogre Company into shape or face an even more hideous assignment, but that's not the worst of his problems. Because now that Ned has found out why he keeps returning from dead, he has to do everything he can to stay alive. . . .

In the Company of Ogres does for fantasy, what A. Lee Martinez's previous novel, Gil's All Fright Diner, did for horror--and elves and goblins may never be the same!

Even in Empire City, a town where weird science is the hope for tomorrow, it’s hard for a robot to make his way. It’s even harder for a robot named Mack Megaton, a hulking machine designed to bring mankind to its knees. But Mack’s not interested in world domination. He’s just a bot trying to get by, trying to demonstrate that he isn’t just an automated smashing machine, and to earn his citizenship in the process. It should be as easy as crushing a tank for Mack, but some bots just can’t catch a break.

When Mack’s neighbors are kidnapped, Mack sets off on a journey through the dark alleys and gleaming skyscrapers of Empire City. Along the way, he runs afoul of a talking gorilla, a brainy dame, a mutant lowlife, a little green mob boss, and the secret conspiracy at the heart of Empire’s founders---not to mention more trouble than he bargained for. What started out as one missing family becomes a battle for the future of Empire and every citizen that calls her home.

The wizard Margle the Horrendous takes special pride in never killing his enemies. Instead, he transforms them into various accursed forms and locks them away in his castle. His halls are filled with his collection of fallen heroes and defeated villains, along with a few ordinary folk who were just unfortunate enough to draw Margle’s attention.

It’s Nessy’s duty to tend this castle. It’s a lot of work, but she manages, taking pride in housekeeping talents that keep the castle from collapsing into chaos. But when Margle suddenly dies, everything begins to unravel. Nessy finds herself surrounded by monsters, curses, a door that should never be opened, and one very deadly dark wizardess.

Nessy doesn’t have might or magic on her side; she’s just a kobold: short, furry, and sensible. Her allies aren’t much better: a voice without a body, an angry fruit bat, a monster under her bed, a wizard in a jar (or some of him, anyway), and a one-eyed, one-horned, flying, purple, people eater. It would be smarter to walk away, but taking care of the castle is Nessy’s job, and that’s just what she intends to do.

If only she could find time to polish the silver while beating back the forces of darkness.

An episode of Porn Disco, the latest luxury Dermo Shower, a day's work at the Security Department and fistfuls of drugs: this is the daily life of Jensen Interceptor, 'ace' government spy.

Fresh out of Study Centre 16, Jensen is ambitious; he wants to pay off his student debts as soon as possible and blag his way to the top, helping the government instil its dream and mantra: Unity and Success. And there will be other rewards: a life of government-sanctioned vice is guaranteed, he'll get to live out his days in the floodlit safety of south London, never venturing into the wastelands of the north with its povos and tramps.

His first assignment is a simple one: keep an eye on Reg Rankin, a low-level security threat and leader of the Martin Martinists, a small group who believe that Martin Martin, a phoney TV psychic consigned to the daytime schedules back in 2008, was the saviour and a prophet. He was about to reveal world-altering truths. Then the government murdered him.

Now the Martin Martinists are plotting the Revelation, which will finally bring justice, truth, revenge. With the help of the Makeover Team, Jensen acquires a new identity and infiltrates this small cell. And this isn't without its benefits - there's a pretty girl called Claire. Then the floating starts. Jensen floats out of the window. Or he suddenly finds himself underwater but thousands of feet above the ground. Or he shuts his eyes and finds himself in the past, in the TV studio with Martin Martin. The world is not what it seemed. It is turned upside down, sometimes literally.

Hugo Award winning and Nebula and WFA nominated novella. The novella is made up of the Daenerys chapters from the novel A Game of Thrones (1996). It originally appeared in Asimov's Science Fiction, July 1996. It is included in the collection Quartet: Four Tales from the Crossroads (2001).

The cold is returning to Winterfell, where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime. A time of conflict has arisen in the Stark family, as they are pulled from the safety of their home into a whirlpool of tragedy, betrayal, assassination, plots and counterplots. Each decision and action carries with it the potential for conflict as several prominent families, comprised of lords, ladies, soldiers, sorcerers, assassins and bastards, are pulled together in the most deadly game of all--the game of thrones.

George R. R. Martin, a writer of unsurpassed vision, power, and imagination, has created a landmark of fantasy fiction. In his widely acclaimed A Game of Thrones, he introduced us to an extraordinary world of wonder, intrigue, and adventure. Now, in the eagerly awaited second volume in this epic saga, he once again proves himself a master myth-maker, setting a standard against which all other fantasy novels will be measured for years to come.

Time is out of joint. The summer of peace and plenty, ten years long, is drawing to a close, and the harsh, chill winter approaches like an angry beast. Two great leaders--Lord Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon--who held sway over an age of enforced peace are dead...victims of royal treachery. Now, from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns, as pretenders to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms prepare to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war.

As a prophecy of doom cuts across the sky--a comet the color of blood and flame--six factions struggle for control of a divided land. Eddard's son Robb has declared himself King in the North. In the south, Joffrey, the heir apparent, rules in name only, victim of the scheming courtiers who teem over King's Landing. Robert's two brothers each seek their own dominion, while a disfavored house turns once more to conquest. And a continent away, an exiled queen, the Mother of Dragons, risks everything to lead her precious brood across a hard hot desert to win back the crown that is rightfully hers.

A Clash of Kings transports us into a magnificent, forgotten land of revelry and revenge, wizardry and warfare. It is a tale in which maidens cavort with madmen, brother plots against brother, and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside.

Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, the price of glory may be measured in blood. And the spoils of victory may just go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel...and the coldest hearts. For when rulers clash, all of the land feels the tremors.

Audacious, inventive, brilliantly imagined, A Clash of Kings is a novel of dazzling beauty and boundless enchantment--a tale of pure excitement you will never forget.

Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage at King's Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world....

But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is a horde of mythical Others--a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords...

Few books have captivated the imagination and won the devotion and praise of readers and critics everywhere as has George R. R. Martin's monumental epic cycle of high fantasy. Now, in A Feast for Crows, Martin delivers the long-awaited fourth book of his landmark series, as a kingdom torn asunder finds itself at last on the brink of peace... only to be launched on an even more terrifying course of destruction.

A Feast for Crows

It seems too good to be true. After centuries of bitter strife and fatal treachery, the seven powers dividing the land have decimated one another into an uneasy truce. Or so it appears.... With the death of the monstrous King Joffrey, Cersei is ruling as regent in King's Landing. Robb Stark's demise has broken the back of the Northern rebels, and his siblings are scattered throughout the kingdom like seeds on barren soil. Few legitimate claims to the once desperately sought Iron Throne still exist -- or they are held in hands too weak or too distant to wield them effectively. The war, which raged out of control for so long, has burned itself out.

But as in the aftermath of any climactic struggle, it is not long before the survivors, outlaws, renegades, and carrion eaters start to gather, picking over the bones of the dead and fighting for the spoils of the soon-to-be dead. Now in the Seven Kingdoms, as the human crows assemble over a banquet of ashes, daring new plots and dangerous new alliances are formed, while surprising faces -- some familiar, others only just appearing -- are seen emerging from an ominous twilight of past struggles and chaos to take up the challenges ahead.

It is a time when the wise and the ambitious, the deceitful and the strong will acquire the skills, the power, and the magic to survive the stark and terrible times that lie before them. It is a time for nobles and commoners, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and sages to come together and stake their fortunes... and their lives. For at a feast for crows, many are the guests -- but only a few are the survivors.

Dubbed "the American Tolkien" by Time magazine, George R. R. Martin has earned international acclaim for his monumental cycle of epic fantasy. Now the #1 New York Times bestselling author delivers the fifth book in his spellbinding landmark series--as both familiar faces and surprising new forces vie for a foothold in a fragmented empire.

In the aftermath of a colossal battle, the future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance once again--beset by newly emerging threats from every direction. In the east, Daenerys Targaryen, the last scion of House Targaryen, rules with her three dragons as queen of a city built on dust and death. But Daenerys has three times three thousand enemies, and many have set out to find her. Yet, as they gather, one young man embarks upon his own quest for the queen, with an entirely different goal in mind.

To the north lies the mammoth Wall of ice and stone--a structure only as strong as those guarding it. There, Jon Snow, 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, will face his greatest challenge yet. For he has powerful foes not only within the Watch but also beyond, in the land of the creatures of ice.

And from all corners, bitter conflicts soon reignite, intimate betrayals are perpetrated, and a grand cast of outlaws and priests, soldiers and skinchangers, nobles and slaves, will face seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Some will fail, others will grow in the strength of darkness. But in a time of rising restlessness, the tides of destiny and politics will lead inevitably to the greatest dance of all....

Taking place nearly a century before the events of A Game of Thrones, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms compiles the first three official prequel novellas to George R. R. Martin's ongoing masterwork, A Song of Ice and Fire. These never-before-collected adventures recount an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne, and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living consciousness.

Before Tyrion Lannister and Podrick Payne, there was Dunk and Egg. A young, naïve but ultimately courageous hedge knight, Ser Duncan the Tall towers above his rivals--in stature if not experience. Tagging along is his diminutive squire, a boy called Egg--whose true name (hidden from all he and Dunk encounter) is Aegon Targaryen. Though more improbable heroes may not be found in all of Westeros, great destinies lay ahead for these two... as do powerful foes, royal intrigue, and outrageous exploits.

Featuring more than 160 all-new illustrations by Gary Gianni, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a must-have collection that proves chivalry isn't dead--yet.

WFA nominated novella. It originally appeared in the anthology Legends (1998), edited by Robert Silverberg. The story can also be found in the collections GRRM: A RRetrospective (2003) and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (2015).

Novella set in Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire setting. It originally appeared in the anthology Legends II (2003), edited by Robert Silverberg. The story is included in the collection A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (2015).

WFA nominated novella. It originally appeared in the anthology Warriors (2010), edited by Gardner Dozois and George R. R. Martin. The story can also be found in the anthology Epic: Legends of Fantasy (2012), edited by John Joseph Adams. It is included in the collection A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (2015).

Centuries before the events of A Game of Thrones, House Targaryen--the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria--took up residence on Dragonstone. Fire & Blood begins their tale with the legendary Aegon the Conqueror, creator of the Iron Throne, and goes on to recount the generations of Targaryens who fought to hold that iconic seat, all the way up to the civil war that nearly tore their dynasty apart.

What really happened during the Dance of the Dragons? Why was it so deadly to visit Valyria after the Doom? What were Maegor the Cruel's worst crimes? What was it like in Westeros when dragons ruled the skies? These are but a few of the questions answered in this essential chronicle, as related by a learned maester of the Citadel and featuring more than eighty all-new black-and-white illustrations by artist Doug Wheatley. Readers have glimpsed small parts of this narrative in such volumes as The World of Ice & Fire, but now, for the first time, the full tapestry of Targaryen history is revealed.

With all the scope and grandeur of Gibbon's The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Fire & Blood is the the first volume of the definitive two-part history of the Targaryens, giving readers a whole new appreciation for the dynamic, often bloody, and always fascinating history of Westeros.

Hailed by critics at the time of its publication as a quantum leap forward in both quality and concept for science fiction anthologies, Martin Greenberg's thematically edited Men Against the Stars is a collection of twelve lengthy stories whose authors read like a Who's Who of Golden Age sci-fi, including Isaac Asimov, Murray Leinster, A.E. Van Vogt, L. Ron Hubbard, and E.M. Hull. Greenberg's collection was a thoroughly contemplated and planned project, a selection of the finest available stories on theme, ranging back as far as 1939.

Table of Contents:

• 3 - Foreword (Men Against the Stars) - (1950) - essay by Martin Greenberg
• 5 - Introduction (Men Against the Stars) - (1950) - essay by Willy Ley
• 13 - Trends - (1939) - short story by Isaac Asimov
• 35 - Men Against the Stars - (1938) - novelette by Manly Wade Wellman
• 59 - The Red Death of Mars - (1940) - novelette by Robert Moore Williams
• 92 - Locked Out - (1940) - short story by H. B. Fyfe
• 108 - The Iron Standard - (1943) - novelette by Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore [as by Lewis Padgett]
• 141 - Schedule - (1945) - short story by Harry Walton
• 159 - Far Centaurus - (1944) - short story by A. E. van Vogt
• 183 - Cold Front - (1946) - novelette by Hal Clement
• 235 - The Plants - (1946) - short story by Murray Leinster
• 253 - Competition - [Artur Blord] - (1943) - novelette by E. Mayne Hull
• 281 - Bridle and Saddle - [Foundation (Original Stories) - 2] - (1942) - novelette by Isaac Asimov
• 335 - When Shadows Fall - (1948) - short story by L. Ron Hubbard

Travelers of Space is a 1951 anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Martin Greenberg. The stories originally appeared in the magazines Planet Stories, Astounding SF, Thrilling Wonder Stories and Startling Stories.

Table of Contents:

• 3 - Foreword (Travelers of Space) - essay by Martin Greenberg
• 5 - Introduction: Other Life Than Ours - essay by Willy Ley
• 15 - Preface (A Dictionary of Science Fiction) - essay by Samuel A. Peeples [as by Samuel Anthony Peeples]
• 18 - A Dictionary of Science Fiction - essay by Martin Greenberg and David A. Kyle and Samuel A. Peeples
• 31 - The Interstellar Zoo - short story by David A. Kyle [as by David Kyle]
• 33 - Life on Other Worlds - interior artwork by Edd Cartier
• 53 - The Rocketeers Have Shaggy Ears - (1950) - novella by Keith Bennett
• 93 - Christmas Tree - (1949) - short story by John Christopher [as by Christopher Youd]
• 102 - The Forgiveness of Tenchu Taen - (1938) - short story by Frederic Arnold Kummer, Jr. [as by Frederick Arnold Kummer, Jr.]
• 114 - Episode on Dhee Minor - (1939) - short story by Harry Walton
• 135 - The Shape of Things - (1948) - short story by Ray Bradbury (variant of Tomorrow's Child)
• 151 - Columbus Was a Dope - short story by Robert A. Heinlein [as by Lyle Monroe]
• 156 - Attitude - (1943) - novella by Hal Clement
• 215 - The Ionian Cycle - (1948) - novelette by William Tenn
• 241 - Trouble on Tantalus - (1941) - novelette by P. Schuyler Miller
• 265 - Placet Is a Crazy Place - (1946) - short story by Fredric Brown
• 280 - Action on Azura - (1949) - novelette by Robertson Osborne
• 317 - The Rull - [Rull] - (1948) - novelette by A. E. van Vogt
• 348 - The Double-Dyed Villains - [Wing Alak] - (1949) - novelette by Poul Anderson
• 377 - Bureau of Slick Tricks - [Bureau of Slick Tricks - 1] - (1948) - short story by H. B. Fyfe

Journey to Infinity is a 1951 anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Martin Greenberg. The stories originally appeared in the magazines Astounding SF, Amazing Stories and Future Science Fiction.

Table of Contents:

• 7 - Introduction (Journey to Infinity) - (1951) - essay by Fletcher Pratt
• 15 - False Dawn - (1946) - novelette by A. Bertram Chandler
• 49 - Atlantis - [Lensman] - (1948) - short story by Edward E. Smith
• 63 - Letter to a Phoenix - (1949) - short story by Fredric Brown
• 71 - Unite and Conquer - (1948) - novelette by Theodore Sturgeon
• 110 - Breakdown - (1942) - novelette by Jack Williamson
• 145 - Dance of a New World - (1948) - short story by John D. MacDonald
• 159 - Mother Earth - [Elijah Baley / R. Daneel Olivaw] - (1949) - novelette by Isaac Asimov
• 196 - There Shall Be Darkness - (1942) - novelette by C. L. Moore
• 248 - Taboo - (1944) - short story by Fritz Leiber
• 259 - Overthrow - (1942) - novella by Cleve Cartmill
• 312 - Barrier of Dread - (1950) - short story by Judith Merril
• 324 - Metamorphosite - (1946) - novella by Eric Frank Russell

The Robot and the Man is a 1953 anthology of science fiction short stories regarding robots edited by Martin Greenberg. The stories originally appeared in the magazines Astounding SF and Galaxy Science Fiction.

Table of Contents:

• v - Foreword (The Robot and the Man) - (1953) - essay by Martin Greenberg
• 13 - Mechanical Answer - short story by John D. MacDonald (variant of The Mechanical Answer 1948)
• 35 - Self Portrait - (1951) - novelette by Bernard Wolfe
• 67 - Deadlock - (1942) - short story by Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore [as by Lewis Padgett]
• 87 - Robinc - [Quinby's Usuform Robots] - (1943) - short story by Anthony Boucher [as by H. H. Holmes]
• 111 - Burning Bright - (1948) - novelette by Robert Moore Williams [as by John S. Browning]
• 139 - Final Command - (1949) - short story by A. E. van Vogt
• 169 - Though Dreamers Die - (1944) - novelette by Lester del Rey
• 195 - Rust - (1939) - short story by Joseph E. Kelleam
• 209 - Robot's Return - (1938) - short story by Robert Moore Williams (variant of Robots Return)
• 225 - Into Thy Hands - (1945) - short story by Lester del Rey

All About the Future is a 1953 anthology of science fiction short stories selected by American editor Martin Greenberg. The stories originally appeared in the magazines Astounding SF, Galaxy Science Fiction and the Boston University Graduate Journal.

Table of Contents:

• 7 - Foreword (All About the Future) - essay by Martin Greenberg
• 13 - Where To? - (1952) - essay by Robert A. Heinlein
• 24 - Let's Not - (1954) - short story by Isaac Asimov
• 27 - The Midas Plague - (1954) - novella by Frederik Pohl
• 81 - Un-Man - [Psychotechnic League] - (1953) - novella by Poul Anderson
• 161 - Granny Won't Knit - (1954) - novella by Theodore Sturgeon
• 215 - Natural State - (1954) - novella by Damon Knight
• 279 - Hobo God - (1944) - short story by Malcolm Jameson
• 295 - Blood Bank - (1952) - novella by Walter M. Miller, Jr.
• 343 - Origins of Galactic Etiquette - [Origins of Galactic ...] - (1953) - short story by Edward Wellen
• 352 - Origins of Galactic Law - [Origins of Galactic ...] - (1953) - short story by Edward Wellen
• 359 - Origins of Galactic Slang - [Origins of Galactic ...] - (1952) - short story by Edward Wellen
• 365 - Origins of Galactic Medicine - [Origins of Galactic ...] - (1953) - short story by Edward Wellen

Coming Attractions is a 1957 anthology of science fiction essays edited by Martin Greenberg. Many of the articles originally appeared in the magazines Thrilling Wonder Stories, Astounding, Science Fiction Stories and Fantasy and Science Fiction.

Table of Contents:

• 7 - Preface (Coming Attractions) - (1957) - essay by Martin Greenberg
• 12 - Introduction (Coming Attractions) - (1957) - essay by Dwight Wayne Batteau [as by Dwight W. Batteau]
• 18 - A Letter to the Martians - (1940) - essay by Willy Ley (variant of Calling All Martians!)
• 38 - How to Learn Martian - (1955) - essay by Charles F. Hockett
• 52 - Language for Time Travelers - (1938) - essay by L. Sprague de Camp
• 70 - Geography for Time Travelers - (1939) - essay by Willy Ley
• 104 - Time Travel and the Law - (1957) - essay by C. M. Kornbluth
• 110 - Space Fix - (1957) - essay by R. S. Richardson
• 158 - Space War - (1939) - essay by Willy Ley
• 186 - Space War Tactics - (1939) - essay by Malcolm Jameson
• 206 - Fuel for the Future - (1940) - essay by Jack Hatcher
• 232 - How to Count on Your Fingers - (1956) - essay by Frederik Pohl
• 250 - Interplanetary Copyright - (1953) - essay by Donald F. Reines (variant of The Shape of Copyright to Come 1952)

Ridley Scott's 1979 Alien has attained classic status and is one of the most analysed films by scholars. But until now, there have been no published studies of its audiences. This book presents the findings of a major project exploring how different kinds of viewers engage with the film. Based on over 1,000 responses, the authors uncover some surprising patterns and tendencies. These disclose, among other things, the remarkable role played by parents and other relatives in 'gifting' the film to their children, raising important questions about the idea of 'age-inappropriate' viewing, a fascinating ambiguity over the role of 'acting' in the notorious 'chestburster scene' and an important shift in the way audiences see Alien as 'more than just a film' once imitations and parodies become prevalent. Some particularly long and rich responses reveal how this film can go on arousing strong visceral responses, even after repeated viewings. Richly illustrated with quotations, this book will shift current understandings of horror film audiences.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - (1987) - essay by Jack Williamson
• The Metal Man - (1928) - short story by Jack Williamson
• The Jameson Satellite - (1931) - novelette by Neil R. Jones
• The Man Who Saw the Future - (1930) - short story by Edmond Hamilton
• The Machine Man of Ardathia - (1927) - short story by Francis Flagg
• The Tissue-Culture King - (1926) - novelette by Julian Huxley
• The Voice from the Ether - (1931) - novelette by Lloyd Arthur Eshbach
• The Coming of the Ice - (1926) - short story by G. Peyton Wertenbaker
• The Miracle of the Lily - (1928) - novelette by Clare Winger Harris
• The Man with the Strange Head - (1927) - short story by Miles J. Breuer, M.D.
• Omega - (1932) - short story by Amelia Reynolds Long
• The Plutonian Drug - (1934) - short story by Clark Ashton Smith
• The Last Evolution - (1932) - short story by John W. Campbell, Jr.
• The Colour Out of Space - (1927) - novelette by H. P. Lovecraft
• The Authors - (1987) - essay by Martin H. Greenberg

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - (1987) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• Robot AL-76 Goes Astray - (1942) - short story by Isaac Asimov
• Devolution - (1936) - short story by Edmond Hamilton
• The Four-Sided Triangle - (1939) - novelette by William F. Temple
• The Voyage That Lasted 600 Years - (1940) - novelette by Don Wilcox
• Adam Link's Vengeance - (1940) - novelette by Otto Binder
• The Living Mist - (1940) - novelette by Ralph Milne Farley
• Phoney Meteor - (1941) - novelette by John Wyndham
• The Council of Drones - (1936) - novella by William K. Sonnemann
• Shifting Seas - (1937) - novelette by Stanley G. Weinbaum
• I, Rocket - (1944) - short story by Ray Bradbury
• The Authors - (1987) - essay by Martin H. Greenberg

Tabled of Contents:

• Introduction - (1987) - essay by Robert Bloch
• You Could Be Wrong - (1955) - short story by Robert Bloch
• Breakfast at Twilight - (1954) - short story by Philip K. Dick
• Operation RSVP - (1951) - short story by H. Beam Piper
• Satisfaction Guaranteed - (1951) - short story by Isaac Asimov
• Restricted Area - (1953) - short story by Robert Sheckley
• Peacebringer - (1950) - novelette by Ward Moore
• The Little Creeps - (1951) - novelette by Walter M. Miller, Jr.
• The Draw - (1954) - short story by Jerome Bixby
• A Way of Thinking - (1953) - novelette by Theodore Sturgeon
• Skirmish - (1950) - short story by Clifford D. Simak
• They Fly So High - (1952) - short story by Ross Rocklynne
• Chrysalis - (1946) - short story by Ray Bradbury
• The Authors - (1987) - essay by uncredited

Table of Contents:

• Introduction: Larger Than Life - (1984) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• The Gate of the Flying Knives - (1979) - novella by Poul Anderson
• Unicorn Tapestry - (1980) - novella by Suzy McKee Charnas
• Sleep Well of Nights - (1978) - novella by Avram Davidson
• Black Heart and White Heart - (1896) - novella by H. Rider Haggard
• Red Nails - (1936) - novella by Robert E. Howard
• Storm in a Bottle - (1977) - novella by John Jakes
• Ill Met in Lankhmar - (1970) - novella by Fritz Leiber
• The Lands Beyond the World - (1977) - novella by Michael Moorcock
• A Man and His God - (1981) - novella by Janet Morris
• Spider Silk - (1976) - novelette by Andre Norton
• Where is the Bird of Fire? - (1962) - novella by Thomas Burnett Swann
• Guyal of Sfere - (1950) - novella by Jack Vance
• Tower of Ice - (1981) - novella by Roger Zelazny

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - (1987) - essay by Charles G. Waugh
• Jerusalem's Lot - (1978) - novelette by Stephen King
• The Parasite - (1894) - novella by Arthur Conan Doyle
• Fearful Rock - (1939) - novella by Manly Wade Wellman
• Sardonicus - (1961) - novelette by Ray Russell
• Nightflyers - (1980) - novella by George R. R. Martin
• Horrible Imaginings - (1982) - novella by Fritz Leiber
• Jane Brown's Body - (1938) - novella by Cornell Woolrich
• Killdozer! - (1944) - novella by Theodore Sturgeon
• The Shadow Out of Time - (1936) - novella by H. P. Lovecraft
• The Stains - (1980) - novella by Robert Aickman
• The Horror from the Hills - (1931) - novella by Frank Belknap Long
• Children of the Kingdom - (1980) - novella by T. E. D. Klein
• Frost and Fire - (1946) - novella by Ray Bradbury

Table of Contents:

• Introduction: Novellas - essay by Isaac Asimov
• Profession - (1957) - novella by Isaac Asimov
• Who Goes There? - (1938) - novella by John W. Campbell, Jr.
• For I Am a Jealous People! - (1954) - novella by Lester del Rey
• The Mortal and the Monster - (1976) - novella by Gordon R. Dickson
• Time Safari - (1981) - novella by David Drake
• In the Western Tradition - (1981) - novella by Phyllis Eisenstein
• The Alley Man - (1959) - novella by Philip José Farmer
• The Sellers of the Dream - (1963) - short fiction by John Jakes
• The Moon Goddess and the Son - (1979) - novella by Donald Kingsbury
• Enemy Mine - (1979) - novella by Barry B. Longyear
• Flash Crowd - (1973) - novella by Larry Niven
• In the Problem Pit - (1973) - novella by Frederik Pohl
• The Desert of Stolen Dreams - (1981) - novella by Robert Silverberg

Table of Contents:

• Nightflyers - interior artwork by Jack Gaughan
• True Names - interior artwork by Jack Gaughan
• 5 - Introduction (Binary Star No. 5) - essay by James R. Frenkel
• 11 - Nightflyers - [Thousand Worlds] - (1980) - novella by George R. R. Martin
• 128 - Afterword (Nightflyers) - essay by Vernor Vinge
• 133 - True Names - novella by Vernor Vinge
• 234 - Afterword (True Names) - essay by George R. R. Martin

Two of the biggest names in the fantasy field have put together a unique collection of fantastical cat tales for friends of furry felines. Cats work a special magic in these stories from the future, from the past, and from dimensions people never dream of.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction: Speaking of Cats - A Very Weighty Subject - essay by Andre Norton
• The Gate of the Kittens - novelette by Wilanne Schneider Belden
• The Damcat - novelette by Clare Bell
• Borrowing Trouble - novelette by Elizabeth H. Boyer
• Day of Discovery - shortstory by Blake Cahoon
• Wart - shortstory by Jayge Carr
• Yellow Eyes - novelette by Marylois Dunn
• It Must Be Some Place - novelette by Donna Farley
• The Dreaming Kind - novelette by C. S. Friedman
• Trouble - novelette by P. M. Griffin
• SKitty - shortstory by Mercedes Lackey
• The Game of Cat and Rabbit - shortstory by Patricia Shaw Mathews
• From the Diary of Hermione - shortstory by Ardath Mayhar
• It's a Bird, It's a Plane, Its... Supercat! - shortstory by Ann Miller and Karen Elizabeth Rigley
• Noble Warrior - novelette by Andre Norton
• Bastet's Blessing - shortstory by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough

Pad along this paw print covered pathway to such fur-raising adventures as those of a noble Siamese out to defend its young mistress from evil, a bioengineered tabby who proves a diplomat beyond all human expectations, a wizard's hazardous encounter with his own familiar's kittens, and other imaginative escapades certain to capture the hearts of fantasy and cat lovers alike.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - essay by Andre Norton and Martin H. Greenberg
• Bomber and the Bismarck - (1991) - novelette by Clare Bell
• A Puma and a Panther - (1991) - shortstory by Wilanne Schneider Belden
• The Last Gift - (1991) - novelette by Elizabeth H. Boyer
• Papercut Luck - (1991) - shortstory by Patricia B. Cirone
• Shado - (1991) - shortstory by Marylois Dunn
• In Bastet's Service - (1991) - shortfiction by P. M. Griffin
• Shadows - (1991) - shortfiction by Caralyn Inks
• The Execution - (1991) - shortstory by A. R. Major
• Hermione at Moon House - (1991) - shortstory by Ardath Mayhar
• Quest of Souls - (1991) - shortfiction by Karen Elizabeth Rigley and Ann Miller
• Ede's Earrings - (1991) - shortfiction by Sasha Miller
• Clara's Cat - (1991) - shortfiction by Elizabeth Moon
• Hob's Pot - (1991) - shortfiction by Andre Norton
• The Queen's Cat's Tale - (1991) - shortfiction by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
• The Keep-Shape Spell - (1991) - shortfiction by Mary H. Schaub
• Of Age and Wisdom - (1991) - shortstory by Roger C. Schlobin
• Critical Cats - novelette by Susan Shwartz
• In Carnation - shortstory by Nancy Springer

Here are all-new tales about those magical, mysterious dominators of humankind: the cats! Return to the cats' hunting ground with this third collection of stories. Twenty fur-flying fantasies are sure to capture the hearts of cat lovers everywhere.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction (1994) - essay by Andre Norton
• A Woman of Her Word - (1994) - shortstory by Lee Barwood
• A Tangled Tahitian Tail - (1994) - novelette by Clare Bell
• Saxophone Joe and the Woman in Black - (1994) - shortstory by Charles de Lint
• Teddy Cat - (1994) - shortstory by Marylois Dunn
• Cat o' Nine Tales - (1994) - shortstory by Charles L. Fontenay
• Partners - (1994) - shortstory by P. M. Griffin
• ...But a Glove - (1994) - shortstory by John E. Johnston, III
• Fear In Her Pocket - (1994) - shortstory by Caralyn Inks
• A Tail of Two Skittys - (1994) - shortstory by Mercedes Lackey
• Hermione as Spy - shortstory by Ardath Mayhar
• Moon Scent - (1994) - shortstory by Lyn McConchie
• Cat's World - (1994) - shortstory by Cynthia McQuillin
• Snake Eyes - (1994) - shortstory by Ann Miller and Karen Elizabeth Rigley
• One Too Many Cats - (1994) - shortstory by Sasha Miller
• Noble Warrior Meets With a Ghost - (1994) - shortstory by Andre Norton
• Connecticat - (1994) - shortstory by Elisabeth Waters and Raul S. Reyes
• The Cat-Quest of Mu Mao the Magnificent - (1994) - shortstory by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
• The Cat, the Wizards, and the Bedpost - (1994) - novelette by Mary H. Schaub
• To Skein a Cat - (1994) - shortstory by Lawrence Schimel
• Asking Mr. Bigelow - (1994) - shortstory by Susan Shwartz

This latest volume of 17 new cat stories offers both familiar characters returning for further adventures as well as new furry friends to capture your heart. Meet wizards' four-footed helpers, who are often brighter than their so-called masters, a real cool cat who's the ultimate jazz connoisseur, and other terrific tabbies sure to make you purr with delight.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - essay by Andre Norton
• The Last Answer - (1996) - shortfiction by Wilanne Schneider Belden
• The Quincunx Solution - (1996) - shortfiction by Anne Braude
• Circus - (1996) - shortfiction by Jayge Carr
• Tybalt's Tale - (1996) - shortstory by India Edghill
• The Tale of the Virtual Cat - (1996) - shortfiction by Heather Gladney and Don Clayton and Alan Rice Osborn
• Arrows - (1996) - shortfiction by Jane Hamilton
• Miss Hettie and Harlan - (1996) - shortfiction by Charles L. Fontenay
• The Neighbor - (1996) - shortfiction by P. M. Griffin
• Tinkerbell - (1996) - shortfiction by Sharman Horwood
• SCat - (1996) - shortstory by Mercedes Lackey
• Professor Purr's Guaranteed Allergy Cure - (1996) - shortfiction by Brad Linaweaver and Dana Fredsti
• Noh Cat Afternoon - (1996) - shortfiction by Jane Lindskold
• Totem Cat - (1996) - shortfiction by A. R. Major
• Deathsong - (1996) - shortfiction by Lyn McConchie
• Noble Warrior, Teller of Fortunes - (1996) - shortfiction by Andre Norton
• Born Again - (1996) - shortfiction by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
• The Cat, the Sorcerer, and the Magic Mirror - (1996) - shortfiction by Mary H. Schaub
• One With Jazz - (1996) - shortfiction by Janet Pack

In these all-original stories, you'll meet the cats of the past, cats of the stars-wide future, cats who take power into their own paws, and cats who can face down Death itself. These are 24 tales certain to capture the hearts and imaginations of feline-lovers everywhere.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - essay by Andre Norton
• The Golden Cats - shortstory by Robin Wayne Bailey
• Grow Old Along with Me - shortstory by Lee Barwood
• Puss - novelette by Jayge Carr
• Goliath - shortstory by Russell Davis
• Dragon, The Book - shortstory by David Drake
• The Courtesan Who Loved Cats - shortstory by India Edghill
• The Maltese Feline - shortstory by Rosemary Edghill
• A Cat's Tale - shortstory by Paul Goode
• Tenth-Life Cat - shortstory by P. M. Griffin
• Kindred Hearts - shortstory by Caralyn Inks
• A Better Mousetrap - shortstory by Mercedes Lackey
• The Big Ice - shortstory by Sharon Lee
• Preliminary Report - shortstory by Barry B. Longyear
• Lullaby - shortstory by Lyn McConchie
• The Very Early Hermione - shortstory by Ardath Mayhar
• Miss Lotte - shortstory by Sandra Miesel
• Kitten Claws - shortstory by Sasha Miller
• Noble Warrior and the "Gentleman" - shortstory by Andre Norton
• The Cat, The Sorceress, The Buttons, and Why - shortstory by Mary H. Schaub
• Hobson's Choice - shortstory by Susan Shwartz
• Rosemary for Remembrance - shortstory by Estelle Traylor
• Patches' Pride - shortstory by Laura J. Underwood
• Trixie - shortstory by Lawrence Watt-Evans
• Pick, Cry, and Grin (Ag'in) - shortstory by Rose Wolf

The comfortable world of Martris Drayke, second son of King Bricen of Margolan, is shattered when his older half-brother, Jared, and Jared's dark mage, Foor Arontala, kill the king and seize the throne. Tris is the only surviving member of the royal family aside from Jared the traitor. Tris flees with three friends: Soterius, captain of the guard; Carroway, the court's master bard; and Harrtuck, a member of the royal guard. Tris harbors a deep secret. In a land where spirits walk openly and influence the affairs of the living, he suspects he may be the mage heir to the power of his grandmother, Bava K'aa, once the greatest sorceress of her age. Such magic would make Tris a Summoner, the rarest of magic gifts, capable of arbitrating between the living and the dead.

The Blood King is Book Two in The Chronicles of the Necromancer fantasy adventure series by Gail Z. Martin. It is the sequel to The Summoner, and picks up the action one day after The Summoner ends.

In The Blood King, sequel to The Summoner, Tris Drayke races against time to gain the skills he needs to challenge his half-brother Jared for the throne of Margolan and defeat the dark mage Arontala before the Obsidian King can be loosed from the abyss. Pursued by assassins and caught in a dangerous web of intrigue, Tris' greatest danger is his own magic. The fate of his kingdom, his lady and his soul hang in the balance. As Margolan plunges into darkness under the yoke of a tyrant, Tris leads an unlikely insurrection, knowing that if he fails, death will be the least of his worries...

The third book in the stunning fantasy series from Gail Z Martin. This novel follows the break out success of The Summoner and The Blood King.

Once Tris wins back the throne and destroys the Obsidian King, he realizes that the hard work is just beginning. Although Jared the Usurper held the throne for less than a year, his reign took a terrible toll on Margolan. Jared's iron-fisted rule displaced so many farmers and burned so many of the crops in retaliation that the country is in danger of famine.

But the greatest danger is Lord Curane, a powerful nobleman who supported Jared. Curane has retreated to his fortified holdings along with the blood mages and traitorous generals who supported Jared. War is inevitable, and Tris knows that Nargi and Trevath will be watching for an opportunity to invade should the battle go badly for him.

The fourth thrilling installment of Gail Z Martin's Chronicles of the Necromancer series sees Tris's kingdom on the brink of collapse. The ate of Jonmarc Vahanian is also hanging in the balance, as the vampires and the undead enter into a deadly civil war - and threaten to unleash an even greater danger onto the world.

Constance Verity has been saving the world since she was seven, and she's sick of it. She sets off on one last adventure to reset her destiny and become the one thing she's never been: ordinary.

Ever since she was granted a wish at birth by her fairy godmother, Constance Verity has become the world's great adventurer. She is a master of martial arts, a keen detective, and possesses a collection of strange artifacts. Constance has spent the past twenty-eight years saving the world, and she's tired of it. All she wants is to work in an office and date a nice, normal guy. And she's figured a way out. The only problem is that saving the world is Constance's destiny. She's great at it, and there are forces at work to make sure she stays in the job.

Then again, it's also her destiny to have a glorious death.

For Constance Verity, saving the world isn't the hard part. It's keeping her new, ordinary life from falling apart along the way that's going to be tricky. This is the next book in the witty Constance Verity trilogy, which Booklist named a Top 10 SF/Fantasy book of 2016.

Constance successfully became an ordinary person. People warned her it would be boring--and they were right. That's exactly why Connie loves it. But there's an Adventurer-shaped hole in the cosmos now, and a lot of interested parties eager to fill it. Not all of those candidates are fit for the role, and if The Adventurer falls into the wrong hands, it can lead to chaos and destruction.

Constance still has all the skills of her old life, but she's no longer chosen. Yet when the fate of the world is at stake, she sets off, reluctantly, to keep the forces of evil from stealing the destiny she abandoned.

Saving the world is easy for Constance Verity: she's used to doing the impossible on a daily basis. Everything that comes after is the tricky part.

Connie has accepted and secured her place in the universe. There isn't a foe she can't outfight or a peril she can't outwit - until she discovers she herself might be the greatest threat to the world she's spent her life saving.

All the signs are pointing to impending doom, and not just for Connie. Her friends, her enemies and the universe itself are all at risk. She's always known she was destined for a glorious death, but she never suspected she'd be taking everyone and everything else with her.

With her trademark determination, Constance Verity sets out to avert a cosmic plan millions of years in the making - and save the universe from herself.

He was a wonder of scientific perfection-- but it was lonely as hell at the top. All the resources of NASA, the Pentagon, and Government Money put the pieces of Lt. Col. Steve Austin's shattered body back together again. He came out of it more perfect than human. Better than new. A deadly, unstoppable weapon. Now all he needed was to find some human emotion in the tangle of plastic, wire and atomic metal that was fused to the remains of his flesh. Basis for The Six Million Dollar Man.

When Steve Austin, astronaut, crashed from the skies, he woke to find himself a fragment of a man -- no legs, one arm, one eye. But Science rebuilt his body, giving him physica powers no other man possessed.

Now, the world is threatened by a syndicate that sells nuclear destruction to the highest bidder. And Steve Austin who, from the moon, saw the Earth as fragile and precious, is the one man who can save that world from the ultimate blackmail of our times.

Corran, Rigan and Kell Valmonde have been orphaned--their father murdered by the city guard, their mother slain by monsters--and left to run the family business alone. Undertakers, gifted with ancient grave magic, they help souls pass into the After.

Their home city of Ravenwood is a battleground for decadent princes and powerful guilds, and for Lord Mayor Ellor Machison, who crouches at the heart of it all like a bloated spider. The city has long been beset by monsters--flesh-eating ghouls, hideous snake-fiends, monstrous maggots--yet the city guards do nothing.

When the toll climbs too high, it's up to the people to take arms and defend themselves. But in fighting for their lives, the Valmonde brothers become targets in a deadly game, and must risk everything to survive.

Welcome to Trifles & Folly, a store with a dark secret. Proprietor Cassidy Kincaide continues a family tradition begun in 1670 - acquiring and neutralizing dangerous supernatural items. It's the perfect job for Cassidy, whose psychic gift lets her touch an object and know its history. Together with her business partner Sorren, a 500-year-old vampire and former jewel thief, Cassidy makes it her business to get infernal objects off the market.

When a trip to a haunted hotel unearths a statue steeped in malevolent power, and a string of murders draws a trail to the abandoned old Navy yard, Cassidy and Sorren discover a diabolical plot to unleash a supernatural onslaught on their city.

It's time for Kincaide and her team to get rid of these Deadly Curiosities before the bodies start piling up.

The engaging follow up to the urban fantasy series set in Charlotte, North Carolina.

An old enemy of Sorren's is back in town. Sariel is a nephilmancer, a powerful sorcerer able to summon the nephilim, tainted eternal spirits that watch humanity and stand in judgment. Sariel is looking for vengeance because a century ago, during their last battle, Sorren killed Sariel's son and helped the Alliance send Sariel into harsh exile. Because of Sorren's long affiliation with Charleston, Sariel has decided that the city must be destroyed, and in retaliation for his own loss, Sariel vows to destroy the mortal helpers Sorren protects. To do this, Sariel must bring five of the Watchers through a portal from another realm. When all five are present, judgment will fall, and the nephilim will reap and feed on the souls of the dead.

It is the dawn of a new century in San Francisco and Delia Martin is a wealthy young woman whose life appears ideal. But a dark secret colors her life, for Delia's most loyal companions are ghosts, as she has been gifted (or some would say cursed) with an ability to peer across to the other side.

Since the great quake rocked her city in 1906, Delia has been haunted by an avalanche of the dead clamoring for her help. Delia flees to the other side of the continent, hoping to gain some peace. After several years in New York, Delia believes she is free... until one determined specter appears and she realizes that she must return to the City by the Bay in order to put this tortured soul to rest.

It will not be easy, as the ghost is only one of the many victims of a serial killer who was never caught. A killer who after thirty years is killing again.

And who is now aware of Delia's existence.

In Jaime Lee Moyer's Barricade in Hell, Delia Martin has been gifted (or some would say cursed) with the ability to peer across to the other side. Since childhood, her constant companions have been ghosts. She used her powers and the help of those ghosts to defeat a twisted serial killer terrorizing her beloved San Francisco. Now it's 1917--the threshold of a modern age--and Delia lives a peaceful life with Police Captain Gabe Ryan.

That peace shatters when a strange young girl starts haunting their lives and threatens Gabe. Delia tries to discover what this ghost wants as she becomes entangled in the mystery surrounding a charismatic evangelist who preaches pacifism and an end to war. But as young people begin to disappear, and audiences display a loyalty and fervor not attributable to simple persuasion, that message of peace reveals a hidden dark side.

As Delia discovers the truth, she faces a choice--take a terrible risk to save her city, or chance losing everything?

By 1919 the Great War has ended, peace talks are under way in Paris, and the world has been forever changed. Delia Martin, apprentice practitioner of magical arts, and her husband, Police Captain Gabriel Ryan, face the greatest challenge of their lives when fragments from the war descend on San Francisco.

As Delia prepares to meet friends at a St. Patrick's Day parade, the strange ghost of a European princess appears in her mirror. Her pleasant outing becomes a nightmare as the ghost reappears moments after a riot starts, warning her as a rooftop gunman begins shooting into the crowd. Delia rushes to get her friends to safety, and Gabe struggles to stop the killing-and to save himself.

Delia and Gabe realize all the chaos and bloodshed had one purpose-to flush Alina from hiding, a young woman with no memory of anything but her name.

As Delia works to discover how the princess ghost's secrets connect to this mysterious young woman, and Gabe tracks a ruthless killer around his city, they find all the answers hinge on two questions: Who is Alina... and why can't she remember?

Against a Brightening Sky is the thrilling conclusion to Jaime Lee Moyer's glittering historical fantasy series.

The Castor, a vast starship, seemingly deserted and spinning slowly in the void of deep space. Martha and the Doctor explore the drifting tomb, and discover that they may not be alone after all...

Who survived the disaster that overcame the rest of the crew? What continues to power the vessel? And why has a stretch of wooded countryside suddenly appeared in the middle of the craft?

As the Doctor and Martha journey through the forest, they find a mysterious, fogbound village - a village traumatised by missing children and tales of its own destruction...

"It is said that this city rests over the great menagerie. Men who felt tempted to meddle in science were cursed and turned into beasts."

A nameless city on a primitive, rain-sodden planet. The ruling Knights of Kuabris strive to keep order as hideous creatures emerge from the sewers to attack the populace. It seems that there might be some truth in the prophecies after all.

While Jamie languishes in the castle dungeons, the Doctor is forced to lead an expedition beneath the city to search for the fabled Menagerie of Ukkazaal. Meanwhile Zoe has been sold as a slave to a travelling freak show -- and one of the exhibits is coming to life.

This is an "omnibus" edition of all the stories subsequently published in Dreamsongs 1 & 2

Table of Contents:

A Four-Color Fanboy
1 "Only Kids Are Afraid of the Dark" 1967
2 "The Fortress" 2003 Written in the 1960s
3 "And Death His Legacy" 2003 Written in the 1960s

The Filthy Pro
4 "The Hero" 1971 "A Song for Lya" (1976)
5 "The Exit to San Breta" 1972 "A Song for Lya" (1976)
6 "The Second Kind of Loneliness" 1972 "A Song for Lya" (1976) "Portraits of His Children (1987)
7 "With Morning Comes Mistfall" 1973 "A Song for Lya" (1976) "Portraits of His Children (1987)

The Light of Distant Stars
8 "A Song for Lya" 1974 "A Song for Lya" (1976) "Nightflyers" (1985)
9 "This Tower of Ashes" 1976 "Songs of Stars and Shadows" (1977) "Songs the Dead Men Sing" (1983)
10 "And Seven Times Never Kill Man" 1975 "Songs of Stars and Shadows" (1977) "Nightflyers" (1985)
11 "The Stone City" 1977 "Sandkings" (1981)
12 "Bitterblooms" 1977 "Sandkings" (1981)
13 "The Way of Cross and Dragon" 1979 "Sandkings" (1981)

The Heirs of Turtle Castle
14 "The Lonely Songs of Laren Dorr" 1976 "Songs of Stars and Shadows" (1977) "Portraits of His Children" (1987)
15 "The Ice Dragon" 1980 "Portraits of His Children" (1987)
16 "In the Lost Lands" 1982 "Portraits of His Children" (1987)

Hybrids and Horrors
17 "Meathouse Man" 1976 "Songs the Dead Men Sing" (1983)
18 "Remembering Melody" 1981 "Songs the Dead Men Sing" (1983)
19 "Sandkings" 1979 "Sandkings" (1981) "Songs the Dead Men Sing" (1983)
20 "Nightflyers" 1980 "Songs the Dead Men Sing" (1983) "Nightflyers" (1985)
21 "The Monkey Treatment" 1983 "Songs the Dead Men Sing" (1983)
22 "The Pear-Shaped Man" 1987 Previously uncollected

A Taste of Tuf
This section features two stories in the Haviland Tuf series, about an overweight space trader encountering various civilizations.
23 "A Beast for Norn" 1976 "Tuf Voyaging" (1986)
24 "Guardians" 1981 "Tuf Voyaging" (1986)

The Siren Song of Hollywood
This section features two television screenplays by George R. R. Martin. The former is a script for an episode of The Twilight Zone, and the latter is a pilot for a never-made science fiction series similar to Sliders.
25 "The Road Less Travelled" 1986
26 "Doorways" 1993

Doing the Wild Card Shuffle
This section features two of George R. R. Martin's contributions to the Wild Cards shared universe.
27 "Shell Games" 1987
28 "From the Journal of Xavier Desmond" 1988

The Heart in Conflict
29 "Under Siege" 1985 "Portraits of His Children" (1987)
30 "The Skin Trade" 1988 "Quartet" (2001)
31 "Unsound Variations" 1982 "Portraits of His Children" (1987)
32 "The Glass Flower" 1986 "Portraits of His Children" (1987)
33 "The Hedge Knight" 1998 Previously uncollected
34 "Portraits of His Children" 1985 "Portraits of His Children" (1987)

Even before A Game of Thrones, George R. R. Martin had already established himself as a giant in the field of fantasy literature. The first of two stunning collections, Dreamsongs: Volume I is a rare treat for readers, offering fascinating insight into his journey from young writer to award-winning master.

Gathered here in Dreamsongs: Volume I are the very best of George R. R. Martin's early works, including his Hugo, Nebula, and Bram Stoker award-winning stories, cool fan pieces, and the original novella The Ice Dragon, from which Martin's New York Times bestselling children's book of the same title originated. A dazzling array of subjects and styles that features extensive author commentary, Dreamsongs, Volume I is the perfect collection for both Martin devotees and a new generation of fans.

Dubbed "the American Tolkien" by Time magazine, number-one New York Times best-selling author George R. R. Martin is a giant in the field of fantasy literature and one of the most exciting storytellers of our time. Now he delivers a rare treat for listeners: a compendium of his shorter works, collected into two stunning volumes, that offers fascinating insight into his journey from young writer to award-winning master.

BONUS: Each selection includes extensive commentary by author George R. R. Martin.

The latest in a long line of suicide attempts sees Caroline 'Laska' Darnell admitted to the Retreat, a groundbreaking medical center surrounded by woodland. To her horror, she recognizes the Retreat from her recent nightmares of an old building haunted by ghostly dogs with glowing eyes. But who will believe her stories of an evil from the past that has already made one attempt to destroy the building and all its inhabitants? The mysterious Dr. Smith seems curiously aware of the Retreat's past, and is utterly fascinated by Laska's waking dreams and prophetic nightmares. But if Laska is unable to trust her own perceptions, can she trust Dr. Smith?

Stories deal with a magician's quest, a man who changes into an elephant, sorcerers, werewolves, storytellers, a magical necklace, ancient monsters revived by a spell, a daring rescue, and a mysterious wall...

Table of Contents:

• 7 - Introduction: Wizards - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 11 - Mazirian the Magician - [Dying Earth] - (1950) - short story by Jack Vance
• 27 - Please Stand By - [Max Kearny] - (1962) - short story by Ron Goulart
• 49 - What Good Is a Glass Dagger? - [Magic Goes Away] - (1972) - novelette by Larry Niven
• 84 - The Eye of Tandyla - [Pusadian] - (1951) - novelette by L. Sprague de Camp
• 107 - The White Horse Child - (1979) - short story by Greg Bear
• 126 - Semley's Necklace - [Hainish] - (1964) - short story by Ursula K. Le Guin (variant of The Dowry of Angyar)
• 145 - And the Monsters Walk - (1952) - novella by John Jakes
• 182 - The Seeker in the Fortress - [Kardios] - (1979) - novelette by Manly Wade Wellman
• 204 - The Wall Around the World - (1953) - novelette by Theodore R. Cogswell
• 230 - The People of the Black Circle - [Conan] - (1934) - novella by Robert E. Howard

Table of Contents:

• 9 - Introduction: Witches - (1984) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 12 - My Mother Was a Witch - (1966) - short story by William Tenn
• 18 - A Message from Charity - (1967) - short story by William M. Lee
• 37 - The Witch - (1943) - novelette by A. E. van Vogt
• 58 - The Witches of Karres - [Karres] - (1949) - novelette by James H. Schmitz
• 99 - Spree - (1984) - short story by Barry N. Malzberg
• 107 - Devil's Henchman - (1952) - short story by Murray Leinster
• 121 - Malice in Wonderland - (1957) - novelette by Rufus King
• 140 - Operation Salamander - [Operation Chaos] - (1957) - novelette by Poul Anderson
• 166 - Wizard's World - (1967) - novella by Andre Norton
• 212 - Sweets to the Sweet - (1947) - short story by Robert Bloch
• 221 - Poor Little Saturday - (1956) - short story by Madeleine L'Engle
• 236 - Squeakie's First Case - (1943) - novelette by Margaret Manners
• 258 - The Ipswich Phial - [Lord Darcy] - (1976) - novelette by Randall Garrett
• 303 - Black Heart and White Heart - (1896) - novella by H. Rider Haggard

Magical tales of chivalry and adventure include works by Poul Anderson, Vera Chapman, L. Sprague de Camp, Kenneth Grahame, Keith Laumer, Roger Zelazny, and others...

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction: In Days of Old - (1985) - essay by Isaac Asimov (variant of In Days of Old)
• 7 - Crusader Damosel - (1978) - short story by Vera Chapman
• 21 - Divers Hands - [Julian] - (1979) - novelette by Darrell Schweitzer
• 49 - The Reluctant Dragon - (1898) - novelette by Kenneth Grahame
• 71 - The Immortal Game - (1954) - short story by Poul Anderson
• 85 - The Stainless-Steel Knight - (1961) - novelette by John T. Phillifent
• 117 - Diplomat-at-Arms - [Retief] - (1960) - novella by Keith Laumer
• 165 - Dream Damsel - (1954) - short story by Evan Hunter
• 177 - The Last Defender of Camelot - (1979) - novelette by Roger Zelazny
• 201 - A Knyght Ther Was - (1963) - novella by Robert F. Young
• 251 - Divide and Rule - (1939) - novella by L. Sprague de Camp

Short stories by authors such as Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, and Andre Norton depict the strange effects of curses and magic spells...

Table of Contents:

• 7 - Curses! - (1985) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 10 - The Candidate - (1961) - short story by Henry Slesar
• 18 - The Christmas Shadrach - (1891) - short story by Frank R. Stockton
• 37 - The Snow Women - [Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser] - (1970) - novella by Fritz Leiber
• 106 - Invisible Boy - (1945) - short story by Ray Bradbury
• 116 - The Hero Who Returned - (1979) - novelette by Gerald W. Page
• 140 - Toads of Grimmerdale - [Witch World Secrets] - (1973) - novella by Andre Norton (variant of The Toads of Grimmerdale)
• 188 - A Literary Death - (1985) - short story by Martin H. Greenberg
• 191 - Satan and Sam Shay - (1942) - short story by Robert Arthur
• 206 - Lot No. 249 - (1892) - novelette by Arthur Conan Doyle
• 239 - The Witch Is Dead - [Simon Ark - 3] - (1956) - short story by Edward D. Hoch
• 259 - I Know What You Need - (1976) - novelette by Stephen King
• 282 - The Miracle Workers - (1969) - novella by Jack Vance (variant of The Miracle-Workers 1958)

Table of Contents:

• 7 - Introduction: Giants in the Earth - (1985) - essay by Isaac Asimov (variant of Giants in the Earth)
• 11 - The Riddle of Ragnarok - (1955) - short story by Theodore Sturgeon
• 31 - Straggler from Atlantis - [Kardios] - (1977) - novelette by Manly Wade Wellman
• 57 - He Who Shrank - (1936) - novella by Henry Hasse
• 123 - From the Dark Waters - (1976) - short story by David Drake
• 139 - Small Lords - (1957) - novelette by Frederik Pohl
• 161 - The Mad Planet - [Burl - 1] - (1920) - novella by Murray Leinster
• 220 - Dreamworld - (1955) - short story by Isaac Asimov
• 222 - The Thirty and One - [Tales from Cornwall - 4] - (1938) - short story by David H. Keller, M.D.
• 235 - The Law-Twister Shorty - [Dilbia] - (1971) - novelette by Gordon R. Dickson
• 279 - In the Lower Passage - (1902) - short story by Harle Oren Cummins
• 284 - Cabin Boy - (1951) - novelette by Damon Knight
• 312 - The Colossus of Ylourgne - [The Colossus of Ylourgne] - (1934) - novelette by Clark Ashton Smith

Table of Contents:

• 3 - Centaur Fielder for the Yankees - (1986) - short story by Edward D. Hoch
• 15 - The Ice Dragon - (1980) - novelette by George R. R. Martin
• 38 - Prince Prigio - (1889) - novella by Andrew Lang
• 90 - The Gorgon - (1982) - novelette by Tanith Lee
• 114 - The Griffin and the Minor Canon - (1885) - short story by Frank R. Stockton
• 131 - The Kragen - (1964) - novella by Jack Vance
• 205 - The Little Mermaid - (1837) - novelette by Hans Christian Andersen (trans. of Den Lille Havfrue)
• 230 - Letters from Laura - (1954) - short story by Mildred Clingerman
• 239 - The Triumph of Pegasus - (1964) - novelette by Frank A. Javor
• 271 - Caution! Inflammable! - (1955) - short story by Thomas N. Scortia
• 276 - The Pyramid Project - (1964) - novelette by Robert F. Young (variant of The Sphinx)
• 309 - The Silken-Swift - (1953) - short story by Theodore Sturgeon
• 332 - Mood Wendigo - [Howie Wyman] - (1980) - short story by Thomas A. Easton

Stories tell of a magical umbrella, a newspaper that predicts the future, a devil's advocate, a terrible curse, a witch, a wizard, nightmares, and a powerful genie...

Table of Contents:

• 9 - Introduction: Wishing Will Make It So - (1986) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 12 - The Monkey's Paw - (1902) - short story by W. W. Jacobs
• 24 - Behind the News - (1952) - short story by Jack Finney
• 38 - The Flight of the Umbrella - [Umbrella / Fillmore] - (1977) - novella by Marvin Kaye
• 97 - Tween - (1978) - novelette by J. F. Bone
• 121 - The Boy Who Brought Love - (1974) - short story by Edward D. Hoch
• 125 - The Vacation - (1963) - short story by Ray Bradbury
• 133 - The Anything Box - (1956) - short story by Zenna Henderson
• 148 - A Born Charmer - [Dafydd Llewelyn] - (1981) - short story by Edward P. Hughes
• 166 - What If ... - (1952) - short story by Isaac Asimov
• 180 - Millennium - (1955) - short story by Fredric Brown
• 182 - Dreams Are Sacred - (1948) - novelette by Peter Phillips
• 206 - The Same to You Doubled - (1970) - short story by Robert Sheckley
• 216 - Gifts - (1958) - short story by Gordon R. Dickson
• 230 - I Wish I May, I Wish I Might - (1973) - short story by Bill Pronzini
• 234 - Three Day Magic - (1948) - novella by Charlotte Armstrong
• 321 - The Bottle Imp - (1891) - novelette by Robert Louis Stevenson

A collection of fantasy stories dealing with black magic, temptation, and demonic enchantment includes works by Arthur C. Clarke, Stephen Vincent Benet, Leo Tolstoy, Robert Bloch, Theodore Sturgeon, and Philip Jose Farmer...

Table of Contents:

• 9 - The Devil - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 13 - I'm Dangerous Tonight - (1937) - novella by Cornell Woolrich
• 91 - The Devil in Exile - [Devil & Belphagor - 3] - (1968) - short story by Brian Cleeve
• 105 - The Cage - (1959) - short story by Ray Russell
• 113 - The Tale of Ivan the Fool - (1890) - novelette 1886) [as by Leo Tolstoi]
• 143 - The Shepherds - (1941) - short story by Ruth Sawyer
• 151 - He Stepped on the Devil's Tail - (1955) - short story by Winston K. Marks
• 167 - Rustle of Wings - (1953) - short story by Fredric Brown
• 173 - That Hell-Bound Train - (1958) - short story by Robert Bloch
• 189 - Added Inducement - (1957) - short story by Robert F. Young
• 197 - The Devil and Daniel Webster - (1936) - short story by Stephen Vincent Benét
• 213 - Colt .24 - (1987) - short story by Rick Hautala
• 225 - The Making of Revelation, Part I - (1980) - novelette by Philip José Farmer
• 243 - The Howling Man - (1959) - short story by Charles Beaumont
• 261 - Trace - (1961) - short story by Jerome Bixby
• 265 - Guardian Angel - (1950) - novelette by Arthur C. Clarke
• 309 - The Devil Was Sick - (1951) - short story by Bruce Elliott
• 321 - Deal with the D.E.V.I.L. - (1981) - short story by Theodore R. Cogswell
• 325 - Dazed - (1971) - novelette by Theodore Sturgeon

A collection of fantastic tales from some of the world's finest science fiction writers brings to life a lost world that still holds out the promise of magical secrets or fatal traps for the curious or unwary...

Table of Contents:

• 9 - Introduction: The Lost City - (1988) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 15 - Treaty in Tartessos - (1963) - short story by Karen Anderson
• 23 - The Vengeance of Ulios - (1935) - novelette by Edmond Hamilton
• 61 - Scar-Tissue - (1946) - short story by Henry S. Whitehead
• 77 - The Double Shadow - [Poseidonis] - (1933) - short story by Clark Ashton Smith
• 95 - The Dweller in the Temple - [Kardios] - (1977) - novelette by Manly Wade Wellman
• 123 - Gone Fishing - (1988) - short story by J. A. Pollard
• 129 - The Lamp - [W. Wilson Newbury] - (1975) - short story by L. Sprague de Camp
• 153 - The Shadow Kingdom - [Kull of Valusia] - (1929) - novelette by Robert E. Howard
• 193 - The New Atlantis - (1975) - novelette by Ursula K. Le Guin
• 225 - Dragon Moon - [Elak] - (1941) - novelette by Henry Kuttner
• 273 - The Brigadier in Check -- and Mate - [Brigadier Ffellowes] - (1986) - novella by Sterling E. Lanier

Fourteen chilling tales--including Charles L. Grant's "Come Dance With Me on my Pony's Grave," Parke Godwin's "The Fire When it Comes," and Isaac Asimov's "Author Author"--tells of ghosts returned on quests of justice, love, and vengeance...

Table of Contents:

• 7 - Introduction: Ghosts - (1988) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 11 - Ringing the Changes - (1955) - novelette by Robert Aickman
• 39 - Author! Author! - (1964) - novelette by Isaac Asimov
• 67 - Touring - (1981) - novelette by Jack Dann and Gardner Dozois and Michael Swanwick [as by Jack M. Dann and Gardner Dozois and Michael Swanwick]
• 85 - The Wind in the Rose-Bush - (1902) - novelette by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman
• 102 - Come Dance with Me on My Pony's Grave - (1973) - short story by Charles L. Grant
• 115 - The Fire When It Comes - (1981) - novelette by Parke Godwin
• 159 - The Toll-House - (1907) - short story by W. W. Jacobs
• 169 - The Invasion of the Church of the Holy Ghost - (1983) - novelette by Russell Kirk
• 213 - A Terrible Vengeance - (1889) - novelette by Mrs. J. H. Riddell [as by Charlotte Riddell]
• 254 - Elle Est Trois, (La Mort) - (1983) - novelette by Tanith Lee
• 275 - A Passion for History - (1976) - short story by Stephen Minot
• 286 - Daemon - (1946) - short story by C. L. Moore
• 309 - The Lady's Maid's Bell - (1902) - novelette by Edith Wharton
• 329 - The King of Thieves - [Magnus Ridolph] - (1949) - short story by Jack Vance

Tales of dark magic, sinister spells, deadly vengeance, and terrifying powers highlight a collection featuring the work of Wilkie Collins, Robert Bloch, Arthur C. Clarke, and other authors...

Table of Contents:

• 7 - Introduction: Malevolence - (1989) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 10 - The Curse - (1946) - short story by Arthur C. Clarke
• 13 - Julia Cahill's Curse - (1903) - short story by George Moore
• 19 - The Red Swimmer - (1939) - novelette by Robert Bloch
• 40 - The Doom of the Griffiths - (1858) - novelette by Mrs. Gaskell [as by Elizabeth Gaskell]
• 75 - You Know Willie - (1957) - short story by Theodore R. Cogswell
• 80 - Trouble with Water - (1939) - short story by H. L. Gold [as by Horace L. Gold]
• 102 - Mad Monkton - (1855) - novella by Wilkie Collins
• 164 - Long Chromachy of the Crows - (1905) - short story by Seumas MacManus
• 175 - The Little Black Train - [John the Balladeer] - (1954) - short story by Manly Wade Wellman
• 191 - The Curse of the Catafalques - (1882) - novelette by F. Anstey
• 217 - A Séance in Summer - (1974) - short story by Thomas F. Monteleone [as by Mario Martin, Jr.]
• 228 - Transformations - (1989) - short story by Christopher Fahy
• 237 - In Dark New England Days - (1890) - short story by Sarah Orne Jewett
• 256 - The Messenger - (1897) - novelette by Robert W. Chambers
• 292 - Or the Grasses Grow - (1958) - short story by Avram Davidson
• 301 - The Dollar - (1905) - short story by Morgan Robertson
• 317 - A Hunger in the Blood - (1989) - novelette by Talmage Powell

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Fairyland - (1991) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 4 - How the Fairies Came to Ireland - (1902) - short story by Herminie Templeton Kavanagh [as by Herminie Templeton]
• 15 - The Manor of Roses - [John & Stephen] - (1966) - novella by Thomas Burnett Swann
• 79 - The Fairy Prince - (1911) - short story by H. C. Bailey
• 93 - The Ugly Unicorn - (1991) - short story by Jessica Amanda Salmonson
• 105 - The Brownie of the Black Haggs - short story by James Hogg (variant of The Brownie of the Black Hags 1828)
• 121 - The Dream of Akinosuké - (1904) - short story by Lafcadio Hearn
• 128 - Elfinland - (1991) - novelette by Ludwig Tieck (trans. of Die Elfen 1812) [as by Johann Ludwig Tieck]
• 148 - Darby O'Gill and the Good People - (1901) - short story by Herminie Templeton Kavanagh [as by Herminie Templeton]
• 161 - No Man's Land - novella by John Buchan (variant of No-Man's-Land 1899)
• 208 - The Prism - (1901) - short story by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman [as by Mary E. Wilkins]
• 220 - The Kith of the Elf-Folk - (1908) - short story by Lord Dunsany
• 235 - The Secret Place - (1966) - short story by Richard McKenna
• 252 - The King of the Elves - (1953) - novelette by Philip K. Dick
• 274 - Flying Pan - (1956) - short story by Robert F. Young
• 284 - My Father, the Cat - (1957) - short story by Henry Slesar
• 292 - Kid Stuff - (1953) - short story by Isaac Asimov
• 307 - The Long Night of Waiting - (1974) - short story by Andre Norton
• 325 - The Queen of Air and Darkness - (1971) - novella by Poul Anderson

Stories deal with the rise and fall, government, exploration missions, incorporation, and defense of interstellar empires.

Table of Contents:

• 7 - Introduction: Empires - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 11 - Cycles - essay by uncredited
• 13 - Chalice of Death - [Lest We Forget Thee, Earth - 1] - (1957) - novella by Robert Silverberg
• 47 - Orphan of the Void - [Terran Federation - 1] - (1972) - novelette by Lloyd Biggle, Jr. (variant of The Man Who Wasn't Home 1960)
• 92 - Down to the Worlds of Men - (1963) - novelette by Alexei Panshin
• 120 - Governance - essay by uncredited
• 122 - Ministry of Disturbance - [Empire Era] - (1958) - novelette by H. Beam Piper
• 163 - Blind Alley - [Foundation Universe] - (1945) - short story by Isaac Asimov
• 186 - A Planet Named Shayol - [The Instrumentality of Mankind] - (1961) - novelette by Cordwainer Smith
• 222 - Concerns - essay by uncredited
• 224 - Diabologic - (1955) - short story by Eric Frank Russell
• 245 - Fighting Philosopher - [Philosophical Corps] - (1954) - novelette by Everett B. Cole [as by E. B. Cole]
• 281 - Honorable Enemies - [Dominic Flandry] - (1951) - novelette by Poul Anderson

1984 Signet Classic mass market paperback. Edited by Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg and Charles G. Waugh. Sci-fi anthology includes stories by Asimov, George R.R. Martin, L. Sprague de Camp, Mike Resnick, Arthur C. Clarke. Alan Dean Foster and others.

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction: Competition! - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 4 - Run to Starlight - (1974) - novelette by George R. R. Martin
• 33 - The Mickey Mouse Olympics - (1979) - short story by Tom Sullivan
• 47 - Dream Fighter - (1977) - short story by Bob Shaw
• 59 - The Kokod Warriors - [Magnus Ridolph] - (1952) - novelette by Jack Vance
• 94 - Getting Through University - [Dr. Dillingham] - (1968) - novelette by Piers Anthony
• 127 - For the Sake of Grace - [Coyote Jones] - (1969) - novelette by Suzette Haden Elgin
• 150 - The National Pastime - (1973) - novelette by Norman Spinrad
• 169 - A Day for Dying - (1969) - short story by Charles Nuetzel
• 179 - The People Trap - (1968) - short story by Robert Sheckley
• 197 - Why Johnny Can't Speed - (1971) - short story by Alan Dean Foster
• 210 - Nothing in the Rules - (1939) - novelette by L. Sprague de Camp
• 239 - The Olympians - (1982) - short story by Mike Resnick
• 247 - The Wind from the Sun - (1964) - novelette by Arthur C. Clarke
• 267 - Prose Bowl - (1979) - novelette by Barry N. Malzberg and Bill Pronzini
• 293 - From Downtown at the Buzzer - (1977) - novelette by George Alec Effinger
• 313 - A Glint of Gold - (1980) - short story by Simon Hawke [as by Nicholas V. Yermakov]
• 329 - The Survivor - (1965) - novelette by Walter F. Moudy

Table of Contents:

• 7 - Introduction: Super - (1984) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 11 - Angel, Dark Angel - (1967) - short story by Roger Zelazny
• 23 - Worlds to Kill - (1968) - novelette by Harlan Ellison
• 47 - In the Bone - (1966) - short story by Gordon R. Dickson
• 69 - What Rough Beast? - (1959) - novelette by Damon Knight
• 92 - Death by Ecstasy - [Gil Hamilton] - (1969) - novella by Larry Niven
• 154 - Un-Man - [Psychotechnic League] - (1953) - novella by Poul Anderson
• 236 - Muse - (1969) - short story by Dean R. Koontz
• 247 - Resurrection - (1948) - short story by A. E. van Vogt
• 265 - Pseudopath - (1959) - novelette by Philip E. High
• 288 - After the Myths Went Home - (1969) - short story by Robert Silverberg
• 296 - Before the Talent Dies - (1957) - novelette by Henry Slesar
• 317 - Brood World Barbarian

Tales by Mark Twain, Fritz Leiber, Poul Anderson, Frederik Pohl, Arthur C. Clarke, Gregory Benford, and other masters of the science fiction genre explore the realm of comets.

Table of Contents:

• ix - Introduction: Comets - (1986) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 1 - A Blazing Starre Seene in the West - (1642) - short fiction by Jonas Wright
• 5 - Into the Sun - (1882) - short story by Robert Duncan Milne
• 23 - Captain Stormfield's Visit to Heaven - (1907) - short fiction by Mark Twain (variant of Extract from Captain Stormfield's Visit to Heaven)
• 32 - The Comet Doom - (1928) - novelette by Edmond Hamilton
• 71 - Sunspot - (1960) - short story by Hal Clement
• 93 - Inside the Comet - (1960) - short story by Arthur C. Clarke (variant of Into the Comet)
• 103 - Raindrop - (1965) - novelette by Hal Clement
• 149 - Comet Wine - (1967) - novelette by Ray Russell
• 167 - The Red Euphoric Bands - (1967) - short story by R. S. Richardson [as by Philip Latham]
• 180 - Throwback - (1969) - short story by Sydney J. Bounds
• 189 - Kindergarten - (1970) - short story by James E. Gunn
• 192 - West Wind, Falling - (1971) - novelette by Gregory Benford and Gordon Eklund
• 213 - The Comet, the Cairn and the Capsule - (1972) - short story by Duncan Lunan (variant of Comet, Cairn and Capsule)
• 230 - Some Joys Under the Star - (1973) - short story by Frederik Pohl
• 243 - Future Forbidden - (1973) - short story by R. S. Richardson [as by Philip Latham]
• 260 - The Death of Princes - (1976) - short story by Fritz Leiber
• 277 - The Funhouse Effect - [Eight Worlds] - (1976) - novelette by John Varley
• 302 - The Family Man - (1978) - short story by Theodore L. Thomas
• 309 - Double Planet - (1984) - short story by John Gribbin [as by Dr. John Gribbin]
• 317 - Pride - (1985) - novelette by Poul Anderson

A collection of science fiction tales of mystery, crime, and detection features works by Stephen R. Donaldson, Isaac Asimov, Larry Niven, Harlan Ellison, and others.

Table of Contents:

• 7 - Introduction (Tin Stars) - (1986) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 11 - Into the Shop - (1964) - short story by Ron Goulart
• 22 - Cloak of Anarchy - [Known Space] - (1972) - novelette by Larry Niven
• 44 - The King's Legions - [Federation of Humanity] - (1967) - novelette by Christopher Anvil
• 98 - Finger of Fate - (1980) - short story by Edward Wellen
• 109 - Arm of the Law - (1958) - short story by Harry Harrison
• 126 - Voiceover - (1984) - novelette by Edward Wellen
• 154 - The Fastest Draw - (1963) - short story by Larry Eisenberg
• 163 - Mirror Image - [Elijah Baley / R. Daneel Olivaw] - (1972) - short story by Isaac Asimov
• 180 - Brillo - (1970) - novelette by Ben Bova and Harlan Ellison
• 214 - The Powers of Observation - (1968) - short story by Harry Harrison
• 230 - Faithfully Yours - (1955) - short story by Lou Tabakow
• 249 - Safe Harbor - (1986) - novelette by Donald Wismer
• 272 - Examination Day - (1958) - short story by Henry Slesar
• 277 - The Cruel Equations - (1971) - short story by Robert Sheckley
• 291 - Animal Lover - (1978) - novella by Stephen R. Donaldson

A medley of tales focusing on humankind's ancestor, the Neanderthal, features works by Poul Anderson, Philip Jose Farmer, Isaac Asimov, L. Sprague de Camp, and Bertram Chandler.

Table of Contents:

• 7 - Introduction: Neanderthal Man - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 11 - Genesis - [Paratime Police] - (1951) - novelette by H. Beam Piper
• 39 - The Ugly Little Boy - (1958) - novelette by Isaac Asimov (variant of Lastborn)
• 91 - The Long Remembering - (1957) - short story by Poul Anderson
• 106 - The Apotheosis of Ki - (1956) - short story by Miriam Allen deFord
• 113 - Man o' Dreams - (1929) - short story by Will McMorrow
• 130 - The Treasure of Odirex - [Erasmus Darwin] - (1978) - novella by Charles Sheffield
• 196 - The Ogre - (1959) - short story by Avram Davidson
• 206 - Alas, Poor Yorick - [Howie Wyman] - (1981) - short story by Thomas A. Easton
• 223 - The Gnarly Man - (1939) - novelette by L. Sprague de Camp
• 251 - The Hairy Parents - (1975) - short story by A. Bertram Chandler
• 263 - The Alley Man - (1959) - novella by Philip José Farmer
• 319 - Afterword: The Valley of Neander - (1964) - essay by Robert Silverberg

Hitchhiker; Truck Driver; Hermes to the Ages; Pushbutton War; The Getaway Special; Between a Rock and a High Place; To Grab Power; Coming of Age in Henson's Tube.

Table of Contents:

• 9 - Introduction: Shuttles - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 13 - Truck Driver - (1972) - short story by Rob Chilson [as by Robert Chilson]
• 31 - Hermes to the Ages - (1980) - novelette by Frederick D. Gottfried
• 63 - Pushbutton War - (1960) - short story by Joseph P. Martino
• 81 - The Last Shuttle - (1981) - short story by Isaac Asimov
• 85 - The Getaway Special - (1985) - short story by Jerry Oltion
• 102 - Between a Rock and a High Place - (1982) - novella by Timothy Zahn
• 164 - To Grab Power - (1971) - short story by Hayden Howard
• 182 - Coming of Age in Henson's Tube - (1977) - short story by William John Watkins [as by William Jon Watkins]
• 187 - Deborah's Children - (1983) - short story by Grant Callin [as by Grant D. Callin]
• 207 - The Book of Baraboo - [Circus World] - (1980) - novella by Barry B. Longyear
• 279 - The Speckled Gantry - (1979) - short story by Joseph Green and Patrice Milton
• 285 - The Nanny - (1983) - novelette by Thomas Wylde
• 309 - Hitchhiker - (1987) - short story by Sheila Finch
• 323 - Dead Ringer - novella by Edward Wellen

Tells the stories of mental parasites, extraterrestrial creatures, clones, monstrous aliens, invaders, and colonists.

Table of Contents:

• 9 - Introduction: Monsters - (1988) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 12 - Passengers - (1968) - short story by Robert Silverberg
• 25 - The Botticelli Horror - (1960) - novelette by Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
• 64 - The Shapes - (1968) - novelette by J. H. Rosny aîné (trans. of Les Xipéhuz 1887)
• 88 - The Clone - (1959) - short story by Theodore L. Thomas
• 99 - The Men in the Walls - (1963) - novella by William Tenn
• 174 - The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth - (1965) - novelette by Roger Zelazny
• 206 - Student Body - (1953) - novelette by F. L. Wallace [as by Floyd L. Wallace]
• 227 - Black Destroyer - [Space Beagle] - (1939) - novelette by A. E. van Vogt
• 258 - Mother - (1953) - novelette by Philip José Farmer
• 286 - Exploration Team - [Colonial Survey] - (1956) - novelette by Murray Leinster
• 332 - All the Way Back - (1952) - short story by Michael Shaara

Table of Contents:

• 9 - Introduction: Robots - (1989) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 13 - The Tunnel Under the World - (1955) - novelette by Frederik Pohl
• 44 - Brother Robot - (1958) - short story by Henry Slesar
• 59 - The Lifeboat Mutiny - [AAA Ace] - (1955) - short story by Robert Sheckley
• 73 - The Warm Space - (1985) - novelette by David Brin
• 89 - How-2 - (1954) - novelette by Clifford D. Simak
• 128 - Too Robot to Marry - (1959) - short story by George H. Smith
• 130 - The Education of Tigress McCardle - (1957) - short story by C. M. Kornbluth (variant of The Education of Tigress Macardle)
• 141 - Sally - (1953) - short story by Isaac Asimov
• 159 - Breakfast of Champions - (1980) - short story by Thomas A. Easton
• 165 - Sun Up - (1976) - short story by A. A. Jackson, IV and Howard Waldrop
• 178 - Second Variety - [Claws - 1] - (1953) - novelette by Philip K. Dick
• 223 - The Problem Was Lubrication - (1961) - short story by David R. Bunch
• 227 - First to Serve - (1954) - short story by Algis Budrys
• 245 - Two-Handed Engine - (1955) - novelette by Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore
• 270 - Though Dreamers Die - (1944) - novelette by Lester del Rey
• 290 - Soldier Boy - (1953) - novelette by Michael Shaara
• 312 - Farewell to the Master - (1940) - novelette by Harry Bates

Fifteen short stories--by Piers Anthony, Henry Kuttner, A.E. Van Vogt, Lester del Rey, Isaac Asimov, Philip K. Dick, and others--explore the theme of an alien invasion of Earth.

Table of Contents:

• 7 - Introduction (Invasions) - essay by Isaac Asimov
• 11 - Living Space - (1956) - short story by Isaac Asimov
• 26 - Asylum - (1942) - novella by A. E. van Vogt
• 85 - Exposure - (1950) - short story by Eric Frank Russell
• 104 - Invasion of Privacy - (1970) - novelette by Bob Shaw
• 127 - What Have I Done? - (1952) - short story by Mark Clifton
• 146 - Impostor - (1953) - short story by Philip K. Dick
• 161 - The Soul-Empty Ones - (1951) - novelette by Walter M. Miller, Jr.
• 200 - The Cloud-Men: Being a Foreprint from the London News Sheet #1 - short story by Owen Oliver (variant of The Cloud-Men, Being a Foreprint from the London News Sheet of March 9, 1915 1911)
• 217 - Stone Man - [Berserker (Fred Saberhagen)] - (1967) - novelette by Fred Saberhagen
• 253 - For I Am a Jealous People! - (1954) - novella by Lester del Rey
• 296 - Don't Look Now - (1948) - short story by Henry Kuttner
• 310 - The Certificate - (1959) - short story by Avram Davidson
• 314 - The Alien Rulers - (1968) - novelette by Piers Anthony
• 350 - Squeeze Box - (1959) - short story by Philip E. High
• 365 - The Liberation of Earth - (1953) - short story by William Tenn

Shadowman, a sequel to the World Fantasy Award-winning story "The Dark Country," follows Jack Martin into an even deeper darkness in Shadow Bay, where the surf echoes against the shore, wild dogs howl and children tell ghost stories by firelight. Lissa Shelby works with disturbed children, and they are all afraid of the Man With No Face. The adults call him a fantasy -- until the hills collapse under a torrent of rain and buried bodies pour forth. Only one thing is certain: no one is safe...

WFA and BFA winning short story. It originally appeared in the fanzine Fantasy Tales V4n8, Summer 1981. The story can also be found in the anhtology The Year's Best Horror Stories: Series X (1982), edited by Karl Edward Wagner. It is included in the collections The Dark Country (1982) and Talking in the Dark: Selected Stories (2001).

A sexy new repackaging of the extremely popular anthology of vampire erotica, edited by acclaimed author Poppy Z. Brite.

The classic horror tale is about fear. But in the last few years a new literature of the macabre has arisen, one that goes deeper than horror, beyond fear, to explore our darkest, most intimate hungers. The ones even lovers are forbidden to share.

Acclaimed dark fantasy author Poppy Z. Brite has brought together this genre's most powerful and seductive authors in an original collection of vampiric erotica, a shameless celebration of unspeakable intimacies. It is not for everyone.

But neither is the night.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction (1994) - essay by Poppy Z. Brite
• Do Not Hasten to Bid Me Adieu - (1994) - novelette by Norman Partridge
• Geraldine - (1994) - novelette by Ian McDowell
• In the Greenhouse - (1994) - short story by Kathe Koja and Barry N. Malzberg
• Cafe Endless: Spring Rain - (1994) - short story by Nancy Holder
• Empty Vessels - (1994) - novelette by David B. Silva
• The Final Fete of Abba Adi - (1994) - short story by Jessica Amanda Salmonson
• Cherry - (1994) - short story by Christa Faust
• White Chapel - (1994) - novelette by Douglas Clegg
• Delicious Antique Whore - (1994) - short fiction by W. H. Pugmire
• Triptych di Amore - (1994) - novelette by Thomas F. Monteleone
• Queen of the Night - (1994) - short story by Gene Wolfe
• The Marriage - (1994) - short story by Melanie Tem and Steve Rasnic Tem
• In This Soul of a Woman - (1994) - short story by Charles de Lint
• The Alchemy of the Throat - (1994) - novelette by Brian Hodge
• Love Me Forever - (1994) - short story by Mike Baker
• --And the Horses Hiss at Midnight - (1994) - short story by A. R. Morlan
• Elixir - (1994) - short story by Elizabeth Engstrom
• The Gift of Neptune - (1994) - short story by Danielle Willis
• From Hunger - (1994) - short story by Wayne Allen Sallee
• A Slow Red Whisper of Sand - (1994) - novelette by Robert Devereaux

A second helping of blood and passion...

Acclaimed dark fantasist Poppy Z. Brite's previous excursion into the nightmare realm of terrifying sensuality offered readers a sumptuous blood feast of unspeakable pleasures. Now she has done it again, serving up more provocative tales from some of the most inventive and accomplished writers in the field -- an unabashed exploration of shadow places and terrible hungers that's more dangerously seductive, more boldly erotic than the first.

If you found Love in Vein disturbingly dark, unsettlingly seductive, and deliciously carnal -- you're going to adore Twice Bitten: Love in Vein II. But be warned. It may be more than you can handle. It may open doors into the darkest corners of your unspoken fears. And it may be exactly what you've been secretly lusting for.

Table of Contents:

• Snow, Glass, Apples - (1995) - short story by Neil Gaiman
• Bela's Plot - (1997) - short story by Caitlín R. Kiernan
• Armies of the Heart - (1997) - short story by Christopher Fowler
• Whispers in Walled Tombs - (1997) - short story by O'Neil De Noux
• Ceilings and Sky - (1997) - short story by Lucy Taylor
• The Fly Room - (1997) - novelette by Thom Metzger
• The Subtle Ties That Bind - (1997) - short story by David Niall Wilson
• When Memory Fails - (1997) - novelette by Roberta Lannes
• The I of the Eye of the Worm - (1997) - short story by Janet Berliner and George Guthridge
• Stigmata - (1997) - short story by Jean-Daniel Brèque (trans. of Stigmates)
• The Dripping of Sundered Wineskins - (1997) - novella by Brian Hodge
• I'm Not Well, But I'm Better - (1997) - short story by Pat Califia
• Kingyo no fun - (1997) - novelette by Nicholas Royle
• First Date - (1997) - novelette by Richard Laymon
• To Have You with Me - (1997) - short story by Randy Fox
• Dusting the Flowers - (1997) - novelette by David J. Schow
• Bloodlight - (1997) - short story by Stephen Mark Rainey
• The Privilege of the Dead - (1997) - short story by Thomas S. Roche

At the heart of Known Space lies mystery: How did so anarchic and violent a species as the Kzin ever learn to cooperate sufficiently to develop the technology to conquer an interstellar empire? The answer to this and other questions have been hinted at before, but now Gregory Benford, a renowned high-energy physicist, and molecular biologist Mark O. Martin bring their formidable talents and extraordinarily broad range of expertise to bear on all the mysteries of Known Space.

This novelette originally appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, June 2016. It can also be found in the anthology The Year's Best Science Fiction: Thirty-Fourth Annual Collection (2017), edited by Gardner Dozois.

This short story originally appeared in the anthology Analog Science Fiction and Fact, January-February 2017. It can also be found in the anthology The Year's Best Science Fiction: Thirty-Fifth Annual Collection (2018).

Martin Hench is 67 years old, single, and successful in a career stretching back to the beginnings of Silicon Valley. He lives and roams California in a very comfortable fully-furnished touring bus, The Unsalted Hash, that he bought years ago from a fading rock star. He knows his way around good food and fine drink. He likes intelligent women, and they like him back often enough.

Martin is a?contain your excitement?self-employed forensic accountant, a veteran of the long guerilla war between people who want to hide money, and people who want to find it. He knows computer hardware and software alike, including the ins and outs of high-end databases and the kinds of spreadsheets that are designed to conceal rather than reveal. He's as comfortable with social media as people a quarter his age, and he's a world-level expert on the kind of international money-laundering and shell-company chicanery used by Fortune 500 companies, mid-divorce billionaires, and international drug gangs alike. He also knows the Valley like the back of his hand, all the secret histories of charismatic company founders and Sand Hill Road VCs. Because he was there at all the beginnings. He's not famous, except to the people who matter. He's made some pretty powerful people happy in his time, and he's been paid pretty well. It's been a good life.

Now he's been roped into a job that's more dangerous than anything he's ever agreed to before?and it will take every ounce of his skill to get out alive.

The year is 2006. Martin Hench is at the top of his game as a self-employed forensic accountant, a veteran of the long guerrilla war between people who want to hide money, and people who want to find it. He spends his downtime on Catalina Island, where scenic, imported bison wander the bluffs and frozen, reheated fast food burgers cost 25$. Wait, what? When Marty disrupts a seemingly innocuous scheme during a vacation on Catalina Island, he has no idea he's kicked off a chain of events that will overtake the next decade of his life.

Martin has made his most dangerous mistake yet: trespassed into the playgrounds of the ultra-wealthy and spoiled their fun. To them, money is a tool, a game, and a way to keep score, and they've found their newest mark--California's Department of Corrections. Secure in the knowledge that they're living behind far too many firewalls of shell companies and investors ever to be identified, they are interested not in the lives they ruin, but only in how much money they can extract from the government and the hundreds of thousands of prisoners they have at their mercy.

A team of superhuman covert operatives emerges from the ashes of World War II in a Cold War-era paranormal espionage thriller from acclaimed genre-bender Michael J. Martinez.

It is a new world, stunned by the horrors that linger in the aftermath of total war. The United States and Soviet Union are squaring off in a different kind of conflict, one that's fought in the shadows, where there are whispers of strange and mysterious developments...

Normal people across the United States have inexplicably gained paranormal abilities. A factory worker can heal the sick and injured. A schoolteacher bends emotions to her will. A car salesman alters matter with a simple touch. A former soldier speaks to the dying and gains their memories as they pass on.

They are the Variants, controlled by a secret government program called MAJESTIC-12 to open a new front in the Cold War.

From the deserts of Nevada to the palaces of Istanbul, the halls of power in Washington to the dark, oppressive streets of Prague, the Variants are thrown into a deadly game of shifting alliances. Amidst the seedy underbelly of nations, these once-ordinary Americans dropped in extraordinary circumstances will struggle to come to terms with their abilities as they fight to carve out a place for themselves in a world that may ultimately turn against them.

And as the MAJESTIC-12 program will soon discover, there are others out there like them, some with far more malevolent goals.

It's 1949, and the Cold War is heating up across the world. For the United States, the key to winning might be Variants -- once ordinary US citizens, now imbued with strange paranormal abilities and corralled into covert service by the government's top secret MAJESTIC-12 program.

Some Variants are testing the murky international waters in Syria, while others are back at home, fighting to stay ahead of a political power struggle in Washington. And back at Area 51, the operation's headquarters, the next wave of recruits is anxiously awaiting their first mission. All the while, dangerous figures flit among the shadows and it's unclear whether they are threatening to expose the Variants for what they are... or to completely destroy them. Are they working for the Soviet Union, or something far worse?

Josef Stalin is dead. In the aftermath, the Soviet Union is thrown into crisis, giving former secret police chief Laverentiy Beria exactly the opening he needs. Beria's plan is to secretly place his country's Variants--ordinary people mysteriously embued with strange, superhuman powers--into the very highest levels of leadership, where he can use them to stage a government coup and seize control of the USSR.

America's response comes from its intelligence communities, including the American Variants recruited for the top-secret MAJESTIC-12 program, who are suddenly thrown into their most dangerous and important assignment yet. From the halls of the Kremlin to the battlefields of Korea, superpowered covert agents face off to determine the future of the planet--a future their very existence may ultimately threaten.