The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Seventh Annual Collection

The thirty-two stories in this collection imaginatively take us far across the universe, into the very core of our beings, to the realm of the gods, and the moment just after now. Included here are the works of masters of the form and of bright new talents, including: John Barnes, Elizabeth Bear, Damien Broderick, Karl Bunker, Paul Cornell, Albert E. Cowdrey, Ian Creasey, Steven Gould, Dominic Green, Nicola Griffith, Alexander Irvine, John Kessel, Ted Kosmatka, Nancy Kress, Jay Lake, Rand B. Lee, Paul McAuley, Ian McDonald, Maureen F. McHugh, Sarah Monette, Michael Poore, Robert Reed, Adam Roberts, Chris Roberson, Mary Rosenblum, Geoff Ryman, Vandana Singh, Bruce Sterling, Lavie Tidhar, James Van Pelt, Jo Walton, Peter Watts, Robert Charles Wilson, and John C. Wright. Supplementing the stories are the editor's insightful summation of the year's events and a lengthy list of honorable mentions, making this book both a valuable resource and the single best place in the universe to find stories that stir the imagination, and the heart. xiii • Summation: 2009 (The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Seventh Annual Collection) • essay by Gardner Dozois1 • Utriusque Cosmi • (2009) • novelette by Robert Charles Wilson18 • A Story, with Beans • [7th Sigma] • (2009) • shortstory by Steven Gould25 • Under the Shouting Sky • (2009) • shortstory by Karl Bunker32 • Events Preceding the Helvetican Renaissance • (2009) • novelette by John Kessel55 • Useless Things • (2009) • shortstory by Maureen F. McHugh68 • Black Swan • (2009) • novelette by Bruce Sterling86 • Crimes and Glory • (2009) • novella by Paul J. McAuley127 • Seventh Fall • (2009) • novelette by Alexander C. Irvine [as by Alexander Irvine ]141 • Butterfly Bomb • (2009) • shortstory by Dominic Green154 • Infinities • (2008) • novelette by Vandana Singh175 • Things Undone • (2009) • novelette by John Barnes205 • On the Human Plan • (2009) • shortstory by Jay Lake213 • The Island • (2009) • novelette by Peter Watts240 • The Integrity of the Chain • (2009) • shortstory by Lavie Tidhar246 • Lion Walk • (2009) • novelette by Mary Rosenblum274 • Escape to Other Worlds with Science Fiction • (2009) • shortstory by Jo Walton282 • Three Leaves of Aloe • (2009) • novelette by Rand B. Lee296 • Mongoose • [Boojum] • (2009) • novelette by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear312 • Paradiso Lost • (2009) • novella by Albert E. Cowdrey353 • It Takes Two • (2009) • novelette by Nicola Griffith377 • Blocked • (2009) • shortstory by Geoff Ryman391 • Solace • (2009) • shortstory by James Van Pelt404 • Act One • (2009) • novella by Nancy Kress441 • Twilight of the Gods • (2009) • novelette by John C. Wright459 • Blood Dauber • (2009) • novelette by Michael Poore and Ted Kosmatka486 • This Wind Blowing, and This Tide • (2009) • novelette by Damien Broderick502 • Hair • (2009) • novelette by Adam Roberts521 • Before My Last Breath • (2009) • shortstory by Robert Reed535 • One of Our Bastards Is Missing • (2009) • novelette by Paul Cornell553 • Edison's Frankenstein • (2009) • novelette by Chris Roberson567 • Erosion • (2009) • shortstory by Ian Creasey577 • Vishnu at the Cat Circus • (2009) • novella by Ian McDonald