Bewildering Stories’
Second Quarterly Review, 2014
The Editors’ Choices: issues 566-577
The Quarterly and Annual Reviews are like lighthouses on the chaotic sea of the Internet.
They signal not danger but “Good landfall” and “Safe harbor.” Welcome ashore!
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Everything in green is a link. |
Bewildering Stories ends the season — spring or fall, depending on your hemisphere — with the Review Editors’ selection of favorites from the Second Quarter of 2014. New readers will have easy access to the recent best of Bewildering Stories, and veteran readers will have a chance to catch up on anything they may have missed.
The Quarterly Reviews are not a contest, competition or poll. And there are no quotas: anything — from everything to nothing — may qualify in any genre. Rather, they answer a practical question: “If a friend asked you to recommend something special from the past quarter of Bewildering Stories, what would you choose?”
As always, the Review Board’s discussions have been extensive and lively. A big Thank You to Bill Bowler, Charles C. Cole, Bertil Falk, Heather J. Frederick, Gary Inbinder, Michael E. Lloyd, Marina J. Neary, Carmen Ruggero, John Stocks and Lewayne L. White.
At Bewildering Stories, no one is the proverbial tree falling unheard in a forest. All contributors know that real people have given their works a thoughtful reading, regardless whether we send regrets or they quaify for the Mariner Awards.
The Review Editors and Associate Editors — our review readers — have functions that are entirely different but equally important. The Review Editors determine how Bewildering Stories shall carry its flag. The Associate Editors enable us to converse with our contributors. They determine what Bewildering Stories shall be.
For that reason we also express special gratitude to our Coordinating Editor Bill Bowler and the Associate Editors. Their insightful and detailed critiques of submissions help us set what we like to think is an Internet standard for editorial practice and for service to our contributors and readers.
The Quarterly News
In the past 12 weeks, the Review Editors cast 718 votes on 85 titles, 33 of which have qualified as Editors’ Choices. We congratulate the authors represented here. We hope they will inspire all our contributors.
We think our Review Editors reflect the range of opinion to be found among our readers. The Order of the Hot Potato remains as lively as ever, with 13 titles. The Order of Merit is continued for reader interest and as a special acknowledgment to our contributors. It links to the most highly rated works in genres represented by more than one title in this Quarterly Review.
Bewildering Stories begins its 13th year of publication with issue 578 on June 30, 2014.
| Titles selected of titles eligible | |||
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Novels Serials Short Stories Flash Fiction |
1 of 1 2 of 3 10 of 38 5 of 13 |
Poetry Short Poetry Essays & Memoirs |
9 of 14 3 of 12 3 of 4 |
- All selections are listed in alphabetical order by author unless noted otherwise.
- Multiple titles are listed in chronological order.
- Italicized titles indicate collections or the presence of chapter, episode or poem subtitles.
- All serialized works must have concluded in or before the last issue of the quarter in order to be eligible.
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Novels Sherman Smith, Two Blind Men and a FoolSerials Bertil Falk, The Number of the KillerDanielle L. Parker, The Deathless Hand Short Stories Kalliroe Agelopoulou, When Cars Grew TallerGary Clifton, The Never Index Edward H. Garcia, The Right Hand Eric J. Guignard, Living in the Moment Prashila Naik, Portrait of My Youth James Shaffer, The Sandman’s Dream Simon Smith, A Short, Happy Life Hannah Spencer, The Watchers in the Hills Mia Tijam, What the Children of Muerta Caxerex Say Kelly Zientek-Baker, The Thirteenth Door Flash Fiction Charles C. Cole JD DeHart, BegetsPoetry Bill Bowler, The History of the Last Five SecondsJohn Grey, Space Turbulence Oonah V. Joslin, Our Daily Breed Cristina-Monica Moldoveanu, Did I Love Too Much? John Stocks P. K. Vijayan, The Bastards Visalakshi Viswanathan Short Poetry Zane Blom, John Harris, HustlerCristina-Monica Moldoveanu, The Old Man Thomas F. Wylie, The Empty Seat Essays and Memoirs Charles C. Cole, A Portable ChildhoodBoris Kokotov, Poetry Reading at a Local Library Thomas Lee Joseph Smith, Bin There, Dumb That |
Departments Selections are listed in chronological order. Reviews and Interviews are indexed separately. Discussions and Editorials The Chips Are Up: Technology in Science FictionFilm Cartoon Culture in the Pre- and Post-War Eras with Sherman Smith What the Heck Do Editors Really Want? with Harry Lang Friends on the Net The Year Civilization Collapsed Challenge Responses Reading Poetry with Boris KokotovThem Stones, Them Stones... with J. J. Roth Space and or Time Cultural and Historical Realism with Sherman Smith Disability and Comedy with Sherman Smith Run or Roll? Auto-Mate and Habit with Bertrand Cayzac Challenges Live LetterBeware of Improvements Off the House Drive-Through or Drive-By? Suggest a Revelation Real Reality? Penal Colonies Apocalypses Then and Now The Order of the Hot Potato Here are the most controversial works of the quarter, the ones on which the Review Editors’ opinions diverged significantly for one reason or another. The titles are listed in descending order with the most controversial first. Five of the titles appear among the Editors’ Choices. Challenge to the readers: why might these 13 titles be on the list?
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The Order of Merit Here are links to the top winners, the most highly rated works in each genre represented by more than one title in this Quarterly Review. The categories are listed according to their normal order in the Readers’ Guide. Ties are listed in chronological order. In keeping with Bewildering Stories’ astronomical motif, the winners are indicated by the names of space telescopes. The most highly rated title in the quarter is indicated by the name of an arm of the Galaxy. |
Serials
Short Stories
Flash Fiction
Poetry
Short Poetry
Essays & Memoirs
The Perseus Arm |
Available at Bewildering Press
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Jack Alcott, Grim Legion Sam Ivey, Gilboy’s Quest Martin Kerharo, The Dohani War Harry Lang, The Mountains of the Eldritch Sea Danielle L. Parker, In a Pig’s Eye Slawomir Rapala, Aezubah, the Crimson General Bertrand Cayzac, Floozman in Space |
Michael E. Lloyd, Donna’s Men Michael E. Lloyd, Missing Emilie Michael E. Lloyd, Observation One Michael E. Lloyd, Observation Two Michael E. Lloyd, Observation Three |
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Copyright © June 23, 2014 by Bewildering Stories
