Bewildering Stories’
Third Quarterly Review, 2015
Year 14 of Bewildering Stories
The Editors’ Choices: issues 625-636
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!
Everything in green is a link. A few links are standard (blue, underlined). The genres in the “Titles selected” table are anchor or alert links. Links to pages other than the QR open in a new window; you won‘t lose your place.
Bewildering Stories ends the season — summer or winter, depending on your hemisphere — with the Review Editors’ selection of favorites from the third quarter of 2015. 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 outstanding from the past quarter of Bewildering Stories, what would you choose?”
Richard Ong and starlets
celebrate BwS at FanCon. |
As always, the Review Board’s discussions have been extensive and lively. A big Thank You to Edward Ahern, Bill Bowler, Charles C. Cole, Jo Wharton Heath, Gary Inbinder, 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 qualify 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 and 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 671 votes on 78 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 is as hot as ever, with 12 titles. The Order of Merit is continued for reader interest and as a special acknowledgment to our contributors. It is a kind of “surprise package” that links to the most highly rated works in this Quarterly Review.
We resume regular publication with issue 637 on September 28, 2015.
| Titles selected of titles eligible | |||||
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Novels Novellas Serials |
1 of 1 1 of 1 |
Short Stories Flash Fiction Drama |
11 of 33 2 of 6 3 of 3 |
Poetry Short Poetry Essays & Memoirs |
6 of 15 8 of 18 1 of 1 |
- All selections are listed in alphabetical order by author unless noted otherwise.
- Serialized works are eligible only in the quarter in which they conclude.
- Multiple titles are listed in chronological order.
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Novella James Shaffer, Back to the WorldSerial Channie Greenberg,Short Stories Matthew K. Bernstein, The CollisionGary Clifton, Officer Rosie Ada Fetters, Colorblind Chameleon Daniel Ross Goodman, The End of Days Jill Hand, The Dream Room Gabriela Houston, Before I Was Human T. Kent, The Perfect Match Barbara B. Ristine, The Good Daughter Lilliana Rose, iFarmer Jim Toal, Trim E. H. Young, It Brought the Snow Flash Fiction Charles C. ColeDrama Charles C. ColePoetry David Adès, When the Waves Came Over UsDiana Anderson, Jupiter’s Dream Stephen Ellams, My Faith and Wisdom Hat Bertil Falk, Reading the Rök Stone Matthew Laing, Fire Flight Tendai R. Mwanaka, A Portfolio of Defiance Short Poetry Edward Ahern John Grey, Here's the DealOonah V. Joslin, Meandering in Monet’s Garden Carmen Ruggero, Elation Anna Ruiz, The Museum of Lost Sheep Ron Van Sweringen, When You Come for Me Essay Ásgrímur Hartmannsson, Dog Life |
Departments Selections are listed in chronological order. Challenges
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. Four of the titles appear among the Editors’ Choices. Challenge to the readers: why might any of these titles be on the list? Discussions are welcome and may appear in a future regular issue.
The Order of Merit Here are links to the works that have been nominated as candidates for the 2015 Annual Review. In keeping with Bewildering Stories’ astronomical motif, the winners are indicated by the names of space telescopes. The works are listed in alphabetical order by author.
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