Bewildering Stories’
Fourth Quarterly Review, 2015
Year 14 of Bewildering Stories
The Editors’ Choices: issues 637-648
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 — fall or spring, depending on your hemisphere — with the Review Editors’ selection of favorites from the fourth 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?”
As always, the Review Board’s discussions have been extensive and lively. A big Thank You to Edward Ahern, Bill Bowler, Gary Clifton, Charles C. Cole, Gary Inbinder, Bill Kowaleski, 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. 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.
Our special editors also deserve a vote of thanks: Coordinating Editor Bill Bowler, Flash Fiction Editor Charles C. Cole, and Poetry Editor John Stocks. They provide the kind of personal touch Bewildering Stories takes pride in, and they make the administrative work not only easier but possible.
The Quarterly News
In the past 12 weeks, the Review Editors cast 762 votes on 86 titles, 38 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 Merit is a special acknowledgment to our contributors. It’s a kind of “surprise package” that links to the most highly rated works in this Quarterly Review.
We resume regular publication with issue 649 on January 4, 2016.
| Titles selected of titles eligible | |||||
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Novels Novellas Serials |
2 of 4 |
Short Stories Flash Fiction Drama |
17 of 34 4 of 8 3 of 3 |
Poetry Short Poetry Essays & Memoirs |
6 of 18 6 of 19 |
- 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.
|
Serials Chris Capps, Hands from the SkyBill Prindle, Mr. Beelzy’s Trick Short Stories Bryan Brown, Celeste’s SecretDenis Bushlatov, Safe Haven Gary Clifton
On Frailty's Honor
Elena Croitoru, When the World's Echoes StoppedTrash and Deathburgers Officer Rosie and the Mindburner Champion of the Batonians Walter Giersbach, Truth and Consequences Elana Gomel, White, Green and Gold Cathrin Hagey, Baug's Hollow Casey E. Hamilton, Plenty of Fish Ásgrímur Hartmannsson, Scheduled for Demolition Rick Jankowski, Switching Sides Bill Kowaleski Ludmila Sharga, Angel at My Calling Henry F. Tonn, Legs to Die For Flash Fiction Gary Clifton, The Casa Loma PlayersCharles C. Cole, Near Isleboro Mike Duran, Ron Van Sweringen, Clyde Morrison’s Secret Drama Charles C. Cole Thomas L. J. Smith, Your WitnessPoetry Mike Acker, Sharp EdgesAndrew Bowen, Chinese Zodiac Channie Greenberg, Abandoned in an Insane Asylum Richard King Perkins, II, Voices from the Refrigerator Anna Ruiz, In New Zealand Laura Grace Weldon, Fresh Each Day Short Poetry Mike Acker, AlanEdward Ahern Gary Inbinder, De Bevitate Vitae Carmen Ruggero, My Home Is Ready Marjorie Sadin, Holding the Sky |
Departments Selections are listed in chronological order. Challenges Down to the SeaReady and Waiting Year of the Double Deal Smoke That Ghostly Cigarette Truth-Tied Breaking Orbit Horndogs in Space Discussions PosthumanismWhat Shall We Say? Poison Pill Lurking at the World Fantasy Conference What is the “Seventh” Ennead? Floozman’s Seven Joe Dasein’s Quest Reading Floozman in Space The Floozman Discussion 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. Ten 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.
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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. 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
Drama
Poetry
Short Poetry
The Orion Arm |
