Bewildering Stories’
Second Quarterly Review, 2017
Year 15 of Bewildering Stories
The Editors’ Choices in issues 708-718
Lighthouse |
The Quarterly and Annual Reviews and Bewildering Stories itself
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 — spring or fall, depending on your hemisphere — with the Review Editors’ selection of favorites from the second quarter of 2017. 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 are your favorites? 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, Ada Fetters, Gary Inbinder, Bill Kowaleski, Marina J. Neary, John Stocks and Lewayne L. White.
At Bewildering Stories, nothing 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 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 Editors Edward Ahern, Ada Fetters, and Bill Kowaleski; Flash Fiction and Drama editor Charles C. Cole; Poetry editor John Stocks; and Reviews editor Alison McBain. 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 11 weeks, the Review Editors cast 747 votes on 76 titles, 34 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 719 on June 26, 2017.
| Titles selected of titles eligible | |||||
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Novels Novellas Serials |
1 of 1 1 of 2 |
Short Stories Flash Fiction Drama |
12 of 29 6 of 8 |
Poetry Short Poetry Essays & Memoirs |
3 of 7 11 of 29 |
- Serialized works are eligible only in the quarter in which they conclude.
- All selections are listed in alphabetical order by author unless noted otherwise.
- Multiple titles are listed in chronological order.
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Novellas Bill Prindle, Somewhere Beyond the SeaSerials Joseph McKinley, Perfect Wisdom Berry BlastShort Stories Gary Clifton Rob Dinsmoor, The World in Gunnar’s BarnPatrick Doerksen, There Will Be No Puppy Ásgrímur Hartmannsson, The Incredible Machine K. A. Mansi, Luzvaminda Stuart North, Under the Shell Hannah Spencer, Dolly Mira Spindler, Old Pointy Bones and Big Ears John Van Allen, The Fates of Atomic Zombies Joseph Waugh, The Soon and Ending Nights Simon Willams, The Gentle Decay of the Past Flash Fiction Edward Ahern, EmbersRaluca Balasa, The First Kill Gary Clifton Charles C. Cole Poetry Stephen Ellams, Grassed-Over HistoriesOonah V. Joslin, Do Not Hurry, Do Not Rest Sarah Ann Watts, Attrition Short Poetry Edward Ahern, A Movement in the ShadowsShola Balogun Allison Grayhurst Karin S. Heigl, River Glow Oonah V. Joslin, Not for the Weak Ronald Linson, Psychotherapy for the Uploaded Denny Marshall, Space Cloth |
Departments Book Reviews Challenges The Power of Suggestion Discussions Chapters or Parts? 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. All but three 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 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 Index and 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. Double listings are ties.
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