The Year's Best Science Fiction : Tenth Annual Collection

THEYEAR'S BESTSCIENCE FICTION TENTH ANNUAL COLLECTION

ALSO BY GARDNER DOZO$ Anthologies A Day in the Life AnotherWorld BestScienceFiction Storiesof the Year, Sixth Annual Collection BestScienceFictionStoriesof the Year,SeventhAnnualCollection BestScienceFictionStoriesof the Year,Eighth AnnualCollection FictionStoriesof theYear,Ninth AnnualCollection BestScience FictionStoriesof the Year,Tenth AnnualCollection BestScience ScienceFictionMagazine The Bestof lsaacAsimov's Asimoy'sScienceFictionMagazine lsaac Time-Travellers from ScienceFictionMagazine Talesfrom IsaacAsimov's Transcendental IsaacAsimov'sSF Life IsaacAsimov'sPlanet Earth (with SheilaWilliams) lsaac Asimov'sRobofs(with Sheila Williams) The Year's BestScienceFiction, First Annual Collection The Year'sBest ScienceFiction, SecondAnnual Collection The Year'sBest ScienceFiction, Third Annual Collection TheYear's Best ScienceFiction, Fourth Annual Collection TheYeais Besf scienceFiction, Fifth Annual collection The Year'sBesf ScienceFiction, Sixth Annual Collection TheYear's Best ScienceFiction, SeventhAnnual Collection The Year'sBest ScienceFiction, Eighth Annual Collection TheYeafs Best scienceFiction, Ninth Annual collection Future Earths: L|nder African Sfties(with Mike Reslick) Future Earths: Under Soufft American Sfties(with Mike Resnick) (wit[ ]ack Da11) Future Power(with fack Danp) Sorcerers! Demons!(with fack Dann) Aliens!(with JackDann) Dogtales!(with |ack Daln) I)nicorns! (with JackDanl) Rtpper! (with Susal Casper) (with Darur) Magicats! fack (with fack Dann) Seaserpents! Danr-r) (with 2 Migicats fack (with Dinosaurs! (with Dann) fack Dann) Bestiary! fack (with People! Little Danl) (with fack Daln) Mermaidsl fack

IsaacAsimov's Aliens lsaac Asimov'sMars

Fictiort Strangers The Yisible Man (collection) Nightmare B/ue (with George Alec Effinger) S/Jw Dancing ThroughTime (with JackDann, Michael Swanwick, SusanCasperand lack C. HaldenranII) The Peacemaker G eodesicDreams (collection) Nonfiction The Fiction of lames TiPtree, lr'

THEYEARS BESTSCIENCE FICTION TENTH ANNUAL COLLECTION

GardnerDozois,Editor

ST.MARTIN'SPRESS

NEWYORK

For my ClarionWestClasses, the Classof 19BB and the C/assof 1992.

CopyrightO I99l by GardnerDozois. coLLECrIoN. ANNUAL FrcrroN:TENTH scrENcE BEST THEynAR'S Printedin the United Statesof America.No part of this bookmay be usedor All rightsreserved. exceptin the caseof briefquotawithoutwrittenpermission ,.prJ,r".d in any mannerwhatsoever St. Martin'sPress,175Fifth address information, For or reviews. articles in critical tionsembodied Avenue,New York,N.Y. 10010. CatalogCard Number:85-645716 Libraryof Congress ISSN:0743-1740 FirstEdition:fune 1993 10987654)2r -8 0-i lZ-0917+ Paperback -X Hardcover0-3lZ-09427

Acknowledgment is madefor permission to print the followingmaterial: "Criffin'sEgg,"by MichaelSwanwick.Copyright@ 1990by MichaelSwanwick.Firstpublishedin GreatBritainin l99l by RandomCenturyCroup. Reprintedby permission of RandomHouseUK Limited and St. Martin'sPress. "Eventhe Queen,"by ConnieWillis. Copyright@ 1992by DavisPublications, Inc. Firstpublished in lsaacAsimov'sScienceFiction Magazine,April 1992.Reprintedby permissionof the author. "The Round-Eyed Barbarians," by L. Sprague deCamp.CopyrightCI 1992by L. Sprague deCamp. Firstpublishedin AmazingStories,fanuary1992.Reprintedby permission of the author. "Dust," by Greg Egan. Copyright@ 1992by DavisPublications,Inc. First publishedin lsaac Asimov'sScienceFictionMagazine,fuly 1992.Reprintedby permission of the author. "Two GuysfromtheFuture,"byTerryBisson.CopyrightO 1992byOmni Publications International Ltd. Firstpublishedin Omni, August1992.Reprinted by permission of the authorandthe author's agent,SusanAnn Protter. "The Mountainto Mohammed,"by NancyKress.Copyright@ 1992byDavisPublications, Inc. Firstpublishedin IsaccAsimov's Science FictionMagazine,April 1992.Reprintedby permission of the author. "The Comingof Vertumnus,"by lan Watson.CopyrightO 1992by lnterzone.Firstpublishedin lnterzone,February1992.Reprintedby permission of the autl-ror. "A Long Night'sVigil at the Temple," by RobertSilverberg. Copyright@ l99Z by Agberg,Ltd. Firstpubfishedin AfterThe King(Tor). Reprintedby permission of the author. "The Hammerof Cod," byArthurC. Clarke.Copyright@ 1992byArthurC. Clarke.Firstpublished in Time,Fall 1992.Reprintedby permission of theauthor'sagents,ScottMeredithLiteraryAgency, Inc., 845Third Avenue,New York,N.Y. 10022. "Crownups,"by lan R. Macleod. Copyright@ 1992by DavisPublications, Inc. Firstpublishedin lsaacAsimov's Science FictionMagazine,f une 1992.Reprintedby permissiolof the ,uiho, andthe author'sagents,OwlswickLiteraryAgency. "Graves,"by foe Haldernan.Copyrighto 1992by MercuryPress,Inc. First publish ed in The Magazineof Fantasy& ScienceFiction,October/November 1992.Reprintedby permission of the author. "The Glowing Cloud," by StevenUtley. Copyright@ 1992by Davis Publications, Inc. First publishedin lsaacAsimov'sScience FictionMagazine,fanuary1992.Repriptedby permissionof the author. "Gravity's Angel," by Tom Maddox. Copyright @ 1992 by Omni Publicatio's I'ternational Ltd. First published in Omni, November 1992. Reprint d by permission of the author. "Protection," by Maureen F. McHugh. Copyright @ 1992by Davis Publications, Inc. First published in Isaac Asimov's ScienceFiction Magazine, April 1992. Reprinted by permissiop of the author. "The ["ast Cardinal Bird in Tennessee,"by Neal Barrett, fr. Copyright O 1990 by Artists Writing For Film, Ltd. First published in Slightty OffCenter (Swan Press),October 1992. Reprinted by permission of the author. "Birth Day," by Robert Reed. Copyright @ 1992 by Mercury Press, I1c. First publishedinThe Magazine of Fantasy & ScienceFiction, fune 1992.

"NamingNames,"by PatCadigan.CopyrightO 1992by PatCadigan.Firstpublishedirr Narrow of the author. by permissiorr House(Little, BrownUK).Reprinted "The Elvis NationalTheaterof Okinawa,"by |onathanLethemand Lukasfaeger.Copyright@ by in In Dreams(Gollancz).Reprinted 1992byfonathanlethem and Lukas]aeger.Firstprrblished permission of the authors. ,,TheTerritoryi'by BradleyDenton.CopyrightO 1992by MercuryPress,Itrc. Firstpublishedin of the author' Fiction,)uly 1992.Reprintedby pen-nission TheMagazineof Fantasy& Science "The Bestand the Restof famesfoyce,"by lan McDonald.Copyright@ 1992by lnterzone.First of the author. publishedin lnterzone,April 1992.Reprintedby permission ,,Namingthe Flowers,"by KateWilhelm. CopyrightO 1992by KateWilhelm. Firstpublishedby of the author. AxolotlPress.Reprintedby permission ,,Srodgrass," by lan R. Macleod. CopyrightO 1992by lan R. Macleod. First publishedin In OwlswickLiterary of theauthorandtheattthor'sageuts, by permissiorr Dreair(Collancz).Reprinted Agency. ,,Bythe Mirror of My Youth," by KatheKoja. Copyright@)l99Z by RobertSilverberg and Karen and the author of the pernrission by (Bantanr). Reprinted 2 Haber. First publis6edin llniverse 10022' author'sageni,ScottMeredithLitcraryAgency,Inc., 845Third Avenuc,New York,N'Y' ,.out'urnberirg the Dead,"by FrederikPohl.Copyright@ 1990by FrederikPohl. Firstpublished of RandomHouse i' GreatBritainin l99l by RandomCenturyGroup. Reprintedby pernrission UK Limitedand St. Martin'sPress.

CONTENTS

lx

Acknowledgments Summation: 1992

xi I

Michael Swanwick

GntpprN'sEcc

Connie Willis EvnN run QunnN L. Spraguede Camp THe RouND-EyEDBensenhNs Dusr

Greg Egan Terry Bisson

Two Guvs FRoMTHE FuruRE Tue MoUNTAINro MoUIMMED

Nancy Kress Ian Watson

THs CoN,rrNcoF VuRruN,INus

A [,oNc Ntcst's Vtcu- AT THE TnN{pt-s

Arthur C. Clarke

THE HeN,runnor Goo GnowNups

Robert Silverberg

Ian R. Macleod

Gnavss foe Haldeman THn GlowrNG CLoUD Steven Utley Gnevrrv's ANcm Pnorncrlox

Tom Maddox

Maureen F. McHugh

Tun Lesr CenplNel Brno lN TeNNnsssn Bmru Dev

Neal Barrett, ]r.

Robert Reed

Neurruc Neuns

Pat Cadigan

THn Ervrs NerroNel THserER oF Oxmewe Bradley Denton

THn Bssr ANDrHE RBsr or Jaues Jovcn NeurNc rHB Fr-ownns Kate Wilhelm SNoocness lan R. MacLeod By rsa Mrnnon op My YourH OurNuunERrNc rse Deeo Honorable Mentions

lan McDonald

Kathe Koia

Frederik Pohl

r27 r37 175 195 205 738 245 296 312 7+6 357 ]67

fonathan Lethem

and Lukas faeger THs TnnnIToRY

67. 76 87 ll3

390 394 432 4+8 +91 5 tI 519 583

[-

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The editorwouldlike to thankthe follorvingpeoplefor theirhelpandsupport: firstand foremost,SusanCasper,for doingrnu.h of the thankjess scuf*ork involvedin producingthisanthology;MichaelSwanwick ,lanetKagan,Ellen Datlow, Virginia Kidd, Sheila Williams, Ian Randal'Strock,"Scott L. Towner, Tina Lee, D:vid ?ringle, KristineKathrynRusch,Dean Wesley Smith, Pat cadigan, David S. Garnett,charles c. Ryan, chuq von Rospach, SusanAllison, Ginjer Buchanan,Lou Aronica,BetsyMitchell, Beth Meacham,claire Eddy, David G. Hartwell, Bob walters, TessKissinger, Jim Frenkel,Greg Egan, stevePasechnick, SusanAnn protter,Lawrence Person,Dwight Brown, Chris Reed,Dirk Strasser, Michael Sumbera,Glen Cox, Darrell Schweitzer,Don Keller, RobertKillheffer, Greg Cox, and specialthanksto my own editor,Gordon Van Gelder. Tlrarrls are also due to CharlesN. Brown, whose magazineLocus(Locus Publications, P.o. Box 13305,oakland, cA 9466t, $s"o.oofor a one-year subscription via firstclassmail, $1g.00secondclas) *r, us.d ,, ltwelve_issues] a referencesourcethroughoutthe Summation,and to Andrewporter,whose magazine ScienceFictionChronicle(Science FictionChronicle,P.O. BoxZ730, Blooklyn,NY I 1202-0056,$30.00for a one-yearsubscription itr.lu. isues]; $36.00first class)wasalsousedas a referencesourcethroughout.

SUMMATION: 1992

This was a low-key, low-energyyear,for the most part, a recessionyear with a siegementality firmly in place, gray, grim, unsnriling-and yet, it seemsto me that many people were a little more gloomy and pessimisticthan was actually justified by the year'sevents. Yes, things of ill olnen happened in 1992-there were major corporate shakeupsand cutbacksat Bantam and at PulphousePublishing, for instance, with unadmittedbuying slowdownsor freezesclearlyin placeat other publishing houses,and there may be worse to come. Some book editor, *.r. firecl, oI participatedin the usual game of Editorial Musical Chairs, with former Roc editor John Silbersackmoving to Wanrer, for instance,former Wanrer editor BriarrThomsen moving to TSR, former BantameditorArny Stoutgoing to Roc, and former Ace editor PeterHeck going from Ace back to editinglhe Waldelbooks SF newsletter.For the first tinre in severalyears,the overall pumber of booksin the relatedSF/fantasy/horror genresdid not increase,and even bega' io creep back a little. Money was generallytight this year, and maly mid-list writers were forced to takepart-time or full-time jobs-if they could fi1d themin order to make ends meet. Fewer writersand editorswent to corrventionsarrd professional gatherings,aud when they did go, they werc more likely to spc'cl tSeir time glumly sitting around discussinghow depressing everythingwas. And yet, certainly things could have been a lot worse.The American SF publishing industry l-rasyet to be hit with thc kind of really najor aud crippli'g collapsethat afflictedBritish SF publishingin l99l (although,of coursc,it coularcu'itlr tlte fcarsotttcrerllitr'. 'Iwo minutes after it had slicedinto thc atrnosltltcrc,Kali rccrrtcrcclspacc. lts closestapproachto Earth had been 60 krtr [n that tno trtirttrtcs.it took 100, 000liv es a n d d i d $ l tri l l i o n w o rth o f c l arn:tqc' Goliath had been protcctedfrom thc fircball l>r'tlrc tttitssivcslricld of Kali harrllcsslv ovcrltcrrcl.BUt ihelf; the sheetsof incandescentplasma strcarirccl of ai r at tttttrctl rarrl (X )ti nrcs d to E a rth ' sb l a rrkct when t he as t e ro i ds r-n a s h ei n sw rftl r i o l l rc. 10. 2L) tttotttrtcd t 6e s peedof s o u n d , th c c o l o s s adl ra g fo rc c s nrachittcsor fleslr tlrat arrvthirrg grauiiies-and peakedat a level far ber,oncl could withstand. Now ildeed Kali's orbit had been clrasticrllvcltangccl;rrc\,'cragairrwrltrlcl it conre near Earth. On its next retunr to tlrc irurcr solar svstcrrr,thc su'iftcr arrcl