Mid-February SF Site
The latest SF Site has been posted. It includes a best books of 2004 list compiled from a poll of SF Site contributors, a Best of 2004 list by Greg L. Johnson, Part 2 of Steven H. Silver's conversation with Susanna Clarke, and lots of reviews, including mine of New Worlds: An Anthology, which was one of the most difficult reviews I've ever written, though I hope it doesn't show too much.
I do wish I'd mentioned Pamela Zoline's story "The Heat Death of the Universe" in the review, because on its own I like a lot of it. It got a bit lost for me within the context of the book, though, because in some ways it's one of those stories that, for me at least, benefits from being surrounded by more traditional, linear stories so that its innovations can stand out as a contrast to the style of writing around them.
Also, I didn't contribute to the best of the year list because I didn't feel that I'd read enough 2004 books to contribute meaningfully. It's quite an interesting list, though, including most of the most-talked-about SF books of the year along with a couple of surprises.
I do wish I'd mentioned Pamela Zoline's story "The Heat Death of the Universe" in the review, because on its own I like a lot of it. It got a bit lost for me within the context of the book, though, because in some ways it's one of those stories that, for me at least, benefits from being surrounded by more traditional, linear stories so that its innovations can stand out as a contrast to the style of writing around them.
Also, I didn't contribute to the best of the year list because I didn't feel that I'd read enough 2004 books to contribute meaningfully. It's quite an interesting list, though, including most of the most-talked-about SF books of the year along with a couple of surprises.