My Favorite Science Fiction Story »

What do today's top science fiction writers read--and why? This question was posed to some of the most influential authors in the field today, and this book is their answer. My Favorite Science Fiction Story collects 17 of the most memorable stories in the genre, each one personally selected by a well-known writer, and each prefaced by that writer's explanation of the choice. The book features a smashing sci-fi lineup, including Harry Turtledove, Arthur C. Clarke, Greg Bear, and Robert Silverberg.

VOYA

In this anthology of seventeen short stories chosen by science fiction writers, each story is prefaced by the writer's explanation as to why the story is his or her favorite. Brief biographies of the authors conclude the book. For those unfamiliar with science fiction's history, the copyright dates will come as a surprise; stories included in this anthology date from 1934 to 1980. Many of the stories are not widely known and there are a few gems here, especially among the older stories. The Little Black Bag by C. M. Kornbluth (1950), chosen by Frederik Pohl, is a chilling look at what might happen should medical marvels from the future suddenly appear in current times. The reader travels to Mars and experiences aliens in a whole new way in A Martian Odyssey by Stanley G. Weinbaum. This story, chosen by L. Sprague de Camp, is fresh and exciting today even though it was written in 1934. Lot, written by Ward Moore (1953) and chosen by Connie Willis, tells of a family's flight from Los Angeles in a post-nuclear holocaust United States. A few stories are difficult to understand, such as Day Million by Frederik Pohl and The Mathenauts by Norman Kagan, but overall this anthology offers good, solid stories to science fiction aficionados. Barry N. Malzberg's A Galaxy Called Rome contains strong language and a masturbation scene, making this a book for older, more mature teens. Those interested in science fiction will find some excellent stories in this collection and a bit of science fiction history as well. VOYA Codes: 4Q 2P S A/YA (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult and Young Adult).