First, a few caveats:
1)I might be forgetting something amazing that I loved.
2)As this list should make clear, I read most of my short stories in free venues online BUT
3)I haven't read all the short stories in those venues, and there's lot of other short story venues I haven't read at all this year.
I'm going to give a brief one-sentence summary or comment after each story. So, here they are, in no particular order:
1) "The Personasts: My Journeys Through Soft Evenings and Famous Secrets" by Stephen Marche, Darwin’s Bastards: Astounding Tales from Tomorrow, ed. by Zsuzi Gartner
A mysterious postmodern religion(?) that is utterly compelling, with offbeat but deeply resonant rituals. (Also the only story on this list that appeared in a physical book!)
The antidote to Twilight.
Original, dark take on superheroes. There’ a lot more to the story than that though.
As you can tell, I like Strange Horizons a lot.
Have you read these stories? What did you think? What are your top stories of 2010?
1)I might be forgetting something amazing that I loved.
2)As this list should make clear, I read most of my short stories in free venues online BUT
3)I haven't read all the short stories in those venues, and there's lot of other short story venues I haven't read at all this year.
I'm going to give a brief one-sentence summary or comment after each story. So, here they are, in no particular order:
1) "The Personasts: My Journeys Through Soft Evenings and Famous Secrets" by Stephen Marche, Darwin’s Bastards: Astounding Tales from Tomorrow, ed. by Zsuzi Gartner
A mysterious postmodern religion(?) that is utterly compelling, with offbeat but deeply resonant rituals. (Also the only story on this list that appeared in a physical book!)
De La Rosa is one of my favorite short story writers; her work is wonderfully surreal.
Far future; beautiful imagery; fascinating aliens.
Queer characters; nuanced social commentary; unauthorized copies of computer simulations of dead author.
Reminscent of Kelly Link, I would say, which is one of the highest forms of praise. Also includes queer characters and metafiction, two of my favorite things.
Dark fantasy or post-apocalyptic science fiction? Either way, this is the kind of speculative fiction that feels both anthropological and mythic. Like Ursula K. Le Guin.
The antidote to Twilight.
I’m a sucker for mythic science fiction, and for metafiction, and this story is both, plus elegant prose.
Original, dark take on superheroes. There’ a lot more to the story than that though.
10. Dying on the Elephant Road by Steve Rasnic Tem, Beneath Ceaseless Skies
Funny and strange; feels both classic and innovative.
11. The Guy Who Worked for Money by Benjamin Rosenbaum, Shareable Futures
Pretty much everything Rosenbaum writes is my favorite.
As you can tell, I like Strange Horizons a lot.
Have you read these stories? What did you think? What are your top stories of 2010?
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