Neil ClarkeThe Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume Two

1. Prodigal (Gord Sellar) Tim gives his dog, Benji, an operation that allows Benji to speak. As Benji's intelligence improves, he and Tim grow further apart in a haunting tale that gives a perspective of the world through the vantage point of a canine.2. The Charge and the Storm (An Owomoyela) Petra is a human accepted into an alien hierarchy that rules the planet. She has the ability to save Nash from being executed as Nash becomes another burden that Petra does not need.3. They Have All One Breath (Karl Bunker) James lives in a world run by omnipresent AI's. He is still coping with his wife, Lisa, leaving him. Through his sadness he creates a work of art.4. Ten Days (Nina Allan) Dora uses a time machine created by a watchmaker to investigate and solve a murder that happened before she was even born.5. And Then, One Day, the Air was Full of Voices (Margaret Ronald) Ma is an esteemed pundit in a world where intelligent life has been found off of Earth. A generational story of mothers and sons trying to find common ground.6. The Three Lives of Sonata James (Lettie Prell) Sonata decided to upload her life to become immortal. The world changes over her long lifetime and 'people' like her become resented. When all seems lost, she is given a second chance.7. Dispatches from the Cradle: The Hermit - Forty-Eight Hours in the Sea of Massachusetts (Ken Liu) Asa gave up her worldly possessions to live off of the grid. With most of the planet now underwater, she invites a journalist to write about her secluded life. The journalist discovers that Asa, as with everyone, is trying to discover who she is.8. Ten Poems for the Mossums One for the Man (Suzanne Palmer) Davin is working for the Project and lives alone on an alien world called Eyke. He is a valued asset as he learns more about Eyke. His loneliness is cured by befriending the Mossums.9. Touring with the Alien (Carolyn Ives Gilman) Avery lands a job transporting a member of an alien race that has landed on Earth. She learns that the aliens desire as much from us as we do from them.10. Terminal (Lavie Tidhar) Mei is part of a caravan of jalopies that are flying away from Earth. The journey to Terminal is so long that many of her caravan will not make it.11. A Good Home (Karin Lowachee) Tawn adopts a wounded war veteran named Mark. The two of them become friends as the world around them has trouble understanding their friendship.12. Sooner or Later Everything Falls into the Sea (Sarah Pinsker) Bay lives alone on an island when Gabby washes up on shore. As they become friends, what has happened to their world is slowly revealed.13. The Visitor from Taured (Ian R. MacLeod) Lita and Rob had a love for books and each other in a world where literature was becoming more and more obsolete.14. The Iron Tactician (Alastair Reynolds) Merlin is alone in his massive spaceship. He finds a damaged ship in the cosmos and rescues a survivor. They try to come to terms with their long histories by helping a planet in the present.15. Astrange Loop (T. R. Napper) Irving continues to erase his past in order to have wealth in his present. He soon loses control and becomes stuck robbing Peter to pay Paul when he is actually both.16. Number Nine Moon (Alex Irvine) Steuby leads a three person team that salvages resources off of Mars. The evacuation of Mars leaves the planet ripe for salvage but more dangerous than ever.17. Parables of Infinity (Robert Reed) No one knows how old the Great Ship is. It seems that many worlds have been cultivated then destroyed since its inception though.18. Night Journey of the Dragon-Horse (Xia Jia) A robotic Dragon-Horse is awakened after a long period of being dormant. A lonely tale as the Dragon-Horse travels through a dying world.19. The Mighty Slinger (Tobias S. Buckell, Karen Lord) The Mighty Slinger is a rock star leading a revolution. He tours then sleeps for decades. When he becomes the leader of the revolution, after being asleep for decades, he is forced to lead while learning what he missed while asleep.20. Things with Beards (Sam J. Miller) MacReady returned from Antarctica as a changed man. Taking place in 1983, Things with Beards seems to be a sequel to 1982's The Thing by John Carpenter.21. Panic City (Madeline Ashby) An automated city protects its human inhabitants. In trying to protect its people, suffering occurs.22. The Metal Demimonde (Nick Wolven) Tipper works for a traveling carnival. She falls for a local boy that uses her to achieve his own selfish quest for retribution.23. Pearl (Aliette de Bodard) Da Trang tries to free himself from feelings of loss by impressing the Empress. He ends up losing more in a sad tale of loneliness.24. Extraction Request (Rich Larson) A military unit is on an alien planet when they discover an aggressive predator. Elliot is the leader and his tortured past becomes another enemy the unit is fighting.25. You Make Pattaya (Rich Larson) Dorian is an ultra-modern scammer who becomes the victim of a scam.26. Higherworks (Gregory Norman Bossert) A spy infiltrates the drug culture to catch a criminal.27. Last Gods (Sam J. Miller) Adze lives in a world ravaged by climate change. She goes on a quest with the deceitful Kelb and meets the last gods.

What happened to short form science fiction over the last decade? Where are the long views and the excitement over science and the far future? Where is the understanding of current science and where that might lead? What you have here is a collection of dysfunctional family dramas set somewhere science fictiony Some have a hint of a good idea but it gets lost in the bickering, self pity and emo angst of lonely outcasts. No excitement, no adventure, no futurism, no intrigue. Most story lines could be set in any time past with different cultures standing in for aliens or AI. One or two serviceable. Boring.

It had been years since I last read sci-fi, and I found that some of it had become more like horror fiction, which I have never enjoyed.

The title says it all. The best ten dollars I ever spent,except on volume one. Lots of great stories. My actual opinion.

Interesting group of stories, certainly had many similar themes just okay reading though. Nothing that grabbed me or held my undivided attention, some stories dragged a bit

Great book great read several different stories all very good

Interesting collection of sci fi stories. As usual with collections like this, some will stand out in memory and others disappoint.

I liked the last story the best. It explored conscious vs subconscious. Not sure I agree that it was feasible but well done.

it pains me to say this but i didn't like any of the stories, by contrast Clarkes previous anthology was fantastic....i'm hesitant now about investing in the the third collection

Some of the stories are extremely weak (admittedly I am a space opera fan) and are more on the fantasy spectrum. Still, quite good.

This book is small encyclopaedia for science fiction. Good job Amazon.

Only few stories are good.

Lovely fat book of interesting modern sci fi short stories and novellas.