The New York Times Book Review
PRAISE FOR THE NEBULA AWARDS SERIES A good way to take the pulse of modern science fiction.


From Booklist
These Nebula honorees are 1998 publications, but editor Benford is feeling millennial. The twentieth was "The Science Fiction Century," he says in his so-titled introduction addressing the furiously debated question of sf's raison d'etre. Benford has his answer but also presents others' remarks, beginning with those of Jonathan Lethem, whose Motherless Brooklyn, the 1999 Booklist Top of the List adult fiction selection, marks his crossover to mainstream fiction. Lethem mourns that sf's opportunity to enter the mainstream intact was lost in the '70s. Editor-authors Gordon Van Gelder and George Zebrowski rebut Lethem with intelligent variations on "So what?" These pieces, along with David G. Hartwell's on sf publishing, Bill Warren's on sf movies, and William Tenn's amusing Author Emeritus Award acceptance speech, fairly steal the award-winning stories' thunder, and so does the 1946 story reprinted to honor its author, new Grand Master Award winner Hal Clement. Still, the winners--Sheila Finch's "Reading the Bones," Jane Yolen's "Lost Girls," Bruce Holland Rogers' "Thirteen Ways to Water," and Joe Haldeman's Forever Peacearen't bad. Ray Olson


From Kirkus Reviews
paper 0-15-600705-3 The 1998 Nebula Award winners faithfully appear hereBruce Holland Rogers's Best Short Story, ``Thirteen Ways to Water''; Jane Yolen's Best Novelette, ``Lost Girls''; Sheila Finch's Best Novella, ``Reading the Bones''; and an excerpt from Joe Haldeman's Best Novel, Forever Peacetogether with Rhysling Award (poetry) winners John Grey and Laurel Winter, and runner-up yarns from Geoffrey A. Landis, Walter Jon Williams, and Mark J. McGarry. George Zebrowski introduces 1998's Author Emeritus, William Tenn, whose acceptance speech reminds us, often amusingly, of the furious disagreements that have characterized science fiction down the years. Poul Anderson praises Grand Master Award winner Hal Clement, while the latter contributes his story ``Uncommon Sense.'' Elsewhere, nonfictionally, editor Benford (see above) looks back at the science- fictional 20th century. Jonathan Lethem kicks off this year's debate with his complaint that SF lost all hope of claiming literary respectability when in 1973 the SWFA voted Arthur C. Clarke's Rendezvous with Rama Best Novel, rather than Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow. Rejoinders in various hues issue from Gordon van Gelder and George Zebrowskialthough nobody sees fit to remark on this year's Best Novel, where nostalgia beat out one of the finest, most wrenching SF novels ever written, J.R. Dunn's Days of Cain. Rounding out the proceedings, David Hartwell surveys the SF publishing scene, while Bill Warren eyeballs the movies. Invaluable, not just for the splendid fiction and lively nonfiction, but as another annual snapshot, complete with grins and scowls.-- Copyright © 2000 Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.


Book Description
The Nebula Awards are the Academy Awards of science fiction: the finest works in the genre each year as voted by the members of SFWA, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Nebula Awards Showcase 2000 is a thought-provoking and entertaining volume of and about science fiction. Editor Gregory Benford speaks of the interaction between science fiction and science over the past century; editors and authors Jonathan Lethem, Gordon Van Gelder, George Zebrowski, David Hartwell, and Bill Warren discuss-and disagree about-science fiction's place in the larger literary scene; authors William Tenn and Hal Clement are honored; and award-winning stories are presented by Sheila Finch, Jane Yolen, Bruce Holland Rogers, Joe Haldeman (an excerpt from his novel Forever Peace), Geoffrey A. Landis, Walter Jon Williams, and Mark J. McGarry.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The latest edition of the Nebula Awards series, now in its 34th year, edited by Gregory Benford.

The Nebula Awards are the Academy Awards of science fiction: the finest works in the genre each year as voted by the members of SFWA, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Nebula Awards Showcase 2000 is a thought-provoking and entertaining volume of and about science fiction. Editor Gregory Benford speaks of the interaction between science fiction and science over the past century; editors and authors Jonathan Lethem, Gordon Van Gelder, George Zebrowski, David Hartwell, and Bill Warren discuss-and disagree about-science fiction's place in the larger literary scene; authors William Tenn and Hal Clement are honored; and award-winning stories are presented by Sheila Finch, Jane Yolen, Bruce Holland Rogers, Joe Haldeman (an excerpt from his novel Forever Peace), Geoffrey A. Landis, Walter Jon Williams, and Mark J. McGarry.

About the Author:

Gregory Benford is the author of more than a dozen critically acclaimed novels, including the Nebula Award-winning Timescape, which also won a John W. Clark Award. A professor of physics at the University of California at Irvine, Dr. Benford is the recipient of the United Nations Medal in Literature. He lives with his wife in Laguna Beach, California.

FROM THE CRITICS

NY Times Book Review

A good way to take the pulse of modern science fiction.

KLIATT

This compilation includes the 1998 Nebula Award-winning novella, Reading the Bones by Sheila Finch, the novelette "Lost Girls" by Jane Yolen, the short story "Thirteen Ways to Water" by Bruce Holland Rogers, and a novel excerpt, "Forever Peace," by Joe Halderman. It also includes essays discussing SF's literary role, some of the other novelettes and short stories from the final ballot, the Rhysling Award-winning poems, William Tenn's acceptance speech as author emeritus, and one of Hal Clement's early stories (he was the winner of the Grand Master Award). Obviously, some of the best new SF writing is compiled here. The inclusion of the discussion on SF's literary role is unfortunate for teen readers, since it is esoteric, dry, and confusing. The same can be said of Benford's introduction. And, as always, some readers will conclude (as I did) that at least one of the runner-ups was better than the winner. The appended list of past Nebula winners makes a good reading list for teens just getting into KLIATT Codes: JSA—Recommended for junior and senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2000, Harcourt, 288p, 23cm, 83-647399, $14.00. Ages 13 to adult. Reviewer: Sherry S. Hoy; Libn., Tuscarora Jr. H.S., Mifflintown, PA, July 2000 (Vol. 34 No. 4)

Internet Bookwatch