Every year, the members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America vote on the best stories from that year; an anthology is then edited, featuring the nominated short stories and novelettes, as well as excerpts from the longer works. The Nebula Awards Showcase 2015 begins with an introduction from editor Greg Bear, followed by the contenders for each category on the Nebula ballot. Short story winner "If You Were a Dinosaur, My Love," by Rachel Swirsky, is a veritable kick in the heart. It leads the way by thematic example through the rest of the nominees and winners, including the amazing novel Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie.
The stories reflect a wistful, longing, poignant view of what it means to be human. The mother in "Alive, Alive Oh" by Sylvia Spruck Wrigley is trapped on a toxic planet, far from Earth, never allowed to return. She must hide her own grief to help raise a daughter who is perhaps a little too fearless. "In Joy, Knowing the Abyss Behind," a novelette finalist by Sarah Pinsker, fairly oozes loss and a considerable amount of bittersweet melancholy when an old woman discovers the truth her husband of decades has been hiding from his family to keep them safe.
This is a fantastic selection of stories that represent the best of the genre by writers both new and old--each a master of the craft. --Rob LeFebvre, freelance writer and editor