Books:

**** Speculations on Speculation: Theories of Science Fiction (edited by James Gunn and Matthew Candelaria)


Stories:

**** "Blood Dauber" by  Ted Kosmatka and Michael Poore
*** "Where the Time Goes" by Heather Lindsley
*** "Wife-Stealing Time" by R. Garcia y Robertson
**** "Flowers of Asphodel" by Damien Broderick
** "Erosion" by Ian Creasey
***** "Flotsam" by Elissa Malcohn
*** "Zinder" by Tanith Lee
** "Billy and the Wizard" by Terry Bisson
***** "Before My Last Breath" by Robert Reed
***** "The Ghost Hunter's Beautiful Daughter" by Christopher Barzak
***** "Deadly Sins" by Nancy Kress


Quick Takes:

Speculations on Speculation: Theories of Science Fiction (edited by James Gunn and Matthew Candelaria): an excellent collection of essays from the 1970s to the present on the nature and potential of science fiction, covering many of the pivotal voices in the ongoing conversation about the essence of the genre. A great way to get "plugged in" to central ideas in sf criticicm

"Wife-Stealing Time" by R. Garcia y Robertson (Asimov's): another romp across Barsoom with SinBad the sand sailor.

"Flotsam" by Elissa Malcohn (Asimov's): not your average mermaid story, deals with issues of economic and social justice in a fresh way.

"Before My Last Breath" by Robert Reed (Asimov's): splendidly crafted story of aliens who came to Earth in prehistoric times, slicing briefly through the lives of different people.

"The Ghost Hunter's Beautiful Daughter" by Christopher Barzak (Asimov's): beautifully written coming-of-age story


My ratings:
***** excellent: memorable, satisfying, a pleasure to read
**** very good: well written, good read
*** good: readable, engaging, but not very memorable or exciting for me
** sub-par: a rough read, I found it flawed or just uninteresting to me
* huh? someone published this?

My ratings are part objective appraisal of the writing, part unapologetic personal preference (certain subjects and subgenres just don't appeal to me as much as others)