Nebula Awards 20


Nebula Awards 20 is an anthology of award winning science fiction short works edited by George Zebrowski. It was first published in hardcover and trade paperback by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich in November 1985.

Summary

The book collects pieces that won or were nominated for the Nebula Awards for novella, novelette and short story for the year 1985 and various nonfiction pieces related to the awards, together with the two Rhysling Award-winning poems for 1984, a couple other pieces, and an introduction by the editor. Not all nominees for the various awards are included.

Contents

  • "Introduction"
  • "1984 or Against"
  • "Bloodchild"
  • "The Man Who Painted the Dragon Griaule"
  • "Press Enter "
  • "New Rose Hotel"
  • "The Greening of Bed-Stuy"
  • "The Lucky Strike"
  • "Morning Child"
  • "The Aliens Who Knew, I Mean, Everything"
  • "A Cabin in the Coast"
  • "Dogs' Lives"
  • "The Eichmann Variations"
  • "Love Song to Lucy / Lucy Answers Back"
  • "Saul's Death"
  • "Science Fiction Films of 1984"
  • "SFWA, the Guild"

    Reception

Sue Martin in the Los Angeles Times writes that reading the book "is like settling down with a box of the best chocolates: everyone a tasty surprise. Some, of course, more appealing than others." She notes that in addition to the Nebula winners it also includes "several of the runners-up, which succinctly points out what a tight, quality pack these finalists are." Highlighted are the pieces by Varley, "a brilliant tale of computer skulduggery and mystery," Robinson, "really gripping," Butler, also gripping, and "creepy." Others "didn't do much for me," especially the pieces by Gibson, "written a little too coyly: all style and not enough story for my taste," and Bishop, "bits and puppy dogs' tails of stories that never coalesced for me." Still, in summation she pronounces "let it just be said that if you seek the best in quality and diversity: Look no further."
The anthology was also reviewed by Michael M. Levy in Fantasy Review, February 1986, Elton T. Elliott in Science Fiction Review, Spring 1986, The [Christian Science Monitor] v. 78, May 16, 1986, Andrew Andrews in Science Fiction Review, Summer 1986, E. F. Bleiler in Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone Magazine, June 1986, Algis Budrys in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, July 1986, and Don D'Ammassa in Science Fiction Chronicle no. 82, July 1986.

Awards

The book placed eighteenth in the 1986 Locus Poll Award for Best Anthology.