NEBULA AWARDS SHOWCASE 2001

Volume 35, in case anybody's keeping score. The award-winning stories all appear: Ted Chiang (best novella), Mary A. Turzillo (novelette), and Leslie What (short story). Plus, an excerpt from Octavia A. Butler's Best Novel, The Parable of the Talents, and worthy runners-up David Marusek and Michael Swanwick. Rhysling Awards for poetry go to Bruce Boston and Laurel Winter. Daniel Keyes receives the Author Emeritus 2000 award, and describes the genesis of his extraordinary and moving story "Flowers for Algernon"; perusing this piece, readers will also understand why he never wrote anything else of real consequence. Brian W. Aldiss receives a Grand Master Award and chips in with a typically clever, chilling story. Harry Harrison writes on Aldiss (in terms of well done, Brian, you're a splendid fellow), while Barry A. Malzberg writes somewhat more to the point on Keyes. On the downside, the reluctance of SF/fantasy to examine itself reemerges: Gary K. Wolfe handles the year's roundup in science fiction and fantasy, in publishing, in fandom, and at the movies; not surprisingly, he has nothing cogent to say. In his introduction, editor Silverberg burbles gently comparing Nebulas and Hugos. And, despite the passing of such luminaries as A.E. van Vogt, Marion Zimmer Bradley, James White, and Stanley Kubrick, no obituaries appear.

The quality of the fiction's not in dispute, but it's hard to justify that sky-high price tag for a short volume consisting mostly of reprints.