cover image Nebula Awards 28: Sfwa's Choice for the Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year

Nebula Awards 28: Sfwa's Choice for the Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year

James Morrow. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH), $24.95 (0pp) ISBN 978-0-15-100082-1

Award-winning author and editor Morrow does a superb job chosing from among the 1992 finalists for the Science-fiction and Fantasy Writers of America's Nebula awards in this latest installment. What makes this volume stand out is not only the high quality of this year's nominees, but also the intriguing nonfiction found within, such as ``Is Science Fiction Out to Lunch? Some Thoughts on the Year 1992'' by John Clute and Nick Lowe's ``Hopeful Monsters: The Science Fiction and Fantasy Films of 1992.'' But the heart of this collection is the fine array of nominees selected. All exhibit an incredible blend of imagination and skill; the majority are both thought-provoking and terrifying. From the haunting ``Even the Queen'' by Connie Wills, which portrays a society freed from the menstrual cycle by a drug, to ``Matter's End,'' Gregory Benford's image of an Indian subcontinent plagued by genetically engineered and imported species introduced to eliminate hunger, these works are a disturbing evocation of the possible impact of an all too real and contemporary science. Information concerning the awards and a complete listing of the 1992 nominees are included. This is a compelling and exciting anthology sure to leave fans on the edge of their seats yet feeling secure in the health of the genre. (Apr.)