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Nancy Kress




"Always True to Thee, in My Fashion"
© IASFM, Jan 1997
Beaker's Dozen, 1998
--short story : 1998 Locus /9
--short story : 1998 Asimov's Reader Poll /3

--/ cool sf story

"Computer Virus"
© IASFM, Apr 2001
--novelette : 2002 Locus /14
--novelette : 2002 Asimov's Reader Poll /9

--/ fourth place sf story
--/ idea award
--/ adventure award


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"Down Behind Cuba Lake"
© IASFM, Sep 1986
The Aliens of Earth, 1993
--/ third place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ idea award
--/ emotion award
--/ style award
--/ adventure award
--/ rare find

A gem of a story. So smoothly and beautifully written, that it gives you goose-bumps and a secret wish to write like that one day. This is an entry into "sentient terrain", "spooky earth" sub-genre (which can be traced back to the "Weird Tales" pulps and H. P. Lovecraft; see also my humble entry of a story "Subliminal Distances of the West" in writing section (link) - also about getting lost in a landscape). Some kind of spacial/temporal hole swallows the unsuspecting female protagonist, who takes a wrong turn in a woody wilderness, bringing her to a malevolent, sentient (and very aggressive) lake - and causing her to reflect on her own lost and aimless lifestyle. It turns out to be so lost and aimless, that the story itself does not have an easily defined ending or direction, which is oddly appropriate in this case... Go sample this story, read it in a car on a prolonged roadtrip to Minnesota Lakes. See if this story will not stay with you for a lifetime...
review: 27-Aug-06 (read in 2004)

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"Ej-Es"
© Stars, ed. J. Ian, 2003
--short story : 2004 Locus /32

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"Evolution"
© IASFM, Oct 1995
Beaker's Dozen, 1998
--novelette : 1996 Locus /5

One Amazon reader summarizes this tale nicely:""Evolution" takes a very serious topic, antibiotic-resistance in bacteria, and turns it into a bland, Shirley Jackson-esque tale of people becoming uncivilized. I kept thinking after the first few pages, "Ok, I get it. Why should I keep reading?" Yea, same here. Of course the subject matter is frightening, but the tale is sleep-inducing at most.
review: 14-Oct-06 (read in 2003)

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"Explanations, Inc."
© F&SF, Jul 1984
Trinity and Other Stories, 1985
--/ cool sf story
--/ idea award

"Fault Lines"
© 1996, IASFM
--novella : 1996 Hugo
--shortlist : 1996 Sturgeon
--novella : 1996 Locus /4
--novella : 1996 Asimov's Reader Poll /6
--novella : 1996 SF Chronicle /3

--/ cool sf novella
--/ style award

"A Little Matter of Timing"
© F&SF, Sep 1982

"The Most Famous Little Girl In The World"
© SciFiction, May 2002
--novelette : 2003 Locus /29

"The Mountain to Mohammed"
© IASFM, Apr 1992
The Aliens of Earth, 1993
--short story : 1993 Hugo
--short story : 1993 Nebula
--short story : 1993 Locus /2
--short story : 1993 Asimov's Reader Poll /3


"Out Of All Them Bright Stars"
© F&SF, 1985
Trinity And Other Stories, 1988
--short story : 1986 Nebula W
--short story : 1986 Locus /14
--short story : 1999 Locus All-Time Poll /37 (tie)

--/ cool sf story
--/ idea award

"Patent Infringement"
© IASFM, May 2002
--short story : 2003 Asimov's Reader Poll /9 (tie)
--/ cool sf story
--/ idea award

"Phone Repairs"
© IASFM, Dec 1986
The Aliens Of Earth, 1993
--short story : 1987 Locus /20
--/ cool f story

"Shadows On The Cave Wall"
© Universe # 11, 1981
Trinity And Other Stories, 1988
--novelette : 1982 Locus /25
--/ fourth place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ style award
--/ emotion award


"Spillage"
© F&SF, Apr 1988
Strange Horizons, online 2003
The Aliens of Earth, 1993

"State of Nature"
© Bending the Landscape, eds. N. Griffith, 1998
--short story : 1999 Locus Poll
--/ cool sf story

"Talp Hunt"
© Universe # 12, 1982
Trinity And Other Stories, 1988
--/ third place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ style award
--/ emotion award


"To Cuddle Amy"
© IASFM, Aug 2000
--short story : 2001 Asimov's Reader Poll /7
--/ fourth place sf story
--/ idea award

"Wetlands Preserve"
© Sci Fiction, Sep 2000
--novelette : 2001 Locus /16

"Words Like Pale Stones"
© 1994, Black Thorn, White Rose, ed.E.Datlow
--/ fourth place f story
--/ wonder award
--/ style award


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"SF&F Reading Experience" is part of "Dark Roasted Blend / Thrilling Wonder" family of sites. We try to highlight the most entertaining and rewarding science fiction and fantasy, with emphasis on memorable reader experience, not necessarily general acceptance by the critics. Have fun, and delve into our extensive ratings and reviews!

Most reviews are written by Avi Abrams, unless otherwise noted. Reviews also appear on our unique historical retrospective page Wonder Timeline of Science Fiction. Feel free to submit your own review, if a particular story is not listed here.


All major OFFICIAL AWARDS are highlighted in BLUE
("winner" has a letter "W" by it, otherwise it is a runner-up only)

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--/ cool : (equal to fifth place)
ALL "BEST OF" LISTS ARE LOCATED HERE

These awards are given in the following categories:
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Also, there are our personal STYLE / GENRE SPECIFIC AWARDS. These reflect the story's content and the lasting impression on the reader:

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