Almost all of the major science fiction and fantasy magazines have finished their print runs for 2008. The exceptions are Strange Horizons and Interzone (whose December issue is winging its way to these shores right now and contains a story by me). In addition, I have yet to read the new issue of Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show. If any of these magazines contain stories which deserve to rank among the year's best, I'll write an addendum to this post.
There were many worthy stories published in 2008 and I'm not going to try and name them all. Instead, I am listing those stories which should be under active consideration for the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards. Where possible, I have included links to previous reviews I've written for these stories. The stories are arranged in alphabetical order by author name.
My picks for the best SF/F stories of 2008
- "Pump Six" by Paolo Bacigalupi (Pump Six and Other Stories, reprinted in F&SF) review
- "The Tale of Junko and Sayuri" by Peter Beagle (IGMS, July 2008) review
- "The Political Prisoner" by Charles Coleman Finlay (F&SF, Aug. 2008) review
- "The Ray-Gun: A Love Story" by James Alan Gardner (Asimov's, Feb. 2008)
- "Arkfall" by Carolyn Ives Gilman (F&SF, Sept. 2008) review
- "Tenbrook of Mars" by Dean McLaughlin (Analog, July/Aug. 2008)
- "The Magician's House" by Meghan McCarron (Strange Horizons, July 2008) review
- "Five Thrillers" by Robert Reed (F&SF, April 2008) review
- "Alastair Baffle's Emporium of Wonders" by Mike Resnick (Asimov's, Jan. 2008) review
- "Far Horizon" by Jason Stoddard (Interzone, issue 214) review
- "Way Down East" by Tim Sullivan (Asimov's, Dec. 2008)
- "A Letter to Nancy" by Carrie Vaughn (Realms of Fantasy, August 2008)
