A consultant discovers how to communicate effectively with ancient, alien beings who have an entirely different perspective on the universe. A human becomes a hero for his actions, even though they were after his death. Hard choices must be made to save loved ones. When trying to prevent imminent death, insanity becomes an asset. Journey into the last frontier with these seventeen tales of wonder and science, including award-winning stories by some of the top writers in science fiction and...

Everyone has different ideas about wizards, but are they really all that different? Some subscribe to monthly clubs, some are brighter than they seem, some live for praise and acclaim, and others just want to protect those they love. Twenty-four stories of wizardly derring-do are found here, and all show wizards in different lights.Jonathan Langford is the wizard of Life, the Universe, & Everything and The Leading Edge. Parliament of Wizards is filled with daring and interesting ta...

A consultant discovers how to communicate effectively with ancient, alien beings who have an entirely different perspective on the universe. A human dies, then becomes a hero for taking action after his death. Hard choices must be made to save loved ones. When trying to prevent imminent death, insanity becomes a real asset. Aliens explore humans' need for independence and attachment. A transport worker must balance the needs of the few against those of the many.Journey into the las...

Do rising tides always lift all boats?Third Flatiron's all-original science fiction/fantasy/horror/humor short story anthology has the theme, "After the Gold Rush." Twenty-two authors explore themes related to complications of booms and bubbles, including effects of accelerated culture; ecological consequences caused by human over-expansion, such as climate disasters; and economics (for example, monopolies on resources and commodities). Includes a flash humor section, "Grins & Gurg...

From its winners to its sinners, two bestselling sportswriters chronicle a dizzying trip through more than a century of baseball lore and legend.Some of the stories are celebrated—from Ruth's called shot to DiMaggio's streak to Mays's catch. Some of the men are titans of the game—Mantle, Williams, Koufax. But alongside those stories passed from generation to generation, Daniel Okrent and Steve Wulf have assembled tales both hard-to-believe and a pleasure to read. F...

The Future Is OurselvesThe world is rapidly changing. We surf future-shock every day, as the progress of technology races ever on. Increasingly we are asking: how do we change to live in the world to come?Whether it’s climate change, inundated coastlines and drowned cities; the cramped confines of a tin can hurtling through space to the outer reaches of our Solar System; or the rush of being uploaded into cyberspace, our minds and bodies are going to have t...

In the new millennium, what secrets lay beyond the far reaches of the universe? What mysteries belie the truths we once held to be self evident? The world of science fiction has long been a porthole into the realities of tomorrow, blurring the line between life and art. Now, in The Year's Best Science Fiction: Thirty-Third Annual Collection, the very best SF authors explore ideas of a new world. This venerable collection brings together award-winning authors and masters of the fie...

As Earth dies, an architect is commissioned to remote build a monument on Mars from the remains of a failed colony; a man who has transferred his consciousness into a humanoid robot discovers he’s missing thirty percent of his memories, and tries to discover why; bored with life in the underground colony of an alien world, a few risk life inside one of the “whales” floating in the planet’s atmosphere; an apprentice librarian searching through centuries of SETI messages from alien civilizat...

Clarkesworld is a Hugo and World Fantasy Award-winning science fiction and fantasy magazine. Each month we bring you a mix of fiction, articles, interviews and art. Our August 2022 issue (#191) contains:Original fiction by M. J. Pettit ("Tender, Tether, Shell"), Bo Balder ("The Pirates Counselor"), Finbarr O’Reilly ("Pollatomish"), Carrie Vaughn ("Polly and (Not) Charles Conquer the Solar System"), R.T. Ester ("Slight Forms"), Leonard Richardson ("The Scene of the Crime"), an...

Fans of the New York Times bestselling Wings of Fire series won't want to miss this all-new story set in the dangerous world of dragons.Six-Claws is a happy and industrious SandWing, always working hard and loyally for his queen. So when the youngest SandWing princess, Blaze, wanders off during a sandstorm, Six-Claws doesn't think twice before trying to rescue her. But it turns out that loyalty isn't always enough to stay safe in the Sand Kingdom...Before the war of SandWi...

Embark on a mind-bending journey through the uncharted territories of science fiction in this epic anthology. In the new millennium, what secrets lay beyond the far reaches of the universe? What mysteries belie the truths we once held to be self evident? The world of science fiction has long been a porthole into the realities of tomorrow, blurring the line between life and art. Now, in The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Eighth Annual Collection, the very best...

A bonus short story featuring Silhara and Martise from Master of Crows.In The Light Within, Silhara of Neith, now known as "the god-smiter," travels as the guest of honor to the winter festival of his father's people.The crow mage who destroyed one god must ignite sacred fires in honor of another. Yet the winter festival only reminds Silhara that the brightest light within him isn't the fire of a deity but the devotion of one woman.A tale of hope and celebration.