The New Voices of Fantasy by Peter S. Beagle
Praise for The New Voices of Fantasy
Praise for anthologies edited by Peter S. Beagle
[STARRED REVIEW]“This excellent anthology showcases up-and-coming speculative fiction writers, many of whom have received award nominations and critical attention to support their status as future influencers of the genre. The anthology opens with Alyssa Wong’s Nebula-winning “Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers,” a gripping story of creatures who walk among humans and feed on ugliness. The stories vary in tone: Amal El-Mohtar’s “Wing” is lyrical, A.C. Wise’s “The Practical Witch’s Guide to Acquiring Real Estate” is gently humorous, and Carmen Maria Machado’s “The Husband Stitch” is haunting. Some, such as E. Lily Yu’s beautiful “The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees,” eschew the well-worn Western setting that is the English-language-fantasy default; others, such as Brooke Bolander’s “Tornado’s Siren,” thoughtfully embrace their American and European settings. Fantasy legend Beagle and Tachyon publisher Weisman have provided a valuable snapshot of SF/F’s newest generation of writers.”
—Publishers Weekly
[STARRED REVIEW]“A companion piece of sorts to Beagle's critically acclaimed anthology, The Secret History of Fantasy (2010)—a collection of stories that transcended the conventions and clichés of contemporary fantasy—Beagle and Weisman's latest contains 19 comparable stories from some of the genre's most innovative and exciting new voices. . . . A stellar anthology that proves not only that fantasy is alive and well, but that it will be for years to come.”
—Kirkus
[STARRED REVIEW]“This anthology represents some of the most exciting and interesting work in the fantasy field today, and anyone interested in the genre should read it immediately.”
—Booklist
“Delightful and discomforting, indelible and self-assured, the stories of New Voices of Fantasy take our familiar old world and imagine it anew. In amongst the dancing buildings, lovelorn tornadoes, and domesticated vampires, we find our deepest truths dressed in fresh and unexpected garments. Rest easy, lovers of the genre: the future is in excellent hands.”
—Helene Wecker, author of The Golem and the Jinni
“The New Voices of Fantasy is a fabulous collection of vivid, surprising, and remarkable stories. Highly recommended.”
—Kate Elliott, author of Poisoned Blade and The Very Best of Kate Elliott
“These stories give me hope.”
—Michael Swanwick, author of Bones of the Earth and Not So Much, Said the Cat
“The key word in this anthology’s title is new, and if that doesn’t quicken your heart, a sampling of the impressively diverse voices will.”
—See the Elephant
“What Beagle does with this anthology is an elegant passing of the writing pen to a younger generation of fantasy writers . . . I recommend this anthology to anyone who loves fantasy.”
—Infinite Text
The Secret History of Fantasy
“All 17 stories eschew all or most of the conventions of commercial fantasy. . . . Start reading and expect to enjoy.”
—Booklist
“Set[s] out to rewrite our concept of fantasy, and with the help of some of the world’s best writers, succeeds admirably.”
—The Agony Column
The Urban Fantasy Anthology (with Joe R. Lansdale)
“An essential book not only for longtime followers of such intriguing stories but those who thought fantasy only took place in the completely imagined worlds of J. R. R. Tolkien.”
—Bookgasm
“An excellent collection of stories that showcases the best of urban fantasy (however you define it). Definitely a must-read!”
—Interzone
Praise for anthologies edited by Jacob Weisman
Invaders: 22 Tales from the Outer Limits of Literature
[STARRED REVIEW]“Superlative.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Playful and imaginative.”
—AV Club
“A superb batch of stories by literary authors who have invaded science fiction—and left distinct footprints behind.”
—Black Gate
The Sword & Sorcery Anthology (with David G. Hartwell)
[STARRED REVIEW]“This is an unbeatable selection from classic to modern, and each story brings its A game.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Hard and fast-paced fantasy that’s strong from the first piece right through to the last.”
—Shades of Sentience
The Treasury of the Fantastic (with David Sandner)
“A marvelous mix of classics and rarely seen works, bibliophile’s finds and old favorites . . . a treasury in every sense and a treasure!”
—Connie Willis, author of Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog
“This is an important collection for all lovers of fantasy and literature.”
—Library Journal
Also Edited by Peter S. Beagle
Peter S. Beagle’s Immortal Unicorn (with Janet Berliner, 1995)
The Secret History of Fantasy (2010)
The Urban Fantasy Anthology (with Joe R. Lansdale, 2011)
Also Edited by Jacob Weisman
The Treasury of the Fantastic (with David Sandner, 2001, 2013)
The Sword & Sorcery Anthology (with David G. Hartwell, 2012)
Invaders: 22 Tales from the Outer Limits of Literature (2016)
THE NEW VOICES OF FANTASY
PETER S. BEAGLE & JACOB WEISMAN
The New Voices of Fantasy
Copyright © 2017 by Peter S. Beagle and Jacob Weisman
This is a collected work of fiction. All events portrayed in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form without the express permission of the publisher.
Introduction copyright © 2017 by Jacob Weisman
“Back Then” copyright © 2017 Peter S. Beagle
Interior and cover design by Elizabeth Story
Cover art “The Tree Child” copyright © 2011 by Camilla André
Tachyon Publications LLC
1459 18th Street #139
San Francisco, CA 94107
www.tachyonpublications.com
[email protected]
Series Editor: Jacob Weisman
Project Editor: James DeMaiolo and Rachel Fagundes
Book ISBN 13: 978-1-61696-257-9
E-book ISBN: 978-1-61696-258-6
First Edition: 2017
“Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers” © 2013 by Alyssa Wong. First appeared in Nightmares Magazine, October 2015: “Queers Destroy Fiction.”
“Selkie Stories Are for Losers” © 2013 by Sofia Samatar. First appeared in Strange Horizons, January 7, 2013.
“Tornado’s Siren” © 2012 by Brooke Bolander. First appeared in Strange Horizons, February 20, 2012.
“Left the Century to Sit Unmoved” © 2016 by Sarah Pinsker. First appeared in Strange Horizons, May 16, 2016.
“A Kiss with Teeth” © 2016 by Max Gladstone. First appeared on Tor. com, October 29, 2014.
“Jackalope Wives” © 2014 by Ursula Vernon. First appeared in Apex Magazine, Issue 56, January 7, 2014.
“The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees” © 2011 by E. Lily Yu. First appeared in Clarkesworld Magazine #55, April 2011.
“The Practical Witch’s Guide to Acquiring Real Estate” © 2015 by A.C. Wise. First appeared in Uncanny Magazine, Issue Four, May 5, 2015.
“The Tallest Doll in New York City” © 2013 by Maria Dahvana Headley. First appeared on Tor.com, February 14, 2014.
“The Haunting of Apol
“Here Be Dragons” © 2013 by Chris Tarry. Early version first appeared in Bull Men Fiction, March 4, 2013; this version in How to Carry Bigfoot Home (Pasadena: Red Hen Press).
“The One They Took Before” © 2014 by Kelly Sandoval. First appeared in Shimmer, no. 22, November 2014.
“Tiger Baby” © 2013 by JY Yang. First appeared in From the Belly of the Cat, edited by Stephanie Ye (Singapore: Math Paper Press).
“The Duck” © 2011 by Ben Loory. First appeared in Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day (New York: Penguin Books).
“Wing” © 2016 by Amal El-Mohtar. First appeared in Strange Horizons, December 17, 2012.
“The Philosophers” © 2016 by Adam Ehrlich Sachs. First appeared in the New Yorker, February 1, 2016, from his book Inherited Disorders: Stories, Parables & Problems (New York: Regan Books).
“My Time Among the Bridge Blowers” © 2017 Eugene Fischer. First publication.
“The Husband Stitch” © 2014 by Carmen Maria Machado. First appeared in Granta, October 27, 2014.
“The Pauper Prince and the Eucalyptus Jinn” © 2015 by Usman T. Malik. First appeared on Tor.com, April 22, 2015.
CONTENTS
Introduction
Jacob Weisman
Back Then
Peter S. Beagle
________________________
Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers
Alyssa Wong
Selkie Stories Are for Losers
Sofia Samatar
Tornado’s Siren
Brooke Bolander
Left the Century to Sit Unmoved
Sarah Pinsker
A Kiss with Teeth
Max Gladstone
Jackalope Wives
Ursula Vernon
The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees
E. Lily Yu
The Practical Witch’s Guide to Acquiring Real Estate
A.C. Wise
The Tallest Doll in New York City
Maria Dahvana Headley
The Haunting of Apollo A7LB
Hannu Rajaniemi
Here Be Dragons
Chris Tarry
The One They Took Before
Kelly Sandoval
Tiger Baby
JY Yang
The Duck
Ben Loory
Wing
Amal El-Mohtar
The Philosophers
Adam Ehrlich Sachs
My Time Among the Bridge Blowers
Eugene Fischer
The Husband Stitch
Carmen Maria Machado
The Pauper Prince and the Eucalyptus Jinn
Usman T. Malik
________________________
About the Editors
INTRODUCTION
Jacob Weisman
The New Voices of Fantasy collects the work of nineteen authors of fantasy Peter S. Beagle and I firmly believe will soon be much better known. These writers are producing an important body of work. All of the stories in this book are recent, published after 2010. The authors included are still very much in the early stages of their careers. Some of them have already made the transition from writing short stories to writing the novels that will allow them to move forward in their careers. For some of these authors, that transition is still in their near future. A few, like the enigmatic Ben Loory, may decide to forgo novels entirely and go where their writing takes them.
Fantasy fiction has grown over the years, coming to dominate much of the commercial market of what was formally science fiction. Peter S. Beagle’s groundbreaking 2010 anthology, The Secret History of Fantasy, explored the merging of genre fantasy and so called mainstream markets into a new form of literary fantasy. This anthology constitutes something of a sequel, leaping ahead to examine the work of a brand-new generation of writers working along similar lines.
For new writers to succeed requires both opportunity and exposure. Peter S. Beagle’s own career took root when publishers were desperately struggling to find ways to capitalize on the sudden and unexpected interest in fantasy fiction in the 1960s following the republication of The Lord of the Rings in affordable paperback editions. Ballantine Books would produce a line of reprints of classic fantasy novels that ultimately led to the reprinting of Peter’s first novel, A Fine & Private Place, and the original publication of his best known work, The Last Unicorn. Terry Carr’s New Worlds of Fantasy anthologies ran to three volumes between 1967 and 1971 and would republish two more of Peter’s stories. The boom in fantasy publishing would eventually lead to new works by Patricia A. McKillip, Stephen R. Donaldson, and Evangeline Walton, among others.
The sheer number of writers entering the field over the last decade, with new markets online and in print, has created a hothouse for new writers in science fiction and fantasy to experiment and find their voices. Just as Peter S. Beagle imagined a Yiddish magician in The Last Unicorn and Patricia A. McKillip imagined a woman as a powerful sorcerer in The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, the writers in The New Voices of Fantasy are very much a product of their own times, too.
Here you’ll find Usman T. Malik’s Pakistani professor who becomes obsessed with his grandfather’s childhood stories; Alyssa Wong’s serial killer facing ancient terrors far deadlier than himself; Sofia Samatar’s reflection on the nature of fantasy and abandonment; and Eugene Fischer warning of the ease of cultural influence and appropriation. And you’ll find other nontraditional stories, too. Ben Loory’s tale of love and ducks; Maria Dahvana Headley’s waitstaff serving inside a building come alive; Ursula Vernon’s story of the mating habits of magical creatures very much like ourselves; and Max Gladstone’s updating of the Dracula mythos.
What is certain is that The New Voices of Fantasy collects stories by amazing authors who are ready to expand the definition of what fantasy can be, and what fantasy will be. Even as Peter and I compiled this volume, the authors and stories we included were winning awards and accolades almost as fast we could keep track of them. The success of these writers can hardly be contained a moment longer.
BACK THEN
Peter S. Beagle
Jules Verne, who always considered himself a scientist, was distinctly put out by the work of the younger writer H. G. Wells. “Il a invente!” the author of From the Earth to the Moon sniffed at the author of The War of the Worlds. “He makes things up!”
“Another damn fairytale. I can’t abide fairytales.” Those were the words of Frank O’Connor, one of the great short-story writers of the twentieth century, back in 1960 when I was a member of the legendary Wallace Stegner writing class at Stanford University, which included people like Larry McMurtry, Ken Kesey, Gurney Norman, James Baker Hall, Chris Koch, Joanna Ostrow, and Judith Rascoe. O’Connor had succeeded Malcolm Cowley, who was as warmly tolerant of a student’s variations from officially recognized realism as O’Connor was dogmatic. As far as Malcolm was concerned, all that mattered was whether or not the story worked. His ego was never tied up with his opinions.
One of the many styles of storytelling that O’Connor let the class know early on that he despised on principle (including D. H. Lawrence, old-country memoirs and folktales, and anything set in another century) was fantasy of any sort. Consequently he loudly trashed—not for its quality or execution, but clearly for what it was—a small, gently charming tale by one of the notably few women in the class. (It might have been Judy Rascoe, but I can’t be sure.) It was a fantasy, so it couldn’t be any good, and that was the end of that.
I was outraged at O’Connor’s rigidity, and I holed up in Berkeley for a day and a half at a friend’s apartment and returned for the next meeting of the writing class with a short story called “Come Lady Death.” O’Connor gave it a grand dramatic reading (he had been a director of the Abbey Theatre at one time), looked around at the class, and announced firmly, “This is a beautifully written story. I don’
Fifty-five years later, I think of “Come Lady Death” as little more than my Isak Dinesen imitation, but it’s certainly the only good work I produced during that Stanford year. The rest of the time I spent in writing a dutifully realistic second novel about a young musician in France, which has nothing but—fair’s fair—a couple of goodish scenes to recommend it. I rewrote it three times, but I knew when I was done that it wasn’t much.