The New Space Opera 2 : All-New Stories of Scientific Adventure

From Publishers Weekly This solid follow-up anthology to 2007's The New Space Opera includes 19 new stories that show how far space opera has come since its pulp beginnings in the '30s and '40s. These entertaining and provocative tales of interstellar adventure, written by a laundry list of genre heavyweights, range from Mike Resnick's Catastrophe Baker and a Canticle for Leibowitz,Р’Сњ a campy misadventure that follows a larger-than-life freelance hero on his quest to regain a musical theater producer's lost song, to John Meaney's From the Heart,Р’Сњ set in his Nulapeiron universe, which revolves around spy Carl Blackstone and an unlikely—and surprisingly poignant—love story at the galactic core. The impressive diversity of stories reaffirms that soap opera is alive and well, and where some of the genre's most innovative writing is taking place. (July) '' INTRODUCTION UTRIUSQUE COSMI by Robert Charles Wilson THE ISLAND by Peter Watts EVENTS PRECEDING THE HELVETICAN RENAISSANCE by John Kessel TO GO BOLDLY by Cory Doctorow THE LOST PRINCESS MAN by John Barnes DEFECT by Kristine Kathryn Rusch TO RAISE A MUTINY BETWIXT YOURSELVES by Jay Lake SHELL GAME Neal Asher PUNCTUALITY by Garth Nix INEVITABLE by Sean Williams JOIN THE NAVY AND SEE THE WORLDS by Bruce Sterling FEARLESS SPACE PIRATES OF THE OUTER RINGS by Bill Willingham FROM THE HEART by John Meaney CHAMELEONS by Elizabeth Moon THE TENTH MUSE by Tad Williams CRACKLEGRACKLE by Justina Robson THE TALE OF THE WICKED by John Scalzi CATASTROPHE BAKER AND A CANTICLE FOR LEIBOWITZ by Mike Resnick THE FAR END OF HISTORY by John C. Wright All-new stories of science fiction adventure from some of the most beloved names in science fiction spin all-new tales of interstellar adventure and wonder. Contents 3 Utriusque Cosmi (2009) novelette by Robert Charles Wilson 27 The Island (2009) novelette by Peter Watts 63 Events Preceding the Helvetican Renaissance (2009) novelette by John Kessel 93 To Go Boldly shortstory by Cory Doctorow 113 The Lost Princess Man (2009) novelette by John Barnes 139 Defect (2009) novelette by Kristine Kathryn Rusch 175 To Raise a Mutiny Betwixt Yourselves (2009) novelette by Jay Lake 209 Shell Game (2009) novelette by Neal Asher 237 Punctuality (2009) shortstory by Garth Nix 245 Inevitable (2009) novelette by Sean Williams 273 Join The Navy and See the Worlds (2009) shortstory by Bruce Sterling 293 Fearless Space Pirates of the Outer Rings (2009) novelette by Bill Willingham 321 From the Heart (2009) novelette by John Meaney 353 Chameleons (2009) novella by Elizabeth Moon 407 The Tenth Muse (2009) novelette by Tad Williams 431 Cracklegrackle (2009) novelette by Justina Robson 465 The Tale of the Wicked (2009) novelette by John Scalzi 487 Catastrophe Baker and a Canticle for Leibowitz (2009) shortstory by Mike Resnick 501 The Far End of History (2009) novelette by John C. Wright “Nineteen new stories that show how far space opera has come since its pulp beginnings... entertaining and provocative tales of interstellar adventure.” —Publishers WeeklyThis outstanding collection features all-new stories from some of the most beloved names in science fiction, among them New York Times bestsellers and winners of the Nebula, Hugo, Robert A. Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, John W. Campbell, and other prestigious awards. Discover tales of exploration, adventure, and futuristic warfare by:Neal Asher • John Barnes • Cory Doctorow • John Kessel • Jay Lake • John Meaney • Elizabeth Moon • Garth Nix • Mike Resnick • Justina Robson • Kristine Kathryn Rusch • John Scalzi • Bruce Sterling • Peter Watts • Sean Williams • Tad Williams • Bill Willingham • Robert Charles Wilson • John C. Wright“An exceedingly fine set of stories written specifically for this collection by some of the best sf authors writing today.” —Library Journal (starred review)Praise for The New Space Opera“Delivers hours of exhilarating reading.” —Booklist“Dynamic and exciting... an essential road map to the cutting edge of SF today.” —Charles Stross“One of the best anthologies ever assembled.” —Joe Haldeman

Some of the most beloved names in science fiction spin all-new tales of interstellar adventure and wonder

Neal Asher John Barnes Cory Doctorow John Kessel Jay Lake John Meaney Elizabeth Moon Garth Nix Mike Resnick Justina Robson Kristine Kathryn Rusch John Scalzi Bruce Sterling Peter Watts Sean Williams Tad Williams Bill Willingham Robert Charles Wilson John C. Wright

A collection of nineteen tales of interstellar adventure, ranging from cool, cutting extrapolation on the extreme edge of cosmology to baroque romanticism to the swashbuckling adventures of space pirates Collection of science fiction pieces that include all-new tales of interstellar adventure and wonder