Locus Praises Best-Of Anthology
Locus Magazine called "The Year's Best Science Fiction on Earth 3" edited by Allan Kaster potentially "the best best-of I've read in years." The anthology focuses specifically on Earth-bound sci-fi stories rather than space opera. Meanwhile, "The Stars Entwined" by Jon Del Arroz is getting praise as essential for epic space fans.
Allan Kaster, the editor of "The Year's Best Science Fiction on Earth" series, has carved out a niche by curating anthologies focused on specific subgenres. This contrasts with broader "best of" collections by focusing on themes like hard SF, robot and AI stories, and in this case, science fiction set on Earth. The third volume of the "Earth" series features ten stories originally published in 2024, with contributions from prominent authors like Cory Doctorow, Greg Egan, and Nancy Kress. The stories explore themes of climate change, memory loss, and corporate power, all within a terrestrial setting. In contrast to the Earth-bound anthology, Jon Del Arroz's "The Stars Entwined" is the first book in an epic military space opera series called "The Aryshan War". The story follows a naval lieutenant who goes undercover as a spy among an alien empire, with whom humanity is on the brink of interstellar war. Del Arroz has been a controversial figure within the science fiction and fantasy community. He has faced suspensions from organizations like GAMA and has been involved in public disputes with other authors and organizations. These controversies have sometimes overshadowed discussions of his literary work.
