I had a busy year over at Tor.com. Below are the twelve stories I acquired and edited for the site. My thanks to all of the authors and to everyone at Tor.com for letting me be involved in such a very special year!
“The Counterworld” by James Bradley
Illustrated by Mary Haasdyk
Published February 1, 2023
A grieving mother wakes up to find all traces of her lost son have been erased as if he had never existed. Only in the hallway mirror is she able to see a glimpse of the reality she remembers having lived—the reality she wants back.
“The River and the World Remade” by E. Lily Yu
Illustrated by Changyu Zou
Published March 29, 2023
When the waters rose, the people who stayed on the River learned they weathered the storms best together, but what happens when one of their own becomes curious about the Land?
“Salt Water” by Eugenia Triantafyllou
Illustrated by J Yang
Published April 12, 2023
While all her friends’ fish are changing into mermaids, is 12-year-old Anissa’s fish becoming something else?
“Counting Casualties” by Yoon Ha Lee
Illustrated by Julie Dillon
Published April 26, 2023
Commander Niaja vrau Erezeng is up against an enemy that doesn’t just destroy all the beings, ships, and planets in its path, but also consumes their greatest arts, somehow scratching them from existence everywhere…
“The Star-Bear” by Michael Swanwick
Illustrated by Bill Mayer
Published June 7, 2023
A Russian émigré poet living in Paris is visited by a mysterious bear with an agenda…
“What It Means To Be A Car” by James Patrick Kelly
Illustrated by Scott Bakal
Published July 26, 2023
An AI car is caught between its ruthless employer and the people she hurt…
“The Three O’Clock Dragon” by John Wiswell
Illustrated by J Yang
Published August 23, 2023
Prosperity City’s corrupt mayor never guessed his greatest opponent would be a fire-breathing dragon and her unconventional platform…
“The Job at the End of the World” by Ray Nayler
Illustrated by Keith Negley
Published August 30, 2023
A weary resilience worker should know better than anyone: no one is safe when the world is always ending…
“Detonation Boulevard” by Alastair Reynolds
Illustrated by Ben Zweifel
Published July 12, 2023
In a cosmic rally race winding 12,000 kilometers across Io’s treacherous surface in just 60 hours, all while dodging the competition, fatigue, and violent lava geysers—there’s only one way Cat knows how to win: Just. Drive.
“The Passing of the Dragon” by Ken Liu
Illustrated by Mary Haasdyk
Published September 13, 2023
A woman who fears she’s failing as a painter and as an artist seeks inspiration from one of her favorite poets and finds something even more wondrous, but also more impossible to capture on canvas…
“FORM 8774-D” by Alex Irvine
Illustrated by Zoe van Dijk
Published September 27, 2023
It’s just business as usual at the Bureau of Metahuman, Mutant, and Occult Affairs until an employee for the government agency begins to wonder if work is following her home…
“The Locked Coffin: A Judge Dee Mystery” by Lavie Tidhar
Illustrated by Red Nose Studio
Published October 25, 2023
A new Judge Dee mystery!
While visiting the mysterious castle of Maidstone for an investigation, Judge Dee and Jonathan discover the only thing more menacing than a vampire child is twin vampire children…