A review by bsparks2112
Some of the Best from Tor.com, 2019 edition by Greg Egan, Karin Tidbeck, Annalee Newitz, Richard Larson, E. Lily Yu, Elizabeth Bear, Mary Robinette Kowal, Christopher Rowe, Carole Johnstone, K.J. Kabza, John Chu, Siobhan Carroll, Rivers Solomon, Neon Yang, Seanan McGuire, Mimi Mondal, S.L. Huang, M. Evan MacGriogair, Laurie Penny, Silvia Park, Brenda Peynado, Kathleen Ann Goonan, Erinn L. Kemper

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I've always enjoyed these yearly short-fiction bundles released by tor.com, although they have occasionally been a bit uneven; however, this is one of the better ones that I remember reading. As can be expected, there is a variety of styles represented here, both in genre and tone, and although that sometimes leads to jarring transitions as one story ends and another begins, it wasn't as huge an issue this time around; it has the feeling of a slightly more cohesive collection. Something that struck me with some of these stories is how prescient they seemed to be in dealing with the concerns of the pandemic era, and it was a struggle to remember that these were all actually published a year before lockdown. But the ones that dealt most directly with themes of isolation and disconnection (a common SF trope lately, I admit) seemed to be the most resonant. Greg Egan's contribution ("Zeitgeber") was particularly impressive in this regard, as was Brenda Peynado's entry "The Touches" and S. L. Huang's "As The Last I May Know." I also did really enjoy Elizabeth Bear's "Deriving Life" and Siobhan Carroll's "For He Can Creep;" all the rest have at least some intriguing and engaging properties as well. Pleased to have made some new author discoveries in this batch; it was certainly worth the time invested.