In Wednesday’s post, I listed some of my favorite short fiction that I read this year, some of it published in 2011, and some published earlier.
I thought it important to mention that in all of the short fiction I read in 2011 (excluding the stories from Astounding), while there were some definite standout stories, I can’t think of a single story that I didn’t like. I think this says something about the quality of the stories being published today.
I can’t say the same for Astounding. But in the cases where I didn’t like a story in Astounding (as, for example, the most recent Episode), it is often because the story is too dated and I can’t make myself feel like a contemporary reader of the times.
In any case, kudos to everyone who published short fiction this year. I think you’re doing a great job.