I've been an off-and-on reader of Asimov's since about 1988. I was still a high school student at the time and not much of a reader yet. I knew who Isaac Asimov was but at the time was mostly into fantasy thanks to The Lord of the Rings and playing Dungeons and Dragons.
This magazine has published some amazing stories over the years, but they have also published some bombs. The bombs are why I've been an off-and-on reader for the past 20 years. When my renewal notice came earlier this year I chose to re-up for three years instead of the usual one. Don't let me down Asimov's!
Some favorites from this year:
- Alastair Baffle's Emporium of Wonders by Mike Resnick (January)
- Sex and Violence by Nancy Kress (February)
- Inside the Box by Edward M. Lerner (February)
- Shoggoth's in Bloom by Elizabeth Bear (March)
- The House Left Empty by Robert Reed (April/May)
and some not so favorites:
- The Hob Carpet by Ian R. MacLeod (June)
- Call Back Yesterday by Nancy Kress (June)
- Lester Young and the Jupiter's Moons' Blues by Gord Sellar (July)
I really enjoy fiction at shorter lengths because it is not much of an investment of time. Even a 90 page novella no matter how bad it is will only cost me a couple of hours of my time. Reading Asimov's allows me to try new authors and stories I would never go near if I had to shell out $8 and then read a behemoth 900-page novel that is probably book 1 of a planned decology. Sorry, I mean book 1 of a planned decology that is sandwiched between prequel and sequel decolgies.
There are also many online markets for short fiction, but I just don't read them. I have limited time and do not like to read on my computer screen for long periods of time. Call me old-fashioned, but I like to hold what I am reading in my hands. Someday there will be a good electronic reader that is inexpensive. For now I'll take paper, not plastic.
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