Now for the first time, the best of the Locus Awards for short fiction are gathered in one volume. Spanning the absolute finest in science fiction and fantasy short fiction for the last thirty years, this anthology is an indispensable guide to speculative fiction from the classic to the outrageous by the leaders of the field.

Contents:

• Acknowledgments (The Locus Awards: Thirty Years of the Best in Science Fiction and Fantasy) • (2004) • essay by Charles N. Brown and Jonathan Strahan
• Introduction (The Locus Awards: Thirty Years of the Best in Science Fiction and Fantasy) • (2004) • essay by Charles N. Brown and Jonathan Strahan
• The Death of Doctor Island • (1973) • novella by Gene Wolfe (aka The Death of Dr. Island) [as by Gene Wolfe ]
• The Day Before the Revolution • [Hainish] • (1974) • short story by Ursula K. Le Guin
• Jeffty Is Five • (1977) • shortstory by Harlan Ellison
• The Persistence of Vision • (1978) • novella by John Varley
• The Way of Cross and Dragon • (1979) • novelette by George R. R. Martin
• Souls • (1982) • novella by Joanna Russ
• Bloodchild • (1984) • novelette by Octavia E. Butler [as by Octavia Butler ]
• The Only Neat Thing to Do • (1985) • novella by James Tiptree, Jr.
• Rachel in Love • (1987) • novelette by Pat Murphy
• The Scalehunter's Beautiful Daughter • [Griaule] • (1988) • novella by Lucius Shepard
• Bears Discover Fire • (1990) • shortstory by Terry Bisson
• Buffalo • (1991) • shortstory by John Kessel
• Even the Queen • (1992) • shortstory by Connie Willis
• Gone • (1996) • shortstory by John Crowley
• Maneki Neko • (1998) • shortstory by Bruce Sterling
• Border Guards • (1999) • novelette by Greg Egan
• Hell Is the Absence of God • (2001) • novelette by Ted Chiang
• October in the Chair • (2002) • shortstory by Neil Gaiman
• Previous Winners (The Locus Awards: Thirty Years of the Best in Science Fiction and Fantasy) • (2004) • essay by uncredited