This anthology assembled by Gardner Dozois is proof of what a rich year 1980 was for science fiction. The stories here are not only individually outstanding they also complement one another beautifully. Each in its own way is a canvas of human possibilities in an imaginative landscape.
The opening piece. "The Ugly Chickens- by Howard Waldrop, is a wonderfully humorous story of a search for an exotic, extinct creature - and winner of this year's Nebula award for the best novelette. Another Nebula winner included here is Suzy McKee Charnas's novella. "Unicom Tapestry," in which Chamas reveals the interior life of a vampire as it has never before been conceived. Her unique tale is the most imaginative treatment of this subject to appear in recent years.
Also featured here are Nebula final-ists Michael Swanwick and Edward Bryant. Swanwick. a promising newcomer on the science fiction scene, has created in “The Feast of St. Janis” a chilling futuristic tale of human savagery, while Bryant’s ghostly story, “Strata,” portrays the meeting of contemporary conflicts with primeval forces and will delight fans of this master of the science fiction genre.
One of the most unusual selections is Isaac Asimov’s “The Last Answer,” a par-ablelike venture into the realm of theological philosophy.
The editor also includes a thorough review of developments in all areas of science fiction publishing during 1980.

- “The Ugly Chickens,” by Howard Waldrop
- “The Green Marauder,” by Larry Niven
- “The Feast of St. Janis,” by Michael Swanwick
- “The Last Answer,” by Isaac Asimov
- “Nightflyers,” by George R.R. Martin
- “Strata,” by Edward Bryant
- “Slow Music,” by James Tiptree, Jr.
- “The Finger,” by Naomi Mitchison
- “War Beneath the Tree,” by Gene Wolfe
- “Unicom Tapestry,” by Suzy McKee Chamas