Women of Futures Past: Classic Stories

For some reason, people think science fiction is a man’s game. That is, of course, total nonsense and utter crap. Women have been important voices in science fiction for decades and decades, and although many of their stories have been awarded top honors throughout the years, somehow they never end up in the Best of the Year collections that form the backbone of so many fans’ sci-fi knowledge.

Women of Futures Past is here to correct that false notion, offering a dynamite lineup of stories from throughout the rich history of women-penned science fiction. This is a who’s who of important contributors to the genre: Andre Norton and James Tiptree, Jr. (who both went with pseudonyms to bypass close-minded editors and readers alike), C.J. Cherryh and C.L. Moore (using the old initials trick for the same reasons), icons like Connie Willis and Lois McMaster Bujold, and unsung names like Leigh Brackett and Zenna Henderson.

But honestly, although the stories are topnotch and varied, showing the incredible depth and breadth of science fiction, the killer introduction is worth the price of admission alone, a crucial revision of sci-fi’s history that’s as blisteringly insightful as it is depressingly necessary.