More of the Best of Science Fiction and Fantasy

I listened to this book and while doing so kept track of the stories. I had to deduce the names of the stories because the audiobook does not announce them. Many listeners on Audible.com complain that there is no table of contents. So here it is.

Table of Contents (Listed by Audible Chapter)


1 “This is Audible” Introduction.

2 "The Sentinel" by Arthur C. Clarke, read by Siddig El Fadil.

3 "Fat Farm" by Orson Scott Card, read by Roddy McDowall.

4 "Our Lady of the Sauropods" by Robert Silverberg, read by Robin Curtis.

5 "Options" by John Varley, read by Claudia Christian.

6 "Why I Left Harry's All Night Hamburgers" by Lawrence Watt-Evans, read by Wil Wheaton.

7 "The Poplar Street Study" by Karen Joy Fowler; Narrated by Terry Farrell

8 "Skin Deep" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch, read by Robin Curtis.

9 "Permafrost" by Roger Zelazny, read by Siddig El Fadil.

10 "Feedback" by Joe Haldeman, read by Nana Visitor.


Review of “Options” by John Varley

I wanted to listen to this collection because of one story: “Options” by John Varley. “Options” is one of Varley’s 8-Worlds stories and fits early in the overall chronology, circa 100 O.E., Occupation Earth. Varley handles the subject of what would happen to society if easy, safe and completely reversible sex-changing were to become a reality. When this was written in 1979 is was far more shocking and fantastic that it may seem today. The wonder of the story is that Varley manages to take the reader, or listener in this case, from the initial reaction of shock and disgust to the point of empathy for the sex-changing character. Varley is one of the science fiction greats. Listen to this story and you will hear why.