Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award 2009: Nominees

Award is "for the best short science fiction of the year". Their results are not one winner, but top 3 (sometimes more, in case of a tie).

This year's official list is here. "Eligible stories are those published in English during" 2008.

This is a "juried award" - winners are selected by a committee. This year's committee: "James Gunn, Kij Johnson, Frederik Pohl, George Zebrowski, and Noel Sturgeon".

I think every story on the list has already appeared in various "best of" lists - awards or "best of the year" anthologies. Many are online; search story name via box at top left, or by adding it to this Google query for download links & synopsis.

I've read all except 4 - Goonan's, McHugh's, Rajaniemi's, & Swanwick's. The only one that touched me at any level is Ted Chiang's entropy story - "Exhalation"

[via Cory Doctorow]