Bending the Landscape
Bending the Landscape is the title of an award-winning series of LGBT-themed anthologies of short speculative fiction edited by Nicola Griffith and Stephen Pagel.[1][2] Three books were produced, subtitled Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, between 1997 and 2002.[3]
The editors asked contributors to "imagine a different landscape... some milieu that had not happened" and then address the theme of Alien or Other, with the Other being a lesbian or gay man.
Each of the volumes won LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) or genre awards, including winning a World Fantasy Award, two Lambda Literary Awards and two Gaylactic Spectrum Awards;[4] some individual stories contained within were also recipients of awards and nominations.[4]
Themes
The editors asked contributors to "imagine a different landscape... some milieu that had not happened" and then address the theme of Alien or Other, with the Other being a lesbian or gay man. However the stories were not specifically aimed at a gay readership.[5][6] Mark R. Kelly's review in locus magazine bemoaned the anthologies lack of thematic breadth.[5]
Awards
Each of the volumes won LGBT or genre awards, including winning a World Fantasy Award,[7] two Lambda Literary Awards and two Gaylactic Spectrum Awards;[4] some individual stories contained within were also recipients of awards and nominations.
Bending the Landscape: Fantasy
Published in 1997.[3]
Awards
- Lambda Literary Award, Lesbian and Gay Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror
- World Fantasy Award, Best Anthology
Contents
- Frost Painting – novelette by Carolyn Ives Gilman
- Gary, in the Shadows – shortstory by Mark Shepherd
- Prince of the Dark Green Sea – shortstory by Mark McLaughlin
- Water Snakes – shortstory by Holly Wade Matter
- Gestures Too Late on a Gravel Road – shortstory by Mark W. Tiedemann
- The Fall of the Kings (The World of Riverside) – novelette by Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman
- Cloudmaker – shortstory by Charlee Jacob
- Magicked Tricks – novelette by K. L. Berac
- The Sound of Angels – shortstory by Lisa S. Silverthorne
- The King's Folly – shortstory by James A. Moore
- Beside the Well – shortstory by Leslie What
- The Home Town Boy – shortstory by B. J. Thrower
- Expression of Desire – shortstory by Dominick Cancilla
- There Are Things Which Are Hidden from the Eyes of the Everyday – shortstory by Simon Sheppard
- Full Moon and Empty Arms – shortstory by M. W. Keiper
- Mahu – novelette by Jeff Verona
- The Stars Are Tears – shortstory by Robin Wayne Bailey
- Desire – shortstory by Kim Antieau
- Young Lady Who Loved Caterpillars – shortstory by Jessica Amanda Salmonson
- In Memory of – shortstory by Don Bassingthwaite
- In Mysterious Ways – novelette by Tanya Huff
- In the House of the Man in the Moon – shortstory by Richard Bowes
Bending the Landscape: Science Fiction
Published in 1998.[3]
Awards
- Lambda Literary Award, Lesbian and Gay Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror
- Gaylactic Spectrum Award
- Stonewall Book Award: Literature (finalist)
Contents
- Sex, Guns, and Baptists – shortstory by Keith Hartman
- Half in Love With Easeful Rock and Roll – shortfiction by Rebecca Ore
- Powertool – shortfiction by Mark McLaughlin
- Time Gypsy – novelette by Ellen Klages
- Lonely Land – shortfiction by Denise Lopes Heald
- The Rendez-Vous – shortfiction by Nancy Johnston
- Silent Passion – shortfiction by Kathleen O'Malley
- Sun-Drenched – shortfiction by Stephen Baxter
- The Flying Triangle – [Near Space] – shortfiction by Allen Steele
- Brooks Too Broad For Leaping – shortstory by Charles Sheffield
- A Real Girl – shortfiction by Shariann Lewitt
- Dance at the Edge – novelette by L. Timmel Duchamp
- Love's Last Farewell – shortfiction by Richard A. Bamberg
- On Vacation – shortfiction by Ralph A. Sperry
- The City in Morning – shortstory by Carrie Richerson
- State of Nature – shortstory by Nancy Kress
- The Beautiful People – shortfiction by Wendy Rathbone
- Who Plays With Sin – shortfiction by Don Bassingthwaite
- Surfaces – shortfiction by Mark W. Tiedemann
- Stay Thy Flight – shortfiction by Élisabeth Vonarburg
- Free in Asveroth – shortstory by Jim Grimsley
Bending the Landscape: Horror
Published in 2001.[3]
Awards
- Gaylactic Spectrum Award
Contents
- Coyote Love – shortstory by Kraig Blackwelder
- Explanations Are Clear – novelette by L. Timmel Duchamp
- What Are You Afraid Of? – shortstory by Simon Sheppard
- The Lost Homeland – novelette by Cynthia Ward
- The Man Who Picks the Chamomile – shortstory by Mark McLaughlin
- Love on a Stick – novelette by Carrie Richerson
- Triangle – shortstory by Ellen Klages
- Memorabilia – novelette by Holly Wade Matter
- Blood Requiem – shortstory by Gary Bowen
- In the Days Still Left – novelette by Brian A. Hopkins and James Van Pelt
- Broken Canes – shortstory by Alexi Smart
- Keep the Faith – shortstory by A. J. Potter
- The WereSlut of Avenue A – shortstory by Leslie What
- Kindred – novelette by Alexis Glynn Latner
- 'Til Death – shortstory by Barbara Hambly
- If I Could See Lazarus Rising – novelette by Kathleen O'Malley
- The Waltz of the Epileptic Penguins – shortstory by Keith Hartman
- Passing – novelette by Mark W. Tiedemann
See also
- Homosexuality in speculative fiction
- List of LGBT-themed speculative fiction
References
- ↑ "Bending the Landscape – Series Bibliography", Internet Speculative Fiction Database, retrieved 16 October 2008
- ↑ http://www.nicolagriffith.com/bending.html
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Huber, George K., Anthologies of Gay Fiction, retrieved 16 October 2008
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "The Locus Index to SF Awards", Locus, retrieved 16 October 2008
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Profiles of Recent Books from reviews in Locus Magazine", Locus, 19 October 1998, retrieved 16 October 2008
- ↑ Pearson, Wendy (March 1999), "Identifying the Alien: Science Fiction Meets Its Other", Science Fiction Studies, 26, Part 1 (77), retrieved 16 October 2008
- ↑ World Fantasy Convention (2010). "Award Winners and Nominees". Retrieved 4 February 2011.
External links
- In depth review in Science Fiction Studies
- Reviews of some individual science fiction stories