8) Year’s Best SF 9, ed. David Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer.
Much the most interesting of the 2003 SF anthologies. The Dozois one remains definitive, and best value for money, and the Haber/Strahan one I found a bit disappointing. But this has a couple of my favourite stories from the Dozois again (none in common with Haber/Strahan, interestingly) and a number of gems. This includes two stories translated from Spanish, one of which I’m afraid I just couldn’t get into, but the other one a fascinating riff on altering history (in this case, enduring that the post-Franco transition to democracy is not prevented). Lots of good stuff here which I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to read. Recommended.
It’s an interesting commentary on how society’s attitude to married women in employment has changed. (If being a Doctor’s companion can be considered “employment.”) In Old Who, a female companion getting married was, by definition, leaving the series. In New Who, it looks as if Amy’s wedding is just going to be an excuse to bring hubby along too.