Nebula Awards 29

As in previous years, this excellent 1993 collection of Nebula Award winners covers a broad range of styles, treatments and subjects. Selected SF authors, in short essays, bemoan the state of the genre, yet these stories and novellas (and even a poem or two) give the lie to any pessimism. Connie Willis's ``Death on the Nile'' describes a bizarre vacation to Egypt in which a group of tourists gains firsthand knowledge of the Pyramids' original purpose. ``Georgia on My Mind'' shines with the excitement of scientific discovery as Charles Sheffield rewrites computer history to introduce another inventor of Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine. And for those who love their cars more than they do people, Jack Cady's novella ``The Night We Buried Road Dog'' offers a psychological and supernatural mystery celebrating the freedom of the road. Sargent also includes memorial tributes to SF greats Avram Davidson, Lester del Rey and Chad Oliver. Essential reading for anyone who enjoys science fiction, this collection goes a long way toward demonstrating that, now and then, those who engage in the sometimes thankless task of bestowing writing awards really do know how to pick winners. (Apr.)