Best Erotic Fantasy and Science Fiction

Circlet Press publisher Tan (Best Fantastic Erotica) and debut editor Zaiatz present a variety of erotic tales both sensual and brutal. In Helen E.H. Madden's "Alienated," humans learn about true emotional intimacy through alien sex. Two time travelers reconnect in their old age in Grant Carrington's "Younger than Springtime," a three-page tale and the strongest in the collection. Maya Kaathryn Bonhoff's "The Boy Who Loved Clouds" reveals the connection between love and creativity as a disillusioned writer rediscovers his passion for stories. The relationships are as varied as the settings, and the best stories are those with a strong emotional core. Readers looking for lighthearted fun, romance, or fantasy fodder may be put off by an early run of more dispassionate encounters. (Sept.)