Castroianni

An unabridged collection spotlighting the best robot and AI stories published in 2024 by current and emerging masters of the science fiction genre, edited by Allan Kaster.

• ＂The Lark Ascending＂ by Eleanna Castroianni-A robot aids a girl whose memory has been erased by the government.
• ＂The Best Version of Yourself＂ by Grant Collier-A corporation offers a brain procedure that allows everyone to become the best version of themselves via nanobots.
• ＂Death and the Gorgon＂ by Greg Egan-A sheriff investigates the collapse of a cryogenic storage facility with the help of an AI.
• ＂The Indomitable Captain Holli＂ by Rich Larson-An AI with unclear motives presents itself as a pirate to a young girl who’s eager for adventure.
• ＂Three Views of a Parking Lot＂ by Ken Liu-A parking lot becomes a lens into humanity’s forgotten spaces as viewed by a small robot searching for meaning.
• ＂The Optics of Infinity＂ by James Morrow-An AI aboard a space telescope suffers from anxiety attacks as it travels toward the Alpha Moment.
• ＂Burned Like Coal＂ by T. R. Napper-Two women and an AI infiltrate a power plant.
• ＂Arazem-2 Is Waiting for a Letter＂ by Amal Singh-A robot grows frustrated with its retirement.
• ＂The Robot＂ by Lavie Tidhar-A general-purpose robot goes about its duties for nearly six hundred years.
• ＂Tepid War＂ by Jay Werkheiser-A product manager in Manhattan goes about his daily routine amidst a war that does not target civilians.
• ＂Nine Billion Turing Tests＂ by Chris Willrich-During a flooding event in Silicon Valley, a software engineer grieving the loss of his wife struggles with both people and AIs.