The Maiden Flight of McCauley's Bellerophon

"The Maiden Flight of McCauley's Bellerophon" is a science fiction/magical realism novella by the American writer Elizabeth Hand. It was first published in the Neil Gaiman/Al Sarrantonio-edited anthology Stories: All-New Tales,[1] in 2010, and subsequently republished in Hand's 2012 anthology Errantry: Strange Stories from Small Beer Press.[2]

Synopsis

An aviation historian is terminally ill. As a last gift, her friends decide to falsify evidence that will support her personal theory regarding the invention of flight.

Reception

"Maiden Flight" won the 2011 World Fantasy Award for Best Novella,[3] and was nominated for the 2011 Hugo Award for Best Novella[4] and the 2011 Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award[5]

Theodora Goss calls it "simple on one level and intensely complicated on another. And beautiful, and a joy to read,"[6] while the Portland Press Herald described it as "bittersweet" and "magical",[7] and Roz Kaveney judged it "possibly the best" story in the anthology.[8]

Genre

Hand has stated that the story "balance[s] on a knife-edge between fantasy and science fiction," with "elements of both", and declined to further explain what happens in it, saying "You tell me." [9]

References
  1. Kristine Saretsky (June 7, 2013). "Anthology of short fiction ideal for quick summer reading". Calgary Journal. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  2. Nic Clarke (May 29, 2013). "Errantry: Strange Stories by Elizabeth Hand - Reviewed". Strange Horizons. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  3. "2011". World Fantasy. Archived from the original on January 12, 2013. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  4. Cory Doctorow (April 25, 2011). "Hugo Nominees 2011". Boing Boing. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  5. "The Locus Index to SF Awards: 2011 Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award". Locus. November 17, 2012. Archived from the original on October 6, 2012. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  6. Theodora Goss (November 12, 2011). "Readability". Theodora Goss. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  7. Joan Silverman (December 16, 2012). "Book Review: Hand creates new feast of uncommon stories". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  8. Roz Kaveney (July 12, 2010). "Stories: All-New Tales (Review)]". The Financial Times. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
  9. InterGalactic Interview With Elizabeth Hand , by Darrell Schweitzer, in InterGalactic Medicine Show, issue 33; published April 2013; retrieved June 9, 2022


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