title: The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year Volume 5
author: Jonathan Strahan
description: Strahan's fifth anthology contains 29 wide-ranging tales. Neil Gaiman's "The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains" is a deceptively simple folktale-styled story of the price one may pay for gold. "The Sultan of the Clouds" by Geoffrey Landis untangles a complex knot of childish power. Sarah Rees Brennan's "The Spy Who Never Grew Up" gives a beloved childhood icon a sinister update; Diana Peterfreund's "The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn" turns unicorn lore on its head; and Rachel Swirsky's "The Lady Who Plucked Red Flowers Beneath the Queen's Window" puts a fantasy spin on the temporal culture shock of immortality. This year the fantasy tales outdo the SF in depth of storytelling and characterization, though all the inclusions are strong, with few ideas left by the wayside. (Apr.) <br />(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
zlib_text: ALSO EDITED BY JONATHAN STRAHAN
  Best Short Novels (2004 through 2007)
  Fantasy: The Very Best of 2005
  Science Fiction: The Very Best of 2005
  The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: Volumes 1–5
  Eclipse: New Science Fiction and Fantasy (Volumes 1–4)
  The Starry Rift: Tales of New Tomorrows
  Life on Mars: Tales of New Frontiers
  Godlike Machines
  Engineering In�nity
  Cyberpunk
  WITH LOU ANDERS
  Swords and Dark Magic: The New Sword and Sorcery
  WITH CHARLES N. BROWN
  The Locus Awards: Thirty Years of the Best in Fantasy and Science
  Fiction
  WITH JEREMY G. BYRNE
  The Year’s Best Australian Science Fiction and Fantasy: Volume 1
  The Year’s Best Australian Science Fiction and Fantasy: Volume 2
  Eidolon 1
  WITH JACK DANN
  Legends of Australian Fantasy
  WITH GARDNER DOZOIS
  The New Space Opera
  The New Space Opera 2
  WITH KAREN HABER
  Science Fiction: Best of 2003
  
  Science Fiction: Best of 2004
  Fantasy: Best of 2004
  WITH MARIANNE S. JABLON
  Wings of Fire
  
  This is a work of �ction. All incidents and dialogu