Nine short stories combining the genre of science fiction with the subject of Christmas. Stories include spacemen trying to recreate Santa Claus, a gift giving war, a spaceman dealing with a Christmas tree, a Jesuit and astrophysicist who makes a terrible Christmas discovery, and children who can read men's minds.

Annually assembling the best science fiction of the year, this series continues to live up to its name with the most original, innovative, and wonderful short fiction published in 1990. A thorough summary of the year in science fiction and a long list of recommended reading round out this volume, rendering it the one book for every reader.

When televisions worldwide begin broadcasting a nonstop, noninterruptible live performance by Buddy Holly purporting to originate somewhere in the vicinity of Jupiter, Oliver Vale--the apparent object of the broadcasts--finds himself drafted for a mission so secret that even he is not sure of its purpose.