Our first year has ended. Now, on to the next one!
What did the past year bring us in terms of the content that Amazing Stories has published? See for yourself with this round up of the Top 100 Posts Of the Year list. A listing of 100 posts represents 4.8 percent of all of our posts from the past year – Two Thousand and Seventy Three in total (2,073).
Please note that this is not a true depiction of the popularity of individual posts on Amazing Stories: some of these posts have been on the site for a year, steadily accumulating hits while others have only been available to read for a few short weeks but, for one (controversial) reason or another, generated a lot of views in a relatively short time.
On the other hand, this compendium does present to us an interesting picture of the subjects and ideas that our friends and readers find most compelling.
Amazing Stories was originally conceived as a fiction magazine for the new literature of scientifiction; since 1926, the definition of what that encompasses has grown to include fantasy and horror (and a host of mish-mashed sub-genres). Interesting then that the subject in the majority of our first ten most popular posts (3) address the horror genre. Rounding out the top ten we have our three most controversial posts. Comments on one or two of those were previously closed and the debate on the subjects they raise, while not over, has generally moved on to other posts on the subject. Their inclusion here is for completeness and accuracy’s sake (if I didn’t list them I’d be getting complaints about that so, our default is, lay out the facts and let them fall where they may).
I’m quite happy to see some of the Spanish language posts included – and not too far down on the list. I’m also not surprised to see posts dealing with writing tips, marketing and the publishing industry scattered throughout the list. Interviews (regardless of subject), discussions and displays of art and reviews of classic science fiction/fantasy/horror are also pretty popular.
I’m also happy to see that there is at least one post in the top 100 that addresses the (now 15) primary subjects I originally identified as being of interest to genre fans: science fiction, fantasy and horror literature (counting as three); television, film, anime, comics, visual art, audio works, poetry, the pulps, fandom, science, gaming and modeling.
If nothing else, the past year, our content offerings and this reflection of reader interest confirms some of our initial premises of the direction to take Amazing Stories.
When Science Fiction is Not Science Fiction
More Sci-fi Shows to Hit Screens in 2013
Don’t Quit Your Day Job – Traditional Publishing by the Numbers
What’s the Trouble With Selfies? Speculative Fiction and the Mirror Effect
Deconstructing Horror: Haunted Houses
Open Source Horror: The Slender Man
There’s Something About Night Vale
Review: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick
Why Science Fiction Poetry is Embarrassingly Bad
Interview with a Wizard: Mike Mearls
Interview with Award-Winning Author Lois McMaster Bujold
Women in Armour vs. Chicks in Chain-mail
Crossroads: Science Fiction Romance – A Niche Before Its Time?
Top Ten RPG Game Systems of All Time
Publishing: Let’s stop comparing apples and oranges
The Language of Scandal: Why Do Speculative Fiction Writers Love Disgusting Scatological Insults?
Playing the Short Game: How to Sell Your Short Fiction (Part 3)
Rites of Spring: The New Horror TV Shows
A Publisher’s Perspective on Profits: ebooks vs print
Individualism, Atheism, and the Search for God in Cormac McCarthy’s The Road
An Introduction to the Empire’s Corps
The Top Ten Roleplaying Games of All Time
Characters: Kvothe from The Name of the Wind
An Interview with Bestselling Author Ty Franck (James S.A. Corey)
It’s (Not) Rocket Science: John Aaron: “SCE to AUX”
No. 9: Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, and Who’s The Real Monster?
ASM Blog Horde Interview with Michael J. Sullivan
These Fractured States: An Overview of Balkanized Americas
Ten Totally Illogical Science Fiction Premises
Playing the Short Game: How to Sell Your Short Fiction (Part 1)
JACK VANCE: VISIONS OF A DYING EARTH
REVISTAS VIRTUALES Y REALES DE CIENCIA FICCIÓN EN ESPAÑOL
5 More Anime and Manga Titles for HBO to Adapt
Sexual Harassment at Science Conventions: Who Let the Dogs Out?
Ten Questions You Need to Ask Your Characters Before They Can Stay In Your Story
Art + Fandom ≠ Fan Art: Definitions
The Fed Puts Stamps of Approval on Science Fiction Authorship
Our Ansible is Missing – Intellectual Property Theft in Science Fiction
Understanding the Sexism of Fantasy
A Baaaad Case of the Warm and Fuzzies: H. Beam Piper v. John Scalzi
Dress For the Occasion: The Scantily Clad Female
Top Ten Best Star Wars Computer Games of All Time
Crossroads: The Power in Paranormal Romance
What if Every Superman Actor Was One Man?
Pulling Back the Publishing Veil: Editors and Their Roles
Christianity vs. Science Fiction
Why Doesn’t Fantasy Sell in Japan?
No. 6 – Theodore Sturgeon, The Next Question, Well-Meaning Scientists and The Evil They Can Cause.
The Artful Collector: The Best Fantasy Art Show in the World
No. 4 – H. G. Wells, The Time Machine, War of the Worlds, and the Social Impacts of Science
All Aboard for Mars! A True Story
Books That Never Were – Farewell Atlantis
Michiko to Hatchin is the Best Anime You’ve Never Watched
When Did Science Fiction Begin?
2013 HUGO AWARDS (Winners and Nominees)
Pulling Back the Publishing Veil: Return Reserves, Buy-in, and Sell-through
Playing the Short Game: How to Sell Your Short Fiction (Part 2)
The Fuzzy Line Between Science Fiction and Fantasy
Sequential Wednesdays #23.3 – NYCC ’13 Interview With Colleen AF Venable
Playing the Short Game: How to Sell Your Short Fiction (Part 8 in series)
Having a Sexual Harassment Policy is not Enough
Publishing Options – Many Choices Now Viable
Digital Only Publishing – Think Twice Before You Sign
Art in Action: A Bakuman Review
Playing the Short Game: How to Sell Your Short Fiction (Part 4)
Interview with Chad Connell from The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
Nuevos trabajos de ciencia ficción en español
Retrospective: David A. Hardy – The King of Space Art
The Icon of Monsters and Monster Models
The First Poem Written in Space
Jules Verne and Amazing Stories
Interview with Pat Mills, Founder of 2000AD
Karmic Demons and the Power of Compassion: Buddhist Philosophy in Modern Myth
The Howl of Family: A Review of Wolf Children
Debunking Lolita Fashion and the American Otaku Myth
Interview with Award-Winning Editor Ellen Datlow
Ten Reasons for Not Boycotting Ender’s Game
La ciencia ficción en Bolivia: Resumen histórico
What Does the Music of the Future Sound Like?
Dress for the Occasion 2: The Decked-out Heroine
Interview: Trenna Keating (aka Doc Yewll) from Defiance
