Earlier this year, Tor.com debuted as an imprint independent from Tor Books by publishing Year’s Best Fantasy 9, David G. Hartwell’s and Kathryn Cramer’s definitive anthology of fantastical stories.

While YBF9 is still available as a print-on demand edition, and you can buy your very own print copy at our store, we’re posting segments of the anthology on Tor.com, for your reading pleasure. Each of these segments feature three or four stories from the anthology, and are available to all registered users of Tor.com. It’s a great way to sample some of the content in the book before deciding to part with your hard-earned cash, or of simply getting a shorter does of wonder and the fantastical.

Segment number eight features the following stories:

“Childrun” by Marc Laidlaw 
“Skin Deep” by Richard Parks
“Avast, Abaft!” by Howard Waldrop 

Registered users, download it here! 

Pablo Defendini knows the meaning of “skin deep.”