It was first published in hardcover and trade paperback by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich in November 1985.

Sue Martin in the Los Angeles Times writes that reading the book "is like settling down with a box of the best chocolates: everyone a tasty surprise.

She notes that in addition to the Nebula winners it also includes "several of the runners-up, which succinctly points out what a tight, quality pack these finalists are."

Others "didn't do much for me," especially the pieces by Gibson, "written a little too coyly: all style and not enough story for my taste," and Bishop, "bits and puppy dogs' tails of stories that never coalesced for me."

"[2] The anthology was also reviewed by Michael M. Levy in Fantasy Review, February 1986, Elton T. Elliott in Science Fiction Review, Spring 1986, The Christian Science Monitor v. 78, May 16, 1986, Andrew Andrews in Science Fiction Review, Summer 1986, E. F. Bleiler in Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone Magazine, June 1986, Algis Budrys in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, July 1986, and Don D'Ammassa in Science Fiction Chronicle no.