Chine Life, by Paul McAuley

[Anthology]

★★★☆☆ Honorable Mention

(Post-Apocalypse) The human settlement called the Factory sent envoys to the mass mind called the Reef in hopes of stopping the machines that keep attacking them. This is the story of how that failed. (6,958 words; Time: 23m)

Nothing Ever Happens on Oberon, by Paul McAuley

[Anthology]

★★★☆☆ Average

(SF Thriller; The Quiet War) Bai is bored supervising a mining operation on Oberon, so when an ancient escape pod makes an emergency landing, she rushes to check it out—despite being told not to. (11,612 words; Time: 38m)

This one may be more interesting if you're already read some of the rest of the Quiet War series.

Life Signs, by Paul McAuley

[Anthology]

★★☆☆☆ Not Recommended

(Near-Future SF) Two scientists go to a Chile observatory to test a device that measures the atmospheres of exoplanets. (3,838 words; Time: 12m)

Although this was originally published in the UK in 2017, the first US Publication was in March 2018, so it should be eligible for the 2019 Hugo Awards at the 2019 WorldCon, to be held in Dublin.

Elves of Antarctica, by Paul McAuley

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(Near-Future SF) A refugee from a drowned island nation works on the Antarctic peninsula, where he studies mysterious stones with elven runes in his spare time. (7,100 words; Time: 23m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

Recommended By: GDozois:5 JStrahan

Something Happened Here, But We’re Not Quite Sure What It Was, by Paul McAuley

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(SF; Jackaroo) On the planet First Foot, the small town of Joe's Corner faces conflict over building a radio telescope close to local alien artifacts. (6,013 words; Time: 20m)

Rating: ★★★★☆ Recommended

Recommended By: RHorton:5

Rats Dream of the Future, by Paul McAuley

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(SF) A science writer describes the events that turned a rat experiment into a space-time disaster in downtown London. (3,078 words; Time: 10m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

Recommended By: GDozois:4

The Fixer, by Paul McAuley

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(SF) An AI trying to establish a human colony discovers there's an individual it cannot account for. (3,790 words; Time: 12m)

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ Not Recommended

Recommended By: SFRevu:4 GDozois:4 RHorton:4

Planet of Fear, by Paul McAuley

Old Venus, 2015; ~11,300 words
Rating: 3, Good, ordinary, story  Recommended By:  Locus

On an alternate Venus, communist Russians investigate mysterious disappearances and worry that the Americans are behind it.

Lois Tilton recommended this story, partly on the grounds that it would be pure hard SF if you moved the setting to a different planet.

Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)

Pro: This one is modeled after Cold War thrillers like Gorky Park.  Katya and the Captain both come across as real people, committed to their views but not actually evil. The story arc is clean, progressing from "what happened" to "here's what happened." Katya's a good protagonist, takes direct action, doesn't get pushed around too much.

Con: It's a linear story, and there are no early clues that enlighten the later action. There's no hint that the pigs are a red herring, for example. Also, the Captain's paranoia against the Americans gets to be hard to believe.

Wild Honey, by Paul McAuley

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In post-Collapse America, Mel operates a hive of augmented bees and trading honey and medicines with locals--until a crew of bandits arrives. (6,000 words; Time: 20m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

Recommended By: SFEP