Best SF Book Reviews The aim of this section of the Best SF site is to review the best in short SF which appears in book format. Here you will find reviews of large number of SF anthologies, current and classic. Click on a link below, or just scroll baby scroll. Latest Book Reviews: 25th May - Nebula Awards #27 | 5th May - Nebula Awards #22 | 24th January - The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction | 5th January 2007 - Time Pieces ed Ian Whates

Page Index (click on underlined text to scroll down) ChapBooks/Novels Original Anthologies Single Author Collections Annual anthologies: Dozois' Year's Best 1-23 | Hartwell's Best SF 1-11 | Silverberg/Haber/Strahan 2001-2004 | Wollheim 1972-1990 | Terry Carr 1972-1987 | del Rey/Dozois 1972-1981 | Harrison/Aldiss 1967-1975 | Carr/Wollheim 1965-1971 | Judith Merril 1957-1968 | Bleiler/Dikty 1949-1954 | Orbit Science Fiction Yearbook 1988-1990 Retrospective anthologies Harrison/Aldiss - Decade: the 40s/50s/60s | Magazine Anthologies | Great SF stories | Award Winner anthologies Hugo Winners | Nebula Award Winners |

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Chapbooks/novels James Patrick Kelly. Burn. Ken MacLeod. The Highway Men. Alastair Reynolds. Understanding Space and Time. Alastair Reynolds. Century Rain. Brian Aldiss. Sanity and the Lady. Eric Brown. The Extraordinary Voyage of Jules Verne. Cory Doctorow. Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town. Graham Joyce. TWOC. Eric Brown. Approaching Omega. Lisa Tuttle. My Death. Mary Gentle. Under the Penitence. Alastair Reynolds. Absolution Gap. Gary Greenwood. Jigsaw Men. PS Publishing, 2004. Tim Lebbon. Changing of Faces. PS Publishing, 2004. Richard Calder. The Twist. Four Walls Eight Windows, 2003.

Original Anthologies. The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction. ed George Mann. Solaris 2007. Time Pieces. ed Ian Whates. Newcon Press, 2006. Forbidden Planets. ed Peter Crowther. DAW Books, 2006. One Million AD . ed Gardner Dozois. SFBC, 2005. Nova Scotia. ed Williamson/Wilson, Crescent 2005. Constellations. ed Peter Crowther. DAW Books, 2005. Mirrorshades. ed Bruce Sterling. The Ultimate Cyberpunk. ed Pat Cadigan. InfinityPlus 2' ed Keith Brooke. PS Publishing 2003 Live Without a Net. ed Lou Anders. Roc, 2003. Cities. ed Peter Crowther. Gollancz 2003. Infinities. ed Peter Crowther. Gollancz 2002. Futures. ed Peter Crowther. Gollancz 2001. Science Fiction 101. ed Robert Silverberg. ibooks, 2001. Far Horizons. ed Robert Silverberg. Eos, 1999. The Best Japanse Science Fiction Stories. ed John L. Apostolou and Martin H. Greenberg. Barricade Books 1997.

Single Author Collections. Alastair Reynolds. Zima Blue. Alastair Reynolds. Galactic North. Stephen Baxter. Traces. Paul McAuley. Little Machines. Paul Di Filippo. Little Doors. 4W8W, 2002. Jim Burns. Imago. Stephen Baxter. Phase Space. Michael Moorcock. The Life and Times of Jerry Cornelius. Four Walls Eight Windows, 2003. Stephen Baxter. Mayflower II. Terry Bisson. Dear Abbey. PS Publishing 2003 Alastair Reynolds. Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days : tales from the Revelation Space universe. Gollancz, 2003. Charles Stross. Toast - and other rusted futures. Cosmos Books, 2002. Paul di Filippo. Babylon Sisters and other posthumans. Prime Books, 2002 Gardner Dozois. Geodesic Dreams. St. Martins Press 1992.

Dozois's 'Year's Best Science Fiction' 1984 - continuing The annual collection of Dozois has become an establishment, and is the longest-running series by far. The size of the collection, and the fact that it is thus able to contain several novella-length stories, with the lengthy summation of the SF year, makes this a remarkable record of written SF. Long may it continue. Year's Best Science Fiction  1st Annual Collection, 1984. Year's Best Science Fiction  2nd Annual Collection, 1985. Year's Best Science Fiction  3rd Annual Collection, 1986. Year's Best Science Fiction  4th Annual Collection, 1987. Year's Best Science Fiction  5th Annual Collection, 1988. Year's Best Science Fiction  6th Annual Collection, 1989. Year's Best Science Fiction  7th Annual Collection, 1990. Year's Best Science Fiction  8th Annual Collection, 1991. Year's Best Science Fiction  9th Annual Collection, 1992. Year's Best Science Fiction 10th Annual Collection, 1993. Year's Best Science Fiction 11th Annual Collection, 1994. Year's Best Science Fiction 12th Annual Collection, 1995. Year's Best Science Fiction 13th Annual Collection, 1996. Year's Best Science Fiction 14th Annual Collection, 1997. Year's Best Science Fiction 15th Annual Collection, 1998. Year's Best Science Fiction 16th Annual Collection, 1999. Year's Best Science Fiction 17th Annual Collection, 2000. Year's Best Science Fiction 18th Annual Collection, 2001. Year's Best Science Fiction 19th Annual Collection, 2002. Year's Best Science Fiction 20th Annual Collection, 2003. Year's Best Science Fiction 21st Annual Collection, 2004. Year's Best Science Fiction 22nd Annual Collection, 2005. Year's Best Science Fiction 23rd Annual Collection, 2006.

David G. Hartwell's Year's Best SF. 1996-continuing This series provides healthy 'competition' to the Dozois series, although with less space, comparisons are unfair. Year's Best SF #1, 1996 Year's Best SF #2, 1997 Year's Best SF #3, 1998 Year's Best SF #4, 1999 Year's Best SF #5, 2000 Year's Best SF #6, 2001 Year's Best SF #7, 2002 Year's Best SF #8, 2003 Year's Best SF #9, 2004 Year's Best SF #10, 2005 Year's Best SF #11, 2006

Karen Haber/Jonathan Strahan 'Science Fiction: the Best of ..' 2001-2004 A cheeky new contender in the annual collection market in the early 2000s, beating the established titles to market by several months. However, (tortoise and hare), the series ceased with the collapse of ibooks in 2006. Co-editor Strahan has carried on with barely a break in his stride... Science Fiction: the Best of 2001. Science Fiction: the Best of 2002. Science Fiction: the Best of 2003. Science Fiction: the Best of 2004.

Donald Wollheim's Annual World's Best SF 1972-1990 Donald A Wollheim's annual series ran for almost two decades, alongside that of his ex-collaborator, Terry Carr (see below). [c] = contents only The 1972 Annual World's Best SF The 1973 Annual World's Best SF The 1974 Annual World's Best SF [c] The 1975 Annual World's Best SF [c] The 1976 Annual World's Best SF [c] The 1977 Annual World's Best SF [c] The 1978 Annual World's Best SF [c] The 1979 Annual World's Best SF [c] The 1980 Annual World's Best SF [c] The 1981 Annual World's Best SF [c] The 1982 Annual World's Best SF [c] The 1983 Annual World's Best SF [c] The 1984 Annual World's Best SF The 1985 Annual World's Best SF [c] The 1986 Annual World's Best SF [c] The 1987 Annual World's Best SF [c] The 1988 Annual World's Best SF The 1989 Annual World's Best SF [c] The 1990 Annual World's Best SF [c]

Terry Carr's Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year 1972-1987 Carr had produced several Year's Best collections with Donald A. Wollheim (see below). Having gone their separate ways in 1971, both Carr and Wollheim continued to publish their own annual anthologies until their death. Best Science Fiction of the Year #1, 1972 Best Science Fiction of the Year #2, 1973. Best Science Fiction of the Year #3, 1974. Best Science Fiction of the Year #4, 1975. Best Science Fiction of the Year #5, 1976. Best Science Fiction of the Year #6, 1977. Best Science Fiction of the Year #7, 1978. [c] Best Science Fiction of the Year #8, 1979. Best Science Fiction of the Year #9, 1980. [c] Best Science Fiction of the Year #10, 1981. Best Science Fiction of the Year #11, 1982. [not yet in my collection - owie] Best Science Fiction of the Year #12, 1983. [c] Best Science Fiction of the Year #13, 1984. Best Science Fiction of the Year #14, 1985. Best Science Fiction of the Year #15, 1986. [c] Best Science Fiction of the Year #16, 1987. With his successful 'Year's Best' series underway, Carr produced two annual collections of novellas. Presumably not a commercial success as the experiment lasted for only two volumes. Best Science Fiction Novellas of the Year 1, 1979 Best Science Fiction Novellas of the Year 2, 1980

del Rey/Dozois - Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year 1972-1981 Along with Carr and Wollheim, the 70s were graced with another high quality collection, edited at first by Lester del Rey, and then by Gardner Dozois. [c] = contents only First Annual Collection, 1972. [c] Second Annual Collection, 1973. [c] Third Annual Collection, 1974. Fourth Annual Collection, 1975. Fifth Annual Collection, 1976. Sixth Annual Collection, 1977. Seventh Annual Collection, 1978. [c] Eighth Annual Collection, 1979. Ninth Annual Collection, 1980. [c] Tenth Annual Collection, 1981.

Nebula Award Winners. 1966 - continuing At times sporadic, but an excellent series, although the quirky choices of SFWA, an their rolling eligibility, tend to provide less of a reflection of the year in short SF than other volumes. Nebula Award Stories 1, 1966. Nebula Award Stories 2, 1967. Nebula Award Stories 3, 1968. Nebula Award Stories 4, 1969. [contents only] Nebula Award Stories 5, 1970. [contents only] Nebula Award Stories 6, 1971. [contents only] Nebula Award Stories 7, 1972. [contents only] Nebula Award Stories 8, 1973. [contents only] Nebula Award Stories  9, 1974. [contents only] Nebula Award Stories 10, 1975. [contents only] Nebula Award Stories 11, 1976. [contents only] Nebula Award Stories 12 - not yet in my collection! Nebula Award Stories 13, 1978. [contents only] Nebula Award Stories 14, 1980. [contents only] Nebula Award Stories 15, 1981. [contents only] Nebula Award Stories 16, 1982. Nebula Award Stories 17. - not yet in my collection! Nebula Award Stories 18, 1983. [contents only] Nebula Award Stories 19-21. - not yet in my collection! Nebula Award Stories 22, 1987. Nebula Award Stories 23, 1988. Nebula Award Stories 24, 1989. Nebula Award Stories 25, 1990. [contents only] Nebula Award Stories 26, 1991. Nebula Award Stories 27, 1992. Nebula Award Stories 28. - not yet in my collection! Nebula Award Stories 29, 1995. [contents only] Nebula Award Stories 30, 1996. [contents only] Nebula Award Stories 31, 1997. [contents only] Nebula Award Stories 32. - not yet in my collection! Nebula Award Stories 33, 1999. [contents only] Nebula Awards Showcase 2000 Nebula Awards Showcase 2001 Nebula Awards Showcase 2002 Nebula Awards Showcase 2003 Nebula Awards Showcase 2004 Nebula Awards Showcase 2005 Nebula Awards Showcase 2006 Nebula 2002 Final Ballot

Hugo Winner anthologies Sod critics - this is the award, voted on by 'the fans', which reflects the choices of 'the great unwashed'. The publication history was somewhat sporadic, and now, sadly stopped. Hugo Winners, 1962 Hugo Winners II (1963-1967), 1971. Hugo Winners II (1968-1970), 1971. Hugo Winners 3i (1970-1972), 1979. Hugo Winners 3ii (1973), 1979. Hugo Winners 3iii (1974-1975), 1979. Hugo Winners 4 (1976-1979), 1985. Hugo Winners 5 (1980-1982), 1985. New Hugo Winners (1983-1985), 1989. New Hugo Winners II (1986-1988), 1991. New Hugo Winners Volume III (1989-1991), 1994 New Hugo Winners Volume IV (1992-1994), 1997.

Harrison/Aldiss - Best SF : 1967-1975 Several volumes of at times idiosyncratic choices by two respected authors. [c]=contents only Best SF : 1967 Best SF : 1968 Best SF : 1969 Best SF : 1970 [c] Best SF : 1971 Best SF : 1972 [c] Best SF : 1973 Best SF : 1974 Best SF : 1975 [c]

Great SF stories, 1939-1964 and continuing.. To rectify the 'problem' of their having been no annual 'Year's Best' anthologies in the early days of SF, Isaac Asimov and Martin Greenberg edited a 'retrospective' annual collection for the years 1939-1963, which has now been taken up by NESFA Press. These are the volumes I have reviewed. Isaac Asimov presents the Great SF Stories #1 1939 (DAW Books 1979, ed Asimov/Greenberg) Robert Silverberg presents the Great SF Stories 1964 (NESFA Press, ed Silverberg/Greenberg)

Aldiss/Harrison - 'Decade' series - 40s/50s/60s Three volumes attempting to cover a decade each. Decade: the 1940s. 1975. Decade: the 1950s. 1976. Decade: the 1960s. 1977. [c]

Carr/Wollheim - World's Best SF 1965-1971 A jointly edited series, with the authors each producing their own annual series once the partnership ended. More details to follow. World's Best Science Fiction : 1965 - not in my collection (yet) World's Best Science Fiction : 1966 World's Best Science Fiction : 1967 World's Best Science Fiction : 1968 World's Best Science Fiction : 1969 - not in my collection (yet) World's Best Science Fiction : 1970 World's Best Science Fiction : 1971

Judith Merril Annual Year's Best 1957-1968 Variously titled series of a high literary standard. More details to follow. SF: The Year's Greatest Science Fiction and Fantasy (1956) SF:'57: The Year's Greatest Science Fiction and Fantasy (1957) SF:'58: The Year's Greatest Science Fiction and Fantasy (1958) SF:'59: The Year's Greatest Science Fiction and Fantasy (1959) The 5th Annual of the Year's Best S-F (1960) The 6th Annual of the Year's Best S-F (1961) The 7th Annual of the Year's Best S-F (1962) The 8th Annual of the Year's Best S-F (1963) The 9th Annual of the Year's Best S-F (1964) The 10th Annual of the Year's Best S-F (1965) The 11th Annual of the Year's Best S-F (1966) SF 12 (1967)

David Garnett. The Orbit Science Fiction Yearbook 1-3 1988-1990 Three annual volumes of this UK published anthology. [c]=contents only Orbit Science Fiction Yearbook 1. 1988. [c] Orbit Science Fiction Yearbook 2. 1989. [c] Orbit Science Fiction Yearbook 3. 1990. [c]

Bleiler/Dikty Best Science Fiction. 1949-1954(55-58) The first annual anthology series, with Dikty continuing afer the joint editions. More details to follow The Best Science Fiction Stories 1949 The Best Science Fiction Stories 1950. The Best Science Fiction Stories 1951 The Best Science Fiction Stories 1952 The Best Science Fiction Stories 1953 The Best Science Fiction Stories 1954 The Best Science Fiction Stories and Novels 1955 The Best Science Fiction Stories and Novels 1956 The Best Science Fiction Stories and Novels 9th Series (1958)

Crispin - Best SF 1-7 Not quite annual anthologies, published during the 1950s. More details to follow.

Magazine anthologies The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction has been pre-eminent amongst the magazines in producing, over a number of decades, collections of stories. The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction, Sixth Series (ed Anthony Boucher, 1957.) The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction, the Fiftieth Anniversary Collection. (Tor Books, 1999, ed Edward L. Ferman and Gordon van Gelder.) The Ant-Men of Tibet and Other Stories. Ed. David Pringle. - an Interzone anthology

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