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Best SF has been reviewing each issue of Analog, Asimovs, F&SF and Interzone since 2000. Other magazines are reviewed from time to time. Also reviewed are anthologies, chapbooks, single author collections - both current and classic. Follow the links below to access this growing archive. Click the logo above to return to the Reviews index.

Analog | Asimovs | F&SF | Interzone | Other Magazines | Year's Best Anthologies | Chapbooks/Novels | Anthologies | Hugo Winners | Nebula Award Winners | Retrospective Anthologies

There have been a number of series of annual anthologies of the best short SF over the past 50 years. The earliest were the Bleiler/Dikty series in the 1950s, followed by Judith Merril in the late 50s/early 60s. Brian Aldiss and Harry Harrison, and Donald A Wollheim and Terry Carr, jointly edited series which started in the 60s and went through to the early 70s. Carr and Wollheim carried on their own individual series through the 80s and 90s once they went their separate ways. During the late 70s/early 80s a series started by Lester Del Rey continued with Gardner Dozois at the helm. Subsequent to that Dozois began to set a benchmark with his substantial and long-running series. Hartwell, and more recently Strahan and Horton have added their names to this august list of anthologists.

There are a lot of volumes reviewed below, and contents listings for those volumes I have yet to read.

Latest : 26th August - Jonathan Strahan's 'The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year, Volume 1 | 7th July 2007 - Rich Horton's 'Science Fiction The Best of the Year 2007 Edition' | 24th June 2007 - Hartwell/Cramer's Year's Best SF 12, 2007

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coverscan 		  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.

coverscan   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.

coverscan   Rich Horton. Science Fiction : the Best of the Year

Rich Horton's annual SF volume (he also publishes a matching Fantasy volume, and they're so attractive I'm almost tempted to buy them!) The year in the title relates to the year of publication of the collection, as opposed to the year of publication of the stories therein.

coverscan   Jonathan Strahan. Science Fiction : The Very Best of...

Following ibooks collapse and the loss of the series started in 2001 (see below), Strahan has had his take on the year's best variously published

And he has also had three volumes published by the Science Fiction Book Club:

coverscan   Karen Haber/Jonathan Strahan 'Science Fiction: the Best of ..' 2001-2004

A cheeky 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 (see above)

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1990

 

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).
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coverscan   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.

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.

coverscan   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.
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coverscan   Harrison/Aldiss - Best SF : 1967-1975

Several volumes of at times idiosyncratic choices by two respected authors. [c]=contents only

coverscan   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. Currently contents only, as the pleasure of reading these little beauties is yet to come.......

coverscan   Judith Merril Annual Year's Best
1957-1968

Variously titled series of a high literary standard. More details to follow.

coverscan   David Garnett. The Orbit Science Fiction Yearbook 1-3 1988-1990

Three annual volumes of this UK published anthology. [c]=contents only

coverscan   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