What do you think?
Rate this book
Annual World's Best SF #4
The 1975 Annual World's Best SF
Contents:
Introductory essay by Donald A. Wollheim
A Song for Lya (1974) by George R. R. Martin
Deathsong (1974) by Sydney J. Van Scyoc
A Full Member of the Club (1974) by Bob Shaw
The Sun's Tears [Challenge Chaos] (1974) by Brian M. Stableford
The Gift of Garigolli (1974) by C. M. Kornbluth and Frederik Pohl
The Four-Hour Fugue (1974) by Alfred Bester
Twig (1974) by Gordon R. Dickson
Cathadonian Odyssey (1974) by Michael Bishop
The Bleeding Man (1974) by Craig Strete
Stranger in Paradise (1974) by Isaac Asimov.
Introductory essay by Donald A. Wollheim
A Song for Lya (1974) by George R. R. Martin
Deathsong (1974) by Sydney J. Van Scyoc
A Full Member of the Club (1974) by Bob Shaw
The Sun's Tears [Challenge Chaos] (1974) by Brian M. Stableford
The Gift of Garigolli (1974) by C. M. Kornbluth and Frederik Pohl
The Four-Hour Fugue (1974) by Alfred Bester
Twig (1974) by Gordon R. Dickson
Cathadonian Odyssey (1974) by Michael Bishop
The Bleeding Man (1974) by Craig Strete
Stranger in Paradise (1974) by Isaac Asimov.
272 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 1975
4 people are currently reading
96 people want to read
About the author
Donald A. Wollheim
295 books34 followersDonald Allen Wollheim was a science fiction writer, editor, publisher and fan. He published his own works under pseudonyms, including David Grinnell.
A member of the Futurians, he was one of the leading influences on the development of science fiction and science fiction fandom in the 20th century United States.
In 1937, Wollheim founded the Fantasy Amateur Press Association. The first mailing was distributed in July of that year and included this statement from Wollheim: "There are many fans desiring to put out a voice who dare not, for fear of being obliged to keep it up, and for the worry and time taken by subscriptions and advertising. It is for them and for the fan who admits it is his hobby and not his business that we formed the FAPA."
Wollheim was also a member of the New York Science Fiction League, one of the clubs established by Hugo Gernsback to promote science fiction. When Wollheim published a complaint of non-payment for stories against Gernsback, Gernsback dissolved the New York chapter of the club.
Wollheim's first story, "The Man from Ariel," was published in the January 1934 issue of Wonder Stories when Wollheim was nineteen. Wollheim was not paid for the story and when he began to look into the situation, he learned that many other authors had not been paid for their work, publishing his findings in the Bulletin of the Terrestrial Fantascience Guild. Gernsback eventually settled the case with Wollheim and other authors out of court for $75, but when Wollheim submitted another story to Gernsback, under the pseudonym "Millard Verne Gordon," he was again not paid. One of Wollheim's short stories, "Mimic" was made into the feature film of the same name, which was released in 1997.
He left Avon Books in 1952 to work for A. A. Wyn at Ace Books. In 1953 he introduced science fiction to the Ace lineup, and for 20 years edited their renowned sf list. Ace was well known for the Ace Doubles series which consisted of pairs of books, usually by different authors, bound back-to-back with two "front" covers. Because these paired books had to fit a fixed total page-length, one or both were usually heavily abridged to fit, and Wollheim often made many other editorial alterations and title changes — as witness the many differences between Poul Anderson's Ace novel War of the Wing-Men and its definitive revised edition, The Man Who Counts. It was also during the 1950s he bought the book Junk by William S. Burroughs, which, in his inimitable fashion, he retitled Junkie.
In 1965 Wollheim published an unauthorized Ace edition of The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien in three volumes — the first mass-market paperback edition of Tolkien's epic. This was done because Wollheim believed the Houghton Mifflin hardcover editions failed to properly assert copyright. In a 2006 interview, Wollheim's daughter claimed that Tolkien had angered her father by saying that his magnum opus would never be published in so ‘degenerate a form’ as the paperback book. However, Tolkien had previously authorized a paperback edition of The Hobbit in 1961, and eventually supported paperback editions of The Lord of the Rings and several of his other texts. In any case, Ace was forced to cease publishing the unauthorized edition and to pay Tolkien for their sales following a grass-roots campaign and boycott by Tolkien's U.S. fans. In 1993 a court found that the copyright loophole suggested by Ace Books was incorrect and their paperback edition found to have been a violation of Tolkien's copyright under US law.
After leaving Ace he founded DAW Books in 1971, named by his initials, which can claim to be the first mass market specialist science fiction and fantasy fiction publishing house. In later years, when his distributors, New American Library, threatened to withhold distribution of Thomas Burnett Swann's Biblical fantasy How are the Mighty Fallen (1974) because of its homosexual con
A member of the Futurians, he was one of the leading influences on the development of science fiction and science fiction fandom in the 20th century United States.
In 1937, Wollheim founded the Fantasy Amateur Press Association. The first mailing was distributed in July of that year and included this statement from Wollheim: "There are many fans desiring to put out a voice who dare not, for fear of being obliged to keep it up, and for the worry and time taken by subscriptions and advertising. It is for them and for the fan who admits it is his hobby and not his business that we formed the FAPA."
Wollheim was also a member of the New York Science Fiction League, one of the clubs established by Hugo Gernsback to promote science fiction. When Wollheim published a complaint of non-payment for stories against Gernsback, Gernsback dissolved the New York chapter of the club.
Wollheim's first story, "The Man from Ariel," was published in the January 1934 issue of Wonder Stories when Wollheim was nineteen. Wollheim was not paid for the story and when he began to look into the situation, he learned that many other authors had not been paid for their work, publishing his findings in the Bulletin of the Terrestrial Fantascience Guild. Gernsback eventually settled the case with Wollheim and other authors out of court for $75, but when Wollheim submitted another story to Gernsback, under the pseudonym "Millard Verne Gordon," he was again not paid. One of Wollheim's short stories, "Mimic" was made into the feature film of the same name, which was released in 1997.
He left Avon Books in 1952 to work for A. A. Wyn at Ace Books. In 1953 he introduced science fiction to the Ace lineup, and for 20 years edited their renowned sf list. Ace was well known for the Ace Doubles series which consisted of pairs of books, usually by different authors, bound back-to-back with two "front" covers. Because these paired books had to fit a fixed total page-length, one or both were usually heavily abridged to fit, and Wollheim often made many other editorial alterations and title changes — as witness the many differences between Poul Anderson's Ace novel War of the Wing-Men and its definitive revised edition, The Man Who Counts. It was also during the 1950s he bought the book Junk by William S. Burroughs, which, in his inimitable fashion, he retitled Junkie.
In 1965 Wollheim published an unauthorized Ace edition of The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien in three volumes — the first mass-market paperback edition of Tolkien's epic. This was done because Wollheim believed the Houghton Mifflin hardcover editions failed to properly assert copyright. In a 2006 interview, Wollheim's daughter claimed that Tolkien had angered her father by saying that his magnum opus would never be published in so ‘degenerate a form’ as the paperback book. However, Tolkien had previously authorized a paperback edition of The Hobbit in 1961, and eventually supported paperback editions of The Lord of the Rings and several of his other texts. In any case, Ace was forced to cease publishing the unauthorized edition and to pay Tolkien for their sales following a grass-roots campaign and boycott by Tolkien's U.S. fans. In 1993 a court found that the copyright loophole suggested by Ace Books was incorrect and their paperback edition found to have been a violation of Tolkien's copyright under US law.
After leaving Ace he founded DAW Books in 1971, named by his initials, which can claim to be the first mass market specialist science fiction and fantasy fiction publishing house. In later years, when his distributors, New American Library, threatened to withhold distribution of Thomas Burnett Swann's Biblical fantasy How are the Mighty Fallen (1974) because of its homosexual con
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 25, 2020
Collectors #148
Cover Artist: Jack Gaughan
Name: Wollheim, Donald Allen, Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA, (01 October 1914 -02 November 1990).
Name: Saha, Arthur William, Birthplace: Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, (31 October 1923 -15 November 1999)
Contents:
007 - Introduction (The 1975 Annual World's Best SF) • (1975) • essay by Donald A. Wollheim
011 - A Song for Lya • [Thousand Worlds] • (1974) by George R. R. Martin
067 - Deathsong • (1974) by Sydney J. Van Scyoc
107 - A Full Member of the Club • (1974) by Bob Shaw
129 - The Sun's Tears • [Challenge Chaos] • (1974) by Brian Stableford [as by Brian M. Stableford]
140 - The Gift of Garigolli • (1974) by C. M. Kornbluth and Frederik Pohl
163 - The Four-Hour Fugue • (1974) by Alfred Bester
179 - Twig • (1974)by Gordon R. Dickson
209 - Cathadonian Odyssey • (1974) by Michael Bishop
229 - The Bleeding Man • (1974) by Craig Strete
245 - Stranger in Paradise • (1974)by Isaac Asimov
Cover Artist: Jack Gaughan
Name: Wollheim, Donald Allen, Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA, (01 October 1914 -02 November 1990).
Name: Saha, Arthur William, Birthplace: Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, (31 October 1923 -15 November 1999)
Contents:
007 - Introduction (The 1975 Annual World's Best SF) • (1975) • essay by Donald A. Wollheim
011 - A Song for Lya • [Thousand Worlds] • (1974) by George R. R. Martin
067 - Deathsong • (1974) by Sydney J. Van Scyoc
107 - A Full Member of the Club • (1974) by Bob Shaw
129 - The Sun's Tears • [Challenge Chaos] • (1974) by Brian Stableford [as by Brian M. Stableford]
140 - The Gift of Garigolli • (1974) by C. M. Kornbluth and Frederik Pohl
163 - The Four-Hour Fugue • (1974) by Alfred Bester
179 - Twig • (1974)by Gordon R. Dickson
209 - Cathadonian Odyssey • (1974) by Michael Bishop
229 - The Bleeding Man • (1974) by Craig Strete
245 - Stranger in Paradise • (1974)by Isaac Asimov
June 18, 2021
After several years of collaboratively editing their World's Best annual anthologies of their picks for the best short science fiction stories published in the previous year, Terry Carr and Wollheim began editing separate annual anthologies in 1972. Wollheim had left Ace to found DAW Books, and Carr's series appeared from Ballantine Books (before their line was renamed Del Rey Books). 1975 was the fourth year that each edited their own volume, with their picks of the best of 1974. They didn't overlap on any of the stories this year. I preferred Carr's book again this year, though both have some excellent stories. Wollheim has good stories from Frederik Pohl & C.M. Kornbluth, Gordon R. Dickson, and Michael Bishop. My favorite was A Song for Lya by George R.R. Martin.
May 27, 2024
Pretty slow start with most of the stories including Martin’s. However, it gained steam the last third or so and finished with a beauty from Asimov.
October 13, 2020
Utopia was on Donald Wolheim’s mind in 1975 and from that focussed mentality came an excellent best of the year anthology. A great many of the stories in this anthology touch on themes of alien Utopia and how human ruin it. Yet rarely are the stories simplistic or moralistic, they do much of what SF does best; paint a world and let us thin about it. Two of these stories “Twig” and “A Song for Lya” achieve real greatness.
More unbelievable that the fiction is the introduction, which makes for interesting reading from the perspective of 2020.
“Unfortunately most of us didn’t know we were living through the world’s Utopian Age when it was on. …
What we are saying is that the period of the Sixties represented the highest technological level of society ever achieved and the most unlimited expenditure of the planet’s resources and energy for the whim and pleasure of those who could afford it. …
We are coming down the slopes of Mount Utopia with increasing rapidity and we are all busy trying to figure out what is to done.”
Is the creation of a Best of the Year list an act of curation or creation? Are the stories already great and waiting to be discovered? Or is it the act of curation that makes them great.
The 1975 Annual World’s Best SF is rated 90%.
2 great / 6 good / 2 average / 0 poor.
A Song for Lya by George R. R. Martin
Great. A married couple of telepaths arrive on a planet to investigate why humans are adopting a suicidal alien religion. Brilliant world, complex insightful characters, and haunting scenes. The best thing I’ve read from GRRM.
Deathsong by Sydney J. Van Scyoc
Good. Haunting flutes, alien temples, a dying race of aboriginals, and scientists trapped by their own hubris.
A Full Member of the Club by Bob Shaw
Good. When his girlfriend inherits great wealth, a man starts to notice her unusual, futuristic tech gadgets.
The Sun's Tears by Brian Stableford
Average. In order to buy the woman he desires (?!) a spaceman is tasked with an nearly impossible quest.
The Gift of Garigolli by C. M. Kornbluth and Frederik Pohl
Average. Very small beings observe a family with crippling debt.
The Four-Hour Fugue by Alfred Bester
Good. Corporate intrigue as investigators are hired to discover why a top executive is no longer at his best … and where he disappears to at night.
Twig by Gordon R. Dickson
Great. A human girl was raised by a planetwide plant-based society. Now, she must struggle to stop other human settlers from killing her Plant-Grandfather, her Human-Father-Figure, and maybe the entire Plant-Species. Suspenseful with very believable characters - both human and plant-based. Riveting and poignant.
Cathadonian Odyssey by Michael Bishop
Good. A story in conversation with the SF classic “A Martian Odyssey.” A strange tale of vengeance and connection between a crashed explorer and a alien of the planet Cathadonia.
The Bleeding Man by Craig Strete
Good. A horrific tale of a Native American man who has bled since birth and the unpleasant scientists and governmental figures that study him.
Stranger in Paradise by Isaac Asimov
Good. In a future where siblings are seen as an abomination, two brothers at different ends of science spectrum must work together to create a robot to explore Mercury.
More unbelievable that the fiction is the introduction, which makes for interesting reading from the perspective of 2020.
“Unfortunately most of us didn’t know we were living through the world’s Utopian Age when it was on. …
What we are saying is that the period of the Sixties represented the highest technological level of society ever achieved and the most unlimited expenditure of the planet’s resources and energy for the whim and pleasure of those who could afford it. …
We are coming down the slopes of Mount Utopia with increasing rapidity and we are all busy trying to figure out what is to done.”
Is the creation of a Best of the Year list an act of curation or creation? Are the stories already great and waiting to be discovered? Or is it the act of curation that makes them great.
The 1975 Annual World’s Best SF is rated 90%.
2 great / 6 good / 2 average / 0 poor.
A Song for Lya by George R. R. Martin
Great. A married couple of telepaths arrive on a planet to investigate why humans are adopting a suicidal alien religion. Brilliant world, complex insightful characters, and haunting scenes. The best thing I’ve read from GRRM.
Deathsong by Sydney J. Van Scyoc
Good. Haunting flutes, alien temples, a dying race of aboriginals, and scientists trapped by their own hubris.
A Full Member of the Club by Bob Shaw
Good. When his girlfriend inherits great wealth, a man starts to notice her unusual, futuristic tech gadgets.
The Sun's Tears by Brian Stableford
Average. In order to buy the woman he desires (?!) a spaceman is tasked with an nearly impossible quest.
The Gift of Garigolli by C. M. Kornbluth and Frederik Pohl
Average. Very small beings observe a family with crippling debt.
The Four-Hour Fugue by Alfred Bester
Good. Corporate intrigue as investigators are hired to discover why a top executive is no longer at his best … and where he disappears to at night.
Twig by Gordon R. Dickson
Great. A human girl was raised by a planetwide plant-based society. Now, she must struggle to stop other human settlers from killing her Plant-Grandfather, her Human-Father-Figure, and maybe the entire Plant-Species. Suspenseful with very believable characters - both human and plant-based. Riveting and poignant.
Cathadonian Odyssey by Michael Bishop
Good. A story in conversation with the SF classic “A Martian Odyssey.” A strange tale of vengeance and connection between a crashed explorer and a alien of the planet Cathadonia.
The Bleeding Man by Craig Strete
Good. A horrific tale of a Native American man who has bled since birth and the unpleasant scientists and governmental figures that study him.
Stranger in Paradise by Isaac Asimov
Good. In a future where siblings are seen as an abomination, two brothers at different ends of science spectrum must work together to create a robot to explore Mercury.
April 25, 2017
I have like twelve of these anthologies and am going back through to review them all.
A Song for Lya (1974) by George R. R. Martin - I can't even be objective about this once, it's been once of my favorite sci-fi stories since I first read it. Such a great meditation on faith and love.
Deathsong (1974) by Sydney J. Van Scyoc - The idea of the flutes is really cool, but I just didn't buy most of the character beats of the main exploratory crew. You find sick aliens and immediately decide "they're sick because they are a dying degenerate race who could never have made these amazing temples"? What? Not to mention "these flutes are really tempting. Rather than warning people and conducting further study, let's blow them up immediately." Ok, so I didn't like this one much.
A Full Member of the Club (1974) by Bob Shaw - Rich people have access to alien tech, capitalism makes people jerks. Pretty good.
The Sun's Tears [Challenge Chaos] (1974) by Brian M. Stableford - More like a fairy tale about the quest for a place to call home than a traditional sci-fi story. Loved this one.
The Gift of Garigolli (1974) by C. M. Kornbluth and Frederik Pohl - Tiny aliens save a man's job. This was just too goofy for me, sadly.
The Four-Hour Fugue (1974) by Alfred Bester - The solution to the mystery was underwhelming, but I loved the rest of it. This is one of those short stories with enough offhand backstory for a series of novels. It feels very rich. Great atmosphere, cool details, interesting characters, and a kick-ass woman. And neither of the two main character is white, which in these old anthologies is really noticeable.
Twig (1974) by Gordon R. Dickson - So good, so depressing. The story of a little girl raised by a sentient plant and the humans who want to 'civilize' her and kill her plant bro. Humans ruin everything.
Cathadonian Odyssey (1974) by Michael Bishop - I was reading this in a coffee shop and actually gasped out loud at one point near the end. Yet again, humans ruin everything.
The Bleeding Man (1974) by Craig Strete - Someone will have to explain this one to me, because I just plain don't get it.
Stranger in Paradise (1974) by Isaac Asimov - Did you know that autistic people are really just on the wrong planet, and can be cured by being hooked up to a robot located on Mercury? 40 years on, given what we now know about both robotics and autism, I'm willing to say that this story has not aged well.
Top four: A Song for Lya, The Sun's Tears, Twig, Cathadonian Odyssey
A Song for Lya (1974) by George R. R. Martin - I can't even be objective about this once, it's been once of my favorite sci-fi stories since I first read it. Such a great meditation on faith and love.
Deathsong (1974) by Sydney J. Van Scyoc - The idea of the flutes is really cool, but I just didn't buy most of the character beats of the main exploratory crew. You find sick aliens and immediately decide "they're sick because they are a dying degenerate race who could never have made these amazing temples"? What? Not to mention "these flutes are really tempting. Rather than warning people and conducting further study, let's blow them up immediately." Ok, so I didn't like this one much.
A Full Member of the Club (1974) by Bob Shaw - Rich people have access to alien tech, capitalism makes people jerks. Pretty good.
The Sun's Tears [Challenge Chaos] (1974) by Brian M. Stableford - More like a fairy tale about the quest for a place to call home than a traditional sci-fi story. Loved this one.
The Gift of Garigolli (1974) by C. M. Kornbluth and Frederik Pohl - Tiny aliens save a man's job. This was just too goofy for me, sadly.
The Four-Hour Fugue (1974) by Alfred Bester - The solution to the mystery was underwhelming, but I loved the rest of it. This is one of those short stories with enough offhand backstory for a series of novels. It feels very rich. Great atmosphere, cool details, interesting characters, and a kick-ass woman. And neither of the two main character is white, which in these old anthologies is really noticeable.
Twig (1974) by Gordon R. Dickson - So good, so depressing. The story of a little girl raised by a sentient plant and the humans who want to 'civilize' her and kill her plant bro. Humans ruin everything.
Cathadonian Odyssey (1974) by Michael Bishop - I was reading this in a coffee shop and actually gasped out loud at one point near the end. Yet again, humans ruin everything.
The Bleeding Man (1974) by Craig Strete - Someone will have to explain this one to me, because I just plain don't get it.
Stranger in Paradise (1974) by Isaac Asimov - Did you know that autistic people are really just on the wrong planet, and can be cured by being hooked up to a robot located on Mercury? 40 years on, given what we now know about both robotics and autism, I'm willing to say that this story has not aged well.
Top four: A Song for Lya, The Sun's Tears, Twig, Cathadonian Odyssey
March 18, 2010
Another collection of short stories, which, if it doesn't contain the best of that year, certainly makes a good stab at it. All the stories in the collection are good but there are a couple of real gems that continued to haunt me well after I had finished them. In particular, A Song for Lya by George RR Martin which has a pair of telepaths (a married couple) brought in to investigate why humans are joining an alien cult where everyone commits suicide was a wonderful read. It was, in essence, a story about the nature of love, hope and life and very memorable.
The loose theme connecting the stories is utopia, what it means to us, how fragile it could be and how one man's utopia is another's hell. 1975 seems to have been a good year for that.
The loose theme connecting the stories is utopia, what it means to us, how fragile it could be and how one man's utopia is another's hell. 1975 seems to have been a good year for that.
October 31, 2024
If this was the best science fiction of 1975, then it was clearly a weak year for the genre overall. While most short story collections have hits and misses, this one was particularly heavy on the “misses” side of the scale. Average rating: 2.4 stars.
"A Song for Lya" by George R.R. Martin: Martin writes with such approachable prose that this fairly conventional novella about two telepaths trying to solve a mystery on an alien world becomes quite enjoyable. As other reviewers have pointed out, it is interesting to see Martin's fondness for reusing names. (3 stars)
"Deathsong" by Sydney J. Van Scyoc: This story, on the other hand, was unreadable. Van Scyoc employs a clipped kind of prose that feels like it's pretending to be smarter than it is. Instead, it's just annoying. The characters, too, felt like cliched stereotypes as the overzealous researchers butt heads with their hard-nosed expedition commander. Nothing about this story made me want to finish reading it. (1 star)
"A Full Member of the Club" by Bob Shaw: A clever story that's very much of its time but also interesting (and brief) enough to invest the reader in what is going to happen. (4 stars)
"The Sun's Tears" by Brian M. Stableford: This reads as a kind of sci-fi fable and is novel for this approach, if not for the story it tells. I feel that we don't get enough of this kind of storytelling in the genre, which elevates "The Sun's Tears" higher than it might have been if it was told in a more conventional way. (3 stars)
"The Gift of Garigolli" by Frederick Pohl and C.M. Kornbluth: Sometimes authors working together can create stories of brilliance; sometimes their styles clash too much and you're left with a mess. This is the latter. Completed by Pohl after Kornbluth's death, this story is just all over the place. (1 star)
"The Four-Hour Fugue" by Alfred Bester: Bester doesn't quite stick the landing in this short story, but it does showcase so much of what the author does best. Great pre-cyberpunk vibes. (3 stars)
"Twig" by Gordon R. Dickson: This is likely the MVP of the collection, a solid novella about a planet with collectively sentient plants and the humans who are trying to save them. (4 stars)
"Cathodanian Odyssey" by Michael Bishop: A stranded explorer, the lone survivor of a crashed ship, treks across a planet with a native creature as her companion in this boring (but short!) tale with a nonsensical ending. (2 stars)
"The Bleeding Man" by Craig Strete: If this wasn't written by an author of Native American descent, I would have accused the writer of falling back on unfortunate indigenous stereotypes. The other characters are no better as unlikeable, flat cliches. Once again, nothing made me want to finish this story. (1 star)
"Stranger in Paradise” by Isaac Asimov: It’s an Asimov story, so it’s well told, but I didn’t find this one particularly satisfying. (2 stars)
"A Song for Lya" by George R.R. Martin: Martin writes with such approachable prose that this fairly conventional novella about two telepaths trying to solve a mystery on an alien world becomes quite enjoyable. As other reviewers have pointed out, it is interesting to see Martin's fondness for reusing names. (3 stars)
"Deathsong" by Sydney J. Van Scyoc: This story, on the other hand, was unreadable. Van Scyoc employs a clipped kind of prose that feels like it's pretending to be smarter than it is. Instead, it's just annoying. The characters, too, felt like cliched stereotypes as the overzealous researchers butt heads with their hard-nosed expedition commander. Nothing about this story made me want to finish reading it. (1 star)
"A Full Member of the Club" by Bob Shaw: A clever story that's very much of its time but also interesting (and brief) enough to invest the reader in what is going to happen. (4 stars)
"The Sun's Tears" by Brian M. Stableford: This reads as a kind of sci-fi fable and is novel for this approach, if not for the story it tells. I feel that we don't get enough of this kind of storytelling in the genre, which elevates "The Sun's Tears" higher than it might have been if it was told in a more conventional way. (3 stars)
"The Gift of Garigolli" by Frederick Pohl and C.M. Kornbluth: Sometimes authors working together can create stories of brilliance; sometimes their styles clash too much and you're left with a mess. This is the latter. Completed by Pohl after Kornbluth's death, this story is just all over the place. (1 star)
"The Four-Hour Fugue" by Alfred Bester: Bester doesn't quite stick the landing in this short story, but it does showcase so much of what the author does best. Great pre-cyberpunk vibes. (3 stars)
"Twig" by Gordon R. Dickson: This is likely the MVP of the collection, a solid novella about a planet with collectively sentient plants and the humans who are trying to save them. (4 stars)
"Cathodanian Odyssey" by Michael Bishop: A stranded explorer, the lone survivor of a crashed ship, treks across a planet with a native creature as her companion in this boring (but short!) tale with a nonsensical ending. (2 stars)
"The Bleeding Man" by Craig Strete: If this wasn't written by an author of Native American descent, I would have accused the writer of falling back on unfortunate indigenous stereotypes. The other characters are no better as unlikeable, flat cliches. Once again, nothing made me want to finish this story. (1 star)
"Stranger in Paradise” by Isaac Asimov: It’s an Asimov story, so it’s well told, but I didn’t find this one particularly satisfying. (2 stars)
October 14, 2025
This is a strong collection, from my fave decade for SF in general. It represents the decade's variety of writing styles, from already established greats like Bester and Asimov to more obscure and/or new wave scifi authors, almost all with surprisingly memorable entries. I'd say every entry here is decent, if not great! Curiously (coincidentally?), the most common thread for the stories in here is LOVE -- romantic, brotherly, and even grandfatherly relationships. Didn't expect to enjoy "A Song for Lya" by George R.R. Martin as I usually am not into telepathy themes, while I have a biased affinity towards "Twig" by Gordon R. Dickson for a similarly close relationship I've had with my grandpa/lolo. Bester has written the usual bonkers story about a sleepwalking man with the strongest sense of smell and a woman who "didn't know" of her impediment, and if this isn't Bester-crazy enough, a murder. Last, but not the least since this may be my most fave story here, is "Cathadonian Odyssey" by Michael Bishop about a woman stranded on an alien planet encountering a telepathic cephalopod. Awesome. Overall, I recommend this for classic/vintage scifi enthusiasts!
September 11, 2022
If you've been following my recent reviews, you'd see I'm not a fan of short stories. In fact, in my most recent review of a short story collection, The Collected Short Stories of Roald Dahl by Roald Dahl, I promised I wouldn't read any more. I was midway through this anthology though, and was enjoying several of the stories, so I thought I'd keep going.
By far the stand out in this collection is George R.R. Martin's "A Song for Lya." This is the first of his I've read, and it's opened me up to reading more of him.
There are some treasures in this collection, especially for fans of old school sci-fi. In some ways, the stories have dated, which is not surprising, because science fiction is a genre that reflects its time.
By far the stand out in this collection is George R.R. Martin's "A Song for Lya." This is the first of his I've read, and it's opened me up to reading more of him.
There are some treasures in this collection, especially for fans of old school sci-fi. In some ways, the stories have dated, which is not surprising, because science fiction is a genre that reflects its time.
June 4, 2022
You may notice that on my review of the '73 edition of this anthology series I mention having mistakenly switched dust jackets.
I now realize that I finished reading this edition almost three years ago. At my age, I can't remember any of the stories, BUT.....
I have so many of Wollheim's "World's Best..." or other, that I can confidently say, this is just as good as all the rest.
I'm reading these stories fifty years after there publication dates and they still "rock".
I now realize that I finished reading this edition almost three years ago. At my age, I can't remember any of the stories, BUT.....
I have so many of Wollheim's "World's Best..." or other, that I can confidently say, this is just as good as all the rest.
I'm reading these stories fifty years after there publication dates and they still "rock".
September 13, 2025
Another great edition from Daw. In this one the introduction is a bit more positive and hopeful than the previous year, and the stories have an overarching theme about humanity doing or choosing the right path that restores a bit of faith in our race (even/especially in these far futures). Aside from one story that I really just don’t think was my taste, there other 9 we’re all top tier stuff. Highlights were George RR Martin, Michael Bishop, and Asimov.
May 19, 2018
This was a wonderful collection of interesting stories.
August 22, 2020
I think I've figured out what I don't like about these stories. I like hard science fiction and these are not that. Many seem more like fantasy.
November 22, 2024
I found this book to be uneven in quality of stories, a few good ones trapped between average at best and occasionally not very good at all.
January 26, 2015
My memories of 1975 are not too clear. I was young. So this collection has been interesting for me. The feel of the world at that time, in some ways, seemed to be about the possibility of being "perfect", and the Utopian and dystopian stories of the day back that up. There is a light-heartedness in some of these that offsets our failure in 2015 to come anywhere near what we dreamed. All good stories, each of which inspires just a little refletion.
August 15, 2016
An excellent collection of ten short stories. The first one is by "a rapidly rising name in sf writing" (in 1975), George R. R. Martin. From the first to the last (which is a fantastic Asimov story), these were interesting and varied. Perhaps if you're a fan of these authors you've seen the stories before, but they were all new to me! My 1975 copy's cover is an illustration of Brian M. Stableford's "The Sun's Tears", which is very cool--nicely captured.
July 4, 2010
After many moves, I have ditched quite a few books. But I have held on to a number of Wollheim's edited works on the year's best sci-fi. This is one of those books that "made the cut." A nice selection of works, including from the pens of Frederik Pohl, C. M. Kornbluth, Alfred Bester, Gordon Dickson, and Isaac Asimov.
A nice rendering of 1975's "best."
A nice rendering of 1975's "best."
October 12, 2013
This is the first sci-fi book I ever bought -18p from Woolworths - and I always come back to it. All the stories are fantastic but Population Exposion, 'Thus we frustrate Charlemagne' and 'I have no mouth. And I must scream' are the standouts.
Simply wonderful.
Simply wonderful.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews