The Big Book of Science Fiction and Fantasy: Sixteen Great Works of Speculative Fiction

by Ellen Datlow (Editor)

"Ellen Datlow is the queen of anthology editors in America."—Peter Straub

From multi-award–winning anthologist Ellen Datlow, The Big Book of Science Fiction and Fantasy features groundbreaking works from some of the most distinctive voices in speculative fiction.

Set in far futures, the near past, or alternate realities; infused with elements of horror, mystery, and mysticism; and featuring aliens, ghosts, and people from history, these imaginative and innovative tales explore the human condition in a variety of situations that reflect the society of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Stories

"The Elephant Ironclads" by Jason Stoddard

"Ardent Clouds" by Lucy Sussex

"Gather" by Christopher Rowe

"Sonny Liston Takes the Fall" by Elizabeth Bear

"North American Lake Monsters" by Nathan Ballingrud

"All Washed Up While Looking for a Better World" by Carol Emshwiller

"Special Economics" by Maureen F. McHugh

"Aka St. Mark's Place" by Richard Bowes

"The Goosle" by Margo Lanagan

"Shira" by Lavie Tidhar

"The Passion of Azazel" by Barry N. Malzberg

"The Lagerstätte" by Laird Barron

"Gladiolus Exposed" by Anna Tambour

"Daltharee" by Jeffrey Ford

"Jimmy" by Pat Cadigan

"Prisoners of the Action" by Paul McAuley and Kim Newman

"Declaring that short stories are the heart and soul of fantastical fiction, prolific and venerable editor Datlow collects 16 impressive original stories in this unthemed anthology." —Publishers Weekly

"The book emphasizes [Datlow's] embrace of the widest possible assortments of voices and ideas." —Booklist

"Datlow's keen eye for talent results in a sumptuous and engaging collection of narrative gems from speculative fiction's cutting edge" —Booklist *

*Previously published as The Del Rey Book of Science Fiction and Fantasy.

Genres: Science Fiction

434 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 14, 2025

About the author

Ellen Datlow has been editing science fiction, fantasy, and horror short fiction for forty years as fiction editor of OMNI Magazine and editor of Event Horizon and SCIFICTION. She currently acquires short stories and novellas for Tor.com. In addition, she has edited about one hundred science fiction, fantasy, and horror anthologies, including the annual The Best Horror of the Year series, The Doll Collection, Mad Hatters and March Hares, The Devil and the Deep: Horror Stories of the Sea, Echoes: The Saga Anthology of Ghost Stories, Edited By, and Final Cuts: New Tales of Hollywood Horror and Other Spectacles.
She's won multiple World Fantasy Awards, Locus Awards, Hugo Awards, Bram Stoker Awards, International Horror Guild Awards, Shirley Jackson Awards, and the 2012 Il Posto Nero Black Spot Award for Excellence as Best Foreign Editor. Datlow was named recipient of the 2007 Karl Edward Wagner Award, given at the British Fantasy Convention for "outstanding contribution to the genre," was honored with the Life Achievement Award by the Horror Writers Association, in acknowledgment of superior achievement over an entire career, and honored with the World Fantasy Life Achievement Award at the 2014 World Fantasy Convention.