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Annual World's Best SF #11
The 1982 Annual World's Best SF
A year of wonder...
A year of change...
A year of conjecture...
And a year of science fiction in books and magazines, in short stories and novelettes, in new magazines and old ones.
How did those in whose eyes the future is always reflected see the year?
In this long-established anthology series of the best of the year, you can see for yourself.
This is one science fiction collection no one can afford to miss.
A year of change...
A year of conjecture...
And a year of science fiction in books and magazines, in short stories and novelettes, in new magazines and old ones.
How did those in whose eyes the future is always reflected see the year?
In this long-established anthology series of the best of the year, you can see for yourself.
This is one science fiction collection no one can afford to miss.
273 pages, Hardcover
First published May 3, 1982
4 people are currently reading
85 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
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 21, 2023
I've had a copy of this for 41 years, and I don't know why I never picked it up and read it before now. It's as solid as any of the Wollheim Annual World's Best series. I especially liked Michael Shea's "Polyphemus", an excellent example of the hard sci-fi type, with, in this case, a biological bent, which is unusual.
November 14, 2025
Rated 85% Positive. Story Score 3.9 OF 5
10 Stories : 2 great / 6 good / 1 average / 1 poor / 0 DNF
It is interesting to see in Wollheim’s introduction many of the same worries that are currently being discussed on the social media pages of today. Young Women are reading too much ‘sweet romantic fantasy” or as publishing calls it - “Romantasy.” Will our technology save us or lead to our complete destruction. Why in this world of myriad wonders, do we focus on the petty squabbles of politics.
Science Fiction is the literature of change, but it is interesting how much human beings don’t.
I’m glad that the quality doesn’t change much either. These brief anthologies of only 10 stories always make for a good reading experience.
Two Stories Join the All-Time Great List:
https://www.shortsf.com/beststories
Polyphemus • (1981) • novella by Michael Shea. Great. An intensely detailed and well thought out adventure story. Scientists battle a giant orb of an animal. About the size of a stadium with “sharks” and “squids” that operate as sensory organs. This is one of the most detailed and scientifically rich stories of xenobiology ever! It is also quite thrilling.
Through All Your Houses Wandering • (1981) • novella by Ted Reynolds
Great. A wildly inventive and occasionally terrifying look into how truly alien other people are. A man is dragged into the mind and body of various alien beings with only short moments back as himself. Each experience is vivid and enthralling. Then he discovers something inhuman and evil is playing with him.
https://www.shortsf.com
91 Anthologies + 27 Author Collections + 18 Slates of Award Finalists + 3 Magazine Issues + 2 Novel(la)s.
***
The 1982 Annual World’s Best SF is rated 85% positive
10 Stories : 2 great / 6 good / 1 average / 1 poor / 0 DNF
Blind Spot • (1981) • short story by Jayge Carr
Average. A celebrated alien sculptor is going blind, but refuses all the medical tech possible in this sophisticated empire. A doctor travels with her to a world of giant trees and discovers his own ‘blind spot.’
Highliner • (1981) • novelette by C. J. Cherryh
Good. This is a riveting story with a rushed ending. In a future metropolis with skyscrapers beyond the current imagination, our protagonist is part of a team that works on the outsides of these buildings. He gets drawn into some corporate political intrigue that threatens his life. Beautiful opening prose to set the scene. Riveting suspense as our protagonist fights for life on the outside of the skyscraper. And an ending that is too fast and too pat. But strong stuff overall.
The Pusher • (1981) • short story by John Varley
Good. A disturbing story of an alien man who targets a young girl on a playground to tell her a story that will change her future. It is too subtle and it is easy to miss why this isn’t the ‘grooming’ of a child, but I can’t tell you why without spoiling it.
Polyphemus • (1981) • novella by Michael Shea
Great. An intensely detailed and well thought out adventure story. Scientists battle a giant orb of an animal. About the size of a stadium with “sharks” and “squids” that operate as sensory organs. This is one of the most detailed and scientifically rich stories of xenobiology ever! It is also quite thrilling.
Absent Thee from Felicity Awhile ... • (1981) • short story by S. P. Somtow [as by Somtow Sucharitkul]
Good. A theater actor is forced to relive the same day over and over for the benefit of a powerful alien race. Unfortunately, every day starts with his girlfriend breaking up with him.
Out of the Everywhere • (1981) • novelette by James Tiptree, Jr.
Good. An alien is reborn as a human girl to him from the being that is hunting them. The young girl is precocious, intelligent, and manipulative. Even the to point of starting a sexual relationship with her father and leading his company.
Slac// • (1981) • novelette by Michael P. Kube-McDowell
Good. First contact goes awry when linguistic misunderstandings seem to imply that humanity has decided to make contact with the wrong race. The race thought to be intelligent might be simplistic and the race thought to be animalistic might be intelligent.
The Cyphertone • (1981) • short story by S. C. Sykes
Good. A child gets a new toy, full of beeps, lights, and complex patterns. It is insanely addicting and might even be programming the children for first contact with aliens.
Through All Your Houses Wandering • (1981) • novella by Ted Reynolds
Great. A wildly inventive and occasionally terrifying look into how truly alien other people are. A man is dragged into the mind and body of various alien beings with only short moments back as himself. Each experience is vivid and enthralling. Then he discovers something inhuman and evil is playing with him.
The Last Day of Christmas • (1981) • novelette by David J. Lake
Poor. A company that is a front for aliens uses a perfume to spike human sex drive and causes the human race to go extinct.
10 Stories : 2 great / 6 good / 1 average / 1 poor / 0 DNF
It is interesting to see in Wollheim’s introduction many of the same worries that are currently being discussed on the social media pages of today. Young Women are reading too much ‘sweet romantic fantasy” or as publishing calls it - “Romantasy.” Will our technology save us or lead to our complete destruction. Why in this world of myriad wonders, do we focus on the petty squabbles of politics.
Science Fiction is the literature of change, but it is interesting how much human beings don’t.
I’m glad that the quality doesn’t change much either. These brief anthologies of only 10 stories always make for a good reading experience.
Two Stories Join the All-Time Great List:
https://www.shortsf.com/beststories
Polyphemus • (1981) • novella by Michael Shea. Great. An intensely detailed and well thought out adventure story. Scientists battle a giant orb of an animal. About the size of a stadium with “sharks” and “squids” that operate as sensory organs. This is one of the most detailed and scientifically rich stories of xenobiology ever! It is also quite thrilling.
Through All Your Houses Wandering • (1981) • novella by Ted Reynolds
Great. A wildly inventive and occasionally terrifying look into how truly alien other people are. A man is dragged into the mind and body of various alien beings with only short moments back as himself. Each experience is vivid and enthralling. Then he discovers something inhuman and evil is playing with him.
https://www.shortsf.com
91 Anthologies + 27 Author Collections + 18 Slates of Award Finalists + 3 Magazine Issues + 2 Novel(la)s.
***
The 1982 Annual World’s Best SF is rated 85% positive
10 Stories : 2 great / 6 good / 1 average / 1 poor / 0 DNF
Blind Spot • (1981) • short story by Jayge Carr
Average. A celebrated alien sculptor is going blind, but refuses all the medical tech possible in this sophisticated empire. A doctor travels with her to a world of giant trees and discovers his own ‘blind spot.’
Highliner • (1981) • novelette by C. J. Cherryh
Good. This is a riveting story with a rushed ending. In a future metropolis with skyscrapers beyond the current imagination, our protagonist is part of a team that works on the outsides of these buildings. He gets drawn into some corporate political intrigue that threatens his life. Beautiful opening prose to set the scene. Riveting suspense as our protagonist fights for life on the outside of the skyscraper. And an ending that is too fast and too pat. But strong stuff overall.
The Pusher • (1981) • short story by John Varley
Good. A disturbing story of an alien man who targets a young girl on a playground to tell her a story that will change her future. It is too subtle and it is easy to miss why this isn’t the ‘grooming’ of a child, but I can’t tell you why without spoiling it.
Polyphemus • (1981) • novella by Michael Shea
Great. An intensely detailed and well thought out adventure story. Scientists battle a giant orb of an animal. About the size of a stadium with “sharks” and “squids” that operate as sensory organs. This is one of the most detailed and scientifically rich stories of xenobiology ever! It is also quite thrilling.
Absent Thee from Felicity Awhile ... • (1981) • short story by S. P. Somtow [as by Somtow Sucharitkul]
Good. A theater actor is forced to relive the same day over and over for the benefit of a powerful alien race. Unfortunately, every day starts with his girlfriend breaking up with him.
Out of the Everywhere • (1981) • novelette by James Tiptree, Jr.
Good. An alien is reborn as a human girl to him from the being that is hunting them. The young girl is precocious, intelligent, and manipulative. Even the to point of starting a sexual relationship with her father and leading his company.
Slac// • (1981) • novelette by Michael P. Kube-McDowell
Good. First contact goes awry when linguistic misunderstandings seem to imply that humanity has decided to make contact with the wrong race. The race thought to be intelligent might be simplistic and the race thought to be animalistic might be intelligent.
The Cyphertone • (1981) • short story by S. C. Sykes
Good. A child gets a new toy, full of beeps, lights, and complex patterns. It is insanely addicting and might even be programming the children for first contact with aliens.
Through All Your Houses Wandering • (1981) • novella by Ted Reynolds
Great. A wildly inventive and occasionally terrifying look into how truly alien other people are. A man is dragged into the mind and body of various alien beings with only short moments back as himself. Each experience is vivid and enthralling. Then he discovers something inhuman and evil is playing with him.
The Last Day of Christmas • (1981) • novelette by David J. Lake
Poor. A company that is a front for aliens uses a perfume to spike human sex drive and causes the human race to go extinct.
January 4, 2026
This is a great collection and really there was
Only one story that I didn’t like, and that was just down to the tone and nature of the story, it just wasn’t something I enjoyed or thought was a good story- keeping it spoiler free for a reason- everyone can form their own opinion and like what they like. For me, the standout is the Ted Reynolds story, a wild tale dealing with telepathy and projection that starts off rough (throws you in the deep end) but once it gets going you are hooked ! Other two big shoutouts were The Cypherstone and Highliner; two very well written and hard hitting fast sci fi stories that felt special.
Only one story that I didn’t like, and that was just down to the tone and nature of the story, it just wasn’t something I enjoyed or thought was a good story- keeping it spoiler free for a reason- everyone can form their own opinion and like what they like. For me, the standout is the Ted Reynolds story, a wild tale dealing with telepathy and projection that starts off rough (throws you in the deep end) but once it gets going you are hooked ! Other two big shoutouts were The Cypherstone and Highliner; two very well written and hard hitting fast sci fi stories that felt special.
Read
August 3, 2025No stars DNF
Tried 3 stories and hated them, couldn't finish two of them so I no longer want to read any more short stories in this book.
For the rest of my review, visit my Vlog at:
https://youtube.com/shorts/LvSOIOcHWc...
Enjoy!
Tried 3 stories and hated them, couldn't finish two of them so I no longer want to read any more short stories in this book.
For the rest of my review, visit my Vlog at:
https://youtube.com/shorts/LvSOIOcHWc...
Enjoy!
August 11, 2020
The more I read this series the less interesting the stories become.
January 11, 2022
Second rate stories, pedophilic, gross
Read
October 20, 2025Some good stories, some not
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews