Best Sci-Fi Books by Year (2026)

A year’s best science fiction collection is a time capsule of what the genre was thinking, and the best sci-fi books by year are the annual volumes that gather the strongest stories. We compared five annual collections by pages, year and editor, using only what each listing publishes.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Year's Best 35th Annual	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
2	Best SF Vol 8	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
3	Best SF Vol 7	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
4	Best SF and Fantasy Vol 1	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
5	Best SF and Fantasy Vol 4	9.6/10	Buy on Amazon

1

Year's Best 35th Annual

Gardner Dozois·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 717-page annual collection from 2018, edited by Gardner Dozois.

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Pros

• 717 pages, the longest here
• Published 2018
• Edited by Gardner Dozois
• Thirty-fifth annual stated

Cons

• 717 pages is the longest here
• 2018 publication
• Thirty-fifth volume, deep in a series
• Science fiction only

2

Best SF Vol 8

Neil Clarke·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 624-page annual collection from 2024, edited by Neil Clarke.

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Pros

• 624 pages
• Published 2024, the newest here
• Edited by Neil Clarke
• Volume Eight stated

Cons

• 624 pages is mid-range
• Volume 8, series continues
• Science fiction only
• 2024 price, newer

3

Best SF Vol 7

Neil Clarke·9.7/10 Shelf Score

i

The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

An annual collection from 2024, edited by Neil Clarke.

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Pros

• Published 2024, the newest here
• Edited by Neil Clarke
• Volume 7 stated
• Annual collection stated

Cons

• No page count stated
• Volume 7, series continues
• Science fiction only
• Newer, less proven

4

Best SF and Fantasy Vol 1

Jonathan Strahan·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 500-page annual collection from 2007, edited by Jonathan Strahan.

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Pros

• 500 pages
• Published 2007
• Edited by Jonathan Strahan
• Science fiction and fantasy stated

Cons

• 500 pages is mid-range
• 2007 publication
• Volume 1, series continues
• Older stories

5

Best SF and Fantasy Vol 4

Jonathan Strahan·9.6/10 Shelf Score

i

The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 500-page annual collection from 2010, edited by Jonathan Strahan.

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Pros

• 500 pages
• Published 2010
• Edited by Jonathan Strahan
• Science fiction and fantasy stated

Cons

• 500 pages is mid-range
• 2010 publication
• Volume 4, series continues
• Older stories

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More picks to compare

• Year's Best SFAdventure and wonder, published 2009, edited by David G. Hartwell.Check on Amazon
• Year's Best SF: First AnnualThe First Annual Collection, published 1984, edited by Gardner Dozois.Check on Amazon
• Year's Best SF: 26th AnnualThe Twenty-Sixth Annual Collection, 688 pages, published 2009.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 21 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs collection scope, pages and edition, and value. Four of the five listings state a page count. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best sci-fi books by year

Which year’s stories

The Best Science Fiction of the Year Volume 8 and Volume 7 are the newest, both published 2024 and edited by Neil Clarke. Year’s Best Science Fiction: Thirty-Fifth Annual Collection is 2018, edited by Gardner Dozois. The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year Volume 4 is 2010 and Volume 1 is 2007, both edited by Jonathan Strahan. Newer volumes cover current writers; older ones are cheaper paths to the classics.

Length

The Thirty-Fifth Annual Collection runs 717 pages, the longest here. Volume 8 runs 624 pages. Volumes 1 and 4 run 500 pages each. Volume 7 states no page count. Longer collections hold more stories; the more-picks block adds a 688-page Twenty-Sixth Annual Collection.

Editor

Neil Clarke edits Volumes 7 and 8. Gardner Dozois edited the Thirty-Fifth Annual Collection. Jonathan Strahan edited Volumes 1 and 4. Editors shape a collection’s taste; if you like one volume, the next volume by the same editor is a safe bet.

Before you buy

• Check the volume year: the newest here are the 2024 Volumes 7 and 8.
• Volume 7 states no page count; the others run 500 to 717 pages.
• For the earliest collections, the more-picks block lists the First Annual Collection from 1984.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which collection is the longest?

Year’s Best Science Fiction: Thirty-Fifth Annual Collection at 717 pages, followed by Volume 8 at 624 pages.

Which are the newest?

The Best Science Fiction of the Year Volumes 7 and 8, both published 2024, edited by Neil Clarke.

Which include fantasy?

The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year Volumes 1 and 4, edited by Jonathan Strahan.

Are there more options?

The more-picks block lists Year’s Best SF, the First Annual Collection from 1984, and the Twenty-Sixth Annual Collection.

Still deciding? Our top pickYear's Best 35th Annual

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Related lists

Also see the fantasy books shelf.

More lists: browse fiction books.