World's Best Science Fiction


science fiction awards database
Merril: Year's Best SF <— Anthologies —> Harrison/Aldiss: Best SF
Ace editor Donald A. Wollheim began this series in 1965 with co-editor Terry Carr (who would later launch the 'Ace Specials'), initially emphasizing a world-wide scope, with stories in the first volume by Joseph Nesvadba, Harry Mulisch, and Colin Free, though subsequent volumes drew material almost exclusively from genre sources. Beginning with the third volume, each story was decorated by a Jack Gaughn black and white illustration, and beginning with the fifth volume, the US Science Fiction Book Club published hardcover editions, as shown below. (The paperbacks in the photo are second printings with revised titles.) The series ended as both Wollheim and Carr left Ace, Wollheim to found DAW books, Carr to go freelance, each subsequently publishing his own best-of-year anthology series.


  • World's Best Science Fiction: 1965, (Ace, 1965) (isfdb)
  • World's Best Science Fiction: 1966, (Ace, 1966) (isfdb)
  • World's Best Science Fiction: 1967, (Ace, 1967) (isfdb)
  • World's Best Science Fiction: 1968, (Ace, 1968) (isfdb)
  • World's Best Science Fiction: 1969, (Ace, 1969) (isfdb)
  • World's Best Science Fiction: 1970, (Ace, 1970) (isfdb)
  • World's Best Science Fiction: 1971, (Ace, 1971) (isfdb)



Complete Contents by Author and Title


Brian W. Aldiss
  • Amen and Out (1966) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1967
  • Full Sun (1967) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1968
  • Total Environment (1968) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1969
  • The Worm That Flies (1968) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1969
  • Poul Anderson
  • Kyrie (1968) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1969
  • Christopher Anvil
  • Bill for Delivery (1964) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1965
  • The Captive Djinn (1965) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1966
  • Paul Ash
  • The Wings of a Bat (1966) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1967
  • Isaac Asimov
  • The Billiard Ball (1967) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1968
  • Waterclap (1970) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1971
  • Neal Barrett, Jr.
  • Greyspun's Gift (1970) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1971
  • Gregory Benford
  • Nobody Lives on Burton Street (1970) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1971
  • Ben Bova
  • Men of Good Will (by BB & Myron R. Lewis) (1964) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1965
  • Jonathan Brand
  • Vanishing Point (1965) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1966
  • John Brunner
  • The Last Lonely Man (1964) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1965
  • Terry Carr
  • The Dance of the Changer and the Three (1968) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1969
  • Lin Carter
  • Uncollected Works (1965) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1966
  • Arthur C. Clarke
  • Sunjammer (1964) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1966
  • D. G. Compton
  • It's Smart to Have an English Address (1967) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1968
  • Michael G. Coney
  • Sixth Sense (1969) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1970
  • Whatever Became of the McGowans? (1970) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1971
  • Avram Davidson
  • Bumberboom (1966) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1967
  • Samuel R. Delany
  • Driftglass (1967) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1968
  • Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones (1968) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1969
  • Philip K. Dick
  • Oh, to Be a Blobel! (1964) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1965
  • We Can Remember It for You Wholesale (1966) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1967
  • Thomas M. Disch
  • Now Is Forever (1964) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1965
  • The Number You Have Reached (1967) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1968
  • Roy Edwards
  • What Happened to Sergeant Masuro?, by Harry Mulisch (1964) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1965
  • Gordon Eklund
  • Dear Aunt Annie (1970) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1971
  • Suzette Haden Elgin
  • For the Sake of Grace (1969) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1970
  • Harlan Ellison
  • A Boy and His Dog (1969) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1970
  • I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream (1967) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1968
  • "Repent, Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman (1965) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1966
  • Burt K. Filer
  • Backtracked (1968) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1969
  • Colin Free
  • The Weather in the Underworld (1965) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1965
  • Ron Goulart
  • Calling Dr. Clockwork (1965) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1966
  • Confessions (1970) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1971
  • The Sword Swallower (1967) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1968
  • Joseph Green
  • The Decision Makers (1965) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1966
  • H. B. Hickey
  • Gone Are the Lupo (1970) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1971
  • H. H. Hollis
  • Sword Game (1968) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1969
  • Edward Jesby
  • Sea Wrack (1964) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1965
  • Gerald Jonas
  • The Shaker Revival (1970) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1971
  • Norman Kagan
  • Four Brands of Impossible (1964) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1965
  • Colin Kapp
  • Ambassador to Verdammt (1967) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1968
  • The Cloudbuilders (1968) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1969
  • Damon Knight
  • Masks (1968) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1969
  • R. A. Lafferty
  • Continued on Next Rock (1970) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1971
  • In Our Block (1965) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1966
  • The Man Who Never Was (1967) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1968
  • Nine Hundred Grandmothers (1966) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1967
  • This Grand Carcass (1968) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1969
  • Thus We Frustrate Charlemagne (1967) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1968
  • Jack B. Lawson
  • The Competitors (1964) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1965
  • Fritz Leiber
  • The Good New Days (1965) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1966
  • Ship of Shadows (1969) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1970
  • The Square Root of Brain (1968) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1969
  • When the Change-Winds Blow (1964) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1965
  • Myron R. Lewis
  • Men of Good Will (by Ben Bova & MRL) (1964) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1965
  • Robert Lory
  • The Star Party (1964) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1965
  • C. C. MacApp
  • For Every Action (1964) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1965
  • Edward Mackin
  • The Unremembered (1964) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1965
  • Katherine MacLean
  • Fear Hound (1968) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1969
  • David I. Masson
  • Traveller's Rest (1965) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1966
  • Bruce McAllister
  • And So Say All of Us (1969) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1970
  • Michael Moorcock
  • Behold the Man (1966) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1967
  • Harry Mulisch
  • What Happened to Sergeant Masuro? (1964) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1965
  • Josef Nesvadba
  • Vampires Ltd. (1964) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1965
  • Larry Niven
  • Becalmed in Hell (1965) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1966
  • Bird in the Hand (1970) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1971
  • Death by Ecstasy (1969) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1970
  • Handicap (1967) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1968
  • andrew j. offutt
  • Population Implosion (1967) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1968
  • Alexei Panshin
  • One Sunday in Neptune (1969) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1970
  • Dannie Plachta
  • The Man from When (1966) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1967
  • Frederik Pohl
  • Day Million (1966) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1967
  • Tom Purdom
  • Greenplace (1964) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1965
  • Keith Roberts
  • Coranda (1967) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1968
  • Therapy 2000 (1969) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1970
  • Fred Saberhagen
  • Masque of the Red Shift (1965) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1966
  • Starsong (1968) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1969
  • James H. Schmitz
  • Planet of Forgetting (1965) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1966
  • Arthur Sellings
  • The Last Time Around (1968) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1971
  • Bob Shaw
  • Invasion of Privacy (1970) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1971
  • Light of Other Days (1966) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1967
  • Robert Sheckley
  • Street of Dreams, Feet of Clay (1968) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1969
  • Robert Silverberg
  • After the Myths Went Home (1969) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1970
  • Going Down Smooth (1968) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1969
  • Hawksbill Station (1967) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1968
  • Ishmael in Love (1970) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1971
  • Clifford D. Simak
  • Over the River and Through the Woods (1965) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1966
  • The Thing in the Stone (1970) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1971
  • Norman Spinrad
  • The Big Flash (1969) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1970
  • Theodore Sturgeon
  • Slow Sculpture (1970) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1971
  • William F. Temple
  • A Niche in Time (1964) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1965
  • James Tiptree, Jr.
  • Your Haploid Heart (1969) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1970
  • Iris Urwin
  • Vampires Ltd., by Josef Nesvadba (1964) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1965
  • Sydney J. Van Scyoc
  • A Visit to Cleveland General (1968) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1969
  • Vernor Vinge
  • Apartness (1965) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1966
  • E. G. von Wald
  • Hemeac (1968) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1969
  • Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
  • Welcome to the Monkey House (1968) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1969
  • A. A. Walde
  • Bircher (1966) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1967
  • Richard Wilson
  • A Man Spekith (1969) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1970
  • See Me Not (1967) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1968
  • Laurence Yep
  • The Selchey Kids (1968) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1969
  • Roger Zelazny
  • For a Breath I Tarry (1966) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1967
  • The Keys to December (1966) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1967
  • The Man Who Loved the Faioli (1967) -- World's Best Science Fiction: 1968

  • Copyright 2012 - 2024 by Mark R. Kelly and the Locus Science Fiction Foundation. All rights reserved.
    This page last updated Wednesday 5 Dec 2018 at 17:36 PT