The 1981 Annual World's Best SF. edited by Donald A Wollheim
The 1981 Annual World’s Best SF.
Rated 95% Positive. Story Score 4.30
10 Stories : 4 great / 5 good / 1 average / 0 poor / 0 DNF
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The more I read from Donald A Wollheim’s Annual World’s Best SF, the more I like them. Not only for the stories within, although my taste seems to gel nicely with Wollheim’s, but also for the principle of a “Best of” that limits itself to only ten stories. I am frequent in agreement of his selections.
The 1981 - stories originally published in 1980 - is an exceptional anthology with only of the highest Positive Percentages and an excellent Average Story Score. The introduction is pretty standard for many anthologies, “SF is changing and maybe declining, but there is still good work.” It lacks the intellectual breadth of a Dozois vintage summary, but the real reason to read this are the stories.
Four Stories received a Great rating:
Beatnik Bayou • (1980) • novelette by John Varley. A young man comes of age on a lunar colony with easy sex changes, age changes, intimate individualized education, computerized justice, and an artificially recreated southern Bayou. This is a lush and detailed world, whether we are dealing with a confrontation in the bayou, an artificial New Orleans recreation, sexual experimentation, or intricacies of the legal system. Could have easily been a novel. Be aware that Varley is doing some experimentation with perceived age in a sex context and you might find that uncomfortable.
The Ugly Chickens • (1980) • novelette by Howard Waldrop. Quirky offbeat tale that investigates whether the Dodo Bird lived much more recently than formerly believed. Deeply drenched in rural american poverty - and not the picturesque kind. Full of cutting humor. This is truly science fiction, but not like much SF you’ve read before.
Nightflyers • (1980) • novella by George R. R. Martin. Riveting spaceship horror. A small group of scientists travel on a transport vessel with an enigmatic captain that they never see. Their telepath starts to get the vibes of a hateful force. People start dying. Suspenseful, full of action, and horrifying.
The Summer Sweet, the Winter Wild • (1980) • short story by Michael G. Coney. A Herd of empathic caribou in the arctic protect themselves by having predators feel their pain, but what does that mean for wolves and Men? A strange story, but definitely though-provoking in the fashion of the best SF.
The 1981 Annual World’s Best SF is rated 95% positive
10 Stories : 4 great / 5 good / 1 average / 0 poor / 0 DNF
Variation on a Theme from Beethoven • (1980) • novelette by Sharon Webb
Good. A young man must decide between immortality or the chance at artistic greatness.
Beatnik Bayou • (1980) • novelette by John Varley
Great. A young man comes of age on a lunar colony with easy sex changes, age changes, intimate individualized education, computerized justice, and an artificially recreated southern Bayou.
Elbow Room • (1980) • novelette by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Good. A woman working a solitary and essential job at the edge of the Vortex, starts to slowly come apart following a liaison with a starship captain.
The Ugly Chickens • (1980) • novelette by Howard Waldrop
Great. Quirky offbeat tale that investigates whether the Dodo Bird lived much more recently than formerly believed.
Prime Time • (1980) • short story by Norman Spinrad
Average. A husband and wife live within their own immersive ‘tape-based’ virtual realities, unable to really connect with each other.
Nightflyers • (1980) • novella by George R. R. Martin
Great. Riveting spaceship horror. A small group of scientists travel on a transport vessel with an enigmatic captain that they never see. Their telepath starts to get the vibes of a hateful force. People start dying.
A Spaceship Built of Stone • (1980) • short story by Lisa Tuttle
Good. Quietly haunting story about dreams of a strange hidden city and its inhabitants. Dreams that peacefully become reality.
Window • (1980) • short story by Bob Leman
Good. Experiments into telekinesis lead to a lab building disappearing and being replaced by a quaint house and family from what appears to be the past.
The Summer Sweet, the Winter Wild • (1980) • short story by Michael G. Coney
Great. A Herd of empathic caribou in the arctic protect themselves by having predators feel their pain, but what does that mean for wolves and Men?
Achronos • (1980) • short story by Lee Killough
Good. A bored artist stumbles across far future humans living in a time bubble on the beach.
