"The 1977 Annual World's Best SF" is a science‑fiction anthology compiled by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha. It was released in 1977 by DAW Books as part of the annual series “The Annual World's Best SF,” which began in the early 1970s and continued into the early 1990s. Each volume in the series collected a selection of short stories and novellas that the editors judged to represent the most noteworthy new science‑fiction works published in the preceding year.
Publication details
- Editors: Donald A. Wollheim, Arthur W. Saha
- Publisher: DAW Books (United States)
- Year of publication: 1977
- Format: Hardcover and paperback editions were issued; the paperback bore the DAW #X‑# designation (exact number varies by printing).
Series context
The anthology belongs to a long‑running annual series that aimed to provide readers with a curated overview of contemporary science‑fiction short fiction. The series is noted for its influence on the genre’s short‑form market and for highlighting emerging as well as established authors.
Typical contents
While the precise table of contents for the 1977 edition varies among sources, volumes in the series generally include between ten and fifteen works, featuring authors such as Gene Wolfe, James Tiptree Jr., C. J. Cherryh, and Frederik Pohl, among others. The stories are selected from magazines (e.g., Analog, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction) and other publications from the previous calendar year.
Reception
Contemporary reviews in genre periodicals praised the anthology for its editorial consistency and for showcasing a wide range of narrative styles within science fiction. The series is frequently cited in bibliographic references to the era’s short‑form literature.
Bibliographic note
The anthology is cataloged in library systems (e.g., WorldCat) under the title “The 1977 Annual World's Best SF,” confirming its status as a recognized publication within the science‑fiction community.
