The Year's Best Fantasy Stories (series)

The Year's Best Fantasy Stories is an anthology series of short fantasy fiction published annually. The series, spanning multiple distinct iterations and editors, aims to showcase what its editor deems the best fantasy short stories from the preceding year.

Several notable iterations of the series exist:

• Edited by Lin Carter (1975-1980): This original incarnation was published by DAW Books. It represented a broad interpretation of "fantasy," sometimes including science fantasy or sword and sorcery. Carter's selections often favored a more traditional or Tolkienesque style of fantasy.

• Edited by Arthur W. Saha (1981-1988): Also published by DAW Books, Saha's version continued the tradition established by Carter, but arguably with a greater emphasis on more contemporary interpretations of fantasy.

• Edited by David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer (2001-2004): Published by EOS, an imprint of HarperCollins, this version represented a significant shift in editorial vision. Hartwell and Cramer brought a more literary and experimental sensibility to their selections, often including stories that blurred the lines between fantasy and other genres like horror and magical realism.

The series, in its various forms, has served as an important venue for showcasing emerging and established fantasy authors, contributing to the development and evolution of the fantasy genre. Each iteration provides a snapshot of the prevailing trends and aesthetic preferences within the fantasy short fiction landscape of its respective period. Publication in The Year's Best Fantasy Stories is often considered a significant achievement for a fantasy author.