Just how many great science fiction short stories are published every year? So far there are eight best-of-the-year volumes you can buy or order right now at Amazon, with the possibility of four more that had volumes last year.

At Amazon (some due soon):

1. The Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume 4 – Neil Clarke
2. The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year, Volume Thirteen – Jonathan Strahan
3. The Year’s Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2019 – Rich Horton
4. The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2019 – John Joseph Adams
5. The Year’s Top AI and Robot Stories – Allan Kaster
6. Year’s Best Military & Adventure SF 5 – David Afsharirad
7. Nebula Awards Showcase 2019 – Silvia Moreno-Garcia
8. Best of British Science Fiction 2018 – Donna Scott

Had volumes last year that might show up:

1. The Long List Anthology: Volume 4 – David Steffen
2. The Year’s Top Ten Tales of Science Fiction 10 – Allan Kaster
3. The Year’s Top Short SF Novels 8 – Allan Kaster
4. Wilde Stories 2018: The Year’s Best Gay Speculative Fiction – Steve Berman

Every year I hope all the best-of-the-year volumes will show up on audio. So far this year, only the Jonathan Strahan anthology is available as an audiobook. I love listening to short fiction read by a professional reader, so this is a disappointing year. In the years past the Allan Kaster anthologies were available at Audible.com, but not so far this year. I hope that changes. I was most anxious to hear The Year’s Top AI & Robot Stories.

Eight, and maybe twelve anthologies provide a lot of stories to read, but there is overlap in these anthologies which I’m tracking in a spreadsheet. My list isn’t completely up-to-date but currently has 92 stories.

James Wallace Harris