George H. Smith

My 2025 in Review (Best Science Fiction Novels and Short Fiction, Reading Initiatives, and Bonus Categories)

/ Joachim Boaz / 5 Comments
  • Graphic created by my father

Here’s to a happy reading in 2026! I hope you had a successful reading year. Whether you are a lurker, occasional visitor, a regular commenter, a follower on Bluesky or Mastodon, thank you for your continued support. As I say year after year, It’s hard to express how important (and encouraging) the discussions that occur in the comments, social media, and via email are to me. I’m so thankful for the lovely and supportive community of readers, writers, and discussion partners that stop by.

What were your favorite vintage SF reads–published pre-1985–of 2025? Let me know in the comments.

Throughout the later part of the year I’ve dropped hints about a research project. Perceptive readers might have parsed together the contours of the research: late 19th/early 20th century, utopian, African American, the American South, radical politics… It’s taking longer than expected. I’ve read a good ten monographs, five dissertations, countless articles. I’ve written twenty pages. I hoped to have it posted by the near year. Alas. It’s coming together–slowly. Stay tuned.

Without further ado, here are my favorite novels (I only read a few) and short stories (I read a ton of those) I read in 2025 with bonus categories. I made sure to link my longer reviews where applicable if you want a deeper dive.

Check out my 2024, 2023, 2022, and 2021 rundowns if you haven’t already. I have archived all my annual rundowns on my article index page if you wanted to peruse earlier years.

My Top 5 Science Fiction Novels of 2025

  • Alan Gutierrez’s cover for the 1985 edition

1. Octavia E. Butler’s Clay’s Ark (1984), 4.5/5 (Very Good). Full review.

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Short Fiction Reviews: George H. Smith’s “The Last Days of L.A.” (1959) and “In the Imagicon” (1966)

/ Joachim Boaz / 9 Comments
  • Paul Orban’s interior art for George H. Smith’s “The Last Days of L.A.” in If, ed. Damon Knight (February 1959)

Back in 2021, I reviewed and adored George H. Smith’s “The Last Crusade” (1955), a scathing take-down of modern war (replete with confused soldiers in mech suits). While a good portion of Smith’s science fictional output was comedic smut with titles like Those Sexy Saucer People (1967) and Flames of Desire (1963), he clearly could craft an effective short fiction in the best genre magazines of the day.

I appeared recently on a podcast about Philip K. Dick’s masterpiece “Foster, You’re Dead” (1955) and felt the urge to track down story about nuclear terror. Smith’s drunk whirlwind of a story “The Last Days of L. A.” (1959) fits the bill. In addition, I selected “In the Imagicon” (1966), an intriguing take on a personal virtual reality machine, as the 34th story in my series on media landscapes of the future.

Previously in my future media series: Russell Bates’ “Hello, Walls and Fences” (1973) and “Warning: The Surgeon General Has Determined…:” (1977)

Up Next: Izumi Suzuki’s “Terminal Boredom” (1984)

Let’s get to the stories!

  • Frank Kelly Freas’ cover for in If, ed. Damon Knight (February 1959)

4/5 (Good)

“The Last Days of L. A.” first appeared in If, ed. Damon Knight (February 1959). You can read it online here.

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Updates: My 2021 in Review (Best SF Novels, Best SF Short Fiction, and Bonus Categories)

/ Joachim Boaz / 46 Comments

2021 was the best year in the history of my site for visits and unique viewers! I suspect this increasingly has to do with my twitter account where I actively promote my site vs. a growing interest in vintage SF. I also hit my 1000th post–on Melisa Michaels’ first three published SF short stories–in December.

As I mention year after year, I find reading and writing for the site—and participating in all the SF discussions it’s generated over the year—a necessary and greatly appreciated salve. Thank you everyone!

I read very few novels this year. Instead, I devoted my attention to various science short story reviews series and anthologies. Without further ado, here are my favorite novels and short stories I read in 2021 (with bonus categories).

Tempted to track any of them down?

And feel free to list your favorite vintage (or non-vintage) SF reads of the year. I look forward to reading your comments.

My Top 7 Science Fiction Novels of 2021 (click titles for my review)

  • Uncredited cover for the 1988 edition

1. Where Time Winds Blow (1981), Robert Holdstock, 5/5 (Masterpiece): Holdstock’s vision is a well-wrought cavalcade of my favorite SF themes–the shifting sands of time, the pernicious maw of trauma that threatens to bite down, unreliable narrators trying to trek their own paths, a profoundly alien planet that compels humanity to construct an entirely distinct society… It’s a slow novel that initially masquerades as something entirely different. Just like the planet itself.

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