Of science fiction and fantasy, guest editor Olivie Blake writes, “It’s hard to look upon these genres and not see tools of life preservation.” The characters in these pages embody this sentiment as they choose to forge ahead despite the most daunting obstacles. An inscrutable woman imprisons a monster in her bathtub, a sentient spaceship carries 10,000 frozen human embryos to a distant space colony, a memory tailor alters memories for customers seeking a different past, and a girl goes to great lengths to attend a prestigious magical university. From dystopian resistance to utopian deceit, these stories acknowledge the helplessness, anger, and despair so prevalent in the world. But, as Blake reassures us, they also convince us that ultimately “faith, persisting and unshakable, will be enough to win.”

THE BEST AMERICAN SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY 2026 INCLUDES: SARAH LANGAN • THOMAS HA • ALIX E. HARROW • ALEX IRVINE • NAOMI KANAKIA • ISABEL J. KIM • RICH LARSON • RAY NAYLER • P.C. VERRONE • AND OTHERS