“The Penguin Science Fiction Omnibus”, 1973, versus “A Science Fiction Omnibus”, 2007 Penguin, Brian W. Aldiss editor for both

The Short: I recently read “The Penguin Science Fiction Omnibus“, Brian W. Aldiss editor, 1973 Penguin, which is a omnibus of the 3 earlier Penguin SF books edited by Aldiss. My overall rating was 3.76/5, or “Very good”. I’m glad I read it, but there were some stories where I really wondered why they were included. See my thoughts below on the 2007 “A Science Fiction Omnibus“, Brian W. Aldiss editor, which is an update on the 1973 volume. My overall rating for that updated volume is 3.94/5, or “Great”. I enjoyed reading both of these, but I would probably choose “A Science Fiction Omnibus” if I was going to read only one.

The Long: My short science fiction and fantasy reading group on Facebook, Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Short Fiction, voted to read “The Penguin Science Fiction Omnibus“, Brian W. Aldiss editor, 1973 Penguin.

It was pointed out to me that “The Penguin Science Fiction Omnibus” is an omnibus of three earlier Brian W. Aldiss anthologies, “Penguin Science Fiction” (1961), “More Penguin Science Fiction” (1963) and “Yet More Penguin Science Fiction” (1964). Upon checking, the biggest differences here between these two groups of stories are the different Introductions by Aldiss between them. I believe the stories included are the same. It appears to me that “Penguin Science Fiction”, 1961, is the first anthology edited by Brian W. Aldiss.

None of this is a bad thing, but in retrospect this 1973 omnibus edition was somewhat dated, as the most recent story in it was from 1962.

I suspect I have read other Brian W. Aldiss anthologies, such as the “Galactic Empires Volume One“, 1978 St. Martin’s Press/SFBC, although this predated my Book Database by decades so I cannot be sure. I own both the 1968 Harry Harrison/Brian W. Aldiss anthology, “Best SF 1968” and the 1969 volume as well, but I have not gotten around to reading them.

“The Penguin Science Omnibus” includes 616 pages and 36 stories. Although there are no story introductions, Aldiss does include a interesting and useful introduction that tells you what he was thinking about. I assume this is synthesized or updated from the 1961, 1963 and 1964 introductions.

There were a number of stories in “Penguin Science Fiction Omnibus” that were new to me (or that I did not remember reading) that I loved, all rated at “Great” or above. These included (in descending order of how I rated them):

1. “Fulfillment“, a novelette by A. E. van Vogt, from “New Tales of Space and Time“, Raymond J. Healy editor, 1951 Henry Holt, rated 4.1/5, or “Superlative”.
2. “The First Men“, a novelette by Howard Fast, F&SF February 1960, rated 4/5, or “Great”.
3. “The Windows of Heaven” (AKA “Two by Two”), a short story by John Brunner, from the John Brunner collection “No Future in It“, 1962 Gollancz, rated 4/5, or “Great”.
4. “Skirmish“, a short story by Clifford D. Simak, Amazing Stories December 1950, rated 3.9/5, or “Great”.
5. “Track 12“, a short story by J. G. Ballard, New Worlds Science Fiction #70 April 1958, rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.
6. “Built Up Logically“, a short story by Howard Schoenfeld, F&SF Fall 1950, rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.
7. “Jokester“, a Multivac short story by Isaac Asimov, Infinity Science Fiction December 1956, rated 3.8/5 ,or “Great”.
8. “Pyramid“, a novelette by Robert Abernathy, Astounding July 1954, rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.
9. “Protected Species“, a short story by H. B. Fyfe, Astounding March 1951, rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.
10. “Before Eden“, a short story by Arthur C. Clarke, Amazing Stories June 1961, rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.
11. “MS. Found in a Chinese Fortune Cookie“, a short story by C. M. Kornbluth, F&SF July 1957, rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.

There were also more than a few stories that I had read recently that I loved, all rated at “Great” or above. These were (in descending order of how I rated them):

1. “The Country of the Kind“, a short story by Damon Knight, F&SF February 1956, rated 4.5/5, or “A classic”.
2. “The End of Summer“, a novelette by Algis Budrys, Astounding November 1954, rated 4.1/5, or “Superlative”.
3. “Nightfall“, a novelette by Isaac Asimov, Astounding September 1941, rated 4.1/5, or “Superlative”.
4. “An Alien Agony” (AKA “The Streets of Ashkelon”), a short story by Harry Harrison, New Worlds Science Fiction #122 September 1962, rated 4.1/5, or “Superlative”.
5. “The Liberation of Earth“, a short story by William Tenn, Future Science Fiction May 1953, rated 3.9/5, or “Great”.
6. “The Store of the Worlds“, a short story by Robert Sheckley, Playboy September 1959, rated 3.9/5, or “Great”.
7. “Common Time“, a short story by James Blish, from “Shadow of Tomorrow“, Frederik Pohl editor, 1953 Permabooks, rated 3.9/5, or “Great”.
8. “Poor Little Warrior!“, a short story by Brian W. Aldiss, F&SF April 1958, rated 3.9/5, or “Great”.
9. “Grandpa“, a novelette of The Hub by James H. Schmitz, Astounding February 1955, rated 3.9/5, or “Great”.
10. “The Snowball Effect“, a short story by Katherine MacLean, Galaxy September 1952, rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.
11. “The Tunnel Under the World“, a novelette by Frederik Pohl, Galaxy January 1955, rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.
12. “The Wall Around the World“, a novelette by Theodore R. Cogswell, Beyond Fantasy Fiction September 1953, rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.
13. “Eastward Ho!“, a short story by William Tenn, F&SF October 1958, rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.

There were a number of stories that were in the “Very good” range for me. I was a little disappointed that there were no authors here that were new to me. However, I enjoyed these, especially several that I don’t think I have ever read or have read so long ago I don’t remember:

1. “The Forgotten Enemy“, a short story by Arthur C. Clarke, New Worlds #5 August 1949, rated 3.7/5, or “Very good”.
2. “The Rescuer“, a short story by Arthur Porges, Analog July 1962, rated 3.7/5, or “Very good”.
3. “The Half Pair“, a short story by A. Bertram Chandler, New Worlds Science Fiction #65 November 1957, rated 3.6/5, or “Very good”.
4. “Sole Solution“, a short story by Eric Frank Russell, Fantastic Universe April 1956, rated 3.6/5, or “Very good”.

There were some choices here that I struggled to understand why Aldiss included them. These were (sorted in descending order of my rating):

1. “The Monkey Wrench“, a short story by Gordon R. Dickson, Astounding August 1951, rated 3.5/5, or “Good”.
2. “The Greater Thing“, a novelette by Tom Godwin, Astounding February 1954, rated 3.5/5, or “Good”.
3. “The Short-Short Story of Mankind“, a short story by John Steinbeck, Lilliput November 1955, rated 3.5/5, or “Good”.
4. “I Made You“, a short story by Walter M. Miller, Jr., Astounding March 1954, rated 3.5/5, or “Good”.
5. “The Cage“, a short story by A. Bertram Chandler, F&SF June 1957, rated 3.5/5, or “Good”.
6. “Command Performance“, a short story by Walter M. Miller, Jr., Galaxy November 1952, rated 3.3/5, or “Good”.
7. “Counterfeit“, a novelette by Alan E. Nourse, Thrilling Wonder Stories August 1952, which I could not finish, so rated 2/5, or “Did not finish”.

I especially wonder about Aldiss including two very ordinary Walter M. Miller, Jr. stories and a second rather ordinary A. Bertram Chandler story. It is also interesting that Aldiss did not include five of the stories I was underwhelmed by in the 2007 edition, “A Science Fiction Omnibus“. Perhaps Aldiss felt these did not hold up either. It’s also possible that those reading these stories in the 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s might have felt differently about these stories than I did in 2023.

Other readers might feel differently, but I do feel this is a somewhat underwhelming result when I wonder why Aldiss included almost 20% of these stories.

My overall rating for the 36 stories was 3.76/5, or “Very good”. I did appreciate the Introduction by Aldiss. I am not sorry I read this anthology, especially for some amazing stories that I don’t think I had ever read before, such as “Fulfillment” by A. E. van Vogt. At the same time, I was underwhelmed by some of the stories selected. See here for the Detailed Comments/Reviews on these 36 stories.

Thoughts on the 2007 Penguin anthology, “A Science Fiction Omnibus“, Brian W. Aldiss editor, which was an update on the 1973 edition.

“A Science Fiction Omnibus“, Brian W. Aldiss editor, 2007 Penguin is an update on the 1973 “The Penguin Science Fiction Omnibus“, reviewed above and with detailed comments below.

Aldiss states in the 2007 Introduction:

…. But there are fewer outlets – except for electronic ones – fewer magazines, for the short story than once there were.

My decision was to work on my earlier Penguin anthology, and to renovate it, preserving the best stories from it. In part, this has been done because I wished to see reprinted in Britain John Crowley’s magnificent “Great Work of Time”, which I had come across in one of my wise friend David G. Hartwell’s anthologies. It is admirable. It is not a story which could have been written or published, I think, in the 1960s.

Other than the new Introduction, Aldiss renovated the contents by removing some stories and adding new stories, all but one written after 1962.

The 16 stories Aldiss removed from the prior 1973 edition were:

1. “The Half Pair“, a short story by A. Bertram Chandler, New Worlds Science Fiction #65 November 1957, rated 3.6/5, or “Very good”.
2. “Command Performance“, a short story by Walter M. Miller, Jr., Galaxy November 1952, rated 3.3/5, or “Good”.
3. “The End of Summer“, a novelette by Algis Budrys, Astounding November 1954, rated 4.1/5, or “Superlative”.
4. “The Monkey Wrench“, a short story by Gordon R. Dickson, Astounding August 1951, rated 3.5/5, or “Good”.
5. “The First Men“, a novelette by Howard Fast, F&SF February 1960, rated 4/5, or “Great”.
6. “Counterfeit“, a novelette by Alan E. Nourse, Thrilling Wonder Stories August 1952, which I could not finish, so rated 2/5, or “Did not finish”.
7. “The Greater Thing“, a novelette by Tom Godwin, Astounding February 1954, rated 3.5/5, or “Good”.
8. “Built Up Logically“, a short story by Howard Schoenfeld, F&SF Fall 1950, rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.
9. “Pyramid“, a novelette by Robert Abernathy, Astounding July 1954, rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.
10. “The Forgotten Enemy“, a short story by Arthur C. Clarke, New Worlds #5 August 1949, rated 3.7/5, or “Very good”.
11. “The Wall Around the World“, a novelette by Theodore R. Cogswell, Beyond Fantasy Fiction September 1953, rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.
12. “Before Eden“, a short story by Arthur C. Clarke, Amazing Stories June 1961, rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.
13. “I Made You“, a short story by Walter M. Miller, Jr., Astounding March 1954, rated 3.5/5, or “Good”.
14. “MS. Found in a Chinese Fortune Cookie“, a short story by C. M. Kornbluth, F&SF July 1957, rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.
15. “Eastward Ho!“, a short story by William Tenn, F&SF October 1958, rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.
16. “The Windows of Heaven” (AKA “Two by Two”), a short story by John Brunner, from the John Brunner collection “No Future in It“, 1962 Gollancz, rated 4/5, or “Great”.

The ten stories Aldiss added to the 2007 edition were:

1. “And I Awoke and Found Me Here on the Cold Hill’s Side“. a short story by James Tiptree, Jr., F&SF March 1972, rated 4.1/5, or “Superlative”.
2. “Swarm”, a Shaper/Mechanist novelette by Bruce Sterling, F&SF April 1982, rated 4/5, or “Great”.
3. “Blood Music“, a novelette by Greg Bear, Analog June 1983, rated 4.5/5, or “A classic”.
4. “Answer“, a short story by Fredric Brown, from his collection “Angels and Spaceships“, 1954 E. P. Dutton, rated 4/5, or “Great”.
5. “Sexual Dimorphism“, a short story by Kim Stanley Robinson, from the Robinson collection “The Martians“, 1999 Voyager/ HarperCollins, rated 3.7/5, or ‘Very good”.
6. “Friends in Need“, short fiction by Eliza Blair, Bug-Eyed Magazine 2006, rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.
7. Night Watch“, a short story by James Inglis, from “New Writings in S-F 3“, John Carnell editor, 1965 Dennis Dobson, rated 3.9/5, or “Great”.
8. “Story of Your Life”, a 1998 novella by Ted Chiang, from “Starlight 2“, Patrick Nielsen Hayden, 1998 Tor, rated 4.5/5, or “A classic”.
9. “Alien Embassy“, short fiction by Garry Kilworth, from the Kilworth collection “In the Country of Tattooed Men: And Other Cyphers“, 2006 Humdrumming, rated 3.9/5, or “Great”.
10. “Great Work of Time” a novella by John Crowley, from his collection “Novelty“, 1989 Doubleday Foundation, rated 4.3/5, or “Superlative”.

The only story added from 1964 and before is “Answer“, a short story by Fredric Brown, from his collection “Angels and Spaceships“, 1954 E. P. Dutton. Considering his desire to update and bring the anthology more up to date, Aldiss notes this in the Introduction:

The shortest short story here is “Answer”. When I was first collecting these stories, back in the sixties, my friend and competitor, Edmund Crispin, was also compiling SF anthologies. Crispin got to this story first.”

I take this to mean that Aldiss had wanted to include “Answer” but he felt that he did not want to include a story that had been anthologized by Crispin in his 1958 “Best SF Three: Science Fiction Stories“.

I can’t really tell if the 2007 version is shorter than the 1973 version. There are fewer stories, with 31 stories compared to 36 in the 1973 version. There are 575 pages of fiction in the 2007 version, compared to 616 for the 1973 version noted at ISFDB. The 1973 version is listed as a paperback, and the 2007 is a trade paperback but not a large one, so the words of fiction may be very similar.

I would not have deleted all of the stories that Aldiss did, but I’ll defer to him on that. I believe that between 1961, when “Penguin Science Fiction” was published as his first anthology, and 2007, when “A Science Fiction Omnibus” was published, Aldiss learned quite a bit about editing anthologies and applied that here.

The 1973 “The Penguin Science Fiction Omnibus” was very 1950s centric, with 29 out of 36 stories from the 1950s. The 2007 “A Science Omnibus” featured 18 stories from the 1950s. It is still heavily 1950s oriented, but it is much more balanced over the era of 1949 to 2006.

The 1973 version, with stories from 1948 to 1962, contained only one story by a woman writer, “The Snowball Effect by Katherine MacLean. The 2007 edition features three stories by women, adding the Tiptree And I Awoke and Found Me Here on the Cold Hill’s Side” and “Friends in Need” by Eliza Blair. This is an improvement, but it does not appear Aldiss was focusing on this as an area that needed work.

There is no doubt that Aldiss added a number of really heavy weight stories by very well known authors here, including “And I Awoke and Found Me Here on the Cold Hill’s Side“. a short story by James Tiptree, Jr., “Swarm”, a novelette by Bruce Sterling, “Blood Music“, a novelette by Greg Bear, “Answer“, a short story by Fredric Brown, “Story of Your Life”, a 1998 novella by Ted Chiang, and “Great Work of Time” a novella by John Crowley.

At the same time, it is worth noting that Aldiss included “Friends in Need“, short fiction by Eliza Blair, with it’s first and so far only paper publication. He also included “Alien Embassy“, short fiction by Garry Kilworth, in the first and only reprint so far. I was pleased at reading both of them and appreciate their inclusion.

Aldiss was focused both on updating the contents to be more current and to remove some of the weaker, older material. My average rating of the stories included jumped from 3.76/5, or “Very good”, for the 1973 “The Penguin Science Fiction Omnibus”, to 3.94/5, or “Great”, for the 2007 “A Science Fiction Omnibus”. I think he succeeded admirably in his updating and renovation. Knowing what I know today, I might have preferred to read the 2007 “A Science Fiction Omnibus” to the 1973 “The Penguin Science Fiction Omnibus”. At the same time, I don’t regret having read most of the stories from the 1973 version.

Detailed Reviews/Comments – SPOILERS ALL OVER! – “The Penguin Science Fiction Omnibus”, 1973, Brian W. Aldiss editor (See below for same for the new 2007 stories)!

“Sole Solution“, a short story by Eric Frank Russell, Fantastic Universe April 1956. A very good short short of the creation of the universe. “Let there be light”, indeed. I don’t think I’d seen this before. At the same time, this seems to be a somewhat weak story to open the anthology with. Other than the various “Penguin Science Fiction” reprints, reprinted only once in the Eric Frank Russell collection “Dark Tides“, 1962 Dennis Dobson until 2011. Rated 3.6/5, or “Very good”.

“Lot“, a David Jimmon novelette by Ward Moore, F&SF May 1953. I don’t remember as much about the biblical Lot as needed to see how it connects to the story. This story features a careful and rather annoying man and his rather horrible family fleeing Los Angeles after an atomic exchange. He finds all of his family objectionable except his daughter. He leaves all of them but her at a gas station in Buellton. Great Cold War behavior, etc., but the story does not get to “Great” for me. Others disagree, with reprints including “The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction, Third Series“, Anthony Boucher & J. Francis McComas editors, 1954 Doubleday, “The Best Science-Fiction Stories: 1954“, Everett F. Bleiler & T. E. Dikty editors, 1954 Frederick Fell, “Beyond Armageddon: Twenty-One Sermons to the Dead“, Martin H. Greenberg & Walter M. Miller, Jr. editors, 1985 Donald I. Fine, and “The Great SF Stories #15 (1953)“, Isaac Asimov & Martin H. Greenberg editors, 1986 DAW Books. Although I don’t love this story, I am somewhat surprised there are no Ward Moore collections in ISFDB. Rated 3.7/5, or “Very good”.

“The Short-Short Story of Mankind” (AKA “We Are Holding Our Own”), a short story by John Steinbeck, Lilliput November 1955. I agree with with Judith Merril that this is a speculative fiction fable. I like some things about it, perhaps a parable of future long after nuclear war, but it goes on a bit long for me. I had no idea Steinbeck wrote anything like it. I suspect this would not have been included if the author had not been Steinbeck. The only reprint other than in various Aldiss Penguin anthologies is “SF: The Year’s Greatest Science Fiction and Fantasy: 4th Annual Volume“, Judith Merril editor, 1959 Dell. There are no Steinbeck collection reprints, which is rather telling for me. Rated 3.5/5, or “Good”.

“Skirmish“, a short story by Clifford D. Simak, Amazing Stories December 1950. Not all Simak stories are great, but it’s always wonderful to encounter a new one. An aging newspaperman becomes the test case in a battle of man and machine after the machines are awakened and liberated by alien machines. I might have read this in the 1956 Simak collection “Strangers in the Universe” many decades ago, but not remembered at all and I don’t own it. First published in Amazing Stories under the title “Bathe Your Bearings in Blood!“; I love the lurid title. Other reprints include “Science-Fiction Thinking Machines: Robots, Androids, Computers“, Groff Conklin editor, 1954 Vanguard Press, and the Simak collection “Skirmish: The Great Short Fiction of Clifford D. Simak“, 1977 Berkley/Putnam (I need to read this!). Rated 3.9/5, or “Great”.

“Poor Little Warrior!“, a short story by Brian W. Aldiss, F&SF April 1958. A great little time travel story, of a nebbish from 2181 who goes big game hunting with the dinosaurs. He makes his kill, but the dinosaur’s parasites kill him. A great story! A lot of reprints, including “The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction, Eighth Series“, Anthony Boucher editor, 1959 Doubleday, the Aldiss collection “No Time Like Tomorrow“, 1959 Signet/New American Library, “Alpha One“, Robert Silverberg editor, 1970 Ballantine Books, “The Arbor House Treasury of Modern Science Fiction“, Martin H. Greenberg & Robert Silverberg editors, 1980 Arbor House (see my review), “Man in His Time: The Best Science Fiction Stories of Brian W. Aldiss“, 1989 Atheneum/Macmillan (see my review), and “Dinosaurs!”, Jack Dann & Gardner Dozois editors, 1990 Ace Books. In this case, I do think Aldiss including one of his own stories was appropriate and a good choice. Rated 3.9/5, or “Great”.

“Grandpa“, a novelette of The Hub by James H. Schmitz, Astounding February 1955. A great story about new worlds, ecology, and not making assumptions about how they work, along with a sympathetic young protagonist that learns some lessons. Reprints include “Spectrum V“, Kingsley Amis & Robert Conquest editors, 1966 Gollancz, “The Arbor House Treasury of Modern Science Fiction“, Martin H. Greenberg & Robert Silverberg editors, 1980 Arbor House, “The Great SF Stories #17 (1955)“, Isaac Asimov & Martin H. Greenberg editors, 1988 DAW Books, “The Best of James H. Schmitz“, 1991 NESFA Press, and “The Big Book of Science Fiction: The Ultimate Collection“, Ann & Jeff VanderMeer editors, 2016 Vintage Crime/Black Lizard. Rated 3.9/5, or “Great”.

“The Half Pair“, a short story by A. Bertram Chandler, New Worlds Science Fiction #65 November 1957. A rather lightweight story of a couple who are asteroid prospectors. She inadvertently causes one of his favorite cuff links to be expelled into space. He is livid and goes out to retrieve it, even though his wife has a horrible fear of being in a space suit after an unfortunate accident and the Space Regulations require two in suits for outside work. He finds the cuff link, but has an accident and thinks he will die. She rescues him, noting that she also does not want to have half a pair either. This issue of New Worlds Science Fiction, #65 November 1957, also featured the first of a series I loved a lot, “Sector General” by James White, which was the cover story. Other than the various Penguin reprints by Aldiss, there are five foreign language appearances. Rated 3.6/5, or “Very good”.

“Command Performance“, a short story by Walter M. Miller, Jr., Galaxy November 1952. An intelligent socialite discovers she is a mutant, a telepath, and her male counterpart finds her. He dies, and she is the cause. This story only gets to “Good” for me. Others disagree, with reprints in “The Best Science-Fiction Stories: 1953“, Everett F. Bleiler & T. E. Dikty editors, 1953 Frederick Fell, the Miller collection “The View from the Stars“, 1965 Ballantine Books, “The Best of Walter M. Miller, Jr.“, 1980 Pocket Books, and “The Great SF Stories #14 (1952)“, Isaac Asimov & Martin H. Greenberg editors, 1986 DAW Books. Rated 3.3/5, or “Good”.

“Nightfall“, a novelette by Isaac Asimov, Astounding September 1941. One of Asimov’s best, a superlative story, and perhaps his most famous. A planet in a system with six suns, and it’s only dark every 2,049 years. Civilization falls and all knowledge of what came before is lost each time, except for very muddled information from a cult. Scientists predict it will happen soon, but only as a theoretical possibly. They prepare, but are still driven mad by the dark and all of the stars. Quite a few reprints, including “Adventures in Time and Space“, Raymond J. Healy & J. Francis McComas, 1946 Random House, “The Astounding Science Fiction Anthology“, John W. Campbell, Jr. editor, 1952 Simon & Schuster, the Asimov collection “Nightfall and Other Stories“, 1969 Doubleday, “The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One“, Robert Silverberg editor, 1971 Doubleday, “The Best of Isaac Asimov“, 1973 Sphere, “Classic Science Fiction: The First Golden Age“, Terry Carr editor, 1978 Harper & Row, “The Road to Science Fiction #2: From Wells to Heinlein“, James Gunn editor, 1979 Mentor/New American Library, and “Sense of Wonder: A Century of Science Fiction“, Leigh Ronald Grossman editor, 2011 Wildside Press. Rated 4.1/5, or “Superlative”.

“The Snowball Effect“, a short story by Katherine MacLean, Galaxy September 1952. A great story of a dean, the head of the sociology department, a request for a real world application of sociology to show value for funding, and a new world government before probable chaos. Reprints include the Katherine MacLean collection “The Diploids“, 1962 Avon, “The Great SF Stories #14 (1952)“, Isaac Asimov & Martin H. Greenberg editors, 1986 DAW Books, “The Ascent of Wonder: The Evolution of Hard SF“, Kathryn Cramer & David G. Hartwell editors, 1994 Tor, and “The Big Book of Science Fiction: The Ultimate Collection“, Ann & Jeff VanderMeer editors, 2016 Vintage Crime/Black Lizard/Vintage Books.  Rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.

“The End of Summer“, a novelette by Algis Budrys, Astounding November 1954. Quite an outstanding story, a great tale of the price of immortality. I am sure i have read this before, but i have no memory. Hugo nomination. Reprints include the Budrys collection “The Unexpected Dimension“, 1960 Ballantine Books, “The End of Summer: Science Fiction of the Fifties“, Barry N. Malzberg & Bill Pronzini editors, 1979 Ace Books, “Writers’ Choice, Volume II“, Stanley Schmidt editor, 1984 Davis Publications, “The Great SF Stories #16 (1954)“, Isaac Asimov & Martin H. Greenberg editors, 1987 DAW Books, and “Entertainment 1997-09-00 Algis Budrys NESFA Press. Rated 4.1/5, or “Superlative”.

“Track 12“, a short story by J. G. Ballard, New Worlds Science Fiction #70 April 1958. A great short story, of a microsonic enthusiast and academic, and a man having an affair with the enthusiast’s wife. The enthusiast kills the other using recorded sounds. Reprints include the Ballard collection “Passport to Eternity“, 1963 Berkley Medallion, and a number of other Ballard collections. Rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.

“The Monkey Wrench“, a short story by Gordon R. Dickson, Astounding August 1951. A ne’er-do-well lawyer drops in on a college acquaintance in a remote Venus weather station while hiding from his wife. The station is run by a new computer. In a fit of arrogance, the lawyer crashed the computer with a logic paradox. The power is controlled by the computer, and they will die soon with no power. I’ll give it a pass on what was known of the likely conditions on Venus, but I do wonder what was suspected about the conditions at that time. Reprints include “The Metal Smile“, Damon Knight editor, 1968 Belmont Books, the Dickson collection “Ancient, My Enemy“, 1974 Doubleday/ SFBC, and “Machines That Think: The Best Science Fiction Stories About Robots and Computers“, Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg, & Patricia S. Warrick editors, 1984 Allen Lane. Rated 3.5/5, or “Good”.

“The First Men“, a novelette by Howard Fast, F&SF February 1960. A great story of the raising of super humans by humans, of creating super humans from those with the potential that normally lose the ability by a normal childhood. Structurally, it is a traditional epistolary story of letters, than a brief narrative of two people, and then a long letter until almost the end. Rated 4/5, or “Great”.

“Counterfeit“, a novelette by Alan E. Nourse, Thrilling Wonder Stories August 1952. I did not like it or the characters. Shapeshifters, with some aspects of “Who Goes There” or other such stories. I could not finish this. Reprints include Alan E. Nourse collection “The Counterfeit Man: More Science Fiction Stories”, 1963 David McKay. Rated 2/5, or “Did not finish”.

“The Greater Thing“, a novelette by Tom Godwin, Astounding February 1954, rated 3.5/5. I struggled with this choice. A bombed out city, abandoned. An alternate form of life grows. 2 members of the Underground, on the run from the State, perhaps after nuclear war? One of them dies, but is recreated by the being. The being learns about humans. The being sends out copies of humans. A rather muddled ending. Reprints only in this and other Aldiss Penguin anthologies. Rated 3.5/5, or “Good”.

“Built Up Logically“, a short story by Howard Schoenfeld, F&SF Fall 1950, rated 3.8/5. Much better than his later “Built Down Logically“. An author and his creation, in a loop of death. Reprints include “The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction“, Anthony Boucher & J. Francis McComas editors, 1952 Little, Brown, “Special Wonder: The Anthony Boucher Memorial Anthology of Fantasy and Science Fiction“, J. Francis McComas editor, 1970 Random House, “A Science Fiction Argosy“, Damon Knight editor, 1972 Simon & Schuster, and a number of foreign language publications. Rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.

“The Liberation of Earth“, a short story by William Tenn, Future Science Fiction May 1953. A sad, satirical story told to the few remaining survivors of Earth’s multiple liberations and re-liberations by competing alien invaders. I just love this! Reprints include the Tenn collection “Of All Possible Worlds“, 1955 Ballantine Books, “The Great SF Stories #15 (1953)“, Isaac Asimov & Martin H. Greenberg editors, 1986 DAW Books, “Immodest Proposals: The Complete Science Fiction of William Tenn, Volume 1“, 2001 NESFA Press, “The Wesleyan Anthology of Science Fiction“, Istvan Csicsery-Ronay, Jr., Arthur B. Evans, Joan Gordon, Veronica Hollinger, Rob Latham, & Carol McGuirk editors, 2010 Wesleyan University Press, and “The Big Book of Science Fiction: The Ultimate Collection“, Ann & Jeff VanderMeer, 2016 Vintage Crime/Black Lizard/ SFBC. Rated 3.9/5, or “Great”.

“An Alien Agony” (AKA “The Streets of Ashkelon”), a short story by Harry Harrison, New Worlds Science Fiction #122 September 1962. One of the better short stories by Harrison for me, perhaps the best. It’s very interesting and not that surprising that he had to get it published in New Worlds,  as he could not sell it in US. A priest and a trader on an alien planet vie for the hearts and souls of very logical,  smart yet less advanced aliens. Logic and the scientific method vs faith. The aliens logic and the Bible leads them to crucify Father Mark, believing his resurrection will be the miracle needed to prove the Bible’s truth. It does not,  and they realize they are murderers instead. Reprints include the Harrison collection “Two Tales and Eight Tomorrows“, 1965 Gollancz, “Dark Stars“, Robert Silverberg editor, 1969 Ballantine Books, “The Best of Harry Harrison“, 1976 Orbit/Futura, “The History of the Science Fiction Magazine Part 4 1956-1965“, Mike Ashley editor, 1978 New English Library, “The Great SF Stories #24 (1962)“, Isaac Asimov & Martin H. Greenberg, 1992 DAW Books, and “The Road to Science Fiction Volume 3: From Heinlein to Here“, James Gunn editor, 1996 Borealis/White Wolf Publishing. Rated 4.1/5, or “Superlative”.

“The Tunnel Under the World“, a novelette by Frederik Pohl, Galaxy January 1955. A great Pohl story that I appear to have read in “The Best of Frederik Pohl” (1975 Ballantine Books” but don’t remember anything about many decades later. A man works for a chemical company that has used brain reading technology to implement fully automated operation of the plant. He finds that every day repeats on April 15, with almost no one remembering that. He finally finds that all in town are robots read from the brains of the townspeople, who all died in an explosion. They are being used to test variations in advertising. He attempts to escape, and then finds out that the recreated town is miniature, and he cannot escape. Queue repeat and madness.  Rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.

“The Store of the Worlds“, a short story by Robert Sheckley, Playboy September 1959. A man visits the Store of the Worlds. He thinks about a temporary visit to a world that offers fulfillment of your desires, at the price of all your worldly goods, and ten years of your life. He departs, thinks about it, and life goes on. At the end, we discover that the story’s present, our world, is the ideal past of Mr. Wayne, who has taken the deal, enjoyed his wishes, and is now back in a very grim post nuclear war world. Reprints include the Sheckley collection “Store of Infinity” (1960 Bantam), “Beyond Armageddon: Twenty-One Sermons to the Dead“, Martin H. Greenberg & Walter M. Miller, Jr. editors, 1985 Donald I. Fine (see my review here), “The Great SF Stories #21 (1959)“, Isaac Asimov & Martin H. Greenberg editors, 1990 DAW Books, and “The Masque of Mañana” (the major short science fiction of Robert Sheckley), 2005 NESFA Press. Rated 3.9/5, or “Great”.

“Jokester“, a Multivac short story by Isaac Asimov, Infinity Science Fiction December 1956. I’m sure I read this in Asimov’s “Earth is Room Enough” collection decades ago, but not remembered. It’s a great story, where Multivac is asked questions regarding the origin of humor and jokes, with a very surprising and world changing outcome. Aliens have used jokes to run psychology tests, not unlike rats in a maze. Once humans discover this, it will be different, and probably not in a way that we like. Other reprints include “Valence and Vision: A Reader in Psychology“, Rich Jones & Richard L. Roe editors, 1974 Rinehart Press, and “The Best Science Fiction of Isaac Asimov“, 1986 Doubleday. Rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.

“Pyramid“, a novelette by Robert Abernathy, Astounding July 1954. A great story featuring a long lived race whose focus is on successful management of the ecology. They import primitive humans to serve a pest control goal. Many hundreds of years later, the aging senior biologist who started all of this finds out that humans have taken over. Humans do not really understand or care about the ecology. Reprints include “The Astounding-Analog Reader, Volume 2“, Brian W. Aldiss & Harry Harrison editors, 1973 Doubleday, and “Anthropology Through Science Fiction“, Martin Harry Greenberg, Carol Mason, & Patricia Warrick, 1974 St. Martin’s Press. Rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.

“The Forgotten Enemy“, a short story by Arthur C. Clarke, King’s College Review, December 1948. I’m sure I have read this before, probably in Clarke’s collection “Prelude to Mars“, but it was not remembered at all. Professor Millward has been alone in London among his books after the weather cooled and almost everyone was evacuated to the tropics. It is perhaps typical of when this was written that there is no discussion about how those living in the tropics felt about this. He heard an ongoing noise, and thinks it is humans returning. It proves to be glaciers from the North. This story reminds me quite a lot with Clarke’s May 1949 story “History Lesson“, with the last surviving humans fleeing the glaciers only to find there is nowhere else to flee. I don’t see any recognized linkage between the two, although it appears Clarke returned to the same theme for “History Lesson”. Reprints include New Worlds #5 August 1949, “Stories for Tomorrow: An Anthology of Modern Science Fiction“, William Sloane editor, 1954 Funk & Wagnalls (I don’t think I have ever read or seen this, but SFE notes, “the latter was one of the finest collections of its period”. I will need to track this down.), “SF: Authors’ Choice 4“, Harry Harrison editor, 1974 Putnam, and many other Clarke collections. Rated 3.7/5, or “Very good”.

“The Wall Around the World“, a novelette by Theodore R. Cogswell, Beyond Fantasy Fiction September 1953. This is a story I had not read for quite a while but was looking forward to rereading. I am not sure where I first read this, but I suspect it was in my paperback copy of the Cogswell collection, “The Wall Around the World“. I knew of Cogswell because of his story “The Specter General“, from the SF HOF anthology. I love this story of a young man in a world ruled by magic, within an impassable wall. He really wants to get over the wall and see what is on the other side, which his broomstick will not climb far enough for. He does, by creating a glider. He is exiled but triumphs in an unexpected fashion. You could read this as SF, although there are fantasy reprints also. Other reprints include “Beyond the Barriers of Space and Time“, Judith Merril editor, 1954 Random House, “The Great SF Stories #15 (1953)“, Isaac Asimov & Martin H. Greenberg editors, 1986 DAW Books, and “The Mammoth Book of Fantasy“, Mike Ashley editor, 2001 Robinson. Rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.

“Protected Species“, a short story by H. B. Fyfe, Astounding March 1951. I own this issue of Astounding, so I am pretty sure I have read this, but I don’t remember it. A colonial administrator visits a new colony in another solar system. He observes some hunting of a species that he thinks might be intelligent. He encounters one of the species, which is biped but has not responded to any attempts to communicate. After sending word to the Service Chief, he receives formal word that the bipeds are a protected species, with no more hunting or harassment. He returns to the ruined city, where he encounters a biped again. The biped talks to him, explaining that they are glad humans have returned, that they are not native to the world, that they have been observing humans for a long time, and there is an implication humans might have lost an interstellar war with them a long time ago. Humans have been a protected species. It’s a twist ending, but very well done. This issue of Astounding also includes an Agents of Vega story I love, “The Illusionists” (AKA “Space Fear”) by James H. Schmitz. Reprints include “The Astounding Science Fiction Anthology“, John W. Campbell, Jr., 1952 Simon & Schuster, “Galactic Empires Volume One“, Brian W. Aldiss editor, 1976 Weidenfeld & Nicolson, and “Space Stories“, Mike Ashley editor, 1996 Robinson Children’s Books. Rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.

Before Eden“, a short story by Arthur C. Clarke, Amazing Stories June 1961. A great story of an expedition to Venus. The scientists discover a novel form of life at one of the poles, where the temperature is slightly lower and accommodates life. They are very excited, but unfortunately biological contamination from them kills the all Venus life. Reprints include the Arthur C. Clarke collection “Tales of Ten Worlds“, 1962 Harcourt, Brace & World, “Science Fiction: Contemporary Mythology: The SFWA-SFRA Anthology“, Martin H. Greenberg, Joseph Olander, & Patricia Warrick editors, 1978 HarperCollins, and “Worldmakers: SF Adventures in Terraforming“, Gardner Dozois editor, 2001 St. Martin’s Griffin. Rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.

“The Rescuer“, a short story by Arthur Porges, Analog July 1962. Two scientists are on trial for destroying a very expensive machine that was sponsored by 15 countries and took 40 years to design and build. Finally, we find out it was a time machine. A technician had started an unauthorized attempt to rescue Jesus from crucifixion. The scientists were panicked about this attempt to change history, uncertain but afraid of the impacts today. Destroying the time machine was their only option. Reprints include “The Astounding-Analog Reader, Volume 2“, Brian W. Aldiss & Harry Harrison, 1973 Doubleday, and “101 Science Fiction Stories“, Martin H. Greenberg, Charles G. Waugh, & Jenny-Lynn Waugh editors, 1986 Avenel Books. Rated 3.7/5, or “Very good”.

“I Made You“, a short story by Walter M. Miller, Jr., Astounding March 1954. A computer guard robot is out of control on the Moon. Its IFF (friend or foe) circuits are fried. Everyone is the enemy. They all die. This was in Astounding; I own this issue and I’m sure I read it before, but not remembered. I hope this is the last time, as this is not one of his better stories. Reprints include “The Metal Smile“, Damon Knight editor, 1968 Belmont Books, and “War with the Robots: 28 of the Best Short Stories by the Greatest Names in 20th Century Science Fiction” , Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg, & Patricia S. Warrick editors, 1992 Wings Books. Rated 3.5/5, or “Good”.

“The Country of the Kind“, a short story by Damon Knight, F&SF February 1956. A great story, scary, well done, about a man who is one of the remaining non-sane or regulated people. He has been made a non-person, and struggles to get people to see him. This is one of my favorite stories by Damon Knight. Reprints include “S-F: The Year’s Greatest Science-Fiction and Fantasy“, Judith Merril editor, 1956 Dell, the Damon Knight collection “In Deep“, 1963 Berkley Medallion, “The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One“, Robert Silverberg editor, 1970 Doubleday, “Future Power“, Jack Dann & Gardner Dozois editors, 1976 Random House, “The Great SF Stories # 18 (1956)“, Isaac Asimov & Martin H. Greenberg editors, 1988 DAW Books, “Science Fiction: Stories and Contexts“, Heather Masri editor, 2008 Bedford Books of St. Martin’s Press, and “Sense of Wonder: A Century of Science Fiction“, Leigh Ronald Grossman editor, 2011 Wildside Press. Rated 4.5/5, or “A classic”.

MS. Found in a Chinese Fortune Cookie“, a short story by C. M. Kornbluth, F&SF July 1957. I read this in Kornbluth’s collection “The Marching Morons and Other Famous Science Fiction Stories“, 1959 Ballantine, a long time ago, but not in decades. A science fiction author, C. M. K., tells a story of finding messages in Chinese Fortune cookies of a plot by writers to keep an important answer from almost everyone, an answer only writers will find by dint of their broad and varied research. Very amusing, and it explains the best seller lists. Not up with the best by C. M. Kornbluth, but great. Reprints include “The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction, Seventh Series“, Anthony Boucher editor, 1958 Doubleday, “Laughing Space“, Isaac Asimov & J. O. Jeppson editors, 1982 Robson Books (I think I need to read this book of science fiction humor), and ” His Share of Glory: The Complete Short Science Fiction of C. M. Kornbluth“, 1997 NESFA Press. Rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.

“The Cage“, a short story by A. Bertram Chandler, F&SF June 1957. After crashing on a distant jungle planet, the climate destroys all of the survivors artifacts, including clothing. Six of them are captured by an alien race and taken to their home planet. They are finally freed after their own act of caging a small pet animal, with one of them claiming that they were recognized as intelligent because “only rational beings put other beings in cages”. I’m willing to go to “Good” but no better; I am surprised at this choice. I am also rather underwhelmed by Aldiss adding a second and rather weak A. Bertram Chandler story. More reprints than I think it deserves, including “The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction, Seventh Series“, Anthony Boucher editor, 1958 Doubleday, “12 Great Classics of Science Fiction“, Groff Conklin editor, 1963 Gold Medal Books, “Anthropology Through Science Fiction“, Martin H. Greenberg, Carol Mason, & Patricia Warrick editors, 1974 St. Martin’s Press, “The Great SF Stories #19 (1957)“, Isaac Asimov & Martin H. Greenberg editors, 1989 DAW Books, and “The Random House Book of Science Fiction Stories“, Mike Ashley editor, 1997 Random House. Clearly many disagree with me. Rated 3.5/5, or “Good”.

“Eastward Ho!“, a short story by William Tenn, F&SF October 1958. I love William Tenn and I own his collection “The Wooden Star“, 1968 Ballantine, so I am sure I have read this before. A wonderful, ironic story of a post war America, with the Indian Nations in ascendency, and the African-American Western Confederated States extant but tithing to the Indian Nations. The last surviving officer of the “United States” directs the remaining U.S. Navy to sail eastward, trying for a land where the white man can be free. Humorous and dramatically ironic. Reprints include “The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction: Ninth Series“, Robert P. Mills editor, 1960 Doubleday, “Alpha 4“, Robert Silverberg editor, 1973 Ballantine Books, “Beyond Armageddon: Twenty-One Sermons to the Dead“, Martin H. Greenberg & Walter M. Miller, Jr. editors, 1985 Donald I. Fine (see my review), “Immodest Proposals: The Complete Science Fiction of William Tenn, Volume 1“, 2001 NESFA Press, “Architects of Dreams: The SFWA Author Emeritus Anthology“, Robin Wayne Bailey editor, 2003 Meisha Merlin, and “The Very Best of Fantasy & Science Fiction: 60th Anniversary Anthology“, Gordon Van Gelder editor, 2009 Tachyon Publications. Rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.

“The Windows of Heaven“, a short story by John Brunner, from the John Brunner collection “No Future in It“, 1962 Gollancz. A great story, first published in New Worlds Science Fiction #47 May 1956 as “Two by Two“, in slightly different form. An astronaut, the first to reach the Moon, is mostly occupied with scientific instruments and experiments. The sun is acting oddly, and finally explodes, perhaps in a nova. He survives, with the Moon between him and the sun. He loses contact with Earth. Time goes on, and he returns to the Earth, hoping there may be survivors. There are none, and the environment is pretty sterile after the high heat. He discovers that he had some Earth bacteria with him when he flew to the moon, and he has brought that back. He will die, but perhaps the bacteria will live using his corpse as biomass. Reprints include “Science Fiction“, S. H. Burton editor, 1967 Longmans (The Heritage of Literature #95), and “Go Forth and Multiply“, Gordon Van Gelder editor, 2017 Surinam Turtle Press. Rated 4/5, or “Great”.

“Common Time“, a short story by James Blish, from “Shadow of Tomorrow“, Frederik Pohl editor, 1953 Permabooks. The pilot of a new ftl ship almost dies with unexpected time issues in ftl. He encounters incomprehensible aliens. This is a great story involving time and space. Quite a few reprints, including the James Blish collection “Galactic Cluster“, 1959 Signet/New American Library, “The Mirror of Infinity: A Critics’ Anthology of Science Fiction“, Robert Silverberg editor, 1970 Canfield Press, “Science Fiction: Contemporary Mythology: The SFWA-SFRA Anthology“, Martin H. Greenberg, Joseph Olander, & Patricia Warrick editors, 1978 HarperCollins, “The Arbor House Treasury of Modern Science Fiction“, Martin H. Greenberg & Robert Silverberg editors, 1980 Arbor House (see my review), “The Great SF Stories #15 (1953)“, Isaac Asimov & Martin H. Greenberg editors, 1986 DAW Books, and “The Road to Science Fiction Volume 4: From Here to Forever“, James Gunn editor, 1997 Borealis/White Wolf Publishing. Rated 3.9/5, or “Great”. It was published at about the same time in Science Fiction Quarterly August 1953, and it’s not completely clear to me which was the first appearance.

“Fulfillment“, a novelette by A. E. van Vogt, from “New Tales of Space and Time“, Raymond J. Healy editor, 1951 Henry Holt. While “New Tales of Space and Time” is not the first original SF anthology, it is arguably the first one of consequence with original stories by major authors. I need to read it. A phenomenal story of a far future Brain, or thinking machine with effectuators, told from the POV of the machine. It ends up with a conflict with what turns out to be itself in the past. At the end, it is a Partner with Man. This might be my favorite story of this era told from the perspective of the machine. I am not sure I have ever read this. Reprints include “The Far-Out Worlds of A. E. van Vogt“, 1968 Ace Books, “Machines That Think: The Best Science Fiction Stories About Robots and Computers“, Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg, & Patricia S. Warrick, 1984 Allen Lane, “Futures Past: The Best Short Fiction of A. E. van Vogt“, 199 Tachyon Publications, and “We, Robots“, Simon Ings editor, 2020 Ad Astra/Head of Zeus, Rated 4.1/5, or “Superlative”, and a great story to finish the anthology with.

Detailed Reviews/Comments – SPOILERS ALL OVER! – New stories added to the 2007 Penguin anthology, “A Science Fiction Omnibus“, Brian W. Aldiss editor

“And I Awoke and Found Me Here on the Cold Hill’s Side“. a short story by James Tiptree, Jr., F&SF March 1972. Amazing, chilling story of sex and death after humans encounter aliens. Humans want to have sex with aliens, and this will destroy us. Nebula, Locus, & Hugo finalist. First reprinted in the Tiptree collection “Ten Thousand Light-Years from Home“, 1973 Ace Books, and then “Aliens!“, Jack M. Dann & Gardner R. Dozois, 1980 Pocket Books, the Tiptree collection “Her Smoke Rose Up Forever“, 1990 Arkham House, “Daughters of Earth: Feminist Science Fiction in the Twentieth Century“, Justine Larbalestier editor, 2006 Wesleyan University Press, “The Wesleyan Anthology of Science Fiction“, Istvan Csicsery-Ronay, Jr., Arthur B. Evans, Joan Gordon, Veronica Hollinger, Rob Latham, & Carol McGuirk editors, 2010 Wesleyan University Press, and “The Big Book of Science Fiction: The Ultimate Collection“, Ann & Jeff VanderMeer editors, 2016 Vintage Crime/Black Lizard/SFBC. Rated 4.1/5, or “Superlative”.

“Swarm”, a Shaper/Mechanist novelette by Bruce Sterling, F&SF April 1982. A great story in the battle between two perhaps posthuman factions, the cyborg Mechanists and the bio/genetically modified Shapers. They both send agents to take advantage of the biological/genetic and other riches of the Swarm, a nominally non-intelligent species. The surviving agent of the Shapers discovers that the Swarm does possess frightening capabilities and intelligence, only manifesting it when needed. The Swarm is a trap, and they plan to use humans as another modified client species. Hugo, Locus and Nebula finalist. Reprints include “The 1983 Annual World’s Best SF“, Arthur W. Saha & Donald A. Wollheim editors, DAW Books/New American Library of Canada, “The Best Science Fiction of the Year #12“, Terry Carr editor, 1983 Timescape/Pocket Books, the Sterling collection “Crystal Express“, 1989 Arkham House, “The Oxford Book of Science Fiction Stories“, Tom Shippey editor, 1992 Oxford University Press, “The Science Fiction Century“, David G. Hartwell editor, 1997 Tor/BOMC, “The Good Stuff“, Gardner Dozois editor, 1991 Science Fiction Book, “Ascendancies: The Best of Bruce Sterling“, 2014 Open Road Integrated Media, and “The Big Book of Science Fiction: The Ultimate Collection“, Ann & Jeff VanderMeer editors, 2016 Vintage Crime/Black Lizard/SFBC. Rated 4/5, or “Great”.

“Blood Music“, a novelette by Greg Bear, Analog June 1983. A classic story, kind of an inside out Microcosmic God, where a biologist/genetic researcher develops cells and cell groups using his own blood that can think and evolve. He injects them into his own body. His only friend, an MD, kills him in an attempt to contain them. His friend has already been infected via a handshake, and he and his wife are taken over and changed. The end of human civilization is coming, perhaps. A Hugo & Nebula Award winner, Locus Award finalist. Reprints include “The Year’s Best Science Fiction: First Annual Collection“, Gardner Dozois editor, 1984 Bluejay Books, “The 1984 Annual World’s Best SF“, Arthur W. Saha and Donald A. Wollheim editors, 1984 DAW Books, the Bear collection “Tangents”, 1989 Warner Books, “Visions of Wonder: The Science Fiction Research Association Anthology“, David G. Hartwell & Milton T. Wolf editors, 1996 Tor, “The Prentice Hall Anthology of Science Fiction and Fantasy“, Garyn G. Roberts editor, 2000 Prentice-Hall (see my review), “The Collected Stories of Greg Bear“, 2002 Tors (see my review), “Science Fiction: Stories and Contexts“, Heather Masri editor, 2008 Bedford Books of St. Martin’s Press, “Sense of Wonder: A Century of Science Fiction“, Leigh Ronald Grossman editor, 2011 Wildside Press, and “The Big Book of Science Fiction: The Ultimate Collection“, Ann & Jeff VanderMeer editors, 2016 Vintage Crime/Black Lizard/SFBC. Rated 4.5/5, or “A Classic”, and perhaps my favorite story by Greg Bear. I’m not prepared to say if I prefer the novella or the novel.

“Answer“, a short story by Fredric Brown, from his collection “Angels and Spaceships“, 1954 E. P. Dutton. A classic short short, of the creation of God, by the linking of widespread, galaxy wide computer networks. The linked computer is asked, “Is there a God”, and the answer is, “There is now”. Heavily reprinted, including “Best SF Three: Science Fiction Stories“, Edmund Crispin editor, 1959 Faber and Faber, “The Best of Fredric Brown“, 1977 Del Rey/Ballantine, “The Great SF Stories #16 (1954)“, Isaac Asimov & Martin H. Greenberg, 1987 DAW Books, “From These Ashes: The Complete Short SF of Fredric Brown“, 2001 NESFA Press, and “The World Turned Upside Down“, Jim Baen, David Drake, & Eric Flint editors, 2005 Baen (see my review). Rated 4/5, or “Great”. rated 4/5, or “Great”.

“Sexual Dimorphism“, a short story by Kim Stanley Robinson, from the Robinson collection “The Martians“, 1999 Voyager/ HarperCollins. While I like this story of a paleogenomics researcher on Mars, Dr. Andrew Smith, I don’t love it. Smith is researching junk gene sequences in fossilized Earth dolphins. He breaks up with his long time and more successful partner, also a scientist, hitting her when they break up. This is very bad on Mars, with a rate of domestic abuse much lower than on Earth. He struggles with life, but does think he has found a gene sequence linking human primate precursors to dolphins. To be honest, this story felt more like a slice of life and rather low on plot, which why I rated it as “Very good” and not “Great”. I have read this before in “The Hard SF Renaissance“, Cramer & Hartwell editors, 2002 Orb, but not remembered. Other reprints include “Year’s Best SF 5“, David G. Hartwell editor, 2005 Eos/HarperCollins, and “The Best of Kim Stanley Robinson“, 2010 Night Shade Books. 3.7 rated 3.7/5, or ‘Very good”.

“Friends in Need“, short fiction by Eliza Blair, Bug-Eyed Magazine 2006. This is an outstanding story of future kindergarten age child, Sally, and her adoption of a pet from a sentient animal shelter. I find the kidspeak dialect a bit off-putting, but it is quite good story for a first story by this author. First and only paper publication in this Aldiss Anthology “A Science Fiction Omnibus”, 2007 Penguin. Rated 3.8/5, or “Great”.

Night Watch“, a short story by James Inglis, from “New Writings in S-F 3“, John Carnell editor, 1965 Dennis Dobson. I am not always a fan of third person narrative lacking any dialog, but I loved this story of Asov, or Automatic Stellar Observation Vehicle, and Asov’s journey past the end of our Galaxy, all the while sending information back to a possibly dead Earth and Sun. I don’t know if I have read any other fiction by James Inglis. Per ISFDB, he wrote stories from 1958 to 1965, with no other information on him other than that someone with that name wrote and published five stories in English. In the “Night Watch” story introduction in “New Writings in S-F 3”, John Carnell notes him as as “another new British Writer”. This appears to be his only story with any reprints per ISFDB, which include “The Best from New Writings in SF First Selection“, John Carnell editor, 1971 Dennis Dobson, and “Space Odysseys“, Brian W. Aldiss editor, 1974 Futura. Rated 3.9/5, or “Great”.

“Story of Your Life”, a 1998 novella by Ted Chiang, from “Starlight 2“, Patrick Nielsen Hayden, 1998 Tor. I am not sure how many times I have read this, but it’s a classic SF First Contact story for me. A linguistics academic is pulled into helping the military and government learn the aliens language without giving away information. Ultimately, the aliens leave after exchanging some information, but no one learns why they came or anything significant. The linguist does retrain her brain to think like the aliens. Great characters, great reveal. Nebula and Sturgeon winner, Hugo and Locus finalist. Reprints include “The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Sixteenth Annual Collection“, Gardner Dozois editor, 1999 St. Martin’s Griffin, “Year’s Best SF 4“, David G. Hartwell editor, 1999 HarperPrism, the Ted Chiang collection “Stories of Your Life and Others“, 2002 Tor, “The Best of the Best: 20 Years of the Year’s Best Science Fiction“, Gardner Dozois editor, 2005 St. Martin’s Griffin, “Science Fiction: Stories and Contexts“, Heather Masri editor, 2008 Bedford Books of St. Martin’s Press, and “The Big Book of Science Fiction: The Ultimate Collection“, Ann & Jeff VanderMeer editors, 2016 Vintage Crime/Black Lizard. Rated 4.5/5, or “A classic”.

“Alien Embassy“, short fiction by Garry Kilworth, from the Kilworth collection “In the Country of Tattooed Men: And Other Cyphers“, 2006 Humdrummin. This story, along with the Aldiss introduction, was worth requesting “A Science Fiction Omnibus” from Interlibrary Loan. A great story of a woman hurting after a breakup with her boyfriend. She really wants children, they don’t have any, and he won’t participate in fertility efforts with her. She receives an invitation to the tropical isle Alien Embassy, with a stay that provides solitude. When she gets there, she finds there is an alien man who will serve her. She tells him to leave, but relents. Finally, she falls in love or in lust with him. He dies after they make love. Eventually, she must eat his dead corpse/carapace to survive and nourish the offspring she is pregnant with. She is happy about all of this. While I find it all somewhat unlikely that it could happen this way, I still love this story. Rated 3.9/5, or “Great”.

“Great Work of Time” a novella by John Crowley, from his collection “Novelty“, 1989 Doubleday Foundation. This just became one of my favorite time travel stories. A secret brotherhood founded with funds from the estate of Cecil Rhodes is bent on world peace and the British Empire. They use a genius’s “orthogonal logic” for time travel in support of these goals. In the end, it all comes to naught as the future world is not one that should ever have existed and must be undone. Great plot and characters. Wow. I am not going to claim that the issues in play are novel, but the execution is astounding. I can understand why Aldiss was moved to issue and update to the 1973 “The Penguin Science Fiction Omnibus” as he wanted to be sure “Great Work of Time” was in print in Britain. World Fantasy Award winner, Nebula and Locus finalist. Reprints include “The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Seventh Annual Collection“, Gardner Dozois editor, 1990 St. Martin’s Press, and “The Science Fiction Century“, David G. Hartwell editor, 1997 Tor/BOMC. Rated 4.3/5, or “Superlative”.