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Going Interstellar
A collection of tales by an all-star assortment of award winning authors including Ben Bova, Mike Resnick, Jack McDevitt, Michael Bishop, Sarah Hoyt and more together with essays on high technology by space scientists and engineers – all taking on new methods of star travel.
Some humans may be content staying in one place, but many of us are curious about what’s beyond the next village, the next ocean, the next horizon. Are there others like us out there? How will we reach them? Others are concerned with the survival of the species. It may be that we have to get out of Dodge before the lights go out on Earth. How can we accomplish this? Wonderful questions. Now get ready for some answers.
Here is the science behind interstellar reports from top tier scientists and engineers on starflight propulsion techniques that use only means and methods that we currently know are scientifically possible. Here are in-depth essays on antimatter containment, solar sails, and fusion propulsion. And the human consequences? Here is speculation by a magnificent array of award-winning SF writers on what an interstellar voyage might look like, might feel like—might be like. It’s an all-star cast abounding with Hugo and Nebula award Ben Bova, Mike Resnick, Jack McDevitt, Michael Bishop, Sarah Hoyt and more.
Comprehensive Teacher's Guide available.
Some humans may be content staying in one place, but many of us are curious about what’s beyond the next village, the next ocean, the next horizon. Are there others like us out there? How will we reach them? Others are concerned with the survival of the species. It may be that we have to get out of Dodge before the lights go out on Earth. How can we accomplish this? Wonderful questions. Now get ready for some answers.
Here is the science behind interstellar reports from top tier scientists and engineers on starflight propulsion techniques that use only means and methods that we currently know are scientifically possible. Here are in-depth essays on antimatter containment, solar sails, and fusion propulsion. And the human consequences? Here is speculation by a magnificent array of award-winning SF writers on what an interstellar voyage might look like, might feel like—might be like. It’s an all-star cast abounding with Hugo and Nebula award Ben Bova, Mike Resnick, Jack McDevitt, Michael Bishop, Sarah Hoyt and more.
Comprehensive Teacher's Guide available.
434 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 2012
21 people are currently reading
280 people want to read
About the author
Les Johnson
16 books71 followersLes is the author or co-author of both popular science and science fiction. His latest science fiction novel, "Mission to Methone," was released by Baen Books on February 6, 2018. Coincidentally, his latest non-fiction book, "Graphene: The Superstrong, Superthin, and Superversatile Material That Will Revolutionize the World," with co-author Joe Meany, was published the same day (from a different publisher - Prometheus Books)!
By day, Les is Principal Investigator (lead scientist) for NASA's first interplanetary solar sail mission, The Near Earth Asteroid Scout, at the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. In the early 2000's, Les was NASA's Manager for Interstellar Propulsion Research and later managed the In-Space Propulsion Technology Project. He has worked for NASA since 1990 and has served in various technical and management roles.
Les was the featured "Interstellar Explorer" in the January 2013 issue of National Geographic Magazine. He was technical consultant for the movie, Lost in Space. NPR, CNN, Fox News, The Science Channel and The Discovery Channel have all interviewed him. He appeared on the Discovery Science Channel in their Exodus Earth series and the "How to Build A Starship" episode of Michio Kaku's 2010 Discovery Science Channel Series "Physics of the Impossible.
He was the Chief Scientist for the ProSEDS space experiment, twice received NASAs Exceptional Achievement Medal, and holds 3 space technology patents. He has numerous peer-reviewed publications and was published in Analog."
By day, Les is Principal Investigator (lead scientist) for NASA's first interplanetary solar sail mission, The Near Earth Asteroid Scout, at the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. In the early 2000's, Les was NASA's Manager for Interstellar Propulsion Research and later managed the In-Space Propulsion Technology Project. He has worked for NASA since 1990 and has served in various technical and management roles.
Les was the featured "Interstellar Explorer" in the January 2013 issue of National Geographic Magazine. He was technical consultant for the movie, Lost in Space. NPR, CNN, Fox News, The Science Channel and The Discovery Channel have all interviewed him. He appeared on the Discovery Science Channel in their Exodus Earth series and the "How to Build A Starship" episode of Michio Kaku's 2010 Discovery Science Channel Series "Physics of the Impossible.
He was the Chief Scientist for the ProSEDS space experiment, twice received NASAs Exceptional Achievement Medal, and holds 3 space technology patents. He has numerous peer-reviewed publications and was published in Analog."
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 4, 2012
I still swear I remember watching one of the moon landings on TV. I was barely five years old when Apollo 17 sent the last men to the moon, so maybe I am mistaken, but I am sure this is one of my earliest memories.
Going Interstellar is a collection of short stories and essays by notable science fiction authors and physicists with the obvious theme of going interstellar. This book appears to be a labor of love, published by Baen, that stalwart of hardcore hard SF nerds. These people (the editors and authors) really, really want to see us launch interstellar missions. There is a certain sense of futility in their cause, which is evident when even the most optimistic of the non-fiction essays acknowledges that the technological and economic challenges dwarf anything mankind has ever attempted, but still... it's possible! It could be done!
Certainly not in our lifetimes, though.
Every story sticks to the strictly plausible, or at least mostly plausible, so there is no FTL travel here, no wormholes or aliens, and no other "super-science." All the technology is, if not currently possible, at least within the realm of our current understanding of physics.
The non-fiction essays describe the means by which a ship could be sent interstellar distances: antimatter, fusion, and solar/beamed energy sails. Each one has potential and is theoretically possible, each one also has some major drawbacks that physicists refer to as "simply a matter of engineering."
The stories ranged from "okay" to "pretty good." All are fairly typical SF short stories built around the theme of interstellar colonization. Since they were all limited to known physics, there are basically three options for a starship: unmanned; sleeper ships in which the passengers are kept in some sort of suspended animation for most or all of the trip (this, of course, is another "matter of engineering" that currently remains purely hypothetical technology since no one has figured out how to bring back to life something that's been cryogenically frozen); and generation ships. There are stories with each option featured.
My favorites were probably Lesser Beings, by Charles E. Gannon, in which humans go to the stars and continue being their old warlike selves; Lucy, by Jack McDevitt, in which Artificial Intelligences are the first to pilot starships; Twenty Lights to the "Land of Snow" by Michael Bishop, featuring a sleeper ship called the Kalachakra carrying a group of Tibetan Buddhists; and The Big Ship and the Wise Old Owl, by Sarah Hoyt, in which the inhabitants of a generation ship have to uncover a mystery before they reach their destination. These stories I would give 4 stars each to; the others, by Ben Bova, Louise Marley, and Mike Resnick, were okay but only 3-star reads for me. YMMV.
Overall, a 4-star book for anyone who is a true space nerd or physics geek.
Going Interstellar is a collection of short stories and essays by notable science fiction authors and physicists with the obvious theme of going interstellar. This book appears to be a labor of love, published by Baen, that stalwart of hardcore hard SF nerds. These people (the editors and authors) really, really want to see us launch interstellar missions. There is a certain sense of futility in their cause, which is evident when even the most optimistic of the non-fiction essays acknowledges that the technological and economic challenges dwarf anything mankind has ever attempted, but still... it's possible! It could be done!
Certainly not in our lifetimes, though.
Every story sticks to the strictly plausible, or at least mostly plausible, so there is no FTL travel here, no wormholes or aliens, and no other "super-science." All the technology is, if not currently possible, at least within the realm of our current understanding of physics.
The non-fiction essays describe the means by which a ship could be sent interstellar distances: antimatter, fusion, and solar/beamed energy sails. Each one has potential and is theoretically possible, each one also has some major drawbacks that physicists refer to as "simply a matter of engineering."
The stories ranged from "okay" to "pretty good." All are fairly typical SF short stories built around the theme of interstellar colonization. Since they were all limited to known physics, there are basically three options for a starship: unmanned; sleeper ships in which the passengers are kept in some sort of suspended animation for most or all of the trip (this, of course, is another "matter of engineering" that currently remains purely hypothetical technology since no one has figured out how to bring back to life something that's been cryogenically frozen); and generation ships. There are stories with each option featured.
My favorites were probably Lesser Beings, by Charles E. Gannon, in which humans go to the stars and continue being their old warlike selves; Lucy, by Jack McDevitt, in which Artificial Intelligences are the first to pilot starships; Twenty Lights to the "Land of Snow" by Michael Bishop, featuring a sleeper ship called the Kalachakra carrying a group of Tibetan Buddhists; and The Big Ship and the Wise Old Owl, by Sarah Hoyt, in which the inhabitants of a generation ship have to uncover a mystery before they reach their destination. These stories I would give 4 stars each to; the others, by Ben Bova, Louise Marley, and Mike Resnick, were okay but only 3-star reads for me. YMMV.
Overall, a 4-star book for anyone who is a true space nerd or physics geek.
December 27, 2012
Better than average anthology of science fiction and fantasy. (Don't let the name fool you.)
One gen made the whole lot worthwhile.
One gen made the whole lot worthwhile.
October 29, 2012
There are some really great stories here about life aboard interstellar starships. The hook for this collection is that they're all scientifically possible. Which isn't as heavy as you might think, since the focus really isn't on the science. Plus the last two stories really don't have much to do with it.
The last story is by Mike Resnick and it doesn't belong here. It's a fanciful tale about a race through the solar system and the "real story" about how one ship disappeared. It really should have been rejected; I suspect he's here for name recognition.
That said, many of the other stories are so good that I wish they were full novels. It reminds me why I like short stories so much: cracking good tales that leave you wanting more. It's a shame the book ends with a whimper.
There are a few science essays which detail some of the ways we can travel interstellar distances. A few decades ago I would have found them to be value-added, but there wasn't a lot of new information contained in them. Which is really a commentary on the sad state of cutting-edge scientific inquiry in America more than anything else. However, if this is your first exposure to these ideas then they are well worth your time.
Edit to add:
CHOICES by Les Johnson - A very good beginning to the collection, setting the tone that sometimes things break while in deep space, and frequently those broken things are people.
A COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN by Ben Bova - I really enjoyed this old school story about a stubborn man who knows what the right choice is and is determined to make it, no matter the cost. To win big you have to bet big, and the protagonist is just that kind of guy.
LUCY by Jack McDevitt - I loved this story. This is the flipside of the Bova story where the AI has a chance to go on one last adventure and metaphorically leaps at it.
LESSER BEINGS by Dr. Charles Gannon - This story really feels epic, with an interstellar spaceship used as an escape valve for a warring society. Every time someone loses a war, they take the ship to the next available system. The implication is that they are multiple generations -- and star systems -- removed from Earth, and as a result their society has mutated and stratified. Creating a completely new culture with backstory is something incredibly difficult to pull off, so I'm always impressed when an author does it in a short story. Excellent.
DESIGN FLAW by Louise Marley - This is a solid nuts-and-bolts working-class-spaceman story about a woman whose job is to inspect hard-to-get-to crawlspaces in spaceships because of her tiny size. Her diminutive stature comes partially from being naturally small and from growing up starvingly poor, which made her small. But small or not, she doesn't take guff from roughneck bullies, which causes her to make some tough choices. I discovered I'm slightly claustrophobic while having an MRI, so parts of this story were skin-crawlingly tense.
TWENTY LIGHTS TO THE "LAND OF SNOW": Excerpts from the Computer Logs of Our Reluctant Dalai Lama by Michael Bishop - A Buddhist colony ship funded by the Chinese eager to solve their Tibetan problem heads out for another solar system and the Dalai Lama dies en route. It is claimed he reincarnates in the body of a 7-year-old girl, who wants nothing to do with the responsibility. It's a nice tale of how she ages from 7 to 31 during the journey, with all the politics and dangers one might imagine in any group. I can't say much about the plot without spoiling it, but it's quite good.
THE BIG SHIP AND THE WISE OLD OWL by Sarah A. Hoyt - Another female protagonist, which is a nice trend, but this story felt a little too pat. Some of the things which happen do so just in time, the kind of coincidence which do stretch my willing suspension of disbelief. It's not a bad story, but when compared to some of the really good stories here it's a bit of the B team taking the field.
SIREN SONG by Mike Resnick - This story doesn't belong here either in terms of theme (going interstellar) or quality. This is the sort of disappointing trifle Resnick can do in his sleep, and I'm at a loss as to why it's included. This was a lame way to end an otherwise excellent collection.
Various essays - As mentioned above, the essays are almost certainly value-added to someone new to the game, with excellent summations of current thoughts, theories and designs. I didn't find they added much for me, but then I've been reading this stuff for 40 years now. that said, they are quite good.
The last story is by Mike Resnick and it doesn't belong here. It's a fanciful tale about a race through the solar system and the "real story" about how one ship disappeared. It really should have been rejected; I suspect he's here for name recognition.
That said, many of the other stories are so good that I wish they were full novels. It reminds me why I like short stories so much: cracking good tales that leave you wanting more. It's a shame the book ends with a whimper.
There are a few science essays which detail some of the ways we can travel interstellar distances. A few decades ago I would have found them to be value-added, but there wasn't a lot of new information contained in them. Which is really a commentary on the sad state of cutting-edge scientific inquiry in America more than anything else. However, if this is your first exposure to these ideas then they are well worth your time.
Edit to add:
CHOICES by Les Johnson - A very good beginning to the collection, setting the tone that sometimes things break while in deep space, and frequently those broken things are people.
A COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN by Ben Bova - I really enjoyed this old school story about a stubborn man who knows what the right choice is and is determined to make it, no matter the cost. To win big you have to bet big, and the protagonist is just that kind of guy.
LUCY by Jack McDevitt - I loved this story. This is the flipside of the Bova story where the AI has a chance to go on one last adventure and metaphorically leaps at it.
LESSER BEINGS by Dr. Charles Gannon - This story really feels epic, with an interstellar spaceship used as an escape valve for a warring society. Every time someone loses a war, they take the ship to the next available system. The implication is that they are multiple generations -- and star systems -- removed from Earth, and as a result their society has mutated and stratified. Creating a completely new culture with backstory is something incredibly difficult to pull off, so I'm always impressed when an author does it in a short story. Excellent.
DESIGN FLAW by Louise Marley - This is a solid nuts-and-bolts working-class-spaceman story about a woman whose job is to inspect hard-to-get-to crawlspaces in spaceships because of her tiny size. Her diminutive stature comes partially from being naturally small and from growing up starvingly poor, which made her small. But small or not, she doesn't take guff from roughneck bullies, which causes her to make some tough choices. I discovered I'm slightly claustrophobic while having an MRI, so parts of this story were skin-crawlingly tense.
TWENTY LIGHTS TO THE "LAND OF SNOW": Excerpts from the Computer Logs of Our Reluctant Dalai Lama by Michael Bishop - A Buddhist colony ship funded by the Chinese eager to solve their Tibetan problem heads out for another solar system and the Dalai Lama dies en route. It is claimed he reincarnates in the body of a 7-year-old girl, who wants nothing to do with the responsibility. It's a nice tale of how she ages from 7 to 31 during the journey, with all the politics and dangers one might imagine in any group. I can't say much about the plot without spoiling it, but it's quite good.
THE BIG SHIP AND THE WISE OLD OWL by Sarah A. Hoyt - Another female protagonist, which is a nice trend, but this story felt a little too pat. Some of the things which happen do so just in time, the kind of coincidence which do stretch my willing suspension of disbelief. It's not a bad story, but when compared to some of the really good stories here it's a bit of the B team taking the field.
SIREN SONG by Mike Resnick - This story doesn't belong here either in terms of theme (going interstellar) or quality. This is the sort of disappointing trifle Resnick can do in his sleep, and I'm at a loss as to why it's included. This was a lame way to end an otherwise excellent collection.
Various essays - As mentioned above, the essays are almost certainly value-added to someone new to the game, with excellent summations of current thoughts, theories and designs. I didn't find they added much for me, but then I've been reading this stuff for 40 years now. that said, they are quite good.
July 15, 2012
Great read. Premise revolves around short stories featuring plausible interstellar travel, written by Ben Bova, Mike Resnick, Jack McDevitt, among others. It also includes several interesting and readable essays about the facts and possibility of interstellar travel, how it can be achieved and what Mankind has already done. Highly recommended.
October 11, 2019
Para o nerd que adora ficção científica profissionalmente escrita e baseada em factos da física, astrofísica e dinâmica social. Os escritores são quase todos (ou foram) professores de inglês e todos têm algum historial ou ainda exercem alguma forma de trabalho em ramos da NASA desde a física a engenharia.
Going Interstellar é um exemplo homogéneo de facto e ficção. Quanto bom seria se fusão fosse assim tão fácil. Imensa energia com um pequeno Sol na Terra!
Começa com uma introdução pelo próprio autor e editor do livro, Les Johnson, físico da NASA e autor de ficção científica/ facto científico. Com ajuda de vários contribuidores, começa por apresentar imagens, diagramas e explicações de projetos feitos, correntes ou por fazer pelas várias agências espaciais. Após estas apresentações educacionais, dá-nos algumas histórias que muito provavelmente se baseiam nessas tecnologias. Quando acaba um par de histórias, vem outro momento educacional e de seguida, mais histórias. Assim é até ao fim.
Todas rodam em torno de exploração espacial: uso da Inteligência Artificial, vida na construção de estações e naves em Ganymede, intriga, guerra entre clãs que colonizaram fora da Terra e ainda uma fascinante nomeação de um Dalai Lama em pleno espaço! (para este último, peço que deixem os valores do oeste de lado e observem a cultura em questão.)
Todas são únicas e ainda assim existem algumas liberdades independentemente da sua raiz estar no que sabemos hoje em dia sobre o universo. Sonhar é um grande tema do livro. Esperança e ultrapassar dificuldades que permitam continuar a fomentar o desejo intrínseco de explorar. Todas elas entregam uma mensagem positiva.
Algumas simplesmente achei porreiras, outras adorei. Lucy por Jack McDevitt conseguiu criar empatia por uma A.I; Lesser Beings, por Charles E. Gannon fez-me pensar e é mais socialmente puramente tribal; Twenty Lights to the "Land of Snow” por Michael Bishop é incrivelmente original aos meus olhos ocidentais e é sobre Budistas Tibetanos; A Country for Old Man por Ben Bova é sobre uma longa viagem pelos olhos de uma velha figura paternal com desejos jovens, mas também de morte. Estas foram as que adorei. As outras, não são daquelas que me lembro logo assim que me vejo o titulo do livro, logo não considero as mais tocantes.
Going Interstellar pode muito bem ser real daqui a centenas de anos ou mesmo décadas, dependendo das prioridades humanas. Hoje, é extremamente plausível e todos os autores estão de parabéns e fiquei a desejar para alguns contos que houvesse mais para contar. Não há FTL (Viagens à Velocidade da Luz), Extra terrestres, portais, magia nem armas laser. E isto não só torna as situações mais reais, também conseguem simpatizar melhor com o leitor. Situações são mais imprevisíveis, mais humanas, sem nenhum Deus Ex Machina à mão para resolver o sofrimento dos personagens.
Going Interstellar é um exemplo homogéneo de facto e ficção. Quanto bom seria se fusão fosse assim tão fácil. Imensa energia com um pequeno Sol na Terra!
Começa com uma introdução pelo próprio autor e editor do livro, Les Johnson, físico da NASA e autor de ficção científica/ facto científico. Com ajuda de vários contribuidores, começa por apresentar imagens, diagramas e explicações de projetos feitos, correntes ou por fazer pelas várias agências espaciais. Após estas apresentações educacionais, dá-nos algumas histórias que muito provavelmente se baseiam nessas tecnologias. Quando acaba um par de histórias, vem outro momento educacional e de seguida, mais histórias. Assim é até ao fim.
Todas rodam em torno de exploração espacial: uso da Inteligência Artificial, vida na construção de estações e naves em Ganymede, intriga, guerra entre clãs que colonizaram fora da Terra e ainda uma fascinante nomeação de um Dalai Lama em pleno espaço! (para este último, peço que deixem os valores do oeste de lado e observem a cultura em questão.)
Todas são únicas e ainda assim existem algumas liberdades independentemente da sua raiz estar no que sabemos hoje em dia sobre o universo. Sonhar é um grande tema do livro. Esperança e ultrapassar dificuldades que permitam continuar a fomentar o desejo intrínseco de explorar. Todas elas entregam uma mensagem positiva.
Algumas simplesmente achei porreiras, outras adorei. Lucy por Jack McDevitt conseguiu criar empatia por uma A.I; Lesser Beings, por Charles E. Gannon fez-me pensar e é mais socialmente puramente tribal; Twenty Lights to the "Land of Snow” por Michael Bishop é incrivelmente original aos meus olhos ocidentais e é sobre Budistas Tibetanos; A Country for Old Man por Ben Bova é sobre uma longa viagem pelos olhos de uma velha figura paternal com desejos jovens, mas também de morte. Estas foram as que adorei. As outras, não são daquelas que me lembro logo assim que me vejo o titulo do livro, logo não considero as mais tocantes.
Going Interstellar pode muito bem ser real daqui a centenas de anos ou mesmo décadas, dependendo das prioridades humanas. Hoje, é extremamente plausível e todos os autores estão de parabéns e fiquei a desejar para alguns contos que houvesse mais para contar. Não há FTL (Viagens à Velocidade da Luz), Extra terrestres, portais, magia nem armas laser. E isto não só torna as situações mais reais, também conseguem simpatizar melhor com o leitor. Situações são mais imprevisíveis, mais humanas, sem nenhum Deus Ex Machina à mão para resolver o sofrimento dos personagens.
October 5, 2024
Some of the stories here collected are good, I appreciated "Lesser Being" and "The Big Ship and the Wise Old Owl", but other I had found mediocre; in truth the real reason for the low vote reside in the fact that I have previously read A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through? and Aurora, so I cannot enjoy such a shallow presentation that fail to address many interesting question (social, economic, ethical, and so on).
July 7, 2023
Interesting collection of fictional stories and nonfiction essays all dealing with interstellar travel. The stories varied in quality, the essays were all interesting but reminded the reader that faster-than-light travel is both literally and figuratively far in the future.
Not a bad book but nothing outstanding here.
Not a bad book but nothing outstanding here.
February 11, 2021
Found some of them pretty neat (the first, second & the last one, one or two of the scientific articles).
December 19, 2024
An uneven, but still very informative collection about the barriers facing any attempt at interstellar travel.
In short, it's so difficult, we may as well wait for a hyperdrive.
In short, it's so difficult, we may as well wait for a hyperdrive.
August 11, 2012
I’ve read other novels by McDevitt and enjoyed them quite a bit, so when this anthology came out, I was quick to buy it. Overall, it was pretty good, but its mixed nature made it inconsistent.
I enjoyed all the essays. They were full of facts, history, and a reasonable amount of hard science. They even had a few diagrams, so I’m glad I bought it in dead-tree edition rather than e-book. Mostly the essays dealt with various proposals for real interstellar spacecraft that would plod along at slower than the speed of light. While that can make for weak fiction, it’s actually possible by our current understanding of the universe. No magic physics is required.
The fiction was hit or miss for me. I did really enjoy one of the stories by McDevitt, and it truly did make me care about the main character, an AI computer that finally got a shot at the big game. A couple of others left me flat, and one truly disappointed me.
So, if you want some info on real interstellar proposals, get this for the articles, and maybe check out the fiction.
I enjoyed all the essays. They were full of facts, history, and a reasonable amount of hard science. They even had a few diagrams, so I’m glad I bought it in dead-tree edition rather than e-book. Mostly the essays dealt with various proposals for real interstellar spacecraft that would plod along at slower than the speed of light. While that can make for weak fiction, it’s actually possible by our current understanding of the universe. No magic physics is required.
The fiction was hit or miss for me. I did really enjoy one of the stories by McDevitt, and it truly did make me care about the main character, an AI computer that finally got a shot at the big game. A couple of others left me flat, and one truly disappointed me.
So, if you want some info on real interstellar proposals, get this for the articles, and maybe check out the fiction.
November 22, 2012
Take a scientist and a science fiction writer and give them the following assignment: create a short story and essay collection about interstellar travel using existing technology. No warp drives, no FTL at all. The essays will be by those working in the field of interstellar travel today.
The result is a very nice mix of fact and fiction. The essays are very much in laymen terms, so need for an average reader to break out their university texts to understand those. The stories are a split between hard science and getting to the next star system, and the social effects of interstellar flight, especially those on generation ships.
I can't say any one story was outstanding, but no entry was especially disappointing.
The result is a very nice mix of fact and fiction. The essays are very much in laymen terms, so need for an average reader to break out their university texts to understand those. The stories are a split between hard science and getting to the next star system, and the social effects of interstellar flight, especially those on generation ships.
I can't say any one story was outstanding, but no entry was especially disappointing.
May 14, 2013
This is a better-than-average anthology of science articles and science fiction stories, just the kind of book that Jim Baen used to like to publish thirty-or-so years ago. I found all of the non-fiction pieces to be enjoyable, if a bit less enthusiastic than I expected. There are good stories from Ben Bova, Jack McDevitt, Mike Resnick, Michael Bishop (though it was little too long), and Sarah Hoyt. The best piece in the book was a thought-provoking story by Louise Marley, "Design Flaw." It didn't end exactly the way I thought it should, but after a second reading I was okay with it. All in all, GOING INTERSTELLAR is a good volume for space fans.
October 9, 2016
This is a solid collection of short stories and nonfiction essays about realistic (or at least scientifically plausible) journeys beyond our Solar System. If you've been reading science fiction very long, or if you're well-versed in real-world space technologies, the essays will offer little new information or insight, but to someone who is just starting to study spaceflight, this is a MUST-READ collection!
If you are a budding science-fiction author, the essays in this book will give you some useful details about interstellar space drives and how humans might survive such journeys.
A good, solid, well-edited anthology! Enjoy!
If you are a budding science-fiction author, the essays in this book will give you some useful details about interstellar space drives and how humans might survive such journeys.
A good, solid, well-edited anthology! Enjoy!
April 29, 2013
I enjoyed this book immensely. There was a lot on the science fact articles I already had heard before, but much more I hadn't. The stories were all worth reading--Twenty Lights to "the Land of Snow" being the best, but a couple of the stories needed a little more work. The Big Ship and the Wise Old Owl is the one that stands out in this respect--I found the environment and use of nursery rhymes really fascinating but solutions came too easily to the protagonists. There was little to no suspense.
August 26, 2014
This in an intriguing combination of fiction and non, all dealing with interstellar travel. The fiction is pretty sweet, going beyond the usual. (Buddhists in space? Really?) The non-fiction is good, but focused solely on drive alternatives. I would have liked to see some other aspects covered.
One bonus is that most of the non-fiction pieces reference other books that would be of interest.
One bonus is that most of the non-fiction pieces reference other books that would be of interest.
February 1, 2015
This is a collection of short fiction and non-fiction essays by science fiction authors and physicists exploring what it means to "go interstellar."
Hard science fiction meets science. No FTL (faster than light) stories here. Stories range from "ok" to "good". What's unique is the eclectic mix of fiction and fact.
If Amazon would let me, I'd give this 3.5 stars.
Hard science fiction meets science. No FTL (faster than light) stories here. Stories range from "ok" to "good". What's unique is the eclectic mix of fiction and fact.
If Amazon would let me, I'd give this 3.5 stars.
May 3, 2013
Well, a collection of scifi stories with a common theme provides several writers in one book. Good and bad ...... but generally okay since it WAS all about Going Interstellar?!?
Three stars for the average short story . . . .
Three stars for the average short story . . . .
September 21, 2021
Great collection of stories from some of my favorite authors. The most interesting ones and more to do with social future rather than outer space future. Still quite a lot of stories that you could be chewing on like candy throughout the week. Recommended
August 28, 2012
Absolutely splendid works of art.
December 1, 2012
A great anthology of science fiction stories and science-fact articles about interstellar travel. The stories by Michael Bishop and Ben Bova are standouts in an excellent collection.
January 18, 2013
A neat collection of short stories and essays about generation ships and near-future space travel. Nice read.
July 26, 2013
Awesome anthology and came at a perfect time to help shape New Eden.
August 29, 2013
Good mix of hard sci-fi (various short stories, all involving subluminal travel) and interesting factual-based essays on the mid-term possibilities for interstellar flight.
September 29, 2016
Reading the entire book was worth it just for Michael Bishop's "Twenty Lights to 'The Land of Snow'". A really exquisite short story that I wish had been it's own novel.
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November 6, 2018Skipped the non-fiction and truncated at least one longer story. Don't particularly remember any now, but then, it's been a couple of weeks since I started and I do remember kinda liking them as I was going along. Next time I read short stories I'm going to review each as I go along ferpeetsake.
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