La estrella imposible

by Brian W. Aldiss, Norma B. de López (Translator), Edith Zilli (Translator)

Only one man still lives in a world made - and destroyed - by his progenitors. Now he faces extinction through the machinations of those who have inherited the earth: The Robots.

Contents:
Who Can Replace a Man? (1958)
Not for an Age (1955)
Psyclops (1956)
Outside (1955)
Dumb Show (1956)
The New Father Christmas (1958)
Ahead (1956)
Poor Little Warrior! (1958)
Man on Bridge (1964)
The Impossible Star (1963)
Basis for Negotiation (1962)
Old Hundredth (1960)
A Kind of Artistry (1962)
Man in His Time (1965)

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fantasy, Collections

227 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1965

About the author

Pseudonyms: Jael Cracken, Peter Pica, John Runciman, C.C. Shackleton, Arch Mendicant, & "Doc" Peristyle.

Brian Wilson Aldiss was one of the most important voices in science fiction writing today. He wrote his first novel while working as a bookseller in Oxford. Shortly afterwards he wrote his first work of science fiction and soon gained international recognition. Adored for his innovative literary techniques, evocative plots and irresistible characters, he became a Grand Master of Science Fiction in 1999.
Brian Aldiss died on August 19, 2017, just after celebrating his 92nd birthday with his family and closest friends.

Brian W. Aldiss Group on Good Reads

Reviews

[Glenn Russell]

Topnotch collection by Brian Aldiss, one of the leading innovators of British New Wave SF, right up there with J.G. Ballard, Michael Moorcock and M. John Harrison.

Get those brain cells fizzing, read these stories! Two of my personal favorites:

WHO CAN REPLACE A MAN?
Brian Aldiss’ 1958 Who Can Replace a Man? is classic science fiction, squarely addressing those 1950s concerns revolving around robots replacing humans, beginning with industrial robots replacing humans in factories and ending with robots taking over the world.

Arthur C. Clarke addressed the same question about robots replacing man back in 1968 in his 2001: A Space Odyssey. As we all know, HAL tried to replace a man but failed – after all, HAL possessed a super computer for a brain (and perhaps human-like consciousness) but HAL lacked anything resembling a human body capable of movement or an ability to defend itself. Sorry, HAL, all you could do when attacked was sing Daisy.

It was a much different story in the 2014 film Ex Machina where AI takes the form of Ada, a young female beauty capable of nearly all things human, including arousing human emotion and the will to strike out on its own. Watch out guys! - AI as the ultimate femme fatale.

Each and every year we move deeper into the 21st century, scientists, philosophers and many members of the general thinking public send up warning signals - the potential dangers AI presents to not only humans but all of life. Way back in 1942, Isaac Asimov anticipated these very dangers. Therefore, wise Isaac created his "Three Laws of Robotics:"

First Law - A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

Second Law - A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

Third Law - A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

So, the big question looms: Can we technically proficient humans program the most sophisticated AI to make sure they abide by Asimov's Three Laws? Reading Who Can Replace a Man?, this might not only be a big question but THE question relating to futuristic artificial intelligence.

MAN ON BRIDGE
A harrowing 1964 tale that's set in a future Europe following widespread devastation, not caused by an invasion or nuclear war or plague but a prevailing chaos since "the intelligent have been overwhelmed by the dull." This backward, brutal system has been in place for centuries, reminiscent of the European Dark Ages.

More specifically, we're in a drab concentration camp surrounded by barbed wire, electrified fences, uniformed guards and ray-gun posts (keep in mind this is science fiction). The inmates of this camp (the tale's narrator calls them inhabitants) all have a big yellow C stuck to their backs. And that's C for Cerebral.

Three men stand in a bleak camp room. One of the men, Adam X, stands expressionless, mute, feeling brief bits of emotion, mostly tinged with sadness, that come and go quickly. Adam X is entirely indifferent to the universe since he has had half his brain removed.

Adam X was once a C like any other C, born Adran Zatrobik, while the other two men, Winther and Grabowicz, are C's with that yellow C on their respective backs. Winther and Grabowicz argue over Adam X's operation: Grabowicz for, Winther against, claiming Grabowicz lacks a shred of humane feelings.

Meanwhile, via electrical equipment, Camp Commander Trabann listens in on their conversation. Trabann is "interested to hear a C using the very accusation the Prole Party brings against all the C's. Since the world's C's were segregated in camps, the rest of the world has run much more smoothly - or run down much more smoothly, you may prefer to say - and the terrible rat-race known to both the old communist and capitalist blocks as "progress" has given way to the truly democratic grandeur of the present staticist utopia, where not only all men but all intelligences are equal."

I'll pause here to note a trio of SF tropes Brian Aldiss folds into his tale:

Future Dystopia - Back in the 50s and 60s, the Cold War raged on. The story envisions a resolution: locking away the "brainy" types - eggheads, oddballs, nonconformists - so the Proles, that is, the "normal" people, can be left in peace to share the same nonintellectual lifestyle, free from analysis and reflection. If society for the next thousand years turns out to be exactly the same society as today, so much the better.

Brainwashing and Mind Control - Commander Trabann and other leaders at the camp use mind-altering drugs in an attempt to bring Cerebrals under their complete control. Back in 1964 when Brian Aldiss wrote his story, brainwashing techniques were frequently employed by such countries as Korea, Japan and the Soviet Union in addition to secret mind control experiments carried out by the US's CIA, most notably giving LSD to unknowing subjects.

Body Modification - This futuristic society takes drastic measures: removing half the brain of a C to see what the results will look like. Who knows, maybe they can create an entire race of men and women like Adam X, humans who can think but are incapable of emotion or acts of will. Shudder, shudder, but how removed is this future world from our own recent past? The 30s, 40s and 50s were the heyday of performing lobotomies in the US and England (about 50,000 operations total). Also, think of those horrendous experiments with dogs and other animals in the USSR back in those years.

These are only two of the stories from the collection. There's another dozen to discover. Go for it - get with Brian Aldiss.


British author Brian Aldiss, 1925 - 2017

[Joachim Boaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 (collated rating: Good)

Seven of the 1950s short stories in Brian W. Aldiss’ best of collection Who Can Replace a Man? (1965) I’ve reviewed before in No Time Like Tomorrow (1959) and Galaxies Like Grains of Sand (1960). However, the collection contains seven additional 50s and 60s novellas/short stories that make [...]

Full review: https://sciencefictionruminations.com...

[CasualDebris · Rating 4 out of 5]

From Casual Debris.

In a small white box in my dad's basement, I recently discovered a selection of books I enjoyed as an early teen. At that time I experienced a relatively brief affair with science fiction, focusing mostly on short stories of the 1950s through the 1970s, and some more contemporary 1980s novels. Among my favourite short story authors was Brian Aldiss, and of his collections I preferred this one. So I thought I would re-visit, thinking I would cringe at my immature tastes, but to my pleasant surprise, I breezed quickly through the book and, with some minor exceptions, enjoyed the collection perhaps even more under the guise of my more mature self. Nuances I likely did not catch as a youth, and a greater appreciation for dark fiction, no doubt adding to my enjoyment.

The collection is a good range of science fiction story sub-genres of and 50s and 60s: distant future, near future, hard science, political fiction, cold war paranoia, elements of fantasy, new wave and dark humour. The one constant is that each story contains some element of the dark, with an emphasis of pessimistic depictions of the far future, ill treatment of human values and individuality, and the ill consequences of a mechanized future. An argument can be made that these are the best of Aldiss's pre-1965 stories, as the original title suggest, with my favourites being "Outside" and "Who Can Replace a Man?", along with "Old Hundredth", "Not for an Age" and "Man in His Time." The collection, however, also includes two pieces that can be excised to improve the whole: "Psyclops" and, mainly, the semi-adventure paranoia piece "Basis for Negotiation."

Who Can Replace a Man? 8/10
Infinity Science Fiction, June 1958. (as "But Who Can Replace a Man?")

On a cultivation farm in a dystopian future, the agricultural robots learn that humans have become extinct. Their logical minds seek a plan of action, and a small group leaves for the city. A bleak story dealing with the idea of power and anticipates man's perpetual rule over machines (at least while machines have limited AI), Aldiss manages to infuse humour in what could have become a very dated robot story, but instead remains quite solid despite the obvious 1950s design of these over-sized machines. The story infuses robots with recognizable human traits, and has them, in their own dry logic, adopt an all-too human approach to conquest. In terms of technique, the pacing is excellent, as the quiet opening escalates nicely toward chaos, until we reach that great finale.

This story is generally highly regarded and readily available online.


Not for an Age 7/10
The London Observer, 9 January 1955.

Middle aged professor Rodney Furnell has become aware that he is perpetually re-living one single, average and mundane day of his life. Though he is unable to change his actions, his thoughts are independent, and he contemplates both his situation, and the crowd of faces surrounding each scene, as some future audience is watching each moment play out.

Little detail of the future society is given, only what is essentially necessary for the story. Aldiss is not exploring the world, but rather the individual and his tragic circumstances. As in many of these stories, the twist only helps to make a tragic situation even worse.


Psyclops 5/10
New Worlds Science Fiction #49, July 1956.

A father tries to telepathically warn his unborn son of some great impending danger. This is among Aldiss's many experimental new wave pieces, first published in the new wave advocate New Worlds (edited by John Carnell). I did not care for the story when I first read it as a naive and impressionable teen, and still care little for it as a jaded adult. It is not a bad idea for a story, but some of the fetal ruminations, particularly at the start, are plain bad, and much of the incidental information dropping by the father, though required for the story, is awkward and unsubtle (How do I explain to unborn child and, more importantly, the reader, that I am miles away and he is drifting off course! Whadda ya know: I just did!).


Outside 8/10
New Worlds Science Fiction #31, January 1955. pp 29-37

Six people occupy a house. Their only communication with the outside world is via "the store," a closet where every morning they find food and other random necessities or luxuries. This morning there is no food, and one of the six, Harley, begins to question their circumstances, and tries to recall why they are confined to this space. An excellent science fiction suspense story, a product of cold war fears and paranoia. Great pacing and suspense, Aldiss sets up his clues quite nicely, resulting in an effective ending.


Dumb Show 6/10
Nebula Science Fiction Number 19, December 1956.

In the midst of a future war, Mrs. Snowden and her granddaughter live their meager lives in Mrs. Snowden's childhood home. As the artillery for this war is sound, all is silence and the landscape is diminishing as structures collapse. Another dark Aldiss story, made darker by its finish, and one among many featuring the potential horrors of war, as weapons technology becomes both more advanced and more creative. Though a good story, the characters are overshadowed by the theme, whereas stories such as "Outside" and "Not for an Age" manage a consistent balance between the two.


The New Father Christmas 7/10
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, January 1958.

Yet another dark future tale. In the year 2388, an elderly couple who oversee a mechanized factory, along with three "tramps" illegally boarding inside, appear to be among the last remaining humans on Earth. Christmas morning they gather for tea and discuss the changes around the factory, and their belief in the New Father Christmas. Claustrophobic and haunting, another technological horror story. Appropriately, the adults act like children, and we see how the world has progressed physically, whereas humans have digressed.


Ahead 7/10
Science Fantasy v6 #18, 1956. (As "The Failed Men")

In the distant future a group of humans known as the Failed Men have buried themselves underground. The elite group, the Paulls, have meanwhile collected volunteers from different time periods to help them in handling this population. One man from their past (though our future) has become obsessed with why the group has "failed," and what they failed at, but the translating machine used to communicate with them can only translate literally, and the words lack meaning. An affecting and oddly powerful story. Re-titled "Ahead" for this collection, which in the story is what the narrator uses as reference to going to the future, its original title is far more accurate, as the story does not deal with the future, but with the isolation of this particular group, and the lack of clarity surrounding their failure.


Poor Little Warrior! 7/10
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, April 1958.

In the distant future a man travels to the Jurassic age to hunt brontosaurus. A rare second person stream of consciousness story, effectively written as it adopts an aggressive tone and sarcastic title. The story features an average man, unhappy with his life, who clings to the hopes of escape via a marketing brochure. He is less a victim of the Jurassic as he is of his life, and cannot escape either. The story holds up well and has some cleverly thought out phrasing, such as: "...all destined in that awful jar-full movement to turn into bowel movement." (79)


Man on Bridge 6/10
New Writings in S-F 1, John Carnell, ed. UK: Dennis Dobson, 1964.

In a future where free thinking is prohibited and intellectuals are persecuted and forced to live in camps, a group of "cerebrals" has developed a technique of transforming men into entirely logical thinkers. One heavily lobotomized man, aptly named Adam X, claims to be a new breed of man. Though set seemingly in the far future, the story maintains an impression of the past, as it is heavily referenced with recognizable symbols of the past, such as military camps, the term "prole," and the rural farmhouse inhabited by our protagonist's family.


The Impossible Star 7/10
Worlds of Tomorrow, August 1963.

Four astronauts are stranded on a planetoid orbiting an incredibly massive and unusual star. As they attempt to repair their ship and communicate with the other two ships of their survey party, the members become increasingly aggressive toward one another. A good combination of hard science and psychological suspense. In this story neither space nor humanity is enviable, and the two combined is disastrous.


Basis for Negotiation 5/10
New Worlds Science Fiction #114, January 1962.

In a near future nuclear age, China declares war on the U.S. Britain declares neutrality, which results in civil tensions and inner turmoil. A university professor travels to London to oppose the Prime Minister's stance.

An overlong and dated story, very much a product of its time. It is saved by decent writing, an interesting eventual bit of irony (though after thirty-plus pages), and the fact that Aldiss does not preach but tosses out a couple different viewpoints. Each opinion is consistent in its claim that Britain is ruined, they differ only in the detail of which set of politics or social class did the ruining. Aldiss also hammers these points until they become dull. Interestingly, after its original printing in 1962, the story was included in three separate collections/anthologies by 1965, and in an omnibus collection in 1969, after which it fell off everyone's radar. It might only be remembered in the future for having been selected for inclusion in Aldiss's first Best of collection. (The anthology reprint was for a book edited by John Carnell, then editor of New Worlds where the story first appeared. This can imply that Carnell and Aldiss were really the only two who saw value in the story. Since they did work closely with New Worlds, perhaps it came about from a discussion or proposal of some kind. No other editor seemed interested in keeping it in print.)


Old Hundredth 8/10
New Worlds Science Fiction #100, November 1960.

Once again Aldiss presents us with a distant future Earth, only on this Earth there are no humans. At least not in form. Having long since transcended matter, humans exist as wisps of light, or as music or other forms of non-matter. On Earth dwell creatures to whom humans have granted sentience on their experimental Venusian labs, as Venus had long ago taken the place of the moon and revolves alongside Earth around the sun. We follow re-purposed giant sloth Dandi Lashadusa, a musicologist studying the "musicolumns" that house those who have trans-substantiated into music. Quite detailed and complex for such a short story, Aldiss succeeds in creating an unusual, potent world. With a touch of fantasy, Aldiss makes something so potentially abstract into a world quite concrete.

Unlike "Basis for Negotiation," "Old Hundredth" has been reprinted consistently throughout the decades since its initial publication. It was included in Judith Merrill's The 6th Annual of the World's Best SF (NY: Simon & Schuster, October 1961).


A Kind of Artistry 7/10
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, October 1962.

In the far flung future, humanity has reached deep into the galaxy, taking on new knowledge and new ideas, and in doing so taking on new forms; only Earthborns retain some semblance of the original human being. One such man, Derek Flamifew Ende is tasked with making contact with the Cliff, a sentient asteroid that has crashed into a distant planet.

A complex story of ideas. The title refers to both suffering and happiness being "a kind of artistry." Humans have lost both purpose and drive as they have become self-preservationist. Derek lives with his "Mistress" in the matriarchy of old Earth, and while he is devoted to her, he is in constant need of being away from her. The secret of their relationship, which we learn late in the story, reveals how inward and self-interested this future society has become.


Man in His Time 7/10
Science Fantasy, April 1965.

Jack Westermark, the sole surviving astronaut of a British expedition to Mars, returns with an odd condition: He is living 3.3077 minutes in the future. The theory is that each planet exists within its own time frame, and while some might be ahead of Earth time, others might be lagging behind. (It is not explained why the affected astronaut returns to Earth maintaining Martian time, rather than re-adapting to Earth time, as depicted in a similar situation in the Christopher Nolan film Interstellar.)

The story is more philosophical than scientific, and above anything it is character driven. The plot is set up through a series of sequences, most of which are set at Westermark's home, and much of it through his wife's point of view. It was refreshing to read a story, among a number of heavily male-centric pieces, focusing primarily on a woman (uncommon for the period), and science aside, in a sympathetic and all-too human way. As interesting as the premise may be, it is presented as a tragedy, for both the victim and those around him. A short story finalist of both the Nebula and Hugo, it was included in Nebula Award Stories 1967 (co-edited by Aldiss and Harry Harrison).

[Tim Pendry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a note on the title story only. Other notes will be added below if I read other stories. This particular title ('Who Can Replace a Man?' - 1958) looks at men and machines with dry dark dystopian British humour even though the setting is clearly North American in tone.

The machines are, of course, 1950s machines, great clunky things, but Aldiss introduces a form of graded AI into them in order to create the possibility of an alternative machine society that reproduces the violence of humanity from logic rather than emotion when men are gone.

The ancient Biblical idea of the created being created in the image of the creator lurks in here but also that the created is always in some way less than the creator and must obey him. It is a rather pessimistic story that plays with our idea of freedom and denies it to our creation.

The machine reasoning process he introduces doesn't really work too well but he is making a point rather than trying to create a credible world. The point is that men and machines are both brutish in their own way but that men, self-destructive to the end, will always have the edge on the latter.

The punch line I leave to the reader since we try to avoid spoilers but it is a witty enough tale and it is understandable that it is much anthologised, especially for adolescents, because it can be used to trigger many initial lines of thought on the 'humanity' of robots and on automation in society.

[Joseph Carrabis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this book almost fifty years ago. I remember doing a book report on it for Mrs. Baraniak's sophomore English class. The book reports were really an exercise in public speaking as we had to present our book reports orally before the entire class. I remember Mrs. Baraniak announcing "Well, we have our first 'A' book report" when I'd finished, probably because I said "Brian W. Aldiss is a contemporary author..." and had no idea what the word meant, only that I'd heard it on some PBS show about books and authors and therefore it had to mean something good.
Two stories stuck with me all these years; Poor Little Warrior! and Man in His Time. It was like meeting old friends again to come upon them during this reread.
Aldiss' forward indicates that his stories were included in the order they were written (over several years). I preferred his earlier works. Somewhere towards the middle of his career (according to this book) his stories became difficult reading. A hallmark (to me) of a good story is that it is ageless. The topic may be dated but the story holds up. Not so with about half in the book. Fun rereads and no longer interesting reads. Aldiss' authorial skills did mature, definitely, his story telling didn't always (at least not at the same pace), with Man in His Time a major exception.

[Michelle]

This is a short story in my students' textbooks. Every year that I teach this story, the scarier it gets because each year we get closer to this situation being the reality.

[Sobbin’ Scenes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this story quite charming, from the title I had imagined evil robots taking over, but instead it was humanity causing its own downfall, and little agricultural robots grappling with what to do with their freedom.

Read Who Can Replace a Man for an elective!

Some quotes I liked:

"'Yesterday orders came from the city. Today no orders have come. Yet the radio has not broken down. Therefore they have broken down...' said the little penner.
'They have broken down?'
'All men have broken down.'
'That is a logical deduction,' said the field-minder.
'That is the logical deduction,' said the penner. 'For if a machine had broken down, it would have quickly been replaced. But who can replace a man?'
'If all men have broken down, then we have replaced man.'"

"Man's talent for war, coupled with his inability to manage forested land, had produced thousands of square miles of temperate purgatory, where nothing moved but dust."

[Temucano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesante antología donde en la mayoría de los relatos Aldiss esboza ideas geniales, sobre futuros terribles para el hombre, con seres extravagantes y situaciones donde la crueldad e incomprensión van de la mano. A veces le queda bien, a veces da la sensación de que podría haberle sacado mucho más partido a la idea, y otras veces, languidece mal.

Mis relatos favoritos, por orden de preferencia, fueron:

"Espectáculo mudo": pesadilla apocalíptica de tintes surrealistas.
"La estrella imposible": imágenes potentes del Cosmos profundo y la estrella negra que te lleva a la locura.
"El antiguo centésimo": el más lejano y fantasioso, que resultó ser el más bello.
"Pequeño Guerrero": el único conocido pero no le recordaba tan excelente final.

[Ray Denbrough · Rating 5 out of 5]

My second time to read a short story by the author Brian Aldiss. Tbh, I didn't like my first experience with him. But I gave him another shot with this short story. I just loved the story "Who can replave a man". A story told from machines perspective. What is more I like about the story is class of thinking. Each machine has level of inception called a class of thinking and noticing things.

The story begins with field minder (machine) can't get acess to the warehouse. Later It discover the reason is all human were dead. No human to give the order.
We follow The field minder with other machines in their journey to survive. I liked the ending!
It's just perfect.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Read as part of the "Masterpieces The Best Science Fiction of the Twentieth" Century by Orson Scott Card*

"I have a good supply of fissionable blasting materials.” Don’t we all have a friend like the quarrier? Damn Class Five brains lol.

This is a strangely fun story about robots trying to use logic to solve the quandary of what to do when humans are gone. I honestly enjoyed the heck out of this story until the very last line, which kind of ruined it for me. I just don’t think the ultimate message here that robots could NEVER replace man and will always be subservient is viable (just my interpretation).

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who Can Replace a Man? - 4/5 - Robots of various intelligence come to terms with the dying out of mankind. Too many modern writers write robots or AI way too human for my tastes and I really appreciate reading a story that doesn't do that

Not For an Age - 4/5 - Unique time travel science fiction story that flirts with the horror genre a bit

Psyclops - 3.5/5 - A man uses long-range telepathy to communicate with his son in utero in an attempt to save both him and the mother. I enjoyed the unique concept and how he wrote the baby's mental functions. Story is truly elevated by the dark ending

Outside - 4/5 - Dickian story about having to use bizarre tactics to study a race of aliens that can transform into humans and truly think they are human

Dumb Show - 4/5 - Future where war is being fought with sound waves. Treads some common ground in fairly original ways

The New Father Christmas - 4/5 - Some humans surviving in a factory during a robot dystopia. Possibly the inspiration for the Robot Santa Claus in Futurama

Ahead - 3.5/5 - A group travels ahead in time in an attempt to help the future human race. I liked the idea of it more than the execution. Much of the story is the current humans trying to figure out why the future humans are so far-gone but the ideas get lost in translation as the future humans speak in abstractions. It was a purposeful choice but left me feeling a bit underwhelmed at a half-baked story

Poor Little Warrior! - 3.5/5 - Time travel story about a man who hates both himself and his life and tries to find some meaning in life through Jurassic big game hunting

Man on Bridge - 3/5 - Set either in the past, an alternate present/future, the story is set in a world where intellectuals are ostracized to camps because the majority of the society doesn't like them much. A story that gives more questions than answers and feels more like a chapter to a book instead of a full fledged story

The Impossible Star - 4/5 - A pretty fun space survival mystery that is one of the more cinematic stories I've read by Aldiss

Basis for Negotiation - 4/5 - Political intrigue as England, and consequently further nations, declare neutrality as China and the U.S.S.R. bomb North America. The science fiction picks up a bit at the end

Old Hundreth - 3.5/5 - A future Earth where all humans have downloaded their consciousnesses (for lack of a better explanation) and there are now only certain animals which have grown more intelligent (either by evolution or human design). There have been a few stories where Aldiss creates a pretty large chunk of lore and history that makes me wish there was another story in this universe or that the story itself were longer

A Kind of Artistry - 2.5/5 - A rather unfortunate story. It starts out so well with a giant sentient landmass that communicates with a human through a cellular level. Then it leaves that storyline to follow the man he communicates with who is from a far far future Earth. He wants to run away with a furry alien woman but can't because he is obligated to stay with his mother who also happens to be his mistress because that's how mating on Earth takes place now. Just some weird ass shit

Man in His Time - 5/5 - Incredible story about a man who has returned from the first mission to Mars but because of time dilation is actually now 3.3077 minutes ahead of everyone on Earth. Story is mostly told through the perspective of his wife. The way Aldiss pulls off the character interactions within the constraints of the time difference between them is a testament to why peak Aldiss was a genius

[Andres · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leer a Aldiss hace bien, aunque en esta colección de cuentos los futuros del ser humano no son fáciles ni necesariamente buenos.
Cada cuento nos lleva a una realidad interesante, insinuante, con personajes acorde a esa sorpresa. Es notable como el estilo de escritura tranquilo de Aldiss construye escenarios que oprimen y dejan muchas veces al lector desesperanzado.
Me gusta leer cuentos, y Aldiss domina el formato con elegancia y virtuosismo.
Recomendable, obviamente. Una selección de historias de autor clásico con obras notables.

[Aiden McKinney · Rating 3 out of 5]

A REVIEW OF THE TITULAR STORY ONLY

A somewhat interesting story about a desolate, dying world, and the robots response to it. There are some themes touched on here: robots without sympathy, logic over emotion and the dangers that come with that, resisting vs. serving humans, etc. Unfortunately, the story is so brief that none of these themes feel very well-developed, especially with the revelation of some humans being left alive on barely being touched on. Perhaps the themes are enough to carry this story, but for me I found it to be mildly bland.

[Asher Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Classic sci-fi anthology. The stories are most interesting because of the glimpse they give into an imaginative new world, then by the time you get the point it’s on to the next. With any anthology, some stories were great, some were okay, and some didn’t do anything for me at all - which is the pro and con of how short these stories are. Aldiss gives us a good compilation of stories to hop into and out of and see which catch your fancy.

[Julianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read, it's like Twilight Zone. I felt like some of the stories ended a bit too suddenly, but they each had some cool things to think about. I'm loving this creepy fish guy on the cover, he's a freak for sure.

[mark propp · Rating 3 out of 5]

not so wild about this entry. feels a little rote, obvious, and the punchline landed with a bit of a thud.

it has some wit & it's short. it's not a disaster. but i wouldn't have put it in a collection called 'masterpieces,' personally.

[kaleigh jade · Rating 3 out of 5]

uhhh okay then

[Bill Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of stories from one of the masters of Science Fiction. A bit dated, but still a good reminder of the old days when I first read many of these stories. Worth re-reading.

[Adam Frąk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Całkiem spoko opowiadanka :)

[Stas · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a pleasure to sample these stories after an anti-climactic encounter with Poul Anderson. The title story is awesome. Sufficient linguistic fancy is present in the narrative style, although some touches of British mannerism seem quaint. Endings tend to be chillingly abrupt, and/or leave one unsure of what ensues. There are some leaps of logic that are not altogether sound. But, overall, it's really fun. I've long wanted to get into Aldiss. Perhaps, this first intro will lead to a more substantial engagement.

"My best friends beg me to turn away from science fiction, my worst enemies claim I have never turned to it". (from Introduction)

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

like reading SF and "last man" type stories.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of Aldiss's earlier short stories chosen by the author. I consider this "golden-age Sci-Fi"!

[Jasmine Hoo]

i dunno.. will start to read it soon..

[Faby · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a really funny smar short story , love it

[Patrick]

4/2/11: "Dumb Show"
4/2/11: "Poor Little Warrior"
4/3/11: "Not for an Age"
4/3/11: "Who Can Replace a Man?"

[Robert Walrod · Rating 2 out of 5]

Highlights: "Not For an Age," "Outside."

[Mckinley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Who Can Replace a Man? Machines and more machines

[Mack]

A little unusual. Appealing.