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The Best of Stanley G. Weinbaum
Contents:
A Martian Odyssey (1934)
Valley of Dreams (1934)
The Adaptive Ultimate (1935)
Parasite Planet (1935)
Pygmalion's Spectacles (1935)
Shifting Seas (1937)
The Worlds of If (1935)
The Mad Moon (1935)
Redemption Cairn (1936)
The Ideal (1935)
The Lotus Eaters (1935)
Proteus Island (1936)
A Martian Odyssey (1934)
Valley of Dreams (1934)
The Adaptive Ultimate (1935)
Parasite Planet (1935)
Pygmalion's Spectacles (1935)
Shifting Seas (1937)
The Worlds of If (1935)
The Mad Moon (1935)
Redemption Cairn (1936)
The Ideal (1935)
The Lotus Eaters (1935)
Proteus Island (1936)
306 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1974
14 people are currently reading
515 people want to read
About the author
Stanley G. Weinbaum
358 books71 followersFull name: Stanley Grauman Weinbaum.
"In his short career, Stanley G. Weinbaum revolutionized science fiction. We are still exploring the themes he gave us." —Poul Anderson
"Stanley G. Weinbaum's name deserves to rank with those of Wells and Heinlein—and no more than a handful of others—as among the great shapers of modern science fiction." —Frederik Pohl
"In his short career, Stanley G. Weinbaum revolutionized science fiction. We are still exploring the themes he gave us." —Poul Anderson
"Stanley G. Weinbaum's name deserves to rank with those of Wells and Heinlein—and no more than a handful of others—as among the great shapers of modern science fiction." —Frederik Pohl
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
July 14, 2023
Eighteen months of astonishing new writing ... and then gone!
Isaac Asimov called Stanley Weinbaum a nova who burst into the field of science fiction writing like an exploding star in 1934 with his debut short story A Martian Odyssey. Perhaps super nova would have been a better euphemism because, like a supernova, Weinbaum not only exploded onto the scene but disappeared a scant 18 months after his first story was published, a victim of throat cancer.
The Best of Stanley Weinbaum is a collection of short stories that, unfortunately, probably represents half of this astonishing writer's entire output.
Perhaps the greatest and most enduring charm of Weinbaum's stories rests with his collection of unique extra-terrestrial life - sentient, intelligent life that clearly had alien psychologies and motivations beyond human understanding. The most innovative feature of Weinbaum's collection of creatures was that they were not simply monstrous foils used to showcase the heroism of the human protagonists. Nor were they shallow anthropomorphized critters that merely happened to have green skin and six arms and legs. Tweel, the comical ostrich-like creature from The Martian Odyssey was Weinbaum's phenomenal response to John W Campbell's dictum "write me a creature who thinks as well as a man, or better than a man, but not like a man". The outrageously bizarre intelligent plant "Oscar" from The Lotus Eaters challenged the thinking sci-fi reader in ways that had never been achieved up until that time. Indeed, a case may be made that no sci-fi writer has created this type of alien intelligence since.
Although current knowledge of our solar system has moved beyond what was available to Weinbaum in the thirties, his presentation of alien ecologies was fascinating, compelling and yet wholly believable in the context of the science of the day. His presentation of a hostile Venusian jungle in The Parasite Planet is positively chilling.
Beyond that, even within the limitations of the short story format, Weinbaum also demonstrates the ability to create complete characters whose achievements matter to the reader. They are fleshed out utterly human down-to-earth "folks" with foibles, failings, happiness and sadness to accompany the heroism and feats of derring-do that are only to be expected in stories like this.
If you've never sampled Stanley Weinbaum, then you are in for a truly delicious treat. Read slowly and savour it, because, sadly, there is far too little of his work available. Highly, highly recommended!
Paul Weiss
Isaac Asimov called Stanley Weinbaum a nova who burst into the field of science fiction writing like an exploding star in 1934 with his debut short story A Martian Odyssey. Perhaps super nova would have been a better euphemism because, like a supernova, Weinbaum not only exploded onto the scene but disappeared a scant 18 months after his first story was published, a victim of throat cancer.
The Best of Stanley Weinbaum is a collection of short stories that, unfortunately, probably represents half of this astonishing writer's entire output.
Perhaps the greatest and most enduring charm of Weinbaum's stories rests with his collection of unique extra-terrestrial life - sentient, intelligent life that clearly had alien psychologies and motivations beyond human understanding. The most innovative feature of Weinbaum's collection of creatures was that they were not simply monstrous foils used to showcase the heroism of the human protagonists. Nor were they shallow anthropomorphized critters that merely happened to have green skin and six arms and legs. Tweel, the comical ostrich-like creature from The Martian Odyssey was Weinbaum's phenomenal response to John W Campbell's dictum "write me a creature who thinks as well as a man, or better than a man, but not like a man". The outrageously bizarre intelligent plant "Oscar" from The Lotus Eaters challenged the thinking sci-fi reader in ways that had never been achieved up until that time. Indeed, a case may be made that no sci-fi writer has created this type of alien intelligence since.
Although current knowledge of our solar system has moved beyond what was available to Weinbaum in the thirties, his presentation of alien ecologies was fascinating, compelling and yet wholly believable in the context of the science of the day. His presentation of a hostile Venusian jungle in The Parasite Planet is positively chilling.
Beyond that, even within the limitations of the short story format, Weinbaum also demonstrates the ability to create complete characters whose achievements matter to the reader. They are fleshed out utterly human down-to-earth "folks" with foibles, failings, happiness and sadness to accompany the heroism and feats of derring-do that are only to be expected in stories like this.
If you've never sampled Stanley Weinbaum, then you are in for a truly delicious treat. Read slowly and savour it, because, sadly, there is far too little of his work available. Highly, highly recommended!
Paul Weiss
September 14, 2015
Stanley G. Weinbaum, according to Isaac Asimov, existed before the "Golden Age" of science fiction (which according to him was before the path-breaking editor John W. Campbell appeared on the scene). In those "dark ages", science fiction was mostly composed of the stories of the "space opera" style: adventure stories of the type H. Rider Haggard produced, only they were transplanted to Mars and Venus instead of Africa. Indeed, it is maybe no coincidence that Edgar Rice Burroughs created both Tarzan and John Carter of Mars.
Stanley Weinbaum was a short-lived meteor who blazed brilliantly across the SF night sky for a very short duration. After producing a handful of brilliant and innovative short-stories, Weinbaum succumbed to cancer at the very young age of thirty-three, leaving his best stories unwritten, according to his friends.
My first introduction to Weinbaum came through Asimov’s compilation of SF before John W. Campbell, Before the Golden Age, through the short story The Parasite Planet, where Weibaum has imagined a brilliant Venus full of deadly life-forms. Ever since, I have been waiting to get hold of more of his work, and when I came across the current volume (A Martian Odyssey), I was overjoyed.
After going through the whole book, my enthusiasm has come down a notch. These stories have not aged well: they were written the 1930’s, between the wars. Most of the world was under the thumb of the Western colonial superpowers, and the U.S.A was just starting its career as an economic power. The concept of Western supremacy permeates the stories (even though I am sure that the author never intended it), and in some cases, becomes downright objectionable. Consider the following passage from Proteus Island:
…he could, he supposed, tie her wrists and ankles; but somehow the idea appealed to him not at all. She was too naïve, too trusting, too awe-struck and worshipful. And besides, savage or not, she was a white girl over whom he had no conceivable rightful authority.
Captain Carver is here musing over what to do with the girl he has “captured” on Austin Island. Ultimately, the fact that she is white saves the girl from bondage!
However, one can pardon such attitudes which are more a product of the age than the person. Even though I found Weinbaum rather wanting as a storyteller on many occasions (many of his stories follow the formula of the boy winning the girl after rescuing her in an alien environment – and the girl is invariable beautiful), as a creator of extraterrestrial life he has no competition. The alien landscapes he creates are so original and the flora and fauna so enthralling (if a trifle frightening), that you will find yourself following the story at breakneck speed. Apart from Parasite Planet, this tome contains A Martian Odyssey, The Valley of Dreams, The Mad Moon, Redemption Cairn and Proteus Island, all choc-a-bloc full of E.T.’s to satisfy even the most finicky connoisseur. I will not detail them here, not only because I am unable to justice to his imagination in a mere book review: I do not want to take away anybody’s delight on encountering them for the first time! Also, Weinbaum has explored non-traditional areas and seminal ideas (for his time, at least) in stories like The Adaptive Ultimate.
In the afterword, Robert Bloch talks about Weinbaum’s ideas for future projects and his intention to enter into the field of fantasy – intentions which remained unfulfilled, alas, due to his untimely exit from the world stage. One sometimes feels the truth of what the M.T. Vasudevan Nair (the famous Malayalam writer) said: “Death is a clown who has no sense of the stage.”
A must-read for all SF addicts.
February 9, 2017
Okay this was a book I picked up because of the cover. However I will this time admit it was more because I recognised the artist than I did the author. The piece is by Peter Ellson and goes by the same names as the book. Peter Elson was yet another artist featured in the books of Paper Tiger so I sort of use that as my defence.
But what of the book - well like I said I knew next to nothing of Stanley G Weinbaum which is criminal considering how influential both the stories contained in this book and the author himself and considering how short a career (and life he led).
There are many treaties written about Mr Weinbaum however I think Isaac Asimov summed it all up rather well when he said that the lead story A Martian Odyssey was one of three such stories which shapped how such fiction would go for years to come and was probably the closest to the idea of an alien that is clearly identifiable but is still yet utterly alien that can think and act like a man but is better than he is.
In short even though his works were deeply embedded in the 30s he wrote with an insight and intelligence that belied his years. And this is something which is subtly evident here. Some times it is far to easy to just a book at the time you read it rather than at the time it was written. With a shiny new cover this book is one such case. However when you think back at the time Stanley G Weinbaum was writing he had no reference no peers to look back to for support and encouragement, so like his characters then forged on out in to the new world.
This book was a rare find and one that I am now proud to show on my shelves and one I definitely chalk up to a happy accident. If classic science fiction is of interest you could do with reading this book.
But what of the book - well like I said I knew next to nothing of Stanley G Weinbaum which is criminal considering how influential both the stories contained in this book and the author himself and considering how short a career (and life he led).
There are many treaties written about Mr Weinbaum however I think Isaac Asimov summed it all up rather well when he said that the lead story A Martian Odyssey was one of three such stories which shapped how such fiction would go for years to come and was probably the closest to the idea of an alien that is clearly identifiable but is still yet utterly alien that can think and act like a man but is better than he is.
In short even though his works were deeply embedded in the 30s he wrote with an insight and intelligence that belied his years. And this is something which is subtly evident here. Some times it is far to easy to just a book at the time you read it rather than at the time it was written. With a shiny new cover this book is one such case. However when you think back at the time Stanley G Weinbaum was writing he had no reference no peers to look back to for support and encouragement, so like his characters then forged on out in to the new world.
This book was a rare find and one that I am now proud to show on my shelves and one I definitely chalk up to a happy accident. If classic science fiction is of interest you could do with reading this book.
August 18, 2013
Weinbaum was probably the first and certainly the most influential writer in the pre-Campbell era to write good, modern, character-driven science fiction. His Martian, Tweel, remains one of the best truly alien characters ever created. This volume, with an Isaac Asimov introduction and an afterward from Robert Bloch, collects the best of his works.
January 21, 2012
Stanley G Weinbaum was a brilliant flame who flashed brightly across the night sky of golden age science fiction. Starting in July of 1934 he published one of the most influential science fiction short stories in history, “A Martian Odyssey”. He would publish many more short stories in pulp magazines, more than most aspiring. Eighteen months later he would be dead of lung cancer. What might have been….
The Best of Stanley G Weinbaum is a collection of his short fiction which appeared in 1974. You can still find it used bookstores ( like me) or order it off the Internet. It’s a good look at an young writer who left a legacy of stories. Most take place on the planets in our solar system. There’s a naive sense of wonder in these stories, not the best drama, but fun just the same. Many contain some of the same characters. These stories take place in what William Gibson called “The Gernsback Continuum”, i.e., giant flying cities, pre-WW2 atomics and zeppelins.
A few stories do stick out: “A Martian Odyssey”, being the one every sf fan seems to have encountered. This is a tale of the first human expedition to Mars, where the explorers meet a large bird-like creature called “Tweel” and the other strange life forms they encounter. Similar stories take place on Venus and the moons of Jupiter. In all cases the air is breathable, but the humans might need oxygen masks in some parts. It’s constant with what was known about the planets at the time.
However, my favourite stories in this collection take place on earth. The first, “The Ultimate Adaptive”, is about what happens when an ordinary woman is given the power of evolutionary adaption to any situation. The ending is contrived, but the tone is chilling. “Vally of Dreams” allows a lonesome young man the ability to enter a fantasy world. The ending is a little contrived too, but it moved in the right direction. And then there’s “Proteus Island” which is a strange merge of “jungle girl” stories and The Island of Dr. Moreau. Again, these three tales stepped outside the “Blasting rockets!” stories and showed the direction Weinbaum might have taken had he lived.
The collection comes with an introduction by Issac Asimov and a remembrance by Robert Bloch. Worth reading if you can find a copy.
The Best of Stanley G Weinbaum is a collection of his short fiction which appeared in 1974. You can still find it used bookstores ( like me) or order it off the Internet. It’s a good look at an young writer who left a legacy of stories. Most take place on the planets in our solar system. There’s a naive sense of wonder in these stories, not the best drama, but fun just the same. Many contain some of the same characters. These stories take place in what William Gibson called “The Gernsback Continuum”, i.e., giant flying cities, pre-WW2 atomics and zeppelins.
A few stories do stick out: “A Martian Odyssey”, being the one every sf fan seems to have encountered. This is a tale of the first human expedition to Mars, where the explorers meet a large bird-like creature called “Tweel” and the other strange life forms they encounter. Similar stories take place on Venus and the moons of Jupiter. In all cases the air is breathable, but the humans might need oxygen masks in some parts. It’s constant with what was known about the planets at the time.
However, my favourite stories in this collection take place on earth. The first, “The Ultimate Adaptive”, is about what happens when an ordinary woman is given the power of evolutionary adaption to any situation. The ending is contrived, but the tone is chilling. “Vally of Dreams” allows a lonesome young man the ability to enter a fantasy world. The ending is a little contrived too, but it moved in the right direction. And then there’s “Proteus Island” which is a strange merge of “jungle girl” stories and The Island of Dr. Moreau. Again, these three tales stepped outside the “Blasting rockets!” stories and showed the direction Weinbaum might have taken had he lived.
The collection comes with an introduction by Issac Asimov and a remembrance by Robert Bloch. Worth reading if you can find a copy.
April 10, 2020
Interesante recopilación de relatos de Stanley G. Weinbaum escritos en la década de los años 30 del siglo pasado, autor que murió prematuramente, siendo esta prácticamente toda su obra. El libro se abre con un prólogo de Isaac Asimov, y se cierra con un epílogo de Robert Bloch.
Una odisea marciana. (***) Estamos ante la primera nave tripulada a Marte, y Jarvis, el químico, se dispone a narrarnos las peripecias por las que ha tenido que pasar en su salida de exploración, siendo lo más importante Tweel, un estrafalario ser inteligente que se convertirá en su amigo y guía. Interesante y curioso en algunas descripciones, pero no ha terminado de entusiasmarme.
El valle de los sueños. (**) Secuela directa del anterior relato, donde se abunda en los misterios de Marte.
Máxima adaptabilidad. (*****) El doctor Daniel Scott ha encontrado un método de adaptabilidad portentoso, y tras diversos experimentos con animales, le propone al director del hospital en el que trabaja su deseo de probar la fórmula en personas. Maravilloso relato, tanto en planteamiento como en desarrollo.
Las gafas de Pigmalión. (****) El protagonista se encuentra a un curioso personaje en un banco del parque que resulta ser un científico. Este, decepcionado por el poco interés mostrado allá donde ha ido, le mostrará un invento revolucionario. Magnífico relato, que ya en aquella época, años 30, nos hablaba de la realidad virtual.
Mares cambiantes. (***) Varios erupciones volcánicas en Centroamérica provocan un cambio en la mareas que afecta catastróficamente al clima en Europa. Esto da lugar a una crisis mundial. Buena idea por parte del autor.
Los mundos “si”. (***) El científico van Manderpootz muestra al protagonista su último invento, una máquina capaz de mostrar, no el futuro o el pasado, sino los laterales de ambos, lo que podría haber sucedido al tomar otras decisiones en el pasado. Está bastante bien.
La luna loca. (*) El protagonista se encuentra en una de las lunas de Júpiter. Su trabajo, recoger fervas, una planta, pero ya está harto de los habitantes del lugar. Es algo absurdo y no me ha gustado.
Rescate de un secreto. (****) Jack Sands es un piloto interplanetario que ha caído en desgracia tras un accidente en el que él no ha tenido la culpa. Sin embargo, acuden a él para una misión a Europa, una de las lunas de Júpiter. Buen relato.
El ideal. (**) Nuevo relato con el inventor van Manderpootz, donde experimenta con un espejo que materializa el pensamiento.
Lotófagos. (**) Una pareja de recién casados, realizan una luna de miel/exploración en Venus.
La isla de Proteo. (**) Un zoólogo visita una isla de Nueva Zelanda de la que los nativos cuentan extrañas leyendas.
Una odisea marciana. (***) Estamos ante la primera nave tripulada a Marte, y Jarvis, el químico, se dispone a narrarnos las peripecias por las que ha tenido que pasar en su salida de exploración, siendo lo más importante Tweel, un estrafalario ser inteligente que se convertirá en su amigo y guía. Interesante y curioso en algunas descripciones, pero no ha terminado de entusiasmarme.
El valle de los sueños. (**) Secuela directa del anterior relato, donde se abunda en los misterios de Marte.
Máxima adaptabilidad. (*****) El doctor Daniel Scott ha encontrado un método de adaptabilidad portentoso, y tras diversos experimentos con animales, le propone al director del hospital en el que trabaja su deseo de probar la fórmula en personas. Maravilloso relato, tanto en planteamiento como en desarrollo.
Las gafas de Pigmalión. (****) El protagonista se encuentra a un curioso personaje en un banco del parque que resulta ser un científico. Este, decepcionado por el poco interés mostrado allá donde ha ido, le mostrará un invento revolucionario. Magnífico relato, que ya en aquella época, años 30, nos hablaba de la realidad virtual.
Mares cambiantes. (***) Varios erupciones volcánicas en Centroamérica provocan un cambio en la mareas que afecta catastróficamente al clima en Europa. Esto da lugar a una crisis mundial. Buena idea por parte del autor.
Los mundos “si”. (***) El científico van Manderpootz muestra al protagonista su último invento, una máquina capaz de mostrar, no el futuro o el pasado, sino los laterales de ambos, lo que podría haber sucedido al tomar otras decisiones en el pasado. Está bastante bien.
La luna loca. (*) El protagonista se encuentra en una de las lunas de Júpiter. Su trabajo, recoger fervas, una planta, pero ya está harto de los habitantes del lugar. Es algo absurdo y no me ha gustado.
Rescate de un secreto. (****) Jack Sands es un piloto interplanetario que ha caído en desgracia tras un accidente en el que él no ha tenido la culpa. Sin embargo, acuden a él para una misión a Europa, una de las lunas de Júpiter. Buen relato.
El ideal. (**) Nuevo relato con el inventor van Manderpootz, donde experimenta con un espejo que materializa el pensamiento.
Lotófagos. (**) Una pareja de recién casados, realizan una luna de miel/exploración en Venus.
La isla de Proteo. (**) Un zoólogo visita una isla de Nueva Zelanda de la que los nativos cuentan extrañas leyendas.
September 1, 2024
Buenísimo, la imaginación que Weinbaum desplegó en sus relatos significó un salto de calidad inmenso para la ciencia ficción de su época (década de los 30). No sólo por deshumanizar a los extraterrestres, sino también porque en su corta producción abarcó distintas temáticas que abrieron el enorme abanico de la ciencia ficción y sus verdaderas posibilidades.
Sobre los relatos, "Una odisea marciana", es el más famoso, un ocurrente mosaico de seres extraños, nada convencionales, pero también en ese estilo destaca "Los lotófagos", entretenida aventura en el lado oscuro de Venus. Otros buenos son: "El sueño de Proteo", sobre mutaciones tipo la isla del doctor Moreau; "Mares cambiantes", donde juega con cambios geográficos; y "La luna loca", una explosión desquiciada de febrina lunática.
Creo me quedan algunos cuentos suyos por leer, pero pocos dada su muerte prematura, muerte que privó al mundo quizás del escritor de ciencia ficción más grande jamás nacido, palabras del propio Asimov y que adhiero.
5.2.2007
Sobre los relatos, "Una odisea marciana", es el más famoso, un ocurrente mosaico de seres extraños, nada convencionales, pero también en ese estilo destaca "Los lotófagos", entretenida aventura en el lado oscuro de Venus. Otros buenos son: "El sueño de Proteo", sobre mutaciones tipo la isla del doctor Moreau; "Mares cambiantes", donde juega con cambios geográficos; y "La luna loca", una explosión desquiciada de febrina lunática.
Creo me quedan algunos cuentos suyos por leer, pero pocos dada su muerte prematura, muerte que privó al mundo quizás del escritor de ciencia ficción más grande jamás nacido, palabras del propio Asimov y que adhiero.
5.2.2007
September 14, 2016
t's a real shame he died before the sci-fi boom of the 60s... it would have been really interesting to see where he went. Weinbaum's solar system was, of course, very colored by 30s beliefs, but it's super fun.. Martian Bird People that may have been the Egyptian Gods.. tiny rat people on Io that have nearly our level of civilization, Swamps on Venus, etc.
Most of the stories fall into two categories.. travelogue types that explore different planets, and the others with Dixon Wells (playboy loser extraordonaire) and the great scientist Van Manderplootz, who invents amazing stuff that Wells manages to use to break his own heart over and over again.
The plots are not great.. other than the two Martian stories, every other one starts with a down on his luck but essentially good man who is in a bad spot and ends up saving a girl who doesn't like him at first, but they fall in love through trauma and get married at the end.
Had he lived to see sci fi move out of short magazine stories and into novels and series, I could see him doing some truly amazing world building, but alas, it was not to be.
Still, these are a great time capsule and well worth reading for any classic sci fi fan.
Most of the stories fall into two categories.. travelogue types that explore different planets, and the others with Dixon Wells (playboy loser extraordonaire) and the great scientist Van Manderplootz, who invents amazing stuff that Wells manages to use to break his own heart over and over again.
The plots are not great.. other than the two Martian stories, every other one starts with a down on his luck but essentially good man who is in a bad spot and ends up saving a girl who doesn't like him at first, but they fall in love through trauma and get married at the end.
Had he lived to see sci fi move out of short magazine stories and into novels and series, I could see him doing some truly amazing world building, but alas, it was not to be.
Still, these are a great time capsule and well worth reading for any classic sci fi fan.
March 31, 2012
"A Martian Odyssey" is still, to date, the best portrayal of a true alien. In all other attempts we see some diminutive form of human being. Not so here.
Stanley G. Weinbaum was a rising star in science fiction in the 1930s until his life was cut short by stomach cancer.
Don't deny yourself the privilege of reading his words and do allow the sands of time to slip back so that you will read his stories without incredulity. If you do, you will be well-rewarded.
Stanley G. Weinbaum was a rising star in science fiction in the 1930s until his life was cut short by stomach cancer.
Don't deny yourself the privilege of reading his words and do allow the sands of time to slip back so that you will read his stories without incredulity. If you do, you will be well-rewarded.
September 1, 2013
One of my favorite SF writers of all time now. Weinbaum had a singular imagination when it came to alien worlds, and especially alien beings. The stories in this volume are very memorable. And though written for 1930s pulps, these stories don't seem very dated except in a few details. Highly recommend!
May 26, 2015
It is truly amazing that science fiction stories written so long ago have lost nothing despite so much that wasn't known, or was since disproven.
June 23, 2021
Much of what is claimed about the SF works of Stanley Weinbaum is valid: publishing in the mid-1930s, he did create aliens that were not derivative but truly foreign; he described extraterrestrial landscapes that were clearly not studio back-lots; he tried to craft coherent intersections of those with relatable human characters. It is easy to see how he was tremendously influential to other writers in the nascent field.
Is it dated? Well, let's see. Bad biology. Poor understanding of how rockets work. Racism, sexism, ethical travesties. Fine; it was 1935. But....
His human characterizations suck. The (white, American, and young) characters are simply stock types, the stories are totally formulaic, and the ethos of "shoot-it-and-find-out-what-it-was-later" palls. Dialog is straight from bank-heist movies. Don't even get me started on Weinbaum's pet recurring character: the Amazing Megalomaniac Scientist who always talks of himself in the third person....and is named van Manderpootz. WTF, dude?
If you WANT to see where modern SF came from, by all means read this, especially "A Martian Odyssey," "Shifting Seas," and "Redemption Cairn." If you want to see what changed the field of Wells, Burroughs, & Howard into the worlds of Heinlein, Asimov, and Bester, then you should start here. On the other hand, if you're hoping for gripping stories and strong voices from the past, you will be disappointed.
Is it dated? Well, let's see. Bad biology. Poor understanding of how rockets work. Racism, sexism, ethical travesties. Fine; it was 1935. But....
His human characterizations suck. The (white, American, and young) characters are simply stock types, the stories are totally formulaic, and the ethos of "shoot-it-and-find-out-what-it-was-later" palls. Dialog is straight from bank-heist movies. Don't even get me started on Weinbaum's pet recurring character: the Amazing Megalomaniac Scientist who always talks of himself in the third person....and is named van Manderpootz. WTF, dude?
If you WANT to see where modern SF came from, by all means read this, especially "A Martian Odyssey," "Shifting Seas," and "Redemption Cairn." If you want to see what changed the field of Wells, Burroughs, & Howard into the worlds of Heinlein, Asimov, and Bester, then you should start here. On the other hand, if you're hoping for gripping stories and strong voices from the past, you will be disappointed.
May 7, 2020
Interesante recopilación de relatos de un autor no demasiado conocido, quizás por su temprana muerte. No obstante, ha superado las expectativas con creces, con relatos ingeniosos, originales, bien hilvanados y con conceptos e ideas que, en algunos casos, se han adelantado a su tiempo. El libro recoge once de sus relatos:
Una odisea marciana: Quizás su obra más conocida y la que le encumbró a su breve estrellato. No obstante, y a pesar de su capacidad para describir ambientes y criaturas extraterrestres, me costó entrar en ella.
El valle de los sueños: Continuación del cuento anterior, con los mismos personajes.
Máxima adaptabilidad: Aquí el autor nos plantea una interesante idea: la total adaptación humana a cualquier circunstancia. A rayos inquietante, es uno de los mejores relatos del volumen, con ideas y planteamientos que anticipan, por ejemplo, los mutantes de los cómics.
Las gafas de Pigmalión: Tras este sugerente título se esconde uno de los cuentos más asombrosos del libro, en el cual se anticipa la realidad virtual y sus posibles consecuencias para la mente humana.
Mares cambiantes: Entretenido relato catastrofista escrito casi con el estilo de Verne.
Los mundos «si»: Típico cuento centrado en las sorprendentes invenciones de un científico, solo que con un giro romántico.
La luna loca: Una nueva muestra de la maestría de Weinbaum para inventarse plausibles criaturas alienígenas de todo tipo.
Rescate de un secreto: De nuevo en el espacio, esta vez con una entretenida historia sobre traiciones y mentiras, todo ello ambientado en la exótica en la luna Europa.
El ideal: Nueva entrega de la serie dedicada al profesor Manderpootz, presentado en Los mundos «si». De nuevo, su ayudante verá como su ideal femenino, vislumbrado en un espejo, se le escapa de las manos.
Lotófagos: Otras gran historia ambientada en el espacio, esta vez en un Venus repartido entre las potencias de América y Gran Bretaña, gracias a un tratado de ¡2020! Sin duda, otra buena muestra de la pericia del autor para describir seres de otros mundos que fueran creíbles.
La isla de Proteo: Otro genial relato en el que se anticipa la manipulación genética para crear nuevas especies.
Sin duda, un libro altamente recomendable para todo aficionado a la ciencia ficción. Historias que se alejan del pulp, con ideas que se anticipan décadas a lo planteado en obras posteriores por otros autores. Una pena que su carrera literaria fuera tan corta.
Una odisea marciana: Quizás su obra más conocida y la que le encumbró a su breve estrellato. No obstante, y a pesar de su capacidad para describir ambientes y criaturas extraterrestres, me costó entrar en ella.
El valle de los sueños: Continuación del cuento anterior, con los mismos personajes.
Máxima adaptabilidad: Aquí el autor nos plantea una interesante idea: la total adaptación humana a cualquier circunstancia. A rayos inquietante, es uno de los mejores relatos del volumen, con ideas y planteamientos que anticipan, por ejemplo, los mutantes de los cómics.
Las gafas de Pigmalión: Tras este sugerente título se esconde uno de los cuentos más asombrosos del libro, en el cual se anticipa la realidad virtual y sus posibles consecuencias para la mente humana.
Mares cambiantes: Entretenido relato catastrofista escrito casi con el estilo de Verne.
Los mundos «si»: Típico cuento centrado en las sorprendentes invenciones de un científico, solo que con un giro romántico.
La luna loca: Una nueva muestra de la maestría de Weinbaum para inventarse plausibles criaturas alienígenas de todo tipo.
Rescate de un secreto: De nuevo en el espacio, esta vez con una entretenida historia sobre traiciones y mentiras, todo ello ambientado en la exótica en la luna Europa.
El ideal: Nueva entrega de la serie dedicada al profesor Manderpootz, presentado en Los mundos «si». De nuevo, su ayudante verá como su ideal femenino, vislumbrado en un espejo, se le escapa de las manos.
Lotófagos: Otras gran historia ambientada en el espacio, esta vez en un Venus repartido entre las potencias de América y Gran Bretaña, gracias a un tratado de ¡2020! Sin duda, otra buena muestra de la pericia del autor para describir seres de otros mundos que fueran creíbles.
La isla de Proteo: Otro genial relato en el que se anticipa la manipulación genética para crear nuevas especies.
Sin duda, un libro altamente recomendable para todo aficionado a la ciencia ficción. Historias que se alejan del pulp, con ideas que se anticipan décadas a lo planteado en obras posteriores por otros autores. Una pena que su carrera literaria fuera tan corta.
September 19, 2021
The good: Creative ideas about aliens biospheres within the solar system, including life on Venus, Mars, and gas giant moons such as Io, Europa, and Titan. He helped move the SF of the time beyond the anthropocentric aliens that were typically imagined into more truly alien forms, and exhibited a sense of empathy towards those creatures. Plenty of humor.
The bad: Deep seated sexism, including referring to all women as girls, and having them exist primarily as love interests for the male protagonists rather than as autonomous individuals. Causal racism sprinkled throughout, especially in the last story which is by far the worst of the lot. Stock, cardboard characters, and ham-fisted dialog. The banter between the Ham and Pat was particularly embarrassing.
The bad: Deep seated sexism, including referring to all women as girls, and having them exist primarily as love interests for the male protagonists rather than as autonomous individuals. Causal racism sprinkled throughout, especially in the last story which is by far the worst of the lot. Stock, cardboard characters, and ham-fisted dialog. The banter between the Ham and Pat was particularly embarrassing.
August 9, 2023
A Martian Odyssey - 4.5/5 - Cool story about a man's hike through Mars trying to get back to his ship. There are many unique aliens and some interesting ideas regarding communication
Valley of Dreams - 3.5/5 - A direct sequel to A Martian Odyssey. I don't like it as much but it does bring in a few neat little additions to humans and bird alien creatures histories
The Adaptive Ultimate - 4/5 - Great medical science fiction story where doctors treat a dying woman with an experimental treatment that not only cures her, but makes her able to instantly physically adapt to any situation. Fun concept and execution
Parasite Planet - 3.5/5 - Cool concept about a Venus with a very specialized and hazardous ecosystem and two people's survival on a trip through it. A forced and incredibly predictable romance between two people who act like they hate each other most of the story really hurt my enjoyment
Pygmalion's Spectacles - 3/5 - A very early concept VR story. Seems kind of goofy in the modern day (although not much goofier than VR glasses now to be fair). Story was interesting but the ending was kind of a lame cop-out for no apparent reason
Shifting Seas - 4/5 - Good news! It’s a climate catastrophe science fiction story where the problem was not because of humans treating the Earth like shit! Bad news! Humans treat each other like shit in the aftermath! Good news! The day gets saved by our dashing hero. I actually liked this story quite a bit, and I haven't read much climate science fiction in short form so it’s a nice breath of fresh air
The Worlds of If - 2/5 - It's essentially a multiple timeline story. Characters who ask themselves, "What if" in regards to doing a certain thing can look into the alternate present and see what their lives would have been like at this moment had they done something different. This is one of the earliest stories I've read on this topic and while I like the idea he focused too much on trying to be humorous and it doesn't work super well
The Mad Moon - 3.5/5 - The trope of "Spaceman has some encounters with whacky aliens, meets a girl and falls in love with her where they are going to get married in 24 hours" should be called the "Weinbaum Special”. This story gets a few bonus points because one of the alien races are sentient troublemaking rat-like creatures that are sort of like evil Borrowers
Redemption Cairn - 3/5 - The Weinbaum Special, only with lamer aliens and a love story where instead of wanting to get married in a day's time they hate each other until late in the story and then want to get married
The Ideal - 2.5/5 - A sequel to The Worlds of If. The science this one explores is less interesting, but the obnoxious character quirks played for humor are toned down so it's more readable
The Lotus Eaters - 4/5 - Solid story that's a sequel to Parasite Planet. We get some familiar aliens and a new one to go along with it. Close to peak Weinbaum here
Proteus Planet - 2.5/5 - Takes his normal cool aliens and makes them Earth creatures on a small island that had some Dr. Moreau vibes. Also includes some of his classic "fall in love with a woman instantly" only this time the woman is part dog or something. Also a weird fascination with race that didn’t appear in other stories. I assume it’s supposed to show how naive people in the field of biology could be somewhat foolish about it at the time. A wasted opportunity
Valley of Dreams - 3.5/5 - A direct sequel to A Martian Odyssey. I don't like it as much but it does bring in a few neat little additions to humans and bird alien creatures histories
The Adaptive Ultimate - 4/5 - Great medical science fiction story where doctors treat a dying woman with an experimental treatment that not only cures her, but makes her able to instantly physically adapt to any situation. Fun concept and execution
Parasite Planet - 3.5/5 - Cool concept about a Venus with a very specialized and hazardous ecosystem and two people's survival on a trip through it. A forced and incredibly predictable romance between two people who act like they hate each other most of the story really hurt my enjoyment
Pygmalion's Spectacles - 3/5 - A very early concept VR story. Seems kind of goofy in the modern day (although not much goofier than VR glasses now to be fair). Story was interesting but the ending was kind of a lame cop-out for no apparent reason
Shifting Seas - 4/5 - Good news! It’s a climate catastrophe science fiction story where the problem was not because of humans treating the Earth like shit! Bad news! Humans treat each other like shit in the aftermath! Good news! The day gets saved by our dashing hero. I actually liked this story quite a bit, and I haven't read much climate science fiction in short form so it’s a nice breath of fresh air
The Worlds of If - 2/5 - It's essentially a multiple timeline story. Characters who ask themselves, "What if" in regards to doing a certain thing can look into the alternate present and see what their lives would have been like at this moment had they done something different. This is one of the earliest stories I've read on this topic and while I like the idea he focused too much on trying to be humorous and it doesn't work super well
The Mad Moon - 3.5/5 - The trope of "Spaceman has some encounters with whacky aliens, meets a girl and falls in love with her where they are going to get married in 24 hours" should be called the "Weinbaum Special”. This story gets a few bonus points because one of the alien races are sentient troublemaking rat-like creatures that are sort of like evil Borrowers
Redemption Cairn - 3/5 - The Weinbaum Special, only with lamer aliens and a love story where instead of wanting to get married in a day's time they hate each other until late in the story and then want to get married
The Ideal - 2.5/5 - A sequel to The Worlds of If. The science this one explores is less interesting, but the obnoxious character quirks played for humor are toned down so it's more readable
The Lotus Eaters - 4/5 - Solid story that's a sequel to Parasite Planet. We get some familiar aliens and a new one to go along with it. Close to peak Weinbaum here
Proteus Planet - 2.5/5 - Takes his normal cool aliens and makes them Earth creatures on a small island that had some Dr. Moreau vibes. Also includes some of his classic "fall in love with a woman instantly" only this time the woman is part dog or something. Also a weird fascination with race that didn’t appear in other stories. I assume it’s supposed to show how naive people in the field of biology could be somewhat foolish about it at the time. A wasted opportunity
January 9, 2024
Der Autor starb früh. Hier sind fast die Hälfte aller SF-Stories enthalten, die er jeh veröffentlicht hat. Laut dem Vorwort von Isaac Asimov galt er als großes Talent und war seiner Zeit (30er) ganz schön weit voraus.
Die Stories sind großteils gut gelaunt. Sie spielen in derselben "Welt" und sind teils Fortsetzungen voneinander.
100% begeistert war ich allerdings nicht. Was mich störte, sind die Wiederholungen. Er hat gewisse Motive, die ihm offenbar sehr gefielen und die immer wieder kommen. Er klappert verschiedene Planeten und Monde im Sonnensystem ab, wo es vor Leben wimmelt. Und dann ist meist eine hübsche junge Frau zugegen, die anfangs schwierig bis zickig scheint, aber dann...
Die Stories sind großteils gut gelaunt. Sie spielen in derselben "Welt" und sind teils Fortsetzungen voneinander.
100% begeistert war ich allerdings nicht. Was mich störte, sind die Wiederholungen. Er hat gewisse Motive, die ihm offenbar sehr gefielen und die immer wieder kommen. Er klappert verschiedene Planeten und Monde im Sonnensystem ab, wo es vor Leben wimmelt. Und dann ist meist eine hübsche junge Frau zugegen, die anfangs schwierig bis zickig scheint, aber dann...
March 16, 2025
I read the first two stories (connected) as part of my Appendix N reading project. Since I only attempt to get an idea of each author, I feel fine leaving it at that. They are told almost completely through dialogue. They seem to be the origin of Gygax's monster-making and the ecologies that were described on the pages of Dragon magazine.
Really excellent golden era style SF. Still, for me dipping my toes is enough.
Really excellent golden era style SF. Still, for me dipping my toes is enough.
March 18, 2016
I read the short story, Parasite Planet by Stanley G. Weinbaum, which is featured in The Best of Stanley G. Weinbaum, many, many years ago and there was one particular section that has stuck with me ever since: "He uncapped a can of beans, watched a moment to see that no stray molds had remained in the air to infect the food, then opened the visor of his suit and swallowed hastily. Thereafter he drank the blood-warm water and poured carefully what remained into the water pouch within his transkin, where he could suck it through a tube to his mouth without the deadly exposure to the molds." The preceding story extract was obtained from Project Gutenberg Australia: http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0601... (The story is now in the public domain.) I do not think it was a great story but my much younger self definitely enjoyed and remembered it, as evidenced by the fact that all these years later I still remember the above passage. I doubt that this particular collection of short science fiction stories was the the exact one in which I read this story, as I suspect that this story has popped up in quite a few science fiction anthologies over the years, but it'll definitely do as a mental placeholder for the time being. Stanley G. Weinbaum is now considered one of the early SciFi greats, and was, apparently, greatly admired by the famous science fiction writer Isaac Asimov. To read this story now feels very retro-futuristic; a real look back at what the future was going to be like from the perspective of quaint old 1935. I honestly can't remember any of the other stories, so I can't really comment on those, but the Parasite Planet short story was a good one. As it is now in the public domain perhaps it could be made into a movie, and there is a ready made sequel in The Lotus Eaters, also by Stanley G. Weinbaum.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2015
Whenever I read an author as old as this one I allow for more patience than I would for modern day authors. The stories within this book are early science fiction gems. I had to allow for male misogyny as many early writers wrote their female characters for their males, not as characters of their own. Some stories would read as space drama because of this if they were independent novels. What rescues these stories are the concepts of the planets and their inhabitants, I feel. I feel that these stories are truly science fiction in that the author tries to be as realistic as possible about his knowledge of science and not allowing fantastic elements to cloud the stories. They're good short reads if you can ignore the patronizing treatment of his women characters and the racism that was considered science and acceptable in that day.
November 16, 2019
I had feared that Weinbaum would be a one-trick pony, good only for "A Martian Odyssey," the only story here I'd heard of. So it was a delightful surprise to find every story enjoyable. Also, to find that "Odyssey" had a sequel, and that characters in some other stories recurred too. This is dialogue-driven, essentially cheerful SF, but a lot of fun to read.
June 5, 2018
Una odisea marciana: *****
El valle de los sueños: ****
Máxima adaptabilidad: *****
Las gafas de Pigmalión: ****
Mares cambiantes: ****
Los mundos "si": *****
La Luna loca: ****
Rescate de un secreto:***
El ideal: ****
Lotófagos: *****
La isla de Proteo:****
El valle de los sueños: ****
Máxima adaptabilidad: *****
Las gafas de Pigmalión: ****
Mares cambiantes: ****
Los mundos "si": *****
La Luna loca: ****
Rescate de un secreto:***
El ideal: ****
Lotófagos: *****
La isla de Proteo:****
October 27, 2018
In one sense, this is standard old-school science fiction adventure. Scientist goes to other planet (or a deserted island, in one case), meets mystery and girl, and over the course of the story solves the mystery and wins the girl. While his two most famous stories diverge from this outline (“A Martian Odyssey” and “The Valley of Dreams” and one of his series turns its failure into humor (his van Manderpootz/Dixon Wells stories), most follow that basic plot.
But Weinbaum adds a seriousness to the alien mysteries and a humor to the character interactions that sets him apart.
Sometimes this seems to make fun of the naming schemes often used in scientific or academic circles, for example, van Manderpootz is a professor in the Department of Newer Physics, that is, of relativity. In a story that Weinbaum set eighty years in the future—2014—when relativity would no longer be Newer Physics but rather Old Fuddy Duddy physics (which is how van Manderpootz comes across, parodically brilliant though he is).
And getting a new species named after yourself makes any deadly danger worth the risk, which is both true and darkly comical.
The stories here were all written over a period of about a year and a half, and published over about a two-year period. He died about a year and a half after his first science fiction story, “A Martian Odyssey”, was published.
But Weinbaum adds a seriousness to the alien mysteries and a humor to the character interactions that sets him apart.
Sometimes this seems to make fun of the naming schemes often used in scientific or academic circles, for example, van Manderpootz is a professor in the Department of Newer Physics, that is, of relativity. In a story that Weinbaum set eighty years in the future—2014—when relativity would no longer be Newer Physics but rather Old Fuddy Duddy physics (which is how van Manderpootz comes across, parodically brilliant though he is).
And getting a new species named after yourself makes any deadly danger worth the risk, which is both true and darkly comical.
The stories here were all written over a period of about a year and a half, and published over about a two-year period. He died about a year and a half after his first science fiction story, “A Martian Odyssey”, was published.
February 20, 2024
I'd like to start off by praising the work of Dean Ellis on the cover of the Ballentine edition of this collection. It is quite frankly the reason of my initial interest in reading this book—and man, did I strike gold. I've read my share of sci-fi short stories, and Weinbaum's best-of collection has smoothly made its way into the podium of my all-time favorites.
After reading the first two short stories, the ones where the enigmatic creature Tweel figures as a character, I feared Weinbaum wouldn't be able to catch my interest in the same way, but, in this collection, he manages to churn out what to me where twelve fascinating stories—all while displaying confidence in his knowledge of the science behind the fiction and allowing himself to be funny or tender where it counts.
Weinbaum is one of a few sci-fi authors whose short story collections I find to be outstanding all through and through, a list where I include writers such as Stanisław Lem and Anna Starobinets. Sure, his stories may be guilty of a few tropes of the time, as is the constant rate at which the female characters, however scientific or modest, indistinctively end up being the protagonist's romantic interest. Yet I choose to see all these as hints at the goals and desires of a brilliant man gone too soon.
After reading the first two short stories, the ones where the enigmatic creature Tweel figures as a character, I feared Weinbaum wouldn't be able to catch my interest in the same way, but, in this collection, he manages to churn out what to me where twelve fascinating stories—all while displaying confidence in his knowledge of the science behind the fiction and allowing himself to be funny or tender where it counts.
Weinbaum is one of a few sci-fi authors whose short story collections I find to be outstanding all through and through, a list where I include writers such as Stanisław Lem and Anna Starobinets. Sure, his stories may be guilty of a few tropes of the time, as is the constant rate at which the female characters, however scientific or modest, indistinctively end up being the protagonist's romantic interest. Yet I choose to see all these as hints at the goals and desires of a brilliant man gone too soon.
May 4, 2018
For a couple of years, between the start of his writing career and his early death, Weinbaum became recognized as one of the best science fiction writers in the world.
These are some of the best early pulp stories and a few of them hold up pretty well today including his most famous, 'A Martian Odyssey'. The last story in the book, "Proteus Island", may hold up the best to the test of time though it's as much a horror story as a science fiction story. Sure, many of the stories are based on outdated astronomical theories about the planets of our solar system, there's clear misogyny in some of the story lines, and they're full of period dialog. In spite of all that, they're still entertaining and enjoyable reads today. Had Weinbaum lived a few years longer, he would likely be as well known as Asimov, Clark, and Heinlein. Highly recommended.
These are some of the best early pulp stories and a few of them hold up pretty well today including his most famous, 'A Martian Odyssey'. The last story in the book, "Proteus Island", may hold up the best to the test of time though it's as much a horror story as a science fiction story. Sure, many of the stories are based on outdated astronomical theories about the planets of our solar system, there's clear misogyny in some of the story lines, and they're full of period dialog. In spite of all that, they're still entertaining and enjoyable reads today. Had Weinbaum lived a few years longer, he would likely be as well known as Asimov, Clark, and Heinlein. Highly recommended.
July 30, 2024
Yes the science and social conventions are defined by the era in which they were written (of course), but this collection of short stories from the 1930s is a pure delight just the same. Covering such 21st century topics as genetic modification, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence, Weinbaum spins a good yarn whether it be among the "glaciers" of Venus or an impossible island off the coast of New Zealand. And his fantastical aliens were truly alien, not just physically but psychologically as well. When he died at the age of 33 science fiction lost one of its most promising new authors.
September 1, 2017
Good early (1930's) sci-fi. Easy to read, a few pretty good stories.
December 21, 2021
-Gregory Kerkman
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August 27, 2024Mass Market Paperback
August 21, 2024
A great collection of weird and intriguing tales from one of the pioneers of Pulp science fiction. Definitely worth a read if you enjoy that old-fashioned 'sense of wonder' in your SF.
February 8, 2018
Weinbaum has come up on my radar a couple times over the years, often described as an early light in sci-fi, extinguished all too soon. This collection has most of his popular works (maybe all of them?) since he was only active a few years before passing away. The anthology is a nifty collection of stories from the 1930s that seem more forward-looking than others of the time. The writing is solid--not amazing, but Weinbaum can tell a tale and create a realistic future science-fiction world at that. The tales are largely about exploration and establishing life on Venus, Mars, and moons of Jupiter, including tales of first encounters, hazardous environments, and space bandits. Other stories raise questions about time travel and the like. It's a broad range of what we think of when we think of science-fiction. The order of the stories collected is unclear because some stories are clearly connected, featuring the same characters later on, but they are spread throughout the book rather than following one another. Definitely a good read for science-fiction fans looking to get a look at early sci-fi from a contemporary of Asimov, Bradbury, and Clarke. For those looking to explore science-fiction in general, Weinbaum's collection is a good first volley into it.
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