Analog: Readers' Choice

Schmidt Analog Anthologies #2

by Stanley Schmidt (Editor)

Contents:

• Old Faithful by Raymond Z. Gallun
• Helen O'Loy by Lester del Rey
• Requiem by Robert A. Heinlein
• Some Curious Effects of Time Travel by L. Sprague de Camp
• The Cold Equations by Tom Godwin
• Plus X by Eric Frank Russell
• The Big Front Yard by Clifford D. Simak
• "What Do You Mean ... Human?" by John W. Campbell, Jr.
• Home Is the Hangman by Roger Zelazny
• Eyes of Amber by Joan D. Vinge
• Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Genres: Science Fiction, Anthologies

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Stanley Schmidt is an American science fiction author. Between 1978 and 2012 he served as editor of Analog Science Fiction and Fact magazine.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

In recognition of Analog's (originally Astounding SF) 50th anniversary in 1980, editor Stanely Schmidt invited readers to vote for their favorite pieces from the entire run of the magazine up to that time. He selected the contents of this anthology from the list that resulted. He didn't stick strictly to the highest vote-getters; he explains in his introduction that he limited each author to one story, for example, and excluded Asimov's Nightfall because it was available in too many other books, and the Robinsons' Stardance because it was too long. As with any such anthology, I found some of the exclusions more notable than anything else (no Poul Anderson or Larry Niven or Isaac Asimov or A.E. van Vogt or Ben Bova or Theodore Sturgeon or The Specter General...?), but it's still a great cross-section of those first fifty years. The earliest story pre-dates Campbell, Raymond Z. Gallun's Old Faithful, and there are three modern pieces, Eyes of Amber by Joan D. Vinge, Home is the Hangman by Roger Zelazny, and Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. There's a Probability Zero short-short by L. Sprague de Camp and an editorial by John W. Campbell, along with classics like Lester del Rey's Helen O'Loy, Eric Frank Russell's Plus X, and The Cold Equations by Tom Godwin. My two favorites are The Big Front Yard by Clifford D. Simak and Requiem by Robert A. Heinlein.

[Les · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've reached that point in my life that I am paring down on my belongings and it was inevitable that I began looking through the thousands of books I own to determine which to keep (or not). I came across the "Analog Anthologies" from the early 1980's and decided to reread them. Issued when I was in college, enough time has passed that rereading most of the stories in the anthologies (I have read 1, 2, and 3) was like reading them for the first time. Most, if not all, deserve five stars. These are truly the best of the stories from the first 50+ years of Analog (and its predecessor, Astounding).

Heinlein - Asimov - Pohl Anderson - Vonda McIntyre
Wow.

I was especially pleased to see a story by one of my favorite "sociological" science fiction authors, Chad Oliver.

Yes, I decided to keep this series. One of these days, my children will have to decide whether or not to read and keep them or add them to the pile of charity donations.

[Lagobond]

Not sure how to rate this book. A lot of what I read feels very outdated, sexist/misogynistic, boring, poorly written. I listlessly read bits here and there, and nothing really grabbed me, so it's possible that I missed out on something good, but I got to a point of no longer caring, so DNF it is.

However, I loved "Some Curious Effects of Time Travel," by L. Sprague de Camp (1942) which was a firecracker of a fun story; and "What Do You Mean -- Human?" by John W. Campbell (1959), a deliciously philosophical little treat.

I will abstain from giving a rating, and leave you with a hearty recommendation for these two short stories, which have stood the test of time.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chosen by readers of Analog magazine, this anthology is a selection of representative stories from 1934 to 1977 written by a diverse group of authors representing the wide scope of writers in the science fiction genre. As with any anthology, there were oft-requested stories [such as Isaac Asimov’s “Nightfall”] that did not make the cut, but the selection here is both varied and interesting. Imagination soars with Martian observers, dreams of the moon, a space probe to Titan, simulated battles, and much, much more. Arranged in order by publication date in the magazine, the stories chosen for this anthology are some of the genre’s brightest.

The stories: “Old Faithful” by Raymond Z. Gallun, “Helen O’Loy” by Lester del Rey, “Requiem” by Robert A. Heinlein, “Some Curious Effects of Time Travel” by L. Sprague de Camp, “The Cold Equations” by Tom Godwin, “Plus X” by Eric Frank Russell, “The Big Front Yard” by Clifford D. Simak, “Home is the Hangman” by Roger Zelazny, “Eyes of Amber” by Joan D. Vinge, and “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card. An editorial by John W. Campbell, Jr., “What Do You Mean – Human?” is also included.

Highly recommended.

[useFOSS · Rating 4 out of 5]

• Old Faithful (1934) by Raymond Z. Gallun 5/5
• Helen O'Loy (1938) by Lester del Rey 3/5
• Requiem (1940) by Robert A. Heinlein 4/5
• Some Curious Effects of Time Travel (1942) by L. Sprague de Camp 4/5
• The Cold Equations (1954) by Tom Godwin 4/5
• Plus X (1956) by Eric Frank Russell 4/5
• The Big Front Yard (1958) by Clifford D. Simak 5/5
• Home Is the Hangman (1975) by Roger Zelazny 5/5
• Eyes of Amber (1977) by Joan D. Vinge 3/5
• Ender's Game (1977) by Orson Scott Card 5/5