Galactic Empires 1

Galactic Empires #1

by Brian W. Aldiss (editor)

Been a Long Time (Lafferty), The Possessed (Clarke), Protected Psecies (Fyfe), All the Way Back (Shaara), The Star Plunderer (Anderson), Foundation (Asimov), We're Civilized! (Clifton and Apostolides), The Crime and Glory of Commander Suzdal (Smith), The Rebel of Valkyr (Coppel), Brightness Falls from the Air (Seabright), Immigrant (Simak), Resident Physician (James White), Age of Retirement (Lynch), Planting Time (Adams and Nightengale).

Genres: Science Fiction, Anthologies, Fiction, Short Stories, Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Speculative Fiction

305 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976

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

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first of a two-volume anthology that Aldiss edited with the theme of Galactic Empires. I thought that he took a somewhat overly scholarly stance in his introduction but did present a pleasing mix of classic and somewhat obscure stories from both famous and somewhat lesser-known authors, most of which fit the theme at least peripherally. Most of the pieces are from the genre magazines of the 1940s and '50s. It includes the first story in Foundation by Isaac Asimov, who defined the sub-genre, and has a good Sector General tale by James White. Among my other favorites are Brightness Falls from the Air by Idris Seabright (a pseudonym of Margaret St. Clair), Protected Species by H.B. Fyfe (which was -not- a pseudonym of H. Beam Piper), Immigrant (which was mispelled on the Table of Contents) by Clifford D. Simak, as well as good stuff from Cordwainer Smith, Poul Anderson, and Michael Shaara.

[Ivana Books Are Magic · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to read a SF collection set mostly in the Galactic Empire, this is a pretty good choice. I picked up this book from the library thinking it was a collection of stories by Brian W. Aldiss but it as it turns out he is the editor, not the writer for this one. There are quite a few stories in this edition and I enjoyed most of them immensely. Some of them weren't top of the notch, but on overall I do like the Aldiss' selection. Moreover, I enjoy reading Aldiss' introduction and commentary.

Been a Long Time (Lafferty) 3/5
I can't say that I enjoyed this story that much. It is about a group of monkeys who need to retype complete works of Shakespeare. Who sets them to this tasks? These characters are named, but I can't say that I got them- or the point of this story. However, the writing is entertaining so the story was fun to read. I just don't see the point. Maybe there isn't one. Maybe it is just meant to be- entertaining.

The Possessed (Clarke) 5/5
Very imaginative SF story about an alien vessel (entity) that sets itself to an important task of developing higher life of Earth. This highly intelligent entity supposedly put all of its force into pushing evolution in the right direction, but with time it starts to loose its original memories. The writing of the story is quite poetic and I liked how the story developed. The ending isn't entirely plausible because it features a myth ( mass animal suicide is a myth) but it is a poetical one nevertheless.

Protected Psecies (Fyfe) 5/5
A fantastic story with a great ending. An official arrives to a newly founded planet and asks for a protection of its indigenous population. The only way to do is to ask for them to be protected as endangered animals, to make them be seen as a species of moneys. However, it turns out they are not really monkeys- and they are listening.

All the Way Back (Shaara) 5/5
Another story with a fantastic ending. Humans exploring the unknown planet discover something that will amaze them and make them see the human race in another light. They find aliens that tell them of a great conflict and war. The Antha people once almost destroyed all the known life in their imperialist expansion. They were so brilliant that it took the rest all of the others united together to keep them back. What I liked about this one is that it makes us question our human history. How much do we really know about it? Where did we sprung from?


The Star Plunderer (Anderson), 5/5
Possibly my favourite story in this collection, The Star Plunderer speaks of bleak future. The future human society has become decadent and as such vulnerable to attack. The opening to the story is quite depressing. Indeed, the humans seems to be loosing a war with an alien race regularly enslaving people and taking over its planets. However, there is still hope as one ship carries inside a brilliant man who plants a slave rebellion.

Foundation (Asimov), 5/5
It is a lovely story, but hard to understand without the context. A group of scientists has been working for 50 years on a project that is even more important than it seemed at first but they only learn of it when the time is ripe for it.

We're Civilized! (Clifton and Apostolides) 4/5
This story is quite satirical and straight to the point. It doesn't focuses much on characters, they are mere symbols but it does delivers a strong message. Perhaps it is best described as another great commentary on the shortcomings of humans and our inability to preserve civilizations that are unlike our own. It is indeed possible that some alien race will return us the favour and see us as not being civilized at all.


The Crime and Glory of Commander Suzdal (Smith) 3/5
Great ideas, but this story just doesn't work. First of all, it put me off by its preface that pleads for us not to read it because it didn't really happen (What was that about?). Secondly, the plot doesn't make much sense. The part about all the females of all species being wiped up by some kind of cancer didn't seem that crazy and I imagine that it would leave the society on that planet traumatized. So, I can understand how the society made entirely of men could end up hating the human race but the third part was just crazy. The commander Suzdal sending cats into past? The cats evolving to save his neck? If he can travel in time why didn't he just go back in time to resist the siren call? I don't get it. I feel like the story needed more details to work.

The Rebel of Valkyr (Coppel) 4/5
There is something fascinating about Vikings travelling around in space ships, isn't it? It doesn't seem plausible, but then again, anything is possible. There was some poetry in this one and I imagine those who like Scandinavian mythology might enjoy it. The bad and the good gusy are obvious from the start. It could be said that The Rebel Of Valkyr is a bit predictable story in a number of ways, but nevertheless I found it quite interesting to read. It reminded me a lot of Barsoom series, there are definitely pulp fiction elements in it. There is a beautiful topless princess that the hero must save and even her nemesis is a beautiful topless usurper Ivane. There are definitely some dated elements to this one. However, I quite enjoyed it. The ending even managed to be touching.

Brightness Falls from the Air (Seabright), 5/5
What a beautiful and touching tale! Humans in their expansion take over a planet where one of species are bird people. Having their home taken, the bird people fight themselves because that entertains people and keeps them fed. However, they become so desperate to fight and die they are slowly dying off as a species. A young man strikes a friendship with a bird girl that will teach him just how wonderful these bird people can be. Another tale that takes a depressive view of human nature.

Immigrant (Simak), 5/5
Only the smartest people can selected to go and live on a mysterious planet. Everyone is anxious to go, but those few that go never return, preferring to send letters. The human kind is very much aware of the fact that this alien species is more advanced then them and they want to learn more about them. In this story, we follow the journey of one young man that arrives to this planet.

Resident Physician (James White), 4/5
Well written and entertaining, this medical story reads like a crime story. A doctor needs to treat an alien patient that is a supposed cannibal. The problems are many. The patients seems to unconscious, he doesn't react to treatment and he belongs to a powerful alien race that is deemed immortal.

Age of Retirement (Lynch),4/5
This one reminded me of Heinlein's juveniles. It shows a society where the very young are 'the police', a patrol of some kind, that is retired at age of 16 and then continues their education.

Planting Time (Adams and Nightengale) 2/5
I found it gross and only slightly entertaining, but maybe that is because I'm a female.

[Fonch · Rating 3 out of 5]

My ratings are Long Time (Lafferty) (5) (an excellent parody of the atheist assessment that the monkeys typewriting might tell all stories by chance. This is employed by the atheists to justify that if a monkey can write all stories by chance God does not create the world and it was created by chance. This is mocked by R.A. Lafferty) , The Possessed (Clarke) (1), Protected Psecies (Fyfe) (1), All the Way Back (Shaara) (3), The Star Plunderer (Anderson) (2) (the story is really good but his main character really inmoral), Foundation (Asimov) (unenough to rate it), We're Civilized! (Clifton and Apostolides) (1), The Crime and Glory of Commander Suzdal (Smith) (3), The Rebel of Valkyr (Coppel) (4) (this story except for the opponent it would be a sword sorcery story), Brightness Falls from the Air (Seabright) (3), Immigrant (Simak) (2), Resident Physician (James White) (3) , Age of Retirement (Lynch) (3)

Mis calificaciones son Long Time (Lafferty) (5) (una excelente parodia de la afirmación de los ateos de que los monos que escriben a máquina podrían contar todas las historias por casualidad, y esto serviría para justificar que el mundo se creo por azar), The Possessed (Clarke) (1), Protected Psecies (Fyfe) (1), All the Way Back (Shaara) (3), The Star Plunderer (Anderson) (2) (la historia es realmente buena pero su personaje principal realmente inmoral), Foundation (Asimov) (no es suficiente para calificarlo), ¡Somos civilizados! (Clifton y Apostolides) (1), El crimen y la gloria del comandante Suzdal (Smith) (3), El rebelde de Valkyr (Coppel) (4) (esta historia, excepto por el oponente, sería una historia de hechicería de espada), Brightness Falls from the Air (Seabright) (3), Immigrant (Simak) (2), Resident Physician (James White) (3), Age of Retirement (Lynch) (3)

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not just that science and the world have changed since this book was published in 1976, but I have changed too, so to some extent this book was a disappointment on rereading. Still, there are some great ideas. One image sticks in my mind from a story I had forgotten: the warriors and their horses huddling with oil lamps inside a spaceship whose workings had been a mystery for centuries. Unfortunately, the image was better than the actual story, which could be why I had friends forgotten it.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember this one with great fondess. There was really some good space opera, including the very fine "The Rebel of Valkyr."

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic collection of space opera short-stories. I first found these books at the library and must have monopolized both volumes for six months or more!

[Raúl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinante recopilación de cuentos centrados en la Space Opera. Auténticas ventanas a nuevos mundos. Muy recomendable. Destacado el extracto de la gran Fundación, de Asimov, y Los saqueadores del espacio, de Poul Anderson.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Galactic empires...what else is there?

[Mario · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine collection of stories, although they are a little dated (most date from the '50s), so allowances must be made.

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt like the first few stories were a bit slow to get started on, but as the book goes on, it really picks up. A great read.

[Althea Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This anthology is introduced as being all about "space opera" and grand dramatic romances of the future... however, very few of the stories in the anthology actually fit into that concept, in my opinion. It comes across as more of a random selection of stories, mostly from the pulp magazines of the 50's. The book was worth reading – the story "Brightness Falls From the Air" alone made it worthwhile – but it also contained some of the most offensive content that I've seen published. (The virulently homophobic "The Crime and the Glory of Commander Suzdal").

· 6 • Been a Long, Long Time • R. A. Lafferty • ss Fantastic Dec '70
Short, humorous piece involving the amount of time it would take monkey with typrewriters to re-create the works of Shakespeare. (A very long time). Mediocre.

· 14 • The Possessed • Arthur C. Clarke • ss Dynamic Science Fiction Mar '53
Well, written, effective story - unfortunately quite spoiled by the common misconception about lemmings. (They don't really commit mass suicide.)

· 20 • Protected Species • H. B. Fyfe • ss Astounding Mar '51
Nice, classic-style sci-fi yarn. Gung-ho industrialist explorers (who shoot aliens for no good reason) vs. conservationist scientist (who wants to protect an interesting species) - and a nice end twist.

· 23 • All the Way Back • Michael Shaara • ss Astounding Jul '52
Good story by this Pulitzer-Prize-winning author. Mankind has finally reached the stars - and found a beautiful, earth-type planet, seemingly void of higher life forms. It's too good to be true - there has to be a catch. And of course, there is.

· 60 • The Star Plunderer • Poul Anderson • nv Planet Stories Sep '52
A bunch of human slaves on an alien spaceship stage a rebellion and take over. The story suffers from the fact that there's no real reason for it to be a sci-fi story. It could just as easily have been historical fiction or something, moved into space to sell to an SF market. It also features annoyingly fifties-style assumptions about gender roles.

· 90 • Foundation [Foundation] • Isaac Asimov • nv Astounding May '42
An excerpt from the books - it's sadly been long enough since I read these that I don't recally exactly where the excerpt was from (the very beginning?). Works OK as a short piece. Under the pretext of a grand Encyclopedia project, a group of brilliant men (of course) have been gathered on a backwater planet. They have no idea that their real work will be to create a legacy that will help civilization back to its feet after an inevitable collapse...

· 127 • We're Civilized • Mark Clifton & Alex Apostolides • ss Galaxy Aug '53
Heh heh. A fun (but not too strikingly original) take on the old idea that as other forms of life may seem insignificant to us, humanity may seem equally insignifigant to more advanced aliens.

· 146 • The Crime and the Glory of Commander Suzdal • Cordwainer Smith • ss Amazing May '64
As I said before, this is a really offensive story, in ways that really can't be excused by the time period. Radiation on a colony planet causes all the women to die off. Men learn how to reproduce with implanted artificial wombs. But the single-sex society is made up of homosexual "monsters" with both violent and effeminate traits. They are "crazy," hate even the legend of women, and aspire to seek out the rest of humanity and kill all women.
It's up to Commander Sudzal, a monogaous, heterosexual Earthman, to foil this plot and defeat these perverts.
Really awful.

· 165 • The Rebel of Valkyr • Alfred Coppel • nv Planet Stories Fll '50
OK, this story also has really old-fashioned gender roles, and some statements that would rankle with even the mildest feminist... but it's also rather charming, in a Flash Gordon-meets-Conan the Barbarian kind of way. Sexy wenches, bold warriors, spaceships, warlocks, and royal intrigue.

· 215 • Brightness Falls from the Air [contest story] • Idris Seabright • ss F&SF Apr '51
OK, you can make excuses for stories based on the year they were written in - and then you come across something like this which blows all those excuses to hell. This is just an amazing story. Idris Seabright was a pseudonym of the author Margaret St. Clair. The story is a wrenchingly emotional look at the exploitation of an alien species for entertainment, and an indictment of humanity's tendency to devalue and use up things of true value and beauty... repeatedly. It's one of the best short stories I've read. I'm definitely going to look for more of her work.
I'm not sure if Tiptree's novel of the same name was intentionally named after this story. It does also deal with aliens who have been exploited by humans, but is not related in any other definite way.

· 223 • Immigrant • Clifford D. Simak • na Astounding Mar '54
Only the best and the brightest are allowed by the alien inhabitants to immigrate to the legendary planet of Kimon - and no one ever chooses to return, although they send fabulous wealth and frequent letters back home. But when he arrives, after hard and long study, Selden Bishop discovers that the aliens seem to regard the humans as nothing more than amusing pets... Is this the whole story?
Good story.

· 289 • Resident Physician [Sector General] • James White • nv New Worlds Sep '61
A space doctor picks up a stranded alien with a mysterious ailment. Can he figure out what's wrong with his patient? Pretty basic.

· 318 • Age of Retirement • Mal Lynch • ss Astounding Apr '54
In the future, the Space Patrol is 'manned' by children, who, after enforced 'retirement, ' go on to school.

· 325 • Planting Time • Pete Adams & Charles Nightingale • ss Antigrav: Cosmic Comedies.
On an alien planet, a lonely spaceman encounters strange, hallucinogenic flowers that resemble beautiful women. This makes for a potentially extremely embarassing situation - but the guy is resourceful, and finds a way to turn this to his advantage. Pretty funny story.

[Bart Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent collection of short stories published primarily in the 1950s exploring various aspects of what it means to live/work in a future where people experience life with many planets and many types of government.

[Aída Alonso Peral · Rating 4 out of 5]

Las historias son muy buenas. Es triste que ya no se publique esta colección de relatos de ciencia ficción. Es una suerte leerlos porque tengo ejemplares de mi padre, que eran unas de las lecturas favoritas de su infancia.
Mi relato preferido es el primero porque no me esperaba ese final, acabé tirada al suelo por la risa. Se titula "Mucho, mucho tiempo" y es de R. A. Lafferty.

[Alien · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. After the pompous foreword you would expect some first rate and hand picked stories. But this is more a smorgasbord of old and very old stuff. Only part of it has much to do with the theme of the collection. Some big names delivered decent stories but there was none that I REALLY liked.

[Hojaplateada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buena antología, parte 1 de 4

[Chris Morton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some stories were better than others but all in all worth reading.

[chris geralds]

Read this as a teenager in the early 80's, still a highly enjoyable anthology, even if some of the stories are as dated as the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World.

[Gilles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lu en anglais

Une anthologie de nouvelles portant sur les empires galactiques, souvent du sous-genre space opera.

Le livre se découpe deux parties :
1) Le développement et l'expansion de l'empire
2) La maturité ou l'effondrement de l'empire

Une mini présentation des nouvelles incluses :

1) Ça fait longtemps par R. A. Lafferty -
Peux t'on contrer le hasard avec suffisamment de temps ?(Moyen)
2) Le possédé par Arthur C. Clarke -
Une forme de vie parasite attend le bon porteur (Bon)
3) Espèce protégée par H. B. Fyfe -
Des ruines avec un secret (Bon)
4) Loin en arrière par Michael Shaara -
Des extraterrestres et la menace d'une ancienne race prédatrice (Très bon)
5) Pilleur d'étoile par Poul Anderson -
Des pilleurs et leurs esclaves (Bon)
6) Fondation par Isaac Asimov -
Une des nouvelles de Fondation (Très bon)
7) Nous sommes civilisés par Mark Clifton et Alex Apostolides -
Conquête et ... (Bon)

8) Le crime et la gloire du commandant Susdal par Cordwainer Smith -
Une adaptation bizarre suite à une maladie incurable (Bon)
9) Le rebelle de Valkyr par Alfred Coppel -
Un chef barbare de l'empire est pris dans la tourmente suite au décès de l'empereur (très bon)
10) La clarté venue du ciel par Idris Seabright -
Des extraterrestres comme sources d'amusement (Bon)
11) Immigrant par Clifford D. Simak -
Un des plus brillants terriens émigre sur une autre planète, mais il doit remettre en cause son statut. (Bon)
12) Docteur résident par James White -
Un patient extraterrestre difficile à soigner (Bon et amusant)
13) Âge de la retraite par Hal Lynch -
Une retraite tellement, mais tellement jeune (Bon)
14) Le Temps des semailles par P. Adams et Charles Nightingale -
Une adaptation hors du commun (Bon et amusant)

Un peu moins d'action que je m'attendais mais malgré cela, plusieurs bonnes idées.

J'ai beaucoup aimé et j'enchaine sur le volume 2.

[Chad Mirus · Rating 3 out of 5]

The editors notes introducing each subject of stories was fantastic. I looked Brian Aldiss up more than once because of his voice.

Most of the stories were enjoyable and unique. Science fiction can be dated and that adds to the charm of older Space Operas and science fiction before we were even in space.

That charm comes with a few drawbacks. The techno babble is novel for a while, and then it’s not. This is a reflection of me. Sometimes I like the made up words and sometimes they are cheesy with charm, and sometimes they are overly complicated. This really reflected the diverse styles of writing.

I loved the hybrid stories - swords and horses fighting across the universe. It was impressive that it worked well. I will have many good memories of these stories, but a few could have been changed. Some of the longer stories didn’t pay off for me, but that could just be my taste for pacing right now.

If you like pulp stories, if you like old sci fi, or if you like suspension of disbelief stories, you will throughly enjoy this. There are a few heavier stories, including one that actually warns you not to read - and interestingly it is topical in todays world - so both light and dark are represented.

Enjoy!

[Scartaris · Rating 4 out of 5]

R.A. Lafferty: Mucho, mucho tiempo (Been a Long, Long Time) ****.

Arthur C. Clarke: Los posesos (The Possessed) ****.

H.B. Fyfe: Especies protegidas (Protected Species) ****.

Michael Shaara: Vuelta a empezar (All the Way Back) *****.

Poul Anderson: El saqueador de estrellas (The Star Plunderer) ****.

Isaac Asimov: Fundación (Foundation) *****.

Mark Clifton & Alex Apostolides: ¡Somos civilizados! (We're Civilized!) ****.

[Juan Nalerio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este es el primer volumen que recopila relatos Sci-Fi relacionados con imperios en galácticos. Civilizaciones humanas y alienígenas coliden buscando la destrucción del otro, del diferente. Seres hostiles y amistosos estremecen los planetas más allá del sistema solar.

La recopilación es despareja. Grandes autores se mezclan con otros desconocidos para mí.

[Sully Augustine · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars out of 5 - I read a hardbound I found on a cart at the YMCA over the past few evenings. A couple of the stories were middling good, but most were pretty poor.

[Tell Tale Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

-Gregory Kerkman

[Agustín Emilio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una antología muy variada y entretenida de leer.

[Richy Rodriguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Esta es una recopilación de cuentos de diferentes autores de ciencia ficción de todo el mundo, debo decir que no todos fueron de mi agrado pero hubieron 2 que fueron bastante buenos

Ylla de Ray Bradbury y Un aparato molesto de Shin-Ichi Hoshi dos cuentos que si me dijeran que hay una novela de ellos consideraría leerlas

Lo demás es algo aburrido, soso y sin mucha idea llamativa, no fue de mi gusto personal, pero supongo que los autores tienen otras historias más cautivadoras

En verdad este es un rating de 2.5 (3).

[Benja · Rating 2 out of 5]

Selección de pequeños relatos de ciencia ficción hecha por Brian W. Aldiss. Cuentos cortos para pasar el rato, unos más entretendios y otros menos, pero de lectura ligera que me ayudan a conciliar el sueño antes de dormir.
Autores:
Raphael Aloysius Lafferty
Arthur C. Clarke
Horace Brownw Fyfe
Michael Shaara
Poul Anderson
Isaac Asimov
Mark Clifton / Alex Apstolides

[Santiago Ide · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cinco cuentos de lectura amigable y con un dejo de gratificación y un regalo para nuestra imaginación.
Una linda jornada con tres grandes conocidos sin desmerecer a los nuevos ( para mi) que los acompañaban en esta edición.

[Fredy Ciro · Rating 1 out of 5]

Shin ichi Hoshi

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

These two volumes are classics!

[Chris Summerfield]

One of my favourite collections!