Orbit 12

Orbit #12

by Ursula K. Le Guin, Brian W. Aldiss, Michael Bishop

Science fiction stories.

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Anthologies, Science Fiction Fantasy, Horror, Short Story Collection

254 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Ursula K. Le Guin published twenty-two novels, eleven volumes of short stories, four collections of essays, twelve books for children, six volumes of poetry and four of translation, and has received many awards: Hugo, Nebula, National Book Award, PEN-Malamud, etc. Her recent publications include the novel Lavinia, an essay collection, Cheek by Jowl, and The Wild Girls. She lived in Portland, Oregon.

She was known for her treatment of gender (The Left Hand of Darkness, The Matter of Seggri), political systems (The Telling, The Dispossessed) and difference/otherness in any other form. Her interest in non-Western philosophies was reflected in works such as "Solitude" and The Telling but even more interesting are her imagined societies, often mixing traits extracted from her profound knowledge of anthropology acquired from growing up with her father, the famous anthropologist, Alfred Kroeber. The Hainish Cycle reflects the anthropologist's experience of immersing themselves in new strange cultures since most of their main characters and narrators (Le Guin favoured the first-person narration) are envoys from a humanitarian organization, the Ekumen, sent to investigate or ally themselves with the people of a different world and learn their ways.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the twelfth volume in the long-running original anthology series edited by Damon Knight. This one diverges even further than the previous books from what was standard genre fiction of the time, with experimental, "New Wave" stories with occasionally obscure literary flourishes the genre critics of the time suggested would have been more at home on slick and glossy pages. He also included some uncharacteristically humorous work from Steve Chapman, Mel Gilden, and Edward Bryant. I thought the Ursula K. LeGuin piece was quite good, and enjoyed stories by Doris Piserchia and Michael Bishop. My favorite was Sharks by Edward Bryant.

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've only read about 10 Orbits (out of order) and this was one of the better ones. Granted, Damon Knight sets the bar really low and expects the reader to limbo under it. However, some of these limbo contests are more fun than others.

Selections:

* "Shark" by Edward Bryant. We begin with a banger. In a future war, cyborg technology is used to fuse people and sea creatures like great white sharks. This is good news for a woman who always wanted to be a shark. After all, they always told her she could be anything.
* "Direction of the Road" by Ursula K. LeGuin. Interesting but difficult first-person narration by an oak tree.
* "The Windows in Dante's Hell" by Michael Bishop. A tantalizing glimpse into a future Atlanta, but ultimately a head-scratcher. Can't help but wonder if Bishop is making fun of sci-fi fans here.
* "Serpent Burning on an Altar" by Brian W. Aldiss. This begins a four-story cycle set in an alternate universe in Italy during the Renaissance or thereabouts. Our Protagonist and narrator in all four stories is the actor Prian. The whole cycle seems to be about how real art creations are ... or something like that. New Wave stuff. The stories were inspired by four actual paintings.
* "Woman in Sunlight with Mandoline" by BWA. This time, Prian and a rich friend go wooing.
* "The Young Soldier's Horoscope" by BWA. Prian's boss suspects that his wife is sleeping around, and bids Prian to spy on her.
* "Castle Scene with Penitents" by BWA. Prian spends time with his sister, her cat, the family's hired artist and a bunch of animal abusers ... or something. Your guess is as good as anyone's. I was really glad to finish this.
* "The Red Canary" by Kate Wilhelm/Mrs. Damon Knight. I don't usually like Wilhelm, but this was unusually good, looking at healthcare of the future. And it basically all came true. Despite the title, there's no actual canary in the story.
* "What's the Matter with Herbie?" By Mel Gilden. It's rare that "funny" sci-fi is funny, but this was amusing and fun to read. It's like following two creatures from the bar scene in Star Wars as they go to an alien planet that vaguely resembles Las Vegas.
* "Pinup" by Edward Bryant. Sort of a really bad long lost version of Misery.
* "The Genius Freaks" by Vonda N. McIntyre. This novella has wound up in several anthologies. It starts off a bit disjointed, but give it time.
* "Burger Creature" by Steve Chapman. Really entertaining parody of life working at McDonald's in the early 1970s.
* "Half the Kingdom" by Doris Piserchia. Bizarre. Guy in Chicago sees a weird hole and has to look through it.
* "Continuing Westward" by Gene Wolfe. No idea. This is atypical Wolfe, just a bit of sex, violence, airplanes, and not much else.
* "Arcs & Secants" by Our Editor. About the Authors, written by the authors, plus some info about crazy fans writing to Knight, Jack Dann helping Gardner Dozois move to Philly (where he'd stay put), and an admission by Knight that he has no idea what one of the stories published in a previous Orbit was about ("Heads America, Tails Africa.")

[Liv · Rating 3 out of 5]

i borrowed this on the internet archive because it had a Le Guin story in it but ended up only skim reading her chapter. this collection was maybe 60/40 on gripped me/skipped it.

favourite: Burger Creature by Steve Chapman. REALLY satisfying to read while on shift at my minimum wage job. 1973! and customers are the same! 5 stars for Burger Creature.

"Girl Burger, I've been thinking," says my partner to me, "why not let the Creature out in the open all day?"
I looked at her, opening a carton of foil wrappers, then at the Creature, squeegeeing a window in the early morning light. Was he beginning to look normal to her?
"Because the customers would see him. How's that?"
"Would they really? I mean, think about it. I mean, do they see you?"

least favourite: Four Stories by Brian W. Aldiss

[Ken Loft · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could read these stories day n' night, Damon Knight! Thank ya kindly for putting together these transformative tales!

Really loved SHARK 🦈 was totally charmed by WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH HERBIE? and Gene Wolfe's story was super cool and also THE RED CANARY was heavyy, just a bunch of great stuff in here

[Egghead · Rating 3 out of 5]

Killer tree, bug, shark
mind swap, burger beasts, aliens...
No one's best work here

[Ed]

ISFDB 185681. OCLC 30541828. LCCN 66015585.

[Havva · Rating 4 out of 5]

About half the stories were new to me. Most weren't anything to write home about, but Ursula K. Leguin's Directions of the Road absolutely blew me away.