A Sea of Space

by William F. Nolan (Editor), Ray Russell, Charles Beaumont

Man, through all his history, has been a pioneering animal. He pushes relentlessly forward, drawn always to the far horizon. Now, in this time of the rocket, the greatest voyage of all is finally to be undertaken. Here, across a sea of space, men--and women--will chart planets in and beyond this solar system.

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

195 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

William F. Nolan is best known as the co-author (with George Clayton Johnson) of Logan's Run -- a science fiction novel that went on to become a movie, a television series and is about to become a movie again -- and as single author of its sequels. His short stories have been selected for scores of anthologies and textbooks and he is twice winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Special Award from the Mystery Writers of America.

Nolan was born in 1928 in Kansas City Missouri. He attended the Kansas City Art Institute and worked as an artist for Hallmark Cards. He moved to California in the late 1940s and studied at San Diego State College. He began concentrating on writing rather than art and, in 1952, was introduced by fellow Missouri native (and established writer) Ray Bradbury to another young up-and-coming author, Charles Beaumont. Moving to the Los Angeles area in 1953, Nolan became along with Bradbury, Beaumont, and Richard Matheson part of the "inner core" of the soon-to-be highly influential "Southern California Group" of writers. By 1956 Nolan was a full-time writer. Since 1951 he has sold more than 1500 stories, articles, books, and other works.

Although Nolan wrote roughly 2000 pieces, to include biographies, short stories, poetry, and novels, Logan’s Run retains its hold on the public consciousness as a political fable and dystopian warning. As Nolan has stated: “That I am known at all is still astonishing to me... "

He passed away at the age of 93 due to complications from an infection.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice anthology of fourteen stories reprinted from various genre publications of the 1950s and '60s. The oldest one is an obscure but nice Martian chronicle by Ray Bradbury from 1950, revised for this publication, and the newest is a colonial-themed Robert Bloch story that I would have picked as the oldest of the lot. The oddest is an excerpt from a book by Norman Corwin, who seems to be channeling Lewis Carroll at his silliest, and the most surprising was a lovely little story by Robert F. Young that was simply terrific. I was disappointed by Walter M. Miller, Jr., the Chad Oliver was as good as I remembered, the Robert Sheckley tickled me, and the Ron Goulart was pretty much what I expected. I think Nolan edited the book by taking a story from his closest California cronies and then filled it out with other random favorites, but you can tell he had fun doing it so no harm, no foul. The other authors include Kris Neville, William F. Temple, Ray Russell, Charles Beaumont, Herbert A. Simmons, and a good one from Nolan himself.

[Deb Omnivorous Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I finished it but I honestly didn't love it, which is a bit saddening as it was edited by William F. Nolan the author of Logan's Run a book I did thoroughly enjoy. In a way, it felt a bit self indulgent, that the author got to collect a pile of stories and authors that he liked without much reference to whether readers would.

I do love the cover; inspired by the Klimts I am pretty sure. A brief list of the stories:

The Blue Bottle by Ray Bradbury : One of his less well collected Martian Chronicle stories and a really good one. A similar concept was used in harry poter and the philosophers stone for the mirror of Erised. This one was ****

The Wind Blows Free by Chad Oliver : A generation ship concept with the hero as misfit in society there which I did thoroughly enjoy. *****

Society For The Prevention by Ron Goulart : Allegedly about a galactic surplus store, this was drowning in quirk of the classic Goulart flavour (I notice you don't see a lot of Goulart around any more). As a short story, the quirk was manageable, the aggressive sexism a bit less so. **

One Night Stand by Herbert A. Simmons : Apparently his only sci-fi story ever, this was only marginally sci-fi. About a band with some guy in it who plays a horn (and I have never before heard of a horn described as an 'axe'. A guitar, sure, but a.... I don't even know what? A trumpet?). Very VERY 60's with lots of 'hip' and 'do you dig'. The black guy ends up with a blue alien girl but I honestly didn't care about that any more than anything else in it. *

Elegy by Charles Beaumont : I had read this before, a exploring rocket lands on an unmapped asteroid to find an eerie replica of a 50's America (so, normal home at the time of writing, historical to the modern reader). I had read this before and was glad to read it again, it is excellent. *****

Lap of the Primitive by Willian F. Nolan: Oh, ICK! ICKETY ickety yuk. Listen, I am not too sensitive about historical sexism in books, if it is the bent of the era, I can read it, thank the Void I was not around at the time and enjoy them for what they were. This one however exceeded my capacity. A woman is fat (she can't be morbidly obese or anything, in context) so she can't get a decent husband and has to settle for one she does not like. He uses HER money to take them on a trip. The ending is meant to be cute, but basically she loses weight and is now acceptable as a woman so she gets a different man. Pass the bucket. Negative stars. ICK.

The Old College Try by Robert Bloch : This was actually not bad, antiquated and colonial with some uneasy-to-modern-readers themes, but humorous look at what happens when a new planetary administrator tries to impose his culture on the natives. ****

I am Returning by Ray Russell : A mythic good/evil type play, short and sweet, just imagine if the conflict between god and the devil were real, only they were aliens. ***

The Undiscovered Country by William F. Temple : The undiscovered country in question is Pluto, which has been found to be inhabited. Our 'heroes' have been sent to kidnap a denizen for research back on Earth and it does not end well for them. *****

Restricted Area by Robert Sheckley : I remember Sheckley as an author I really enjoyed, though I have not read much of his recently. This one was good too; a spaceship lands on a planet full of amazing, colourful, playful animals. Appetising fruit, no pathogens. A paradise, seemingly! The captain spends all his time worrying about the dangers you don't see - until he sees them! ****

One Love Have I by Robert F. Young : A very poignant and well written story about a man who has just come out of one hundred years of cryogenic freezing. He is returning to the deserted town he lived in with his wife - who must surely be dead. *****

Worship Night by Kris Neville : Another author I did not recognise, a good story a vignette of a couple who are retiring on an alien planet instead of returning to Earth. Poignant. *****

In Space With Runyon Jones by Norman Corwin : A zany short story which apparently aims to be cute in it's illogicity. Could be worse. **

The Ties That Bind by Walter M. Miller Jr : Author of A Canticle for Leibowitz my least favourite sci-fi in the known universe so I had few hopes. Not a bad story in it's way, despite the complete lack of comprehension about ecology of any kind exhibited by the author. Another religious themed, evil in the heart of man blah blah... original sin ect ect. Pretty well told if you like that sort of thing. ***

[Williwaw]

I have to admit that I bought this book for its delightful cover. I've read about half of the stories as of today (July 16, 2012). So far, the stories are what I'd classify as "mid-tier" entertainments.

The opener is Bradbury's "Blue Bottle," which is probably the best so far. Beaumont's "Elegy" runs a close second.

If you enjoy short stories this is an okay, but not "stellar" collection.