Best SF 1971

The Year's Best Science Fiction #5

by Brian W. Aldiss (editor), Harry Harrison (editor)

Contents:

Introduction • Harry Harrison
Doctor Zombie and His Furry Little Friends • Robert Sheckley
Conquest • Barry N. Malzberg
Gehenna • Barry N. Malzberg
A Meeting With Medusa • Arthur C. Clarke
The Genius • Donald Barthelme
Angouleme • Thomas M. Disch
If "Hair" Were Revived in 2016 • Arnold M. Auerbach
Statistician's Day • James Blish
The Science Fiction Horror Movie Pocket Computer • Gahan Wilson
The Hunter at His Ease • Brian W. Aldiss
The Cohen Dog Exclusion Act • Steven Schrader
Gantlet • Richard E. Peck
Fisherman • Lawrence Sail
Report • Kingsley Amis
The Ideal Police State • Charles Baxter
The Pagan Rabbi • Cynthia Ozick
An Uneven Evening • Steve Herbst
Ornithanthropus • B. Alan Burhoe
No Direction Home • Norman Spinrad
Afterword: A Day in the Life-Style of... • Brian W. Aldiss

Genres: Short Stories, Science Fiction, Anthologies

287 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 1, 1972

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

[Johan Haneveld · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm of two minds about this collection. I trust the authors editing this (Harrisson and Aldiss) to select tales of quality, and they have put a lot of effort in searching wide for stories to include. Some good tales here, but not all to my taste. Also they include a theater review, a 'make your own horror movie'-schematic and poetry along some pretty experimental tales. If you're into that you may add another star to the rating. As to myself, I tend to appreciate the more hard SF side of the spectrum a bit more. So the story I liked most here was 'A meeting with medusa', which was the first time I read this, despite reading the Reynolds/Baxter-novel that was a continuation of this. Clarke is the master of scientifically sound SF with landscapes of wonder to glory in. I liked it. Also I thought 'The hunter at his ease' by Brian Aldiss (that I had read in a Dutch translation previously) an atmospheric and sadly prophetic tale. 'The pagan rabbi' by Cynthia Ozick was a fascinating tale, more fantasy than SF though. Ornithanthropus by B. Alan Burhoe was a good old fashioned example of adventure SF, utilizing the strange world it was set in and delivering thrills aplenty. And Norman Spinrads satirical 'No direction home' was wry and convicting about the use of drugs to change our moods - still relevant in our age of mood changing agents. So, a mixed bag for me, but for those more into experimental works this book will have a bit more to offer.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading Best SF: 1971 edited by Harry Harrison and Brian W. Aldiss feels like a big letdown after reading The Year’s Best Science Fiction #1 edited by Terry Carr when you realize they both worked to showcase the best shorter works of science fiction for 1971.

Both volumes included the dazzling “A Meeting with Medusa” by Arthur C. Clarke and the trippy “No Direction Home” by Norman Spinrad, but whereas Carr focused on many 4-star and 5-star stories that most readers would embrace as science fiction, Harrison aimed for stories that might impress readers who normally avoided our genre. The best of these stories was “The Pagan Rabbi” by Cynthia Ozick about an intellectual Rabbi who gets seduced by Dryad. Ozick's story is straight-ahead literary with a touch of fantasy. I bet she was rather befuddled by being included in a science fiction anthology.

I thought “Statistician’s Day” by James Blish a bit of clever fun, but the trick ending kind of spoiled it for me but not enough to hold a grudge. I also admired Brian Aldiss’ “The Hunter at His Ease” with its grim view of the future where the Western world still exploited the third world. It’s ironic that the future in that 1971 story is our time.

All the other stories were ho-hum to not bad. Usually, they disappointed me because they weren’t science fiction by any stretch of the mind other than Harry Harrison’s. Evidently, Harrison had taken the New Wave to heart.

[Donald Armfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book only cost .95 cent in 1972 when it cam out. Imagine if books still cost that much....O' the books I would have.

As for the collection

"Donald Barthelme's The Genius" Had a very interesting writing style, but the story fell flat for me.

"Doctor Zombie and His Furry Little Friends by Robert Sheckley" Zombie genre before it was popular. Not a bad short; FUNNY!!

"If Hair was Revised in 2016 by Arnold Auerbach" If next year no one has hair. I'm blaming this man.

My favorite of the bunch has to be "The Cohen Dog Exclusion Act by Steven Schrader" One man's stand and protest to stop dog shit on the sidewalks. Genius stuff here...A Riot with a great point.

I still bought this for .50 cent at a book fair. A treasured gem.

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this very much. There were a couple of stories that were decent, but most of them I did not enjoy at all. In fact, I gave up on it. I don't know, maybe they were too experimental and from an earlier era?