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Stellar #2
Stellar #2
The Stellar anthology series #2. Stellar Science Fiction short stories. Delightfully entertaining science-fiction short stories, written by the stars of the field. Science Fiction in the grand tradition. Stories to read and enjoy. Boasting a truly stellar list of contributors, a story collection that guarantees you hours of mind-spinning entertainment. A good collection of "good old fashioned SF stories", that have more-or-less stood the test of time, designed to counter-balance some of the weird, pretentious New Wave SF anthologies...being good old-fashioned stories that are fun to read.
Contents:
* Custom Fitting (1976) / novelette by James White
* Stuck with It (1976) / novelette by Hal Clement
* Songs of Dying Swans (1976) / short story by Jack C. Haldeman II
* Mistake (1976) / short story by Larry Niven
* The Bicentennial Man (1976) / novelette by Isaac Asimov
* Tindar-B (1976) / novelette by Patrick G. Conner
* Sic Transit...? A Shaggy Hairless-Dog Story (1976) / short story by Steven Utley, Howard Waldrop
* Unsilent Spring (1976) / novelette by Clifford D. Simak, Richard S. Simak
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Contents:
* Custom Fitting (1976) / novelette by James White
* Stuck with It (1976) / novelette by Hal Clement
* Songs of Dying Swans (1976) / short story by Jack C. Haldeman II
* Mistake (1976) / short story by Larry Niven
* The Bicentennial Man (1976) / novelette by Isaac Asimov
* Tindar-B (1976) / novelette by Patrick G. Conner
* Sic Transit...? A Shaggy Hairless-Dog Story (1976) / short story by Steven Utley, Howard Waldrop
* Unsilent Spring (1976) / novelette by Clifford D. Simak, Richard S. Simak
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209 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 9, 2021
This is the second volume in Judy Lynn Benjamin del Rey's series of original anthologies. She set the somewhat lofty goal of infusing the sense-of-wonder style of science fiction from the earliest days of the field with the more literate, character-driven flavor The New Wave movement of the 1960's. This one contains one of Clifford D. Simak's last stories, a cute Larry Niven vignette that might be called flash fiction these days, a funny oddity from Howard Waldrop and Steven Utley, a somewhat convoluted and confusing Hal Clement novelette, a good story by Jack C. Haldeman II (Joe's brother), an unmemorable piece from Patrick G. Conner, and a very good James White story leads off the book. The star of the book has to be Isaac Asimov's classic The Bicentennial Man.
October 26, 2025
Some science fiction stories really age badly, and unfortunately this book features some of them. Although the introduction states that writers were asked to write stories with a definite ending (in other words, no New Wave crap here), one story did manage to somehow sneak in here.
The big stand-out of this 1976 collection is Isaac Asimov's "The Bicentennial Man." This is where the story first appeared, but in a modified form. Asimov, not happy with del Rey's changes, soon published his "director's cut" version ... which has since become the version that sci-fi fans tend to prefer.
This is more of a 2.5 star book than a three, so I rounded up.
Selections:
* "Custom Fitting" by James White. This is the story that the cover is about. It is cute but fun piece about an ET that looks like a Centaur (with a remarkable tail) needing to be more than just decently clad for his meeting with the Queen at St. James. There is a very early 1970s feel to it.
* "Stuck with It" by Hal Clement Stubbs A human lands his craft in a world where the dominate species are huge worms with somewhat like arms. In a big city, the dam and resivior are crumbling. This is Stubbs' not-so-subtle poke at the Back to Nature movement.
* "Songs of Dying Swans" by Jack C. Haldeman, II. Very sad story about the last survivors on a planet that makes the Universe's most beautiful music. No actual Swans die in this.
* "Mistake" by Larry Niven. What a contrast from the previous story, although both are about death. Extremely short, darkly comic first contact story between an Earghling and a Martian.
* "The Bicentennial Man" by Isaac Asimov. This novellette won multiple awards, and was turned into a highly panned film in 1999, despite a sensitive performance by Robin Williams. The "man" is a malfunctioning robot in this sci-fi version of Pinocchio.
* "Tindar-B" by Patrick G. Conner. Novella about a very Star Trek: The Next Generation bunch of characters explore a bizarre planet, home to a 700 year old mystery about the first explorers.
* "Sic Transit ....? A Shaggy Hairless-Dog Story" by Harold Waldrop & Steven Utley. This is set up to be funny, but it's not. It's not much of anything, except a disappointing mess.
* "Unsilent Spring" by Richard S. Simak & Clifford D. Simak. This was one of the worst science fiction stories that I have ever read. It's just a diatribe against the banning of DDT in America, brought about in part by Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. Although DDT was banned in America, it was never banned in other countries, so a worldwide epidemic brought about by a lack of DDT just doesn't make sense. That just one country doctor could discover the cause of a pandemic in just a few months by himself is not how science works. What a terrible way to end a science fiction book.
The big stand-out of this 1976 collection is Isaac Asimov's "The Bicentennial Man." This is where the story first appeared, but in a modified form. Asimov, not happy with del Rey's changes, soon published his "director's cut" version ... which has since become the version that sci-fi fans tend to prefer.
This is more of a 2.5 star book than a three, so I rounded up.
Selections:
* "Custom Fitting" by James White. This is the story that the cover is about. It is cute but fun piece about an ET that looks like a Centaur (with a remarkable tail) needing to be more than just decently clad for his meeting with the Queen at St. James. There is a very early 1970s feel to it.
* "Stuck with It" by Hal Clement Stubbs A human lands his craft in a world where the dominate species are huge worms with somewhat like arms. In a big city, the dam and resivior are crumbling. This is Stubbs' not-so-subtle poke at the Back to Nature movement.
* "Songs of Dying Swans" by Jack C. Haldeman, II. Very sad story about the last survivors on a planet that makes the Universe's most beautiful music. No actual Swans die in this.
* "Mistake" by Larry Niven. What a contrast from the previous story, although both are about death. Extremely short, darkly comic first contact story between an Earghling and a Martian.
* "The Bicentennial Man" by Isaac Asimov. This novellette won multiple awards, and was turned into a highly panned film in 1999, despite a sensitive performance by Robin Williams. The "man" is a malfunctioning robot in this sci-fi version of Pinocchio.
* "Tindar-B" by Patrick G. Conner. Novella about a very Star Trek: The Next Generation bunch of characters explore a bizarre planet, home to a 700 year old mystery about the first explorers.
* "Sic Transit ....? A Shaggy Hairless-Dog Story" by Harold Waldrop & Steven Utley. This is set up to be funny, but it's not. It's not much of anything, except a disappointing mess.
* "Unsilent Spring" by Richard S. Simak & Clifford D. Simak. This was one of the worst science fiction stories that I have ever read. It's just a diatribe against the banning of DDT in America, brought about in part by Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. Although DDT was banned in America, it was never banned in other countries, so a worldwide epidemic brought about by a lack of DDT just doesn't make sense. That just one country doctor could discover the cause of a pandemic in just a few months by himself is not how science works. What a terrible way to end a science fiction book.
December 3, 2018
As advertised in the front matter: even better than the first collection!
May 27, 2013
What first caught my eye about this book was the cover. Or more precisely, the strange, yet oddly well-known creature at the center. I wanted to know more about this creature and how it came to be dressed like it was and honestly, how it ended up in an anthology of science-fiction stories, and not among fantasy stories, where we normally meet it. I have had the book for a couple of years now, but finally got around to reading the first story.
This is a review-in-progress, meaning that I will review each shortstory as I read them.
Custom Fitting (by James White) is, oddly enough, the story that gave me some insight into the very creature on the front of the book. It introduces us to George Hewlitt, a simple tailor on earth who one day gets a very special assignment. He is to make a custom-made outfit for His Excellency Scrennagle of Dutha, who is basically... a centaur. I say basically, because there are a few (and important) differences. He represents the Galactic Federation and needs to give a good impression to earth. I was more than pleasantly surprised by this story, which gives me high hopes for the rest of the anthology. It has a lot of heart and takes its time to tell a good story, a story that is actually first revealed by the end. I highly recommend all to read Custom Fitting and maybe, to check out other books and shortstories by James White, I know that I will want to become better acquainted with His Excellency, James White of Earth. (5 stars)
Stuck With It (by Hal Clement) is a story about a human explorer called Cunningham who has found a planet called Ranta. Ranta is in its early stage of evolution, and yet Cunningham manages to communicate with one of the Rantans called Creak (and his wife Nereis). Hal Clement has created a strange conundrum that (more or less) mirrors the situation that we face these days. However, when that is said, I think that he made the story a lot more complicated than it needed to be and he almost lost me a couple of times. Also, the Rantans are incredibly weird creatures, that my mind have no yet been able to envision. I may have to go back to this story some time and give it another review, but for now... (1.5 stars)
Songs of Dying Swans (by Jack C. Haldeman II) is a real treasure! I shall try not to say too much and thereby ruin your experience of the story. This is the story of the peaceful music of the Crystals of Balzar. It is also the story of how ignorant and greedy the youth can be (and is), and lastly, it is the story of a sad people that is so much more than anyone would ever have believed. Still here? Well, go read this beautiful gem and then, do as me, check out more of Jack C. Haldeman's work! I am breaking the scale for this story, and putting it right beside Evensong by Lester Del Rey, two gems that deserve each other. (6 stars)
Mistake (by Larry Niven) is the story of Barnes, a space traveller who uses drugs to deal with the loneliness of space, yet one day, he encounters an alien named Kthistlmup. An incredibly short read that I am sure I've read once before in another anthology, but still, it brought a nice smile to my lips and was worth every second. (3.5 stars)
The Bicentennial Man (by Isaac Asimov) is a story about how a robot yearns to become free and when he is free, he yearns to become a man. I remember seeing the movie with Robin Williams and while I was reading this story, I couldn't help but seeing Williams as Andrew, but honestly, read the novelette... dont see the movie. Also, this is by far the longest story in the anthology, and really takes its time to tell the story of Andrew, the Bicentennial Man. Clever writing, but I didn't feel as much as I had hoped... for Andrew. Nice ending though. (3 stars)
Tindar-B (by Patrick G. Conner) is the story of an exploration team that happens upon a rather unusual planet with seemingly no life. However, the team soon discovers some rather unusual inhabitants, if you could even call them that and then they begin to discover what happened to the other exploration teams that visited Tindar-B... a fate that might also await them! It took a little while before I fully understood the scope of this shortstory and the point to it all, but then I really started to like the story. It has some unusual ideas and even makes good uses of strange characters such as empaths. Definitely worth a read. (4 stars)
Sic Transit...? (by Steven Utley and Howard Waldrop) is unlike any other story you've ever read and honestly... I couldn't tell you if that is a good thing or not. This story is going to leave you utterly confused and for that reason alone... I wont be able to tell you what it is about, except perhaps... evolution? (1 star... or 6 stars?)
This is a review-in-progress, meaning that I will review each shortstory as I read them.
Custom Fitting (by James White) is, oddly enough, the story that gave me some insight into the very creature on the front of the book. It introduces us to George Hewlitt, a simple tailor on earth who one day gets a very special assignment. He is to make a custom-made outfit for His Excellency Scrennagle of Dutha, who is basically... a centaur. I say basically, because there are a few (and important) differences. He represents the Galactic Federation and needs to give a good impression to earth. I was more than pleasantly surprised by this story, which gives me high hopes for the rest of the anthology. It has a lot of heart and takes its time to tell a good story, a story that is actually first revealed by the end. I highly recommend all to read Custom Fitting and maybe, to check out other books and shortstories by James White, I know that I will want to become better acquainted with His Excellency, James White of Earth. (5 stars)
Stuck With It (by Hal Clement) is a story about a human explorer called Cunningham who has found a planet called Ranta. Ranta is in its early stage of evolution, and yet Cunningham manages to communicate with one of the Rantans called Creak (and his wife Nereis). Hal Clement has created a strange conundrum that (more or less) mirrors the situation that we face these days. However, when that is said, I think that he made the story a lot more complicated than it needed to be and he almost lost me a couple of times. Also, the Rantans are incredibly weird creatures, that my mind have no yet been able to envision. I may have to go back to this story some time and give it another review, but for now... (1.5 stars)
Songs of Dying Swans (by Jack C. Haldeman II) is a real treasure! I shall try not to say too much and thereby ruin your experience of the story. This is the story of the peaceful music of the Crystals of Balzar. It is also the story of how ignorant and greedy the youth can be (and is), and lastly, it is the story of a sad people that is so much more than anyone would ever have believed. Still here? Well, go read this beautiful gem and then, do as me, check out more of Jack C. Haldeman's work! I am breaking the scale for this story, and putting it right beside Evensong by Lester Del Rey, two gems that deserve each other. (6 stars)
Mistake (by Larry Niven) is the story of Barnes, a space traveller who uses drugs to deal with the loneliness of space, yet one day, he encounters an alien named Kthistlmup. An incredibly short read that I am sure I've read once before in another anthology, but still, it brought a nice smile to my lips and was worth every second. (3.5 stars)
The Bicentennial Man (by Isaac Asimov) is a story about how a robot yearns to become free and when he is free, he yearns to become a man. I remember seeing the movie with Robin Williams and while I was reading this story, I couldn't help but seeing Williams as Andrew, but honestly, read the novelette... dont see the movie. Also, this is by far the longest story in the anthology, and really takes its time to tell the story of Andrew, the Bicentennial Man. Clever writing, but I didn't feel as much as I had hoped... for Andrew. Nice ending though. (3 stars)
Tindar-B (by Patrick G. Conner) is the story of an exploration team that happens upon a rather unusual planet with seemingly no life. However, the team soon discovers some rather unusual inhabitants, if you could even call them that and then they begin to discover what happened to the other exploration teams that visited Tindar-B... a fate that might also await them! It took a little while before I fully understood the scope of this shortstory and the point to it all, but then I really started to like the story. It has some unusual ideas and even makes good uses of strange characters such as empaths. Definitely worth a read. (4 stars)
Sic Transit...? (by Steven Utley and Howard Waldrop) is unlike any other story you've ever read and honestly... I couldn't tell you if that is a good thing or not. This story is going to leave you utterly confused and for that reason alone... I wont be able to tell you what it is about, except perhaps... evolution? (1 star... or 6 stars?)
July 31, 2009
I was torn between 2 and 3 stars for this. I don't remember it well but I do like some of the writers who are in it. I have a feeling, though, that these were the new type of SF stories that tried to break away too far for me from the pulp tradition and the focus on adventure of earlier SF tales. So, I'm guessing about 2 and a half stars.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews