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Spectrum #5
Spectrum V
Comprising:
Student Body by F.L. Wallace;
Crucifixus Etiam by Walter M. Miller;
Noise Level by Raymond F. Jones;
Grandpa by James H. Schmitz;
Mother of Invention by Tom Godwin;
The Far Look by Theodore L. Thomas;
Big Sword by Paul Ash;
Commencement Night by Richard Ashby.
Student Body by F.L. Wallace;
Crucifixus Etiam by Walter M. Miller;
Noise Level by Raymond F. Jones;
Grandpa by James H. Schmitz;
Mother of Invention by Tom Godwin;
The Far Look by Theodore L. Thomas;
Big Sword by Paul Ash;
Commencement Night by Richard Ashby.
303 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1966
2 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Kingsley Amis
211 books554 followersBest known novels of British writer Sir Kingsley William Amis include
Lucky Jim
(1954) and
The Old Devils
(1986).
This English poet, critic, and teacher composed more than twenty-three collections, short stories, radio and television scripts, and books of social and literary criticism. He fathered Martin Amis.
William Robert Amis, a clerk of a mustard manufacturer, fathered him. He began his education at the city of London school, and went up to college of Saint John, Oxford, in April 1941 to read English; he met Philip Larkin and formed the most important friendship of his life. After only a year, the Army called him for service in July 1942. After serving as a lieutenant in the royal corps of signals in the Second World War, Amis returned to Oxford in October 1945 to complete his degree. He worked hard and got a first in English in 1947, and then decided to devote much of his time.
Pen names: [authorRobert Markham|553548] and William Bill Tanner
This English poet, critic, and teacher composed more than twenty-three collections, short stories, radio and television scripts, and books of social and literary criticism. He fathered Martin Amis.
William Robert Amis, a clerk of a mustard manufacturer, fathered him. He began his education at the city of London school, and went up to college of Saint John, Oxford, in April 1941 to read English; he met Philip Larkin and formed the most important friendship of his life. After only a year, the Army called him for service in July 1942. After serving as a lieutenant in the royal corps of signals in the Second World War, Amis returned to Oxford in October 1945 to complete his degree. He worked hard and got a first in English in 1947, and then decided to devote much of his time.
Pen names: [authorRobert Markham|553548] and William Bill Tanner
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 15, 2019
Eight stories published between 1952 and 1958, one in Galaxy the rest in Astounding, featuring four relatively well-known authors and four others who probably deserved more fame.
Student Body - Floyd L. Wallace, a Hugo finalist in two categories in 1956, wrote a tale of an alien life form producing rapid and increasingly larger and more dangerous predators in response to man's attempt to protect a fledgling colony.
Crucifixus Etiam - Walter M. Miller, noted author of A Canticle for Liebowitz, writes of the men who sacrifice themselves to make Mars habitable.
Noise Level - Raymond F. Jones, postulates a successful development of anti-gravity by challenging scientific experts to duplicate the apparent success of a deceased inventor forcing them to re-examine their basic ideas about physics and the universe.
Grandpa - James H. Scmitz, a research team puts its faith in official reports and ignores the obvious signs the life forms on the planet are more dangerous than they seem.
Mother of Invention - Tom Godwin, better known for the classic "The Cold Equations;" five men trapped on a distant world must invent a new method of propulsion to drive their wrecked space craft and escape before the sun goes nova. Very similar to the Jones story in terms of challenging the accepted norm.
The Far Look - Theodore L. Thomas, the U.S. sends a two man team monthly to maintain an outpost on the moon. The experience changes some of the men in remarkable ways which scientists find baffling and impossible to predict or reproduce. Notable for the realistic descriptions of life on the moon.
Big Sword - Paul Ash, pseudonym of British author Pauline Whitby, weaves a tale involving biology, telepathy, and space exploration in a first contact/coming of age story.
Commencement Night - Richard Ashby, a group of babies are isolated on a pacific island and allowed to develop independent of human contact and interference in hopes the secret of eliminating man's warlike tendencies can be deduced. Unfortunately (or fortunately), an alien interferes in a manner which enables the isolated humans to develop telepathic abilities stemming from a new language/mode of thinking bringing enlightenment to all mankind.
The stories by Miller, Thomas, and Ash are the best of the collection.
Student Body - Floyd L. Wallace, a Hugo finalist in two categories in 1956, wrote a tale of an alien life form producing rapid and increasingly larger and more dangerous predators in response to man's attempt to protect a fledgling colony.
Crucifixus Etiam - Walter M. Miller, noted author of A Canticle for Liebowitz, writes of the men who sacrifice themselves to make Mars habitable.
Noise Level - Raymond F. Jones, postulates a successful development of anti-gravity by challenging scientific experts to duplicate the apparent success of a deceased inventor forcing them to re-examine their basic ideas about physics and the universe.
Grandpa - James H. Scmitz, a research team puts its faith in official reports and ignores the obvious signs the life forms on the planet are more dangerous than they seem.
Mother of Invention - Tom Godwin, better known for the classic "The Cold Equations;" five men trapped on a distant world must invent a new method of propulsion to drive their wrecked space craft and escape before the sun goes nova. Very similar to the Jones story in terms of challenging the accepted norm.
The Far Look - Theodore L. Thomas, the U.S. sends a two man team monthly to maintain an outpost on the moon. The experience changes some of the men in remarkable ways which scientists find baffling and impossible to predict or reproduce. Notable for the realistic descriptions of life on the moon.
Big Sword - Paul Ash, pseudonym of British author Pauline Whitby, weaves a tale involving biology, telepathy, and space exploration in a first contact/coming of age story.
Commencement Night - Richard Ashby, a group of babies are isolated on a pacific island and allowed to develop independent of human contact and interference in hopes the secret of eliminating man's warlike tendencies can be deduced. Unfortunately (or fortunately), an alien interferes in a manner which enables the isolated humans to develop telepathic abilities stemming from a new language/mode of thinking bringing enlightenment to all mankind.
The stories by Miller, Thomas, and Ash are the best of the collection.
January 4, 2024
Came for F.L. Wallace and was delightfully surprised by the other stories. Loved the one about the men sent to live on the Moon for a month and how they gained The Far Look from their survival experience—the concept of being unable to emotionally return to Earth because the men aren’t the same after the experience. Also lol a Truman Show type story! Wasn’t expecting that. I can’t say I’ve ever read a collection of scifi where all the stories ended on a positive note, but I actually loved that. Refreshing.
May 1, 2023
I liked the first story Student Body. It was a little intelligent and fun to read. The other ones I found quite boring and found myself coming back to them over time in order to finish the book. All of these writers try to create something smart and deep but I didn't find them too enjoyable
Want to read
May 10, 20252 PS paperback
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews