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In Deep
Four in One (1953)An Eye for a What? (1957)The Handler (1960)Stranger Station (1956)Ask Me Anything (1951)The Country of the Kind (1956)Ticket to Anywhere (1952)Beachcomber (1952)
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1963
2 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Damon Knight
580 books97 followersDamon Francis Knight was an American science fiction author, editor, and critic.
Knight's first professional sale was a cartoon drawing to a science-fiction magazine, Amazing Stories. His first story, "Resilience", was published in 1941. He is best known as the author of "To Serve Man", which was adapted for The Twilight Zone. He was a recipient of the Hugo Award, founder of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), cofounder of the National Fantasy Fan Federation, cofounder of the Milford Writer's Workshop, and cofounder of the Clarion Writers Workshop. Knight lived in Eugene, Oregon, with his wife Kate Wilhelm.
Knight's first professional sale was a cartoon drawing to a science-fiction magazine, Amazing Stories. His first story, "Resilience", was published in 1941. He is best known as the author of "To Serve Man", which was adapted for The Twilight Zone. He was a recipient of the Hugo Award, founder of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), cofounder of the National Fantasy Fan Federation, cofounder of the Milford Writer's Workshop, and cofounder of the Clarion Writers Workshop. Knight lived in Eugene, Oregon, with his wife Kate Wilhelm.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 20, 2013
Our b/f discussion a few mornings ago turned to science fiction and the idea that it has become mainstream. I beg to differ. When browsing the science fiction shelves of various bookshops recently what stood out for me was utter predominance of fantasy. There was almost no science fiction. And this is reflected in science fiction movies: (a) there are almost none and (b) they are generally done as fantasy perhaps because that IS now mainstream.
Oh for the days when science fiction was about rockets and aliens.
Enter this 1950s collection by Damon Knight. I loved reading this sort of thing for some years. I don't even recall why I gave away my collection and decided I'd moved on, since I'm so thoroughly enjoying revisiting it in my dotage.
I can see why he is known for his short stories: can he sustain a novel? As befits the notion of what science fiction was, Knight hasn't the least idea how to paint a character - early on he'll flesh out the idea of the shape of the human in his story so that you have something to hang it on, I guess but that doesn't make anything like a character - really, though, that's all to the good. It's about speculative ideas - what would happen if?- and he does this nicely.
Oh for the days when science fiction was about rockets and aliens.
Enter this 1950s collection by Damon Knight. I loved reading this sort of thing for some years. I don't even recall why I gave away my collection and decided I'd moved on, since I'm so thoroughly enjoying revisiting it in my dotage.
I can see why he is known for his short stories: can he sustain a novel? As befits the notion of what science fiction was, Knight hasn't the least idea how to paint a character - early on he'll flesh out the idea of the shape of the human in his story so that you have something to hang it on, I guess but that doesn't make anything like a character - really, though, that's all to the good. It's about speculative ideas - what would happen if?- and he does this nicely.
March 22, 2013
Mid Twentieth Century Science-Fiction (1 hour)
"The central message of Damon Knight's The Country of the Kind is that it is impossible to be fully human without being capable of psychotic violence."
a) To what extent do you think that this is a fair representation of the story? Why?
b) Do you agree with the above thesis? Give arguments for and against.
c) Do you consider it relevant that the author is American?
"The central message of Damon Knight's The Country of the Kind is that it is impossible to be fully human without being capable of psychotic violence."
a) To what extent do you think that this is a fair representation of the story? Why?
b) Do you agree with the above thesis? Give arguments for and against.
c) Do you consider it relevant that the author is American?
July 18, 2023
Four in One - 4.5/5 - 4 humans are dissolved into an amoeba-like alien creature and then share the body since their brains still exist within it. Pretty crazy and very fun story. Very fun and not like anything I've read
An Eye for a What? - 4/5 - Humans must punish an ambassador alien creature on their ship by the same means that it would be done on the planet. Unfortunately a slight barrier of understanding makes it very hard for them to figure out how to do it properly. If they don't do it in time the human ambassadors on the planet will receive the punishment instead. Another very unique story. Knight has made these darker topics more fun than I'd expected. Usually I prefer stories to lean dark but I'm really enjoying his style
The Handler - 3.5/5 - The story is short enough where it's hard to mention anything without giving it all away, but I like how original and weird it is
Stranger Station - 5/5 - Crazy good story about a man stuck on a space station with an AI and an alien he doesn't interact with that is basically being painfully milked because its alien juices allow humans to live longer. In terms of late Golden Age SF this kind of story is what I love and wish there was more of
Ask Me Anything - 4/5 - An alien being comes into contact with a cyborg military training outpost and causes havoc until the human in charge thinks he sees a way to profit from its advanced intelligence. Effective satire about humans love affair with war and greed that thankfully isn't about nuclear weapons or fallout which makes it a welcome anomaly for the time it was written
Country of the Kind - 3/5 - As slow a burn as your going to get in a short story. I was struggling through it, first with confusion and then with scoffing at the absurdity of the plot. The ending is great though and saved it for me
Ticket to Anywhere - 4.5/5 - As unique of a story about planet hopping as you are likely to read. It'll leave you wanting more with both the lead up and ending, but not in a negative way
Beachcomber - 3.5/5 - It seemed destined to be the worst story of the bunch but it had a strong second half. While it does rely too much on a clever ending, it's original enough that I didn't mind too much
An Eye for a What? - 4/5 - Humans must punish an ambassador alien creature on their ship by the same means that it would be done on the planet. Unfortunately a slight barrier of understanding makes it very hard for them to figure out how to do it properly. If they don't do it in time the human ambassadors on the planet will receive the punishment instead. Another very unique story. Knight has made these darker topics more fun than I'd expected. Usually I prefer stories to lean dark but I'm really enjoying his style
The Handler - 3.5/5 - The story is short enough where it's hard to mention anything without giving it all away, but I like how original and weird it is
Stranger Station - 5/5 - Crazy good story about a man stuck on a space station with an AI and an alien he doesn't interact with that is basically being painfully milked because its alien juices allow humans to live longer. In terms of late Golden Age SF this kind of story is what I love and wish there was more of
Ask Me Anything - 4/5 - An alien being comes into contact with a cyborg military training outpost and causes havoc until the human in charge thinks he sees a way to profit from its advanced intelligence. Effective satire about humans love affair with war and greed that thankfully isn't about nuclear weapons or fallout which makes it a welcome anomaly for the time it was written
Country of the Kind - 3/5 - As slow a burn as your going to get in a short story. I was struggling through it, first with confusion and then with scoffing at the absurdity of the plot. The ending is great though and saved it for me
Ticket to Anywhere - 4.5/5 - As unique of a story about planet hopping as you are likely to read. It'll leave you wanting more with both the lead up and ending, but not in a negative way
Beachcomber - 3.5/5 - It seemed destined to be the worst story of the bunch but it had a strong second half. While it does rely too much on a clever ending, it's original enough that I didn't mind too much
July 13, 2021
"Four in One" and "The Handler" are excellent stories. "Country of the Kind" is a thought-provoking classic. The rest haven't aged well.
January 1, 2016
The style is of course always nicely acerbic (as per Damon's tradition). But a few of these seemed based on some...well, kinda goofy underpinnings. Unlike with Far Out, they weren't so much snide as just kinda weird. "Stranger Station" (and "Ask Me Anything") probably played better at the time than they do now; their satire has been diluted by the years, and now they seem more an example of that sort of mindset than an expose.
[First reading: * * * *]
[Second Reading: * * * Contains one of the all-time great stories: "Country Of the Kind"--which always makes me think of the Who for some reason (I wonder if Townshend's ever read it?). Also the scuba scene reminded me of The Graduate. A punk story for 1955. And a nicely wry, droll offering in "Ask Me Anything" (not as many bastard characters here as in Far Out--but there's one of them); along with the sardonic "Beachcomber" (though you'd think with his many futuristic talents he might be able to solve his dilemma).]
[First reading: * * * *]
[Second Reading: * * * Contains one of the all-time great stories: "Country Of the Kind"--which always makes me think of the Who for some reason (I wonder if Townshend's ever read it?). Also the scuba scene reminded me of The Graduate. A punk story for 1955. And a nicely wry, droll offering in "Ask Me Anything" (not as many bastard characters here as in Far Out--but there's one of them); along with the sardonic "Beachcomber" (though you'd think with his many futuristic talents he might be able to solve his dilemma).]
June 11, 2010
Fantastic fiction in the best sense. Eight superbly crafted science-fiction treasures from the 50's that brim with creativity and exemplify the best of thought-provoking entertainment.
February 8, 2019
Mindwebs audiobook 28 contains this 1955 short story. "The Country of the Kind" by Damon Knight. Starts with a strange description of a man on a destructive rampage? Turns out that this apparently idyllic post-scarcity society has one thorn in its side, our protagonist. He is unique in all the world - and driven dangerously cynical by societies response to his extreme acts. He is punished in a perverse fashion and left to suffer - this lack of communication particularly frustrates him so he tries to use his artistic skills to get his message out. It certainly kept me guessing and made me think about the issues raised...as the author no doubt intended..I guess I enjoyed the experience but I was also kinda disturbed by that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2022
Nothing special in this meagre collection, very dated views and values, probably only for real fans of Knight.
No one tale stood out for me and to be honest I can barely recall any of them.
No one tale stood out for me and to be honest I can barely recall any of them.
October 22, 2022
Thought provoking short stories, all quite unique.
December 6, 2024
Good old conceptual SF with a healthy dose of humour.
July 23, 2014
This along with Far out (watch this space) were two books I collected when I bought a job lot of science fiction books. To be honest I had not until now read much if any of Damon Knight - I knew the name as he seemed to have cropped up in numerous short story anthologies as either editor or contributor but this is the first time I have read an entire book of his work.
And to be honest I am quite surprised - yes he is most definitely of a specific age in science fiction - I guess to some it would be called the golden age, however he handles it with style and ease, the short stories vary greatly in subject, each were easy to read and compelling - I am quite surprised that I have not read his work sooner or that he has greater fame, but then again I guess that could be said of many an author - well I shall certainly be adding him to my watch list.
And to be honest I am quite surprised - yes he is most definitely of a specific age in science fiction - I guess to some it would be called the golden age, however he handles it with style and ease, the short stories vary greatly in subject, each were easy to read and compelling - I am quite surprised that I have not read his work sooner or that he has greater fame, but then again I guess that could be said of many an author - well I shall certainly be adding him to my watch list.
August 30, 2020
Awful cover, good stories! Beachcomber is one of my all-time favourite short stories, and the Country of the Kind is a semi-classic (apparently, though I'm not too sure why). Knight is a master crafter, though the prose is straight-forward but it never wastes space, and the stories are often wry, on the nose, and deeply cynical of human beings.
books-with-go-references
May 30, 2010Go ref: p. 10 [in story "Four in One":]; by the mid twenty-first century, the board had grown to 30x30; three paragraph description, then used as an analogy for space expansion by two empires.
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March 4, 2017SF ANTHOLOGY
January 4, 2014
Dark, creepy, and fun!
August 13, 2016
Trying to figure out what they are dealing with. Old school sci-fi of the sort I enjoy.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews