What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wesleyan Anthology of Science Fiction
The Wesleyan Anthology of Science Fiction features over a 150 years' worth of the best science fiction ever collected in a single volume. The fifty-two stories and critical introductions are organized chronologically as well as thematically for classroom use. Filled with luminous ideas, otherworldly adventures, and startling futuristic speculations, these stories will appeal to all readers as they chart the emergence and evolution of science fiction as a modern literary genre. They also provide a fascinating look at how our Western technoculture has imaginatively expressed its hopes and fears from the Industrial Revolution of the nineteenth century to the digital age of today. A free online teacher's guide accompanies the anthology and offers access to a host of pedagogical aids for using this book in an academic setting.
The stories in this anthology have been selected and introduced by the editors of Science Fiction Studies, the world's most respected journal for the critical study of science fiction.
The stories in this anthology have been selected and introduced by the editors of Science Fiction Studies, the world's most respected journal for the critical study of science fiction.
792 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
61 people are currently reading
948 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
December 17, 2016
How do you even review a 760-page book comprising 52 short stories that is meant to offer a comprehensive look at the genre for the purposes of teaching? I don’t know.
The Ben of seven years ago would have rated each story out of 5 stars and taken the average, but ain’t nobody got time for that these days. It took me over a year to read this anthology—because if I had torn straight through it, I might have torn out my hair. I’m not built for anthologies; I need the slow, simmering build-up of novels and sweet, sweet payoff of character development. That being said, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the short story form is where one can find some of the best and brightest science fiction. The Wesleyan Anthology of Science Fiction certainly proves this.
I could try to highlight my very favourite stories, but that would still probably be excessive. At 52, there is a lot to choose from. There are only 14 women authors in the selection, but I think it’s admirable the editors tried to include several earlier women who were at the forefront of early SF publishing. Moreover, as we get into the 1960s onwards, quite a few more women authors put in an appearance. While I think the editors might have done a little better, this anthology is far from being an all-male panel, and I appreciate that.
Before I get into talking about some of the individual stories, however, I also want to mention that this book comes with two tables of contents. The first is a chronological listing, which is how the stories are organized in the actual text. The second table of contents is a thematic listing, along the lines of “Alien Encounters”, “Apocalypse and Post-apocalypse”, etc. This is a sweet idea, especially because this is obviously a teaching anthology. (The inclusion of a link to a teaching guide helps with that last part, too.) I read the stories chronologically, which has its own benefits, but I could easily see someone choosing to read, say, all the stories about “Time Travel and Alternate History” to get a brief overview of some of those ideas.
The introduction provided before each story is great too. It gives me just enough information about each author, including highlights of their works, without overstaying its welcome. I also like how it introduces the specific piece without spoiling too much. The actual introduction to the overall book is your typical university course textbook introduction: if you are a student of a course, it’s probably something you want to read so you can quote from it in your midterm paper. Otherwise, you are probably wise to skip it. Unless you can’t sleep?
OK, but since you really want to know some favourites….
I liked a lot of the early ones just because I have not read as much early SF, so it was nice to expose myself to these stories and their styles. “Rappaccini’s Daughter” is fascinating just because of its age. I am familiar, of course, with the tracing of the provenance of SF back towards Frankenstein, but it was nice to learn about an almost-as-old story I hadn’t heard of. I also enjoyed “Thunder and Roses”, by Theodore Sturgeon, so obviously inspired by the military life during the Second World War.
The collection includes some classics, like Cordwainer Smith’s “The Game of Rat and Dragon” (which, to be honest, I’m not much of a fan of) and one of my favourite time travel stories, the amazing “‘All You Zombies—’”, by Robert Heinlein, which also features some very interesting titular punctuation. And who can forget “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale”, by Philip K. Dick?
Maybe one of the more useful aspects of this anthology for someone who is not a student is the exposure to authors I mean to read but haven’t yet. For example, Carol Emshwiller, Pat Cadigan, and Kate Wilhelm are all on my list. Wilhelm’s “Forever Yours, Anna” is a neat time-travel story, and while “‘All You Zombies—’” is an elegant depiction of paradox, there is just something so beautiful about Wilhelm’s time travel mystery/romance. I recall enjoying this story and not wanting it to end, far more so than a lot of the entries in this collection.
I don’t think there are any bad stories in this collection. There are some I didn’t personally like much, but even then I can see their merit as stories and works of literature; it’s just that neither their characters nor their plots held my interest. Perhaps half the fun of this book is arguing with the other people who have read it which stories are the best (the other half being bludgeoning your opponent with the sheer weight of this tome—definitely the definition of a doorstopper).
As a teacher, I love collections like this. It’s well-rounded, clearly carefully curated. I don’t get much of a chance to teach science fiction short stories in my English classes, though I tend to sneak some in there when I can (I love opening a unit on short stories with Vanessa Torline’s “#TrainFightTuesday” just because it is so deliciously atypical in its form). Still, this is a great resource, both in how it augments my understanding of the genre as a whole, and in its ability to offer up story ideas no matter what theme or era I’m interested in covering at the moment.
Definitely recommend for teachers, SF fans who want to dive deeper, and people with doors that keep closing on them.
The Ben of seven years ago would have rated each story out of 5 stars and taken the average, but ain’t nobody got time for that these days. It took me over a year to read this anthology—because if I had torn straight through it, I might have torn out my hair. I’m not built for anthologies; I need the slow, simmering build-up of novels and sweet, sweet payoff of character development. That being said, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the short story form is where one can find some of the best and brightest science fiction. The Wesleyan Anthology of Science Fiction certainly proves this.
I could try to highlight my very favourite stories, but that would still probably be excessive. At 52, there is a lot to choose from. There are only 14 women authors in the selection, but I think it’s admirable the editors tried to include several earlier women who were at the forefront of early SF publishing. Moreover, as we get into the 1960s onwards, quite a few more women authors put in an appearance. While I think the editors might have done a little better, this anthology is far from being an all-male panel, and I appreciate that.
Before I get into talking about some of the individual stories, however, I also want to mention that this book comes with two tables of contents. The first is a chronological listing, which is how the stories are organized in the actual text. The second table of contents is a thematic listing, along the lines of “Alien Encounters”, “Apocalypse and Post-apocalypse”, etc. This is a sweet idea, especially because this is obviously a teaching anthology. (The inclusion of a link to a teaching guide helps with that last part, too.) I read the stories chronologically, which has its own benefits, but I could easily see someone choosing to read, say, all the stories about “Time Travel and Alternate History” to get a brief overview of some of those ideas.
The introduction provided before each story is great too. It gives me just enough information about each author, including highlights of their works, without overstaying its welcome. I also like how it introduces the specific piece without spoiling too much. The actual introduction to the overall book is your typical university course textbook introduction: if you are a student of a course, it’s probably something you want to read so you can quote from it in your midterm paper. Otherwise, you are probably wise to skip it. Unless you can’t sleep?
OK, but since you really want to know some favourites….
I liked a lot of the early ones just because I have not read as much early SF, so it was nice to expose myself to these stories and their styles. “Rappaccini’s Daughter” is fascinating just because of its age. I am familiar, of course, with the tracing of the provenance of SF back towards Frankenstein, but it was nice to learn about an almost-as-old story I hadn’t heard of. I also enjoyed “Thunder and Roses”, by Theodore Sturgeon, so obviously inspired by the military life during the Second World War.
The collection includes some classics, like Cordwainer Smith’s “The Game of Rat and Dragon” (which, to be honest, I’m not much of a fan of) and one of my favourite time travel stories, the amazing “‘All You Zombies—’”, by Robert Heinlein, which also features some very interesting titular punctuation. And who can forget “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale”, by Philip K. Dick?
Maybe one of the more useful aspects of this anthology for someone who is not a student is the exposure to authors I mean to read but haven’t yet. For example, Carol Emshwiller, Pat Cadigan, and Kate Wilhelm are all on my list. Wilhelm’s “Forever Yours, Anna” is a neat time-travel story, and while “‘All You Zombies—’” is an elegant depiction of paradox, there is just something so beautiful about Wilhelm’s time travel mystery/romance. I recall enjoying this story and not wanting it to end, far more so than a lot of the entries in this collection.
I don’t think there are any bad stories in this collection. There are some I didn’t personally like much, but even then I can see their merit as stories and works of literature; it’s just that neither their characters nor their plots held my interest. Perhaps half the fun of this book is arguing with the other people who have read it which stories are the best (the other half being bludgeoning your opponent with the sheer weight of this tome—definitely the definition of a doorstopper).
As a teacher, I love collections like this. It’s well-rounded, clearly carefully curated. I don’t get much of a chance to teach science fiction short stories in my English classes, though I tend to sneak some in there when I can (I love opening a unit on short stories with Vanessa Torline’s “#TrainFightTuesday” just because it is so deliciously atypical in its form). Still, this is a great resource, both in how it augments my understanding of the genre as a whole, and in its ability to offer up story ideas no matter what theme or era I’m interested in covering at the moment.
Definitely recommend for teachers, SF fans who want to dive deeper, and people with doors that keep closing on them.
February 22, 2013
As an attempt to offer a survey of (mostly 20th century) short science fiction, this anthology is quite successful. Since with a book like this it's almost impossible to make any significant assessment that doesn't boil down to simply preference, I will simply list those stories I liked best out of the collection, followed by some choice quotations.
Stories I liked
Please do not take this list as an endorsement that only these stories should be read. All of the stories in this book are worth reading. These are just the ones that struck me in a particular way. They are listed in chronological order (the order they appear in the book).
"Rappaccini's Daughter" – Nathaniel Hawthorne
"The Machine Stops" – E. M. Forster
"Shambleau" – C. L. Moore
"Reason" – Isaac Asimov
"Desertion" – Clifford D. Simak
"That Only a Mother" – Judith Merrill
"There Will Come Soft Rains" – Ray Bradbury
"Fondly Fahrenheit" – Alfred Bester
"All You Zombies—" – Robert A. Heinlein
"'Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman" – Harlan Ellison
"The Heat Death of the Universe" – Pamela Zoline
"Super-Toys Last All Summer Long" – Brian Aldiss (way better than the movie A.I. that was based on it)
"Nine Lives" – Ursula K. Le Guin
"Speech Sounds – Octavia Butler
"Forever Yours, Anna" – Kate Wilhelm
"Computer Friendly" – Eileen Gunn
"Useful Phrases" – Gene Wolfe
"Closer" – Greg Egan
"Everywhere" – Geoff Ryman
"Exhalation" – Ted Chiang
Quotations
(Taken out of context, not necessarily related to the list above, and presented in the order they appear.)
Why spend physical energy in combative strife for something we do not wish…? – "The Conquest of Gola," Leslie F. Stone
No planet, no universe, is greater to a man than his own ego, his own observing self. – "Thunder and Roses," Theodore Sturgeon
I finally realized that I was not speculating about masks in general, but about what lay behind one in particular. That's the devil of the things; you're never sure whether a girl is heightening loveliness or hiding ugliness. – "Coming Attraction," Fritz Leiber
…but there are times when a scientist must not be afraid to make a fool of himself. – "The Sentinel," Arthur C. Clarke
…the old are often insanely jealous of the young. – "The Sentinel," Arthur C. Clarke
Live in the world around you. – "'Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman," Harlan Ellison
…but face it, most of the things we call "sexy" are symbolic, you know, except perhaps an exhibitionist's open fly. – "Day Million," Frederik Pohl
It is people that make stories, not the circumstances they find themselves in. – "Day Million," Frederik Pohl
There are times when you must walk by yourself because it hurts so much to be alone. – "Aye, and Gomorrah…," Samuel R. Delany
"I want you because you can't want me." – "Aye, and Gomorrah…," Samuel R. Delany
We can't afford to tease and run. – "Passengers," Robert Silverberg
An overcrowded world is the ideal place in which to be lonely. – "Super-Toys Last All Summer Long," Brian Aldiss
Did repetition of the individual negate individuality? – "Nine Lives," Ursula K. Le Guin
When one culture has the big guns and the other has none, there is a certain predictability about the outcome. – "When it Changed," Joanna Russ
Nobody wants to spend eternity alone. – "Closer," Greg Egan
You know, all the evil in the world, all the sadness comes from not having a good answer to that question: what do I do next? – "Everywhere," Geoff Ryman
…through the act of reading my words, the patterns that form your thoughts become an imitation of the patterns that once formed mine. And in that way I live again, through you. – "Exhalation," Ted Chiang
Stories I liked
Please do not take this list as an endorsement that only these stories should be read. All of the stories in this book are worth reading. These are just the ones that struck me in a particular way. They are listed in chronological order (the order they appear in the book).
"Rappaccini's Daughter" – Nathaniel Hawthorne
"The Machine Stops" – E. M. Forster
"Shambleau" – C. L. Moore
"Reason" – Isaac Asimov
"Desertion" – Clifford D. Simak
"That Only a Mother" – Judith Merrill
"There Will Come Soft Rains" – Ray Bradbury
"Fondly Fahrenheit" – Alfred Bester
"All You Zombies—" – Robert A. Heinlein
"'Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman" – Harlan Ellison
"The Heat Death of the Universe" – Pamela Zoline
"Super-Toys Last All Summer Long" – Brian Aldiss (way better than the movie A.I. that was based on it)
"Nine Lives" – Ursula K. Le Guin
"Speech Sounds – Octavia Butler
"Forever Yours, Anna" – Kate Wilhelm
"Computer Friendly" – Eileen Gunn
"Useful Phrases" – Gene Wolfe
"Closer" – Greg Egan
"Everywhere" – Geoff Ryman
"Exhalation" – Ted Chiang
Quotations
(Taken out of context, not necessarily related to the list above, and presented in the order they appear.)
Why spend physical energy in combative strife for something we do not wish…? – "The Conquest of Gola," Leslie F. Stone
No planet, no universe, is greater to a man than his own ego, his own observing self. – "Thunder and Roses," Theodore Sturgeon
I finally realized that I was not speculating about masks in general, but about what lay behind one in particular. That's the devil of the things; you're never sure whether a girl is heightening loveliness or hiding ugliness. – "Coming Attraction," Fritz Leiber
…but there are times when a scientist must not be afraid to make a fool of himself. – "The Sentinel," Arthur C. Clarke
…the old are often insanely jealous of the young. – "The Sentinel," Arthur C. Clarke
Live in the world around you. – "'Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman," Harlan Ellison
…but face it, most of the things we call "sexy" are symbolic, you know, except perhaps an exhibitionist's open fly. – "Day Million," Frederik Pohl
It is people that make stories, not the circumstances they find themselves in. – "Day Million," Frederik Pohl
There are times when you must walk by yourself because it hurts so much to be alone. – "Aye, and Gomorrah…," Samuel R. Delany
"I want you because you can't want me." – "Aye, and Gomorrah…," Samuel R. Delany
We can't afford to tease and run. – "Passengers," Robert Silverberg
An overcrowded world is the ideal place in which to be lonely. – "Super-Toys Last All Summer Long," Brian Aldiss
Did repetition of the individual negate individuality? – "Nine Lives," Ursula K. Le Guin
When one culture has the big guns and the other has none, there is a certain predictability about the outcome. – "When it Changed," Joanna Russ
Nobody wants to spend eternity alone. – "Closer," Greg Egan
You know, all the evil in the world, all the sadness comes from not having a good answer to that question: what do I do next? – "Everywhere," Geoff Ryman
…through the act of reading my words, the patterns that form your thoughts become an imitation of the patterns that once formed mine. And in that way I live again, through you. – "Exhalation," Ted Chiang
February 20, 2011
I grew up reading anthologies like this... from throwaway "year's best" books and themed groupings by the editor-of-the-month, to the enduring greats by editors like Groff Conklin, Anthony Boucher, Terry Carr, Robert Silverberg, Isaac Asimov and Ben Bova. This book, I think, would stand up well in comparison to any of these... Spanning more than a century, The Wesleyan Anthology of Science Fiction collects carefully-chosen short stories from authors ranging from Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1844, through Ted Chiang in 2008, and every one is a solid, justifiable choice.
While the editors' introductions to the stories are sometimes a bit too dry and academic, it is a teaching anthology, after all. There is a second table of contents arranged by theme, as well as an extensive bibliography. And while many of the stories herein have previously been collected elsewhere, I found it fun to revisit the ones I'd already read... and there were several gems I had not run across before.
It makes me a little sad to see how many of the writers in this volume have already passed away (each Introduction carefully includes both birth and, where applicable, death dates for each author); this is most definitely a backward-looking volume. Very few of the authors included here were born after 1960. Nevertheless, this solid compendium would be a fine introduction to science fiction for just about anyone, and has something to offer even to seasoned veterans in the field.
While the editors' introductions to the stories are sometimes a bit too dry and academic, it is a teaching anthology, after all. There is a second table of contents arranged by theme, as well as an extensive bibliography. And while many of the stories herein have previously been collected elsewhere, I found it fun to revisit the ones I'd already read... and there were several gems I had not run across before.
It makes me a little sad to see how many of the writers in this volume have already passed away (each Introduction carefully includes both birth and, where applicable, death dates for each author); this is most definitely a backward-looking volume. Very few of the authors included here were born after 1960. Nevertheless, this solid compendium would be a fine introduction to science fiction for just about anyone, and has something to offer even to seasoned veterans in the field.
June 6, 2012
A great collection of sci-fi stories. It includes many classics you might have already read, but would enjoy reading again, and many stories that should be classics some day. It works hard to include many different sub-categories of sci-fi, and includes lots of information on each author and historical background to help understand the stories.
May 10, 2018
Fifty-two authors, from Nathaniel Hawthorne to Ted Chiang, with one of their short stories (or excerpt from a longer story in some cases). They are presented in chronological order, but the book also categories them by the theme, so I'll review each theme along with the story I like:
Alien Encounters
The Sentinel by Arthur C. Clarke
Among the stories that strive to present yet another weird creatures, this classic shines.
Robert Silverberg's Passengers was interesting, too.
Apocalypse and Post-apocalypse
The Star by H.G. Wells
Okay, another classic . . . but I like the last paragraph.
Artificial / Posthuman Life-forms
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein should be here, but the book ignores it in favor of Hawthorne's Rappaccini's Daughter, which is well-written, but consider this: Rappaccini, a scientist, doesn't intentionally change his daughter's nature, whereas Dr. Frankenstein intentionally assembles his monster. To me, it's clear which qualifies more as SF.
Among the stories included in this anthology, I like Reason by Isaac Asimov and Super-Toys Last All Summer Long by Brian Aldiss.
Computers and Virtual Reality
The previous category for AI overlaps with this category; it seems the anthology wanted to put cyberpunks in another group. Pat Cadigan's Pretty Boy Crossover presents an interesting question about mortality (or immortality).
Evolution and Environment
This is another messy category. Obviously, the environmental concerns are present in apocalypse stories as well, and evolution is often told in posthuman stories. Also, somewhere there must be animal evolution (or new animals) category; it's not just humans that evolve.
I'll mention Clifford Simak's Desertion here. (It's a mystery to me how the author got away with a title like this in 1944.)
Gender and Sexuality
The Heat Death of the Universe by Pamela Zoline
The experimental style takes a bit of getting used to it, but it's brilliant. I might start using this story to verify men.
Closer by Greg Egan
More about identity in posthuman existence.
Time Travel and Alternate History
Time travel stories tend to be shallow, and in my opinion, there needs to be a good theme besides it to make the story work. John Varley's Air Raid fills the bill; also about evolution.
Btw the best time travel novel I know is Replay.
Just one Alt History story ...
Utopias/Dystopias
The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster
According to this anthology, this is the only SF Forster wrote. A bit unusual (like the spoiler title) but it's insightful.
War and Conflict
Don't know why this category is set up separately from apocalypse . . . And I'm rather surprised there aren't any stories about new types of mass-destruction weapons, such as biochemical.
We See Things Differently by Bruce Sterling
Although the author missed a few points, such as not expecting Japan's decline (in the story, the US is in economic decline; then Japan has to go down as well because it thrived by trading with the US) and the political demagogue /rock star being black (the band features the original US flag; such group, as we know by now, would likely be white suprematist), his assessment is quite accurate, and the story is brilliant.
All in all, it's a delight to see such variety of voice and style. Excellent volume to get to know science fiction and the major authors (especially older ones).
Alien Encounters
The Sentinel by Arthur C. Clarke
Among the stories that strive to present yet another weird creatures, this classic shines.
Robert Silverberg's Passengers was interesting, too.
Apocalypse and Post-apocalypse
The Star by H.G. Wells
Okay, another classic . . . but I like the last paragraph.
Artificial / Posthuman Life-forms
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein should be here, but the book ignores it in favor of Hawthorne's Rappaccini's Daughter, which is well-written, but consider this: Rappaccini, a scientist, doesn't intentionally change his daughter's nature, whereas Dr. Frankenstein intentionally assembles his monster. To me, it's clear which qualifies more as SF.
Among the stories included in this anthology, I like Reason by Isaac Asimov and Super-Toys Last All Summer Long by Brian Aldiss.
Computers and Virtual Reality
The previous category for AI overlaps with this category; it seems the anthology wanted to put cyberpunks in another group. Pat Cadigan's Pretty Boy Crossover presents an interesting question about mortality (or immortality).
Evolution and Environment
This is another messy category. Obviously, the environmental concerns are present in apocalypse stories as well, and evolution is often told in posthuman stories. Also, somewhere there must be animal evolution (or new animals) category; it's not just humans that evolve.
I'll mention Clifford Simak's Desertion here. (It's a mystery to me how the author got away with a title like this in 1944.)
Gender and Sexuality
The Heat Death of the Universe by Pamela Zoline
The experimental style takes a bit of getting used to it, but it's brilliant. I might start using this story to verify men.
Closer by Greg Egan
More about identity in posthuman existence.
Time Travel and Alternate History
Time travel stories tend to be shallow, and in my opinion, there needs to be a good theme besides it to make the story work. John Varley's Air Raid fills the bill; also about evolution.
Btw the best time travel novel I know is Replay.
Just one Alt History story ...
Utopias/Dystopias
The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster
According to this anthology, this is the only SF Forster wrote. A bit unusual (like the spoiler title) but it's insightful.
War and Conflict
Don't know why this category is set up separately from apocalypse . . . And I'm rather surprised there aren't any stories about new types of mass-destruction weapons, such as biochemical.
We See Things Differently by Bruce Sterling
Although the author missed a few points, such as not expecting Japan's decline (in the story, the US is in economic decline; then Japan has to go down as well because it thrived by trading with the US) and the political demagogue /rock star being black (the band features the original US flag; such group, as we know by now, would likely be white suprematist), his assessment is quite accurate, and the story is brilliant.
All in all, it's a delight to see such variety of voice and style. Excellent volume to get to know science fiction and the major authors (especially older ones).
Want to read
September 22, 2015Reading for The Mythgard Institute's Science Fiction Part II course. Only certain stories are required, but I'd love to go through them all.
Read so far:
- "Repent, Harlequin!" said the Ticktockman. - Ellison
- We Can Remember It For You Wholesale - Dick
-Aye, and Gomorrah - Delaney
- When It Changed - Joanna Russ
- Speech Sounds - Octavia Butler
- Exhalation - Ted Chiang
Read so far:
- "Repent, Harlequin!" said the Ticktockman. - Ellison
- We Can Remember It For You Wholesale - Dick
-Aye, and Gomorrah - Delaney
- When It Changed - Joanna Russ
- Speech Sounds - Octavia Butler
- Exhalation - Ted Chiang
December 8, 2017
Wonderful anthology. Enjoyed most of the stories and loved a few of them.
November 2, 2017
A good mix of science fiction short stories showing an almost year by year progression of short stories starting with a tale written in 1844 by Nathaniel Hawthorne and concluding with Exhalation by Ted Chiang. I got a serious case of the giggles from Stanislaw Lem's "The Seventh Voyage" from Star Diaries. The only story I had read before was Ray Bradbury's "There Will Come Soft Rains". This collection contains a good mixture of writings from both men and women and contains a variety of themes from apocalyptic, aliens, evolution, computer and technology, war, time travel. The anthology staff wrote very helpful introductions for each writer that explained their contributions to science fiction.
November 23, 2020
Great little (big!) anthology. Definitely aimed more at teaching and introducing to the subject.
December 2, 2024
tbh this was fun. these stories are definitely more dense than i'd probably prefer for a pleasure read but for a class assigned book you can't get much better than this.
September 1, 2021
This book is intended to be used as a textbook for the teaching of the history of science fiction, and it does so very well. With stories from 1844 to 2008, it includes pieces by almost every major sf writer of the 20th Century (notable omissions include Connie Willis and Kim Stanley Robinson). Each story has a nice introduction about the author in general and the story in particular. The drawback to this anthology is that there is nothing about other aspects of sf such as films or fandom, although the editors maintain a website with a teaching guide that links to additional information.
There are a number of seminal works in this anthology. Some have aged well and others haven't, but they all contribute to an understanding of how the genre has evolved. As a starting point to the appreciation of science fiction, this book is excellent.
Here are highlights from the 52 stories included in the book.
"Rappaccini's Daughter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne (The United States Magazine and Democratic Review, December 1844 - novelette)
3 Stars
A young man courts a woman with a mysterious secret, dooming them both to the machinations of her father, a callous scientist. The story is allegorical and depicts some of the darker aspects of human nature. It doesn’t hold up particularly well for modern readers, being somewhat wordy and not especially sophisticated.
"The Star" by H. G. Wells (The Graphic, November 1897 - short story)
4 Stars
A planetoid crashes into Neptune, causing it to form a new star. Its violent birth causes widespread disaster on Earth. Wells clearly did the math to understand how an object like this would behave, and his extrapolations of human behavior under the crisis conditions are well thought out.
"The Machine Stops" by E. M. Forster (The Oxford and Cambridge Review, Michaelmas Term 1909 - novelette)
4 Stars
In a world in which the human population has retreated underground, one man dares to discover the secret of the Earth's surface, while his mother lives a utopian life where every need is met by the Machine that runs everything. This is a cautionary tale about the dangers of an industrial world taking over an agricultural world, a valid fear in 1909. Much of the parable rings as true or perhaps truer today, when human isolation is common and communication is virtual.
"A Martian Odyssey" by Stanley G. Weinbaum (Wonder Stories, July 1934 - novelette)
4 Stars
The first crew to land on Mars encounters strange environments and stranger life forms. One of the crew crash lands his scouting plane and is rescued by an alien who superficially resembles an ostrich. Despite a language barrier, the two help each other trek across the Martian terrain to hopeful safety, while encountering benign and hostile company.
"Desertion" by Clifford D. Simak (Astounding, November 1944 - short story) 2020 Retro Hugo Award finalist
5 Stars
Ostensibly part of the City series, this story takes place entirely on a space station orbiting Jupiter. A means has been invented to change humans into beings that can withstand Jupiter's harsh environment, but every volunteer fails to come back to verify the success of the experiment. Finally, out of desperation, the project's leader (and his dog) undergo the transformation, finding results that are unimaginable. One of the great last lines in science fiction history.
"Thunder and Roses" by Theodore Sturgeon (Astounding, November 1947 - novelette)
3 Stars
This story is set in a remote military base shortly after a devastating nuclear war. The survivors are faced with the prospect of dying from airborne radiation and must decide whether to launch one last counterstrike. A famous singer arrives at the camp carrying a message of peace for the soldiers, but will they listen? If all of humanity is going to die anyway, is there a purpose in retaliating? Seeing how the characters answer these questions gives the reader plenty to think about.
"Coming Attraction" by Fritz Leiber (Galaxy Science Fiction, November 1950 - short story) 2001 Retro Hugo Award finalist
3 Stars
Another post-nuclear war story, this time positing that fashion dictates American women cover their faces with masks. A British man visiting the States makes the acquaintance of one such woman after he saves her from being run over by a car. She takes him on a date to a strange night club. The moral is that the future is bleak.
"There Will Come Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury (Collier's, May 6, 1950 - short story)
3 Stars
Yet another post-nuclear war story, which became part of Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles (1950). The story by itself has nothing to do with Mars. It tells a dark tale of an automated house on Earth that continues to go through its daily programming even though all the humans have been killed (some of their death outlines can be seen on the walls of the house).
"The Sentinel" (as "Sentinel of Eternity") by Arthur C. Clarke (10 Story Fantasy, Spring 1951 - short story)
4 Stars
This story is mostly notable as Stanley Kubrick's inspiration for 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). Nevertheless, Clarke evokes feelings of awe and wonder related to the vastness of the universe and our tiny place within it, and how a space-faring species wouldn't want to bother meeting savages who couldn't at least travel to their own moon. Whether those aliens are friends or foes is a question that may never be answered.
"The Game of Rat and Dragon" by Cordwainer Smith (Galaxy Science Fiction, October 1955 - short story) 1956 Hugo Award finalist
3 Stars
Humans and cats are linked telepathically to fight space monsters, appearing as dragons to the humans and as rats to the cats. It's a creative scenario, but not particularly interesting. The bottom line seems to be that the human-cat pairs love each other more than human-human pairs.
"All You Zombies …" by Robert A. Heinlein (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, March 1959 - short story)
5 Stars
This classic story examines the paradoxes caused by time travel. The excellent film adaptation Predestination (2014) is based on the story.
""Repent, Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman" by Harlan Ellison (Galaxy Magazine, December 1965 - short story) 1966 Hugo Award winner and 1966 Nebula Award winner
5 Stars
In a dystopian future, time is strictly regulated by the Ticktockman. Being late is a crime. So when Everett C. Marm, aka Harlequin, engages in a whimsical rebellion against deadlines, the ensuing disruptions must be dealt with harshly. This satirical story, that stretches conventional writing style, is one of the most reprinted stories of all time.
"Day Million" by Frederik Pohl (Rogue, Feb/March 1966 - short story)
4 Stars
This story is heavily influenced by the New Wave movement, being more of a stylistic thought experiment than an actual story. The lesson is that time will evolve our physicalities and mentalities in ways we cannot imagine. This story has what is certainly one of the earliest depictions of transexual humans, presented in a matter-of-fact, no-big-deal manner.
"We Can Remember It for You Wholesale" by Philip K. Dick (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, April 1966 - novelette)
5 Stars
What if one could have false memories implanted in their brain? A mild mannered clerk wants exciting memories of a trip to Mars as a super spy, but during the implant process learns that he really is a spy who went to Mars on an assassination mission. Or is this just another implanted memory? This story, filmed as Total Recall (1990), is a quintessential PKD story about whether our memories are real or we're just living in a simulation.
"Aye, and Gomorrah …" by Samuel R. Delany (Dangerous Visions, October 1967 - short story) 1968 Nebula Award winner and 1968 Hugo Award finalist
5 Stars
This is arguably the best story in Dangerous Visions, about unconventional sex practices performed by neutered astronauts (to avoid the effects of space irradiated genes) with their groupies known as "frelks". The story deals with nonbinary sex at time when society didn't acknowledge non-heterosexual sex as acceptable.
"Passengers" by Robert Silverberg (Orbit 4, December 1968 - short story) 1969 Nebula Award winner and 1969 Hugo Award finalist
4 Stars
Unseen alien entities ("Passengers") are able to take control over humans for their deviant pleasures, with the human hosts unable to remember what they did while being ridden—until one day a man spots a woman who he met while being ridden and with whom he then tries to strike up a relationship.
"Super-Toys Last All Summer Long" by Brian Aldiss (Harper's Bazaar, December 1969 - short story)
4 Stars
In an overpopulated world people are more lonely than ever, resorting to intelligent toys and robots to provide companionship. The resulting question of what is real and what is not is a question that could have easily come from the pen of Philip K. Dick. This story is the kernel for A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001).
"Nine Lives" by Ursula K. Le Guin (Playboy, November 1969 - novelette) 1970 Nebula Award finalist
4 Stars
On a desolate mining world, two humans work with a set of ten identical clones (5 males and 5 female). The alienness of the clones is accentuated when nine of them die in an earthquake. The survivors cope with this tragedy in a variety of ways, but ultimately come to terms with their grief.
"When It Changed" by Joanna Russ (Again, Dangerous Visions, March 1972 - short story) 1973 Nebula Award winner and 1973 Hugo Award finalist
3 Stars
I'm sure this was a radical piece of sf when it was first published, but this tale of an all-female planet being invaded by men seems dated by today's standards, which in a way is a good thing. Today's writers are free to write about diverse cultures of all kinds, thanks in large part to writers like Russ who first broke the unwritten rules concerning gender and sexuality.
"And I Awoke and Found Me Here on the Cold Hill's Side" by James Tiptree, Jr. (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, March 1972 - short story) 1973 Hugo Award finalist and Nebula Award finalist
2 Stars
I'm sure this was quite radical when it was written fifty years ago, but I just couldn't find much to like about it today. I don't need to read about how perverse human (especially male) sexuality is. About the only thing I appreciated was that aliens are depicted with a wide variety of sexual behaviors, unlike Star Trek, for example, where humans and aliens seemingly have no barriers to sex.
"Air Raid" by John Varley (as by Herb Boehm) (Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Spring 1977 - short story) 1978 Hugo Award finalist and 1978 Nebula Award finalist
5 Stars
Horribly sick and deformed inhabitants of an environmentally degraded future earth travel back to the current era to rescue victims of mass disasters just before their deaths to provide healthy human stock to keep the species alive. Expanded into the novel Millennium (1983) (1984 Hugo Award finalist) which was adapted into the film Millennium (1989).
“Burning Chrome” by William Gibson (Omni, July 1982 - novelette) 1983 Nebula Award finalist
4 Stars
This is one of the first cyberpunk stories, introducing terms such as cyberspace and matrix (but not hacker). At its heart this is a story about unrequited love, built around a society filled with outsiders and con artists.
"Speech Sounds" by Octavia E. Butler (Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Mid-December 1983 - short story) 1984 Hugo Award winner
4 Stars
An unspecified plague causes people to lose some of their abilities; the narrator, for example, forgets how to read, and some other characters lose their ability to talk. Society has devolved into chaos and the protagonist must fend off trouble with the help of a good Samaritan. A bleak, but ultimately hopeful, look at a future.
"Out of All Them Bright Stars" by Nancy Kress (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, March 1985 - short story) 1986 Nebula Award winner
4 Stars
This is little more than a vignette, but it has a powerful message. A waitress in a rural diner interacts with a lone alien who wanders in. The alien is a metaphor for all the oppressed minorities of the world. All he wants is to "make a difference," but the bigots and bullies of the world, typified by the diner's owner and the government agents who eventually escort him away, won't let him.
"Pretty Boy Crossover" by Pat Cadigan (Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, January 1986 - short story) 1987 Nebula Award finalist
3 Stars
This story examines the ethical considerations of transferring one's memories and personality into a virtual simulation. Is it a utopia or is it a curse?
"Forever Yours, Anna" by Kate Willhelm (Omni, July 1987 - short story) 1988 Nebula Award winner and 1988 Hugo Award finalist
4 Stars
A handwriting expert is hired to examine some letters by a missing woman in hopes of finding clues to her whereabouts. Where, or rather when, he finds her sets up an improbable love triangle.
"Computer Friendly" by Eileen Gunn (Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, June 1989 - short story) 1990 Hugo Award finalist
4 Stars
Seven-year-olds are tested for intelligence, sociability, and physical fitness. Those that pass are kept in school to eventually be jacked into a network to help society's computer controllers do their work. Those that do not pass may be sent to an "Asia" (as in euthanasia) center so their parents can "try again." One plucky girl goes into the network to try and save her friends from that fate.
"Think Like a Dinosaur" by James Patrick Kelly (Asimov's Science Fiction, June 1995 - novelette) 1996 Hugo Award winner and Nebula Award finalist
4 Stars
This has a similar premise as the novelette "The Cold Equations" (1954) by Tom Godwin. When a matter duplicator/transmitter leaves the original person behind, a balance must be maintained, but at what cost? Can a human think like an alien and just look at the cold equation?
"Exhalation" by Ted Chiang (Eclipse Two: New Science Fiction and Fantasy, October 2008 - short story) 2009 Hugo Award winner
5 Stars
This is a beautiful metaphor on the transitory nature of life in the universe—entropy is always the winner. "Contemplate the marvel that is existence, and rejoice that you are able to do so."
There are a number of seminal works in this anthology. Some have aged well and others haven't, but they all contribute to an understanding of how the genre has evolved. As a starting point to the appreciation of science fiction, this book is excellent.
Here are highlights from the 52 stories included in the book.
"Rappaccini's Daughter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne (The United States Magazine and Democratic Review, December 1844 - novelette)
3 Stars
A young man courts a woman with a mysterious secret, dooming them both to the machinations of her father, a callous scientist. The story is allegorical and depicts some of the darker aspects of human nature. It doesn’t hold up particularly well for modern readers, being somewhat wordy and not especially sophisticated.
"The Star" by H. G. Wells (The Graphic, November 1897 - short story)
4 Stars
A planetoid crashes into Neptune, causing it to form a new star. Its violent birth causes widespread disaster on Earth. Wells clearly did the math to understand how an object like this would behave, and his extrapolations of human behavior under the crisis conditions are well thought out.
"The Machine Stops" by E. M. Forster (The Oxford and Cambridge Review, Michaelmas Term 1909 - novelette)
4 Stars
In a world in which the human population has retreated underground, one man dares to discover the secret of the Earth's surface, while his mother lives a utopian life where every need is met by the Machine that runs everything. This is a cautionary tale about the dangers of an industrial world taking over an agricultural world, a valid fear in 1909. Much of the parable rings as true or perhaps truer today, when human isolation is common and communication is virtual.
"A Martian Odyssey" by Stanley G. Weinbaum (Wonder Stories, July 1934 - novelette)
4 Stars
The first crew to land on Mars encounters strange environments and stranger life forms. One of the crew crash lands his scouting plane and is rescued by an alien who superficially resembles an ostrich. Despite a language barrier, the two help each other trek across the Martian terrain to hopeful safety, while encountering benign and hostile company.
"Desertion" by Clifford D. Simak (Astounding, November 1944 - short story) 2020 Retro Hugo Award finalist
5 Stars
Ostensibly part of the City series, this story takes place entirely on a space station orbiting Jupiter. A means has been invented to change humans into beings that can withstand Jupiter's harsh environment, but every volunteer fails to come back to verify the success of the experiment. Finally, out of desperation, the project's leader (and his dog) undergo the transformation, finding results that are unimaginable. One of the great last lines in science fiction history.
"Thunder and Roses" by Theodore Sturgeon (Astounding, November 1947 - novelette)
3 Stars
This story is set in a remote military base shortly after a devastating nuclear war. The survivors are faced with the prospect of dying from airborne radiation and must decide whether to launch one last counterstrike. A famous singer arrives at the camp carrying a message of peace for the soldiers, but will they listen? If all of humanity is going to die anyway, is there a purpose in retaliating? Seeing how the characters answer these questions gives the reader plenty to think about.
"Coming Attraction" by Fritz Leiber (Galaxy Science Fiction, November 1950 - short story) 2001 Retro Hugo Award finalist
3 Stars
Another post-nuclear war story, this time positing that fashion dictates American women cover their faces with masks. A British man visiting the States makes the acquaintance of one such woman after he saves her from being run over by a car. She takes him on a date to a strange night club. The moral is that the future is bleak.
"There Will Come Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury (Collier's, May 6, 1950 - short story)
3 Stars
Yet another post-nuclear war story, which became part of Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles (1950). The story by itself has nothing to do with Mars. It tells a dark tale of an automated house on Earth that continues to go through its daily programming even though all the humans have been killed (some of their death outlines can be seen on the walls of the house).
"The Sentinel" (as "Sentinel of Eternity") by Arthur C. Clarke (10 Story Fantasy, Spring 1951 - short story)
4 Stars
This story is mostly notable as Stanley Kubrick's inspiration for 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). Nevertheless, Clarke evokes feelings of awe and wonder related to the vastness of the universe and our tiny place within it, and how a space-faring species wouldn't want to bother meeting savages who couldn't at least travel to their own moon. Whether those aliens are friends or foes is a question that may never be answered.
"The Game of Rat and Dragon" by Cordwainer Smith (Galaxy Science Fiction, October 1955 - short story) 1956 Hugo Award finalist
3 Stars
Humans and cats are linked telepathically to fight space monsters, appearing as dragons to the humans and as rats to the cats. It's a creative scenario, but not particularly interesting. The bottom line seems to be that the human-cat pairs love each other more than human-human pairs.
"All You Zombies …" by Robert A. Heinlein (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, March 1959 - short story)
5 Stars
This classic story examines the paradoxes caused by time travel. The excellent film adaptation Predestination (2014) is based on the story.
""Repent, Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman" by Harlan Ellison (Galaxy Magazine, December 1965 - short story) 1966 Hugo Award winner and 1966 Nebula Award winner
5 Stars
In a dystopian future, time is strictly regulated by the Ticktockman. Being late is a crime. So when Everett C. Marm, aka Harlequin, engages in a whimsical rebellion against deadlines, the ensuing disruptions must be dealt with harshly. This satirical story, that stretches conventional writing style, is one of the most reprinted stories of all time.
"Day Million" by Frederik Pohl (Rogue, Feb/March 1966 - short story)
4 Stars
This story is heavily influenced by the New Wave movement, being more of a stylistic thought experiment than an actual story. The lesson is that time will evolve our physicalities and mentalities in ways we cannot imagine. This story has what is certainly one of the earliest depictions of transexual humans, presented in a matter-of-fact, no-big-deal manner.
"We Can Remember It for You Wholesale" by Philip K. Dick (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, April 1966 - novelette)
5 Stars
What if one could have false memories implanted in their brain? A mild mannered clerk wants exciting memories of a trip to Mars as a super spy, but during the implant process learns that he really is a spy who went to Mars on an assassination mission. Or is this just another implanted memory? This story, filmed as Total Recall (1990), is a quintessential PKD story about whether our memories are real or we're just living in a simulation.
"Aye, and Gomorrah …" by Samuel R. Delany (Dangerous Visions, October 1967 - short story) 1968 Nebula Award winner and 1968 Hugo Award finalist
5 Stars
This is arguably the best story in Dangerous Visions, about unconventional sex practices performed by neutered astronauts (to avoid the effects of space irradiated genes) with their groupies known as "frelks". The story deals with nonbinary sex at time when society didn't acknowledge non-heterosexual sex as acceptable.
"Passengers" by Robert Silverberg (Orbit 4, December 1968 - short story) 1969 Nebula Award winner and 1969 Hugo Award finalist
4 Stars
Unseen alien entities ("Passengers") are able to take control over humans for their deviant pleasures, with the human hosts unable to remember what they did while being ridden—until one day a man spots a woman who he met while being ridden and with whom he then tries to strike up a relationship.
"Super-Toys Last All Summer Long" by Brian Aldiss (Harper's Bazaar, December 1969 - short story)
4 Stars
In an overpopulated world people are more lonely than ever, resorting to intelligent toys and robots to provide companionship. The resulting question of what is real and what is not is a question that could have easily come from the pen of Philip K. Dick. This story is the kernel for A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001).
"Nine Lives" by Ursula K. Le Guin (Playboy, November 1969 - novelette) 1970 Nebula Award finalist
4 Stars
On a desolate mining world, two humans work with a set of ten identical clones (5 males and 5 female). The alienness of the clones is accentuated when nine of them die in an earthquake. The survivors cope with this tragedy in a variety of ways, but ultimately come to terms with their grief.
"When It Changed" by Joanna Russ (Again, Dangerous Visions, March 1972 - short story) 1973 Nebula Award winner and 1973 Hugo Award finalist
3 Stars
I'm sure this was a radical piece of sf when it was first published, but this tale of an all-female planet being invaded by men seems dated by today's standards, which in a way is a good thing. Today's writers are free to write about diverse cultures of all kinds, thanks in large part to writers like Russ who first broke the unwritten rules concerning gender and sexuality.
"And I Awoke and Found Me Here on the Cold Hill's Side" by James Tiptree, Jr. (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, March 1972 - short story) 1973 Hugo Award finalist and Nebula Award finalist
2 Stars
I'm sure this was quite radical when it was written fifty years ago, but I just couldn't find much to like about it today. I don't need to read about how perverse human (especially male) sexuality is. About the only thing I appreciated was that aliens are depicted with a wide variety of sexual behaviors, unlike Star Trek, for example, where humans and aliens seemingly have no barriers to sex.
"Air Raid" by John Varley (as by Herb Boehm) (Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Spring 1977 - short story) 1978 Hugo Award finalist and 1978 Nebula Award finalist
5 Stars
Horribly sick and deformed inhabitants of an environmentally degraded future earth travel back to the current era to rescue victims of mass disasters just before their deaths to provide healthy human stock to keep the species alive. Expanded into the novel Millennium (1983) (1984 Hugo Award finalist) which was adapted into the film Millennium (1989).
“Burning Chrome” by William Gibson (Omni, July 1982 - novelette) 1983 Nebula Award finalist
4 Stars
This is one of the first cyberpunk stories, introducing terms such as cyberspace and matrix (but not hacker). At its heart this is a story about unrequited love, built around a society filled with outsiders and con artists.
"Speech Sounds" by Octavia E. Butler (Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Mid-December 1983 - short story) 1984 Hugo Award winner
4 Stars
An unspecified plague causes people to lose some of their abilities; the narrator, for example, forgets how to read, and some other characters lose their ability to talk. Society has devolved into chaos and the protagonist must fend off trouble with the help of a good Samaritan. A bleak, but ultimately hopeful, look at a future.
"Out of All Them Bright Stars" by Nancy Kress (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, March 1985 - short story) 1986 Nebula Award winner
4 Stars
This is little more than a vignette, but it has a powerful message. A waitress in a rural diner interacts with a lone alien who wanders in. The alien is a metaphor for all the oppressed minorities of the world. All he wants is to "make a difference," but the bigots and bullies of the world, typified by the diner's owner and the government agents who eventually escort him away, won't let him.
"Pretty Boy Crossover" by Pat Cadigan (Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, January 1986 - short story) 1987 Nebula Award finalist
3 Stars
This story examines the ethical considerations of transferring one's memories and personality into a virtual simulation. Is it a utopia or is it a curse?
"Forever Yours, Anna" by Kate Willhelm (Omni, July 1987 - short story) 1988 Nebula Award winner and 1988 Hugo Award finalist
4 Stars
A handwriting expert is hired to examine some letters by a missing woman in hopes of finding clues to her whereabouts. Where, or rather when, he finds her sets up an improbable love triangle.
"Computer Friendly" by Eileen Gunn (Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, June 1989 - short story) 1990 Hugo Award finalist
4 Stars
Seven-year-olds are tested for intelligence, sociability, and physical fitness. Those that pass are kept in school to eventually be jacked into a network to help society's computer controllers do their work. Those that do not pass may be sent to an "Asia" (as in euthanasia) center so their parents can "try again." One plucky girl goes into the network to try and save her friends from that fate.
"Think Like a Dinosaur" by James Patrick Kelly (Asimov's Science Fiction, June 1995 - novelette) 1996 Hugo Award winner and Nebula Award finalist
4 Stars
This has a similar premise as the novelette "The Cold Equations" (1954) by Tom Godwin. When a matter duplicator/transmitter leaves the original person behind, a balance must be maintained, but at what cost? Can a human think like an alien and just look at the cold equation?
"Exhalation" by Ted Chiang (Eclipse Two: New Science Fiction and Fantasy, October 2008 - short story) 2009 Hugo Award winner
5 Stars
This is a beautiful metaphor on the transitory nature of life in the universe—entropy is always the winner. "Contemplate the marvel that is existence, and rejoice that you are able to do so."
June 2, 2016
I read this book for an online course that I took, and I found myself enjoying the book far more than I originally thought I would. It is composed of fifty-two short stories, most of which were taken from the 1950s [it seemed], but ran the gamut from 1844 to 2008 [although we did not read the Jules Verne story for the class, I read it anyway]. The format was fairly easy; the stories were listed in the order they were published. There were biographical blurbs at the start of each story and comments by the editors expressing their thoughts on the author and the story in question. Some of the blurbs, comments, and questions were fairly leading, as if the editors were trying to 'make a point' and not let the story speak for itself.
I think the 'weakest' part of the book was having the blurbs at the start of the story instead of at the end of the story. I think the bio stuff and the editorial comments and/or questions would have had 'more impact' [as it were] had they been at the end of each story instead of at the start. Reading that stuff before the story kinda ruined the effect of reading the story because now you have a preconceived misconception about what the story will be about because you are now biased toward it [well, you may be biased, or you may not, but the comments will influence the story to some degree].
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this anthology and enjoyed most of the stories listed therein. Some were phenomenally good and some were real stinkers, but I still enjoyed reading all of them.
I think the 'weakest' part of the book was having the blurbs at the start of the story instead of at the end of the story. I think the bio stuff and the editorial comments and/or questions would have had 'more impact' [as it were] had they been at the end of each story instead of at the start. Reading that stuff before the story kinda ruined the effect of reading the story because now you have a preconceived misconception about what the story will be about because you are now biased toward it [well, you may be biased, or you may not, but the comments will influence the story to some degree].
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this anthology and enjoyed most of the stories listed therein. Some were phenomenally good and some were real stinkers, but I still enjoyed reading all of them.
June 12, 2016
This is a collection of SFnal short stories designed to give an overview of the field for a college level literature course. It's arranged chronologically by year of publication, from 1844 (Nathaniel Hawthorne, "Rappachini's Daughter") to 2008 (Ted Chiang, "Exhalation".) Most of these are "classic" or "important" stories, though the Jules Verne entry is a bit of a cheat, being just an excerpt from "Journey to the Center of the Earth."
I was surprised to see how many of the later stories I actually had read or heard (via podcast) before; I really haven't kept up with the latest developments in the field. In general, the selection is strong, but a couple of the more "experimental" stories barely qualify as speculative fiction, let alone science fiction. This tends to irritate me, and I remember feeling the same way the first time I read at least one of those stories.
A specific effort has been made to include female authors and writers of color, which is much appreciated, and led to the inclusion of one of the stories I hadn't seen before: Leslie F. Stone's, "The Conquest of Gola."
Overall, I'd recommend this book to any adult science fiction fan, and precocious teenagers (later stories tend to veer into mature themes.) Even the stories that irritate me are well-written, and may suit readers with less orthodox tastes than mine.
For more science fiction reviews, see http://www.skjam.com/tag/science-fict...
I was surprised to see how many of the later stories I actually had read or heard (via podcast) before; I really haven't kept up with the latest developments in the field. In general, the selection is strong, but a couple of the more "experimental" stories barely qualify as speculative fiction, let alone science fiction. This tends to irritate me, and I remember feeling the same way the first time I read at least one of those stories.
A specific effort has been made to include female authors and writers of color, which is much appreciated, and led to the inclusion of one of the stories I hadn't seen before: Leslie F. Stone's, "The Conquest of Gola."
Overall, I'd recommend this book to any adult science fiction fan, and precocious teenagers (later stories tend to veer into mature themes.) Even the stories that irritate me are well-written, and may suit readers with less orthodox tastes than mine.
For more science fiction reviews, see http://www.skjam.com/tag/science-fict...
March 20, 2013
I originally checked this book out because it was the only one in the library system that had "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" (aka the story that Total Recall was based on). I got it in November and finally had to return it today. It was a wrench to give it back. It took me so long to read not because the stories weren't great, but because I would read the some of the same ones over and over, enjoying the worlds created by different authors. I didn't want to move on to other stories.
Of course, as in all short story collections, some stories were amazing and some made me never want to read SF again. One story in particular was so smug that I felt almost sick after reading it. Some didn't make me feel the sense of wonder that I often get from SF. There were definitely some surprises (Forster of Room with a View fame writing SF?), and there were some that made me wish I was a teacher so that I could give people these stories to read, hoping it might help them see something new about themselves and their world. I might have to buy this one.
Of course, as in all short story collections, some stories were amazing and some made me never want to read SF again. One story in particular was so smug that I felt almost sick after reading it. Some didn't make me feel the sense of wonder that I often get from SF. There were definitely some surprises (Forster of Room with a View fame writing SF?), and there were some that made me wish I was a teacher so that I could give people these stories to read, hoping it might help them see something new about themselves and their world. I might have to buy this one.
October 23, 2014
It is a good anthology that represents most of the popular authors, writers, and themes in the SF genre, though some of the stories were not entertaining or thought-provoking. I have used this anthology to teach a college-level literature course, and found that I still wanted a few stories from other anthologies as better representations of the writing by well-known authors, such as LeGuin, Asimov, Clarke, and Octavia Butler. My primary complaint with the anthology, which I passed on to my students, is with the introduction text for the stories; some of this material gave too much of the story away and ruined the intrigue. (Note: Students new to the genre may appreciate the insights since they don't have an extensive knowledge of SF context, though it would be ideal to read the intro text after reading the story.) As an instructor, I do appreciate the teaching guide and other resources available on the publisher's website.
January 17, 2016
An excellent anthology of science-fiction that was on my reading list for my History of Science Fiction class at UCR. My teacher is one of the editors (Rob Latham). This anthology has a good scope of genres and time periods. I would recommend it to ANY SF lover or anyone looking to get into SF.
-Favourites-
from "Journey to the Center of the Earth" by Jules Verne
"The Star" by H.G. Wells
"The Machine Stops" by E.M. Forster
"The Man Who Evolved" by Edmond Hamilton
"Shambleau" by C.L. Moore
"Desertion" by Clifford D. Simak
"There Will Come Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury
"The Sentinel" by Arthur C. Clarke
"The Liberation of Earth" by William Tenn
"Passengers" by Robert Silverberg
"The Seventh Voyage" from "The Star Diaries" by Stanislaw Lem
-Favourites-
from "Journey to the Center of the Earth" by Jules Verne
"The Star" by H.G. Wells
"The Machine Stops" by E.M. Forster
"The Man Who Evolved" by Edmond Hamilton
"Shambleau" by C.L. Moore
"Desertion" by Clifford D. Simak
"There Will Come Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury
"The Sentinel" by Arthur C. Clarke
"The Liberation of Earth" by William Tenn
"Passengers" by Robert Silverberg
"The Seventh Voyage" from "The Star Diaries" by Stanislaw Lem
June 17, 2015
Disclaimer - I did not read the whole anthology, only certain selections.
A enjoy anthologies, any kind of anthology. With that said SciFi is not my favorite genre. As a matter of fact I have read very little over the years, but this anthology is the best of the best and offers a taste without long term commitment. I particularly enjoy the short introduction to the authors.
If you like anthologies and/or SciFi, I would recommend picking this one up.
A enjoy anthologies, any kind of anthology. With that said SciFi is not my favorite genre. As a matter of fact I have read very little over the years, but this anthology is the best of the best and offers a taste without long term commitment. I particularly enjoy the short introduction to the authors.
If you like anthologies and/or SciFi, I would recommend picking this one up.
August 22, 2016
"Though I am long dead as you read this, explorer, I offer to you a valediction. Contemplate the marvel that is existence, and rejoice that you are able to do so. I feel I have the right to tell you this because, as I am inscribing these words, I am doing the same." – Ted Chiang, "Exhalation"
Fabulous, fantastic collection of science fiction stories. A total must for anyone interested in the genre and in the history of the genre.
Fabulous, fantastic collection of science fiction stories. A total must for anyone interested in the genre and in the history of the genre.
November 25, 2012
What a great collection! I struggled for awhile to find an anthology of science fiction that could give me a basic introduction to the genre. This one is big, varied, and comes with short but sweet introductions to each story. Most of the major writers are included here, with some less well-known authors thrown in as well.
March 30, 2013
Excellent anthology spanning the history of science fiction from classics to 2008. Detailed introductions to the authors and their work as well as further suggested reading gives a great jumping off point for anyone looking to explore the genre further. Definitely worth reading, so many great stories.
September 4, 2014
Great overview of the SF genre, from the 1850s to now. As a person who had only read modern SF, it gave me some perspective on how the genre came to be and how it evolved with brief bios on the authors, as well as some historical context. While usually used as a textbook, it would be an enjoyable read for anyone interested in the genre.
January 28, 2013
Contains so many of my favorites. Lighthearted "Golem" to "There Will Come Soft Rains." A consistent favorite.
June 21, 2013
Good collection that illustrates the history of science fiction.
January 3, 2015
This is an amazing anthology. I was totally enthralled by this book.
April 19, 2015
had to read this text for my science fiction fantasy class and loved it.so many stories that changed my preconceptions of what sci-fi is.
July 29, 2012
Love the wide range and the thematic linkages. Comprehensive and sweeping and highly enjoyable.
November 28, 2015
I think this is a really well rounded anthology
September 10, 2024
In total I didn't think this was worth a read. The best story was the last one. I don't think I am able to grasp the historical significance for most of these and then I can't really appreciate them.
An old story can of course be really good but since this book is an educational book it wants to show the stories that are "representative of this", or "the first story that did that" or maybe "an example of how some people thought of this thing at the time". This is all very interesting at a first glance but the novelty wears off quickly at least for me. I'm more of a "this story is really good!" kind of guy.
I must however admit that some of these really are impressive considering the time that they were written, but I won't take that into account in this review where I just want to focus on the quality of each story regardless of when it was published.
A short review of my favourite stories:
H. G. Wells - The Star, 1897
The premise is pretty simple, the apocalypse is near. What was so good about this was how it was written, I really Loved this one.
Robert Sheckley - Specialist, 1953
A "bioship" in space is crewed by it's own parts. Engine, Thinker, Hull, Eye and so on. Every being is a sentient race that can perform a specific duty on the ship. In a photon storm the Pusher member - which makes the ship travel faster than the speed of light - perishes. So now the ship/crew must try to find a new member of the Pusher race. This story was enjoyable mostly because of it's inventiveness.
Philip K. Dick - We Can Remember It For You Wholesale, 1966
A guy has an unexplainable longing to go to Mars but can't afford it. He goes to a clinic to imprint memories in his brain of a trip to Mars which is much cheaper than actually going there. However this process unlocks hidden memories in his brain where he already went to Mars as an agent for an intelligence agency! This was a great one, with a couple of twists and turns.
Ursula K. Le Guin - Nine Lives, 1969
On a distant mining planet, two men must work with a group of ten clones, five male and five female, who are completely reliant on themselves and on one another. This story explores the self and what it is through the concept of clones. And while that is fairly interesting it was also just a really good story in itself.
Frank Herbert - Seed Stock, 1970
Mankind has colonized a planet with much harder living conditions than anticipated. With no way to return, the colonists struggle to survive. This story is about a fisherman living in these conditions with his family. Very good storytelling, the story was made interesting instantly without any fancy ideas or big mysteries. Something that I usually want in my stories. Made me want to read more Frank Herbert.
William Gibson - Burning Chrome, 1982
A story in the cyberpunk universe that William Gibson created where Neuromancer also takes place in. A team of hackers decides to rob a local mafioso. Exciting!
Bruce Sterling - We See Things Differently, 1989
We follow a radicalized person from the middle east as he visits a future version of the US. Very interesting view of the west from the mind of a fundamentalist. More of a transgressive short story maybe than a science fiction one.
Eileen Gunn - Computer Friendly, 1989
A 7 year old girl takes a test that decides where she fits, or doesn't, in a system where human minds plug directly into computers. We see the world entirely from the girl's perspective. Something is clearly odd about the way she and other kids are plugged in and analyzed by computers.
Misha Nogha - Chippoke Na Gomi, 1989
This is the first time that I've read something that I barely understood but still enjoyed. It's about a dust scientist and the atomic bomb over Nagasaki... Or something like that, I didn't really get this. However still a very good read.
John Kessel - Invaders, 1990
Aliens come to earth and want to bring us wonders. Also in a sidestory we get to follow the spanish inquisition when they invade the inca in the 16th century. This story was mostly good in the inca parts when we follow the inquistion as they lie and connive their way to victory. But the story as a whole is structured in a way where probably the aliens means to do the same to us as we did to the inca.
Gene Wolfe - Useful Phrases, 1993
This story was the second best in the book according to me. It's similar to the one above in that it was a tough read and hard to understand. A guy finds a book with useful phrases for an alien race to use with us humans. This story would have been easily the best in the books were it not for Ted Chiang's Exhalation which was just genius.
Geoff Ryman - Everywhere, 1999
An old story can of course be really good but since this book is an educational book it wants to show the stories that are "representative of this", or "the first story that did that" or maybe "an example of how some people thought of this thing at the time". This is all very interesting at a first glance but the novelty wears off quickly at least for me. I'm more of a "this story is really good!" kind of guy.
I must however admit that some of these really are impressive considering the time that they were written, but I won't take that into account in this review where I just want to focus on the quality of each story regardless of when it was published.
A short review of my favourite stories:
H. G. Wells - The Star, 1897
The premise is pretty simple, the apocalypse is near. What was so good about this was how it was written, I really Loved this one.
Robert Sheckley - Specialist, 1953
A "bioship" in space is crewed by it's own parts. Engine, Thinker, Hull, Eye and so on. Every being is a sentient race that can perform a specific duty on the ship. In a photon storm the Pusher member - which makes the ship travel faster than the speed of light - perishes. So now the ship/crew must try to find a new member of the Pusher race. This story was enjoyable mostly because of it's inventiveness.
Philip K. Dick - We Can Remember It For You Wholesale, 1966
A guy has an unexplainable longing to go to Mars but can't afford it. He goes to a clinic to imprint memories in his brain of a trip to Mars which is much cheaper than actually going there. However this process unlocks hidden memories in his brain where he already went to Mars as an agent for an intelligence agency! This was a great one, with a couple of twists and turns.
Ursula K. Le Guin - Nine Lives, 1969
On a distant mining planet, two men must work with a group of ten clones, five male and five female, who are completely reliant on themselves and on one another. This story explores the self and what it is through the concept of clones. And while that is fairly interesting it was also just a really good story in itself.
Frank Herbert - Seed Stock, 1970
Mankind has colonized a planet with much harder living conditions than anticipated. With no way to return, the colonists struggle to survive. This story is about a fisherman living in these conditions with his family. Very good storytelling, the story was made interesting instantly without any fancy ideas or big mysteries. Something that I usually want in my stories. Made me want to read more Frank Herbert.
William Gibson - Burning Chrome, 1982
A story in the cyberpunk universe that William Gibson created where Neuromancer also takes place in. A team of hackers decides to rob a local mafioso. Exciting!
Bruce Sterling - We See Things Differently, 1989
We follow a radicalized person from the middle east as he visits a future version of the US. Very interesting view of the west from the mind of a fundamentalist. More of a transgressive short story maybe than a science fiction one.
Eileen Gunn - Computer Friendly, 1989
A 7 year old girl takes a test that decides where she fits, or doesn't, in a system where human minds plug directly into computers. We see the world entirely from the girl's perspective. Something is clearly odd about the way she and other kids are plugged in and analyzed by computers.
Misha Nogha - Chippoke Na Gomi, 1989
This is the first time that I've read something that I barely understood but still enjoyed. It's about a dust scientist and the atomic bomb over Nagasaki... Or something like that, I didn't really get this. However still a very good read.
John Kessel - Invaders, 1990
Aliens come to earth and want to bring us wonders. Also in a sidestory we get to follow the spanish inquisition when they invade the inca in the 16th century. This story was mostly good in the inca parts when we follow the inquistion as they lie and connive their way to victory. But the story as a whole is structured in a way where probably the aliens means to do the same to us as we did to the inca.
Gene Wolfe - Useful Phrases, 1993
This story was the second best in the book according to me. It's similar to the one above in that it was a tough read and hard to understand. A guy finds a book with useful phrases for an alien race to use with us humans. This story would have been easily the best in the books were it not for Ted Chiang's Exhalation which was just genius.
Geoff Ryman - Everywhere, 1999
May 10, 2022
This is a well edited anthology with lots of variety among stories. While there are subpar choices here and there, it is overall well-rounded with plenty of diversity among selections. Having finished it in full, I will recommend a few:
The 4 stories I believe to be the best in the collection:
“We Can Remember It for You Wholesale” by Phillip K. Dick
“Invaders” by John Kessel
“Useful Phrases” by Gene Wolfe
“Exhalation” by Ted Chiang
Best stories for the high school classroom (in addition to the above):
“The Machine Stops” by E. M. Forester (reliance on technology and dystopia)
“A Martian Odyssey” by Stanley G. Weinbaum (allusions to The Odyssey)
“There Will Come Soft Rains” by Ray Bradbury (imagery, dystopia)
“When It Changed” by Joanna Russ (feminism and gender)
“Out of All Them Bright Stars” by Nancy Kris’s (racism)
“Computer Friendly” by Eileen Gunn (eugenics and dystopia)
“The Liberation of Earth” by William Tenn (colonialism)
Stories that I otherwise recommend
“Rappaccini’s Daughter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
“The Man Who Evolved” by Edmond Hamilton
“Shambleau” by C. L. Moore
“Reason” by Isaac Asimov
“Specialist” by Robert Shockley
“Fondly Fahrenheit” by Alfred Bester
“Slow Tuesday Night” by R. A. Lafferty
“The Heat Death of the Universe” by Pamela Zoline
“Super-Toys Last All Summer Long” by Brian Aldiss
“Seed Stock” by Frank Herbert
“And I Awoke and Found Me Here on the Cold Hill’s Side” by James Tiptree Jr.
“Abominable” by Carol Emshwiller
“Speech Sounds” by Octavia E. Butler
“Closer” by Greg Egan
“Everywhere” by Geoff Ryman
And just for fun, the worst story in the entire anthology:
“The Game of Rat and Dragon” by Cordwainer Smith
The 4 stories I believe to be the best in the collection:
“We Can Remember It for You Wholesale” by Phillip K. Dick
“Invaders” by John Kessel
“Useful Phrases” by Gene Wolfe
“Exhalation” by Ted Chiang
Best stories for the high school classroom (in addition to the above):
“The Machine Stops” by E. M. Forester (reliance on technology and dystopia)
“A Martian Odyssey” by Stanley G. Weinbaum (allusions to The Odyssey)
“There Will Come Soft Rains” by Ray Bradbury (imagery, dystopia)
“When It Changed” by Joanna Russ (feminism and gender)
“Out of All Them Bright Stars” by Nancy Kris’s (racism)
“Computer Friendly” by Eileen Gunn (eugenics and dystopia)
“The Liberation of Earth” by William Tenn (colonialism)
Stories that I otherwise recommend
“Rappaccini’s Daughter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
“The Man Who Evolved” by Edmond Hamilton
“Shambleau” by C. L. Moore
“Reason” by Isaac Asimov
“Specialist” by Robert Shockley
“Fondly Fahrenheit” by Alfred Bester
“Slow Tuesday Night” by R. A. Lafferty
“The Heat Death of the Universe” by Pamela Zoline
“Super-Toys Last All Summer Long” by Brian Aldiss
“Seed Stock” by Frank Herbert
“And I Awoke and Found Me Here on the Cold Hill’s Side” by James Tiptree Jr.
“Abominable” by Carol Emshwiller
“Speech Sounds” by Octavia E. Butler
“Closer” by Greg Egan
“Everywhere” by Geoff Ryman
And just for fun, the worst story in the entire anthology:
“The Game of Rat and Dragon” by Cordwainer Smith
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews