The Wilderness by Ray Bradbury

24/100

A charming story about two women spending their last evening on Earth before they board a rocket destined for Mars.

This story is the first entry in the Fourth Planet From The Sun collection of Mars stories from the lovely people at The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction magazine.

Ray Bradbury

The Veldt by Ray Bradbury

5/100

First published in 1950 this story still resonates today.

At first it's a cautionary tale of technology but then it also touches on how parenting is still very much needed.

Though the gadgets of the story are very different then ones we enjoy today; the parallels to our smart phone, internet-obsessed society are easy to see.

The whole story revolves around a holo-deck gone wrong.

Although the story was first published in The Saturday Evening post of September 23, 1950 it is most easily accessible from The Illustrated Man collection.

I was led to this story from my daughter who had it assigned to read during her junior high school years.  (That's middle school for those of you in the US.)  It certainly stayed in her mind for at least the past five years.

Ray Bradbury's official website is:   http://www.raybradbury.com/

To hear the radio drama of this story go to (this is where I found the interior art):  http://www.sffaudio.com/?p=40198

Ray Bradbury

September 23, 1950

Alternative title and interior art.

The Cold Equations by Tom Godwin

1/100

Oh my god!  This story is just as chilling as it was when it was first published in 1954. 

As the title suggests, the universe does not care about good intentions. There is no compromise when it comes to physics and mathematics. 

In this story we run into the desire of a young girl to surprise her older brother. But the laws of physics and the good of the many, to borrow a quote from Star Trek, has something to say about it. 

This is an excellent story and one that should not be missed by any science fiction fan. 

I read this in the July 2011 issue of Lightspeed magazine which includes a follow up short story called The Old Equations by Jake Kerr. 

The original story is now in the public domain and can easily be found with a Google search. Or, if you like you can find it HERE.

Book Report #121 - Space Cadet by Robert A. Heinlein

Book 45 of 52
Page count - 223

Classic SF!  You know, for 1948, the author got much of his speculation right, except for Venus.

This is one of his juvenile books where we follow the adventures of Matt Dodson, a teenager who joins the Space Academy in the hopes of joining the Solar Patrol.

Matt is a very straight laced kid who makes good friends along the way.  The academy is not an easy place to learn and he is challenged continually.

I liked the book quite a lot but I found the ending bogged down and I did not enjoy it as much.  With the explosion of Young Adult fiction these days this book can hold it's own, even though it may read a bit stiff compared to more contemporary works.

Robert A. Heinlein

Book Review #103 - Starworld by Harry Harrison - Book 3 of the To The Stars trilogy

Book  27 of 52

Page count 161

At long last I've read the last book in the series.

Trilogies - they can be frustrating; the middle book especially.  The second volume of this trilogy was such a departure from the promising first that I and no desire to pick up the third for four months. Thankfully this last volume was a return to the fun Cold War-like setting but this time much if it taking place on board ships in space.

Revolution has come to Earth and Jan Kulozik is leading the charge for freedom from the oppressive government.  Right in the middle of things is Jan's antagonist Thurgood-Smyth, his evil and manipulative brother-in-law.  Smyth is by far my favourite character in this story; he is such a self-serving, ambitious, back-stabbing bureaucrat that I just wanted to take a shower after reading the parts of the book where he was present.

I love hard science fiction that pokes holes in popular tropes of the genre.  There is one scene in this third volume, that I just loved, where the opening scene of the movie Star Wars is discredited for the fantasy that it is.  After explaining how there can be no lasers in space warfare the engineer explains to Jan how, to truly fight in space, you have to use tried-and-true methods from hundreds of years in the past.  I won't tell you what it is since I think it was the best moment in the book and made everything else seem more plausible.

There was some great interplay between Kulozik and Thurgood-Smyth and, even in the final pages, you are never quite sure what Smyth is really up to.

So, was the story, as a whole, any good?  Well ... It was okay.  The second book really ruined things for me, there were some good moments there but not enough to say that it was worth reading.  It does, however resonate with you as you read the third novel.  These are rather short books, making the whole thing less of a commitment than most modern trilogies.  But it also suffers from the short page count, in that some leaps in plotting and simplification of character development occurs.

Up until now I've stayed away from the literary form, trilogies I mean.  They seem like such a commitment; three books to tell one story?  For my self, I am more comfortable with a series, you can dive in at just about any point, knowing the books are linked but that the author will give you enough back story to allow you to understand the book you are reading.

Original cover.

Harry Harrison

Scanners Live in Vain by Cordwainer Smith - A Short Story Review

Oh my God!  It's the freaking Borg!

Yes my friends, this story first saw the light of day in 1950, although it shows a copyright date of 1946, and tells the story about one Scanner on a very important day.  Scanners are part robot part human and are tasked with ensuring humans are safe during space flight.  Humans travel in suspended animation while the Scanners look after the ship functions.  Humans have spread out to other star systems without the ability to travel faster than light.  Without constant oversight trips of this length would be incredibly dangerous.

The story does not go into how the Scanners came to be but we do know that some Scanners have been forced into existence; criminals have undergone the procedure but there are some people who volunteered to be transformed.  In all of this a Scanners' humanity is not lost however they spend most of their time in a robot state.  A scanner can enjoy a type of holiday (or shore leave) by undergoing a temporary procedure that restores his humanity and full cognitive function.

We follow Martel, who is on his shore leave at a critical time in the history of Scanners.  By this time in the future Scanners occupy a strange position in human society, neither part of nor excluded from it.  Along comes a scientist who discovers FTL and threatens the Scanners way of life.

As in all of these vintage stories, I first found the language a bit stiff but it did not take long to get past it.  I just loved this early take on a species that Star Trek fans love -  The Borg.  These guys are definitely just like the Borg; surgically altered to be part machine and part human, allowing them to work in space unprotected, making long-duration space flight possible.

I just love discovering stories like this one; it goes to show that some things we thought were completely original have been around for longer than we imagined.

It was a fun read.

Smith's website is HERE.

Cordwainer Smith

Fantasy Book No. 6

That Only A Mother by Judith Merril - A short story review

This should really be called flash fiction coming in at only ten pages. Set in 1948, present day for when it was published, it is an alternate history story speculating on what life would be like in the USA after it was hit with nuclear bombs, like Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

In particular it focuses on babies born after the parents were exposed to radiation.

Thank goodness the story was so short because the trauma of mutations and the psychological impact on the mothers was chilling.

The attitudes and dialog were a bit old fashioned for today but that's only a reflection of the time it was written in.

It was very well done and I found it quite disturbing.

A list of all her works can be found HERE.

Her Wikipedia page is HERE.

Her dedicated website is HERE.

Judith Merril

Astounding Science Fiction - June 1948

First Contact by Murray Leinster - A short story review

I enjoyed this story very much.  While on survey of the Crab Nebula the crew of the LLANVABON encounter another craft in the region.

You'd think First Contact would be a good and exciting thing. Trouble is, how can you be sure the species you've just encountered won't just follow you back home and wage war?

The author came up with a compelling resolution to the problem. It's an interesting premise since much of these kinds of encounters on Star Trek do not have this level of paranoia to complicate things.

This story was first published in 1945, considering the Cold War started at the same time I can see how the author could push the attitudes into space.

I think the story stands the test of time. The technology could use some freshening up but the plot would make a fine 90 minute movie. 

Find out more about the author HERE and HERE.

Murray Leinster - circa 1930's

Astounding Science Fiction - May 1945

Book Report #86 - Wheelworld by Harry Harrison

Book 10 of 52
Page count - 149 pages

Well, this was a very different book from the first.  Gone is the oppressive, Cold War type, 1984-esque first world society.  Jan Kulozik has been banished to an agricultural world light years away from Earth.  It is a strange world with four-year-long seasons; forcing the colonists to migrate from one polar region to the opposite in order to avoid the hellish summers.  They grow a specially developed corn that is needed for the other worlds under Earth's rule.

Even though Jan is now in an agrarian society there is still plenty of oppression brought on by the family elders.  Equality does not exist; men and women have their roles to play and a man's standing is determined by the job he does and what family he comes from. 

Jan is the head of maintenance; responsible for maintaining the farming and irrigation equipment.  He also keeps the atomic power plants working.  These generators are also, cleverly, converted into massive wheeled locomotives.  Nearly everything in the colony is designed to be moved and linked together into enormous trains. 

The bulk of the story takes place during the migration from the north to the south.  The colonists have been on the planet for generations; the original inhabitants designed and built a 27,000 KM road for the migrations to take place.  Along the way they face all kinds of hardships and obstacles causing friction among the elders and those in charge of the trains.  This particular migration is hindered by absence of the ships that normally come to collect the crops; they are weeks late and every day the colonists stay on site to wait brings summer closer.

The trains themselves made for some interesting story telling but even with this short page count it did tend to drag on.  Missing from the narrative was Jan's past and the rebellion he tried to start on Earth.  It was that complex society from Earth that caught my attention in the first place.  Jan has repeated conflicts with the ruling elders which he cleverly wins each time.  His last brush with authority is particularly scary and brutal.

The last 10 pages will either make you cheer or groan.  It felt like Harrison wrote himself into a corner and felt he had to create a surprise twist to make the story compelling.  It did not work for me and I kind of wish he'd kept Jan on Earth instead of banishing him.  A whole world was developed in the previous novel and then abandoned in the second.  I just hope the author can tie them both together in the last book.

Original book cover

Harry Harrison

Book Report #82 - Homeworld by Harry Harrison

6 of 52

Page count - 155

Published in 1980 it is chilling just how accurately Harrison predicted surveillance methods.

The main character, Jan Kulozik is an electronics engineer, one of the privileged elite who went about his life oblivious about the structure of his society.  An unfortunate sailing accident and risky rescue propel Kulozik into a plot to overthrow the ruling elite and restore democracy to humanity.

Set in a distant future London where interstellar travel has been a reality for generations, the story takes place mostly on Earth.  It felt like a Cold War thriller and was just as scary and dangerous as one.

The book was hopeful and bleak all at once.  It was wonderful.  I read it in two sittings.  Luckily this first novel was collected in paperback in 1994 with the title, "To The Stars." I'll be ripping into the next two installments very soon.

If you like underground spy thrillers and movies like Blade Runner this book will satisfy you.

Highly recommended.

Original book cover

Harry Harrison

The Weapon Shop by A. E. van Vogt - The Science Fiction Hall of Fame,Volume I

 This one didn't work for me.

I was unsympathetic to the main character who was a small town conservative taking action against a weapon shop that has suddenly opened in his town.

His life and career come unraveled as he tries to get the place shut down.

But there is more to the shop; it's actually a front for an anti-government resistance. 

In the end, I don't understand how this made the list.  Of course, they won't all appeal.

Astounding December 1942

 

A. E. van Vogt

Nightfall by Isaac Asimov - The Science Fiction Hall of Fame Volume I

The planet Lagash is situated in a star system containing six suns.  Consequently the people living there have never experienced night.  Darkness is completely unknown however, every 2,000 years the stars align and are eclipsed by another planet.

We take for granted knowing the night sky which makes for an interesting twist to discover people who've never known stars.

We are told the terrible history of this solar cycle and it's effect on the inhabitants of Lagash.

Written 72 years ago it is still fresh and relevant today.

September 1941

Isaac Asimov

Book Report #51 - Year's Best SF 16 by David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer

Taking on the science fiction short stories of 2010 was surely a monumental task.  The fact that the editors can do it over again each year is commendable.

I first approached the book in the wrong way; I wanted it to give me the sense of wonder that the cover evoked.  Exploration, the unknown, technology - the future.

What I got was a mixed bag of Steam Punk, Post-Apocalyptic, Alternative Reality, Slip Stream along with some more traditional Science Fiction.

The book is more a reflection of what was being published in 2010 not a collection of straight ahead SF which caused my disappointment with the book as a whole.

Out of the 21 stories I liked about 16 of them, 76%, not bad really, but from that group only three of them could be said to be set off-world.  That's only 14% of the total stories.

What happened?  Where has science fiction gone?  Well, like just about any kind of entertainment SF is a reflection of the times they were written in.  Back in the 40's, 50's and 60's it was all about the space race.  But ever since Gene Cernan left the moon in 1972 humanity has never left low earth orbit.  A generation of thinkers, scientists, engineers and writers have no experience with space flight and exploration.

These days SF is slipping into the past with Steam Punk or delving into the world of computers, virtual reality, augmented reality and consciousness uploading.  The last story in the book has a line that perfectly describes SF today:

"For a long time, for many people and certainly for me, the past had taken the future's place, as any hope or sense of forward progress had dried up and disappeared.  But now, as I aged, more and more of the past had taken over the present also, because the past was all we had. "

From Ghosts Doing the Orange Dance by Paul Park

Like Park suggests I many have to mine the past to enjoy fiction of the future.  It's to the musty back issues of SF magazines and collections of reprint classic SF fiction for me.

Sigh.