The Big Book of Science Fiction

At under 200 pages, I'm not sure what is "big" about this book of old-fashioned science fiction stories. (An abebooks search shows that there was a 545 page hardcover, so this is an excerpt.) But it does contain a roster of first-rate writers, although only one story, Fredric Brown's classic "Arena", was familiar to me. One was first published in 1929, two in 1950, and the others throughout the 1940s. Oddly, Brown is one of three writers, along with Fletcher Pratt and John D. MacDonald (yes, he wrote science fiction early in his career), left off the front and back cover. Individual reviews follow.

NOTE: In these reviews, I am going to concentrate on the strength of the story and ignore the outdated science! Of course, other things are show more outdated as well. Several stories accept a world government as a given. And a couple of authors have a bit of an obsession with the chairs of the future.

Desertion by Clifford D. Simak *****
At a base on Jupiter, the commander keeps sending men out into the atmosphere--after they have been morphed by some sort of process into a facsimile of a Jupiter-based life form--but they don't come back. Finally, he takes matters in his own hands (with a little help from a friend.) This is a truly original and fantastic story that could have been a partial precursor to James Cameron's Avatar. Though only a few pages long, this one really makes you think.

Mewhu's Jet by Theodore Sturgeon ***1/2
This one is fun, as an alien crash lands near a vacation cabin, where a family takes care of him and their young daughter is especially able to bond. The story is marred by some very mid-20th Century sexism in the relationship between man and wife, however, that detracts from the plot. The ending is logical, but so-so.

Nobody Saw the Ship by Murray Leinster ****
Unusual story of an alien coming to Earth as the advance party looking for certain compounds to be found in living creatures. If he finds them, Earth will be subject to some really terrible things. All Earth has to defend itself is a superstitious shepherd, his capable dog, and a few tinier allies. Well done.

The Wings of Night by Lester Del Rey *****
A freighter from Mars, with engine trouble, sets down on the Moon - well, not exactly ON the Moon. There they meet the last moon-man, who really needs some copper to save his race. This is a really wonderful story with a message that is, sadly, still all too relevant today. May more people be transformed as Fats is in this tale.

Arena by Fredric Brown *****
Brown's story, the basis for a famous Star Trek episode, is frequently anthologized for a good reason. It is compelling from start to finish. It is also, now that I think of it, a rather serious piece for the normally lighthearted Brown, who manages to weave humor even into some of his darkest tales of murder. You know the premise--rather than a full scale war, a human and an alien have to fight it out on a barren planet. (Captain Kirk played the human. Ha ha.) The Star Trek ending is very different, however.

The Roger Bacon Formula by Fletcher Pratt ****
Man takes the ultimate drug trip - to Venus. This is the earliest story in the book, from 1929, and it has that sort of engaging, fun characteristic that is part of so much science fiction of the era. You'll be looking up Roger Bacon after this one.

Forever and the Earth by Ray Bradbury ***1/2
Bittersweet story of a future time with wonders galore, but no one who can adequately write about them. So they reach back 300 years for a dying Thomas Wolfe! Bradbury clearly admires Wolfe, but as a character, he doesn't show a lot of complexity. This is more about the idea--and Bradbury delights in conjuring up various things Wolfe would write in the future.

The Miniature by John D. MacDonald ***
Entertaining story of an economics professor who finds himself thrust in the future through some sort of time warp. His experience in a bank gives MacDonald (a Wharton MBA) the opportunity to speculate on the basis for a future currency. His answer isn't too convincing, however.

Sanity by Fritz Leiber, Jr. ****
In the future, everything will be sane and orderly. Or maybe not. Clever.

The Only Thing We Learn by C.M. Kornbluth ****
...is that empires don't last forever. An apt finish to an above-average collection. show less

The hardcover edition contains a baker's half-dozen classics, including Russel's "Dear Devil," T.L. Sherred's "E for Effort," Brown's "Arena," H.L. Gold's "A Matter of Form," Sturgeon's "Mewhu's Jet," del Rey's "The Wings of Night," and Simak's "Desertion," and another half-dozen near-classics.