SCIENCE FICTION ANTHOLOGIES

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31772, 31 August 1968, Page 4

SCIENCE FICTION ANTHOLOGIES

Backdrop of fltaro. Edited by Harry Harrison. Dobson.

222 pp. Analog 4. Edited by John W. Campbell. Dobson. 224 pp. New Writings In S-F 11. Edited by John Carnell.

Dobson. 190 pp. SF HorixonsOne. Edited by Tom Boardman. Dobson. 189 pp.

“Backdrop of Stars” is an interesting experiment in the field of science fiction anthologies, in that each story is accompanied by the author’s comments on it. Few of these comments have any direct relevance to the book’s purported aim of teaching “the craft of science fiction,” but a number of them, especially those by Brian Aldiss, J. G. Ballard, Fritz Leiber and Mack Reynolds, do give helpful insights into the work of these authors. Thirteen stories are included, and there is not a bad one among them. Brian Aldiss, who has had more success as a short story writer than as a novelist, is at his best in "Judas Danced,” a disturbing story of a psychotic who believes himself to be Christ, while J. G. Ballard draws from Kafka and from his own experiences in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp (described in his excellent commentary) in “End-Game,” a profound psychological study of guilt and rebellion. First class stories by Poul Anderson, James Blish and Damon Knight, Theodore Cogswell, Fritz Leiber and others are also Included, making "Backdrop of Stars” an

anthology of unusually high standard.

John Campbell's magazine “Analog” (and its earlier, variously-named incarnations) has, for a number of decades, regarded Itself as the champion of "pure” science fiction, taking "science” in its literal sense. The seven stories chosen for this, the fifth selection from “Analog,” were all published during the last five years, and it is interesting to note the extent to which they depart from Mr Campbell’s criteria of science fiction. Only two of the stories, the novelettes “Sunjammer” by Poul Anderson and "The Permanent Implosion” by Dean McLaughlin, fit the expected adventure-plus-technology pattern that has been the tradition of "Analog.” Entertaining they may be, but, for better or for worse, they are fast becoming things of the past. With the exception of Frank Herbert’s short but superb “The Mary Celeste Move,” the remainder of the stories are uninspired, ranging from Norman Spinrad’s slight but entertaining fantasy, “Subjectivity,” to Mack Reynolds’s abortive "Genu* Traitor.” John Carnell’s series of science fiction anthologies has, unfortunately, contented itself with a standard somewhere between that of an issue of an average science fiction magazine and the average mundane anthology. Admittedly it is providing a necessary outlet for the work of new and unknown writers, but in doing so it has dropped a little too close to the lower 1

limit* of acceptable quality for anthologies in book-form. The eleventh volume in the series, containing nine stories, i* a little better than some of its predecessors, but its tone is still largely one of grey monotony. The best stories, like Douglas R. Mason’s dimensional - travel story “There Was This Fella . . .”, and W. T. Webb’s mad little fantasy “For What Purpose?” are reasonably entertaining. The rest, however, are mediocre—readable, but soon forgotten. In spite of the title and the casuistry of the foreword, “SF Horizons—One” has little relevant connection with the magazine of science fiction criticism which bears the same name. But regarded simply as a collection of ten recent stories it is well worth reading. There are some thoroughly good stories included, although none that the more thoughtful reader will be able to sink his intellectual teeth into. The principle formula for selection seems to have been entertainment value, and this it has succeeded in providing. In “Subversive,” Mack Reynolds is at his best as socio-economic prophet; with its satirical wit, "The Big Cow-Pat Boom” is concentrated Damon Knight; and in "COmic Inferno,” Brian Aldiss takes a humorous look at the old theme of robots usurping the. position of mam A macabre interlude is provided by Thom Keyes in “Period of Gestation,” a stomach-turning story of insanity on board a space-ship. “SF Horizons-One” 'is recommended reading.