Sense of Wonder: A Century of Science Fiction Read online

  Table of Contents

  Sense of Wonder

  COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

  INTRODUCTION, Leigh Grossman

  PART 1: Early Science Fiction

  EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS

  A PRINCESS OF MARS, by Edgar Rice Burroughs

  THE ORIGINS OF SCIENCE FICTION, by Jennifer A. Rea

  SAMUEL BUTLER

  EREWHON, by Samuel Butler

  KAREL ČAPEK

  R. U. R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots), by Karel Čapek

  GEORGE ALLAN ENGLAND

  THE THING FROM—OUTSIDE, by George Allan England

  HUGO GERNSBACK AND HIS WRITERS, by Richard Bleiler

  D. H. LAWRENCE

  ROBOT POEMS, by D. H. Lawrence

  MINA LOY

  LUNAR BAEDEKER, by Mina Loy

  EDGAR ALLAN POE

  MELLONTA TAUTA, by Edgar Allan Poe

  ON THE BAROQUE IN SCIENCE FICTION, by Thomas F. Bertonneau

  MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT SHELLEY

  THE LAST MAN, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

  NINETEENTH-CENTURY SCIENCE FICTION, by Monique R. Morgan

  JEAN TOOMER

  HER LIPS ARE COPPER WIRE, by Jean Toomer

  JULES VERNE

  OFF ON A COMET!, by Jules Verne

  SCIENCE FICTION AND HIDDEN HISTORIES OF SCIENCE, by Katherine Pandora

  H. G. WELLS

  THE TIME MACHINE, by H. G. Wells

  DARK FUTURES AND DYSTOPIAS, by Matthew Crom

  EVGENII ZAMYATIN

  WE, by Evgenii Zamyatin

  RUSSIAN AND EAST EUROPEAN SCIENCE FICTION, by Sibelan Forrester

  PART 2: The Field Takes Shape (1926–1936)

  MILES J. BREUER

  THE GOSTAK AND THE DOSHES, by Miles J. Breuer

  AMERICAN SCIENCE FICTION MAGAZINES, by Hildy Silverman

  JOHN W. CAMPBELL

  WHO GOES THERE? by John W. Campbell

  JOHN W. CAMPBELL AND HIS WRITERS, by Zahra Jannessari Ladani

  CLARE WINGER HARRIS

  THE DIABOLICAL DRUG, by Clare Winger Harris

  H. P. LOVECRAFT

  AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS, by H. P. Lovecraft

  HARBOUR WHISTLES, by H. P. Lovecraft

  THE LOVECRAFT CIRCLE, by Dennis H. Barbour

  LAURENCE MANNING

  THE MAN WHO AWOKE, by Laurence Manning

  PHILIP FRANCIS NOWLAN

  ARMAGEDDON—2419 A.D., by Philip Francis Nowlan

  SCIENCE FICTION ON RADIO, by Tim DeForest

  NAT SCHACHNER

  PIRATES OF THE GORM, by Nat Schachner

  CLARK ASHTON SMITH

  AFTERWARDS, by Clark Ashton Smith

  THE STAR-TREADER, by Clark Ashton Smith

  E. E. “DOC” SMITH

  THE SKYLARK OF SPACE, by E. E. “Doc” Smith

  SPACE OPERA, by David Steiling

  DONALD A. WANDREI

  THE RED BRAIN, by Donald A. Wandrei

  PART 3: The Golden Age

  ISAAC ASIMOV

  NIGHTFALL, by Isaac Asimov

  THE MARTIAN WAY, by Isaac Asimov

  GENDER IMAGES IN SCIENCE FICTION, by Twila Yates Papay and Paul D. Reich

  STEPHEN VINCENT BENÉT

  BY THE WATERS OF BABYLON, by Stephen Vincent Benét

  NIGHTMARE FOR FUTURE REFERENCE, by Stephen Vincent Benét

  FREDRIC BROWN

  ARENA, by Fredric Brown

  L. SPRAGUE de CAMP

  A GUN FOR DINOSAUR, by L. Sprague de Camp

  DINOSAURS IN SCIENCE FICTION, by Tim DeForest

  LESTER DEL REY

  THE WINGS OF NIGHT, by Lester Del Rey

  LESTER AND JUDY-LYNN DEL REY, by Frederik Pohl

  RAYMOND Z. GALLUN

  OLD FAITHFUL, by Raymond Z. Gallun

  EDMOND HAMILTON

  THE SARGASSO OF SPACE, by Edmond Hamilton

  ROBERT A. HEINLEIN

  THE GREEN HILLS OF EARTH, by Robert A. Heinlein

  C. L. MOORE

  SHAMBLEAU, by C. L. Moore

  ANDRE NORTON

  ALL CATS ARE GRAY, by Andre Norton

  YOUNG ADULT SCIENCE FICTION, by Carol Franko

  FREDERIK POHL

  DAY MILLION, by Frederik Pohl

  CONVENTIONS AND FANDOM, by Sheri Giglio

  CLIFFORD D. SIMAK

  GROTTO OF THE DANCING DEER, by Clifford D. Simak

  MICROCOSMIC GOD

  A. E. VAN VOGT

  BLACK DESTROYER, by A. E. Van Vogt

  SPACE TRAVEL IN SCIENCE FICTION, by Steven Mollmann

  STANLEY G. WEINBAUM

  A MARTIAN ODYSSEY, by Stanley G. Weinbaum

  JACK WILLIAMSON

  THE METAL MAN, by Jack Williamson

  THE FIREFLY TREE, by Jack Williamson

  PART 4: The Mass Market Era

  POUL ANDERSON

  DUEL ON SYRTIS, by Poul Anderson

  ALFRED BESTER

  FONDLY FAHRENHEIT, by Alfred Bester

  CYBORGS, by Kyle William Bishop

  JAMES BLISH

  SURFACE TENSION, by James Blish

  ANTHONY BOUCHER

  THE QUEST FOR SAINT AQUIN

  SCIENCE FICTION BOOK REVIEWING, by Tom Easton

  LEIGH BRACKETT

  THE LAST DAYS OF SHANDAKOR, by Leigh Brackett

  ALGIS BUDRYS

  THE STOKER AND THE STARS

  SCIENCE FICTION IN WESTERN EUROPE, by Sonja Fritzsche

  ARTHUR C. CLARKE

  THE SENTINEL, by Arthur C. Clarke

  SCIENCE FICTION FILM: THE FORBIDDEN GENRE, by Daniel M. Kimmel

  HAL CLEMENT

  UNCOMMON SENSE

  WORLD BUILDING, by Donald M. Hassler

  AVRAM DAVIDSON

  OR ALL THE SEAS WITH OYSTERS, by Avram Davidson

  PHILIP K. DICK

  THE DEFENDERS, by Philip K. Dick

  ROBOTS, by Amardeep Singh

  GORDON R. DICKSON

  SOLDIER, ASK NOT, by GORDON R. DICKSON

  PHILIP JOSÉ FARMER

  RIVERWORLD, by Philip José Farmer

  RELIGION AND SCIENCE FICTION, by James F. McGrath

  TOM GODWIN

  THE COLD EQUATIONS, by Tom Godwin

  ZENNA HENDERSON

  LOO REE, by Zenna Henderson

  “TO TELL THE HUMAN TALE”: The Science Fiction of Death, Dying and Grief, by Kathleen Fowler

  FRANK HERBERT

  RAT RACE, by Frank Herbert

  DAMON KNIGHT

  THE COUNTRY OF THE KIND, by Damon Knight

  C. M. KORNBLUTH

  THE LITTLE BLACK BAG, by C. M. Kornbluth

  FRITZ LEIBER

  A BAD DAY FOR SALES

  MURRAY LEINSTER

  FIRST CONTACT, by Murray Leinster

  ALIENS AND ALIEN WORLDS, by Ericka Hoagland

  RICHARD MATHESON

  BORN OF MAN AND WOMAN, by Richard Matheson

  JUDITH MERRIL

  THAT ONLY A MOTHER, by Judith Merril

  WALTER M. MILLER, JR.

  DEATH OF A SPACEMAN, by Walter M. Miller, Jr.

  AFTER THE END: Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction, by Irene Sywenky

  WARD MOORE

  BRING THE JUBILEE, by Ward Moore

  ALTERNATE HISTORY, by Andrew M. Gordon

  EDGAR PANGBORN

  THE GOLDEN HORN

  H. BEAM PIPER

  GRAVEYARD OF DREAMS, by H. Beam Piper

  ERIC FRANK RUSSELL

  ALLAMAGOOSA, by Eric Frank Russell

  JAMES H. SCHMITZ

  THE WITCHES OF KARRES, by James H. Schmitz

  ROBERT SHECKLEY

  THE PRIZE OF PERIL, by Robert She
ckley

  CORDWAINER SMITH

  THE GAME OF RAT AND DRAGON, by Cordwainer Smith

  JACK VANCE

  SAIL 25, by Jack Vance

  PART 5: The New Wave and Beyond

  BRIAN W. ALDISS

  MAN IN HIS TIME, by Brian W. Aldiss

  THE NEW WAVE, by Darren Harris-Fain

  BEN BOVA

  THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP, by Ben Bova

  MARION ZIMMER BRADLEY

  THE DOOR THROUGH SPACE, by Marion Zimmer Bradley

  DONALD A. WOLLHEIM, by Betsy Wollheim

  JOHN BRUNNER

  GOOD WITH RICE, by John Brunner

  F. M. BUSBY

  IF THIS IS WINNETKA, YOU MUST BE JUDY, by F. M. Busby

  OCTAVIA E. BUTLER

  BLOODCHILD, by Octavia E. Butler

  BLACK WOMEN WRITING SPECULATIVE FICTION, by Ayana R. Abdallah

  JACK DANN

  GOING UNDER, by Jack Dann

  SAMUEL R. DELANY

  DRIFTGLASS, by Samuel R. Delany

  LITERARY CRITICISM AND SCIENCE FICTION, by Donald M. Hassler

  THOMAS M. DISCH

  THE DEMI-URGE, by Thomas M. Disch

  HARLAN ELLISON®

  JEFFTY IS FIVE, by Harlan Ellison

  SCIENCE FICTION ON TELEVISION, by Jim Davis

  JOE HALDEMAN

  HERO, by Joe Haldeman

  SAUL’S DEATH: TWO SESTINAS, by Joe Haldeman

  MILITARY SCIENCE FICTION, by James D. Macdonald

  R. A. LAFFERTY

  THUS WE FRUSTRATE CHARLEMAGNE, by R. A. Lafferty

  TIME TRAVEL, by Ellen M. Rigsby

  KEITH LAUMER

  THE YILLIAN WAY, by Keith Laumer

  URSULA K. LE GUIN

  THE FIRST CONTACT WITH THE GORGONIDS, by Ursula K. Le Guin

  SCIENCE FICTION AND ENVIRONMENTALISM, by Lisa Swanstrom

  ANNE McCAFFREY

  WEYR SEARCH, by Ann McCaffrey

  FAN FICTION, by Karen Hellekson

  VONDA N. MCINTYRE

  LITTLE FACES, by Vonda N. McIntyre

  LARRY NIVEN

  NEUTRON STAR, by Larry Niven

  KIT REED

  WHAT WOLVES KNOW, by Kit Reed

  KEITH ROBERTS

  THE LADY MARGARET, by Keith Roberts

  SPIDER ROBINSON

  MELANCHOLY ELEPHANTS, by Spider Robinson

  JOANNA RUSS

  SOULS, by Joanna Russ

  NAMING THE UNNAMED: TABOOS AND DANGEROUS IDEAS IN MODERN SCIENCE FICTION, by Liberty Stanavage

  ROBERT SILVERBERG

  PASSENGERS, by Robert Silverberg

  NORMAN SPINRAD

  NO DIRECTION HOME, by Norman Spinrad

  JAMES TIPTREE JR.

  HER SMOKE ROSE UP FOREVER, by James Tiptree Jr.

  JOHN VARLEY

  THE PERSISTENCE OF VISION, by John Varley

  NEWS MAGAZINES OF THE SCIENCE FICTION FIELD, by Ian Randal Strock

  VERNOR VINGE

  FAST TIMES AT FAIRMONT HIGH, by Vernor Vinge

  KURT VONNEGUT, JR.

  2 B R 0 2 B, by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

  ROGER ZELAZNY

  A ROSE FOR ECCLESIASTES, by Roger Zelazny

  PART 6: The Paperback Heyday

  GREG BEAR

  BLOOD MUSIC, by Greg Bear

  GERMS IN SCIENCE FICTION, by Laurel Bollinger

  GREGORY BENFORD

  BOW SHOCK, by Gregory Benford

  HARD SCIENCE FICTION, by C. W. Johnson

  DAVID BRIN

  SENSES THREE AND SIX, by David Brin

  LOIS McMASTER BUJOLD

  THE MOUNTAINS OF MOURNING, by Lois McMaster Bujold

  DISABILITY IN SCIENCE FICTION, by Breyan Strickler

  PAT CADIGAN

  PRETTY BOY CROSSOVER, by Pat Cadigan

  CYBERPUNK, by Don Riggs

  ORSON SCOTT CARD

  DOGWALKER, by Orson Scott Card

  C. J. CHERRYH

  THE SANDMAN, THE TINMAN, AND THE BETTYB, by C. J. Cherryh

  PAUL DI FILIPPO

  LITTLE WORKER, by Paul Di Filippo

  DAVID DRAKE

  RANKS OF BRONZE, by David Drake

  JIM BAEN, by Henry T. Davis with Toni Weisskopf

  ALAN DEAN FOSTER

  THE MUFFIN MIGRATION, by Alan Dean Foster

  GREGORY FROST

  MADONNA OF THE MAQUILADORA, by Gregory Frost

  LISA GOLDSTEIN

  SPLIT LIGHT, by Lisa Goldstein

  JAMES PATRICK KELLY

  THINK LIKE A DINOSAUR, by James Patrick Kelly

  John Kessel

  BUFFALO, by John Kessel

  JAMES GUNN AND THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF SCIENCE FICTION, by Christopher McKitterick

  ELIZABETH MOON

  HAND TO HAND, by Elizabeth Moon

  JAMES MORROW

  CITY OF TRUTH, by James Morrow

  UTOPIAN SCIENCE FICTION, by Samuel Gerald Collins

  PAT MURPHY

  RACHEL IN LOVE, by Pat Murphy

  LGBT THEMES IN SCIENCE FICTION, by Wendy Gay Pearson

  TERRY PRATCHETT

  DEATH AND WHAT COMES NEXT, by Terry Pratchett

  CRAIG RAINE

  A MARTIAN SENDS A POSTCARD HOME, by Craig Raine

  MIKE RESNICK

  FOR I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY, by Mike Resnick

  KIM STANLEY ROBINSON

  THE LUCKY STRIKE, by Kim Stanley Robinson

  LUCIUS SHEPARD

  BARNACLE BILL THE SPACER, by Lucius Shepard

  WHITE TRAINS, by Lucius Shepard

  GRAPHIC NOVELS AND SCIENCE FICTION, by Peter J. Ingrao

  JOAN SLONCZEWSKI

  MICROBE, by Joan Slonczewski

  S. P. SOMTOW

  FIDDLING FOR WATERBUFFALOES, by S. P. Somtow

  BRUCE STERLING

  BICYCLE REPAIRMAN, by Bruce Sterling

  MICHAEL SWANWICK

  THE EDGE OF THE WORLD, by Michael Swanwick

  HARRY TURTLEDOVE

  THE STAR AND THE ROCKETS, by Harry Turtledove

  HOWARD WALDROP

  THE UGLY CHICKENS, by Howard Waldrop

  AWARDS IN SCIENCE FICTION, by Lauren Cunningham

  CONNIE WILLIS

  A LETTER FROM THE CLEARYS, by Connie Willis

  GENE WOLFE

  SEVEN AMERICAN NIGHTS, by Gene Wolfe

  THE COMPUTER ITERATES THE GREATER TRUMPS, by Gene Wolfe

  PART 7: Science Fiction in the Age of Consolidation

  AYANA R. ABDALLAH

  SHADOW CATCHER, by Ayana R. Abdallah

  CATHERINE ASARO

  A ROLL OF THE DICE, by Catherine Asaro

  Kage Baker

  NOBLE MOLD, by Kage Baker

  STEAMPUNK, by Burgsbee L. Hobbs

  TERRY BISSON

  BEARS DISCOVER FIRE, by Terry Bisson

  THEY’RE MADE OUT OF MEAT, by Terry Bisson

  TED CHIANG

  HELL IS THE ABSENCE OF GOD, by Ted Chiang

  CORY DOCTOROW

  WHEN SYSADMINS RULED THE EARTH, by Cory Doctorow

  SURVIVALISM, by Kyle William Bishop

  DEBRA DOYLE AND JAMES D. MACDONALD

  UNCLE JOSHUA AND THE GROOGLEMEN, by Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald

  KAREN JOY FOWLER

  STANDING ROOM ONLY, by Karen Joy Fowler

  JAMES ALAN GARDNER

  THREE HEARINGS ON THE EXISTENCE OF SNAKES IN THE HUMAN BLOODSTREAM, by James Alan Gardner

  ANDREA HAIRSTON

  GRIOTS OF THE GALAXY, by Andrea Hairston

  CATHY PARK HONG

  DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION, by Cathy Park Hong

  SCIENCE FICTION AND LYRIC POETRY, by Seo-Young Jennie Chu

  NALO HOPKINSON

  A HABIT OF WASTE, by Nalo Hopkinson

  POSTCOLONIAL SCIENCE FICTION, by Ericka Hoagland

  MARY ROBINETTE KOWAL

  EVIL ROBOT MONKEY, by Mary Robinette Kowal

  NANCY KRESS

  MY MOTHER, DANCING, by Nancy Kress

  JONATHAN
LETHEM

  THE HARDENED CRIMINALS, by Jonathan Lethem

  MAUREEN F. McHUGH

  THE LINCOLN TRAIN, by Maureen F. Mchugh

  SCIENCE FICTION AND ANIME, Mark Gellis

  ROBERT J. SAWYER

  FLASHES, by Robert J. Sawyer

  CANADIAN SCIENCE FICTION IN ENGLISH, by Ruby S. Ramraj

  DARRELL SCHWEITZER

  ALTERNATE HISTORIES, by Darrell Schweitzer

  SCIENTIFIC ROMANCE, by Darrell Schweitzer

  AT THE CONCLUSION OF AN INTERSTELLAR WAR, by Darrell Schweitzer

  CHARLES STROSS

  LOBSTERS, by Charles Stross

  APPENDICES AND GUIDES FOR WRITERS

  SIXTY RULES FOR SHORT SF (AND FANTASY), by Terry Bisson

  WRITERS’ WORKSHOPS, by Debra Doyle

  INVENTING THE FUTURE, by Mike Brotherton

  SUBMITTING A MANUSCRIPT, by Leigh Grossman

  LITERARY AGENTS, Leigh Grossman

  AVOIDING PUBLISHING SCAMS, by Leigh Grossman

  ABOUT THE EDITOR

  Sense of Wonder

  A Century of Science Fiction

  COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

  Copyright © 2011 by Leigh Ronald Grossman except essays, which are copyright © 2011 by their listed authors, and stories and poems which are copyright as listed at the end of each selection.

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever without the express written consent of the publisher, except for short excerpts in reviews, or as provided by U.S. copyright law.

  Cover art copyright © Crop / Shutterstock

  Cover design by John Betancourt

  Interior design by Leigh Grossman

  Special thanks to Elizabeth M. Glover

  Dedicated to Meg Grossman and Rob Grossman, who made sure to pass on their favorite books to their little brother.

  Published by

  Wildside Press, LLC

  www.wildsidebooks.com

  For more information, see:

  http://wonder.swordsmith.com

  INTRODUCTION, Leigh Grossman

  I have a mixed relationship with the giant Norton Anthology-type books that are used to teach many literature courses. On the one hand I love the idea of a single volume that includes most of the key writers in the field. For years I had to assign ten separate books in my science fiction classes and there were still huge gaps and important writers who I never got to teach. Every few years anthologies would go out of print and I’d have to scrape together some other combination of books that didn’t do quite what I wanted and hopefully didn’t cost my students a prohibitive amount.

  On the other hand, I do have an issue with the traditional Norton Anthology–type approach: It tends to depict the writers as if they were special creatures touched by the gods, distinct from the rest of humanity. While I think putting the importance of particular works in context is important, I’ve always felt (as a writer and editor myself) that that approach was too exclusionary. It’s distancing to readers, and largely ignores the relationships between writers, readers, and editors, which in science fiction tend to be particularly convoluted and intertwined. And it does a disservice to students who are themselves aspiring writers, by implying that if they lack some divine spark they can never reach the next level. That approach tends to ignore the level of honing their craft that most writers do (Ray Bradbury talks about the “million words” one needs to write before reaching that level) and the system of readers and fandom which germinates and supports those writers.