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Book Review: 50 Short Science Fiction Tales edited by Isaac Asimov and Groff Conklin

Typically when I review an anthology, I will enumerate my favorite stories and briefly provide a blurb about each one. In the case of 50 Short Science Fiction Tales—edited by the legendary Isaac Asimov and renowned anthologist Groff Conklin—that would be a daunting and tedious task.

50 Short Science Fiction TalesSuffice it to say that like any collection, certain stories are better than others and this one is no exception. However, the majority of the entries are some combination of witty, engaging, chilling, thought provoking, or amusing. Of course, how could it be otherwise with such luminaries as Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Robert Heinlein, C.M. Kornbluth, Robert Sheckley, Theodore Sturgeon, and A.E. Van Vogt, just to name a few.

Most of the stories here are no more than 3,000 words. The book opens with a short poem by Poul Anderson and closes with six haiku written by his wife, Karen. I highly recommend this anthology both to aficionados of the golden age of SF or as an introduction to many of the top talents of the time.

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Book Review: Nightfall and Other Stories by Isaac Asimov

Twenty stories comprise this collection of what Asimov himself considered his finest work up to 1969.  These tales had been originally published in such periodicals as Astounding Science Fiction, Galaxy Science Fiction, Playboy, Star Science Fiction Stories, Scientific American, and more.

My favorites include:

An advanced civilization panics when five of their suns have set and the sixth is about to be eclipsed, casting their part of the world into “Nightfall” for the first time in generations. Arguably one of Asimov’s best stories of all time.

To the chagrin of her police officer husband Drake, biologist Rose Smollett volunteers to play “Hostess” to an alien scientist from Hawkins’ Planet. It isn’t long before Drake discovers that the alien has ulterior motives, one that could ignite an interstellar war.

When a physicist named Ralson threatens to commit suicide, he is placed under psychiatric care by the Atomic Energy Commission with the caveat that any therapy must be quick. Ralson has the uncanny ability to rapidly solve almost any scientific problem and the A.E.C. thinks that he can create a force field to repel atomic energy. Of course, they want it done yesterday in “Breeds There a Man…?”

A merchant ship from Earth is captured by an alien enemy known as the Kloro. While the humans aboard are antagonistic toward one another, one man named Mullen rises above by volunteering for a dangerous mission. If he is successful, the other passengers will be able to retake the ship. Mullen must suit up and walk the exterior hull of the craft in magnetic boots, but to get there, he’ll have to be ejected from the corpse chute, otherwise known as the “C-Chute.”

Jeff Stock and Dick Altmayer have been friends for decades, during which Jeff has risen through the military ranks and Dick, a conscientious objector, has been arrested multiple times for draft dodging, terrorism, and treason. Yet, in the end, it’s possible that both men are heroes “In A Good Cause—”.

After discussing what might have happened if they’d each made different choices in life, a married couple named Norman and Livvy encounter a eccentric old man on a train who presents them with a mirror that allows then to ask “What If—” and see the results play out. Will Norman and Livvy’s love survive this test?

A con-man named Gellhorn visits a mechanic named Jake who restores old automatic cars and allows them to roam free on his farm. Gellhorn tries to make an offer that Jake cannot refuse—take parts from Jake’s restores and use them to refurbish old vehicles to sell at new car prices. After Jake turns him away, Gellhorn returns with muscle, but they are no match for “Sally“, Matthew, and the rest of the cars with minds of their own…

“It’s Such a Beautiful Day” when young Richard decides to walk to school after the teleportation “Door” in his home malfunctions. The problem is that in this perfect utopia, no one ever walks outside when you can simply use the Door system to teleport anywhere in the world. When Richard begins to form a habit of strolling outdoors at every opportunity, a psychiatrist is called in, but in the end, who ends up being the true counselor?

An elderly sociologist travels to the human asteroid colony of Elsevere to study their caste society. Upon arrival, he suspects something is wrong and is proven correct upon learning that the head of sanitation, who lives well and is highly compensated, is nevertheless treated like a second class citizen. No one else on Elsevere will even speak to Ragusnik or his family. As a result, Ragusnik has stopped work and in the end, it’s up to Lamorak to be the “Strikebreaker.”

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Book Review: Fantastic Voyage by Isaac Asimov

After a scientist named Benes is successfully transported into the country from enemy territory, an assassination attempt leaves him with a dangerous and inoperable clot at the base of his brain.

Fantastic Voyage CoverThe situation falls under the jurisdiction of the CMDF (Combined Miniature Defense Force) run by General Alan Carter and Colonel Donald Reid. Once Benes is stabilized far underground in CMDF headquarters, a team is formed that will be miniaturized and injected into Benes’s bloodstream to destroy the clot from inside his body using a laser.

The team consists of civilian CMO Michaels, neurosurgeon Peter Duvall and his assistant Cora Peterson, special agent Charles Grant—who smuggled Benes into the country—and Captain William Owens, designer and pilot of the experimental submarine Proteus, which will carry the crew through Benes’s circulatory system. They are given one hour to complete the mission and exit Benes’s body before the miniaturization effect begins to reverse.

As if this were not dangerous enough, there is suspicion that one among the crew might be an agent for the Other Side, sent to kill Benes. Every setback and mishap causes yet another member of the team to come under scrutiny as precious time ticks away…

Contrary to popular belief, the classic film Fantastic Voyage was not based on the novel by Isaac Asimov. It’s the other way around. Otto Klement and Jay Lewis Bixby wrote the original story, which was adapted for the screen by Harry Kleiner and David Duncan. Asimov was hired on to write the novelization of the movie and he did a decent job with the material. While character development is non-existent (with the most interesting being Grant, Duvall, Michaels, and Peterson) the pacing is perfect and the challenges that plague our heroes at almost every turn maintain solid tension through to the end.

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Book Review: The Great Houdini by Beryl Williams and Samuel Epstein

Recounting the life and achievements of Harry Houdini is a daunting task, given his involvement in so many ventures during his remarkable career including circus performer, illusionist, spiritual “medium” (when in dire straits financially), escape artist, historian of magic, published author, show manager, filmmaker, and debunker of fake spiritual mediums later in life during his tumultuous friendship with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Through tireless effort that would have broken most men half his age—and frequently exhausted his devoted wife Bessie—Houdini had become a renown showman, philanthropist, and lecturer in demand throughout Europe and the United States right up until just days before his death on 31 October 1926.

The Great Houdini In The Great Houdini, the husband and wife team of Beryl Williams and Samuel Epstein deftly capture all of that and more in a 268-page biography that includes a foreword by Houdini friend and student, William B. Gibson (who also created the famous pulp fiction character, The Shadow).

Make no mistake, this is not a romanticized chronicling that elevates Houdini to unblemished sainthood. Williams and Epstein offer honest accounts of the performer’s bravado, arrogance, ill-temper, and occasional failures (as a show manager and film star) as much as his brilliance and industriousness in crafting each stage performance and besting every handcuff and escape challenge from law enforcement and container manufacturers alike. Nothing could keep Houdini restrained—physically or mentally—and nothing could hold him captive.

It was, in fact, Houdini who captivated the world.

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Book Review: Empress Irukandji – The Case of Charlotte Sloane by Heather E. Hutsell

Empress Irukandji CoverIn 1889 London, Doctor Charlotte Sloan and her closest companion, Professor Matthew Sterling, find themselves embroiled in an adventure of international intrigue as a result of Charlotte’s dark past—one which she can scarcely recall.

While on the run from assassins, it becomes immediately clear that Matthew knows precisely what’s happening, yet refuses to reveal all of the facts to Charlotte despite their blossoming romance. However, Charlotte begins to learn her true identity and royal Russian heritage.

While alone aboard a train, Charlotte finds a letter, apparently written by her and addressed to a Lord Snodgrass, wherein her prowess as an assassin and vigilante are made clear.

If only she could remember…

After she and Matthew become separated during their escape, Charlotte is found by Captain Aya Hauke who recognizes her instantly and rushes her aboard his ship. Based on what little information she gleaned from Matthew about her origins, she orders the captain to take her to Siam (an archaic exonym for Thailand).

However, before reaching Siam, they stop in Turkey where Hauke hands Charlotte over to the corpulent and haughty Lord Wendell Snodgrass himself. It becomes quickly apparent that Charlotte and Wendell have a shared history… one that has left the two of them bitter enemies.

If only she could remember…

Now that she is a prisoner of the vindictive Lord, Charlotte realizes her days are numbered. It is only the presence of the visiting Queen Victoria that has prevented Snodgrass from murdering Charlotte outright, but this provides only a temporary stay of execution. Will Charlotte  escape before Snodgrass finally kills her and, more importantly, will she ever see Matthew again?

Empress Irukandji-The Case of Charlotte Sloane offers an engaging romp through steampunk Europe with a fascinating cast of characters and circumstances. Some readers might feel that the burgeoning romance between Charlotte and Matthew slows the pacing in the first 80 pages while they flee from unseen killers. Repeated attempts at tender moments are disrupted by a word or event that causes Charlotte to question her trust in Matthew and it’s clear that while he adores her, he maintains an emotional distance much to Charlotte’s dismay and confusion. Of course, the truth is slowly unraveled during the twists and turns of the story.

It should be noted that crafting a “romance on the run” narrative is challenging, and as someone who does not read romance novels, I don’t know if that is a staple of the genre. Nevertheless, Hutsell did a fine job with it while also dropping clues about Charlotte’s past. I’m accustomed to books and films where romance takes second seat to the adventure (think Indiana Jones or Han and Leia in Star Wars).

I was equally as impressed with Hutsell’s skillful use of milieu and setting. From Charlotte’s modest home in London to the voyage aboard Hauke’s ship to Snodgrass’s ostentatious palace in Istanbul and the journey by dirigible to Siam, all were completely immersive environments.

 

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Book Review: Great Science Fiction Stories edited by Cordelia Titcomb Smith

Great SF StoriesWith few exceptions, most of my 2017 reading consisted of classic SF and speculative fiction primarily from Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke with a dash of Rod Serling, Alfred Hitchcock, A.E. Van Vogt, and H.G. Wells.

It stands to reason that if you read enough vintage genre anthologies, some will overlap and offer one or two stories in common. Such was the case with Great Science Fiction Stories compiled by Cordelia Titcomb Smith.

In  this case, I had previously read “The Stolen Bacillus” by H.G. Wells (about an anarchist who pilfers a vial of cholera bacillus from a bacteriologist, initiating a frantic taxi chase through London) and “History Lesson” by Arthur C. Clarke (after an ice age has wiped out humanity, Venusians land on Earth and discover artifacts of our civilization, including a strip of film that they believe accurately depicts human culture).

It was a pleasure to finally read Isaac Asimov’s legendary short story, “Nightfall,” wherein a civilization that lives in constant daylight provided by three suns nervously anticipates an eclipse that will shroud their planet in complete darkness for the first time in 500 years… and possibly throw society into madness.

When the Martian crown jewels are stolen from a robotic space craft sent from Earth to Phobos, Inspector Gregg questions everyone involved. Before the case explodes into an interstellar scandal, Gregg travels to Mars to request the help of Martian’s famous private detective, Syaloch, in Poul Anderson’s “The Martian
Crown Jewels.”

In “The Sands of Time,” P. Schuyler Miller channels H.G. Wells and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. When a young man named Donovan presents a paleontologist with photographic and physical evidence of his
encounter with dinosaurs, the scientist rebuffs him—until Donovan asks for his help in launching his one-man time machine back to rescue an alien woman he encountered in a prehistoric age.

Money is no barrier when a wealthy businessman decides to be the first man in space. He hires engineers to construct a vessel, but they still require a propulsion system. The businessman takes out ads in
newspapers offering millions to anyone who can design and create a means of propelling the vessel beyond Earth’s atmosphere. After being presented with proposals from the ludicrous to the insane, the
businessman meets an unassuming young man who might just have the answer… but he wants more than money. We find out what that is in Nelson Bond’s “Vital Factor.”

In a future where city streets are massive conveyor belts that transport people and vehicles at varying speeds, the mechanics decide to strike under the leadership of Deputy Chief Engineer Van Kleeck. To emphasize their power and ensure their demands are met, they stop the machinery beneath one of the streets—with fatal consequences. It’s up to Chief Engineer Larry Gaines to negotiate with Van Kleeck, because as Robert Heinlein tell us, “The Roads Must Roll.”

A teacher rethinks her decision to quit the profession, but the only available position is in a one-room schoolhouse in a remote rural town called Bendo where the reclusive inhabitants have no sense of humor and no interest in music or art. It is not long before the teacher uncovers the astounding otherworldly secrets of Bendo and the dark history that forced them into seclusion in this beautifully crafted tale called “Pottage” by Zenna Henderson.

Jules Verne provides a brief glimpse into man’s first attempt to reach the moon as three men volunteer to venture “Into Space” inside a giant aluminum capsule shot from a 900-foot gun. Although they survive the shock of launch and enjoy a view of Earth from beyond the atmosphere, it’s unclear whether they survived
the journey—or how they plan to return.

A new star appears in the vicinity of Neptune, disrupting the planet’s orbit. As this new star’s light intensifies in the sky each day—blotting out the moon and rivaling the sun—it isn’t long before astronomers
realize that it’s on a direct course for Earth in “The Star” by H.G. Wells.

A 13-year-old student named Timothy is sent to school psychologist Dr. Welles. At first, it’s clear that Timothy is nervous,  uncommunicative, and possibly holding something back. As trust grows between the young man and his counselor, it becomes apparent that the boy is a prodigy… and he may not be alone in Wilmar H. Shiras’s “In Hiding.”

Overall, this was an entertaining anthology with tales from writers I had not heard of previously (Zenna Henderson, Wilmar Shiras, P. Schuyler Miller, and Nelson Bond). My favorites included “Nightfall,” “Pottage,” “The Martian Crown Jewels,” and “The Roads Must Roll.”