Clifford D. Simak

---------------------------------------------- "All Flesh Is Grass" (nv) © 1965, Doubleday --novel : 1966 Nebula Award --/ fourth place sf novel --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ adventure award ---------------------------------------------- "All The Traps Of Earth" © F&SF, Mar 1960 All The Traps Of Earth, 1962 --/ fourth place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ emotion award A robot is leaving Earth to roam the stars... meanwhile we weep as we turn the last page of that wonderfully poetic novella, because we simply want more...in the same charming, glowing style as some of space fiction of Bradbury. Almost an antidote to Asimov's "cool&calm" robot stories, written with love and lots of intermittent beautiful detail. review: 07-Jul-06 (read in 1985) ---------------------------------------------- "All The Traps Of Earth" (coll) © 1962, Doubleday books (abridged to 4 stories - as "The Night of the Puudly") © Four Square Books, 1964 --/ third place sf collection --/ wonder award --/ style award Half of the stories I read in the ancient past, so the only thing I remember is that I simply lo-o-oved them. Other stories I read recently and - surprise - still like the style and wonder of them so much, that kept collection status as solid third place in sf. This is a classic, and as such should be in possession of many, and stay in print for long. review: 07-Jul-06 (read in 1984, 2006) ---------------------------------------------- "And the Truth Shall Make You Free" (also as "The Answers") © Future, Mar 1953 Strangers In The Universe, 1956 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award "The Answers" (also as "And the Truth Shall Make You Free") © Future, Mar 1953 Strangers In The Universe, 1956 --/ cool sf story "The Asteroid Of Gold" © Wonder Stories, Nov 1932 --/ fourth place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ adventure award --/ rare find "Auk House" © Stellar # 3, 1977 Brother & other stories, 1987 --novella : 1978 Locus /4 --/ third place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award "The Autumn Land" © F&SF, Oct 1971 Skirmish, 1977 --short story : 1972 Hugo --short fiction : 1972 Locus /5 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ emotion award "Bathe Your Bearings In Blood" (also as "Skirmish") © Amazing, Dec 1950 Strangers in the Universe, 1956 Skirmish, 1977 --/ third place sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award "Beachhead" (also as "You'll Never Go Home Again") © Fantastic Adventures, Jul 1951 Strangers in the Universe, 1956 --/ third place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award "The Big Front Yard" © Astounding, Oct 1958 The Worlds of Clifford Simak, 1960 Skirmish, 1977 --novelette : 1959 Hugo W --short fiction : 1971 Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll /17 (tie) --novella : 1999 Locus All-Time Poll /13 --/ third place sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award "The Birch Clump Cylinder" © Stellar # 1, 1974 The Marathon Photograph, 1986 --/ fourth place sf novella --/ wonder award "Brother" © 1977, F&SF Brother & other stories, 1987 --/ fourth place sf story --/ idea award --/ emotion award "Buckets Of Diamonds" © Galaxy, Apr 1969 The Civilisation Game & Other Stories, 1997 --/ third place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ adventure award "The Call From Beyond" © Super Science Stories, May 1950 Eternity Lost & other stories, 2004 --/ fourth place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award "Carbon Copy" © Galaxy, Dec 1957 The Worlds of Clifford Simak, 1960 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award "The Civilization Game" © Galaxy, Nov 1958 The Civilization Game & other stories, 1997 --/ cool sf story ---------------------------------------------- "Condition of Employment" © Galaxy, Apr 1960 All The Traps Of Earth, 1962 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award Emotional tale about the little man of the future and his working day. Intensity comes mostly from the polished prose, not from action, but that is signature Simak. Some people say that it is is about as good as you can get in less than 10 pages. Well, for those who love magazine SF from the golden age, such deftness of style comes as no surprise. review: 06-Jul-06 (read in 2004) ---------------------------------------------- "Construction Shack" © Worlds of IF, Jan/Feb 1973 Off-Planet, 1988 --short story : 1974 Hugo --/ fourth place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award "Contraption" © Star SF Stories # 1, 1953 Strangers in the Universe, 1956 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ style award "Cosmic Engineers" (nv) © Astounding, Feb 1939 novel : 1950, Gnome Press --/ third place sf novel --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ adventure award --/ awesome scale "Courtesy" © Astounding, Aug 1951 --/ fourth place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ adventure award --/ rare find "The Creator" (nv) © Marvel Tales, Mar/Apr 1935 Fantastic, Jul 1961 novel : Crawford books, 1946 The Creator & other stories, 1993 --/ third place sf story --/ wonder award --/ adventure award --/ awesome scale ---------------------------------------------- "Crying Jag" © Galaxy, Feb 1960 All The Traps Of Earth, 1962 --/ third place sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award I am tempted to call it "the best story of Clifford Simak", but there are many other stories which are just as good, so there may be an outrage and fighting of fans. However, the impact of this melancholy- slash- optimistic ("bittersweet") tale had on me long time ago was nothing short of profound, and I still vividly remember this piece. Yes, it is a fun commentary on one of the things friends are supposed to be good for, but it is also genuine "warm-hearted" tale, of which there is a definite shortage in a overly jaded field of the fantastic. review: 06-Jul-06 (read in 1983) ---------------------------------------------- "Day Of Truce" © Galaxy, Feb 1963 The Best of Clifford Simak, 1975 --/ cool sf story "A Death In The House" © Galaxy, Oct 1959 The Best of Clifford Simak, 1975 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award "Desertion" (City series) © Astounding, Nov 1944 City, 1952 Skirmish, 1977 --fiction : 1953 International Fantasy W --book : 1956 Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll /2 --book : 1966 Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll /9 --all time sf novel : 1987 Locus All-Time Poll /30 --sf novel (before 1990) : 1998 Locus All-Time Poll /38 (tie) --/ fourth place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award ---------------------------------------------- "Drop Dead" © Galaxy, Jul 1956 All the Traps Of Earth, 1962 --/ fourth place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea: alien cocoons --/ shock value Planetary exporation tale with a twist: all aliens drop dead on approach, and stay dead. Which puzzles the team of scientists to no end, until they discover that all of them now carry the seeds of these monsters - released at the act of dying. Great alien subversion tale. Plus the planet of green grass ecology has some whimsical overtones. review: 07-Jul-06 (read in 2006) ---------------------------------------------- "The Duplicate Man" (also as "Night of the Puudly") (also as ""Good-night, Mr. James") © Galaxy, Mar 1951 All The Traps Of Earth, 1962 Skirmish, 1977 --/ fourth place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award "Dusty Zebra" © Galaxy, Sep 1954 The Worlds of Clifford Simak, 1960 --/ fourth place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ adventure award "Earth For Inspiration" © Thrilling Wonder Stories, Apr 1941 --/ third place sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ emotion award "Enchanted Pilgrimage" (nv) © 1975, Berkley Putnam --/ cool f novel --/ wonder award "Eternity Lost" © Astounding, Jul 1949 Eternity Lost & other stories, 2004 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award "The Fellowship Of The Talisman" (nv) © 1978, Ballantine books --/ cool f novel --/ wonder award "The Fence" © Space Science Fiction, Sep 1952 Strangers in the Universe, 1956 --/ cool sf story --/ idea award --/ wonder award "Final Gentleman" © F&SF, Jan 1960 The Best of Clifford Simak, 1975 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award "First He Died" (nv) orig. appeared as "Time Quarry" (also as "Time And Again") © Galaxy, Oct 1950 Simon & Schuster, 1951 --/ fourth place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award "Founding Father" © Galaxy, May 1957 The Worlds of Clifford Simak, 1960 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award "Full Cycle" © Science Fiction Stories, Nov 1955 Worlds Without End, 1964 --/ cool sf story --/ idea award ---------------------------------------------- "Galactic Chest" © Science Fiction Stories, Sep 1956 So Bright the Vision, 1968 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ style award Nicely told story about the correspondent who begins to believe in "brownies" and "fairies", and discovers them all over the place. Shimmers with wonder and feel-good emotions. review: 25-Jul-06 (read in 1997) ---------------------------------------------- "Gleaners" © IF, Mar 1960 The Autumn Land & other stories, 1990 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award "The Goblin Reservation" (nv) © 1968, Berkley Putnam --novel : 1969 Hugo --/ second place sf novel --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ adventure award --/ humour award ---------------------------------------------- "The Golden Bugs" © F&SF, Jun 1960 So Bright the Vision, 1968 --/ third place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award Alien little buggers, who turn out to be quite helpful actually... at first. They clean the household, do the lawn etc. But then the trademarked Simak weirdness begins, unfolding on a perfectly normal "american suburbia" background. With such a subversive, sublime approach Simak seems close to Philip K. Dick's style (whose mental plot structures are far more vicious than the mere "sense-of-wonder" vehicles of Simak's) You never know what may jump at you from a perfectly normal cup of coffee. The only difference is, in Dick's case it will be an agent of different reality telling you that either your reality is toast or you live in a soup yourself, but in Simak's case it will be a cute, but properly weird, well-meaning alien who does not want to disturb your breakfast, but... review: 25-Jul-06 (read in 1997) ---------------------------------------------- "Good-night, Mr. James" (also as "Night of the Puudly") (also as "The Duplicate Man") © Galaxy, Mar 1951 All The Traps Of Earth, 1962 Skirmish, 1977 --/ fourth place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award It is generally a horror story, about a duplicate human being created to destroy a particularly nasty alien illegally smuggled to Earth. Quite edgy and thriller-like writing. This is certainly a hit, blockbuster, hollywood-like creation with lots of color and Simak world-building. review: 07-Jul-06 (read in 1999) ---------------------------------------------- "Green Thumb" © Galaxy, Jul 1954 The Worlds of Clifford Simak, 1960 --/ cool sf story "Grotto Of The Dancing Deer" © Analog, Apr 1980 The Marathon Photograph, 1986 --short story : 1981 Hugo W --short story : 1981 Nebula W --short story : 1981 Locus W --short story : 1981 AnLab W --/ fourth place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ emotion award "Here Gather The Stars" (nv) (also as "Way Station") © Galaxy, Jun 1963 1963, Doubleday --novel : 1964 Hugo W --book : 1966 Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll /27 --all time sf novel : 1987 Locus All-Time Poll /25 (tie) --sf novel (before 1990) : 1998 Locus All-Time Poll /31 --/ second place sf novel --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award ---------------------------------------------- "Highway Of Eternity" (nv) © 1986, Ballantine Del Rey --/ third place sf novel --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ adventure award --/ emotion award --/ awesome scale Very enjoyable, "cozy" in Simak's inimitable way, a dazzling romp through space (meeting all kinds of aliens of the Galactic Cluster) and time (to eternity and ... beyond?). All these good-natured "beer and cheese" adventures start in a small mid-western town and quickly scale outwards. This is one of the best novels of sheer "sense-of-wonder", mirroring Simak's previous success formula of the "Way Station". A guy who can teleport into the gray void, aliens who try to make people into indestructible disembodied minds, a Restaurant at the End of the Universe (who was there first, Simak or Adams?) There is a huge interstellar higway that goes through the void. This void contains nothing but a small restaurant maintained by a robot. Inside this restaurant (and all over time and space) the great riddle of sentient existence is being solved. This novel is colourful, intense and large-scale. All kinds of kudos to the great master. review: 31-Aug-06 (read in 1989) ---------------------------------------------- "Honorable Opponent" © Galaxy, Aug 1956 The Worlds of Clifford Simak, 1960 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award "Horrible Example" © Analog, Mar 1961 The Civilization Game & other stories, 1997 --/ cool sf story "How-2" © Galaxy, Nov 1954 Eternity Lost & other stories, 2004 --/ second place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ adventure award --/ humour award "Huddling Place" (City series) © Astounding, Jul 1944 City, 1952 --fiction : 1953 International Fantasy W --book : 1956 Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll /2 --book : 1966 Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll /9 --all time sf novel : 1987 Locus All-Time Poll /30 --sf novel (before 1990) : 1998 Locus All-Time Poll /38 (tie) --/ third place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ adventure award --/ emotion award "Idiot's Crusade" © Galaxy, Oct 1954 The Worlds of Clifford Simak, 1960 --/ cool sf story "Immigrant" (transl. russ. as "Kimon") © Astounding, Mar 1954 Strangers In The Universe, 1956 --/ cool sf story ---------------------------------------------- "Installment Plan" © Galaxy, Feb 1959 All The Traps Of Earth, 1962 --/ cool sf story Positronic brain plug-ins, or "transmogs" (from a curious english word "transmogrify") - robots have learned to reproduce by assembling more of themselves from spare parts. review: 06-Jul-06 (read in 1983) ---------------------------------------------- "Jackpot" © Galaxy, Oct 1956 The Worlds of Clifford Simak, 1960 --/ cool sf story "Junkyard" © Galaxy, May 1953 Off-Planet, 1970 --/ third place space sf novella --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award --/ humour award "Kindergarten" © Galaxy, Jul 1953 Strangers in the Universe, 1956 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award ---------------------------------------------- "Leg. Forst." © Infinity Science Fiction, Apr 1958 So Bright the Vision, 1968 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award What is the other attribute of the pastoral life of middle-aged middle-class all-american person in the fifties? Right, stamp collecting. Simak could not leave this important theme out of science fiction treatment, and wrote this curious piece about an alien postal stamp alive and kicking in the most amazing directions and ways... Nothing earth-shaking, though. Hey, check out that pulp's cover though - an alien-head transformation straght out of "Men in Black", totally twisted... review: 25-Jul-06 (read in 1997) ---------------------------------------------- "Limiting Factor" © Startling Stories, Nov 1949 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award "Lobby" © Astounding Stories, Apr 1944 --Groff Conklin's story selection --/ cool A-Bomb sf story --/ rare find "The Loot of Time" © Thrilling Wonder Stories, Dec 1938 Startling Stories, Mar 1949 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award --/adventure award "The Lost Street" (also as "The Street That Wasn't There") (with Carl Jacobi) © Comet, Jul 1941 Avon Fantasy Reader, Sep 1950 Smoke of the Snake, Carl Jacobi, 1994 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award "Lulu" © Galaxy, Jun 1957 The Worlds of Clifford Simak, 1960 --/ third place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award --/ humour award "Madness From Mars" © Thrilling Wonder Stories, Apr 1939 The Best of Clifford Simak, 1975 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award "The Marathon Photograph" © Threads of Time, ed. R.Silverberg, 1974 The Marathon Photograph, 1986 --novella : 1975 Locus /6 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ emotion award "Masquerade" (also as "Operation Mercury") © Astounding, Mar 1941 --/ fourth place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ adventure award --/ rare find "Mirage" (also as "Seven Came Back") © Amazing, Oct 1950 Strangers in the Universe, 1956 --/ third place space sf novella --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award "The Money Tree" © Venture, Jul 1958 The Creator & other stories, 1993 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award "Neighbor" © Astounding, Jun 1954 The Worlds of Clifford Simak, 1960 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award "New Folks Home" © Analog, Jul 1963 Best SF Stories of Clifford Simak, 1966 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award "Night of the Puudly" (also as "Good-night, Mr. James") © Galaxy, Mar 1951 All The Traps Of Earth, 1962 Skirmish, 1977 --/ fourth place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award "The Night of the Puudly" (coll) (abridged from "All The Traps Of Earth") © 1962, Doubleday books © Four Square Books, 1964 --/ third place sf collection --/ wonder award --/ style award ---------------------------------------------- "No Life Of Their Own" © Galaxy, Aug 1959 All the Traps Of Earth, 1962 --/ third place time sf novella --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ humour award --/ idea: luck/time dimension plus alien/human village melting pot --/ rare find I could write the whole article about this one...First, this is one the best examples of Simak's "pastoral", small-town-style writing, where we are comforted just by simple rural surroundings and simplicity of how people speak and live. All the more strange, then, the out-worldly elements seem when they appear, and all the more the "sense-of-wonder" is activated, contrasted against subdued background. This might be Simak's writing secret, successful formula that I can not get enough of... Second, the sheer intensity and weirdness of alien elements are breathtaking, accompanied by rapid play of ideas. And third, but not last, - humour. The story is about the "melting-pot" of aliens and humans in a normal village, where aliens do whatever they please and humans just observe, slack-jawed. Humans are confronted with "alternate-universe-inhabiting" creatures who play the hand of good luck to some chosen people; both humans and aliens are trying to solve time mysteries, and in the end "good time was had by all" review: 07-Jul-06 (read in 2006) ---------------------------------------------- "The Observer" © Analog, May 1972 Off-Planet, 1988 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award "Ogre" © Astounding Stories, Jan 1944 Off-Planet, 1988 --/ fourth place space sf novella --/ wonder award --/ adventure award "Operation Mercury" (also as "Masquerade") © Astounding, Mar 1941 --/ fourth place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ adventure award --/ rare find "Operation Stinky" © Galaxy, Apr 1957 The Worlds of Clifford Simak, 1960 --/ fourth place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ adventure award --/ style award "Over The River & Through The Woods" © Amazing, May 1965 Brother & other stories, 1987 --short story : 1966 Nebula --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award --/ style award "Party Line" © Destinies, Nov 1978 The Creator & Other Stories, 1993 --/ cool christian sf story --/ wonder award --/ rare find ---------------------------------------------- "Project Mastodon" (exp. into "Mastodonia") © Galaxy, Mar 1955 All The Traps Of Earth, 1962 --/ cool time sf story Travel in time leads to creating cold-war army bases there (in pre-historic period) and in incorporating them into an independent country. Average quality tale. review: 06-Jul-06 (read in 2006) ---------------------------------------------- "Retrograde Evolution" © Science Fiction Plus, Apr 1953 Strangers In The Universe, 1956 --/ cool planetary sf story "Rim Of The Deep" © Astounding Stories, 1940 --/ fourth place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ adventure award --/ style award "Ring Around The Sun" (nv) © Galaxy, Dec 1952 novel: 1954, Ace Double --/ fourth place sf novel --/ wonder award --/ idea award "Senior Citizen" © F&SF, Oct 1975 --/ cool sf story "Seven Came Back" (also as "Mirage") © Amazing, Oct 1950 Strangers in the Universe, 1956 --/ third place space sf novella --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award "Shadow Show" © F&SF, Nov 1953 Strangers in the Universe, 1956 --/ third place space sf novella --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award "Shotgun Cure" © F&SF, Jan 1961 The Best of Clifford Simak, 1975 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award ---------------------------------------------- "The Sitters" © Galaxy, Apr 1958 All The Traps Of Earth, 1962 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award Small town sf about aliens living among humans, and trying to impove humanity by saving the essense of childhood. Generally cozy and nice. review: 07-Jul-06 (read in 1983) ---------------------------------------------- "Skirmish" (also as "Bathe Your Bearings In Blood") © Amazing, Dec 1950 Strangers in the Universe, 1956 Skirmish, 1977 --/ third place sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award "Small Deer" © Galaxy, Oct 1965 The Best of Clifford Simak, 1975 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award ---------------------------------------------- "So Bright The Vision" © Fantastic Universe, Aug 1956 So Bright the Vision, 1968 --/ third place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ emotion award Truly inspired novella, possibly the best that appeared between the pages of "Fantastic Universe" pulp. One of the most engaging tales from Clifford Simak, very lyrical and competent, with loads of "sense-of-wonder". It builds upon the idea that only humans possess enough imagination to tell stories in the whole Galaxy, so the industry of story-telling literally replaces all other entertainment for many alien races, and a lot of it is done by automated "writing devices". (Can you notice the concern of the Fifties writers that they will be replaced by computers? Did not happen. And can you sense the premonition of the pulp's decline and diminishing of the importance of written word? Alas, that happened all right). Very high quality science fiction. review: 25-Jul-06 (read in 1985) ---------------------------------------------- "So Bright the Vision" (coll) © Ace Double, 1968 --/ fourth place sf collection --/ wonder award --/ style award Scrumptious assortment of vintage Fifties SF morsels from "the master confectioner of them all". Simak's stories will glow in your mind like a warm sunset at the end of a stressful day, will make you want to greet your neighbour with a smile and a friendly pat on the back. review: 25-Jul-06 (read in 1997) ---------------------------------------------- "Spacebred Generations" (also as "Target Generation") © Science Fiction Plus, Aug 1953 Strangers in the Universe, 1956 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award "The Spaceman's Van Gogh" © Science Fiction Stories, Mar 1956 Worlds Without End, 1964 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award --/ emotion award "Strangers In The Universe" (coll) © Simon & Schuster, 1956 --/ third place sf collection --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ adventure award --/ style award "The Street That Wasn't There" (also as "Lost Street") (with Carl Jacobi) © Comet, Jul 1941 Avon Fantasy Reader, #13 1950 Smoke of the Snake, Carl Jacobi, 1994 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award "Sunspot Purge" © Astounding, Nov 1940 The Best of Clifford Simak, 1975 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award "Target Generation" (also as "Spacebred Generations") © Science Fiction Plus, Aug 1953 Strangers in the Universe, 1956 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award "They Walked Like Men" (nv) ©1962, Doubleday books --/ third place sf novel --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ adventure award "The Thing In The Stone" © IF, Mar 1970 The Best of Clifford Simak, 1975 Skirmish, 1977 --novella : 1971 Hugo --novella : 1971 Nebula --/ fourth place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ adventure award "Time And Again" (nv) orig. appeared as "Time Quarry" (also as "First He Died") © Galaxy, Oct 1950 Simon & Schuster, 1951 --/ third place sf novel --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award "Time Quarry" (nv) (also as "Time and Again") (also as "First He Died") © Galaxy, Oct 1950 --/ third place sf novel --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award "To Walk The City's Street" © Infinity #3, ed. R.Hoskins, 1972 --/ cool sf story "Tools" © Astounding, Jul 1942 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award ---------------------------------------------- "The Trouble With Tycho" (nv) © Amazing Stories, Oct 1960 novel: Ace Double, 1961 --/ second place space sf novella --/ wonder award --/ adventure award --/ romance award --/ style award Classic example of the good old space adventure tale. Mining prospectors on the Moon, lost expeditions, haunted crater, wonderfully "alien" aliens. I loved the "wild west" feel to the story (told with a "small town" space cowboy flavour), a touch of romance, wholesome goodness throughout the dialogue and action, and of course, spectacular background and set pieces. Definitely a highlight of my reading experience for this summer. Its a part ghost story, part "wilderness trek" story, part "treasure hunt" - with "living energy" and "crystal egg morph" aliens to make the life and work on the Moon very interesting. Understated splendor and muted heroics make this action tale a study in pulp fiction elegance. review: 07-Jul-06 (read in 2006) ---------------------------------------------- "The Visitors" (nv) © Analog, May 1979 novel : Ballantine, 1980 --serial : 1980 AnLab /3 --/ fourth place sf novel --/ wonder award "Way Station" (nv) (also as "Here Gather The Stars") © Galaxy, Jun 1963 novel : Doubleday, 1963 --novel : 1964 Hugo W --book : 1966 Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll /27 --all time sf novel : 1987 Locus All-Time Poll /25 (tie) --sf novel (before 1990) : 1998 Locus All-Time Poll /31 --/ second place sf novel --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award "The Werewolf Principle" (nv) © 1967, Putnam Berkley --/ second place sf novel --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award "Where The Evil Dwells" (nv) © 1982, Ballantine Books --/ third place f novel --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ adventure award "Why Call Them Back From Heaven?" (nv) © 1967, Gollancz --/ fourth place sf novel --/ wonder award --/ style award "The World Of The Red Sun" © Wonder Stories, Dec 1931 --/ fourth place sf novel --/ wonder award --/ adventure award "The World That Couldn't Be" © Galaxy, Jan 1958 Off-Planet, 1988 --/ fourth place sf novel --/ wonder award --/ adventure award "The Worlds of Clifford Simak" (coll) (Derivative collection "Other Worlds of Clifford Simak") (in UK as "Aliens for Neighbours") © Simon & Schuster, 1960 --/ fourth place sf collection --/ wonder award --/ style award "Worlds Without End" © Future Stories, Spr 1956 Worlds Without End, 1964 --/ third place f novella --/ idea award --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ adventure award "Worrywart" © Galaxy, Sep 1953 --/ cool sf story --/ style award "You'll Never Go Home Again" (also as "Beachhead") © Fantastic Adventures, Jul 1951 Strangers in the Universe, 1956 --/ third place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ adventure award ------------------------------------------

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