James Blish

Pen-names: Arthur Merlyn ---------------------------------------------- "Art-Work" (also as "A Work of Art") ©  Science Fiction Stories, Jul 1956 Galactic Cluster, 1959 --/ cool sf story Richard Strauss finds himself "resurrected" in a different body in 2161 and is asked to write a new opera. He tries his best, but can not escape his own creative conundrums and basically repeats his old works. The people in the future still appreciate what he's done, only because... they most pathetically do not have a clue - and do not much care either way. In some respect this is a sad tale. review: 10-Jul-06 (read in 1983) ---------------------------------------------- "Beanstalk" (also as "Giants in the Earth") © Future Tense, ed. K. F. Crossen, 1952 Galactic Cluster, 1959 "Beep" © Galaxy, Feb 1954 Galactic Cluster, 1959 "Black Easter" (nv) (also as "Faust Aleph-Null") © IF, Oct 1967 book: Dell, 1969 --novel : 1969 Nebula "The Box" © Thrilling Wonder Stories, Apr 1949 So Close To Home, 1961 --Groff Conklin's story selection --/ fourth place apocalyptic sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ emotion award --/ awesome scale "Bridge" © Astounding, Feb 1952 Year 2018!, 1957 --/ cool sf story --/ idea award "A Case Of Conscience" (nv) © IF, Sep 1953 book: 1958, Doubleday Books --novel : 1959 Hugo W --all time novel : 1975 Locus All-Time Poll /28 (tie) "Common Time" © Science Fiction Quarterly, Aug 1953 Galactic Cluster, 1959 --/ cool sf story "Detour to the Stars" (also as "Nor Iron Bars") © Infinity, Dec 1956, Nov 1957 Galactic Cluster, 1959 --/ fourth place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea: spcae travel inside the atom --/ awesome scale "Faust Aleph-Null" (also as "Black Easter") © IF, Oct 1967 "Galactic Cluster" (coll) © Signet Books, 1959 --/ fourth place sf collection --/ wonder award --/ style award "Getting Along" (with Judith Ann Lawrence) © 1972, Again, Dangerous Visions "Giants In The Earth" (also as "Beanstalk") © Future Tense, ed. K. F. Crossen, 1952 Galactic Cluster, 1959 ---------------------------------------------- "How Beautiful With Banners" © Orbit # 1, 1966 Anywhen, 1970 --/ third place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ idea award Total surprise! James Blish writing a sophisticated planetary adventure with all the color, action and ideas worthy of modern practitioners of the genre: Reynolds, Stephen Baxter, Swanwick's "Slow Life"... trust me, it's in the same category! As such, it is an incredible find, partly because Blish did not approach such classic planetary exploration themes again, to the best of my knowledge - and he can really write when he wants to. "Surface Tension" went to number one on my list, even though I read it in translation; now I can really appreciate his style: poetic allusions and hard science blended to one wild idea. A "living" space-suit made from an artificially engineered virus (!) nicely shields a visitor to Titan from its frozen environment - until rather serious trouble occurs when one of the local life forms decides to mate with it... A gem of a story, you can read it online here review: 18-Jul-06 (read in 1986) ---------------------------------------------- "King of the Hill" (Civilian Intelligence Group series) © Infinity Science Fiction, Nov 1955 Galactic Cluster, 1959 --/ cool apocalyptic sf story --/ emotion award:cold war "The Masks" © F&SF, Nov 1959 So Close To Home, 1961 "Midsummer Century" (nv) © F&SF, Mar 1972 book: DAW, 1974 --novella : 1973 Locus "Mission to the Heart Stars" (nv) © Avon Books, 1965 "The Night Shapes" (nv) © 1962, Ballantine "Nightride And Sunrise" (with Jerome Bixby) © Authentic SF, Aug 1957 (exp. of story by Jerome Bixby "Nightride and Sunrise") © Other Worlds, June 1952 -- see J. Bixby entry "No Jokes on Mars" © F&SF, Oct 1965 Anywhen, 1970 "None So Blind" (also as "Who's in Charge Here?") © F&SF, May 1962 "Nor Iron Bars" (also as "Detour to the Stars'') © Infinity, Dec 1956, Nov 1957 Galactic Cluster, 1959 --/ fourth place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea: space travel inside the atom --/ awesome scale "The Oath" © F&SF, Oct 1960 So Close To Home, 1961 "Okie" (Okie series) © Astounding, Apr 1950 Earthman Come Home, 1955 --novelette : 2001 Retro Hugo "The Quincunx of Time" (nv) (exp. from "Beep") © Galaxy, Feb 1954 book: Dell, 1974 --novella : 1974 Jupiter --/ cool sf novel "Request of an Angel" © 1940, Super Science Stories "The Shipwrecked Hotel" (with Norman L. Knight) (Tritons series) © Galaxy, Aug 1965 A Torrent of Faces, 1967 --/ cool sf novella "Solar Plexus" © 1940, Astonishing Stories, Sep --/ cool sf story "Statistician's Day" © Science Against Men, 1970 --/ cool sf story   "Sunken Universe" (as by Arthur Merlyn) (also as "Surface Tension") © Super Science Stories, May 1942 --/ FIRST place sf story --/ idea award --/ wonder award --/ rare find "Surface Tension" (exp. from "Sunken Universe") © Galaxy, Aug 1952 The Seedling Stars, 1956 --short fiction : 1971 Astounding /Analog All-Time Poll /17 (tie) --novella : 1999 Locus All-Time Poll /38 --/ FIRST place space sf story --/ idea award --/ wonder award --/ adventure award --/ emotion award "Testament of Andros" © Future, Jan 1953 So Close to Home, 1961 --/ cool sf story "They Shall Have Stars" (nv) (also as "Year 2018!") (Cities In Flight) © Faber and Faber, 1956 Cities in Flight, 1970 --all time novel : 1975 Locus /27 "This Earth of Hours" © F&SF, Jun 1959 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award: worm aliens --/ style award: irony "Titan's Daughter" (nv) © 1961, Berkley Books "To Pay The Piper" © IF, Feb 1956 Galactic Cluster, 1959 ---------------------------------------------- "Tomb Tapper" © Astounding, Jul 1956 Galactic Cluster, 1959 --/ second place apocalyptic sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award --/ emotion award --/ shock value --/ rare find A blistering, furious apocalyptic story that is going to haunt you all your life, if you really let it into your brain. Possibly the most frightening, and ingenious Cold War creation about "limited" nuclear conflict and its wild consequences, especially for the roles of children. Needless to say, I did not expect this from Blish, who is usually a very reserved and "proper" writer, happy to explore scholarly possibilities and conventional venues. But, my goodness, does he ever let loose here. Do yourself a favour and put your hair on end with this one. review: 12-Jul-06 (read in 2002) ---------------------------------------------- "Two Worlds In Peril" © Science Fiction Adventures, Feb 1957 "Watershed" © IF, May 1950 The Seedling Stars, 1956 --/ cool sf story "We All Die Naked" © Three For Tomorrow, ed. R. Silverberg, 1969 Best SF of James Blish, 1973 --novella : 1970 Hugo "Welcome To Mars!" (nv) © 1967, Avon Books "Who's in Charge Here?" (also as "None So Blind") © F&SF, May 1962 ---------------------------------------------- "A Work of Art" (also as "Art-Work") ©  Science Fiction Stories, Jul 1956 Galactic Cluster, 1959 --/ cool sf story Richard Strauss finds himself "resurrected" in the different body in 2161 and is asked to write a new opera. He tries his best, but can not escape his own creative conundrums and basically repeats his old works. The people in the future still appreciate what he'd done, only because... they most pathetically do not have a clue - and do not much care either way. In some respect this is a sad tale. review: 10-Jul-06 (read in 1983) ---------------------------------------------- "Year 2018!" (nv) (also as "They Shall Have Stars") (Cities In Flight) © Faber and Faber, 1956 Cities in Flight, 1970 --all time novel : 1975 Locus /27 ----------------------------------------------

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