If you want to have an overview of the best of the science fiction field through the early 1970s, look no further. These five volumes cover more than 70 classic tales dating from 1895 to 1974, with all stories selected by The Science Fiction Writers of America.
The publication of these volumes can be a bit confusing. The second and third volumes were also published as Volume TwoA and Volume TwoB. The fourth volume was also published as Volume Three. The fifth and final volume was only published as Volume IV. The ones edited by Ben Bova include only novelettes and novellas; the ones edited by Arthur C. Clarke and Terry Carr cover the Nebula Award-winning stories, novelettes, and novellas given by the SFWA from 1965 to 1974.
A number of these stories were subsequently expanded or incorporated into novels. Many others are parts of well-known series. Most of the authors were major writers in the field; a few have been all but forgotten in time. There are stories of adventure and invention, of robots and time travel, of both near and far future, of mutants and supermen, of logic and absurdity. Some stories are fast-paced; some contemplative. Some are horrifying; some inspiring.
All are well worth your time.
...And just try to pick a favorite. I dare you.
The contents:
The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One, edited by Robert Silverberg (1970)
- Stanley G. Weinbaum, A Martian Odyssey (Wonder Stories, July 1934)
- John W. Campbell, Jr., Twilight (Astounding Stories, November 1934, as by "Don A. Stuart")
- "Lester del Rey" (Leonard Knapp), Helen O'Loy (Astounding Science-Fiction, December 1938)
- Robert A. Heinlein, The Roads Must Roll (Astounding Science-Fiction, June 1940)
- Theodore Sturgeon, Microcosmic God (Astounding Science-Fiction, April 1941)
- Isaac Asimov, Nightfall (Astounding Science-Fiction, September 1941)
- A. E. van Vogt, The Weapon Shop (Astounding Science-Fiction, December 1942)
- Henry Kuttner & C. L. Moore, Mimsy Were the Borogoves (Astounding Science-Fiction, February 1943, as by "Lewis Padgett")
- Clifford D. Simak, Huddling Place (Astounding Science Fiction, July 1944)
- Fredric Brown, Arena (Astounding Science Fiction, June 1944)
- "Murray Leinster" (Will F. Jenkins"), First Contact (Astounding Science Fiction, May 1945)
- "Judith Merril" (Josephine Juliet Grossman), That Only a Mother (Astounding Science Fiction, June 1948)
- "Cordwainer Smith" (Paul Anthony Myron Linebarger), Scanners Live in Vain (Fantasy Book, Vol. 1. No. 6, January 1950)
- Ray Bradbury, Mars Is Heaven! (Planet Stories, August 1948)
- C. M. Kornbluth, The Little Black Bag (Astounding Science Fiction, July 1950)
- Richard Matheson, Born of Man and Woman (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Summer 1950)
- Fritz Leiber, Coming Attraction (Galaxy Science Fiction, November 1950)
- "Anthony Boucher" (William Anthony Parker White), The Quest for Saint Aquin (New Tales of Space and Time, edited by Raymond J. Healy, 1951)
- James Blish, Surface Tension (Galaxy Science Fiction, August 1952)
- Arthur C. Clarke, The Nine Billion Names of God (Ster Science Fiction Stories, edited by Frederik Pohl,1953)
- Jerome Bixby, It's a Good Life (Star Science Fiction Stories No. 2, edited by Frederik Pohl, 1953)
- Tom Godwin, The Cold Equations (Astounding Science Fiction, August 1954)
- Alfred Bester, Fondly Fahrenheit (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, August 1954)
- Damon Knight, The Country of the Kind (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, February 1956)
- Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, April 1959)
- Roger Zelazny, A Rose for Ecclesiastes (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, November 1963)
The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume Two, edited by Ben Bova, 1973
- Eric Frank Russell, ...And Then There None (Astounding Science Fiction, June 1951)
- Theodore Sturgeon, Baby Is Three (Galaxy Science Fiction, October 1953)
- Poul Anderson, Call Me Joe (Astounding Science Fiction, April 1957)
- "Lester del Rey" (Leonard Knapp), Nerves (Astounding-Science Fiction, September 1942)
- "Cordwainer Smith" (Paul Anthony Myron Linebarger), The Ballad of Lost C'mell (Galaxy Magazine, October 1962)
- C. M. Kornbluth, The Marching Morons (Galaxy Science Fiction, April 1951)
- H. G. Wells, The Time Machine (The Time Machine, 1895; Wells wrote several versions of this novel, including The Chronic Argonauts, 1888; The Time Machine, 1894; The Time Traveller's Story, 1895; a serial version, 1895; and a book version, 1895 -- I'm not sure which version Silverberg used for this anthology)
- Robert A. Heinlein, Universe (Astounding-Science Fiction, May 1941)
- Henry Kuttner & C. L. Moore, Vintage Season (Astounding Science Fiction, September 1946, as by "Lawrence O'Donnell")
- John W, Campbell, Jr., Who Goes There? (Astounding-Science Fiction, August 1938, as by "Don A. Stuart")
- Jack Williamson, With Folded Hands (Astounding Science Fiction, July 1947)
The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume Three, edited by Ben Bova, 1973
- Jack Vance, The Moon Moth (Galaxy Magazine, August 1961)
- E. M. Forster, The Machine Stops (The Oxford and Cambridge Review, Michaelmas Term, 1909)
- James Blish, Earthman, Come Home (Astounding Science Fiction, November 1953)
- T. L. Sherred, E for Effort (Astounding Science Fiction, May 1947)
- Frederik Pohl, The Midas Plague (Galaxy Science Fiction, April 1954)
- Wilmar H. Shiras, In Hiding (Astounding Science Fiction, November 1948)
- Clifford D. Simak, The Big Front Yard (Astounding Science Fiction, October 1958)
- James H. Schmitz, The Witches of Karres (Astounding Science Fiction, December 1949)
- Isaac Asimov, The Martian Way (Galaxy Science Fiction, November 1952)
- Algis Budrys, Rogue Moon (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, December 1960)
- Theodore R. Cogswell, The Spectre General (Astounding Science Fiction, June 1952)
The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume Four, edited by Arthur C. Clarke (& George Proctor), 1981
- Harlan Ellison, "Repent Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman (Galaxy Magazine, December 1965)
- Roger Zelazny, The Doors of His Face, The Lamps of His Mouth (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, March 1965)
- Brian W. Aldiss, The Saliva Tree (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, September 1965)
- Roger Zelazny, He Who Shapes (Amazing Stories, January and February 1965)
- Richard McKenna, The Secret Place (Orbit 1, edited by Damon Knight, 1966)
- Gordon R. Dickson, Call Him Lord (Analog Science Fiction -> Science Fact, May 1966)
- Jack Vance, The Last Castle (Galaxy Magazine, April 1966)
- Samuel R. Delaney, Aye, and Gomorrah (Dangerous Visions, edited by Harlan Ellison, 1967)
- Fritz Leiber, Gonna Roll the Bones (Dangerous Visions, edited by Harlan Ellison, 1967)
- Michael Moorcock, Behold the Man (New Worlds SF, September 1966)
- Kate Wilhelm, The Planners (Orbit 3, edited by Damon Knight, 1968)
- Richard Wilson, Mother to the World (Orbit 3, edited by Damon Knight, 1968)
- Anne McCaffrey, Dragonrider (Analog Science Fiction -> Science Fact, December 1967 and January 1968)
- Robert Silverberg, Passengers (Orbit 4, edited by Damon Knight, 1968)
- Samuel R. Delaney, Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones (New Worlds, December 1968)
- Harlan Ellison, A Boy and His Dog (New Worlds, April 1969)
The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume IV, edited by Terry Carr, 1986
- Fritz Leiber, Ill Met in Lanhkmar (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, April 1970)
- Theodore Sturgeon, Slow Sculpture (Galaxy Magazine, February 1970)
- Katherine MacLean, The Missing Man (Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact, March 1971)
- Poul Anderson, The Queen of Air and Darkness (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, April 1971)
- Robert Silverberg, Good News from the Vatican (Universe 1, edited by Terry Carr, 1971)
- Arthur C. Clarke, A Meeting with Medusa (Playboy, December 1971)
- Poul Anderson, Goat Song (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, February 1972)
- Joanna Russ, When It Changed (Again, Dangerous Visions, edited by Harlan Ellison, 1972)
- Gene Wolfe, The Death of Dr. Island (Universe 3, edited by Terry Carr, 1973)
- Vonda N. McIntyre, Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand (Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact, October 1973)
- "James Tiptree, Jr," (Alice Sheldon), Love Is the Plan the Plan Is Death (The Alien Condition, edited by Stephen Goldin, 1973)
- Robert Silverberg, Born with the Dead (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science FictionR
- Gregory Benford & Gordon Eklund, If the Star Are Gods (Universe 4, edited by Terry Carr, 1974)
- Ursula K. Le Guin, The Day Before the Revolution (Galaxy Science Fiction, August 1974)
After Volume 1, particularly, had become a staple textbook of high school and college sf courses (perhaps The staple textbook), the notion was bruited to repackage the first decade of Nebula winners in the same manner...sadly, the annual Nebula volumes had never become commercial successes, even by the modest measure of anthologies in the marketplace...and I think the SFWA anthologies have never, with the notable exception of HOF 1, become the kind of not-bad moneymakers that the MWA anthologies had been over the decades.
ReplyDeleteFavorite story in all the volumes: probably "The Country of the Kind" by Damon Knight (thus also favorite in V. 1)
V.2A favorite: The grim "The Marching Morons"; 2B: "E for Effort"...you misattribute Ben Bova's selections to Silverberg, in re which THE TIME MACHINE version...the Boya volumes were consciously meant to take into account the longer stories that first volume didn't choose to deal with.
V. 3: "The Last Castle" or "Gonna Roll the Bones"
V. 4 "Ill Met in Lankhmar"...