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
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
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.