Thu 14 Apr 2022
Diary Review: WORLDS OF TOMORROW – February, 1967.
Posted by Steve under Diary Reviews , Science Fiction & Fantasy[9] Comments
WORLDS OF TOMORROW – February, 1967. Edited by Frederik Pohl. Cover by [Gray] Morrow. Overall rating: 3½ stars.
SAMUEL R. DELANY “The Star-Pit.” Short novel. The golden are those people psychologically capable of traveling beyond the limits of the galaxy, exploring new worlds, having adventures that ordinary people dream of and hate them for. Vyme, working at ship-repair at the edge of the galaxy, is trapped there. But the golden, exploited for their ability, are trapped, too, in another way. The best treatment of this theme ever written. Characterization is truly tremendous; there are no minor roles in this story. The future of the human race on a believable galactic scale. (5)
KEITH LAUMER “The Planet Wreckers” Novelette. An Earthman gets caught up in the efforts to stop an alien movie company from destroying the US while filming a galactic effort. Meant to be funny, but not very convincing. (3)
KENNETH BULMER “Station HR972.” No story, but a brutal picture of our highway system if this goes on. (3)
RICHARD C. MEREDITH “The Fifth Columbiad.” Short novel. Twelve descendants of Earth capture an enemy spaceship as part of a revenge lasting over 700 years. Action story, with sex arising in inconsistent ways; not too interesting. (2)
April 14th, 2022 at 9:17 pm
I haven’t read The Star Pit for a long time.
This review makes me want to reread it.Thanks!
April 14th, 2022 at 9:22 pm
It’s a classic. This brief review I wrote way back then doesn’t do it justice. I’m going to find a copy and read it again myself.
April 14th, 2022 at 10:07 pm
Yes, me too. I found two copies in internet archive, one in a Gardner Dozois Anthology, and one in the Delany short story collection Driftglass.
April 15th, 2022 at 8:12 am
Thanks, Moe. I’m not likely to read the story online, but I’m sure others will.
April 14th, 2022 at 11:41 pm
I liked the Meredith and Laumer a bit better than you, but the Delaney is outstanding and the rest take a decided back seat to it.
April 15th, 2022 at 4:21 am
Haven’t ever read a Meredith story I haven’t hated, so, since encountering them in 1978-79 for the first time, haven’t read any since. Suspect I’ve missed nothing good.
There is something In Us that wants to put an extra E in Delany and Zelazny.
April 15th, 2022 at 4:23 am
Then again, Frederik Pohl gets a superfluous C in the first line!
I remain impressed you kept a reading diary.
April 15th, 2022 at 8:11 am
Which extra C has just been removed. Thanks, Todd! I added that last night. Mentioning either the editor or cover artist wasn’t in the original review.
April 16th, 2022 at 12:59 am
I don’t why I always add that extra e. Delany has always been nice about it though.