Galactic Empires Volume 1
Brian W. Aldiss
331 pages
published in 1976
Brian W. Aldiss is one of the giants of science fiction, one of the principal writers of the New Wave, hugely influential for writing stories and novels that showed that literary values and science fiction were not incompatible. Which is not surprising, as his first novel was actually a collection of "mundane" stories about a fictitious bookshop. Despite his unmistakable virtues as a writer however I've never been a real fan of him, as a glance at the science fiction I've read these past seven years or shows immediately. The only two Aldiss books on the list show far are the two volumes of the Galactic Empires series he edited.
That's Aldiss' other claim to fame, being an editor of an excellent series of science fiction anthologies. His series of early sixties Penguin anthologies helped make science fiction respectable in the UK, while together with Harry Harrison he ran a respectable series of Year's Best science fiction in the 1970ties. At the same time Aldiss also edited a series of themed space opera anthologies, of which -surprise, surprise- Galactic Empires, originally published in one volume, was one.
For some reason I read Volume two first, two years ago, probably because that turned up first in our sadly still unpacked boxes of books out in the shed. The careful order in which Aldiss had put his selection of stories therefore was kind of lost on me, but this hardly mattered. Both volumes are still quite good collections of classic science fiction stories, all about one of the genre's old favourite subjects: the galactic empire. It's always been somewhat of a suspect trope, slightly dodgy, somewhat childish, sometimes thought of as a sublimation of Manifest Destiny unto the universe, but at the same time it's also a quite fun idea, as this collection shows. Even more oldfashioned now then at the time of publication of course, but the appeal of an Galactic Empire remains alive, as one look at Star Wars shows.
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Been a Long, Long Time -- R. A. Lafferty
A shaggy god story that doesn't quite fit the theme of the anthology, but with a nice sense of long, long time, as a group of monkeys has to recreate the complete works of Shakespeare, flawlessly... -
The Possessed -- Arthur C. Clarke
Part of an alien hive intelligence is stranded on earth and returns again and again to the place where it's supposed to rendezvous wirh the part that remained in space --but something changed in the long years of waiting. Unfortunately the big reveal at the end of the story is based on a piece of long disproved pop science. -
Protected Species -- H. B. Fyfe
Humanity is leaving the bonds of space and exploring nearby systems, finding evidence of alien ruins and on one planet, actual aliens. But who is the protected species? -
All the Way Back -- Michael Shaara
For years humans have been exploring space, only to find it a desert. Now, finally an exploration ship has found not just a habitable world, but contact with a true alien race as well as an explenation for the desert around Sol... A nice example of a "humans are superior" stories. -
The Star Plunderer -- Poul Anderson
How the empire got started: in the belly of an alien slaver ship. Some typical Anderson themes here: the deep pessimism that a democracy isn't strong enough to resist barbaric invasions, the idea that rule by a strong but just man is what is needed. -
Foundation -- Isaac Asimov
The original short story that started Asimov's most famous series. On the edge of the dying Galactic Empire, a group of scientists and researchers is busy creating a galactic encyclopedia, which will bring the emoire back together -or will it? -
We’re Civilized -- Mark Clifton & Alex Apostolides
If it's heavyhanded, "ironic" allegory you want, this is the story for you. Humans land on Mars, do not recognise the life there as intelligent. Then aliens land on Earth... -
The Crime and the Glory of Commander Suzdal -- Cordwainer Smith
Excellent, lyrical Cordwainer Smith story, as per usual, but unfortunately marred by outdated, offensive ideas about homosexuality. -
The Rebel of Valkyr -- Alfred Coppel
Sword and sorcery amongst the stars. The dark ages have come and gone, the empire is re-united, but while the starships are still working, all other technology has collapsed to the level of swords and torches. Now the newly formed empire is in crisis, as the heir to the throne is weak and in thrall to sinister voices: only Kieron, Warlord of Valkyr, can stop the slide back into barbarity. -
Brightness Falls from the Air -- Idris Seabright
Idris Seabright is also known as Margaret St. Clair, one of the early female science fiction writers (I've reviewed her Wicca-based novel Sign of the Labrys a few years ago.) Here she writes about the darker sides of a human dominated empire, in which there's little room for other species... -
Immigrant -- Clifford D. Simak
Sometimes humans are not the superior species they're supposed to be in Campbellian science fiction. Here, they're definately the inferior of the people of Kimon. Luckily they keep to themselves, but for the fortunate few allowed to immigrate there, Kimon might be a wonderland where untold riches can be made, or maybe not, but for people willing to learn it may be the best opportunity of their lives, if you can get over feeling like a pet dog... -
Resident Physician -- James White
On of White's Sector General medical puzzle stories. This one tells of a patient with a harmless skin condition that's remarkably persistent, who may have actually eaten his travel companion and doctor, and who coincidently also may be a god. -
Age of Retirement -- Mal Lynch
The Space Patrol needs the best of the best, men and women, but it cannot afford to keep on people past their prime... -
Planting Time -- Pete Adams & Charles Nightingale
An accidental discovery of a very unusual alien plant species makes its discoverer one of the richest men in the Galaxy. Somewhat of a fantasy for thirteen year old boys, this. Not too sexist.
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