Men Against the Stars
 Dust-jacket from the first edition | |
| Editor | Martin Greenberg |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Edd Cartier |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Science fiction Short stories |
| Publisher | Gnome Press |
Publication date | 1950 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 351 |
Men Against the Stars is a 1950 anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Martin Greenberg, originally published in hardcover by Gnome Press. A British hardcover was issued by Grayson & Grayson in 1951. Pyramid Books published several abridged paperback versions in the late 1950s and early 1960s.[1]
It was the first “theme” anthology in science fiction, where all stories are about a common idea, setting, or concept.[2] All the stories, save one, had originally appeared in the magazine Astounding SF. The other story, "When Shadows Fall", first appeared in Startling Stories.
Contents
[edit]- Foreword, by Martin Greenberg
- Introduction, by Willy Ley
- "Trends", by Isaac Asimov
- "Men Against the Stars", by Manly Wade Wellman
- "The Red Death of Mars", by Robert Moore Williams
- "Locked Out", by H. B. Fyfe
- "The Iron Standard", by Lewis Padgett
- "Schedule", by Harry Walton
- "Far Centaurus", by A. E. van Vogt
- "Cold Front", by Hal Clement
- "The Plants", by Murray Leinster
- "Competition", by E. Mayne Hull
- "Bridle and Saddle", by Isaac Asimov
- "When Shadows Fall", by L. Ron Hubbard
Reception
[edit]Fletcher Pratt, writing in The New York Times, reported that editor Greenberg "has done an extremely good job of choosing his entries".[3] Anthony Boucher praised the volume as "a pioneer among 'patterned' anthologies [and] an outstanding collection."[4] P. Schuyler Miller called it "one of the best science fiction anthologies to date” [in 1950], praising the consistent selection of "stories of human problems and human values."[5]
References
[edit]- ^ ISFDB publishing history
- ^ Chalker, Jack L.; Mark Owings (1998). The Science-Fantasy Publishers: A Bibliographic History, 1923-1998. Westminster, MD and Baltimore: Mirage Press, Ltd. p. 298.
- ^ "In the Realm of the Spacemen: Star Rovers", The New York Times Book Review, July 2, 1950
- ^ "Recommended Reading," F&SF, May 1957, p.77.
- ^ "Book Reviews", Astounding, November 1950, p.93-94
Sources
[edit]- Chalker, Jack L.; Mark Owings (1998). The Science-Fantasy Publishers: A Bibliographic History, 1923-1998. Westminster, MD and Baltimore: Mirage Press, Ltd. p. 298.
- Contento, William G. "Index to Science Fiction Anthologies and Collections". Retrieved 2008-02-23.