Alpha 7

by Robert Silverberg

The seventh in a series of superb science fiction. The Alpha series of anthologies center on no particular theme except that of literary quality and importance to the science fiction genre. Since its inception in 1970, the Alpha series has been dedicated to the proposition that science fiction can be a literature not only of stimulating and unfamiliar ideas but also of skilful and vigorous writing. Thus far Alpha has offered sixty-odd stories that exemplify the best of science challenging, provocative views of the universe, presented in crisp, sparkling prose. The volumes in the series offer some of the liveliest work produced in the short-story form anywhere in the world, and not just of the science-fiction category. Alpha serves a secondary to rescue from oblivion stories that might otherwise be undeservedly forgotten. Herewith, the seventh feast of outstanding fiction.

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Anthologies

312 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1977

About the author

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Robert Silverberg is a highly celebrated American science fiction author and editor known for his prolific output and literary range. Over a career spanning decades, he has won multiple Hugo and Nebula Awards and was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 2004. Inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 1999, Silverberg is recognized for both his immense productivity and his contributions to the genre's evolution.
Born in Brooklyn, he began writing in his teens and won his first Hugo Award in 1956 as the best new writer. Throughout the 1950s, he produced vast amounts of fiction, often under pseudonyms, and was known for writing up to a million words a year. When the market declined, he diversified into other genres, including historical nonfiction and erotica.
Silverberg’s return to science fiction in the 1960s marked a shift toward deeper psychological and literary themes, contributing significantly to the New Wave movement. Acclaimed works from this period include Downward to the Earth, Dying Inside, Nightwings, and The World Inside. In the 1980s, he launched the Majipoor series with Lord Valentine’s Castle, creating one of the most imaginative planetary settings in science fiction.
Though he announced his retirement from writing in the mid-1970s, Silverberg returned with renewed vigor and continued to publish acclaimed fiction into the 1990s. He received further recognition with the Nebula-winning Sailing to Byzantium and the Hugo-winning Gilgamesh in the Outback.
Silverberg has also played a significant role as an editor and anthologist, shaping science fiction literature through both his own work and his influence on others. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, author Karen Haber.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the seventh volume in Silverberg's series of reprint anthologies in which he selected and presented works of short science fiction he thought were of high value but that had not garnered equal appreciation or recognition in the field. I thought this one was the weakest entry in the series; I'm not sure why, but many of the stories just resonate with me. There's a morose Malzberg story (now there's a redundant phrase), and good pieces by Effinger, Boucher, Carr, and Kornbluth. The one really terrific story, my favorite, is Julian May's Dune Roller.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I read these stories, I'm struck by just how consistently awesome they are. Granted I still don't quite get the point of 'A Galaxy Called Rome', and I sometimes feel I'm missing something in 'World War II' the rest are examples of some of the best short sci-fi anywhere.

From the beautifully descriptive 'Dune Roller' penned by a teenage Julian May, to Terry Carr's haunting 'Rejoice, Rejoice, We Have No Choice' it's thought provoking and enjoyable. There are less known pieces here too, like McKenna's 'The Night Of Hoggy Darn' that don't seem dated at all regardless of original publication date. Plenty here to enjoy again and again. I wonder if Alpha 1 thru 6 are around somewhere....

[Timothy · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** Dune Roller (1951) • Julian May
***** Shape (1953) • Robert Sheckley
**** Transfer Point (1950) • Anthony Boucher
*** A Galaxy Called Rome (1975) • Barry N. Malzberg
*** Rejoice, Rejoice, We Have No Choice (1974) • Terry Carr
**** Orphans of the Void (1952) • Michael Shaara
**** The Luckiest Man in Denv (1952) • C. M. Kornbluth
*** For Love (1962) • Algis Budrys
**** World War Two (1973) • George Alec Effinger
*** The Night of Hoggy Darn (1958) • Richard McKenna