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Sector General
The Aliens Among Us
From Sector General, the incredible space hospital where strange and wonderful doctors and patients are drawn from all species, to the barren storm-tossed hills of Donegal--the aliens are coming! ON EARTH OR ON SECTOR GENERAL...THE ALIENS ARE HERE. *Star Surgeon Conway had to share his brain with an alien medic--and the alien was taking over; *The Orligs were cute, cuddly teddy bears--and they wanted to to batter all humans to death; *Colonel Dermod had to fight a war--but his troops were cowards, handpicked by the enemy; *Humans hardly stood a chance in a telepathic cat-and-mouse game of sorts; ...and more... This short-story collection includes one, Countercharm, set in White's popular Sector General hospital books, but most of the others are set in the same universe.
Contents:
Countercharm concerns Dr. Conway's encounter with one of the hazards of his profession. Doctors at Sector General receive their xenomedical knowledge from 'Educator Tapes,' the recorded minds of ET physicians. But you don't just get their medical knowledge, you get everything including their sex drive -- which can lead to embarrassing and distracting consequences.
To Kill or Cure, a Navy rescue team discovers the wreck they discovered is 'not of this world'. They do their best to help the injured, sluglike beings inside, but do they dare let them contact their friends?
Red Alert, an alien species is deliberately formenting military tensions on Earth. Is this a preliminary to invasion? Or is something else going on?
Tableau, Earth's first contact with another species results in war. Then an Earth soldier and one of the alien Orligians find themselves trapped together in the wreckage of their ships and discover it's all due to a horrible misunderstanding.
Conspirators, the laboratory animals aboard the the first intersteller explorer plan their escape with the help of the ship's cat and a pet canary.
The Scavengers, a Terran taskforce is assigned to 'clean up' those aliens who survived the initial attack.
Occupation: Warrior, not only provides the missing half to the first Sector General book, Hospital Station, but gives the unexpected background of Fleet Commander Dermod.
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Contents:
Countercharm concerns Dr. Conway's encounter with one of the hazards of his profession. Doctors at Sector General receive their xenomedical knowledge from 'Educator Tapes,' the recorded minds of ET physicians. But you don't just get their medical knowledge, you get everything including their sex drive -- which can lead to embarrassing and distracting consequences.
To Kill or Cure, a Navy rescue team discovers the wreck they discovered is 'not of this world'. They do their best to help the injured, sluglike beings inside, but do they dare let them contact their friends?
Red Alert, an alien species is deliberately formenting military tensions on Earth. Is this a preliminary to invasion? Or is something else going on?
Tableau, Earth's first contact with another species results in war. Then an Earth soldier and one of the alien Orligians find themselves trapped together in the wreckage of their ships and discover it's all due to a horrible misunderstanding.
Conspirators, the laboratory animals aboard the the first intersteller explorer plan their escape with the help of the ship's cat and a pet canary.
The Scavengers, a Terran taskforce is assigned to 'clean up' those aliens who survived the initial attack.
Occupation: Warrior, not only provides the missing half to the first Sector General book, Hospital Station, but gives the unexpected background of Fleet Commander Dermod.
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224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 1969
5 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
About the author
James White
94 books135 followersLibrarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
James White was a Northern Irish author of science fiction novellas, short stories and novels. He was born in Belfast and returned there after spending some early years in Canada. He became a fan of science fiction in 1941 and co-wrote two fan magazines, from 1948 to 1953 and 1952 to 1965. Encouraged by other fans, White began publishing short stories in 1953, and his first novel was published in 1957. His best-known novels were the twelve of the Sector General series, the first published in 1962 and the last after his death. White also published nine other novels, two of which were nominated for major awards, unsuccessfully.
White abhorred violence, and medical and other emergencies were the sources of dramatic tension in his stories. The "Sector General" series is regarded as defining the genre of medical science fiction, and as introducing a memorable crew of aliens. Although missing winning the most prestigious honours four times, White gained other awards for specific works and for contributions to science fiction. He was also Guest-of-Honour of several conventions.
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
James White was a Northern Irish author of science fiction novellas, short stories and novels. He was born in Belfast and returned there after spending some early years in Canada. He became a fan of science fiction in 1941 and co-wrote two fan magazines, from 1948 to 1953 and 1952 to 1965. Encouraged by other fans, White began publishing short stories in 1953, and his first novel was published in 1957. His best-known novels were the twelve of the Sector General series, the first published in 1962 and the last after his death. White also published nine other novels, two of which were nominated for major awards, unsuccessfully.
White abhorred violence, and medical and other emergencies were the sources of dramatic tension in his stories. The "Sector General" series is regarded as defining the genre of medical science fiction, and as introducing a memorable crew of aliens. Although missing winning the most prestigious honours four times, White gained other awards for specific works and for contributions to science fiction. He was also Guest-of-Honour of several conventions.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 21, 2019
A collection of stories, most of which seem set in the Sector General world, and contain elements referenced in other books. There are some changes, though I don't know if they're accidental, or were simply changed in later versions.
March 14, 2021
I'm very fond of James White's Sector General stories, but I've not read much of his wider work. This collection contains one story set on Sector General itself, another that might be in the same universe and a selection of others.
The Sector General Story, Countercharm is, to my mind, one of the weaker stories in the collection, as it feels a bit dated in terms of sexism and there's a throwaway homophobic joke which doesn't sit well. But also, the setup - in which Conway has to cope with an alien "educator tape" in his mind with no help whatsoever from the station's psychological team, even when it could possibly be a danger to others - doesn't really make any sense to me.
Of the other stories, To Kill or Cure was a fun story set in Ireland, where a military search and rescue crew stationed in 'Derry finds a crashed flying saucer; Red Alert is a tense thriller where we follow an alien invasion as they enter Earth's solar system; and Tableau is a story story about the horror of war and how it should be memorialised.
The Conspirators was fun heist/escape story and it's almost a shame that The Scavengers was in the this collection because it was similar enough to one of the other stories that I guessed the twist early. The final story, Occupation: Warrior introduces us to Colonel Dermod, a familiar name from Sector General, but in a very different circumstance, as he tries to win a staged war.
The overarching theme of the collection is humanist and peaceful, telling stories about disparate groups working together for the greater good and the horrors of when dialogue breaks down and war and conflict break out. It's a message that resonates with me, and one that is still too rare, especially in the speculative fiction genres. These stories feel very much of their time, but the genuine warmth of the author shines through them.
The Sector General Story, Countercharm is, to my mind, one of the weaker stories in the collection, as it feels a bit dated in terms of sexism and there's a throwaway homophobic joke which doesn't sit well. But also, the setup - in which Conway has to cope with an alien "educator tape" in his mind with no help whatsoever from the station's psychological team, even when it could possibly be a danger to others - doesn't really make any sense to me.
Of the other stories, To Kill or Cure was a fun story set in Ireland, where a military search and rescue crew stationed in 'Derry finds a crashed flying saucer; Red Alert is a tense thriller where we follow an alien invasion as they enter Earth's solar system; and Tableau is a story story about the horror of war and how it should be memorialised.
The Conspirators was fun heist/escape story and it's almost a shame that The Scavengers was in the this collection because it was similar enough to one of the other stories that I guessed the twist early. The final story, Occupation: Warrior introduces us to Colonel Dermod, a familiar name from Sector General, but in a very different circumstance, as he tries to win a staged war.
The overarching theme of the collection is humanist and peaceful, telling stories about disparate groups working together for the greater good and the horrors of when dialogue breaks down and war and conflict break out. It's a message that resonates with me, and one that is still too rare, especially in the speculative fiction genres. These stories feel very much of their time, but the genuine warmth of the author shines through them.
January 3, 2025
James White’s The Aliens Among Us is a captivating anthology that showcases his talent for weaving thought-provoking tales of interspecies interaction. This collection features stories set in and around the famous Sector General hospital, known for treating alien patients with diverse physiologies and cultures. White’s imaginative scenarios explore themes of empathy, cooperation, and the challenges of communication across species.
One standout story delves into the moral complexities of medical intervention, while another highlights the humor and tension of cultural misunderstandings. White’s attention to detail in crafting alien characters and settings is remarkable, making each story a vivid experience. However, some stories may feel slightly formulaic for longtime fans of the series.
Overall, The Aliens Among Us is an engaging introduction to White’s world and a compelling reminder of the power of compassion and understanding in a universe of diversity.
One standout story delves into the moral complexities of medical intervention, while another highlights the humor and tension of cultural misunderstandings. White’s attention to detail in crafting alien characters and settings is remarkable, making each story a vivid experience. However, some stories may feel slightly formulaic for longtime fans of the series.
Overall, The Aliens Among Us is an engaging introduction to White’s world and a compelling reminder of the power of compassion and understanding in a universe of diversity.
September 13, 2023
I predicted the ending wrong every time. Love when a writer is clever like that.
September 1, 2023
This collection consists of some of White's earlier stories written in the period 1953 and 1960.
Countercharm (1960) - A Sector General short story. An amusing POV look at one side effect of an Educator tape – used to understand alien physiology and ailments - on the physician utilising one for the first time. 4 stars.
To Kill or Cure (1957) - A general theme increasingly familiar in James White tales, although this is one of his very early stories: helicopter search and rescue personnel attend what was initially thought to be the crash site of an aircraft but instead found injured and hitherto unseen aliens in imminent danger of dying if not treated. The thought processes and actions in working out how to keep them alive and then how to keep themselves alive when they thought they were threatened. Three and a half stars
Red Alert (1956) – Another familiar theme of White’s: the story line appears to be the opposite of what it actually is. The scale of the operation makes the belatedly revealed premise somewhat implausible, although adhering to the author’s central pacifist philosophy. Three stars.
Tableau (1958) – the quintessential White story that struck the deepest and most durable chord in my readings of this man’s work. This is a gut-wrenching emotional story that brings tears to my eyes every time I read it. It speaks to the memorialization of an incident in war that most forcibly underscores the author's abhorrence of the evil of war and his compassion towards all beings that suffer. Five stars.
The Conspirators (1954) – An entertaining story given the impossible premise of uplift through space travel, but one which underscores White’s reverence for intelligent life. The scientific hand-waving can be forgiven for the main idea that his beliefs (or faith) is meant to convey, ie aversion toward all violence that must be sited somewhere within the consciousness of all sapient life. An unusual story for 1954, the era of Flash Gordon and other garish sci-fi. Three stars.
The Scavengers (1953) – Very similar type of plot to Red Alert with roles reversed and therefore somewhat predictable despite the twist. Another story of ruthless compassion. Three stars.
Occupation: Warrior (1959) – The novelette/almost novella in the volume, and a Sector General prequel. This is a precursor story of a significant character in a later Sector General story, Fleet Commander Dermot in his younger years. How the containment and management of the vestigial urges to total war in the civilised galaxy almost became undone thanks to the dynamic and enterprising warrior energy of Dermot, and much to the horror of the Guard who are charged with keeping the peace in the galaxy. Four stars.
Three and a half stars overall, rounded up to four stars because of the central and compelling theme running through all the stories: compassion for suffering entities, regardless of what they look like or who they are.
Countercharm (1960) - A Sector General short story. An amusing POV look at one side effect of an Educator tape – used to understand alien physiology and ailments - on the physician utilising one for the first time. 4 stars.
To Kill or Cure (1957) - A general theme increasingly familiar in James White tales, although this is one of his very early stories: helicopter search and rescue personnel attend what was initially thought to be the crash site of an aircraft but instead found injured and hitherto unseen aliens in imminent danger of dying if not treated. The thought processes and actions in working out how to keep them alive and then how to keep themselves alive when they thought they were threatened. Three and a half stars
Red Alert (1956) – Another familiar theme of White’s: the story line appears to be the opposite of what it actually is. The scale of the operation makes the belatedly revealed premise somewhat implausible, although adhering to the author’s central pacifist philosophy. Three stars.
Tableau (1958) – the quintessential White story that struck the deepest and most durable chord in my readings of this man’s work. This is a gut-wrenching emotional story that brings tears to my eyes every time I read it. It speaks to the memorialization of an incident in war that most forcibly underscores the author's abhorrence of the evil of war and his compassion towards all beings that suffer. Five stars.
The Conspirators (1954) – An entertaining story given the impossible premise of uplift through space travel, but one which underscores White’s reverence for intelligent life. The scientific hand-waving can be forgiven for the main idea that his beliefs (or faith) is meant to convey, ie aversion toward all violence that must be sited somewhere within the consciousness of all sapient life. An unusual story for 1954, the era of Flash Gordon and other garish sci-fi. Three stars.
The Scavengers (1953) – Very similar type of plot to Red Alert with roles reversed and therefore somewhat predictable despite the twist. Another story of ruthless compassion. Three stars.
Occupation: Warrior (1959) – The novelette/almost novella in the volume, and a Sector General prequel. This is a precursor story of a significant character in a later Sector General story, Fleet Commander Dermot in his younger years. How the containment and management of the vestigial urges to total war in the civilised galaxy almost became undone thanks to the dynamic and enterprising warrior energy of Dermot, and much to the horror of the Guard who are charged with keeping the peace in the galaxy. Four stars.
Three and a half stars overall, rounded up to four stars because of the central and compelling theme running through all the stories: compassion for suffering entities, regardless of what they look like or who they are.
October 19, 2022
Nice little collection.
First tale is a Sector General one with some familiar characters.
Second is a rescue mission that turns into a close encounter, not a downed plane as they first thought.
The third is a longer tale a bout an alien commander in charge of a fleet of ships and there plans for Earth.
There are a few more stories in this collect of quite enjoyable old time SF.
My favourite was the uplifted animals on a spaceship trying to sneak off before the humans caught on.
Well worth a read.
First tale is a Sector General one with some familiar characters.
Second is a rescue mission that turns into a close encounter, not a downed plane as they first thought.
The third is a longer tale a bout an alien commander in charge of a fleet of ships and there plans for Earth.
There are a few more stories in this collect of quite enjoyable old time SF.
My favourite was the uplifted animals on a spaceship trying to sneak off before the humans caught on.
Well worth a read.
March 8, 2020
I only got about half way through. This had some nice ideas but something about the writing (combined with the tiny, compact font and print style) made this a chore to read. I did really enjoy the concepts and themes though, so it’s a shame.
July 19, 2021
I love James White's Sector General stuff, and the first story in this collection covers the introduction of Conway to Murchison, which is very satisfactory. The other "tales" are provocative and amusing, without being wildly inventive. Very enjoyable.
October 22, 2025
Seven great stories in the James White "good vibes" style. Slightly moralistic, but not in a bad way. Two stories tell the same story from two different perspectives, well done. "The Conspirators" is exceptional. Though from the 1950's, all are enjoyable and not affected by the passage of time.
December 17, 2019
A collection of short stories in the Sector General hospital world.
December 24, 2021
-Gregory Kerkman
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November 1, 2013This is the edition I have. I'll be keeping it up for a while, because, while I'll be providing short descriptions of all the stories, I'm in the middle of trying to create an enumeration of all the Sector General stories in order of internal chronology. And that's tricky. There may be collections that contain all of the Sector General stories, but I don't have them. And often, establishing internal chronology is based on little things like the answer to the question in Major Operation: "Why don't you marry the woman?" Obviously this means that any story in which Conway has NOT yet married the woman is of earlier date (at least internally), but the question is not posed until about halfway through the book...
The problem is also complicated by the fact that White wrote mostly collections of short stories--laced together into novel length by bridge stories, sometimes, but still clearly piecework.
Anyway, here's the tally for this volume:
I Countercharm--An unmistakable Sector General story: but fairly late in the queue. I'll add its number when I catch up with it. Looks like it's in the mid-20s. The 'countercharm' is needed to counteract unrequited love for a Melfan, contracted with the Educator Tape Conway is using intensively to try to teach an exoskeletal species how to deal with diabetes. Note that there's a fillip of homophobia in this story: it's implied that if the attraction had been to a male Melfan, there would have been something wrong with Conway's mind.
II To Kill or Cure--So why should alien paramedics be immune to minor mistakes?
III Red Alert--If you had to evacuate Earth quickly, what's the best method?
IV Tableau--Technically, this is not the first Sector General story. It probably wasn't originally meant even as a prequel, until White saw a way to tie the story in. It deals with the replacement of the Orligian War Memorial--and how Orligia got its original one. But as it's critical to understanding why Sector General was founded, and how it became necessary to preserving the Pax Galactica, it's a needful prequel.
V The Conspirators--This is one of those stories where a preliminary ridiculous assumption is necessary to make the story plausible. Why WOULD interstellar travel substantially increase the intelligence of all animals, the smallest first?
VI The Scavengers--This story, like Red Alert, is based on the idea of a need to evacuate planets quickly to protect the inhabitants from novae. This need would, presumably, become smaller over time, as people used up the stars that were in imminent danger, and then began longer-term work on planets around stars where they had a little more lead time.
VI Occupation: Warrior--This is the story that was originally Sector General, but was deliberately removed from the sequence. The Guard in the story is clearly the ancestor of the Monitor Corps in the Sector General series. Their means of recruitment is not exactly the same in later stories: it becomes more like the means of recruiting non-Citizens in Federation World. Thorough readers will recognize the revisionist militarist Dermod in this story as the Fleet Commander in later stories. But as often happens with White's characters, traits are shifted from one character in an earlier story to another in later books. Pay attention, for example, to whether Colonel Skempton's desktop is clean or cluttered in later stories.
The problem is also complicated by the fact that White wrote mostly collections of short stories--laced together into novel length by bridge stories, sometimes, but still clearly piecework.
Anyway, here's the tally for this volume:
I Countercharm--An unmistakable Sector General story: but fairly late in the queue. I'll add its number when I catch up with it. Looks like it's in the mid-20s. The 'countercharm' is needed to counteract unrequited love for a Melfan, contracted with the Educator Tape Conway is using intensively to try to teach an exoskeletal species how to deal with diabetes. Note that there's a fillip of homophobia in this story: it's implied that if the attraction had been to a male Melfan, there would have been something wrong with Conway's mind.
II To Kill or Cure--So why should alien paramedics be immune to minor mistakes?
III Red Alert--If you had to evacuate Earth quickly, what's the best method?
IV Tableau--Technically, this is not the first Sector General story. It probably wasn't originally meant even as a prequel, until White saw a way to tie the story in. It deals with the replacement of the Orligian War Memorial--and how Orligia got its original one. But as it's critical to understanding why Sector General was founded, and how it became necessary to preserving the Pax Galactica, it's a needful prequel.
V The Conspirators--This is one of those stories where a preliminary ridiculous assumption is necessary to make the story plausible. Why WOULD interstellar travel substantially increase the intelligence of all animals, the smallest first?
VI The Scavengers--This story, like Red Alert, is based on the idea of a need to evacuate planets quickly to protect the inhabitants from novae. This need would, presumably, become smaller over time, as people used up the stars that were in imminent danger, and then began longer-term work on planets around stars where they had a little more lead time.
VI Occupation: Warrior--This is the story that was originally Sector General, but was deliberately removed from the sequence. The Guard in the story is clearly the ancestor of the Monitor Corps in the Sector General series. Their means of recruitment is not exactly the same in later stories: it becomes more like the means of recruiting non-Citizens in Federation World. Thorough readers will recognize the revisionist militarist Dermod in this story as the Fleet Commander in later stories. But as often happens with White's characters, traits are shifted from one character in an earlier story to another in later books. Pay attention, for example, to whether Colonel Skempton's desktop is clean or cluttered in later stories.
December 20, 2011
Currently re-reading all the old James White 'Sector General' stories. Read them as a kid & have fond memories of them. Aliens Among Us is in short-story format--and only 2 of the tales are Sector General related.
Countercharm is a Dr. Conway/Nurse Murchison tale.
Occupation: Warrior traces one of Col. Dermod's early exploits.
The stories overall are a bit formulaic: set up the action and wait for a twist at the end--all are light save for the final installment "Occupation: Warrior."
The Sector General fan will enjoy reading Countercharm & possibly Occupation--simply because they add to what we know of the characters inhabiting that universe. Liked some of these stores much more as a kid. The repetitiveness of some of the structure becomes dull--but White often creates such human & compelling characters, that even the predictable stories have some spark in them.
Countercharm is a Dr. Conway/Nurse Murchison tale.
Occupation: Warrior traces one of Col. Dermod's early exploits.
The stories overall are a bit formulaic: set up the action and wait for a twist at the end--all are light save for the final installment "Occupation: Warrior."
The Sector General fan will enjoy reading Countercharm & possibly Occupation--simply because they add to what we know of the characters inhabiting that universe. Liked some of these stores much more as a kid. The repetitiveness of some of the structure becomes dull--but White often creates such human & compelling characters, that even the predictable stories have some spark in them.
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April 2, 2009My copy is an ordinary paperback, from Del Ray books. It contains one Sector General story, and one that was originally a Sector General, but was denatured at the request of an editor. Most of the other stories are from the 1950s, but wear well
April 13, 2016
Not great literature, but very enjoyable space opera stories from the 1950s focusing on the interactions between humans and aliens. James White is an author that never was as popular as he should have been.
December 17, 2012
Prefer the Sector General stories, but these were also interesting.
April 14, 2019
An anthology of short stories, only one of which is Sector General. A couple of the other stories are very good and memorable.
June 5, 2015
1984 grade B+
2007 grade B+
short stories
2007 grade B+
short stories
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November 9, 2018I hsve the german translatio; Brueder in Kosmos, same cover
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews