Destinies: The Paperback Magazine of Science Fiction and Speculative Fact, Winter 1981, Vol. 3, No. 1

Destinies

by Jim Baen (editor), Gregory Benford, James P. Hogan

Contents

1 • Welcome (Destinies, Winter 1981) • [Destinies Essays] • essay by Jim Baen [as by Baen]
6 • Shall We Take a Little Walk? • novelette by Gregory Benford
7 •  Shall We Take a Little Walk? • interior artwork by uncredited
11 •  Shall We Take a Little Walk? [2] • interior artwork by uncredited
14 •  Shall We Take a Little Walk? [3] • interior artwork by uncredited
34 •  Shall We Take a Little Walk? [4] • interior artwork by uncredited
36 • Humans as Machines: The Ideas of Edward O. Wilson • essay by Robert Silverberg
55 • A Letter from God • short story by Ian Watson
56 •  A Letter from God • interior artwork by Stephen Fabian [as by Steve Fabian]
67 • Minds, Machines, and Evolution • essay by James P. Hogan
90 • Tears for Emily • novelette by Kevin O'Donnell, Jr.
90 •  Tears for Emily • interior artwork by uncredited
115 • On Books (Destinies, Winter 1981) • essay by Norman Spinrad
116 •   Review: Titan by John Varley • review by Norman Spinrad
116 •   Review: Wizard by John Varley • review by Norman Spinrad
118 •   Review: The Barbie Murders by John Varley • review by Norman Spinrad
120 •   Review: Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler • review by Norman Spinrad
122 •   Review: Golden Vanity by Rachel Pollack • review by Norman Spinrad
123 •   Review: The Hell Candidate by Thomas Luke • review by Norman Spinrad
126 • "Dear Editor ..." • short story by James Randi
127 •  "Dear Editor ... " • interior artwork by Janet Aulisio
135 • Crystal-Gazing for Fun and Profit • [On Predicting the Future] • essay by Frederik Pohl
154 • The Final Days • (1981) • short story by David Langford
155 •  The Final Days • interior artwork by Broeck Steadman
163 •  The Final Days [2] • interior artwork by Broeck Steadman
164 • A Death in Realtime • short story by Richard S. McEnroe [as by Richard Sean McEnroe]
165 •  A Death in Realtime • interior artwork by uncredited
173 •  A Death in Realtime [2] • interior artwork by uncredited
175 • Take Me to Your Teacher • essay by Elizabeth Anne Hull
185 • Dreams Come True • short story by Eric Vinicoff
186 •  Dreams Come True • interior artwork by Stephen Fabian [as by Steve Fabian]
194 •  Dreams Come True [2] • interior artwork by Stephen Fabian [as by Steve Fabian]
203 •  Dreams Come True [3] • interior artwork by Stephen Fabian [as by Steve Fabian]
204 • Nuclear Survival, Part 3: Power - And Potties! - to the People • [Nuclear Survival • 3] • essay by Dean Ing
221 • Understanding Ein • essay by James E. Gunn [as by James Gunn]
222 •  Understanding Ein • interior artwork by uncredited
234 • Travellers • novella by David Drake
234 •  Travellers • interior artwork by uncredited

Genres: Science Fiction

286 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 1981

About the author

Jim Baen was Editor-in-Chief and publisher of Baen Books, and renowned in the science fiction field for his taste and ability to select authors with strong storytelling ability and steer them to commercial success. Prior to founding of Baen Books, he was the editor of science fiction magazine Galaxy, science fiction editor of Ace Books, and an editor at Tor Books.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the tenth issue of Destinies, a science fiction magazine in mass-market paperback format that Baen established and edited for Ace Books until he left to direct his own eponymous science fiction/fantasy publishing company. The first four or five decades of the sf genre (from the first issue of Gernsback's Amazing Stories until around the time of Ellison's Dangerous Visions original anthology, give or take, more or less) were absolutely dominated by the magazines, first in pulp and then in digest-sized format. Destinies was an innovative concept that attempted to blend the best of both worlds, incorporating the less-ephemeral book format with the charm of original illustrations and columns that promoted a sense of community one found in the magazines. The authors were mostly from Baen's stable that he'd built at Ace (and his earlier stint as editor of Galaxy magazine) and ran a little heavy with his odd mix of pro-science conservative libertarianism, but he published some very good stuff. The non-fiction in this volume (listed as first issue of volume three) came from Frederik Pohl, Elizabeth Anne Hull, Norman Spinrad, a survivalist piece from Dean Ing, James P. Hogan, Robert Silverberg, and James Gunn. There is good interior art from Broeck Steadman, Rick Sternbach, Stephen E. Fabian, and Janet Aulisio and an okay cover by Steve Hickman. It contained short stories by Ian Watson, James Randi, David Langford, Richard Sean McEnroe, and Eric Vinicoff, and a novelette by Kevin O'Donnell, Jr. My favorites were a novelette by Gregory Benford and Travellers, a novella from David Drake. It was another of their weaker issues for fiction, but interesting overall, especially for those with fannish interest.