Space Odyssey: an Anthology of Great Science Fiction Stories

by Various

This anthology of great science fiction writing ranges from epic tales of space travel to subtle evocations of future societies, exploring the enormous versatility of this popular form of fiction.

Many of the great names, from the first acclaimed pioneer of the genre, H. G. Wells, to the modern masterds such as Arthur C. Clarke, Ursula K. Le Guin, J. G. Ballard and Poul Anderson, are represented, with stgories which bring the future vividly to life.

The collection contains 25 tales ranging from the weird quasi-erotic world of Roger Zelazny's Nebula Award-winning story, The Engine at Hertspring's Centre, through to the stark and spine-shilling realism of Ray Bradbury's The Third Expedition.

With its unique combination of humour, horror and fantasy, this anthology will delight both devotees and those new to the genre.

Genres: Science Fiction, Anthologies, Short Stories, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

349 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Various is the correct author for any book with multiple unknown authors, and is acceptable for books with multiple known authors, especially if not all are known or the list is very long (over 50).

If an editor is known, however, Various is not necessary. List the name of the editor as the primary author (with role "editor"). Contributing authors' names follow it.

Note: WorldCat is an excellent resource for finding author information and contents of anthologies.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superlative, imo. Only two stories didn't quite work for me. My edition does not credit Silverberg as editor, and in fact I doubt he chose the stories, as his taste and mine seldom converge. I'll hang onto this awhile and read it once more before giving it away, skipping the stories that are so memorable I don't need to read them again... which might turn out to be several of them....

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best collections of SF stories from the 20th century. Wells, Vonnegut, Silverberg... it's a great representation of the genre.
I recently found this anthology in a second-hand bookstore and I remembered just how much it had gripped me when I was a child.

It kicks off with Harrison Bergeron, which is probably the most familiar of Vonnegut's shorts, and
Rachel Pollack's "Is Your Child Using Drugs?" was frankly terrifying when I was younger and hasn't lost much of its power now that I'm old enough to understand what it's all about. The same goes for "Descending", and "The Engine at Heartspring's Center".

There's not a story here that I would hesitate to recommend on its own merits.

[Carl Barlow · Rating 3 out of 5]

This anthology is touted as an excellent introduction to SF. In its time (the early eighties), it would have been just that, being comprised of a rich cross-section of authors, and stories that touch upon most sub-genres (though one or two are closer to Fantasy than they are SF). Today, however, quite a number of tales have dated and might even put any potential new SF reader off. Space Odyssey is therefore much better read as a nostalgic trip down memory lane for the aficionado of today.

Stand-outs for me are: The Engine at Heartspring's Centre, Roger Zelazny (a melancholy tale of love in a euthanasia centre); The Tunnel Under the World, Frederik Pohl (the world is false, your life is false, only the adverts are true); '- And He Built a Crooked House -', Robert A Heinlein (four-dimensional real estate); The Third Expedition, Ray Bradbury (a haunting Martian Chronicles tale that always seemed a little out of place in that collection, but on its own seems to work much better); The Insect Tapes, Michael Scott Rohan (an amusing warning against fiddling with nature in a closed environment); Descending, Thomas M Disch (more surreal Horror than SF, but a strong reminder to read more Disch); and The Electric Ant, Philip K Dick (experiments with the perceived reality of an android).

[Vasilis o Megas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Space odyssey anthology Ratings:
Harrison Bergeron 8/10
The engine at heartspring’s centre 7.5/10
Twilight 7/10
Mysterious doings at the Met 3.5/10
The crystal egg 5.5/10
The gioconda of the twilight noon 8.5/10
The tunnel under the world 6/10
Coffin cure 5/10
Castaway 6/10
The Lost robot 5.5/10
And he built a crooked house 9/10
The third expedition 5/10
The Day Before the Revolution 7.5/10
The insect tapes 7/10 (funny)
Carrier 8/10
Descending 6/10
Abreaction 4/10
Eurema’s dam 8.5/10

[Earl Truss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually I liked about half of these stories. Because of concept or the story, outstanding ones were:

The Coffin Cure
Carrier
Descending
The Ninth Symphony of Ludwig Van Beethoven and Other Lost Songs
The Man Who Came Back

[Mathew Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection of short sci fi stories. Most are very old, like the beginnings of sci fi writing. But, those are always fun to read because of the technology. Back in the day it seemed like the future would be full of computers running on reels of tape, and mars would be a habitable planet.

[Rudy Bertram · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really liked that part when computer gone crazy. All other parts were boring.

[Robert Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a detailed review check out

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC82t...

[Matthew Buswell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good, standout stories from Disch and Frederic Brown. Some stories really show their age though. I’m looking at you Poul Anderson.

[Anandaroop · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book when I was 14 and it started me off on a lifetime’s obsession with stories set in other galaxies that tell us a bit of truth about our own.

Wells, Zelazny, Vonnegut Jr, Dick, Heinlein, Van Voigt, Wyndham, Bradbury, Leiber, Ballard and other greats of English language sci fi at their very best.

The collection covers practically every type of sci fi. From the straightforward kind where spacemen fight deadly alien adversaries, to the sort that rips apart and takes a peek beyond the thin veil of reality. And everything in between.

My face melted when I read it first. And every time that I have re-read it in the intervening 30 years, I have never failed to marvel at what a great representation this book is of a rich and varied genre.

Highly recommended.

[Bruce Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

an anthology if terrific short stories....older tales but exceptional stories

[Alexander Páez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terminado el último relato. No creo que haga reseña pues es un libro y una edición antigua, pero quizá me animo.