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Forward in Time
s/t: A Second Short Story Collection
Introduction (1972) essay
The Next Logical Step (1962) story
A Slight Miscalculation (1971) story
Blood of Tyrants (1970) novelette
Zero Gee [Kinsman] (1972) novelette
Test in Orbit [Kinsman] (1965) story
Fifteen Miles [Kinsman] (1967) story
The Weathermakers (1966) novelette
Men of Good Will (1964) story by Bova & Myron R. Lewis
The Perfect Warrior (1963) novelette by Bova & Myron R. Lewis (aka The Dueling Machine)
Stars, Won't You Hide Me? (1966) story
Introduction (1972) essay
The Next Logical Step (1962) story
A Slight Miscalculation (1971) story
Blood of Tyrants (1970) novelette
Zero Gee [Kinsman] (1972) novelette
Test in Orbit [Kinsman] (1965) story
Fifteen Miles [Kinsman] (1967) story
The Weathermakers (1966) novelette
Men of Good Will (1964) story by Bova & Myron R. Lewis
The Perfect Warrior (1963) novelette by Bova & Myron R. Lewis (aka The Dueling Machine)
Stars, Won't You Hide Me? (1966) story
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1973
10 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Ben Bova
692 books1,047 followersBen Bova was born on November 8, 1932 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1953, while attending Temple University, he married Rosa Cucinotta, they had a son and a daughter. He would later divorce Rosa in 1974. In that same year he married Barbara Berson Rose.
Bova was an avid fencer and organized Avco Everett's fencing club. He was an environmentalist, but rejected Luddism.
Bova was a technical writer for Project Vanguard and later for Avco Everett in the 1960s when they did research in lasers and fluid dynamics. It was there that he met Arthur R. Kantrowitz later of the Foresight Institute.
In 1971 he became editor of Analog Science Fiction after John W. Campbell's death. After leaving Analog, he went on to edit Omni during 1978-1982.
In 1974 he wrote the screenplay for an episode of the children's science fiction television series Land of the Lost entitled "The Search".
Bova was the science advisor for the failed television series The Starlost, leaving in disgust after the airing of the first episode. His novel The Starcrossed was loosely based on his experiences and featured a thinly veiled characterization of his friend and colleague Harlan Ellison. He dedicated the novel to "Cordwainer Bird", the pen name Harlan Ellison uses when he does not want to be associated with a television or film project.
Bova was the President Emeritus of the National Space Society and a past President of Science-fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).
Bova went back to school in the 1980s, earning an M.A. in communications in 1987 and a Ph.D. in 1996.
Bova has drawn on these meetings and experiences to create fact and fiction writings rich with references to spaceflight, lasers, artificial hearts, nanotechnology, environmentalism, fencing and martial arts, photography and artists.
Bova was the author of over a hundred and fifteen books, non-fiction as well as science fiction. In 2000, he was the Author Guest of Honor at the 58th World Science Fiction Convention (Chicon 2000).
Hollywood has started to take an interest in Bova's works once again, in addition to his wealth of knowledge about science and what the future may look like. In 2007, he was hired as a consultant by both Stuber/Parent Productions to provide insight into what the world is to look like in the near future for their upcoming film "Repossession Mambo" (released as "Repo Men") starring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker and by Silver Pictures in which he provided consulting services on the feature adaptation of Richard Morgan's "Altered Carbon".
http://us.macmillan.com/author/benbova
Bova was an avid fencer and organized Avco Everett's fencing club. He was an environmentalist, but rejected Luddism.
Bova was a technical writer for Project Vanguard and later for Avco Everett in the 1960s when they did research in lasers and fluid dynamics. It was there that he met Arthur R. Kantrowitz later of the Foresight Institute.
In 1971 he became editor of Analog Science Fiction after John W. Campbell's death. After leaving Analog, he went on to edit Omni during 1978-1982.
In 1974 he wrote the screenplay for an episode of the children's science fiction television series Land of the Lost entitled "The Search".
Bova was the science advisor for the failed television series The Starlost, leaving in disgust after the airing of the first episode. His novel The Starcrossed was loosely based on his experiences and featured a thinly veiled characterization of his friend and colleague Harlan Ellison. He dedicated the novel to "Cordwainer Bird", the pen name Harlan Ellison uses when he does not want to be associated with a television or film project.
Bova was the President Emeritus of the National Space Society and a past President of Science-fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA).
Bova went back to school in the 1980s, earning an M.A. in communications in 1987 and a Ph.D. in 1996.
Bova has drawn on these meetings and experiences to create fact and fiction writings rich with references to spaceflight, lasers, artificial hearts, nanotechnology, environmentalism, fencing and martial arts, photography and artists.
Bova was the author of over a hundred and fifteen books, non-fiction as well as science fiction. In 2000, he was the Author Guest of Honor at the 58th World Science Fiction Convention (Chicon 2000).
Hollywood has started to take an interest in Bova's works once again, in addition to his wealth of knowledge about science and what the future may look like. In 2007, he was hired as a consultant by both Stuber/Parent Productions to provide insight into what the world is to look like in the near future for their upcoming film "Repossession Mambo" (released as "Repo Men") starring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker and by Silver Pictures in which he provided consulting services on the feature adaptation of Richard Morgan's "Altered Carbon".
http://us.macmillan.com/author/benbova
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 19, 2022
Jan 18, 615pm ~~ Review asap.
9pm ~~ Forward In Time is a collection of ten science fiction short stories, three of which concerned one particular character by the name of Charles Kinsman, a man created by Ben Bova in the late 1940's. The stories in this book were originally published from 1962 through 1973.
This was the latest selection for the Zapata Reading Club and I can see that it took us quite a bit of time to read the book. Not exactly sure why (except for that one story that I had to read twice). I suppose we have simply had so much to talk about lately that on each Book Day I sort of ran out of steam before I could get through more than just a few pages.
I for one enjoyed the stories, but there were other books I think we both liked better. But some of the stories did stand out for me. I liked The Next Logical Step, in which a Pentagon computer scared the pants off of all the generals who attempted to use it. But why? What did they see in the problem solutions the computer came up with?
I also liked Blood Of Tyrants, which read like a movie script and was great fun to read aloud, even though the topic was scary. A government program to rehabilitate young delinquents. But would the results be as glorious as expected?
I think my favorite of all was the last story in the book, Stars, Won't You Hide Me?, in which the only remaining human being in the entire universe faces his fate. This was the story I had to read twice, for reasons I am not at liberty to disclose. But the second reading was worth the effort even if it did make me cry during the very last page because I knew what was coming.
9pm ~~ Forward In Time is a collection of ten science fiction short stories, three of which concerned one particular character by the name of Charles Kinsman, a man created by Ben Bova in the late 1940's. The stories in this book were originally published from 1962 through 1973.
This was the latest selection for the Zapata Reading Club and I can see that it took us quite a bit of time to read the book. Not exactly sure why (except for that one story that I had to read twice). I suppose we have simply had so much to talk about lately that on each Book Day I sort of ran out of steam before I could get through more than just a few pages.
I for one enjoyed the stories, but there were other books I think we both liked better. But some of the stories did stand out for me. I liked The Next Logical Step, in which a Pentagon computer scared the pants off of all the generals who attempted to use it. But why? What did they see in the problem solutions the computer came up with?
I also liked Blood Of Tyrants, which read like a movie script and was great fun to read aloud, even though the topic was scary. A government program to rehabilitate young delinquents. But would the results be as glorious as expected?
I think my favorite of all was the last story in the book, Stars, Won't You Hide Me?, in which the only remaining human being in the entire universe faces his fate. This was the story I had to read twice, for reasons I am not at liberty to disclose. But the second reading was worth the effort even if it did make me cry during the very last page because I knew what was coming.
August 17, 2017
Average rating 2.65
The Next Logical Step - 3
A Slight Miscalculation - 2
Blood of Tyrants - 2
Zero Gee - 2
Test in Orbit - 2
Fifteen Miles - 2
The Weathermakers - 3
Men of Good Will - 3
The Perfect Warrior - 3
Stars, Won't You Hide Me? - 4.5
The stories had interesting ideas, but some of them seemed to be not taking any particular turn, and felt like they have been un-necessarily written (2-stars).
A couple of others were good (3-stars). I loved the allegory in the novella The Perfect Warrior, for the pre-WW2 situation in Europe during the mid-to-late 1930s.
And I absolutely loved the final story in the collection, Stars, Won't You Hide Me?. I hope the author has written more stories like this.
Although I found the stories themselves on an average not to be great for this collection, I liked the author's writing style. Very simple and easy to follow. The one aspect of the book that I was reading from was that it was a hardbound copy (which is always a sweet pleasure to read short-stories from) and that was what kept me moving. :)
Will certainly try and read some of his other works.
The Next Logical Step - 3
A Slight Miscalculation - 2
Blood of Tyrants - 2
Zero Gee - 2
Test in Orbit - 2
Fifteen Miles - 2
The Weathermakers - 3
Men of Good Will - 3
The Perfect Warrior - 3
Stars, Won't You Hide Me? - 4.5
The stories had interesting ideas, but some of them seemed to be not taking any particular turn, and felt like they have been un-necessarily written (2-stars).
A couple of others were good (3-stars). I loved the allegory in the novella The Perfect Warrior, for the pre-WW2 situation in Europe during the mid-to-late 1930s.
And I absolutely loved the final story in the collection, Stars, Won't You Hide Me?. I hope the author has written more stories like this.
Although I found the stories themselves on an average not to be great for this collection, I liked the author's writing style. Very simple and easy to follow. The one aspect of the book that I was reading from was that it was a hardbound copy (which is always a sweet pleasure to read short-stories from) and that was what kept me moving. :)
Will certainly try and read some of his other works.
August 7, 2024
Good selection of stories. No fillers. Some early Kinsman stories. A few prophecy tales, done very well.
September 14, 2025
It was fine
April 7, 2020
I started this collection of short stories months ago but stopped as I didn’t find the second to last story “The Perfect Warrior”, very compelling. Being this is the first Ben Bova novel I have read, I can say that his descriptive writing style is very interesting, and he has a way of detailing the unending properties of space. Other than the one story I didn’t enjoy, the rest were great!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2014
The contents of this Ben Bova collection were written in the 1960s and early 1970s.
Three of the stories are consecutive episodes of events involving astronaut Chet Kinsman, the first of which was originally published in Harlan Ellison's landmark 1972 anthology Again, Dangerous Visions. "Zero Gee" tells of the irritatingly womanizing Kinsman's semi-public plot to become the first to get a "girl" to have sex with him in orbit. In a very predictable turn of events, it seems she is willing, has no particular feelings towards him regarding it, but he does. The other two stories also relate to his interactions with women. Bova is so far behind the curve on gender, that even while attempting an enlightened irony, his perspective is still presumptive.
The concepts of a few of the stories captured my interest, once I got past the annoying or melodramatic characters. I think "The Weathermakers" might be my favorite. In the end, the collection gets a mediocre rating from me.
Three of the stories are consecutive episodes of events involving astronaut Chet Kinsman, the first of which was originally published in Harlan Ellison's landmark 1972 anthology Again, Dangerous Visions. "Zero Gee" tells of the irritatingly womanizing Kinsman's semi-public plot to become the first to get a "girl" to have sex with him in orbit. In a very predictable turn of events, it seems she is willing, has no particular feelings towards him regarding it, but he does. The other two stories also relate to his interactions with women. Bova is so far behind the curve on gender, that even while attempting an enlightened irony, his perspective is still presumptive.
The concepts of a few of the stories captured my interest, once I got past the annoying or melodramatic characters. I think "The Weathermakers" might be my favorite. In the end, the collection gets a mediocre rating from me.
December 11, 2010
Mr. Bova weaves several different wrinkles in time with this collection of short stories. While some of the stories are quite short, Mr. Bova captures your imagination from the very start -- his words weave their spell around you, and you find yourself caught up in the story lines, wanting so much more when they are done. Excellent collection, and these stories make an excellent introduction to Ben Bova's unique writing style.
January 26, 2016
A series of short stories, mainly earlier works, that show the mind of the author. Science Fiction at its best leaves you thinking. This is excellent science fiction, each story delves into mankinds approach to life and morality.
April 14, 2008
Science Fiction
August 22, 2009
This is a collection of short science fiction by Ben Bova--just something to pass the time.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews