Destinies Vol. 1, No. 4

Destinies

by Jim Baen (Editor)

A PAPERBACK MAGAZINE OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FACT.

Genres: Science Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

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 4 out of 5]

This is the fourth 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) 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 fourth volume came from Spider Robinson, Jerry Pournelle, Poul Anderson, Dean Ing, Alcestis R. Oberg, and a very good article from Charles Sheffield connected to his cover story, Skystalk. There was good interior art from Alicia Austin, Stephen E. Fabian, Bea Font, and David Egge, and a lovely Dean Ellis cover. The book contained short stories by Dean Ing, Orson Scott Card, and Frank Herbert, as well as enjoyable novelettes from Charles Sheffield and Fred Saberhagen. You never know when you're living in the good old days...

[Edward Brock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Working my way through this series will be a joy. Great stories all around.