Anderson Rearick III’s Reviews > The Black Star Passes > Status Update

The hope that we were not alone in the solar system seems foolish now but back then many writers played with it emphasizing that planets are themselves worlds.

They land on Venus and find life but not just life, intelligent life!

Like so much of the action in this novel, the naming of the ship just happens to fall into place—and amazingly, the three men agree nearly at once. A Bachelor’s pad in space?. No “mere women” to mock up its christening. I suspect this will never be dealt with!

Concerning the mad scientist Wad who in the end of this section of the novel is described as being mentally unsound but brilliant. His road to redemption is through mental therapy. Campbell is showing his youthful ignorance. Reformation does not come through therapy but through repentance and restitution. Dickens knew that.

“The Black Star Passes” is a “fixup” of science fiction short stories by American author John W. Campbell “Fixup” refers to the practice of weaving short stories together into a single narrative. “I Robot” by Asimov is the example I personally knew.