Category: Science Fiction Books – Isaac Asimov Presents the Year’s Great SF Stories

Isaac Asimov Presents the Great SF Stories 8 (1946), Edited by Isaac Asimov and Martin H. Greenberg – 1982 [Oliviero Berni]

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A thematically symbolic piece by Oliviero Berni, combining thematic elements connoting war (albeit war-just-ended), robotics (great robot!), technology, and space travel.  Is that hovering red sphere a star, or, some kind of weapon?

Contents

A Logic Named Joe, by William F. Jenkins, from Astounding Science Fiction

Memorial, by Theodore Sturgeon, from Astounding Science Fiction

Loophole, by Arthur C. Clarke, from Astounding Science Fiction

The Nightmare, by Chan Davis, from Astounding Science Fiction

Rescue Party, by Arthur C. Clarke, from Astounding Science Fiction

Placet Is A Crazy Place, by Frederic Brown, from Astounding Science Fiction

Conqueror’s Isle, by Nelson S. Bond, from Blue Book Magazine

Lorelei of The Red Mist, by Ray Bradbury and Leigh Brackett, from Planet Stories

The Million Year Picnic, by Ray Bradbury, from Planet Stories

The Last Objective, by Paul A. Carter, from Astounding Science Fiction

Meihem In Ce Klasrum, by Dolton Edwards K.W. Lessing), from Astounding Science Fiction

Vintage Season, by Lawrence O’Donnell (Henry Kuttner and Catherine L. Moore), from Astounding Science Fiction

Evidence, by Isaac Asimov, from Astounding Science Fiction

Absalom, by Henry Kuttner, from Startling Stories

Mewhu’s Jet, by Theodore Sturgeon, from Astounding Science Fiction

Technical Error, by Arthur C. Clarke, from Fantasy (Great Britain)

Isaac Asimov Presents the Great SF Stories 6 (1944), Edited by Isaac Asimov and Martin H. Greenberg – December, 1981 [Oliviero Berni]

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Art by Oliviero Berni connoting themes of solitude, power, mystery, and transformation.  This piece would actually be fitting for Theodore Sturgeon’s 1959 short story The Man Who Lost the Sea.

Contents

Far Centaurus, by A.E. van Vogt, from Astounding Science Fiction

Deadline, by Cleve Cartmill, from Astounding Science Fiction

The Veil of Astellar, by Leigh Brackett, from Thrilling Wonder Stories

Sanity, by Fritz Leiber, from Astounding Science Fiction

Invariant, by John R. Pierce, from Astounding Science Fiction

City, by Clifford D. Simak, from Astounding Science Fiction

Arena, by Frederic Brown, from Astounding Science Fiction

Huddling Place, by Clifford D. Simak, from Astounding Science Fiction

Kindness, by Lester del Rey, from Astounding Science Fiction

Desertion, by Clifford D. Simak, from Astounding Science Fiction

When the Bough Breaks, Henry Kuttner and Catherine L. Moore (as “Lewis Padgett”), from Astounding Science Fiction

Killdozer!, by Theodore Sturgeon, from Astounding Science Fiction

No Woman Born, by Catherine L. Moore, from Astounding Science Fiction

Isaac Asimov Presents the Great SF Stories 5 (1943), Edited by Isaac Asimov and Martin H. Greenberg – 1981 [Unknown Artist]

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A distinctly blue theme predominates in this scene of a spacecraft flying by an asteroid.  Given the time of the publication of Volume 5 of this series (1981), the artist was probably influenced by the Cylon Raiders featured in the television series (the original series) Battlestar Gallactica. 

Contents

The Cave, by P. Schuyler Miller, from Astounding Science Fiction

The Halfling, by Leigh Brackett, from Astounding Stories

Mimsy Were the Borogoves, by Lewis Padgett (Henry Kuttner and Catherine L. Moore), from Astounding Science Fiction

Q.U.R., by Anthony Boucher, from Astounding Science Fiction

Clash By Night, by Lawrence O’Donnell (Henry Kuttner and Catherine L. Moore), from Astounding Science Fiction

Exile, by Edmond Hamilton, from Super Science Stories

Daymare, by Frederic Brown, from Thrilling Wonder Stories

Doorway Into Time, by Catherine L. Moore, from Famous Fantastic Mysteries

The Storm, by A.E. van Vogt, from Astounding Science Fiction

The Proud Robert, by Lewis Padgett (Henry Kuttner and Catherine L. Moore), from Astounding Science Fiction

Symbiotica, by Eric Frank Russell, from Astounding Science Fiction

The Iron Standard, by Lewis Padgett (Henry Kuttner and Catherine L. Moore), from Astounding Science Fiction

Isaac Asimov Presents the Great SF Stories 4 (1942), Edited by Isaac Asimov and Martin H. Greenberg – October, 1980 [One Plus One Studio]

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A theme of red:  Red cover, and art depicting a space shuttle deploying a probe above a red planet, surrounded by a glowing reddish atmosphere.  

Notice that the cover illustration of Volume 4 of The Great SF Stories is identical to the image on the cover of Volume 7!

Contents

The Star Mouse, by Frederic Brown, from Planet Stories

The Wings of Night, by Lester del Rey, from Astounding Science Fiction

Cooperate – Or Else, by A.E. van Vogt, from Astounding Science Fiction

Foundation, by Isaac Asimov, from Astounding Science Fiction

The Push of A Finger, by Alfred Bester, from Astounding Science Fiction

Asylum, by A.E. van Vogt, from Astounding Science Fiction

Proof, by Hal Clement, from Astounding Science Fiction

Nerves, by Lester del Rey, from Astounding Science Fiction

Barrier, by Anthony Boucher, from Astounding Science Fiction

The Twonky, by Henry Kuttner and Catherine L. Moore (as “Lewis Padgett”), from Astounding Science Fiction

QRM-Interplanetary, by George O. Smith, from Astounding Science Fiction

The Weapon Shop, by A.E. van Vogt, from Astounding Science Fiction

Mimic, by Donald A. Wollheim, from Astonishing Stories

Isaac Asimov Presents the Great SF Stories 3 (1941), Edited by Isaac Asimov and Martin H. Greenberg – 1980 [Jack Gaughan]

Contents

Mechanical Mice, by Maurice A. Hugi, from Astounding Science Fiction

Shottle Bop, by Theodore Sturgeon, from Unknown

The Rocket of 1955, by Cyril M. Kornbluth, from Stirring Science Stories

Evolution’s End, by Robert Arthur, from Thrilling Wonder Stories

Microcosmic God, by Theodore Sturgeon, from Astounding Science Fiction

Jay Score, by Eric Frank Russell, from Astounding Science Fiction

Liar!, by Isaac Asimov, from Astounding Science Fiction

Time Wants A Skeleton, by Ross Rocklynne, from Astounding Science Fiction

The Words of Guru, by Cyril M. Kornbluth, from Stirring Science Stories

The Seesaw, by A.E. van Vogt, from Astounding Science Fiction

Armageddon, by Frederic Brown, from Unknown

Adam and No Eve, by Alfred Bester, from Astounding Science Fiction

Solar Plexus, by James Blish, from Astonishing Stories

Nightfall, by Isaac Asimov, from Astounding Science Fiction

A Gnome There Was, by Henry Kuttner and Catherine L. Moore, from Unknown

Snulbug, by Anthony Boucher, from Unknown

Hereafter, Inc., by Lester Del Rey, from Unknown