1955 - Year in SF&F: Reviews

THE WONDER TIMELINE: SF&F RETROSPECTIVE Read other issues here ----------------------------------------------- Philip K. Dick "Nanny" © Startling Stories, Spring 1955 Beyond Lies The Wub, 1987 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea: how to sell new robot model --/ humour award A quite penetrating commentary on today's practice of marketing a new product to get rid (here - literally destroy/kill) of an older product to make more profit in sales. Did I say today's? - That's right! These practices apparently have not changed since 1955. It's called "Planned obsolescence". When did you last bring something to "repair" instead of getting a newer model? In the story the products are robot "Nannies", but in our life - no electronics ever get a second chance once broken. (can you sense my increasing frustration with consumerism?) review: 06-Jul-06 (read in 2006) ----------------------------------------------- Clifford Simak "Project Mastodon" (exp. into "Mastodonia") © Galaxy, Mar 1955 All The Traps Of Earth, 1962 --/ cool time sf story Discovery of time-travel leads to establishing Cold War army bases there (in the pre-historic period) and making them an independent country. Average tale for Simak standards. review: 06-Jul-06 (read in 2006) ----------------------------------------------- Theodore Sturgeon "Bulkhead" (also as "Who?") © Galaxy, Mar 1955 A Way Home, 1955 --/ third place sf story --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award This one belongs right there in a category "Stories that made you cry". It has a great twist in the end, but that would be a spoiler to tell. It is lyrical, but at the same time, very tough space tale. Is there such a thing as "psychological therapy space fiction" sub-genre? I can count a few superior examples dealing with men's adaptation to the weirdness of space. Some guy in a spaceship is on a very long voyage. His only companion is some strange character, who he can talk to but must not meet until they arrive at their destination. When they do meet, it is not what anybody would expect... review: 06-Jul-06 (read in 1986) ----------------------------------------------- Return to the Wonder Timeline

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