Scan barcode
stephenmeansme's review
4.0
A great but not perfect example of nuts-and-bolts science fiction. The main stories (i.e. All but the last two) pretty much bootstrap the "classic" space opera setting using only vacuum tubes and electrical engineering knowhow, and Smith smartly anticipates (though doesn't exactly elaborate on) some of the social consequences of disruptive technology. They're also great examples of how much can be done with just a few modest "gimmes."
Flaws: pretty much what you would expect from fiction writing in the Forties and Fifties, although credit to Smith for at least making the women characters interesting in their own ways. Gender roles here are more of the witty-repartee, men-are-from-Mars-women-are-from-Venus variables, but we see enough of all the main characters that they're at least equal in force of personality.
Overall, an exemplar of the "rational extrapolation" theme in sf.
Flaws: pretty much what you would expect from fiction writing in the Forties and Fifties, although credit to Smith for at least making the women characters interesting in their own ways. Gender roles here are more of the witty-repartee, men-are-from-Mars-women-are-from-Venus variables, but we see enough of all the main characters that they're at least equal in force of personality.
Overall, an exemplar of the "rational extrapolation" theme in sf.
More...