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A review by captlychee
Born of the Sun: Adventures in Our Solar System by Mike Ashley
4.0
I started this book thinking I'd be seeing classic stories. That is to say, stories written during the Golden Age of Science Fiction, the period from the 30's ot the 50's. There are some stories from that period, but one of the stories is "Wait It Out" by [a:Larry Niven|12534|Larry Niven|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1596428206p2/12534.jpg] which is from 1968, a great story and, I suppose, at fifty years old, classic—but it'a not from the classic era.
Okay, having said that, here's the contents:
Sunrise on Mercury – [a:Robert Silverberg|4338|Robert Silverberg|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1366300348p2/4338.jpg]
The Hell Planet – [a:Leslie F. Stone|4025707|Leslie F. Stone|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1368901282p2/4025707.jpg]
Foundling on Venus – [a:John and Dorothy De Courcy|20633418|John and Dorothy De Courcy|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]
The Lonely Path – [a:John Ashcroft|152518|John Ashcroft|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]
Garden in the Void – [a:Poul Anderson|32278|Poul Anderson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1218818842p2/32278.jpg]
Desertion – [a:Clifford D. Simak|23012|Clifford D. Simak|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1193507980p2/23012.jpg]
How Beautiful with Banners – [a:James Blish|43625|James Blish|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1227585761p2/43625.jpg]
Where No Man Walks – E.R. James
A Baby on Neptune – [a:Clare Winger Harris|4877594|Clare Winger Harris|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1524032499p2/4877594.jpg] & [a:Miles J. Breuer|14249965|Miles J. Breuer|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]
Wait It Out – Larry Niven
Of those, 'Desertion' is the one I would call a classic. The Harris & Breuer story is a cute one from the 20's that shows you how those stories used to be written (and are thus fodder for a sendup if you anted to do one) and the others are reasonably entertaining, except maybe 'Garden in the Void' which is creepy.
[a:Mike Ashley|28064|Mike Ashley|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1337537627p2/28064.jpg] gives informative introductions to the stories in the field that are about the particular planet he's covering, and bios of each author and intros to each story. This is part of the British Library Classic SF series, and I wish I could find a full listing of that series so I could get them all.
Okay, having said that, here's the contents:
Sunrise on Mercury – [a:Robert Silverberg|4338|Robert Silverberg|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1366300348p2/4338.jpg]
The Hell Planet – [a:Leslie F. Stone|4025707|Leslie F. Stone|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1368901282p2/4025707.jpg]
Foundling on Venus – [a:John and Dorothy De Courcy|20633418|John and Dorothy De Courcy|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]
The Lonely Path – [a:John Ashcroft|152518|John Ashcroft|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]
Garden in the Void – [a:Poul Anderson|32278|Poul Anderson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1218818842p2/32278.jpg]
Desertion – [a:Clifford D. Simak|23012|Clifford D. Simak|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1193507980p2/23012.jpg]
How Beautiful with Banners – [a:James Blish|43625|James Blish|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1227585761p2/43625.jpg]
Where No Man Walks – E.R. James
A Baby on Neptune – [a:Clare Winger Harris|4877594|Clare Winger Harris|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1524032499p2/4877594.jpg] & [a:Miles J. Breuer|14249965|Miles J. Breuer|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]
Wait It Out – Larry Niven
Of those, 'Desertion' is the one I would call a classic. The Harris & Breuer story is a cute one from the 20's that shows you how those stories used to be written (and are thus fodder for a sendup if you anted to do one) and the others are reasonably entertaining, except maybe 'Garden in the Void' which is creepy.
[a:Mike Ashley|28064|Mike Ashley|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1337537627p2/28064.jpg] gives informative introductions to the stories in the field that are about the particular planet he's covering, and bios of each author and intros to each story. This is part of the British Library Classic SF series, and I wish I could find a full listing of that series so I could get them all.