Perilous Planets - An Anthology of Way Back When Futures: An Anthology of Way-back-when Futures

359 Pages·1980·1.48 MB·English

by  Robert Sheckley

Brian W. Aldiss is Britain's leading science fiction writer. He has won many of
the prizes in the field, including the Hugo, the Nebula, and the BSFA Award. The
Australians voted him 'World's Best Contemporary Writer of SF', and his novels
and stories have been translated into many languages. His science fiction novels
include Non-Stop (1958), Hothouse (1962), and recently more controversial
novels such as The Dark Light Years (1964), Report on Probability A (1967),
and Barefoot in the Head (1969). He has also proved himself a master of the
short story, in such collections as The Moment of Eclipse (1970). His recently
published history of science fiction Billion Year Spree has been widely
acknowledged as a major contribution to the genre.
Also available in Orbit edited by Brian W. Aldiss:
SPACE OPERA SPACE ODYSSEYS
EVIL EARTHS
GALACTIC EMPIRES Vols. I and 2
Perilous Planets
an anthology of way-back-when futures
edited by
Brian W. Aldiss
Futura Publications Limited An Orbit Book
An Orbit Book
First published in Great Britain by George Weidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd This
edition 1980
Introduction and compilation copyright © Southmoor Serendipity 1978
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or
otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the
publisher's prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which
it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being
imposed on the subsequent purchaser
ISBN o 7088 80711
Reproduced, printed and bound in Great Britain by Hazell Watson & Viney Ltd
Aylesbury, Bucks Futura Publications Limited no Warner Road Camberwell,
London SE5
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
'HOW ARE THEY ALL ON DENEBIV ?' by C. C. Shackleton
Copyright © 1965 SF Horizons Ltd. Reprinted by permission of the author
MOUTH OF HELL by David I. Masson
Copyright © 1968 David Masson. Reprinted by permission of
Faber and Faber Ltd. from THE CALTRAPS OF TIME
by David I. Masson
BRIGHTSIDE CROSSING by Alan E. Nourse
Copyright © 1951 Alan E. Nourse. First published in GALAXY
1951. Reprinted by permission of Brandt & Brandt
THE SACK by William Morrison
Copyright © 1950 by Street & Smith Publications Inc. Reprinted by permission
of the Conde Nast Publications Inc. First published in the September 1950 issue
of Astounding Science Fiction
THE MONSTER by A. E. van Vogt
Copyright © 1948 by Street & Smith Publications Inc. (now Conde Nast
Publications Inc.). Reprinted by arrangement with Forrest J. Ackerman and the
E. J. Carnell Literary Agency. First published it} Astounding Science Fiction
1948
THE MONSTERS by Robert Sheckley
Copyright © Robert Sheckley 1953. Reprinted by permission of A. D. Peters &
Co. Ltd.
GRENVILLE'S PLANET by Michael Shaara
Copyright © 1952 Michael Shaara. Reprinted by permission of the author
BEACHHEAD by Clifford Simak
Copyright © 1951 ZiffDavis Publishing Co. Reprinted by permission of Robert
Mills Limited. First published in Fantastic Adventures July 1951
THE ARK OF JAMES CARLYLE by Cherry Wilder
Copyright © 1974 by Cherry Wilder. Reprinted by permission of the author and
her agent, Virginia Kidd. Published in New Writings in SF24 edited by Kenneth
Bulmer. First published by Sidgwick & Jackson in 1974. Corgi edition published
in 1975
ON THE RIVER by Robert F. Young
Copyright © 1964 by ZiffDavis Publishing Co. Reprinted by
permission of the author
GODDESS IN GRANITE by Robert F. Young
Copyright © 1957 by Fantasy House Inc. Reprinted by permission of the author.
Published in THE WORLDS OF ROBERT F.
YOUNG (Gollancz Feb. 1974). Reprinted from The Magazine of
Fantasy and Science Fiction, September 1957
THE SEEKERS by E. C. Tubb
Copyright © 1965 by John Carnell for New Writings in SF6.
Reprinted by permission of the author and the E. J. Carnell Literary Agency
WHEN THE PEOPLE FELL by Cordwainer Smith
Copyright © 1937 by Street & Smith Publications, renewed 1965 by Paul
Linebarger. Reprinted by permission of the author's estate and the Scott Meredith
Literary Agency Inc., 845 Third Avenue, New York,NYioo22
SCHWARTZ BETWEEN THE GALAXIES by Robert Silverberg
Copyright © 1974 by Random House Inc. Reprinted by permission of the author
and his agents, Scott Meredith Literary Agency Inc., 845 Third Avenue, New
York, NY10022
THE TITAN by P. Schuyler Miller
Copyright © 1952 by P. Schuyler Miller. Reprinted by permission of Mary E.
Drake, sister and heir
FOUR IN ONE by Damon Knight
Copyright © 1953 by Galaxy Publishing Co. Reprinted by permission of the
author
THE AGE OF INVENTION by Norman Spinrad
Copyright © 1966 by Mercury Press Inc. Reprinted from the
Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction by permission of the author and his
agent, Michael Bakewell & Associates Ltd.
THE SNOWMEN by Frederik Pohl
Copyright © 1959 by Galaxy Publishing Corporation. Reprinted by permission
of the author and the E. J. Carnell Literary Agency
CONTENTS
Introduction
'How Are They All on Deneb IV ?' C. C. Shackleton 13
SECTION 1 UNINHABITED PLANETS
'. . . Because They're There'
Mouth of Hell David I. Masson
23
Brightside Crossing Alan E. Nourse 35
The Sack William Morrison 57
SECTION 2 INHABITED PLANETS
Whatever Answers the Door . . .
The Monster A. E. van Vogt
85
The Monsters Robert Sheckley104
Grenville's Planet Michael Shaara
115
Beachhead Clifford D. Simak 128
SECTION 3 A DASH OF SYMBOLS
No Names to the Rivers
The Ark of James Carlyle Cherry Wilder
155
On the River Robert F. Young 173
Goddess in Granite Robert F. Young 186
The Seekers E. C. Tubb 211
MARS AND VENUS
SECTION 4
Love and War
When the People Fell Cordwainer Smith
The Titan P. Schuyler Miller
7
223 236
SECTION 5 BECOMING MORE ALIEN
A Universal Home Truth
Four in One Damon Knight
297
The Age of Invention Norman Spinrad
331
The Snowmen Frederik Pohl 337
Schwartz Between the Galaxies Robert Silverberg
345
Afterword
366
INTRODUCTION
Long before I began compiling this book, I could see what it had to contain. Its
title and its contents leaped at me while I was working on the first anthology in
this series, Space Opera*, three years ago.
For the majority of readers new to science fiction, a landing on another planet - a
planet, because unknown, even more perilous than Earth - must be their peak
experience of the genre. If they don't get the true sf charge out of touchdown on
Procyon v, they will never get any charge at all. The cutting edge of science
fiction lies along the interface between the known and the unknown.
So what I wanted for my anthology was that seminal story in which our brave
astronauts, or space-travellers as they used to be called, make the first-ever
voyage through space, see the stars like jewels flung into the sack of night, and
touch down on a totally unknown planet. There they jump out to test the
atmosphere, find it even better than Earth's, and take a stroll amid the glorious
scenery. Whereupon something awful appears and - according to which seminal
story you read -attempts to eat them, warps their minds with obscene telepathic
messages, or captures them and takes them into subterranean tunnels.
It was a fantastic story, one you remember for the rest of your life. My trouble
was, I had forgotten which story it was. For months, I leafed my way through my
library, looking for the seminal story. I found plenty of stories like it, but never
that actual story. Eventually the truth dawned. That seminal story had no actual
existence. It was a creation of my memory, compounded from elements common
to many similar firstlanding stories. It was, you might say, a folk memory of
landing on a strange planet.
* Space Opera was followed by Space Odysseys, Evil Earths, and Galactic
Empires (in two volumes), all from the publishers of this companion volume.
Looking backwards into the mists of receding time, or the receding mists of
time, I can see how the legend has gradually become briefer and more
sophisticated over the ages since I first began reading, and the sayers of the saga
themselves gradually less Neanderthal. Right on the edge of the abyss where
memory begins, I am able to recall myself lying in my cot, dummy in mouth,
reading an absolutely enchanting Great Progenitor of the story in Wonder
Stories.
This is how that Great Progenitor went.
Two professors with German names are arguing about the nature of life. One of
them believes that life would be possible even with a silicon-based metabolism,
as opposed to the carbon-based metabolism prevalent on Earth; the other does
not so believe. Both put their points of view. Sometimes they grow angry and
strike their brows, or scribble equations on a handy blackboard. Every few
chapters, in comes the housekeeper and throws more coal on the fire.
So heated grows the argument, that the two professors with German names
decide to settle the matter by travelling to Mars, which they suspect is a silicon
world. Going out into the backyard, they begin to assemble a rocketship, still
occasionally striking their brows. Some parts they get from the local hardware
store, where the owner is amused by their preposterous idea; he often looks over
the garden fence to joke with them. But progress is made, little by little, chapter
by chapter.
The rocket is completed. The two professors with German names persuade their
housekeeper to come along with them as cook; she consents to come as long as
she can bring her dog, Fritz. They climb aboard, shovel in the coal, heat up the
boiler, and the rocket goes shooting up into space - to the considerable
discomfiture of the hardware store owner.
Space is very interesting and is described in some detail. They can see all the
planets in the solar system, etc. They are aiming for Mars but Fritz knocks the
compass over and they land by accident on Jupiter instead. To their surprise, they
find Jupiter is rather like Earth, except cloudier. Also the trees are bigger.
The two professors with German names step outside and sniff the air. It is even
better than Earth's. They take a stroll.
10
Whereupon something appears. It is a crowd of Jovians and - bless my soul! -
they prove to have a silicon-based metabolism. So one of the professors wins his
argument. They shake hands and marry the housekeeper, whose carbon-based
metabolism has always had a certain appeal.
Doubtless some of my more cynical readers will find this story a little naive,
comical even. Let me assure you that my first impressions were entirely more
favourable. At that tender age, I had never heard anyone discussing such a
fascinating subject as the nature of life; if taxed I might have claimed offhand
that life had no nature. Nor had the subject of a silicon-based metabolism ever
crossed my mind. I believe I am correct in saying that it was this metaphysical
aspect of science fiction which interested me as much as the actual spaceflight
and landing on Jupiter.
As the ages passed and I left nappies behind, I found that the story of that first
landing was developing. The earlier chapters became abridged, even perfunctory.
The spaceships were still built privately in back yards, but the details of
manufacture, and the argument, were curtailed. The landing, and what happened
then, became the thing. After more ages the stories simply skipped the
prolegomena and opened with the ship blasting out of space and the captain