The Best of John W. Campbell. [Paperback]

John W. Campbell (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Sidgwick and Jackson (1973)
• ASIN: B000ORL4NG
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)

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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Prelude to the Golden Age, May 27, 2006

By 

Arthur W. Jordin (Smyrna, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Best of John W. Campbell (Mass Market Paperback)

The Best of John W. Campbell (1976) is a collection of short SF works and an editorial. In his introduction, Lester Del Rey states that Campbell had three successful careers in Science Fiction: the first as Campbell the author, the second as the author Don A. Stuart, and the third as editor of Astounding/Analog. The first two careers are amply illustrated by the contents of this volume, but the last career is best shown by the works of dozens of authors who learned from, or were influenced by, Campbell the editor.

The Last Evolution (1932) was originally published in Amazing Stories under the John W. Campbell byline. It tells of an invasion of the Earth by aliens from outside the Solar system and the rapid invention of machine/immaterial minds to defend humanity.

The following stories were written as Don A. Stuart. All were originally published in Astounding Stories:

Twilight (1934) involves the accidental transport of a scientist from 3059 into the remote future where the remnants of humanity still survive but without curiosity. Before he attempts to return to his own time, the timetraveler takes some steps to resume progress.

The Machine (1935) tells of the departure of the ubiquitous Machine that first came to Earth to help humanity, but finds that almost all mankind has since settled comfortably into dependency and indolence.

The Invaders (1935) depicts the invasion of Earth by aliens several millennia after the Machine leaves. The aliens find humanity dwelling in a paradise of plenty among the fallen ruins of great works. They put mankind to work and start a breeding program.

Rebellion (1935) recounts the results of the alien breeding program after a few centuries and the reinvention of secrecy, deceit, and rebellion.

Blindness (1938) portrays the efforts of a dedicated scientist to provide humanity with a new source of energy.

Elimination (1936) shows the influence of random chance upon any foretelling of the future.

Forgetfulness (1937) conveys the muzziness of an advanced individual trying to remember the techniques of his more primitive ancestors.

Out of Night (1937) is the first part of the story about the human rebellion against the Sarn using truly advanced technology.

The following stories were written as Don A. Stuart and were originally published in Astounding Science Fiction:

Cloak of Aesir (1939) is the second part of the Sarn rebellion story.

Who Goes There? (1938) is one of the most famous horror/suspense stories of all time. How do you detect shapeshifters who have taken the form of your friends and livestock?

Space for Industry (1960) was originally published as an editorial in Analog Science Fiction/Fact. It makes the case for industry in space rather than upon a planetary surface.

The Postscriptum is a recollection of the ways of John Wood Campbell, Jr., by his widow and is fascinating reading.

These stories are only a few of the short works of John W. Campbell. Many of the Campbell stories were eventually incorporated into novels of the space opera variety; some were very good, even by current standards. Of course, Campbell commissioned or influenced the writing of thousands of short stories and novels by other authors, contributing suggestions and even short outlines. In many respects, most of the Astounding/Analog fiction was coauthored by Campbell, as were many stories published elsewhere.

Highly recommended for Campbell fans and for anyone who has ever enjoyed stories originally published in Astounding/Analog while he was the editor.

-Arthur W. Jordin

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Two of Our Best Science Fiction Writers, September 26, 2010

By 

John M. Ford "johnDC" (near DC, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Best of John W. Campbell (Mass Market Paperback)

Legendary science fiction editor John W. Campbell first worked as a writer, under his own name and as Don A. Stuart. This volume collects eleven stories published under both names, a non-fiction piece supporting the development of space industry, and a chapter of recollections about his life by Campbell's wife.

My favorite three stories from among the eleven are described below.

"The Last Evolution" traces the future history of mankind as they invent increasingly complex intelligent machines. When Earth must fight invading Outsiders, these machines invent increasingly complex versions of themselves to meet the challenge.

"Twilight" presents a hard-to-disbelieve story from a hitchhiker who has traveled into the far future and overshot by a few years on the way back home. He paints a somber picture of future humanity. This story is much like H.G. Wells's [The Time Machine], but pruned to an appropriate length.

"Who Goes There?" shows us how a group of Antarctic researchers deal with an alien visitor awakened from the ice. A creature that insinuates itself into their group in an unexpected way. This last story is a must-read for fans of The Thing.

I recommend buying and reading this book. It's worth the effort to know John Campbell's work and understand his influence on Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, and other great authors of science fiction's Golden Age. Some of the stories show their age and may seem clichés to modern readers. They aren't--Campbell was there first.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars John Campbell The Writer, July 19, 2010

By 

Maxwell J. Wilcomb (Olathe, Kansas United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Best of John W. Campbell (Mass Market Paperback)

John Campbell is a science fiction giant known best for his years as an editor of Astounding. He had the ability to find and develop gifted writers and it is not too much to say his work as editor brought respectability to the whole business.
His own stories are superb, but not as remembered as they should be. My personal choice as his best (and among the best in all of science fiction) is Who Goes There, later made into a movie but don't go there. I believe it was called The Thing, featuring James Arness as a sort of giant carrot. Hollywood at its worst, which is saying a lot.
By all means visit John the writer.