Microcosmic God: Volume II: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon [Paperback]

Theodore Sturgeon (Author), Paul Williams (Editor)

Book Description

Series: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon | Publication Date: November 12, 1998

The second of a planned 10 volumes that will reprint all Sturgeon's short fiction covers his prolific output during 1940 and 1941, after which he suffered five years of writer's block. Showcasing Sturgeon's early penchant for fantasy, the first six selections include whimsical ghost stories, such as "Cargo," in which a World War II munitions freighter is commandeered by invisible, peace-loving fairies. With the publication of his enduring SF classic, "Microcosmic God," Sturgeon finally found his voice, combining literate, sharp-edged prose with fascinating speculative science while recounting the power struggle between a brilliant scientist, who creates his own miniature race of gadget makers, and his greedy banker. Voice found or not, every one of the stories here is readable and entertaining today because of Sturgeon's singular gifts for clever turns of phrase and compelling narrative. As Samuel R. Delaney emphasizes in an insightful introduction, Sturgeon was the single most influential SF writer from the 1940s through the 1960s.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Historically, the Complete Sturgeon is one of the most important reissues in years. In terms of reading, this is a goldmine both for those already familiar with Sturgeon's work and for a new generation of readers ready for something real."
-Strange Worlds Magazine

"Theodore Sturgeon has become a kind of patron saint of SF short story writers. His fiction demonstrated a love of humanity and an understanding of human emotion unparalleled in the field. At the time of his death in 1985, no short story writer was held in so high a regard."
-David Brin, author of Heaven's Reach

About the Author

Theodore Sturgeon was born on February 26, 1918 in Staten Island, New York. He died in Eugene, Oregon, on May 8, 1985. A resident of New York City, upstate New York, and Los Angeles, he is the author of more than thirty novels and short story collections.

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: North Atlantic Books (November 12, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556433018
• ISBN-13: 978-1556433016
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.4 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,141,033 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!, June 6, 1999

By 

Michael Battaglia - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Microcosmic God: Volume II: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon (Paperback)

The best part of this collection is that he only got better later . . . this is only the second volume and just about every story here is a keeper and the really great ones will stick in your head forever. "The Microcosmic God", "Cargo", "Jumper" and all that type are nothing less than entertaining and at the same time showing you Sturgeon's highly sensative glimpses into the human heart. This guy cared about everyone and understood what made people tick, while some of his stuff might be considered formulaic still at this point, he can't be a genius everytime out and seeing everything in the proper order and context allows you to see his evolution. This entire ten volume series is a blessing, there aren't many writers who we get the chance to see them develop and there aren't that many who deserve this chance, all in all Sturgeon is at the top of the list. Cheers to whoever thought of this idea. Make sure these always stay in print!

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Now he's hit his stride, March 23, 2000

By 

Peter Flom "statistical consultant" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Microcosmic God: Volume II: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon (Paperback)

In this volume Sturgeon is beginning to hit his stride. Some of these are among the best short stories in SF (e.g. Microcosmic God, Shottle Bop).

In the earlier stories, Sturgeon was still trying to find his ideal voice. Much of the prose was forced, and some rather simple plot devices (especially irony) were common. In this volume, though, he is coming into his own.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the all-time best short stories!, November 27, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Seattle,WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Microcosmic God: Volume II: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon (Paperback)

Okay, I have never read this book, but I would like to comment on the short story, Microcosmic God as it has always been one of my favorites. My dad told it as a bed time story when I was younger and I've actually read it several times since then. The story involves a brilliant scientist named Kidder, who has absorbed the sum total of man's knowledge and is frustrated by the fact that he will not live long enough to witness future breakthroughs in technology. The logical solution of course, is for him to create his own race of beings (called Neoterics), with a faster metabolism and shorter lifespan (about 12 days, I think), so that he can observe their evolution and eventually learn from their discoveries. It is truly amazing that Sturgeon is able to pull off this level of scientific arrogance in a realitively succinct and believable manner (after all it is a SHORT story). Can the creation of intelligent life possibly be so simple? Hardly, but I was willing to swallow the premise, because the idea is fascinating and I truly wanted to know how it would turn out. I can easily understand why Kidder would go to such lengths in order to glimpse the future of mankind. Of course, the story also includes an evil banker, Conant, who wants to exploit Kidder's inventions (such as a pill that cures the common cold) for profit, but by far the most absorbing aspect of the plot is the Neoterics themselves. Kidder keeps them in a large covered atrium (they are extremely small) and observes them through a magnifier. While human rights activists would obviously protest Kidder's treatment of the Neoterics (in one instance he lowers the roof of the atrium steadily over a period of time, causing widespead distruction and panic, and waits for them to create a support system out of tinfoil) one can't help being impressed by their resourcefulness and the collective way they respond to every threat. Kidder creates a written language for the Neoterics and begins communicating w/them. It is soon apparent that they believe him to be God. I don't want to ruin the outcome of the story, but I would definitely recommend this as a quick read for anyone, not just science fiction lovers. It explores the themes of faith and mortality in very original way.