FRIDAY’S FORGOTTEN BOOKS #644: ISAAC ASIMOV’S WONDERFUL WORLDS OF SCIENCE FICTON #5: TIN STARS Edited by Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg, and Charles G. Waugh

I thoroughly enjoy these volumes in the Isaac Asimov’s Wonderful Worlds of Science Fiction series. Tin Stars, the fifth book in the series, features stories of Future Crime. My favorite story in this anthology is Ron Goulart’s clever “Into the Shop,” a fable about what can happen if robots designed to enforce the Law malfunction. The most famous story in Tin Stars is “Brillo” by Ben Bova and Harlan Ellison. Ellison sued Paramount alleging their Future Cop series plagiarized “Brillo.” Henry Slesar’s classic “Examination Day” shows the power of control…and its dangers. If you’re looking for an entertaining SF collection, Tin Stars will surprise and delight you. GRADE: B+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

15 thoughts on “FRIDAY’S FORGOTTEN BOOKS #644: ISAAC ASIMOV’S WONDERFUL WORLDS OF SCIENCE FICTON #5: TIN STARS Edited by Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg, and Charles G. Waugh

  1. Patti Abbott

    I am wondering if you would like KLARA AND THE SUN, which deals with AI-in the form of friends. Not sure it worked for me although NEVER LET ME GO did.

    Reply
  2. Todd Mason

    Looks like a very readable anthology…Donaldson being the only writer in the TOC whose work I’ve never liked, but I haven’t read that one (“Anvil” wrote a lot of Cute Notion stories, but some with some heft; Wismer is the only one I have no memory of reading). I don’t remember if the sf sitcom HOLMES AND YOYO actually tread carefully with Ellison and Bova, or was sufficiently less obviously imitative than FUTURE COP as a farcical show.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Todd, like you I’ve never been a Donaldson fan, either. I rarely part with signed First Editions, but I traded a Donaldson hardcover for “Store Credit” at a local used bookstore. I needed more shelf space.

      Reply
      1. george Post author

        Todd, I try to support the few local used bookstores by buying books and “trading” books for “Store Credit.” I’m sure there’s a Donaldson fan out there somewhere who wants a signed First Edition of his work.

  3. Cap'n Bob Napier

    Sounds like a keeper! Coincidentally, I’ve been watching some Harlan Ellison Speaks videos on YouTube lately! The guy was a trip, as we used to say!

    Reply
  4. Rick Robinson

    Not bad, I’ve read most of them at one time or another, I think. Like Todd and you I don’t care for Donaldson, though I did read his initial three-volume series.

    Reply
      1. Todd Mason

        I was sufficiently put off by his short fiction and the reviews of the trilogy were Not encouraging.

        Hell, THE BOOK OF THE DUN COW (not by Donaldson) was wildly overpraised and was written in slightly better prose, but had a similar unfortunate feel. Hell, indeed.

      2. george Post author

        Todd, back in those days any Fantasy novel garnered praise (because of the relatively small number). When Fantasy became a money-making genre in publishing, the dynamics changed.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *