Back in the 1960s, I discovered Groff Conklin’s Science Fiction anthologies. Conklin wrote excellent introductions to the stories he selected. And I pretty much enjoyed all the stories Conklin included in his various anthologies.
Groff Conklin’s Minds Unleashed, 1970 (aka, Giants Unleashed, 1965) is a good example of a Groff Conklin SF anthology: Big Name writers rub shoulders with lesser known writers. Heinlein, Clarke, Asimov, Clarke, and Anderson are well represented by quality stories. Lesser known writers like Richard Ashby, Edward Grendon, and Laurence Manning provide thought-provoking stories.
My favorite story in this anthology is Murray Leinster’s “The Ethical Equations.” Leinster specialized in First Contact stories and “The Ethical Equations” is one of his best. An alien spaceship enters our Solar System. The Space Patrol debates whether they should destroy the ship. After a young Patrol officer investigates the alien space ship, he finds the alien crew in suspended animation. And the young officer comes up with a clever, counter-intuitive solution.
I also liked J. T. McIntosh’s “Machine Made.” This story was published in 1951 and explores the idea of Artificial Intelligence. Very prophetic!
I’ve read over a dozen Groff Conklin SF anthologies and enjoyed them all. I suspect you would, too! GRADE: B+
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
“Microcosmic God” by Theodore Sturgeon (Astounding Science-Fiction, April 1941) — 3
“Commencement Night” by Richard Ashby (Astounding Science Fiction, August 1953) — 33
“The Deep Range” by Arthur C. Clarke (Argosy (UK), April 1954) — 59
“Machine Made” by J. T. McIntosh (New Worlds #10 Summer 1951) — 69
“Trip One” by Edward Grendon (Astounding Science Fiction, July 1949) — 83
“Venus Is a Man’s World” by William Tenn (Galaxy Science Fiction, July 1951) — 91
“Good-Bye, Ilha!” by Laurence Manning (Beyond Human Ken, 1952) — 115
“Misbegotten Missionary” by Isaac Asimov (Galaxy Science Fiction, November 1950) — 125
“The Ethical Equations” by Murray Leinster (Astounding Science Fiction, June 1945) — 143
“Misfit” by Robert A. Heinlein (Astounding Science-Fiction, November 1939) — 161
“Genius” by Poul Anderson (Astounding Science Fiction, December 1948) — 185
“Basic Right” by Eric Frank Russell (Astounding Science Fiction, April 1958) — 217