Friday, July 6, 2012

Galaxy Science Fiction, September 1951


An average issue for its’ time.

The Sense of Wonder • shortstory by Milton Lesser
A man in a generation ship is showing a little bit initiative and sometimes looks out from a view-screen. When the ship eventually lands, he takes some action. Unbelievably stupid characters, it is hard to think that no one would have no interest at all on anything. Writing was subpar. ** 1/2
If You Was a Moklin • novelette by Murray Leinster
It should be very easy to have a trading station on a planet where the natives are extremely friendly and want to imitate humans in everything up to in 100% accurate in appearance. If it wouldn't start to be more than a little bit creepy. A pretty nice and fun story. The ending is just about what you would expect. 100 % mimicry, mind you? ***+
Cabin Boy • novelette by Damon Knight
A cabin boy (really an ameba like creature, living in a very alien spaceship with very alien ways, all his actions are “simplified” to human analogues) meets some strange creatures (humans) and is thrilled by them. A pretty fun story which could have been tighter. ***
What Is Posat? • shortstory by Phyllis Sterling Smith
A scientist, an unemployed man and a cat lady read an advertisement about a secret society from a magazine. They all answer it for various, different, reason and get somewhat different return mailings. It turns out that there really IS a real ancient secret society with scientific secrets, and it is drafting new researchers. A simply story, writing was average. ***-
The Biography Project • shortstory by H. L. Gold
Scientists are spying the past masters of science and art and wonder why they all go paranoid and mad. Because they are spied, of course. A short and stupid story. **-

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